My Birds, 311 



Of the Warbler family I have only kept four ; and one of 

 these, a Stonechat, only lived with me for a few days, so that 

 of its habits I can say but little. A Wheatear, however, 

 which was caught in our playground, lived for about two 

 months, and I had an opportunity of watching the peculiar 

 movements of its tail and the spreading out of its wings 

 whilst it sang. This bird was particularly fond of wood-lice, 

 and though so small, whenever I brought those tit-bits to 

 the aviary it succeeded in getting more than its share, fiercely 

 driving away all other birds except a Robin that generally 

 manages to have its own way in everything. The Robin is 

 not by any means a tame bird in the aviary, and it is decided!}^ 

 pugnacious, not merely with birds of its own kind, but with 

 any bird that interferes with it. The bird is so well known 

 that there is no need to refer to its peculiarities ; but my 

 specimen is so wild — after two years' residence in the aviary — 

 that whenever I go inside it creeps under the boarding and 

 remains in hiding till I have left. It sings sweetly, however, 

 and, except for its temper, is a satisfactory bird in the aviary. 

 My favourite, however, amongst the Warblers is the Hedge 

 Accentor, or Hedge Sparrow as it is called. I purchased a 

 pair about two years ago ; but the hen died in less than a 

 week, and I have never been able to obtain another. The 

 survivor has astonished me with the beauty of its song ; and I 

 have found it well able to hold its own though apparently so 

 timid. After a time it became quite tame, and would allow 

 me to stroke it down, scarcely moving away even when I 

 placed my face close to it. The peculiar shuffling of its wings 

 seems to be involuntary. 



Of Titmice I have only kept the Great or Ox-eye Titmouse 

 and the smaller Blue-cap. I did not greatly care for the for- 

 mer as it more than once broke the eggs of a Canary that had 

 paired with a Siskin, and I suspecfed it also of having similarly 

 wrecked a Goldfinch's nest. I never heard it sing, and it 

 usually was in a state of chattering wrath either with me or 

 with some denizen of the aviary. It was very interesting 

 though to watch the manner in which it held a grain of hemp- 

 seed in its claw to peck at, always flying with a single grain 

 to a particular spot in the aviary. Of this bird's disappearance 

 after having, been a year iti the aviary I can give no explana- 

 tion. It is not there now, that is all I can say for certain ; 



