Periodical Birds. 2 79 



dead blackbird alongside, from which the feathers 

 had all been plucked, and used in the construction. 

 Nowhere is it more numerous or happy than about 

 Urmston, arriving clean as a daisy, after its journey 

 of a thousand miles or more. 



THE CHIFF-CHAFF (Sylvia rufa), iii., 158. 



This little creature, which is one of the smallest of the 

 warblers, arrives a trifle later, or about the middle of 

 March, when it at once begins its cry in the very 

 highest branches it can find of the tallest poplars 

 and fir-trees, perching itself on the topmost pinnacle. 

 Not common about Manchester generally, though 

 plentiful in Marple Wood. First it cries "chiff," 

 then "chaff," then "chaff" and "chiff" alternately. 



THE WHITE WAG-TAIL (MotacUla alba), ii., 81. 



Arrives at the end of March or the beginning of April, 

 but does not appear to breed in our neighbourhood. 

 THE YELLOW WAG-TAIL (MotacUla flava), ii., 84. 



Common in open fields, building its nest among young 

 corn, and in hay-grass. Like all the other wag- 

 tails, a bird of very poor song, but singularly gentle 

 and affectionate. It arrives the last week in March, 

 apparently all the better for its journey, the plumage 

 being often more clean and beautiful the day of 

 arrival than at any later period. 

 THE REDSTART (Sylvia phcenicurus), iii., 138. 



Formerly very common in Hulme, Chorlton, and 

 Withington, but now become scarce, being shy in 



