118 British Song Birds, 



chard*s pipit {A'lithxxs Richardz). — This bird was made known 

 as an addition to our fauna, by Mr. Vigors, in the first volume 

 of the Zoologicaljournal^ p. 411., with a coloured figure ; and 

 a second specimen has been lately taken in Copenhagen Fields 

 near London. 



Black Redstart (Sylvia Tithys). — Since the publication of 

 the notice of the first capture of this warbler in England, 

 by Mr. Gould, in the 1 7th number of the Zoological Journal, 

 p. 1 02-, two other specimens have been taken (and both males), 

 one near Bristol, the other at Brighton. 



Three storks ; two night herons ; purple heron ; three little 

 bitterns, one an adult male in fine plumage, shot on Uxbridge 

 Moor ; two long-legged plovers ; two pratincoles ; one oliva- 

 ceous galHnule; two little gallinules (BaillonzV) ; four eider 

 ducks ; two castaneous ducks {A, Nyrbca) ; six long-tailed 

 ducks ; one black guillemot, and a second specimen seen, but 

 could not be obtained; three little gulls; and one fulmar petrel. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Bi/der Street, London, Jan, 1831. William Yarrell. 



Art. IV. Some Account of the British Sona Birds, 

 By J. M., A.L.S. &c. 



Sir, 



You have treated your readers with an interesting descrip- 

 tion (Vol. I. p. 414.) of the song-birds of North America. A 

 correspondent (whose requests should never be denied) wishes 

 that a similar account should be given of our British song- 

 birds ; and, though I do not feel equal to the task of giving a 

 sufficiently flowery description, without borrowing too much 

 of what has been a hundred times said or sung by others, yet 

 I am induced to offer a plain one, which, instead of a better, 

 may gratify those of your readers who are unacquainted with 

 the music of the groves. 



To begin with the genus Sylvia, or soft-billed warblers : 

 the first to be noticed is the well known Redbreast (Sylvia 

 Rubecola). This bold audacious little fellow sire's the whole 

 year round, except only during very hard frost. He not only 

 trills his song of love during the breeding season (in which 

 respect he is like all others), but also at other times sings his 

 shouts of defiance, his notes of menace, his impassioned bursts 

 of anger, and his surly under tones of jealousy. But, however 

 actuated, his strains are always of a cheerless pensive cha- 

 racter ; and though there is considerable modulation in his 

 song, his cadences are almost always performed in the minor 

 key. These " dying falls, "^ and andante movements, give an 



