WARBLERS. 133 



states in his ''Gleanings/' that he has one in his possession, built 

 amongst some litter thrown into a yard, which so nearly resembled 

 the surrounding objects that it was only discovered by the birds 

 flying oat of it. The nest is very large in proportion to the size of 

 the bird, generally of a spherical shape, flattened on the side next 

 the substance against which it is placed, and having the aperture at 

 one end or in the side. But this form is not always adhered to; Mr. 

 Thompson, of Belfast, mentions one that was not at all dome-shaped. 

 It was placed in a hole of a wall inside a house, the only entrance 

 being through a broken pane of the window; and another built in a 

 bunch of herbs hanging to the beams of an outhouse, which was 

 formed entirely of the herbs, twisted and matted together. We might 

 quote hundreds of accounts of the curious places chosen by this bird 

 in which to construct her nest, and the almost endless variety in 

 both form, and materials; how one was built in the deserted nest of 

 a Thrush, another in the newly finished nest of a Martin, and another 

 again in an old bonnet fixed up among some peas to frighten away 

 birds; but they all go to prove that little Jenny is not at all particular, 

 and is ready to build in any corner that presents itself, and to make 

 use of the materials that are close at hand. The eggs are usually 

 from seven to ten in number, but as many as fourteen have been 

 found; they are generally white with crimson spots, but are sometimes 

 without spots; the shell is very thin and smooth. During incubation, 

 which lasts ten or twelve days, the male feeds the female on the nest. 

 The young are said to lodge for some time in their place of birth 

 after being fledged. 



The male is a little over four inches in length, and weighs about 

 two drachms and three quarters; the beak is long and slender, the 

 upper mandible dark brown, the lower paler, and dark only at the 

 point; the irides hazel. The head, neck, and back are reddish brown, 

 barred transversely with narrow streaks of dark brown. The chin, 

 throat, and breast are greyish buff, the latter brownish at the sides 

 and lower parts. The wings are reddish brown, barred with darker 

 brown, and the quills are barred alternately with dark brown and 

 black; the upper wing coverts are spotted with white. The legs, toes, 

 and claws are light brown. The female is rather smaller than the 

 male, of a redder colour, and has the transverse bars less distinct. 



