220 INSESSORES. MELIZOPHILUS. WARBLER. 



ance o f superior bulk. In this country it lives upon the 

 open downs and commons that abound with furze, where it 

 meets with a secure retreat, and in the thickest part of which 

 it conceals itself upon the slightest alarm, creeping from bush 

 to bush with great celerity. According to MONTAGU, its 

 song is pleasing, though hurried in note, and (like that of 

 the White-Throat) is often uttered whilst the bird is suspend. 



Food. ed on wing over the furze. It feeds upon flies, grasshoppers? 



Nest, &c. and other insects. The nest is formed of the same materials 

 as that of the White-Throat, with the addition of being 

 usually lined with the finest stalks of a species of car ex, is 

 placed in the centre of the thickest furze bush, and only to 

 be found by a very close and patient search. The eggs also 

 resemble in colour those of the above-mentioned bird, but 

 are smaller. For a more particular account of this bird, and 

 its young, my readers are referred to MONTAGU'S Supple- 

 ment to his Ornithological Dictionary, or to the 9th volume 

 of the Linnean Transactions, where he has entered into the 

 subject in his usual minute and scientific manner. Accord- 

 ing to TEMMINCK, this bird is abundant in the southern parts 

 of Europe ; but unknown in Germany and Holland. 



PLATE 46. Fig. 6. A male of the natural size. 



General ~ft{\\ primrose-yellow at the base, the tip black. Irides and 

 tion. eyelids pale yellowish-brown. Upper parts of the body 



deep clove-brown. Cheeks grey. Throat, neck, and 

 breast cochineal- red, inclining to brownish purple-red. 

 Mesial line of the belly white. Quills blackish-brown, 

 having the outer webs margined with deep ash-grey, 

 and those of the coverts with reddish-brown. Tail 

 wedge-shaped, blackish-brown ; the exterior feather tip- 

 ped with white, and having the outer web margined 

 with the same ; the next feather also with a white tip. 

 Legs and toes inclining to sienna-yellow. The tints of 

 plumage in the female and young birds are less bright 

 and distinct; and in them also are several fine white 



