THE DUNNOCK. 391 



repeat every time I entered the room where it was, either by 

 night or day. In winter it would generally begin singing in the 

 evening as soon as the candle was lighted, and would often sing 

 as late as eleven o'clock at night. When it was hung out by the 

 door in the cage, which it frequently was, the Sparrows would 

 often come round it, of which it seemed particularly fond ; it 

 learned their note, and would chirp and call them so exact, that 

 any person w r ho did not know to the contrary, would have sup- 

 posed it to be the Sparrow chirping. 



" The Redstart, in a wild state, chiefly visits gardens, lanes, or 

 old buildings, and feeds on various kinds of insects, but seems to 

 prefer the ants and their eggs. In spring, when it first arrives 

 in this country, it mounts to the top of the loftiest trees, where it 

 will sit and sing for hours, beginning in the morning by day- 

 break. The earliest time of their arrival that I ever noticed, was 

 the 25th of March ; some years they come the beginning of April, 

 and sometimes not till the middle of that month. It seems to be 

 a very peevish and fretful bird, often shaking its tail, and repeat- 

 ing a quick shrill note, as if it was in fear ; and one that I once 

 reared from the nest, was often allowed to come out of its cage 

 into the room. One day, when wanted to be got in, and not being 

 willing to go, it was driven round the room a few times, which 

 vexed it so much that it would take no food afterwards, though 

 restored to its liberty ; it stayed sulky for three days, and then 

 died. 



"I have now a beautiful male bird of this species, which I have 

 possessed for six years ; it always keeps itself in as good health, 

 and in as fine a plumage, as if flying wild in the open air, con- 

 tinuing in song the greater part of the year. It is certainly the 

 most sensible and cunning species of the tribe, and becomes very 

 much attached to any person who notices it ; mine flew out of 

 its cage about two years since, and got away into the gardens, 

 where it continued six or seven hours : it then returned to its 

 cage, although it was a wild bird when first caught. In the year 

 1825, I saw a female of this species so late as the 21st of Novem- 

 ber, in Camera Square, Chelsea, flying about as lively as if it had 

 been midsummer." 



153. THE DUNNOCK, OR HEDGE- WARBLER. 



Sylvia or MotaciUa Modularis, LIN. Fauvette d'hiver, BUF. Die Brau- 

 nelle, BECH. 



Description. This bird, which in its general bearing is very 

 like the Wren, is five inches and a quarter in length, of which 

 the tail measures two inches and a quarter. The beak is five 

 lines long, very sharp and black, except in the inside, which is 



