Warbler. INSESSORES. CURRUCA. 211 



GREATER PETTYCHAPS. 



CURRVCA HORTENSIS, Bcchst. 



PLATE XLVI. Fig. 4. 



Sylvia hortensis, Bechst. Naturg. Dent. v. 3. p. 524. sp. 4 — Id. Tasschenb. 



Deut. p. \m.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 2. p. 609. sp. 3. 

 La Petit Fauvette, Buff. PI. Enl. 509. sp. 3. 

 Becfm Favette, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 20C. 

 Graue-Grasmiicke, Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. v. 1. p. 224. 

 Braemsluiper, Sepp. Nederl. Vtig. v. 2. t. p. 139. 

 Greater Pettvchaps, Mont. Ornith. Diet, and Supp. 

 Fauvette Pettychaps, Bewick's Br. Birds, 1. t. 218. 



The Pettychaps appears to have been first described as a Periodical 

 British species by Dr Latham, who received his specimen 

 from Lancashire. Since that period (a greater degree of at- 

 tention having been bestowed upon this department of Natu- 

 ral History) it has been found in most parts of England, 

 which it periodically visits ; arriving with the other species of 

 Warblers, in April and May, and departing early in Sep- 

 tember. Montagu informs us that he traced it throughout 

 the greater part of England ; but he fixes the T^7ie as its 

 northernmost limit, in which boundary of its migration he is 

 certainly mistaken, as I have often seen it on the north of the 

 River Tweed.* 



The song of this species, although inferior in extent of 

 scale, almost equals that of the Nightingale in sweetness; 

 some of the notes are particularly mellow, and closely ap- 

 proach to the whistle of the Blackbird. It frequents tangled 

 copses, or thick hedges, and, like the rest of its shy tribe, is 

 more frequently heard than seen, usually singing from the 

 very centre of some close retreat ; though I have seen it oc- 

 casionally (like the Black-cap) warbling from the upper light 

 branch of a tree. 



* I have found it throughout the greater part of Scotland, particularly 

 where the wooded districts margin the lakes and rivers. 



n O 



