THE FAUVETTE 225 



with currants must be laid for it in July and August, the greatest care being 

 taken to save the feet, which are very likely to be broken. Patience is 

 very necessary in order to succeed, for it is a very suspicious bird, approach- 

 ing slowly, and falling into the snare only when pressed by hunger. The 

 same suspicious disposition causes it to repair with repugnance to the water 

 trap, though in other situations it delights in water, and often bathes. If it 

 perceives anything unusual it will remain for hours without approaching, and 

 will pass twenty times by currants which are hung up as a bait without 

 touching them, though very greedy of this food ; but if it sees another bird 

 bathe, or drink, it takes courage, and soon falls into the trap. The young, 

 before moulting, still foolish and inexperienced, are more careless, and may 

 be taken in great numbers in autumn ; and in the spring they are as easy 

 to catch as the nightingale, by means of a net or limed twigs, in a plac> 

 cleared from moss and turf, and baited with meal worms and ants' eggs. 



ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. It is perhaps a sufficient eulogium to say that 

 this bird rivals the nightingale, and many persons even give it the preference. 

 If it has less volume, strength, and expression, it is more pure, easy, and 

 flute-like in its tones, and its song is perhaps more varied, smooth, and 

 delicate. It sings also for a much longer period, both when wild and in 

 confinement, its song being hardly suspended throughout the year by day, 

 and prolonged, like that of the nightingale, far into the night, though begun 

 at dawn. The female sings also, but in a more limited degree, very much 

 like the redbreast, which has caused it to be mistaken for a particular species 

 with a redcap. The call is a sort of smart " lack" repeated quickly several 

 times. The sudden view of an unknown object, or of an imminent danger, 

 makes it utter a hoarse disagreeable cry of fear, very like a cat when 

 hurt *. 



THE FAUVETTE. 



Sylvia hortensis, LATHAM ; La Fauvette, BUFFON ; Die graue Grasmncke, 

 BKCHSTEIN. 



THE length of this bird is five inches, two and a half of which 

 belong to the tail. The beak, five lines in length, and formed 



* This bird also has the art of pleasing by his pretty tricks. He shows a striking 

 affection for his mistress ; utters a particular sound, a more tender note to welcome 

 her ; at her approach he darts against the wires of his cage, and, by a continued 

 fluttering, accompanied with little cries, he seems to express his eagerness and gra- 

 titude. 



A young male which I had put in the hothouse for the winter, was accustomed to 

 receive from my hand, every time I entered, a meal-worm ; this took place so regu- 

 larly, that immediately on my arrival he placed himself near the little jar where I 

 kept the meal-worms. If I pretended not to notice this signal he would take Sight, 

 and, passing close under my nose, immediately resume his post ; and this he re- 

 peated, sometimes even striking me with his wing, till I satisfied his wishes and im - 



