i6;8 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



a hedge on a bank, under a hawthorn bush, or in the side of an ivied wall, and gen- 

 erally contains four or five blue unspotted eggs. The young when first hatched are 

 invested with black down, but they feather rapidly. In the Hebrides, the hedge 

 sparrow nests in the sides of burns, adapting its existence to a moorland life. Dur- 

 ing the winter time, this bird obtains most of its subsistence in gardens, and may 

 often be seen stealing in and out among the growing plants like a mouse. Its call 

 note is loud but monotonous. The hedge sparrow is very subject to variation of 

 plumage, specimens being often seen prettily pied with white, sometimes symmet- 

 rically arranged, while pure white specimens are occasionally met with. The adult 

 has the head and sides of the neck bluish gray, purest in the breeding season; while 



HEDGE SPARROW AND ALPINE ACCENTOR. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



the wings and tail are dusky brown, the back reddish brown streaked with darker 

 brown, and the chin and throat gray, the lower parts being white. Altogether, 

 thirteen representatives of the genus are known. 



While some ornithologists refer the accentors to one distinct family 

 {Accentoridcz} and the goldcrests to a second (Regulidtz} , we prefer to 

 follow Professor Newton in including both in the same family as the warblers, as is 

 done in his edition of YarrelVs British Birds. In addition to their small size, the 

 goldcrests (Regulus) are characterized by the straight and slender beak, which is 

 compressed toward the point, where it is notched. The basally-placed nostrils are 



Goldcrests 



