19i] 



AYES. 



The immense group of Sylvicoles {Sylricola), peculiar to America, certainly appear to have some relationship 

 with the DunnocUs, but are probably slender-billed modilications of the same great type as the Tanag;ers. 



Tin; Kinglets {liff/idm, Ciiv.) — 

 Have a slender bill, forming a perfect and very sharp cone, the sides of \\hich even appear a little 

 concave ^vhen viewed from aliove. Tlicy are small birds, which live among trees, and pursue Gnats. 



Among European species, we have 



The Gold en -crowned Kino;let {Mot. rc;j/(his, Lin.), — "Inch is tlie smallest of European birds, g-reenisli-olive 

 aho\c, yi'II'.A\i-.h--\vhite below, the head of the male marked witli a briliiuiit ti:oldeii -yellow crest, boi'dered with 

 black, [wlilrh latter can open or close nearly over it : in the female the coronal feathers are pale yellow]. It con- 

 structs a ^^lobiiUir nest on trees, Avith a lateral openin^:, suspends itself on their boughs in all positions, like a Tit, 

 and approache:^ human habitations in the \\mtei- ; [is \ery animated, and utters a shi-ill weak .song" in the breeding 

 season], 



A still smaller [or rather a somewhat larger] species has recently been distinguished, the crest of which inclines 

 more to reddish, and which has a black streak before and behind the eye [with a white line on each side of the 

 crest] {Rfff. 'hiiKipillK.i, Naum). [This bird is of rare occurrence in the Britic,h isles, where the first is very 

 common. 



A third has still more recently been detected in Dalniatia, and since in England, with only a pale central yellow 

 line in jilace of the crest, but a bright yellow streak over each eye (R. wodcsius, Gould). This species wants a 

 remarkable character of the others, which is, that the nostrds are covered by a single feather, that grows 

 over them. 

 There are several more, allied to the two first, in Asia and America. 



The following, however, ranged by the author in this genus, have little to do with them. They constitute the 



restricted >^i//v/a of some nomenclators, Phillopneuste, Meyer, and are all summer visitants only in these parts]. 



The Song Fettychajis {Mot. t r o chi I m:;, 'Lin.) (fig. 89.) — Rather larger than the Kinglets, and nearly of the same colour, 



but without any crest, [and also longer in its make. It is distinguished from one 



^ _^ of the other British species by its duller tints, and a yellow tinge on the under 



tid-coverts, and from the other by its yellowish-brown legs. From both it differs 



111 the pleasihg melody of its song, which is extremely musical, though consisting 



<j dy of a simple run of notes. This bird is extremely common throughout Em'ope, 



uid we have seen a very similar species, if not actually identical, from Japan. 



The Dark-legged Pettychaps {.S. riifa, Naum) (fig. 90), is rather smaller, half a 

 sh ide darker, with shorter wings, and blackish-brown legs. Has only a mono- 

 tonous cry of two notes, repeated many times successively, and occasionally 

 alternated with a croaking sound, which is extremely peculiar. The young, after 

 the first moult, of both this and the preceding species, are much brighter yellow 

 than the old birds, but their colour gradually fades during the winter. 



The Grove Pettychaps {Mot. sib'datn.r, Lin.) (fig. 91.) has longer wings than 

 either of the preceding, more vividly green plumage on the upper parts, witli a 

 much broader and clearer yellow streak o^■er the eye, yellow cheeks and breast, 

 and pure white belly and under tail-coverts. It arrives later than the others, and 

 frequents trees much more exclusively, where it may berecnmii/.i d h\ its iieruliar 

 shivering voice, iluring the utterance of -which it shakes its \\ ings m a remarkable 

 manner ; it also emits a very plaintive cry, which is common to both sexes. 



Iliese birds generallv nestle on tlie ground, amonir the herbage. There are two 



" '",-,- - " 111-'- '"''-■' — J' irk.lLj,',ia . eaj-clia[is. 



other European species, Sjilcia hicrina and .s. Aiilln-ri-t..\ 



Lc Ciuuid ruiiillnl {Mi>ln<\ hippolais, Lin.).— Larger tlian the preceding, [of the 

 same size and shaiie as the Keed Babbler : it belongs, however, to a distinct group 

 from either (the ///ju/jo/f/i* of Brehm), and is a fine songstn ; it lias never yet 

 been detected in lli-itaiii, tliough common alung the opposite coast]. 



The Wrens [Troglodijl'fS, Cuv.) — 

 Merelv differ in having the lieak still more slenilcr, and a little arcuated. 

 [Tiicy are properly an American group, nf which one species only occurs in 

 the eastern hemisphere.] 



The European Wren (il/o^ trogJodi/ies, Lin.)— Browm and transversely striated, with rather a short tail, gene- 

 rally held <rect. It buihls a domed nest, and sings agreeably, even in the depth of winter. 



[America produces numerous others, ami there arc even many well-marked divisions of them.] Some of the 



other 

 foreign species inosculate with tin- Antcatcln 



re even 

 othei-s with th(. 



Tree-crei'pers. 



The ^\'AGTAlI,s (Mofacilla, Bcchst.)— 

 Combine a lull even more slender tlian that of Ihe r'auvcttes, with a long tail, wliich lliry are con- 

 stantly shaking up and down, lengrhened legs, and particularly elongated tertiary featliers, which 

 extend as far as the tip of the closed wing, imparting a resemblance to Lho ^encralily uf waders. 



