THIS bird weighs upwards of an ounce, and has a slender black bill, about half an inch long; the tongue is cloven or slit, and the inside of the mouth black; the eyes are of a hazel colour, above which there is a white line passing towards the hinder part of the head; and below them, a large black one, which extends itself from the corners of the mouth to the ears. The head and back appear of a cinereous colour, with a mixture of red. The rump is generally white, from whence, by some, it has the name of White-tail; the belly is white, tinged with yellow, dashed faintly with red; the breast and throat are more deep; the coverts and quills are black, with their extreme edges white, tinctured with a dusky red; the tail is something more than two inches long, and the upper half of it is black, the lower white. The female wants the black mark across the eyes; the bar of white across the tail is narrower than that of the male; and the general colours are more dull.

The Wheatear visits England annually in the middle of March, and leaves us in September. The females come first, about a fortnight before the males; and they continue to come till the middle of May. In some

parts of England they are found in vast plenty, and are much esteemed. About Eastbourne, in Sussex, they are taken in snares made of horsehair, placed beneath a long turf. As they are very timid birds, the motion even of a cloud, or the appearance of a hawk, will immediately drive them into the traps. These traps are first set every year on St. James's day (July 25); soon after which they are caught in astonishing numbers, considering that they are not gregarious, and that more than two or three are scarcely ever seen flying together. The numbers annually ensnared in the district of Eastbourne alone, is said to amount to nearly two thousand dozen. One shepherd has caught eighty-four dozen of them in a day. The birds caught are chiefly young ones, and they are invariably found in the greatest number when an easterly wind prevails; as they always come against the wind.

It is supposed, that the immense swarms of these birds which are found on the downs about Eastbourne, are occasioned by a species of fly, their favourite food, that feeds on the wild thyme, and abounds in the adjacent hills. In England they are held in as much estimation as the ortolan is on the continent. A few of these birds breed in the old rabbit-burrows there. The nest is large, and made of dry grass, rabbit's down, a few feathers and horse hair. The eggs are from six to eight, and are of a light colour.

The ORTOLAN, the great epicurean delicacy of the continent, is common in France and Italy, and in some parts of Germany and Sweden. It has black wings; a greenish head, which is yellow towards the inferior mandible; the first three feathers of the tail are white on the edges, only the two lateral are black outwardly. These birds are caught in numbers, and are kept in a room lighted by lanthorns, where they are constantly fed with oats and millet till they become little else than a lump of richly-tasted fat.

THIS bird is about the size of a lark, being nearly seven inches in length. It is distinguished by the peculiar formation of its bill, the upper and under coming in opposite directions, and crossing each other at the points. Its eyes are hazel; its general colour is reddish, mixed with brown or green on the upper parts; the under parts are considerably paler, being almost white at the vent, and at certain seasons of the year they change to deep red, orange, or pale yellow; the wings are short, not reaching further than the setting on of the tail, and are of a brown colour; the tail is of the same colour, and somewhat forked; the legs are black. In colour the females are of an olive green, which they change occasionally.

Notwithstanding the apparent awkwardness of their beaks, they are able, by bringing the mandibles point to point, even to pick up and eat the smallest seeds. They live principally on the seeds contained in fur or pine cones, and these they extract with an amazing degree of dexterity and promptitude. While thus engaged, they are so attentive to what they are about, that they will frequently suffer themselves to be caught with horse hair nooses fixed to a fishing rod.

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This

bird, when kept in a cage, has all the actions of a parrot, climbing by means of his crooked bill, from the lower to the upper bars. He is also very mischievous, and will destroy things merely for amusement.

The Crossbill is an inhabitant of the colder climates, and has been found as far as Greenland. It breeds in Russia, Sweden, Poland, and Germany, in Austria, in the mountains of Switzerland, and among the Alps and Pyrenees, from whence they migrate in vast flocks into other countries. In England they are somewhat rare.

The German birdcatchers generally feed them with poppy and other small seeds; and they shell hempseeds in eating them as well as any other birds whatever. As early as January, the female begins to build her hemispherical nest in the bare branches of the pine tree, fixing it with the resinous matter which exudes from that tree, and besmearing it on the outside with the same substance, so that melted snow or rain cannot penetrate it. In this she lays a few whitish eggs, spotted towards the thicker end with red.

THIS bird measures rather more than five inches in length. Its bill and eyes are black; its forehead is

white; the cheeks, throat, fore part and sides of the neck are black, which colour extends over each eye; the crown of the head, hinder part of the neck, and the back are of a deep blue gray; in some subjects, probably old ones, this gray is almost black; its breast, rump, and sides are of a fine glowing red, inclining to orange colour, which extends to all the feathers of the tail, excepting the two middle ones, which are brown; the belly is white; the feet and claws are black. The female differs considerably from the male, her colours are not so vivid: the top of her head and back are of a gray ash colour, and the chin is white.

The Redstart is migratory; it appears about the middle of April, and departs in the latter end of September, or beginning of October; to what country it retires is not known; it frequents old walls and ruinous edifices, where it makes its nest, composed chiefly of moss, lined with hair and feathers. It is distinguished by a peculiar quick shake of its tail from side to side, on its alighting on a wall or other place. Though a wild and timorous bird, it is frequently found in the midst of cities, always choosing the most difficult and inaccessible places for its residence: it likewise builds in forests, in holes of trees, or in high and dangerous precipices. The female lays four or five eggs, not much unlike those of the hedge-sparbut somewhat longer. Should she discover that they have been touched, she immediately forsakes them. These birds feed on flies, spiders, the eggs of ants, small berries, soft fruits, and such like. If taken when old, it is impossible to tame the Redstart, but if caught young, and kept warm during the winter, it may be domesticated, and will pour forth its song, by night as well as by day, with great sweetness and freedom.

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