ISO NATURAL HISTORY OF NUNBURNHOLME. 



house, at a height of about four feet from the ground, a Golden-crested 

 Wren built its nest last year, and laid several eggs. I took some out 

 for my collection, leaving the remainder, to which she added some more, 

 and safely hatched and reared the brood. She would allow me to go 

 within a foot of her, and watch her sitting on the eggs or young without 

 flying off, which she would only do if still more nearly approached. 



Number five. The Blackcap. — The first appearance of this sober-clad but 

 neat little bird this year, was on or about the 6th. of April; I am not 

 quite sure of the exact date; it was our earliest summer visitant. It has 

 been an unusually late and backward spring, after the equally unusually 

 mild winter we have had. The next week there were five in the garden 

 at once, and I have since seen the same number together. The russet 

 brown head of the female is particularly attractive. We have had the 

 nest twice in our garden in a bed of laurels. I think there is no bird 

 whose song is softer than the Blackcap's. 



Number six. The Willow Wren. — These little birds are plentiful with 

 us every year, and their lively note is one of the earliest announcements 

 we have of returning spring. The first of them I noticed the present 

 season was on the 16th. of April. They build here and there, all about, 

 in the orchard for instance, and in the shrubbery. 



Number seven. The Lesser Whitethroat. — This species I first noticed 

 the current year on the 19th. of April. It is another of the birds whose 

 neatness makes up for its want of bright colours. It is common with us. 



Number eight. If any bird can be described as impudent, it is the 

 Sparrow. There are some species which appear, as it were, to have a 

 wholly different nature from all others, as for instance the Robin. The 

 Sparrow is another; where is there a bird at all like him? He is not 

 only a species but a genus, in and by himself; "sui generis" truly, and 

 indeed utterly unlike any and every other. I need hardly say that he is 

 one of our most intimate associates here, but strange enough in this present 

 year we hardly see one. There were plenty a few months ago about the 

 house, but now they have for the most part disappeared. The common 

 flies too, which were such a plague last year, and which this spring came 

 forth on the first warm days from their "winter quarters" in such swarms, 

 seem now to be extinct or nearly so, comparatively speaking. Even in the 

 woods, where I went the other day for the first time this year, on a very 

 hot day, to my most agreeable surprise, scarce once attacked me. I have, 

 however, some fear that this happy state of things may not long continue. 



Number nine. The Grey Wagtail. — This is perhaps the most elegant 

 in form of our British Birds, and though no doubt they have often and 

 often been on our premises, as I have seen them in all directions about 

 the neighbourhood in the winter, I do not remember to have noticed but 



