532 



WHEATEAR. 



now and then seen it in the month of February. It principally fre- 

 quents rabbit-warrens, or such parts as are enclosed with stone walls ; 

 makes its nest in a deserted rabbit-burrow, or in an old stone quarry ; 

 sometimes in a heap of stones, or the hole in a wall ; but most times 

 on the ground. It is composed of moss and dried stalks and fibres put 

 together with wool, and lined with hair or wool. The eggs are five or 

 six in number, of a uniform pale blue colour, weighing about forty- 

 three grains. The numbers that breed in this country must be very 

 considerable, but so dispersed that few are seen at that season in the 

 same situation. In September they begin to retire, and seem to as- 

 semble from all parts to the Sussex and Dorset downs contiguous to 

 the coast, preparatory to their departure. The quantity taken an- 

 nually about Eastbourn is prodigious ; Mr. Pennant says 1840 dozen. 

 These are caught in a singular manner, by placing two turfs on edge ; 

 at each end of which a small horse-hair noose is fixed to a stick, which 

 the bird, either in search of food or to evade a storm of rain, attempts 

 to get under, and is caught. Upon inquiry of the shepherds, whose 

 trade this is, we have been informed that fifty or sixty of these traps 

 have had a bird in them of a morning ; sometimes several mornings 

 together, and then for a day or two scarcely one is to be seen ; and yet 

 they are never observed to come in flocks : it is the general opinion 

 that they come in the night. 



* " I observed a pair," says Sweet, "on the 17th of November last, 

 near the gravel-pit in Hyde-park, which were quite lively, and flying 

 about after the insects, as brisk as if it had been the middle of summer. 

 From their appearance, I should suppose they had been about there for 

 some time, as they were not at all shy, but would allow me to come 

 within three yards of them, so that they might have been easily caught 

 in a trap, if I had wished for them ; but being previously in possession 

 of a pair, I did not trouble myself about them. I have seldom heard 

 the Wheatear sing when wild, but when I have, its song was very soft, 

 and scarcely to be heard, except when very near it ; though I must 

 allow I have never been much in the places that they frequent in sum- 

 mer, so that they may sing more than I am aware of. In confine- 

 ment, they are almost continually in song, and sing by night as well as 

 day ; they have a very pleasant, variable, and agreeable song, different 

 from all other birds ; sometimes it is very loud, and they continue it 

 a great length of time, not continually breaking off like a robin red- 

 breast, and some other birds ; but their winter song is best, and most 

 varied. A pair that I possess at present were caught in September 

 last, and they began to sing in a few days, and have continued in song 



