Chapter XVI: Part 16

The following notice of the occurrence of this species in Yorkshire may be found in the "Zoologist" for 1849, from the pen of Sir William Milner, of Nunappleton:--"The species was a female, and was observed in company with its mate for a considerable time before it was shot. The other bird had a black head, and the description I received left no doubt on my mind that it was a male _Sylvia Orphea_. The bird obtained, of which I send you a description, was shot in a small plantation near the town of Wetherby, on the 6th of July, 1848, and had the appearance of having been engaged in incubation, from the state of the plumage." "Mr. Graham, a bird preserver of York," continues Sir W. Milner, "hearing that a very uncommon bird had been shot, went over to Wetherby, and fortunately obtained the specimen for my collection. This bird had the beak black and very strong; the whole upper part of the plumage dark ash-coloured brown; the outer feather of the tail white; the second on each side edged with dirty white, the rest of a brownish black; chin dirty white; throat and belly brownish white; under surface of the wings and vent light brown; legs very strong, toes and claws black. The whole length six inches three lines."

THE GREATER PETTICHAPS.

The GREATER PETTICHAPS, or GARDEN WARBLER (_Curruca_ or _Sylvia hortensis_), is six inches long, and nine and three-quarters broad; the wing measures three inches, and the tail two and a half; the female is somewhat smaller than her mate, but resembles him in colour. The entire upper portion of the body is olive-grey, the throat and belly are of a whitish shade, and the rest of the under side light grey. The quills and tail are dark grey, the eye light greyish brown, the beak and feet dull grey.

This species inhabits the whole of Southern Europe, extending in a northerly direction as far as 68° north latitude; in France and Italy it is especially numerous, but is comparatively rarely met with in Spain, though it is known to breed in that country. It usually arrives in England and Scotland about April, and leaves early in September. Unlike most of its congeners, the Garden Warbler is extremely quiet and peaceful in its demeanour, and, though cautious and vigilant, by no means timid. It usually frequents woods, gardens, and orchards, and may constantly be seen disporting itself among the fruit trees, in utter indifference to the presence of the owners.

Macgillivray, quoting from Sweet, says:--"It visits us in the spring, about the end of April or the beginning of May, and its arrival is soon made known by its very loud and long song. It generally begins very low, not unlike the song of the Swallow, but raises it by degrees, until it resembles the song of the Blackbird, singing nearly all through the day and the greater part of the time it stays with us, which is but short, as it leaves us again in August. In confinement it will sing nearly all through the year, if it be treated well. In a wild state it is generally found in gardens and plantations, where it feeds chiefly upon fruits, and will not refuse some kinds of insects; it is very fond of the larva or caterpillar that is often found upon cabbage plants, the produce of _Papilio brassicæ_, and I know no other bird of the genus that will feed on it. Soon after its arrival here the strawberries are ripe, and it is not long before it finds them out; the cherries it will begin before they are quite ripe, and I know not any kind of fruit or berry which is wholesome that it will refuse. It generally tastes the plums, pears, and early apples, before it leaves us; and, when in confinement it also feeds freely on elder, privet, or ivy berries; it is also partial to barberries."

Mr. Neville Wood has seen it "darting into the air to catch insects in the same manner as the Spotted Fly-catcher (_Muscicapa grisola_), often taking its stand on a dahlia stake, watching for its prey, darting aloft with inconceivable rapidity, with its bill upwards, catching the fly with a loud snap of the bill, and immediately returning to its station to renew the same process with similar success."

In an extract given by Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, from the MS. of the late John Templeton, Esq., he says:--"On the 21st of May I had the pleasure of seeing this bird, to whose haunt in my garden I was attracted by its pleasing melody. It was not very shy, coming near enough to be distinctly seen, but was extremely restless, flitting every moment from place to place, and only stationary on the branch while it gave out its song. The male continued to sing until the young were reared, when his song ceased for about a fortnight; then it was again renewed, on the construction, I suppose, of a new nest."

"As a songster," says Yarrell, "it ranks with the Blackcap; and a good judge of the comparative value of the songs of our birds has described that of the Garden Warbler as a continued strain of considerable modulation, sometimes lasting for half an hour at a time without a pause. The song is wild, rapid, and irregular in time and tone, but the rich depth is wonderful for so small a throat, approaching in deep mellowness even to that of the Blackbird."

The nest is made in bushes and trees, at various distances from the ground, and is so slightly constructed as to render it a matter of wonder how it can possibly support the five or six eggs that constitute a brood. It is formed externally of strong bents, lined with finer bents, fibrous roots, and horsehair. The situation in which it is placed is carelessly selected, and it is no uncommon occurrence for the little structure to fall to the ground, not only during a high wind, but from the mere weight of the parents as they enter or leave the nest. Strangely enough, though they thus appear to adopt the most unsuitable situations for building, few birds are so capricious as to their requirements in this respect, and it frequently happens that a pair of Garden Warblers will lay the foundation of several nests, often within a very limited space, before they satisfy their peculiar fancies. Both parents co-operate in the business of incubation; the male, however, only sits during the middle of the day; the nestlings are hatched within a fortnight, and in another fortnight can leave the nest, and climb nimbly about the surrounding branches, though unable to fly. If undisturbed, this species breeds but once in the year.

