. A history of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . , of a light blue, the larger end encompassed•with a circle of a somewhat deeper hue. This bird visits us about the middle of March, andfrom that time till some time in May is seen to arrive :It frequents new-tilled grounds, and never fails to followthe plough in search of insects and small worms, whichare its principal food. In some parts of England greatnumbers are taken in snares made of horse hair, placedbeneath a turf: near two thousand dozen are said to betaken annually in that way, in one district only, whichare generally sol
. A history of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . , of a light blue, the larger end encompassed•with a circle of a somewhat deeper hue. This bird visits us about the middle of March, andfrom that time till some time in May is seen to arrive :It frequents new-tilled grounds, and never fails to followthe plough in search of insects and small worms, whichare its principal food. In some parts of England greatnumbers are taken in snares made of horse hair, placedbeneath a turf: near two thousand dozen are said to betaken annually in that way, in one district only, whichare generally sold at sixpence per dozen * Great num-bers are sent to the London markets, where they arejnuch esteemed, being thought not inferior to the Orto= * G 2 23S BRITISH BIRDS. Ian. They leave us in August and September, andabout that time are seen in great numbers by the sea-shore, where, probably, they subsist some little timebefore they take their departure. They are extendedover a large portion of the globe, even as far as thesouthern parts of THE WHINCHAT. (Motadlla ruhetra, Lin.—Le grand Traquety ou le Tarter, Buff.) This bird is somewhat larger than the Stonechat. Itsbill is black : eyes hazel; the feathers on the head, neck,and back are black, edged with rust colour ; a streak ofwhite passes from the bill over each eye towards the hinderpart of the head •, the cheeks are blackish ; chin white;the breast is of a rust colour ; belly, vent, and thighspale buff j each wing is crossed by a white mark near theshoulder, and another smaller near the bastard wing;part of the tail, at the base, is white, the rest black; thetwo middle feathers are wholly black, as are also the legs. BRITISH BIRDS. 239 The colours in general of the female are paler; the whitestreak over the eye, and the spots on the wings, are muchless conspicuous *, and the cheeks, instead of being black,partake of the colours of the head. The Whinchat is a solitary bird, frequenting heathsand moors
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