84 NATURAL HISTORY 



is one-fifth heavier than the chirper. The chirper (being 

 the first summer-bird of passage that is heard, the wry- 

 Werner's figure, in the Oiseaux d'Europe, is very faulty ; it is at least 

 three-fourths of an inch too long; the upper mandible is improperly pro- 

 longed and curved at the point ; the yellow on the throat and cheeks, 

 and above the eyes, is too pale, and continued too far down the breast ; 

 the upper surface too brown; the bill not opening far enough back. 

 Sweet's figure in his British Warblers is much better, but the legs and 

 under mandible are improperly coloured dark ; an untrue inky hue is 

 given to the quills; there is too much yellow underneath; and the bird 

 is rather too large. It frequents timber trees where there is an open 

 glade in a thicket, and low covert; in which it builds on the ground a 

 covered nest, upon a bank, and often places it at the foot of a young tree, 

 of which the stem divides the current in heavy rains, and sends it to the 

 right and left of the nest. Sylv. Trochilus always lines its nest with 

 feathers, Sylv. sylvicola never. The male continues singing near the same 

 spot till about midsummer. The young quit their nest in Yorkshire about 

 the 20th of June. It is a much more timid and startlish species than 

 Sylv. Trochilus ; those which are reared even to perch on the hand before 

 they feed themselves, become fearful afterwards. 



QUILL-FEATHER* OF THE WOOD WREN. 



2. Still-in Trochilus, LATH.; yellow wren, often called unmeaningly 

 willow wren. It is a very plentiful species, found in gardens, woods, 

 hedges, by road sides, and on furzy and rough commons, whereas the 

 wood wren frequents timber trees only. It frequently builds in straw- 

 berry beds, amongst periwinkles, or in any other low thicket, and comes 

 close to the windows of dwelling houses to peck the Aphides from the 

 rose bushes. Its song is soft and plaintive, but wants variety. The hen 

 is smaller and browner than the cock. The name yellow wren is very 

 near as inapplicable as willow wren, for the adults have very little yellow 

 except the stripe over the eye ; and the wood wren has much more, and 

 brighter yellow. I should propose to call it the garden wren, on account 

 of its frequently building in small gardens, and approaching dwelling 

 houses, and often entering conservatories in search of Aphides. 