THE LESSER WHITETHROAT.

The LESSER WHITETHROAT (_Curruca garrula_) does not exceed five inches and one-third in length, and eight in breadth; the wing measures two inches and a half, and the tail two inches and a quarter. In this species the top of the head is grey, and the back brownish grey; the wing-feathers are of a still deeper grey, edged with a pale shade; the entire under side is white, tinted with yellowish red on the sides of the breast; the cheek-stripes are dark grey; the exterior tail-feathers white; the rest being only surrounded with a white border. The eyes are brown, the beak dark grey, and the legs bluish grey.

This Whitethroat inhabits the whole of Central Europe, usually appearing in England about April; and, according to Jerdon, is met with throughout India and in many parts of Central Asia, during the course of its winter migrations. Woods, gardens, and orchards are its favourite resorts, and these it boldly visits, not merely in the neighbourhood of human habitations, but in the very centre of towns and villages.

"The food of this species," as Mr. Yarrell informs us, "is very similar to that sought for by the Common Whitethroat--namely, insects in their various states, the smaller fruits of many different sorts, for which it visits the gardens, and, later in the season, it feeds on the berries of the elder and some others. It is not, however, so easy to preserve this bird in health during confinement as the Common Whitethroat."

Colonel Sykes obtained examples in the Deccan which only differed from the English specimens in having a reddish tint on the white of the under surface, but Mr. Blyth mentions that he has seen this tint on specimens obtained in this country, and Mr. Yarrell quotes part of a letter received from the Rev. W. E. Cornish, of Totnes, which says, "I have reared the Lesser Whitethroat, two males and a female; the males had a beautiful tinge of carmine on the breast."

Mr. Hepburn, who was the first to discover this species in East Lothian, has furnished the following notice respecting it:--"On the 7th of May, 1838, I first heard the song of the Lesser Whitethroat (_Sylvia curruca_). In its habits it is shy and retiring; it loves to frequent copses and gardens. When you approach its haunts it conceals itself in the thickest shade, where it utters its alarm-note, distending its throat a little. One day in July, when lying in wait for Wood Pigeons in a ditch beneath the shade of some hedgerow trees, I observed one sporting amongst the hawthorn twigs. He once sprung into the air, caught an insect, and then began to sing in a very low voice, ending in a very shrill, tremulous cry. House Sparrows, Hedge Chanters, Chaffinches, Wagtails, Willow Wrens, Wood Wrens, White Throats, dart into the air in the very same way. The little fellow ceased his song when he observed me, and sought the middle of the hedge, where he remained till I left my place. I teased him thus for about twenty minutes. He had young ones at the time. It was about the beginning of July that I observed that both the Greater and Lesser Whitethroats made excursions into fields of growing wheat and beans. In the former case they settle on the stalk near to the ear, which they diligently examine. The Wheat Fly (_Cecidomyia tritici_) at this season deposits its eggs between the glumes of the corn, and we may reasonably suppose that the Whitethroats devour this destructive insect, in doing which they must confer a great benefit on the farmer, as far as their influence extends. After this I shall never grudge them a few currants. But this is not all; for, besides destroying vast numbers of other insects which feed on the honey contained in the nectary of the bean, I have seen their little mouths filled with the black or collier aphides, which often commit much damage by adhering to the top of the field bean and sucking its juice, so that sometimes fruit, leaves, and stem perish. It prefers the red currant to all other fruits. It departs about the 8th or 10th of September."

"The louder notes of this bird," says Mr. Yarrell, "have nothing particular in their tone to recommend them; but if approached with sufficient caution to prevent alarm, or when kept in confinement, they may be heard to utter a low, soft, and pleasing whistle, which is almost incessant; so much so as to have induced the application of the epithets of _garrula_ and _babillard_, as terms of specific distinction. The nest is usually placed upon a thick bush near the ground, and resembles that made by other members of the family. The eggs are from four to six in number, round, and pure white or bluish green, marked with violet-grey or yellowish-brown spots, most thickly strewn over the broad end. Both parents assist in the process of incubation, and tend and protect their young with the utmost care and assiduity; but, like the species already described, will often, if disturbed when brooding, desert not merely their nest, but the eggs contained therein. We have frequently remarked that the same self-sacrificing devotion exhibited by this species to its own nestlings is also displayed towards the young Cuckoos that are sometimes reared involuntarily as inmates of the little family."

THE CAPIROTE, OR BLACK-CAP.

The CAPIROTE, or BLACK-CAP (_Curruca atricapilla_), one of the most highly-endowed of woodland songsters, is greyish black upon the upper parts of the body; the under side is light grey, with the throat of a still paler shade. In the adult male the crown of the head is deep black, in the females and young reddish brown; the eyes are brown, the beak black, and the feet dark grey. This species is five inches and ten lines long, and eight inches broad; the wing measures two inches and a half and the tail two and a quarter; the size of the female is the same as that of her mate. It is at present uncertain whether the REDHEAD (_Curruca ruficapilla_) is to be regarded as merely a variety of this bird, or as an entirely different species.

