66 



CLASS AVES. 



ORDER PASS ERIN A 



feed upon worms and winged insects, which they do not take on the wing, 

 but hunt from rush to rush or from branch to branch. 



The Sedge Warbler (S. Phragmitis) is one of the species known in 

 England : it frequents rivers and lakes where reeds and other water plants 

 abound. It comes to this country in April and stays till September. It 

 builds its nest sometimes amongst reeds, sometimes among rushes, and at 

 other times in hedge-bottoms. It lays four or five eggs of a pale wood- 

 brown colour, speckled all over with the same colour, but of deeper tinge. 

 It is almost constantly singing both day and night, may be heard at a great 

 distance commencing its song with chit, chit, chiddy chiddy chiddy, chit, chit, 

 chit; and if silent may be roused to sing by throwing a stone into the bush 

 where it has hidden itself. It is a very abundant species, and feeds on 

 aquatic insects, dragon-flies, slugs, and worms. 



The Nightingale (S. Luscinia) is common in the southern, eastern, and 

 midland counties of England, rarely in the northern and western : it usually 

 arrives about the end of April or beginning of May, and has been frequently 

 heard annually on the very same day in some districts. The male precedes 

 the female by about ten days a circumstance which Selby states is 

 common to most other summer visitants, and during that time sings 

 throughout the whole night for the purpose of attracting its mate ; but 

 when this is effected, the nocturnal music is hushed, to be resumed, how- 

 ever, with the earliest dawn, and continued throughout the day. 



Bechstein, in his interesting and clever work on the " Natural History 

 of Cage Birds," states, that he has distinguished twenty-four different 

 strains, without including its little delicate variations, in the song of a fine 

 Nightingale, and that it is so articulate, so speaking, that it may be very 

 well expressed in writing. Nightingales frequent shady, cool, but not cold 

 districts, woods, plantations, and even hedge-rows, where the underwood 

 is thick and close to the ground ; but they do not prefer watery places, and 

 if found there, Bechstein says, it is on account of the thickets, and not for 

 the water. Here they build low, sometimes even on the ground, and 

 among the roots of trees where the grass and bushes are thick. The foun- 

 dation consists of loose herbage, rushes, and dry leaves, but the nest itself 

 is compactly formed of leaves, specially those of the oak, rushes and grass 

 matted together, and thinly lined with fine grass. In it are deposited, 

 towards the latter end of May, four, five, and sometimes six eggs, commonly 

 pure drab, but occasionally speckled, which are hatched in about a fortnight. 

 The young are fed with green caterpillars, probably the larvae of some moth, 

 or perhaps of a Tenthredo peculiar to certain localities. 



So soon as the young birds are hatched, the song of the parent bird 

 becomes more and more rare, and after Midsummer ceases, and instead of 

 its melodious strains nothing now is heard beyond a single low croaking 

 note, to give warning of danger, or occasionally a sharp snapping noise 

 made with the beak, and held to be a note of defiance. The young, how- 

 ever, now begin to warble and attempt to imitate the parent song. They 

 leave this country in September, and even the southern parts of Italy not 

 later than the latter end of that month or the beginning of October, and 

 pass over to Northern Africa, Egypt, and Syria, where they winter. 



The Black Cap (S. Atricapilla) arrives in England about the middle of 

 April, and sometimes earlier, but never till the larch trees are distinctly 

 green. The male rivals the Nightingale in its song, which is full, deep, 

 sweet, and loud, and, though it has less volume, strength, and expression, 

 is more pure, easy, and flute-like in its tones. The female also sings, but 

 her song very much resembles that of the Redbreast. The call is a kind 

 of tack, quickly and frequently repeated ; and when alarmed it utters a 

 hoarse disagreeable noise, similar to that made by a Cat when hurt. 



The White Throat (S. Cinerea) is generally spread over Europe; it 

 comes here about the middle of April, and is seen fluttering about among 

 the bushes in fields, among brambles, thickets, the underwoods of low 

 mountains, among weeds and nettles, whence one of its provincial names is 

 the Nettle Creeper, and also in orchards. They leave us about the latter 

 end of September. It is a lively, active bird, constantly in motion, and 

 singing with all its power often far into the night : its song consists of 

 several strains rapidly succeeding each other, sometimes in soft, low tones, 



occasionally broken in upon by louder and shriller notes, which are rather 

 harsh. 



