ORDER PASSERES. 11 



ing, during the winter season. But at the time of repro- 

 duction, it receives its full extent, is terminated by louder 

 modulations, and interspersed with soft and touching tones. 

 It has different cries, one which is heard afar, especially in 

 the morning and evening, and when it is moved by any new 

 object. This is loud and abrupt ; the other is a sort of 

 chirp which seems to be a note of call, for it is sufficient to 

 imitate it by sucking the finger, to assemble all the red- 

 breasts in the neighbourhood. 



This lover of solitude chooses obscure places, in which to 

 build its nest. It conceals it more or less near to the earth, 

 in the roots of trees, in tufts of ivy, or in very thick bushes. 

 It is composed externally of moss, mingled with hair and 

 oak leaves, and furnished within with the hair of cattle and 

 feathers. There are some red-breasts, says Willoughby, 

 which, after constructing this nest, cover it with accumulated 

 leaves, and under this mass leave a narrow oblique entrance, 

 which they stop up with a leaf on going out. From five to 

 seven whitish eggs, spotted with reddish, constitute the lay. 

 The male covers them in the middle of the day, while the 

 female goes in search of food. Like the nightingale, the 

 male red-breast will suffer no other bird of its own species in 

 the particular district which it has adopted. It pursues it 

 violently the moment it appears, and soon forces it to retire. 

 The female has two or three broods during the year, and the 

 young ones are fed with worms and insects, which the parents 

 hunt with much dexterity. Taken adult in the after season, 

 the red-breast may be easily retained in captivity, and will 

 sing for some time after the loss of liberty. It may be 

 preserved, by giving it the same food as the nightingale 

 receives. 



In the back season, this bird joins to its natural insecti- 

 vorous regimen, tender berries and fruits of different kinds. 

 Its flesh is then delicate, and in estimation. 



The Blue-throated Warbler (Sylvia Suecica) has a similar 



