( J i )
The Wheat Ear. Oenanthe.
Numb. LV.
T T S Weight is twenty one Drams; its Length from the End of the Bill to 1 the End of the Tail, fix Inches; Breadth when extended, twelve Inches.
The Colour of the Head and Back is cinereous, with a certain Mixture of
red, like to that which is feen in the Back of the Hawfinch. The Rump
in moil of them is white, whence alfo it takes the Name of White Tail; in
fome it is of the fame Colour with the Back, or more red. The whole
Belly is white, lightly daihed with red. The Breaft and Throat have
a deeper Tin&ure of red. The Belly of the Cock is fometimes yel-
lowiih; above the Eyes is a white Line continued to the hinder Part of
the Head, below the Eyes a black Stroke is extended from the Corners
of the Mouth to the Ears. This black Line is not in the Females.
Both the quill Feathers and covert Feathers of the Wings are black, except
the extream Edges, which are white tin&ured with a fordid red. The Tail
is two Inches and a quarter long, made up of twelve Feathers, of which the
two middlemoft have their upper half white, the reft their lower, the or
ther half being black ; the Tips and Edges of them all are white. In the
Hen the white takes up but a quarter of the Feathers.
. The Bill is flender, ftraight, black more than half an Inch long: the
Mouth, is black within, the Tongue black and cloven; the Aperture of
the Mouth great, the Irides of the Eyes Hazel coloured; the back
Toe is armed with a great Claw, the Stomach is not very mufculous,
out of which' difle&ed was taken Beetles and other Infe&s. They breed in
forfakeh Coney Burrows; and they catch them in Sufiex, by digging long
Turfs of Earth, and laying them acrofs the Holes out of which they
are digged, hanging Snares of Horfe Hair at the middle of the Entrance.
The Birds being very timorous at the Appearance of a Hawk, or dark Cloud
intercepting the Sun Beams, they run and hide themfelves in the Holes'
of the Turfs, and are caught by the Neck in the Snares.