Volume I Part 11 (1/2)
2,6,7,9,10,11,16,18, _Motacilla_. 17. _Rallus_.
3,4,5,15, _Hirundo_. 19. _Caprimulgus_.
8, _Cuculus_. 14. _Alauda_.
12, _Charadrius_. 20. _Muscicapa_.
Most soft-billed birds live on insects, and not on grain and seeds, and therefore at the end of summer they retire: but the following soft-billed birds, though insect-eaters, stay with us the year round:--
RAII NOMINA.
Redbreast, Wren, _Rubecula. Pa.s.ser These frequent houses, troglodytes_. and haunt out-buildings in the winter: eat spiders.
Hedge-sparrow, _Curruca_. Haunt sinks for crumbs and other sweepings.
White-wagtail, Yellow-wagtail, Grey-wagtail, _Motacilla alba_. These frequent shallow _Motacilla flava_. rivulets near the spring _Motacilla cinerea_. heads, where they never freeze: eat the aureliae of _Phryganea_. The smallest birds that walk.
Wheatear, _OEnanthe_. Some of these are to be seen with us the winter through.
Whinchat, Stone-chatter, _OEnanthe secunda_.
_OEnanthe tertia_.
Golden-crowned wren, _Regulus cristatus_. This is the smallest British bird: haunts the tops of tall trees; stays the winter through.
A LIST OF THE WINTER BIRDS OF Pa.s.sAGE ROUND THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, RANGED SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR.
RAII NOMINA.
1. Ring-ousel, _Merula torquata_. This is a new migration, which I have lately discovered about Michaelmas week, and again about the 14th March.
2. Redwing, _t.u.r.dus iliacus_. About old Michaelmas.
3. Fieldfare, _t.u.r.dus pilaris_. Though a percher by day, roosts on the ground.
4. Royston-crow, _Cornix cinerea_. Most frequent on downs.
5. Woodc.o.c.k, _Scolopax_. Appears about old Michaelmas.
6. Snipe, _Gallinago minor_. Some snipes constantly breed with us.
7. Jack-snipe, _Gallinago minima_.
8. Wood-pigeon, _OEnas_. Seldom appears till late; not in such plenty as formerly.
9. Wild-swan, _Cygnus ferus_. On some large waters.
10. Wild-goose, _Anser ferus_. ) 11. Wild-duck, _Anas torquata ) minor_.
12. Pochard, _Anas fera fusca_.) 13. Wigeon, _Penelope_. ) On our lakes and streams.
14. Teal, breeds with _Querquedula_. ) us in Wolmer Forest, 15. Gross-beak, _Coccothraustes_. ) These are only wanderers that 16. Cross-bill, _Loxia_. ) appear occasionally, and are not 17. Silk-tail, _Garrulus ) observant of any bohemicus_. regular migration.
The birds, as they stand numerically, belong to the following Linnaean genera:--
1,2,3, t.u.r.dus. 9,10,11,12,13,14, Anas.
4, Corvus. 15,16, Loxia.
5,6,7, Scolopax. 17, Ampelis.
8, Columba.
Birds that sing in the night are but few.
Nightingale, _Luscinia_. ”In shadiest covert hid.”
MILTON.
Woodlark, _Alauda arborea_. Suspended in mid air.
Less reed-sparrow, _Pa.s.ser arundinaceus Among reeds and willows.
minor_.
I should now proceed to such birds as continue to sing after Midsummer, but, as they are rather numerous, they would exceed the bounds of this paper: besides, as this is now the season for remarking on that subject, I am willing to repeat my observations on some birds concerning the continuation of whose song I seem at present to have some doubt.