546 



PASSEEINES. 



loud, cheerful, and mucli diversified, night being generally 

 selected for the display of its vocal powers. Its nest is composed 

 of blades and stalks of grasses, lined with finer plants and hair ; 

 is of a conical form, with the apex downwards ; in depth from 

 four to five inches externally, and three in the interior, and as 

 much in breadth at the top ; and is fastened to the stalks of several 

 reeds, placed some distance above the ground — "an arrange- 

 ment," says Montagu, " which gives security to the eggs," which 

 are four or five in number, of an oblong shape, greyish-brown 



Fig. 248.— The Robin, or Redbreast {Erythaca rubecula, Yanell). 



colour, spotted with dark olive, and usually marked with one 

 or two blackish, irregular lines. 



The Warbler known to French writers as la Fauvette Cou- 

 turiere is the most curious of all in respect to the manner of 

 building its nest. Aided by bill and claws, it stretches out into 

 a thread fibres gathered from the trees ; selecting broad resistant 

 leaves, it drills them with its bill, sews them together with the 

 cotton which it has prepared, and in this manner constructs a 

 bag which serves the purpose of completely hiding its nest from 



