PASSERLVE. 



191 



Fi({. SS.— Hay's Lorustclle. 



reddish-brown .bove, yellowish beneath, the throat white. [This species, which passes for a good songster 

 though extremely common on the opposite coast of Holland, has not yet been detected in the British islands. A 

 nearly allied species (8. olivetorum, Strickland), which is rather smaller, is common in Syria. The rest are con- 

 siderably less, and there is one of these, a miniature of 8. turdoides, which is very common, though local, m S.uth 

 Britain, migrating in winter, as do all the rest : the S. aruiidiiiuirii, Auet. They are the Calamoherpe, Meyer. 



Other species have smaller bills, and are generally striated on the back, with longitudinal whitish streaks on the 

 head, the Calamodyta, Bonap. Among them we find] 



The Sedge Babbler {Mot. safacaria, Lin.; [S.pkragmtti*, Auct.]); distinguished by a conspicuous whitish streak 

 over each eye. [This bird is also a common summer visitant in liritam, nunc generally distributed than the 

 Heed Babbler (8. anmdinaeea) ; and is remarkable for the sparrow-like tone of many of its chirpings, which has 

 induced an erroneous opinion that it is an imitator or mimic. There are several others. 



Some species, not far removed from the Babblers, are remarkable for the absence of bristles at the gape (which 

 in the latter are rather conspicuous), for their graduated tail, composed of broad, soft feathers, their deli, 

 cately-formed feet, with straight claws, and particularly for the singularity of their note, which consists of a pro- 

 longed sibilant trill, somewhat resembling that of the Mole-cricket. They compose the Locustella of Gould, of 

 which three species inhabit Europe. Such, in Britain, is 

 Ray's Locustelle (L. Rati, Auct.), or the Grasshopper Warbler of many writers, (fig. 88), the dorsal plumage of 



which is coloured like that of the Water Rail. It is common in many districts of this 

 country, as a summer visitant, frequenting furze-brakes and other dense cover, 

 where its singular voice is heard at all hours, but principally at dusk : while utter- 

 ing this sound, it gapes very widely, and sometimes continues to emit it when 

 tlitting from bush to bush, or even hovering in the air. A larger species (L. flu- 

 viatilit), common on the reedy margins of the Danube utters precisely the same 

 sound. The Si/lvia eerthiula, Tern., of eastern Europe, constitutes the third. 



Those which inhabit sylvan districts have, in general, stouter bills, and all feed 

 more or less upon fruit, of which some are great devourers. They are very distinct 

 from the foregoing, and several are delicate songsters. Such, in the British 

 isles, are 



The Blackcap Fauvet (Curruca atricapilla, Auct.)— Olive-brown above, ash-colour on the neck and lower parts, 

 ning whitish on the throat and belly ; a black, or, in the female and young, reddish-brown cap on Hie head. 

 One of the finest of our native vocalists, remarkable for the melody of the loud clear whistle with which it termi- 

 nates its lays. It inhabits gardens and the outskirts of woods, arrives early in spring, and is very frugivorous. 



The Garden Fauvet (C. hortensu] resembles the Blackcap in form, except that it is rather shorter ; its head is 

 of the same colour with the back, and there is a little grey on the sides of the neck. This species is remarkable 

 for the deep mellow tones of its voice, arrives late in spring, and is similar in all its habits to the preceding. 



The other British species have white on the exterior tail-feathers, and pertain to a group the members of which 

 are mostly less arboreal, frequenting low bushes. 



The White-breasted Fauvet i ('. garrula) is, however, often heard from the summits of high trees, having nearly 

 the same habits as the Blackcap. It is smaller than the preceding, with a proportionally more slender bill ; and 

 ashy-brown above, pure grey on the head and neck, silvery white below, the feet lead-coloured. Is common in 

 gardens, and has a low warbling song, with a loud inharmonious finish. 



The Whitethroat Fauvet (C. cinerea), is larger and browner than the last, with some mahogany-colour on the 

 wings ; feet yellowish. This species, exceedingly common about hedges and Ion brake, is Beldom seen upon tree,, 

 and is an inferior chattering songster, that often ascends singing to a small height in the air, with peculiar 

 ticnlations. Lastly, 



The Long-tailed l'auvette (C. provincialit), made into a genus MelixophUu* by Leach, on account of its shorti r 

 wings and more graduated tail, wherein it only differs in a slight degree from some others, as C. 8arda, 8zc, is 

 remarkable for being resident throughout the year in furze-brakes in some parts of the south of England. Its 

 manners exact 1\ resemble those of the Whitethroat, Colour dark ashy-brown, vinaceous-rcd below. 

 There are several continental species allied to all the above.] 



Bechstcin has separated from the Fauvcttes 



The PrsNocKs (Accentor, B.), — 

 The beak of which, still slender, but more exactly conical than that of other Erc-fins [and also rather 

 sharply pointed], is slightly retracted at the edges. Their gizzard also is more fleshy. 



i be Alpine Dunnock [Mot. alpina, also Stvmus alpimu and si. eoUarit, Gm.).— An ashy-coloured bird [mixed 

 with brown], witb a white throat sprinkled with black, t»o ranges of white spots on the wing, and some bright 



is on the flanks, it inhabits the pastures of the high Alps, "here it feeds osects, descending however In 



winter into the piam-, to piek up grain. [A species of rare occurrence in the British Islan 



The Hi dg i Dunnock [Mot. modulartt, Lin.), currently termed the Hedgt Sparrow.- This well-known species is 



resident in this country at all seasons, but the majority quil France in summer; emus a pleasing shrill 



song, particularly hi earl] spring, which is accompanied bj s peculiar shiver of the wings: It feeds very mnch 



on small seeds. Thi ifen others, of which one, A. ttontinellut, belongs te eastern Europe, fhe Dunnoi k - 



from the Thrushes through Gfadoioma. 



