three rare Specks cf Britiflj Birds. 2 7 



yards from the firft chofen fpot till the young take wing, when 

 they quit the lower branches, and take to the higheft trees, 

 fearching for infecls amongft the upper foliage. At this time they 

 are not fo vociferous, and have entirely left off that conftant vibra- 

 tion of their wings, which feems peculiar to the courting and incu- 

 bating feafon. 



It is not to be fuppofed that this fpecies is a new or accidental vi- 

 fitant to thefe parts, 1 but that its near refemblance in fize and colour 

 to the Yellow Wren has probably occafioned it to be miftaken for that 

 bird. But whoever will bring them together will at'once obferve, that 

 the plumage of this is much more vivid ; the ftroke above the eye 

 of a much brighter yellow ; and, as a fpecial characteriftic mark, the 

 belly and under tail-coverts are invariably of a pure white, which 

 in the Yellow Wren are tinged, and the latter part dallied with 

 yellow. There is no diftinftion in the plumage of the fexes of 

 either fpecies : this lhould not therefore be miftaken for the male 

 of the other, which doubtlefs has often been the cafe ; neither 

 fhould it be confounded with the Hippolais, that bird being much 

 inferior in fize, and none of the under parts of a pure white : its 

 legs are alfo dulky, in which it differs from both the Sylvieola and 

 the Trcchilus. Befides, were every other mark of diftinction wanting, 

 the note, manners and habits of this widely differ: this only in- 

 habits woods in the breeding feafon : its cry, for it cannot be called 

 a fong, bears not the leafl refemblance to any other fpecies : the 

 firft part feems to exprefs the word twee drawn out to fome 

 length, and repeated five or fix times fucceflively, terminating in 

 notes fomething of the fame tone, but delivered in a hurried man- 

 ner, fhaking its wings at the fame time. This fpecies weighs about 

 two drams forty grains ; the length five inches and a quarter : the 

 bill is dufky ; hides hazel : the upper part of the head, back, fca- 

 pulars, and upper coverts of the tail, are of a lively yellow green : 



o\Er 



