WOOD-WREN. INSESSORES. SYLVIA. 225 



woods, and plantations of old growth, and is seldom seen in 

 hedges or brush- wood, like the Yellow Wren. In a living 

 state, it is easily recognised by its peculiar song, which re- 

 sembles the word twee, repeated twice or thrice rather slow- 

 ly, concluding with the same notes hurriedly delivered, and 

 accompanied by a singular shake of the wings. This song 

 is also frequently uttered during flight, as it slowly descends 

 to the twig from whence it had previously risen. The nest Nest, 

 of the Wood-Wren is similar in form to that of the before 

 mentioned species, and is commonly placed upon the ground 

 amongst the herbage ; is externally constructed of dry grass, 

 dead leaves and moss, but differs from them in being inva- 

 riably lined with fine grass, and hair, instead of feathers. 

 The eggs are six in number, white, with numerous purplish- 

 red spots over the whole surface, but confluent, and forming 

 a zone towards the larger end. The food of the Wood- Food, 

 Wren consists of insects and their larvae, principally of those 

 kinds that feed upon the foliage of trees. It is of general 

 diffusion through the kingdom, and to be met with in all 

 situations congenial to its habits. 



PLATE 47. Fig. 2. Natural size. 



Top of the head, and all the upper parts sulphur-yellow, General 

 the lower (or root), half of the feathers tinged with ash- 

 grey. Forehead, and eye-streak (which is large and well 

 defined), sulphur inclining to gamboge yellow. Cheeks, 

 throat, front of neck, marginal ridges of the wings, and 

 thighs, pale sulphur-yellow. The rest of the lower parts, 

 and the under tail-coverts, pure white. Tail slightly 

 forked, hair-brown, margined with sulphur-yellow, ex- 

 cept the outer feather, which is of a uniform hair-brown 

 colour. Legs pale yellowish-brown. Bill, having the 

 under mandible pale yellowish-brown, the upper rather 

 darker. Wings reaching as far as the extremity of the 

 upper tail-coverts, or two-thirds of the length of the 

 tail. Both sexes are similar in plumage. 

 VOL. i. i 