The Capirote is found throughout the whole of Central Europe, and during its migration visits the southern portion of that continent; it is also very numerously met with in the Canary Islands, and has occasionally been seen in Soudan. In most parts of Europe it generally makes its appearance about April, and leaves again early in the autumn.

"When the Blackcap first arrives in this country, its chief food," says Mr. Sweet, "consists of the early ripened berries of the ivy, and where these are there the blackcaps are first to be heard, singing their melodious and varied song. By the time the ivy-berries are over, the little green larvæ of the small moths, rolled up in the young shoots and leaves, will be getting plentiful; these then constitute their chief food until strawberries and cherries become ripe; after that there is no fruit or berry that is eatable or wholesome that they will refuse. When they have cleared away the elderberries in autumn, they immediately leave us."

This species usually produces two broods in the season, and places its comparatively well-built nest within the shelter of a thorny bush or leafy shrub. The eggs, from four to six in number, are of an oval shape, smooth, flesh-coloured, and marked with reddish-brown spots.

"The male birds of several species of Warblers," says Mr. Yarrell, "share with their females the task of incubating the eggs; this is particularly the case with the male Blackcap, readily known from the female by his black head. So gratified is he, apparently, when performing this part of his duty, that he will frequently sing while thus occupied, sometimes, perhaps, occasioning the destruction of his hopes. A writer in the 'Magazine of Natural History' says he has several times been led to the discovery of the eggs by the male singing while sitting. The female, when taking her turn on the nest, is occasionally fed by her mate. Generally, however, male birds neither sit so steady, or feed the young so assiduously, as the females."

Bolle tells us that if the nestlings lose their mother her bereaved mate will alone undertake the care of his hungry young ones. The general habits and demeanour of the Blackcap so closely resemble those of other members of this family that further description is unnecessary. Nevertheless, we must allude more particularly to the peculiarities of its beautiful song, which has been described by Mr. Yarrell:--

"The Blackcap has in common a full, deep, sweet, loud, and wild pipe, yet that strain is of short continuance, and his motions are desultory; but when the bird sits calmly, and engaged in song in earnest, he pours forth a very sweet but inward melody, and expresses a great variety of soft and gentle modulations, superior, perhaps, to any of our Warblers, the Nightingale excepted. While this species warbles the throat is wonderfully distended."

Bolle mentions a tame Capirote kept by a lady in Ciudad de los Palmas, the chief town of the Canaries, that was the wonder and admiration of the whole neighbourhood, on account of the extraordinary clearness with which it had learnt to repeat the words _mi niño chiceritito_ (my darling little pet), a phrase daily employed by its mistress, as she gave her favourite its food. Large sums were offered by several persons, in the hope of obtaining so great a curiosity as a singing bird that could speak, but his owner was not inclined to part with her treasure; and after tending it for several years with the utmost watchfulness, had the grief to lose it by poison, administered, it was supposed, by some one whose offers had been refused. When in confinement this species soon becomes tame.

Beckstein says, "A young male which I had put into a hothouse for the winter was accustomed to receive a meal-worm from my hand every time I entered. This took place so regularly that immediately on my arrival he placed himself near the little jar where I kept the meal-worms. If I pretended not to notice this signal, he would take flight, and, passing close under my nose, immediately resume his post; and this he repeated, sometimes even striking me with his wing, till I satisfied his wishes and impatience."

THE WHITE THROAT.

The WHITE THROAT (_Curruca cinerea_) is five inches and three-quarters long, and eight inches and a quarter broad; the wing and tail each measure two inches and a half. This species is at once recognisable by the slender body, comparatively long tail, white throat, and the reddish border that surrounds its upper wing-covers. The head, nape, back, and rump are yellowish grey, shaded with a faint reddish tinge; the under side is white, intermixed with reddish grey on the breast; the quills, tail, and feathers that form the wing-covers are greyish black, the latter being moreover broadly bordered with rust-red; the eye is brownish yellow, the upper mandible deep grey, the lower reddish grey, and the legs greyish yellow. In the female and young birds these various colours are not so clearly defined as in the plumage of the adult male. These Warblers are met with in North-western Asia and throughout the larger portion of Europe, from Sweden and Russia, as far south as the northern parts of Spain. They are numerous in Great Britain, where they arrive in about the third week in April; and are only seen in Southern Spain and Greece during the migrating season, when they wander even into Africa. We ourselves have shot them in Eastern Soudan, and other naturalists have found them in the western portions of the African continent. Like other members of their family, they display extraordinary dexterity in making their way through the most intricate masses of foliage or the very innermost recesses of their favourite brushwood, and, under ordinary circumstances, rarely venture forth upon the outer branches of their leafy retreats. Despite their unusual shyness, they are, however, occasionally bold enough to extend their foraging excursions as far as the neighbourhood of fields of corn, and in Southern Europe they especially favour the crops of ripe maize. During their flight they generally keep near the ground, and, though unable to continue their course for any great length of time, propel themselves through the air with rapid and powerful strokes of their wings. The song of this species, which, though varied, is decidedly inferior in quality to those of many of its congeners, is frequently poured forth when the bird is on the wing, at an altitude of some twenty or forty yards above the ground, or as it rises fluttering, or sinks with closed pinions towards the earth.

