90 EPPING FOREST. 



caught. In the spring of 1858 an old Leytonstone bird- 

 catcher caught thirty-four about the avenues. I lately 

 found one of these gentry, who mostly hail from White- 

 chapel, outside my fence at Knighton. He was at the 

 time engaged in catching cock chaffinches with bird- 

 lime, using a tame hen chaffinch as a decoy — an old 

 device. In reply to the hope which I expressed that he 

 did not catch nightingales, he replied, ' ' No, sir, we 

 seldom catches 'em, and when we does, lue lets 'e7Ji go." 

 From the preternatural innocence with which this was 

 said, it was perhaps true. The nests are placed on the 

 ground in dense herbage, and are fortunately difficult to 

 find. 



Redstart. Frequent in summer, and a great ornament to 

 our Forest. 



Hedge Sparrow. Veiy common. 



Alpine Accentor. Many years ago a specimen of this rare 

 little bird was shot in a garden on the borders of the 

 Forest by Mr. James Pamplin of Whip's Cross Nursery, 

 Walthamstow. It was taken to London and identified 

 by the late Mr. Gould, and will be found recorded in 

 the A/agazine of N'atural History for 1832, p. 288. 



Garden Warbler. Its pleasing song not unfrequently heard 

 in April and May in forest copses and Wanstead Park ; 

 it used to be common about the avenues. 



Sedge Warbler. Common in the spring by the Roding, at 

 Red Bridge, and in Wanstead Park. 



Grasshopper Warbler. Common throughout the district. 



Blackcap. Arrives early in April, and is common in the 

 forest and gardens, but especially in Wanstead Park, 

 where the wood echoes in early summer with its fine 

 song. 



White-throat. In every hedge in spring and summer. 



Lesser White-throat. A regular summer visitor to our 

 gardens ; a restless noisy little bird. 



Chifif Chafif. Our earliest spring visitor. 



Willow Wren. Very common everywhere when April 

 comes. The approximate dates of arrival of the three 

 species of Willow Wren in the Forest are — Chiff Chaff, 

 31st March; Willow Wren, 3d April; Wood Wren, 

 15 th April. 



Wood Wren. Local rather than rare, generally frequenting tall 

 trees, and the latest of the three willow wrens to appear, 

 arriving usually in the third week of April. All three 

 species breed in the Forest. The nest of the wood 

 wren may always be known from those of the others 

 by never having any feathers in the lining. 



