THE SINGING BIRDS. 255 



Garden Warblers almost invariably resort to cultivated districts, and prefer orchards, hedges, and 

 gardens. When compelled to occupy the latter situations they generally frequent such trees as skirt 

 the denser parts of the thicket, into whose recesses they rarely venture to penetrate, and are never 

 met with in forests of fir or pine, or in mountain regions. In the localities favoured by their presence 

 a certain limited district is selected, and to this the birds regularly return, season after season, 

 defending their little territory from all intrusion with the utmost courage and obstinacy. In an 

 instance that came under our own notice a pertinacious individual occupied the same domain for 

 seven successive years. The voice of this species varies considerably in quality, but is never 

 remarkable for sweetness ; indeed, its only charm may be said to consist in the spirit and animation 

 with which the singer pours out his notes, as he flutters about the highest trees, or perches, with 

 body, erect and raised crest, upon a projecting branch. When upon the ground the Melodious 

 "Willow Wren hops with difficulty, and usually with the head and neck thrown forward ; in the air, on 

 the contrary, it moves with rapidity and lightness. Insects of all kinds constitute its principal means 

 of subsistence, but it also devours fruit, and does considerable damage in the cherry orchards. It 

 occasionally destroys bees, and in an instance that came under our own notice the offending bird 

 actually beat against the hives in order to compel its unconscious victims to come out. If undisturbed 

 the Melodious Willow Wren breeds but once in the year, usually at the end of May or beginning of 

 June ; the eggs, from four to six in number, are rose-red or reddish grey, veined and spotted with 

 black or reddish brown. The very beautiful purse-shaped nest is firmly built with grass, leaves, or 

 any vegetable fibres, intermixed with spiders' webs, paper, and similar materials ; the interior is lined 

 with feathers and horsehair. The parents brood alternately, and the young are hatched within 

 thirteen days ; the nestlings are reared upon insects, and protected most carefully from danger by the 

 wily stratagems above alluded to. 



THE CHIFF-CHAFF. 



The Chiff-Chaff (Hippolais or Sylvia rufci) is four inches and three-quarters long and seven 

 broad ; the bill is brownish black, inclining to yellow at the edges ; the mouth of a pale saffron- 

 yellow tint. The plumage below is pale lemon yellow ; the belly mixed with silvery white, and 

 the vent and under tail-covers inclining to deep straw yellow ; the quill and tail-feathers are dusk}', 

 edged with yellow, except the exterior tail-feather on each side, which is plain. The female 

 resembles her mate. • 



This bird visits England about the end of March. It makes its nest upon the ground, 

 constructing it externally of dry leaves and coarse grass, with a lining of feathers. The eggs are six 

 in number, white, and speckled at the larger end with purplish red, and an occasional single speck 

 on the sides. Its double note, which is four or five times repeated, resembles the words " Chip- 

 Chop," and hence its name of Chiff-Chaff. It is said to feed principally on the larvas of the 

 different species of Tortrix that are rolled up in the unfolding buds of various trees, rendering good 

 service in devouring those insects that would otherwise destroy a great part of the fruit. If the 

 weather is fine and mild, these birds may be seen among the most forward trees in orchards, flying 

 from branch to branch and from tree to tree, chasing each other, and catching the gnats and small 

 flies that come in their way. In the summer they feed on the aphides which infest trees and plants, 

 and they are also very partial to small caterpillars, flies, and moths. 



Mr. Sweet says the Chiff-Chaff is easily taken in a trap, and soon becomes tame in confine- 

 ment ; one that he caught was so familiar as to take a fly from his fingers ; it also learned to drink 

 milk out of a tea-spoon, of which it was so fond that it would fly after it all round the room, and 

 perch on the hand that held it without showing the least symptom of fear. 



