IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 39 



sometimes varied with a harsher scolding cry. 

 They feed on insects and fruit. Sometimes they 

 visit the higher branches, especially of those trees 

 dense of foliage, but at the least alarm they en- 

 deavour to gain the lower cover. All three 

 species build slight net-like nests among the lower 

 vegetation, of round grass-stalks, rootlets, and 

 sometimes lined with hairs. The eggs of the 

 Blackcap are four or five in number, dull white 

 in ground colour, speckled and spotted with olive- 

 brown and gray, and sometimes streaked with 

 dark brown. Those of the Garden Warbler, four 

 or five in number, are very similar, but the spots 

 are usually darker and more distinct ; whilst those 

 of the Lesser Whitethroat are also the same in 

 number and resemble those of the latter most 

 closely, but are much smaller. 



We must not overlook the WREN (Troglodytes^ 

 parvulus\ as we are observing these birds of the 

 undergrowth. This little nut-brown bird, with 

 tail ever carried as erect and impudent as a fox- 

 terrier's, and never lowered except in death, is 

 almost as well known as the Robin. It is one of 

 the most restless of birds, never still, incessantly 

 on the move, up and down the hedges, and in 

 and out of the brambles and briars, more like a 

 mouse than anything feathered. His bright and 

 cheery song may be heard all through the year, 

 except in the moulting season in August and 

 September. The Wren begins to makes its 

 spherical nest towards the end of April, placing it 

 under the overhanging bank of the stream, 

 amongst ivy, in the side of the haystack standing 

 in a corner of the park, amongst the evergreens, 

 or the briars and brambles, and sometimes in a 