"The note of the White Throat," says Gilbert White, "which is continually repeated, and often attended with odd gesticulations on the wing, is harsh and unpleasing. These birds seem of pugnacious disposition, for they sing with an erected crest and attitudes of rivalry and defiance, are shy and wild in breeding-time, avoiding frequented neighbourhoods, and haunting lonely lanes and commons--nay, even the very tops of the Sussex Downs, where there are bushes and coverts; but in July and August they bring their broods into gardens and orchards, and make great havoc among the summer fruits."

"One that I possess," says Mr. Sweet, "will sing for hours together against a Nightingale, now, in the beginning of January, and will not suffer itself to be outdone. When the Nightingale raises its voice, it also does the same, and tries its utmost to get above it. Sometimes in the midst of its song it will run up to the Nightingale, stretch out its neck as if in defiance, and whistle as loud as it can, staring it in the face. If the Nightingale attempts to peck it, away it flies in an instant, darting round the aviary, and singing all the time. These birds are easily taken in a trap baited with a living caterpillar or butterfly. One that I caught last spring sung the third day after being placed in confinement, and continued to sing all through the summer; but this was most likely in consequence of a tame one being with it, which also sung at the same time."

The nest is usually constructed in thick bushes or in long grass, and is often placed quite close to the ground, or in the most unlikely situations--the iron-work on a lamp in Portland Place and in a gate at Hampton Court Palace are instanced by Mr. Jesse as having been employed for this purpose. Externally, the walls of the nest are formed of grass, often interspersed with wool, and lined with some delicate material. The eggs, from four to six, are laid at the end of April. These differ remarkably from each other, not only as to size, but in form and hue, some being white, yellow, grey, or greenish, while others are slate colour, yellowish brown, or yellowish green, streaked, spotted, or marbled with various darker shades. Two broods are always produced within the season.

THE SPECTACLED WARBLER.

The SPECTACLED WARBLER (_Curruca conspicillata_) is five inches long and six and three-quarters broad; the wing and tail each measure about two inches. The head of this species is dark grey; the upper part of the body of a lighter grey, shaded with rust-red; the under side and quills are grey; the outer web of the secondaries and of the feathers on the upper wing-covers broadly edged with rust-red; the outer web of the exterior tail-feathers is white, almost to the root; the inner web of all the tail-feathers is decorated with a more or less distinctly indicated triangular patch. The light reddish-brown eye is surrounded by a white ring; the feathers above the ears are grey; the beak flesh-pink at its base, and black at the tip; the foot is either yellowish pink or reddish grey. The young are distinguishable from the adult birds by the pure grey colour of their breast. In this species the fourth wing-quill is the longest. The Spectacled Warblers inhabit all of the more southern countries of Europe, and usually remain throughout the year in their native lands. In their habits they closely resemble the species above described, but are generally met with in districts overgrown with low bushes and thistles. We learn from Wright that two broods are produced within the year, the first eggs being laid about February.

THE WHITE-BEARDED WARBLER.

The WHITE-BEARDED WARBLER (_Curruca leucopogon_) is one of the most attractive members of this family; the entire upper portion of the body is of a beautiful dark grey, the under side greyish white, the throat bright rust-red, adorned with a narrow white line, which passes from the base of the beak to the shoulders; the reddish eye is surrounded by a circle of red feathers, while those over the ears are brown; the quills and tail-feathers are dark brown, the outer web of the exterior tail-feathers being partially white, and the inner web decorated with a triangular white spot; the other feathers are merely edged with white, the eyelid is light red, the beak greyish black, the upper mandible tipped with reddish grey; the foot is also of the latter shade. The females and young are similarly coloured, but are without the red feathers on the throat. This species is four inches and three-quarters long, and six inches and three-quarters broad; the wing measures two inches and a quarter, and the tail two inches and one-sixth.

The White-bearded Warblers inhabit the dwarf woods of oleanders, evergreens, cistus, and elm that clothe some of the mountainous districts of Southern Europe and North-western Africa. Within and around these bosky retreats they seek their favourite insect fare with the mouse-like movements that characterise their family; but, unlike the species above mentioned, they are at little pains to conceal themselves at the approach of a stranger, and are generally to be seen perching in pairs upon the outer branches of their favourite shrubs, whilst they carry on their chase, now darting into the air to snap up a passing insect, now diving within the foliage to seize an unlucky beetle or caterpillar, as it takes its morning walk upon the leaves. The nest of this species is thicker and much more neatly constructed than those already described; the four or five eggs that form a brood have a dirty white shell, spotted with yellowish brown and olive green; the markings generally form a wreath at the broad end.

THE FIRE-EYED WARBLERS.

