CURRUCA GARRULA. 311 



as widely disseminated as many others whose different habits 

 have long made them known to us" — a proof that Nature is so 

 full that most is found where most is searched. Its nest is 

 found in similar places, and closely resembles those of the three 

 preceding species, only it is constructed of finer materials, bound 

 together with spiders' webs, bits of wool, &c. ; lined with some 

 fine roots, but chiefly of the heads of fine grasses deprived of 

 seed, in lieu of the stronger stalks of grass of the others ; the 

 texture is so open as to be seen through, yet firm. The eggs, 

 usually five, are lighter coloured, with clearly defined spots — 

 not so closely freckled and dirty-like as those of the common 

 whitethroat — more like those of the blackcap. Besides the 

 smaller fruit, such as currants in gardens, it alights on growing 

 beans and wheat, and does great service to the farmer by eating 

 the eggs of destructive insects, such as those of the wheat-fly — 

 Cecidomyia Triuci, and do much more good than the loss of a 

 few berries. It is easily distinguished from the other, being less 

 (5£ inches long by 8 in extent of wings), and by its bluish-grey 

 legs, and its breast and belly being silvery-white. The upper 

 parts are pale brown, tinged with grey; head, darker; iris, 

 yellowish-brown. When flitting about it is very difficult to 

 identify — not only from its shyness, but its persistent habit of 

 hiding out of sight. I have watched it, and unless I had known 

 its habits I could not have identified it — it slipped so quickly 

 into a thicket or amongst the leaves of trees. There is another 

 species — the Orpheus warbler — larger than the common white- 

 throat ; but as it is very rare, and having never seen it about 

 St Andrews, I need not describe it. 



Sub-Family Sylviana. 



This group includes our smallest birds, such as the gold- 

 crested wren, the tits, and wood wrens. The generic features 

 are — head, pretty large ; bill and wings, rather short ; tail, long 

 and soft ; form slender. 



