36 



ingly very uncommon, while his two cousins, the Willow Warbler and the 

 Chiff Chaff, who, like him, build, for some mysterious reason, domed nests 

 upon the ground, are stout and busy and numerous everywhere. And what he 

 has gone through may be too much for the poor Wood Wren's nerves, and he 

 gives way ; while Willow Wren, Blackcap, and Nightingale, who have gone 

 by the same load and suffered the same dangers, have stoutness of heart enough 

 to throw off the past, and give themselves up to present pleasure. Why not ? 

 who knows? There is labour, danger, bereavement, death in nature; and 

 why should not some, at least, of the so-called dumb things know it, and grieve 

 at it as well as we. " 



It is a pretty sight in early morn, when the sun is glistening on 

 the leaves, to see the Wood Warblers in search of their morning 

 meal. Yoti will see them peering under the leaves, and searching 

 every twig carefully, picking off insects here and there, and some- 

 times catching them when suspended in the air ; at times they will 

 stop in the middle of their song and pick up some small larva. It 

 is pleasant to see them toying with the females, and chasing 

 them right merrily. They are purely insectivorous birds, as far as 

 I have been able to determine. There are always two or three 

 pairs of birds in different parts of the wood, and they seem each 

 to have their allotted stations. They build a domed nest on the 

 ground, sometimes under a bush or tuft of grass, sometimes under 

 a mass of dead leaves ; and instances are recorded of them nesting 

 in a low bush, but this has never come under my observation. 

 The nest is always well concealed, and can only be found after a 

 careful search. It is composed of dry grass, moss, dried ferns, 

 and dead leaves ; and it differs from the nest of both the Willow 

 Warbler and the Chiff Chaff in being lined with fine grass and hair, 

 instead of being lined profusely with feathers. The eggs number 

 five or six, although seven and eight sometimes occur ; I have also 

 seen them sitting with three. They are of a roundish shape, 

 white, spotted all over with a deep reddish-brown, at times with a 

 darker zone round the large end. The Wood Warbler is a 

 beautiful bird, and of an elegant shape. The best places in this 

 district to study the habits of the Wood Warbler are Newbiggin, 

 Dicky Wood, Kingmoor Wood, Orton, wood top of Cowran Cut, 

 Redcat, Brisco, and Wreay. I should like some of our members 



