128 BIRDS OF NOEFOLK. 



nester's fingers, and in their pendulous search, for food 

 amongst the branches high over our heads, drive one 

 almost wild with the variety of their cries, both natural 

 and imitative ; the great tit more especially pirating the 

 notes of many species, and thus leading the collector a 

 fruitless chase after all sorts of imaginary birds. The 

 reed-warbler also croaks like the nightingale when 

 anxious for the safety of its nest and young; and the 

 sedge bird, under like circumstances, " reels" like the 

 grasshopper warbler; at other times, in its merry 

 medley, the notes of the titlark, the sand-martin, and 

 the black-headed bunting, are mingled with its own, 

 till experience teaches the young ornithologist to believe 

 his eyes rather than his ears. 



CURRUCA CINEREA (Latham). 

 COMMON WHITETHEOAT. 



As its name implies, one of our most common summer 

 visitants, appearing about the middle of April, when, 

 until the business of nesting commences, our hedge- 

 rows and bushes fast budding into leaf are alive 

 with its simple song, and its trim little figure is seen 

 flitting from spray to spray, or rising into the air, 

 hovering and singing in the pure enjoyment of the re- 

 newal of spring. Later in the season the dense herbage 

 of the banks and hedges hides it from view, yet still 

 heard, though rarely seen, it well deserves its rural 

 name of the e ( nettle creeper," and both old and young 

 together leave us again in the autumn, about the same 

 time as the preceding species. 



It is singular how habit gives the power of dis- 

 tinguishing any known species at a glance, whether 

 seen on the wing, or restlessly flitting amongst leaves 



