94 DUBLIN NATITKAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



August. Ho generally sings every day, morning and evening, till about the mid- 

 dle of December, after which time he does not sing, except in the morning, till 

 about the middle of January, when he recommences singing in the evening, and 

 also changes his autumnal song for that of the breeding season. Sometimes the 

 song is not as regular as is here stated. In 1849 he commenced in September, 

 and sung regularly till the middle of November. Last autumn he recommenced 

 on the 7th August, and continued in song almost daily up to the present date. 

 In 1851 he commenced on the 29th August, but sang most irregularly, as I only 

 find him noted four times between that date and the 1st January, 1852. This 

 did not arise from the harshness of the season, for the winter of 1850 was a great 

 deal more severe than either of the other two, and yet we find him singing more 

 regularly than in the comparatively milder winter of 1851. "White, in his com- 

 parative' list of the song birds of Selborne, states that he "sings all the year 

 round except during frost." Frosty weather does not affect his song in this 

 country, as I have heard him singing even during snow. The song is delivered 

 from an elevation, and also when flying. This bird possesses also a singular 

 faculty of singing with the bill closed, even with a worm between his mandibles 

 — a faculty I have observed only in one other native bird, viz., the lesser willow 

 wren. He is also one of our nocturnal warblers, generally preferring a moon- 

 light frosty night for this purpose. In the winter of 1847 we had several such 

 in close succession ; and a robin used to sing imder my window every night, be- 

 ginning generally about twelve, and ceasing at two a.m. I have heard him once or 

 twice in the beginning of July. The wren (Troglodytes Europaeus), though 

 commencing later than the robin, is more regular as regards the period of com- 

 mencement of his song; once only, during the last five years, did he commence 

 earlier than the beginning of November. He sings most vigorously during 

 frosty weather, but is not at all so regular a daily singer as the robin, as he sel- 

 dom sings in open weather. In Scotland Mr. Hepburn records him as not sing- 

 ing in winter; and White states *' all through the winter except in frost;" sin- 

 gularly enough, the very time I have oftenest heard his song is about Donny- 

 brook. He sings generally, if not always, from an elevation, using a great deal 

 of action, and with quivering wings. His song ceases about the middle of June, 

 but is sometimes continued into July; the earliest date I ever heard him was 

 August 18, 1851. The wagtails sing all through the winter on fine days occa- 

 sionally, but are not such regular songsters as any of the others. For the most 

 part they sing on the wing, rising for a short distance in the air, and in sum- 

 mer and spring, even on a bush or wall. Early in the season they sing oftener 

 on the ground than anywhere else. Their song is continued late into summer, 

 as they may be heard occasionally even as late as the 20th of August. The 

 earliest date I have heard them singing was the second week in November. The 

 winter fauvette, or dunnock (Accentor modularis), is a more delicate bird than 

 any of those we have as yet considered, and, therefore, not so regular in his song 

 till spring. He delights in a soft, drizzling morning, but may be heard also 

 during frost ; I only once heard him singing during high wind : he generally 

 commences about the third or fourth week in November, and sings till about the 

 second week in July ; in some seasons he does not commence till the middle of 

 January ; this was the case in 1851. Early in the season he chooses a low bush 

 for his station while singing, but as the season advances he mounts higher and 

 higher, even to the top of high trees ; in the height of the breeding season he 

 even sings on wing : he is recorded as one of our night singers ; I have never 

 heard him myself at that period. Mr. Hepburn states that in Scotland he sings 

 •'from the second week in FebruaV-y till the first in August, and, occasionally, 

 in winter and autumn." White's record is " early in February, till July 10th." 

 The next in order, if we look to regularity of period in commencing their song, 

 are the thrushes; but it will be more convenient to consider first some of the 

 other songsters, which, though more irregular, yet generally begin earlier; these 

 are, the chaffinch, the tits, skylark, and goldcrest. The first (F. ccelebs) sings 

 occasionally on soft mornings, as, during the seven years over which these notes 