The FIRE-EYED WARBLERS (_Pyropthalma_), as they have been called by Bonaparte, on account of their bare and brightly coloured eyelids, represent a group recognisable from the True Warblers by the comparative shortness of their very rounded wing, in which the third and fourth quills are of equal length, and also by the long, decidedly graduated tail and thick hair-like plumage.

RÜPPELL'S WARBLER.

RÜPPELL'S WARBLER (_Curruca Rüppellii_) is of a dark grey on the upper parts of its body, and white beneath; the sides are shaded with grey, the rest of the under side with a reddish tinge; the head and entire throat are deep black, the cheek-stripes ash grey, and a streak that passes from the base of the beak and divides the black throat from the breast is pure white. The quills and feathers of the smaller wing-covers are brownish black, the latter bordered with white; the centre tail-feathers are black; the second, third, and fourth marked with white on the inner web, and those at the exterior are entirely white. The eye is light brown, the beak horn-colour, and the feet red. This species is five inches and a half long, and eight and a half broad; the wing measures eight inches and a half. The female is smaller and paler than her mate.

We are almost entirely without particulars as to the life of this bird, except that it inhabits South-eastern Europe, and usually frequents the bushes that grow in sandy or barren districts. It is numerously met with in Palestine, Asia Minor, and the islands of the Red Sea. We have also seen it in Egypt, though it usually only visits that country during the migratory season.

THE BLACK-HEADED FIRE-EYED WARBLER.

The BLACK-HEADED FIRE-EYED WARBLER (_Pyropthalma melanocephala_), the most numerous species of this group, is five inches and three-quarters long, and but seven broad; the wing measures at most two inches and one-sixth, and the tail two inches and a half. The upper portion of the body is greyish black, the under side white, shaded with red; the head is of velvety blackness, the throat pure white; the wings and tail are black. The outer web of the first and the inner web of the next tail-feathers are white; the eye is brownish yellow, and its lid brilliant red; the back blue, and the feet reddish grey.

These birds inhabit the whole of Southern Europe, even to its smallest islands, and are especially numerous in Greece, Italy, and Spain; everywhere they frequent any situation covered with shrubs and bushes, and remain throughout the entire year within the limits of their native lands. Naumann tells us that the song of this species, which is very varied, and consists of prolonged piping notes, is constantly uttered both upon the wing and as the bird rises or sinks rapidly through the air.

When singing in the trees the male usually selects a prominent branch, and accompanies his performance by agitating his tail, erecting the feathers that form his crest, and bowing his head repeatedly; should any unusual sound occur, the bold little creature is at once on the alert to discover the meaning of the noise, and invariably hurries to the spot to mingle in every fray or take his part in any dispute that arises among his feathered companions. The female is not of an inquisitive and intrusive disposition, and, as she usually remains quietly hidden among the sheltering branches, is but seldom seen. During the breeding season, the male is even still more pugnacious and determined. He resents all intrusions upon his privacy by approaching almost close to the unwelcome visitor, loudly uttering his shrill, clear call with such rapidity as to make it appear but one prolonged note. In such moments of excitement the black crest upon his head is raised aloft, and the bare circles round the eyes gleam with fiery brilliancy. The nest, which is substantial in its structure, is usually placed in a bush or tree, and carefully concealed from view. The four or five eggs have a dirty white shell delicately marked with extremely fine dark specks, sometimes they are also decorated with blue markings and a wreath of olive-brown spots at the broad end. We have found nests containing newly-laid eggs from March to August. After the breeding season is over the parents fly about for some time in company with their young, and occasionally they remain associated during the winter.

THE SARDINIAN FIRE-EYED BLACK-HEAD.

The SARDINIAN FIRE-EYED BLACK-HEAD (_Pyropthalma sarda_), as its name implies, is a native of Sardinia; it is likewise met with in Malta, Greece, and the neighbouring islands, also, according to Homeyer, upon the Balearic Islands. In this species the head, nape, and back are blackish grey, lightly tinted with red; the under side is pale grey, the throat whitish; the quills and tail-feathers are brownish black edged with reddish grey, except the two exterior tail-feathers, which are bordered with white on the outer web. The eye is nut brown, the bare eyelid yellowish pink, and the beak black, except at the yellow base of the lower mandible; the foot is light grey. The colours of the female are somewhat paler. Salvatori tells us that this interesting Warbler is one of the commonest birds in Sardinia, and that it frequents all parts of the country, whether mountain or plain, provided the ground is covered with bushes or heather. Homeyer speaks in the same terms of such as inhabit the Balearic Isles, and tells us that their movements closely resemble those of mice, as they scurry over the ground from stone to stone and shrub to shrub; now running into a hole, now closely examining every little twig of a bush, with a rapidity and dexterity far exceeding even that of the Wren. During the whole time the bird is in motion the tail is brandished aloft with most grotesque effect. The voice much resembles that of a male Canary in some of its notes, while others are like the sound of a tiny bell; the call-note is exactly similar to that of the Redbacked Shrike. The nest is placed in thick bushes, and is formed of grass, lined with horsehair and a few feathers; the interior is deep, and the walls very thin. The four or five eggs have a greenish-white shell, clouded with yellowish green, or marked with spots of various shades and with black streaks; in size they resemble those of the Goldfinch. The plumage of the young is like that of the parents, except that the head is paler, and the eyelid only slightly touched with red. Three broods are produced within the year, the first being laid in August. This species does not migrate.

