248 BIRDS AND MAN 



or shield on his head, — when I consider all these, 

 and others, 1 find that the peculiar charm of 

 each does not exceed in degree that of the furze 

 wren — seen at his best. He is of the type of the 

 whitethroat, but idealised ; the famihar brown, 

 excitable Sylvia, pretty as he is and welcome to 

 our hedges in April, is in appearance but a rough 

 study for the smaller, more delicately-fashioned 

 and richly-coloured Melizophilus, or furze-lover. 

 On account of his excessive rarity he can now be 

 seen at his best only by those who are able to 

 spend many days in searching and in watching, 

 who have the patience to sit motionless by the 

 hour ; and at length the little hideling, tired of 

 concealment or overcome by curiosity, shows 

 himself and comes nearer and nearer, until the 

 ruby red of the small gem-Uke eye may be seen 

 without aid to the vision. A sprite-like'bird ir^ 

 his slender exquisite shape and his beautiful fits 

 of excitement ; fantastic in his motions as he flits 

 and flies from spray to spray, now hovering 

 motionless in the air, like the wooing goldcrest, 

 anon dropping on a perch, to sit jerking his long 

 tail, his crest raised, his throat swollen, chiding 

 when he sings and singing when he chides, like a 



