274 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



is tinted with rose red, which, in a subdued manner, 

 often tints more or less the whole lower parts ; the richness 

 fades somewhat after being killed. 



In the female, as in many other species, all the tints 

 are more subdued, and less marked, particularly the 

 edging of the quills, and the rose tint on the breast. 

 Length about five inches and a half. In this species the 

 colour of the iris is remarkable ; of a beautiful straw- 

 coloured yellow, and when nearly inspected it has an 

 apparent consistency of bronze. 



The white-throat, " Scolding Peggy," or nettle- 

 creeper, as it is called, has also arrived in goodly numbers, 

 and scolds as you walk along, but taking care to keep the 

 other side of the hedge, and at times suddenly darting 

 upwards for a short distance, with jerky flight and song 

 as if in imitation of the lark, but when a few yards high, 

 and you are expecting music, it suddenly descends into 

 the hedge. 



From the peculiarity of the formation of the nest of 

 the Whiteh-troat an old naturalist derived the notion 

 that the bird uses spiders' webs as a binding material. 

 How he arrived at such a conclusion I cannot imagine ; 

 for from many which I have examined I have not been 

 able to verify in any way this supposition. 



It is the rough rerlexed prickles of the catchwood which 

 binds the exterior, and the hairs (probably glued with 

 saliva, which keep the inside in shape. 



The bird, as distinguished from a similar species, 

 makes use of a few roots in lining, which say the babillard 

 never does, while the latter seems fonder of working 

 tufts of willow down into the brim of the nest. 



