THE RUFOUS CHIFF-CHAFF. 201 



after it got quite dry that it left the country directly, as I 

 could never see or hear it afterwards, and it was then the end 

 of November, when all the others had left for some time*." 



THE RUFOUS CHIFF-CHAFF. 



Sylviarufa, BECHSTEIN ; La Fauvette rousse, BUFFON ; Der Weidenzeisig, 

 BECHSTEIN. 



THIS and the gold-crested wren are the smallest of our 

 European birds. 



The full-grown male has the bill a third of an inch in length, 

 very narrow, and pointed ; of a blackish brown, except at the 

 edges and within, where it is yellow. The iris is dusky brown. 

 From the base of the bill on each side there runs a narrow 

 yellowish white streak, and there is another straight streak of 

 a dusky yellow over the eye. The sides of the head are of a 

 very clear brown. The upper part of the head, neck, and 

 back, are greyish brown, with a slight tinge of olive. The 

 throat is greyish white ; the breast light grey, with a very pale 

 tinge of red, or rather rust brown. The belly is greyish white, 

 with faint yellowish streaks. 



The females and the young males, before the first moult, 

 have the upper parts of a clear olive green, and the under parts 

 reddish white. 



I have never met with the nest ; but it is said to be built on 

 the ground amongst fallen leaves, domed, with a side entrance, 

 and lined with feathers. The eggs are said to be from four to 

 seven, white, with reddish black dots, most crowded at the 

 larger end. 



The young branchers may be caught in autumn by means 

 of the owl, with limed twigs, and fed on ant's eggs and small 

 meal-worms. They will also soon take to bread and milk, or 

 German paste, and become exceedingly tame, but are very im- 

 patient of cold. 



It is most probably a native of Britain, like the preceding ; 

 but is not yet distinctly proved to be so. 



* Sweet's British Warblers. 



