247 



THE BABILLARD. 



Sylvia curruca,. BECHSTEIN ; Motacilla dumetorum, LiNN^ts La Fauvettft 

 babillarde, BUFFON ; Das Mlillerchen, BECHSTEIN 



THIS bird somewhat resembles the white-throat, but is 

 smaller, and has less rust colour on the wings. It is five inches 

 long, the tail measuring more than two. The beak is five 

 lines in length, very pointed, black above, and bluish below ; 

 the iris has two rings, the outer one pale yellow, the inner a 

 brilliant golden yellow ; the shanks, seven lines high, are raven 

 black ; the head and rump are dark ash grey ; the rest of the 

 upper part of the body is grey, with a reddish tint ; the cheeks 

 and the part behind the ears are darker than the head ; the 

 throat and under part of the body are white, but the sides of 

 the breast are tinged with reddish grey, and those of the belly 

 with reddish brown. 



The birds must be before you to be able to distinguish the 

 two sexes ; you can then only perceive that the head of the 

 female is of a lighter colour, and the feet rather blue than 

 black. 



HABITATION. When wild this species is found throughout Europe, ex- 

 cept the north. It is common in the hedges in Germany, disappearing 

 in September, and returning the middle of April. Its taste for currants 

 often draws it to the garden hedge. It is not very often seen in young 

 coppice wood, scarcely ever on trees *, continually on low bushes. 



In the house it must be lodged like the fauvette, and taken the same 

 care of; it is so delicate, that when taken rather old it can rarely be pre- 

 served. 



FOOD When wild it is the same as the preceding species. 



In the house these birds cannot be kept long, unless fed on nightingales' 

 food, mingled with ants' eggs and meal-worms. 



BREEDING. The nest is generally found on a thick gooseberry bush, or 

 whitethorn, and on young fir trees in fir woods. It is formed of coarse 

 dried grass, lined with small roots mixed with hogs' bristles. There are 

 five or six eggs, white, spotted at the large end with grey and yellow brown 

 in a circle. The female's attachment to her brood may be known from 

 her dropping from her nest almost fainting as soon as any one approaches, 

 uttering anxious cries, fluttering on the ground, and slowly retiring from 

 the nest. Scarcely are the young ones fledged, when, if looked at, they 

 will dart like an arrow from the nest, and run and hide themselves among 

 the bushes. If you wish to rear them, they must be taken as I have 



* This is a mistake, as it likes to frequent high elms TRANSLATOR 



