206 THE NIGHTINGALE 



NIGHTINGALE. Delightful in song and harmless in habits, 

 this bird is a general favourite and welcomed by every one, except 

 the farmer, when its presence draws crowds of listeners to trample 

 down his meadow grass and other crops. For capturing nightin- 

 gales a trap, called the nightingale trap, a compromise between the 

 bow-net and the spring trap, is used, also for taking most insecti- 

 vorous birds, and may be bought at most bird-shops. 



CHIFF-CHAFF and WILLOW WARBLER. In devouring the pests 

 of forest-trees, particularly leaf-rolling caterpillars, the chiff-chaff 

 is pre-eminent ; and for clearing woods, thickets, pleasure grounds 

 and gardens of insect pests the willow warbler has no rival. 



COMMON WHITETHROAT or NETTLE-CREEPER. Feeding upon 

 aphides, caterpillars and other forest, field and garden pests, much 

 benefit is conferred on the nation. Similar remarks apply to the 

 Lesser Whitethroat or Brake Warbler. In Fruit Crops and Bird 

 Protection Mr. Cecil H. Hooper says, of the nettle creeper, that 

 " in July and August they bring their broods into gardens and 

 orchards, and make havoc among the currants and raspberries : 

 they also eat green peas and peck green gooseberries." This 

 excerpt is given as showing the acquiring of new tastes by insecti- 

 vorous birds under certain circumstances, for in ordinary garden 

 practice these proclivities on the part of the whitethroats are cer- 

 tainly exceptional, and, for practical purposes, it is safe to say that 

 the benefit derived from their presence more than counterbalances 

 any loss of garden produce. 



WHEAT-EAR and WHIN-CHAT. These birds are in such esteem 

 for the table, and so confined to solitary places, that they are not 

 likely to increase to a degree as to change habits, which are favour- 

 able to vegetation. Wheat -ears are caught by suspending a hair 

 noose between two turves placed on end, and touching each other 

 in the form of a roof of a house. To this shelter the birds con- 

 stantly run on the approach of danger, or even, apparently through 

 timidity, on the gathering of storm-clouds. 



REDSTART. Ants and their " eggs," flies, moths, spiders, cater- 

 pillars, worms and beetles enter largely into the fare of this bird, 

 and as it never touches fruit and builds its nest in orchards and 

 about houses, no one has a bad word for it. 



GREY WAGTAIL. Nothing but good can be said about this, and 

 also the Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail, as they feed almost 

 entirely upon insects, and are true friends of sheep-farmers in 

 destroying the water snails that act as hosts to the liver-fluke. 



TITLARK. There is no bird with a better character for working 

 on behalf of the forester, farmer and gardener, as it exercises its 

 good influence in wooded districts, clearing innumerable cater- 

 pillars in feeding its young and the surface pests away from streams 

 that wagtails may not trouble about. 



FLYCATCHER. Mute and famiLir, this bird works with a will 



