OF THE BIRDS MENTIONED 199 
when on the wing. Food: Water insects, worms, and 
some seeds. Plumage: Handsome. Head : Brownish- 
black, divided lengthwise by a yellow streak. A similar 
mark over the eyes. General plumage, a mottled black 
and rich chestnut brown. Under part of body about 
the legs, white. Bill about 34 inches long, rather soft. 
Eye: Brilliant, set well back inhead. Male and female : 
Alike, female rather the larger. Flesh: Edible, much 
esteemed. The bird is much sought after by sportsmen. 
Nest: On the ground, generally in grass, near water, 
or amongst heather. Slovenly. Made of: Only of a 
few leaves and stalks in a hollow. Second nests: Pro- 
bably not. Eggs: Large for sizeof bird. Olive-white, 
spotted rusty-brown at larger end. Four or five. 
7. HEDGE SPARROW 
(Pages 112-116) 
Accentor modularts (of the same family as the warblers, 
robin and nightingale, not of the sparrow family). 
Fond of hedges (hence name). Also called hedge 
- accentor (Lat., accentor, one who sings, and modulatus, 
melodious, musical), and hedge warbler. Other syn. : 
Shuffle-wing (because of its jerky fluttering movements 
of wings when looking for food), and Dunnock (a local 
name). A common somewhat sparrow-like bird, but 
