262 HISTORY or 



All these soft-billed birds, thus prized for their singing, are ren- 

 dered domestic, and brought up with assiduity by such as are fond 

 of their voices in a cage. The same method of treatment serves 

 for all, as their food and their habits are nearly the same. The 



and while it warbles, its throat is wonderfully distended. Black-caps feed 

 chiefly on flies and insects, and not unfrequently on ivy and other berries. 



The Wren.—T\w wren is found throughout Europe. Its nest is curiously 

 constructed, being composed chiefly of moss, and lined with feathers; and 

 in shape almost oval, with only one small entrance. This is generally found 

 in some corner of an out-house, stack of wood, or hole in a wall, near our 

 habitations ; but when the wren builds in the woods, it is often in a bush 

 near the ground, on the stump of a tree, or even with the ground. The 

 female lays from ten to eighteen eggs. It is remarkable that the materials 

 of the nest are generally adapted to the place where it is formed. If against 

 a liay-rick, its exterior is composed of hay ; if against the side of a tree clad 

 with white lichens, it is covered with the same substance ; and if built 

 against a tree covered with green moss, or in a bank, its exterior always 

 bears the same correspondence. The lining is invariably of feathers. The 

 wren does not, as is usual with most other birds, begin the bottom of its 

 nest first. When against a tree, its primary operation is to trace the out- 

 line, which is of an oval shape, upon the bark, and thus fasten it with equal 

 strength to all paits. It then, in succession, closes the sides and top, leav. 

 ing only a small hole for entrance. If the nest is placed under a bank, the 

 top is first begun, and well secured in some small cavity ; and by this the 

 fabric is suspended. 



The Gc'deu. Crested Wren. — This is said to be the smallest bird found in this 

 kingdom, not weighing more than three drachms, and has a slender, straight, 

 black bill. It has an exceeding beautiful small row of feathers on the top 

 of the head, of a gold or orange colour, which it has a power of drawing 

 to;'ether, in such a manner as entirely to conceal the little crest, by laying 

 the feathers all flat upon the head ; and likewise to raise them at pleasure. 

 The form of them is long, as they take their rise from the base of the bill, 

 and extend themselves to the back of the head, on each of which there runs 

 a black line. The eyes are encircled with white ; the sides of the neck of a 

 fine, shining, yellowish green ; the breast of a dusky white ; the back is of 

 a greenish colour, with a mixture of yellow. The quill feathers of the 

 wings are of a dusky brown, with some of their edges yellow, others whi w ; 

 the tips of some of those next to the covert feathers are also white ; and the 

 tips of some of the coverts being of the same colour, form a white line 

 across the wing. The tail is of a dusky colour, about an inch and a half 

 long, with some of the edges of the feathers of a yellowish green ; the feet 

 iiud claws are pretty near of the same colour. 



This is a beautiful, but rather rare bird ; it is found in some of the woodj 

 near Oxford, also in Warwickshire, and several places in Wales : it h;u 

 sometimes been seen in the southern parts of Scotland. 'I'lie female lays 

 six or seven very small eggs, not larger than peas, and feeds upon small 

 insects. 



The Willnir.Wren. — This bird is little bigger than the common wren. 

 The upper parts of the body are of a pale olive green; the under pale yeU 



