INSESSORES. 37 



Green. In May, 1862, two friends residing at 

 Hampstead observed a male Oriole in a garden at 

 Frognal. They obtained a near view of the bird, 

 and were able to watch it for some minutes before it 

 took flight. 



In addition to these occurrences, I find the fol- 

 lowing entry relating to this species in my note- 

 book for 1868 :— 



" May 1st. — Mr. Cottam, of Stone Grove, Edge- 

 ware, told me this evening that on last Easter 

 Monday, April 21st, he saw a Golden Oriole on 

 some park palings about five miles from Edgeware, 

 on the high road between Edgeware and Barnet." 



Family Sylviad^. 



Hedge Sparrow, Accentor modularis. Common 

 everywhere — a harmless and confiding little bird, 

 building within sight of our windows, and rendering 

 good service by its destruction of insects in the 

 garden. Its song is something like that of the 

 Wren, but less varied, shrill, and rather sprightly. 

 I have occasionally seen light- coloured varieties. 



EoBiN Kedbreast, Sylvia ruhecula. Commoner 

 even than the last, owing, perhaps, to a current 

 superstition that it is unlucky to kill a Robin, or to 

 take its eggs. Hence it lives unmolested, w^hile the 

 nests of Hedge Sparrows, "Jenny Wrens," and 

 other small birds, are plundered without remorse. 

 The song of the Robin is of a plaintive character, 



E 



