102 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



sing. In its method of gliding rapidly through the 

 dense cover it puts us in mind of the Warblers ; 

 whilst its habit of suddenly hopping from the hedge 

 to the ground at once suggests the Robin. It is a 

 bird that flies little, and seldom for long distances, 

 always preferring to elude pursuit by keeping to 

 the bushes, and is at all times a restless bird, 

 strongly addicted to the habit of nervously flicking 

 the tail and wings. We have said that the bird is 

 eminently a solitary one, rarely seen even in the 

 company of its mate, save during the breeding 

 season; and yet there are times when the Hedge 

 Sparrow seems to become unaccountably social. 

 This is during the pairing season, and at that 

 time the little creature develops a most pugnacious 

 habit, and fights frequently with rival birds. The 

 call-note of this species is a particularly plaintive 

 one, a peevish and complaining cry that seems to 

 express discontentment with things in general. The 

 familiarity of this species is only exceeded by that 

 of the Robin. It will often attend us in our outdoor 

 avocations, say when gardening, and actually drop 

 down upon the newly-turned earth at our feet to 

 pick up some tempting scrap of food. 



As a sonorster the Hedw Accentor does not 

 claim very high rank, but there are one or two 

 features in its music which are certainly of a re- 

 deeming character. In the first place, in all fairly 

 sheltered localities, it is a perennial song, not quite 



