49 



WOOD WABBLEB. 



CHAPTER IV. 



WARBLERS WOOD WARBLER, WILLOW WARBLER, CHIFF-CHAFF 



AND DARTFORD WARBLER. 



THE WOOD WREN (Phyllopneuste sylvicola), sometimes 

 called the Yellow Wood Wren. With this bird we 

 enter upon a new genus of the Warblers, called Phyllopneuste 

 by Macgillivray, who describes the Wood Wrens as ' very 

 small and delicate birds, of extremely active habits, inti- 

 mately allied to the Sylviance on the one hand, and the 

 Kinglets on the other. Three species occur in Britain, 

 where they are migratory, visiting us about the middle or 

 towards the end of April, and retiring in September. They 

 frequent woods and bushy places, especially in the lower 

 grounds, and by rivers, brooks, lakes, and ponds. They 

 feed entirely on insects of various kinds, larvae, pupge, and 

 worms, which they search for among the foliage, on the 

 twigs, and sometimes on the ground. Their flight is rapid, 

 gliding, and undulating, but generally short. Their song is 

 short, lively, and melodious. They are generally distri- 

 buted in the wooded districts, but are not equally dis- 

 persed/ 



The species which is above-named, and of which the cut 



