BiRUS. 263 



manner oi hiking and treating them, particularly tlie nightingale, 

 is this: A nightingale's nest may be found by observing the place 

 where the male sings, and then bysticking two or three meal-worms 

 (a kind of maggot found in flour) on some neighbouring thorn, 



low ; and a streak of yellow passes over the eyes. The wings and tail are 

 brown, edj-cd with yellowish grcou ; mid the legs are yellowish. The 

 willow-wren is not uncommon in many pmts of England. It is migratory, 

 visiting us annually about the middle of April, and taking its departure 

 towards the end of September. The feuiiUe constructs her nest in holes at 

 the roots of trees, in hollows of dry banks, and other similar places. This 

 is round, aud not unlike that of the wren. The eggs are dusky white, and 

 marked with reddish spots, and are five in numln-r. 



The Wood. IVren is a distinct species from the willow wren, M-itli which 

 it has been often confounded. It is distinguished by a more vivid plumage, 

 and by freipu'nting natural ^voods and plantations. Among other birds be- 

 longing to this class may be mentioned the IVIiitethroat, the Iledtail, and 

 the Greater and Lesser I'ettychaps. From the length ol the surrounding 

 notes, a particular description of these cannot be given. 



The Pensile IVarliler. — The pensile Wiubler is nearly five inches long- 

 The bill is dusky ; the head greyish black ; and the back deep grey. Round 

 the eye there is a white streak ; and between that and the bill a range of 

 yellow dots. The throat, neck, and breast, are yellow. The belly is white ; 

 and the sides of the neck and body are dotted with black spots. The wing 

 coverts are white and black, in bauds. The tail is dark grey, having tlie 

 four outer feathers marked with large spots of white. 



The sagacity displayed by this bird, in building and placing its nest, is 

 truly remai'kable. She does not fix it at the forking of the branches, as is 

 usual with most other birds, but suspends it to binders hanging from the 

 netting which she forms from tree to tree, especially those which fall from 

 brandies that hang over the rivers and deep ravines. The nest consists of dry 

 blades of grass, the ribs of leaves, and exceedingly sm;ill roots, interwoven 

 with the greatest art ; it is fastened on, or rather is worked into, the pen- 

 dant strings. If is, in fact, a small bed rolled into a ball, so thick and com. 

 pacted as to exclude the rain ■ and it rocks in the wind without receiving 

 any harm. 



But the elements are not the only enemies against which this bird luis to 

 struggle ; with wonderful sagacity it provides for the protection of its nest 

 from other accidents. The opening is neither made on the top nor side of 

 tlie nest, but at the bottom : nor is the entrance direct. After the bird has 

 made its way into the vestibule, it must pass over a kind of partition, and 

 through another aperture, before it descends to the abode of its family. 

 This lodgment is round and soft, being lined with a species of lichen, which 

 grows on the trees, or with the silky down of plants. The birds of this 

 .species have a very delicate song, which is continued throughout the year. 

 They are natives of St Domingo, and some other of the West Indian Islands, 

 where th ey feed chiefly upon insects and fruit. 



The Sup erb JVarbler. — The general shape of this bird is very elegant ; 

 and thoug h it has no rariety of colours it is possessed of considerable beauty 

 The upper part of the body is blackish-bluc, and white beneath; the fea- 