THE PROVENCE FIRE-EYED WARBLER.

The PROVENCE FIRE-EYED WARBLER, called in England the DARTFORD WARBLER (_Pyropthalma Provincialis_), a species nearly allied to the above, is dark grey on the upper portion of its body, and deep red on the under side, streaked upon the throat with white. The quills and tail-feathers are brownish grey, the four exterior tail-feathers having white tips; the eye is light brown, its lid bright red; the beak black, with the exception of the base of the under mandible, which is of a reddish hue, as is the foot. The length of this bird is from four inches and three-quarters to five inches, and its breadth from six inches to six and a quarter. The wing measures two inches, and the tail from two inches and a quarter to two inches and a half. This beautiful active little Warbler inhabits not only the most southern part of Europe, but is also met with in Great Britain, Asia Minor, and North-western Africa. Hedges, shrubs, and brushwood are its favourite haunts, and in them it is to be seen hopping briskly about in search of insects, or perching at the end of a branch while it carols forth its blithe song, accompanying the notes by gesticulations with its tail, and a display of the feathers on its throat. Should its quiet retreat be disturbed by an unusual sound, the vigilant little minstrel is at once silent, and after a momentary survey of surrounding objects from the end of a projecting bough, promptly retires to seek safety amid the densest part of the foliage. "The male," as Mudie informs us, "often hovers about the bushes, uttering his chirping cry, which, being rather feeble and hurried, can scarcely be termed a genuine warble. At these times, from the thickness of the head and neck, the long tail, and the short and rounded wings, the bird has some resemblance to a dragonfly. A spy-glass must be used when observing him, for if one venture near he instantly drops into the bush, where it is in vain to search for him; and the alarm-note he then utters is not unlike the cry of some of the field-mice."

This bird was first seen in England by Pennant, who, having killed his specimens in the neighbourhood of Dartford, gave it the name of the Dartford Warbler. Since that time it has been found on furzy commons in several of the southern counties, and been proved to build and reside throughout the year in this country. Colonel Montague, who met with this bird in Devonshire, gives the following account of his search after its nest:--"Mr. Stackhouse, of Pendennis, assured me that his brother had observed these birds for several years to inhabit furze near Truro. This information redoubled, if possible, my ardour, and I visited a large furze bush in my neighbourhood, where I had seen them the previous autumn, and upon close search, on the 16th of July, three old birds were observed, two of which had young, as evidenced by their extreme clamour and by frequently appearing with food in their bills. On the 17th my researches were renewed, and, after three hours' watching the motions of another pair, I discovered the nest with three young; it was placed among the dead branches of the thickest furze, about two feet from the ground, slightly fastened between the main stems, not in a fork. On the same day a pair were discovered carrying materials for building, and, by concealing myself in the bushes, I soon discovered the place of nidification, and, upon examination, I found the nest was just begun. As early as the 19th the nest appeared to be finished; but it possessed only one egg on the 21st, and on the 26th it contained four, when the nest and eggs were secured. The nest is composed of dry vegetable stalks, particularly goose grass, mixed with the tender dead branches of furze, not sufficiently hard to become prickly. These are put together in a very loose manner, and intermixed very sparingly with wool. In one of these nests was a single Partridge's feather. The lining is equally sparing, for it consists only of a few dry stalks of some species of carex without a single leaf of the plant, and only two or three of the panicles. This thin flimsy structure, which the eye pervades in all parts, much resembles the nest of the Whitethroat. The eggs are also somewhat similar to those of the Whitethroat, weighing only twenty-two grains; like the eggs of that species, they possess a slight tinge of green; they are fully speckled all over with olivaceous brown and cinereous, on a greenish-white ground, the markings becoming more dense and forming a zone at the larger end. The young were considered no small treasure, and were taken as soon as the proper age arrived for rearing them by hand, which is at the time the tips of the quills and the greater coverts of the wings expose a portion of the fibrous end. By experience grasshoppers (which at this season of the year are to be procured in abundance) are found to be an excellent food for all insectivorous birds; these, therefore, at first were their constant food, and, after five or six days, a mixture of bread and milk, chopped boiled meat, and a little finely powdered hemp and rape seed, made into a thick paste, to wean them from insect food by degrees; this they became more partial to than even grasshoppers, but they afterwards preferred bread and milk, with pounded hemp seed only, to every other food, the smaller house or window flies excepted. Before these birds left their nest I put them into a pair of scales, and found that they weighed two drachms and a quarter each. At this time they ate in one day one drachm and a quarter each, so that in two days each consumed more than its own weight. Such a repletion is almost incredible, and doubtless greatly beyond what the parent birds could usually supply them with, which, by observation, appeared to consist of variety, and, not unfrequently, small _Phælenæ_; their growth, however, was in proportion to the large supply of food. This interesting little family began to throw out some of their mature feathers on each side of the breast about the middle of August, and the sexes became apparent. At this time they had forsaken their grasshopper food, feeding by choice on the soft victuals before mentioned. The nestling attachment of these little birds was very conspicuous towards the dusk of the evening; for a long time after they had forsaken the nest they became restless, and apparently in search of a roosting-place, flying about the cage for half an hour, or until it was too dark to move with safety, when a singular soft note was uttered by one which had chosen a convenient spot for the night, at which instant they all assembled, repeating the same plaintive cry. In this interesting scene, as warmth was the object of all, a considerable bustle ensued, in order to obtain an inward berth, those on the outside alternately perching upon the others, and forcing in between them; during this confusion, which sometimes continued for a few minutes, the cuddling note was continually emitted, and in an instant all was quiet. Nothing can exceed the activity of these little creatures; they are in perpetual motion the whole day, throwing themselves into various attitudes and gesticulations, erecting the crest and tail at intervals, accompanied by a double or triple cry, which seems to express the words 'Cha! cha! cha!' They frequently take their food while suspended to the wires with their heads downwards, and not unusually turn over backwards on the perch. The males, of which there were three out of the four, began to sing with the appearance of their first mature feathers, and continued in song all the month of October, frequently with scarcely any intermission for several hours together; the notes are entirely native, consisting of considerable variety, delivered in a hurried manner, and in a much lower tone than I have heard the old birds in their natural haunts. This song is different from anything of the kind I ever heard, but in part resembles that of the Stone Chat. The Dartford Warbler will sometimes suspend itself on wing over the furze, singing the whole time, but is more frequently observed on the uppermost spray in vocal strain for half an hour together."

