THE PASSERINE BIRDS 123 



it embraces all the other species which we have referred to since we 

 left the Thrushes. The last of the family are now to be briefly men- 

 tioned. These are the small birds, more or less green, or brown, 

 above, and yellow or buff below, which are known as the '^ Warblers." 



Four fairly typical species are selected for mention here. There 

 are the Golden-crested Wren, the Icterine and Marsh Warblers, and 

 the Wood-wren. 



The Golden-crested Wren (Plate XXIV. fig. 7) holds the 

 unique distinction of being the smallest of our British birds, not 

 exceeding 3^ inches in length. It is further remarkable as an archi- 

 tect, for it builds a most wonderful nest of moss, felted together by 

 spider-webs and sheep's wool. Outside little bits of lichen are fastened, 

 so as to secure escape from the eyes of prowling enemies ; while 

 within it is lined with feathers. Almost spherical in shape, this 

 exquisite little nursery is actually swung at the end of long boughs, 

 generally of a yew, or other evergreen, instead of being placed on 

 the bough, as is the general rule with birds. Herein from five to eight, 

 or even ten, tiny, buff -white eggs, faintly freckled with red, are laid, 

 and these are most jealously brooded by the female. The female is 

 duller than the male, and the young birds are duller than either, 

 lacking the beautiful golden crest. 



The Wood-wren (Plate XXIV. fig. 4) and Marsh-warbler (Plate 

 XXIV. fig. i) are annual summer visitors to our shores, and breed 

 with us, just as do their relations the Sedge- and Reed-warblers and 

 the Chiff-chaff. The Icterine Warbler (Plate XXIV. fig. 8) is, 

 however, only an occasional visitor, and on this list are to be placed 

 a number of other Warblers for which we have no space here. The 

 Reed-warbler, by the way, builds a most wonderful nest. This takes 

 the form of a deep cup, fixed by its sides to the tall stems of reeds, 

 which have thus the appearance of growing up through the sides of 

 the nest. So skilfully is this nursery built, that when the reeds bend 

 low over the water, the eggs or young, as the case may be, rest snugly 

 at the bottom of the nest. 



Though many of the Warblers, such as the Sedge-, Reed-, and 

 Marsh-warblers, show a preference for swamps and inland sheets of 

 water, a great number of species, on the other hand, show no such 

 preference, and occur in the driest of localities. Between the Reed- 



