THE DUNNOCK. 39o 



lays twice a year five or six greenish blue eggs ; and the young 

 birds, which are soon able to leave the nest, are very unlike 

 the parents. The corners of the beak and nostrils are rose- 

 coloured ; the breast spotted with yellow and grey ; and the 

 upper part of the body speckled with black and brown. They 

 may be reared without difficulty on bread and poppy seed, 

 soaked in milk. When tamed, both male and female use every 

 effort to build a nest, and the females not only lay eggs with- 

 out the male, but even pair with the Eedbreast. 



Diseases. The very prevalent idea that wild birds suffer 

 from no disease, is disproved by the case of the Dunnock, for 

 both young and old birds are subject to the small-pox. On 

 one occasion, when the disease was very general in my neigh- 

 bourhood, a young Dunnock in my possession took it; and 

 though, by help of a copious supply of poppy seed and ants' 

 eggs, it recovered, its tail fell off, and never grew again. Old 

 birds are frequently shot, which have ulcerated or scabby legs 

 and eyes though, perhaps, only the result of chilblains. 

 They are often diseased in the rooms of the linen-weavers who 

 keep them ; their eyes swell, and the circle round them be- 

 comes bald ; then the beak grows scabby, and the disease at 

 last spreads to the feet and the rest of the body. In spite of 

 all this, they frequently live from eight to ten years in confine- 

 ment. 



Mode of Talcing. This bird may be caught without difficulty 

 on its return from its migration in spring. Near some hedge, 

 when it is observed, which from the scarcity of other birds at 

 the time is not difficult, or when its call, Issri ! is heard, let a 

 spot be cleared of grass and moss, and set with limed twigs 

 baited with meal or earth worms. If the bird be driven 

 cautiously to this place, it rushes greedily to the bait. In 

 autumn it may be caught in the area trap and in springes, 

 and in winter in the Tit-trap. It is also frequently taken in 

 the water-trap, to which it comes not only for the sake of 

 bathing, but of the drowned insects and decayed roots which 

 it finds there. 



Attractive Qualities. The Dunnock, though an agreeable 

 addition to the aviary, on account of its liveliness, cheerful dis- 

 position, and pleasant song, has no pretensions to the name of 

 the Tree Nightingale, by which it is sometimes called in Ger- 

 many. Its song is simple, and resembles part of that of the 