The Lesser White Throat (S. Curraca) is common in the neighbourhood 

 of London, but is rare in Cornwall ; is found also as high as Durham, but 

 becomes rare in Northumberland, and a few are found in Scotland. It is 

 very shy, and inhabits the thickest hedges. 



The Dartford Warbler (S. Provincialis) is found, in England, most 

 abundant in Devonshire and Cornwall, and a'so about Oakingham in Berk- 

 shire, and is not unfrequent on the heathy commons near London. It 

 lives on open downs and commons contiguous to thick furze, in which it 

 finds the most secure shelter when alarmed, creeping from bush to bush 

 with great alacrity, and hiding itself in the thickest part. Its cry resembles 

 cha, cha, cha. 



The Robin (S. Rubecula) seems to be strictly indigenous to Europe. 

 They live in pairs, but are otherwise unsociable and quarrelsome, two 

 seldom being found in the same garden, as they fight till the weaker is 

 driven away. The female lays from four to seven eggs, yellowish-white, 

 with wavy spots and streaks of brown. The Robin sings throughout the 

 year; most melodiously and brilliantly in spring, but in autumn and winter 

 it is little more than a mere warble. It has different cries, one of which, 

 tint, tiritit, tiritit, is heard morning and evening, or when the bird is 

 excited by any novel object; another, nip, nip, seems to be its call, for 

 Vieillot says it only needs to imitate this whilst sucking the finger to rouse 

 all the Robins in the neighbourhood. It is constantly in motion, and after 

 every hop utters the syllables sisri. The familiarity and confiding manners 

 of this species have, in many countries, obtained for it endearing appella- 

 tions ; thus, whilst in England it is called Robin Redbreast, in Germany it 

 is Thomas Gterdet, in Norway Peter Ronsinad, and in Sweden Tomi Liden. 



The Red Start (S. Phcenicurus) is commonly spread over Europe, and is 

 found in most of the eastern, midland, and northern parts of England. It 

 comes to us early in April, and leaves about the latter end of September. 

 It is very familiar, building its mossy nest, lined with hairs, in exposed 

 situations in our gardens, in holes of walls and decayed trees, as if to court 

 attention, and lays from five to eight very pointed greenish-blue eggs. 



The Wood Wren (S. Sibilatrix) is common throughout the greatest part 

 of Europe, lives in forests, especially beech woods, and utters its cry s, s, 

 s, s, r, r, r, r, fid, fid, fid, whilst fluttering and beating its wings. It 

 makes its nest in the hollows of trees, or among their roots, but often 

 builds on the ground in form of a little tower, concealing its nest, which 

 is made of moss and lined with fine grass and hair, under those trees which 

 which have the thickest foliage. It lays six eggs, white with reddish spots, 

 which form a circle around the broad end. 



The Yellow Wren (S. Trochilus) arrives in this country about April, or 

 later if the weather be severe. It has a simple song, consisting of a few 

 prolonged and softly-modulated notes, which it sings whilst actively 

 employed in search of aphides and other insects. 



THAMNOPHILUS Batara, or Bush Shrike. Nine American species ; 

 four or five African. They feed on caterpillars, and are quiet and solitary. 



TIMALIA. Approximates to the Thrush genus : two species are found 

 in Java and Sumatra ; one of which has a peculiar and pleasing note, con- 

 sisting of the five tones of the diatonic scale, C D E F G, slowly repeated, 

 to which it adds sometimes a sixth. 



TKICHOPHOKUS Bristle Neck. This genus approaches the Ocypteri ; 

 three species natives of Africa. 



TYRANNUS Tyrant. The Tyrants, which are all natives of Am 

 are fierce, courageous, and active, feed on insects generally, some species 

 also on dead carcases, according to Azara, and some fish like King-ti>hrrs 

 and eat Lizards, as noticed by Swainson. Usually they sit perched up-n 

 a twig, and dart upon such insects as come within their notice ; but some 

 chase their prey upon the ground. Most of the sjiecies live either in or 

 upon the borders of woods or thickets, but occasionally some are found on 

 the edges of streams. 



VANOA Raiidnrd. Two species found in the East Indies and New 

 Holland. 