The same habits were observed by "Rusticus," of Godalming, who, writing in "Loudon's Magazine," says:--"Its habits are very like those of the little Wren; and when the leaves are off the trees, and the chill winter winds have driven the summer birds to the olive gardens of Spain, or across the Straits, the Furze Wren, as it is there called, is in the height of its enjoyment. I have seen them by dozens skipping about the furze, lighting for a moment on the very point of the sprigs, and instantly diving out of sight again, singing out their angry, impatient ditty, for ever the same. They prefer those places where the furze is very thick, high, and difficult to get in."

The period of incubation commences early in the spring, each brood (of which there are always two, sometimes three, in the course of the season) consisting of four or five eggs. When first fledged the nestlings are unable to fly, and run over the ground exactly after the fashion of young mice. Whilst the little family is in this helpless condition, the parents are constantly in a state of great excitement and anxiety; their cry of admonition or warning is then to be heard incessantly; even when the young are sufficiently advanced to perch upon the branches, the same cautious watchfulness against approaching danger is maintained, and we have often amused ourselves by observing the precipitation with which the whole group of little Blackheads disappear as the obedient nestlings hurry to some safe shelter within the bush or tree, at the first signal from their vigilant parents. Such of these birds as inhabit mountain ranges do not migrate; in Spain they live at an altitude of 3,000 feet above the sea, and even when the snow begins to fall they merely come into the valleys below, and never wander to any great distance from their native haunts.

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The TREE WARBLERS (_Phylloscopi_) constitute a family whose members are met with throughout the world. With the exception of one group, all are small, slender, delicately-shaped birds, with comparatively long wings, in which the third, fourth, and fifth quills usually exceed the rest in length. The tail is of moderate size, either quite straight or slightly incised at the extremity, and these tarsi are of medium height. The beak is awl-shaped, slender, rather flat at its base, and in some instances somewhat broader than it is high. The plumage is soft, and very uniform in colour; it is usually of a pale green or brown on the back, and yellowish on the under side. All the species with which we are acquainted principally frequent the summits of trees, but come down occasionally to seek their insect food upon the rushes, or in the fields of corn; they seldom consume berries, unless compelled to do so by hunger. All are active and restless, and display great agility, both among the branches and when running over the surface of the ground; their powers of flight are also good, their voice always agreeable, and their senses well and sometimes highly developed. Such as inhabit Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa do not migrate, whilst those in milder latitudes leave their native lands late in the autumn, and return to them again in the early spring. These latter species generally breed twice during the summer, and lay from four to seven delicate white or pale rose-red eggs, marked with dark spots. The nests of all are constructed with the utmost care.

THE FIELD TREE WARBLER, OR WILLOW WREN.

The FIELD TREE WARBLER, or WILLOW WREN (_Phyllopneuste Trochilus_), is a slenderly-formed bird with long wings, in which the third and fourth quill exceeds the rest in length. The tail is of moderate size, and slightly incised at its extremity; the beak is delicate, broad at its base, and compressed at its tip. The lax plumage is of an olive green upon the upper parts of the body, and white on the under side, the breast being tinged with greyish yellow; a yellowish-white stripe passes over the eyes, and the cheek stripes are deep grey; the quills and tail-feathers are grey, edged with green, and the lower wing-covers light yellow; the eye is brown; the beak and legs grey. After the moulting season the under side becomes a pale yellow. This species is four inches and eleven lines long, and seven inches four lines broad; both wing and tail measure about two inches. The sexes are alike in colour; the young are greyish green above and yellowish-white on the throat; the rest of the under side is white, tinted with yellow.

