220 INSESSORES. MELIZOPHILUS. Warbler. 



ance of superior bulk. In this country it lives upon the 

 open downs and commons that abound with furze, where it 

 meets with a secure retreat, and in the thickest part of which 

 it conceals itself upon the slightest alarm, creeping from bush 

 to bush with great celerity, — According to Montagu, its 

 song is pleasing, though hurried in note, and (like that of 

 the White-Throat) is often uttered whilst the bird is suspend. 

 Food. ed on wing over the furze. — It feeds upon flies, grasshoppers, 

 Nest, &c. and other insects. — The nest is formed of the same materials 

 as that of the White-Throat, with the addition of being 

 usually lined with the finest stalks of a species of carex, is 

 placed in the centre of the thickest furze bush, and only to 

 be found by a very close and patient search. The eggs also 

 resemble in colour those of the above-mentioned bird, but 

 are smaller. For a more particular account of this bird, and 

 its young, my readers are referred to Montagu's Supple- 

 ment to his Ornithological Dictionary, or to the 9th volume 

 of the Linnean Transactions, where he has entered into the 

 subject in his usual minute and scientific manner. Accord- 

 ing to Temminck, this bird is abundant in the southern parts 

 of Europe ; but unknown in Germany and Holland. 



Plate 46. Fig. 6. A male of the natural size. 

 General ^\]\ primrose-yellow at the base, the tip black. Irides and 



tion. eyelids pale yellowish-brown. Upper parts of the body 



deep clove-brown. Cheeks grey. Throat, neck, and 

 breast cochineal-red, inclining to brownish pvirple-red. 

 Mesial line of the belly white. Quills blackish-brown, 

 having the outer webs margined with deep ash-grey, 

 and those of the coverts with reddish-brown. Tail 

 wedge-shaped, blackish-brown ; the exterior feather tip- 

 ped with white, and having the outer web margined 

 with the same ; the next feather also with a white tip. 

 Legs and toes inclining to sienna-yellow. The tints of 

 plumage in the female and young birds are less bright 

 and distinct ; and in them also are several fine white 



