248 THE BABILLARD. 



directed for the fauvette, remembering tliat the male and female cannot 

 then be distinguished. 



Diseases. — These are the same as in the fauvettes. 



Mode of Taking. — If snow should fall after their return, a place near 

 a hedfre should be cleared, and limed twigs fastened to the lower branches ; 

 after ha\'ing throwTi meal-worms there, the birds should be gently driven 

 towards it, and for the sake of the worms they will creep under the limed 

 twigs, and remain caught. 



Attractive Qualities. — Though the plumage is not very striking, yet 

 this bird is very pretty. Some clacking tones, rather like the noise of a 

 mill, have given it in Germany the name of the Utile Miller ; as these 

 notes are heard more distinctly than the others, they are erroneously thought 

 to be its whole song ; but the rest, certainly very weak, is so soft, so varied, 

 80 melodious, that it surpasses other warblers. Whilst sinofing in this 

 under tone it is continually bopping about the hushes, but when going to 

 utter clap, clap, it stops and employs the whole strength of tlie larynx to 

 pronounce this syllable. To enjoy the beauty of its song it should be alone 

 in a room, and then no other singing bird is more agreeable, as it rarely 

 utters its call. 



MR. SWEETS ACCOUNT OF TBE BABILLARD. 



This is a handsome, little, lively species, more elegant and 

 smaller than the white-throat, and of a purer colour ; its throat 

 being as white as snow. It generally visits us the beginning or 

 middle of April, and leaves us again the end of August or 

 beginning of September. Its song is not so agreeable as most 

 of the other species of warblers ; but it is soft and pretty, and 

 very different from any other. It is also more valuable by 

 being much more rare ; some seasons very few visit us, in 

 others they are sufficiently plentiful. Its habits are somewhat 

 similar to those of the white-throat, but it is much more quar- 

 relsome, sometimes so much so, that it must be taken from the 

 other birds or it will worry them to death, even if they are 

 double its size. 



In confinement it will soon become tame and familiar, and 

 will readily take to feed on bread and milk, and also on bruised 

 hemp-seed and bread. One that I bred up from the nest 

 became so attached to its cage, that it could not be prevailed 

 upon to quit it for any length of time. When the door of it 

 was set open, it would generally come out quickly, and first 

 perch on the door, then mount to the top of the cage, thence 

 it would fly to any other cages that were in the room, and 

 catch any flies that came within its reach ; sometimes it would 



