180 



Div. 1. VERTEBRATE ANIMALS.— AYES. 



Class 2. 



The immense group of Sylvicoles (Sylvicola), peculiar to America, certainly appear to have some relationship 

 with the Dunnocks, but are probably slender-billed modifications of the same great type as the Tanag'ers. 



The Kinglets {Regulus, Cuv.) — 

 Have a slender bill, forming a perfect and very sharp cone, the sides of which even appear a little 

 concave when viewed from above. They are small birds, which live among trees, and pursue Gnats. 



Among European species, we have 



The Golden-crowned Kinglet (Mot. regiiais, Lin.), — which is the smallest of European birds, greenish-olive 

 above, yellowish-white below, the head of the male marked with a brilliant golden-yellow crest, bordered with 

 black, [which latter can open or close nearly over it ; in the female the coronal feathers are pale yellow]. It con- 

 structs a globular nest on trees, v-ith a lateral opening, suspends itself on their boughs in all positions, like a Tit, 

 and approaches human habitations in the winter ; [is very animated, and utters a shrill weak song in the breeding 

 season]. 



A still smaller [or rather a somewhat larger] species has recently been distinguished, the crest of which inclmes 

 more to reddish, and which has a black streak before and behind the eye [with a white line on each side of the 

 crest] (Reff. ignapUlus, Naum). [This bird is of rare occurrence in the British isles, where the first is very 

 common. 



A third has still more recently been detected in Dalmatia, and since in England, with only a pale central yellow 

 line in place of the crest, but a bright yellow streak over each eye (R. modesius, Gould). This species wants a 

 remarkable character of the others, which is, that the nostrils are covered by a single feather, that grows 

 over them. 

 There are several more, allied to the two first, in Asia and America. 



The following, however, ranged by the author in this genus, have little to do with them. They constitute the 

 restricted Sylvia of some nomenclators, Phillopneuste, Meyer, and are all summer visitants only in these parts]. 

 The Song Pettychaps {Mot. trocfiilus,L,m.) (fig.89.)— Rather larger than the Kinglets, and nearly of the same colour, 



but without any crest, [and also longer in its make. It is distinguished from one 

 of the other British species by its duller tints, and a yellow tinge on the under 

 tail-coverts, and from the other by its yellowish-brown legs. From both it differs 

 in the pleasing melody of its song, which is extremely musical, though consisting 

 only of a simple run of notes. This bird is extremely common throughout Europe, 

 and we have seen a very similar species, if not actually identical, from Japan. 



The Dark-legged Pettychaps (S. rii/a, Naum) (fig. 90), is rather smaller, half a 

 shade darker, with shorter wings, and blackish-brown legs. Has only a mono- 

 tonous cry of two notes, repeated many times successively, and occasionally 

 alternated with a croaking sound, which is extremely peculiar. The young, after 

 the first moult, of both this and the preceding species, are much brighter yellow 

 than the old birds, but their colour gradually fades during the winter. 



The Grove Pettychaps {Mot. sibitatrix, Lin.) (fig. 91.) has longer wings than 

 either of the preceding, more vividly green plumage on the upper parts, with a 

 much broader and clearer yellow streak over the eye, yellow cheeks and breast, 

 and pure white belly and under tail-coverts. It arrives later than the others, and 

 frequents trees much more exclusively, where it may be recognized by its peculiar 

 shivering voice, during the utterance of which it shakes its wings in a remarkable 

 manner ; it also emits a very plaintive cry, which is common to both sexes. 



These birds generally nestle on the ground, among the herbage. There are two 

 other European species, Sylvia icterina and 'S^. Nattereri.] 



Fig 6D. — Song Pcit/chnps. 



s^ 



tig. %" — i'Mrk-h gotd I'dtychaps. 



Le Grand Pouillof (Motac. hippolais, Lin.).— Larger than the preceding, [of the 

 same size and shape as the Reed Babbler: it belongs, however, to a distinct group 

 from cither (the Hippolais of Brehni), and is a fine songster : it has never yet 

 been detected in Britain, though common along the opposite coast]. 



The Wrens {Troglodytes, Cuv.) — 

 Merely differ in having the beak still more slender, and a little arcuated. 

 [They are properly an American group, of which one species only occurs in 

 the eastern hemisphere.] 



The European Wren (Mot. troglodytes, Lin.)— Brown and transversely striated, with rather a shoit tail, gene- 

 rally held erect. It builds a domed nest, and sings agreeably, even in the depth of winter. 



[America produces numerous others, and there are even many well-marked divisions of them.] Some of the 

 foreign species inosculate with the Antcatchers, and others with the Tree-creepers. 



The Wagtails {Motacilla, Bechst.) — 

 Combine a bill even more slender than that of the Fauvettes, with a long tail, which they are con- 

 stantly shaking up and down, lengthened legs, and particularly elongated tertiary feathers, which 

 .f.xtend as far as the tip of the closed wing, imparting a resemblance to the generality of waders. 



Fig. 91. — Grove Pctlicliapi 



