34 CLASS AVES. 



This warbler is common enough in Europe, both south and 

 north, but is rather rare in this country. 



The Orphasa, or warbler proper, is found in almost all the 

 temperate countries of Europe, inhabits gardens, and the 

 borders of woods, and makes a nest in the bushes, in which 

 the female lays from five to six whitish eggs, with points 

 and spots of a greenish grey. 



The Babbling Warbler {Mot. Curruca, Lin.) does not fre- 

 quent gardens, unless there are very thick woods in their 

 proximity. It delights in coppices of three and four years 

 old, and prefers the thicket and most solitary places, where 

 the male, without quitting his favourite retreat, sings in a 

 manner that has some analogy with the style of the reed wren. 

 As there are no intervals between the burthens of the song, it 

 is probable that the epithet attached to this warbler has been 

 derived from this circumstance. 



The babbling warbler constructs its nest in the middle of 

 the thickest bushes it can find, places it at about three or four 

 feet from the ground, employs many more materials, and gives 

 the nest more depth and thickness than do the other warblers. 

 It first of all puts stalks of coarse plants negligently at the 

 base and sides, to which are added finer plants, interlaced with 

 a little wool. The eggs are from four to six in number, 

 white, glazed with a clear grey, punctated with olive and 

 black on the middle, with spots of the former colour nume- 

 rous and irregular towards the gross end. 



The PasserineWarbler inhabits Lombardy, Sardinia, France, 

 &c. ; comes later into the latter country than other warblers. 

 These birds sojourn in coppices, groves, orchards, and often 

 in gardens, even in the midst of the most populous cities, 

 provided there be there hedges of yoke-elm, with trees of a 

 certain elevation. On this account the name of Jiortensis has 

 been applied to it, which, however, has also been given to 

 another warbler by Latham and Gmelin. It is called aedonia 



