120 British Song Birds. 



This is also a common and well known bird ; and though 

 rather low in the scale as a songster, yet he deserves a place 

 in the choir. His song is not longer than that of the wren, is 

 less varied, shrill, and rather sprightly. Under the influence 

 of mild weather, they begin to sing early, and are often heard 

 at the same time with the common wren, continuing their song 

 till after midsummer. Ornithologists have doubts whether 

 this belongs to the genus Sylvia ; and it is probable it will be 

 separated from it. 



The foregoing are constant residents in Britain, and appear 

 to be more than others attached to the habitations of man. 



The next to be noticed is the Wood or Willow Wren (Sylvia 

 Trochilus), a summer visitant or emigi'ant, arriving in Britain 

 about the 20th of April. This is the smallest of the warblers, 

 except only the common and golden-crested wrens. Their 

 song is heard in thick woods, soon after their arrival. It is a 

 soft pleasant strain, repeated from time to time with consider- 

 able pauses between ; beginning in a pretty high pitch, forte, 

 diminishing, by slurred gradations, down to lower tones 

 scarcely audible. As their chant is given in the full chorus 

 of the woods, and among several others which sing in the 

 same key, it requires an experienced ear to catch and identify 

 the song. This bird is more elegantly formed than the com- 

 mon wren ; brownish green above, and chiefly yellow below. 

 Sing during their breeding season. 



Very similar in habits and appearance is the Middle Willow 

 Wren, or Chitchat (Sylvia hippolais). Thisspeciesis remarkable 

 for being one of the first birds of passage that arrive in this 

 country in the spring, and is often heard in the woods before the 

 trees are in leaf. Its notes (song they can hardly be called) are 

 only two, but may be distinctly heard, whether as solo or in 

 chorus : chit-chaU chit-chat^ chiUchat^ repeated sometimes for 

 five minutes at a stretch, without variation, save only now and 

 then changing the plan of the notes into chat-chit^ chat-chit ; 

 or into chiffy-chaffij^ by doubling them. 



Nearly allied to the last is the Larger or Shaking Wood Wren 

 (Sylvia Sylvicola). In general colour, habits, and economy, it 

 is much like the two preceding, but is somewhat larger. This 

 is only heard and seen in hollow woods, perching on the lower 

 boughs of high trees, and, at intervals, trilling its shaking or 

 tremulous song. Like its smaller congener, it has a gra- 

 duated strain of 14 or 16 notes, begun high, and finishing in 

 a demisemiquavered slurred cadenza, dim. But the peculi- 

 arity of the song consists in the four or five first notes being 

 repeated moderato, expressively staccato, before the beginning 

 of the descending passage. 