The Field Tree Warblers inhabit the whole continent of Europe, a large portion of Northern Africa, and some parts of North America. During their migrations they also occasionally visit India and Northern Africa. For the most part, however, such as quit Northern and Central Europe for the winter do not wander farther than its more southern countries. These birds alike frequent highlands and lowlands, and usually pass the summer months in disporting themselves about the leafy summits of lofty trees. In autumn, on the contrary, they come down into the brushwood and beds of reeds or rushes, or, in Southern Europe, alight in the fields of maize in quest of food; dense forests they appear almost entirely to avoid. The song of this species is pleasing and flute-like; its chief beauty, however, consists in the delicacy of intonation and rapid swelling and sinking of sound in which the male indulges, as he sits with drooping wing, inflated throat, and raised crest, upon a projecting branch, or flutters rapidly from bough to bough, in order to attract the attention of his intended mate; at such times the female also utters a faint twittering kind of song. Like the Tree Warblers, these birds are particularly active among the foliage; they do not creep in the quiet mouse-like manner above described, but flutter about with a constant brisk agitation of the tail that cannot fail to betray their presence to an observant eye. While perched the body is usually held erect, but is kept somewhat bowed down as the bird hops upon the ground; this latter mode of progression is accomplished with some difficulty, each long hop, or rather leap, being followed by a succession of rapid gesticulations with the head before another effort is made. Their flight is capable of being long sustained, but is somewhat inelegant, and appears unsteady, as it is usually undulating and carried on by a series of very irregular efforts. The same restless activity is also observable in the conduct of these birds towards all their feathered companions; the slightest injury or annoyance is resented with much fury, and even the sportive exercises in which they frequently indulge usually terminate with a series of violent flappings and peckings given on either side, rather in downright earnest than in play. The nest is carefully concealed in a hollow in the ground or in the trunk of some tree, and built entirely by the female, who commences her operations by hacking at the hole or aperture till it is of the requisite depth. The utmost caution is displayed by the anxious mother to prevent the discovery of her future abode. For this reason she seldom works except during the early morning, and at other times never remains near the scene of her operations. The nest itself is cone-shaped, with thick walls, in one side of which a hole is left for entrance; dry leaves, stalks, moss, and grass are employed for the exterior, while the interior is snugly lined with feathers, those of partridges being usually preferred. From five to seven eggs form a brood; these are laid about May, and are oval in shape, smooth, glossy, and white, more or less spotted with light red. During the period of incubation the female displays much anxiety for the safety of her eggs, and even when alarmed will not leave them until she is forcibly removed. At mid-day her mate takes his place on the nest for an hour or two, but with this exception gives her no assistance; both parents, however, combine to rear and protect the nestlings, and endeavour to attract the attention of any intruder on their privacy and divert it to themselves, by hurrying to a distance and uttering cries of distress. The young are fledged by the end of May, and a second brood is produced in June.

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The LEAF WRENS (_Reguloides_) constitute a group inhabiting Southern Asia and the provinces of the Himalaya. In these birds the beak is comparatively shorter than that of the true Tree-Warblers. The wings are long and more pointed, and the legs shorter and weaker. All such species as inhabit India frequent mountainous districts.

THE LEAF WREN.

The LEAF WREN (_Reguloides Proregulus_), a member of the above group, that wanders from its native lands and appears in Europe, is greyish green on the upper portion of the body, and yellowish white on the under side; the rump is bright green; a yellowish-green line passes over the top of the head; and a reddish-yellow streak over the eye; the wings are also decorated with two whitish-yellow stripes. The eye is dark brown; the beak blackish brown above, and of a yellowish shade beneath; the foot is pale brown. The body is four inches long and six and a quarter broad; the wing measures two inches and the tail an inch and a half. This bird is a native of Central Asia, and is commonly met with in India and China during the winter; it has also been seen repeatedly in Southern Europe, and more rarely in the central countries of our continent. The nest of this species is spherical, and is constructed of fibres of various kinds woven neatly together with spiders' webs, and fastened firmly upon a branch at a considerable height from the ground. This elegant little abode is entered by two holes, the one at the side and the other in front; the latter, which is used most frequently, is protected by a projecting cover.

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The GARDEN WARBLERS (_Hypolais_), by far the most attractive group of this numerous race, resemble their congeners in little except the colour of their plumage, and are readily distinguishable from them by the comparative compactness of their body, length of wing (in which the third and fourth quill are longer than the rest), and the thickness of their tarsus. The beak is large, broad, and powerful, compressed at its margin; and the tail is incised at its extremity. The habits and song of the Garden Warblers differ no less remarkably from those of other members of their family; their nests are open above, and are built upon trees, instead of upon the ground; even the eggs do not resemble those laid by other Warblers.

THE MELODIOUS WILLOW WREN.