PASSERINJE. 283 



Some of the species are very skilful in the construction of 

 their nests, with cotton or other filaments, which they arrange 

 with much art.(l) 



Regulus, Cuv. 



The beak slender, forming an extremely perfect and a very sharp 

 pointed conej when viewed from above its sides even appear slightly 

 concave. They are small birds, which live among trees and pur- 

 sue Gnats. There is in France, 



Mot. regulus, L.; the Eoitelet, Enl. 651, 3; Naum. 93, 1, 2, 3. 

 The smallest of the European birds; an olive colour above, a 

 yellowish white beneathj head of the male marked with a beau- 

 tiful spot of a golden yellow, edged with black, the feathers of 

 which are erectile. It constructs on trees a globular nest, with 

 a lateral opening, suspends itself to the branches in every posi- 

 tion like a Parus, and keeps near our houses in winter.(2) 



A still smaller species has lately been observed, the yellow of 

 which inclines more to the orange, and which has a black streak 

 before and behind the eye. Regulus ignicapillus, Naum. 93, 

 4, 5, 6. 



Motac. irochilus, L.; Le Pouillot, Enl. 651, 1; Naum. 80, 3, 

 Somewhat larger than the roitelet, of the same colour, but 

 without the crown; its habits are similar, but it has a more 

 agreeable song, and it removes on the approach of winter. 



Motac. hypolais; Le grand Pouillot; Bechst. Ill, xxiv; Enl. 

 581, 2; Naum. 81, 1. Is still a little larger, and the abdomen 

 more on a silver.(3) 



The species foreign to Europe are extremely numerous, and 

 are very often agreeably coloured. (4) 



sourcil, Id. 128. It is partly from this subdivision that Mess. Vieill. and Temm. 

 have taken their genus Merion or Malurus; I should not, however, like the former, 

 place in it the Mot. cyanea, Gm. which has the beak of a Saxicola. 



N.B. The Malurus galadodes, Tem. has become the genus Megaiurus of 

 Vigors and Horsfield. 



(1) Certain Fauvettes, such as the 8. sarda, have a little circle round the eye. 

 They form the genus Zostehops of Vigors and Horsfield. 



(2) Add the Roitelet omnicolor, Vieill. Galer. 166. 



(3) Add of European species: Mot. sibilatrix. Col. 245, 3; Naum. 80, 2; M. 

 fitis, Naum. 80, o;M. rufa, Naum. 80, 4. 



(4) Such are the Tscheric^ Vaill. Ill, 121; the Cou-jaune {Mot. pensilis), Enl. 

 685, 5; Mot. xstiva, Enl. 58, 2; the Mot. ludomciana, Enl. 731, 2; the Fig. 

 a poitrine jaune [Mot. mystacea), Enl. 709, 2, Edw. 237, 2; the Fig. cendre du 

 Canada {M. Canadensis), Enl. 685, 2; the Fig. de I'isle dt France [M. mauritiana^ 

 Enl. 705, 1; the Plastron noir, Vaill. Ill, 123; Sylvia venusta, Tem. Col. 293, 



