128 
SYLVIAD.E. 
again, and all were flown. The nest, which w^e now secured, 
was built of dry grasses and green moss, and lined wdth a few 
long hairs and a great profusion of feathers. It w'as hooded 
over wdth the same materials; the hood as fully lined with 
feathers as the cradle part itself. 
The eggs of this species, -which are very small and de¬ 
licate, are somewhat short, pointed at the smaller end, and 
very round at the larger: they have a very thin shell, with 
but little polish : the ground colour is white, with very fine 
spots and dots of a blackish red or purple brown, chiefly 
disposed at the larger end, and sometimes confluent in the 
zone; they vary very little either in shape or colour. In¬ 
cubation lasts thirteen days, during which time the male 
relieves the female occasionally. The young ones are fed 
■wdth little caterpillars, flies and other insects : they leave the 
nest early. If the young birds are taken out of the nest and 
placed upon the ground, the old birds, we are told, will hover 
over them, and even come and sit beside them. We have 
witnessed the same thing in fly-catchei-s, when we have taken 
young birds that could not fly, out of the nest and placed 
them upon the grass; the old birds have come down to 
them and fluttered over them, as if trying to tempt their 
young to follow them. Indeed, the solicitude of birds for 
their young is truly beautiful and interesting: we have seen 
the nightingale, one of the most anxious of birds, pursue and 
buffet persons who approached too near the bushes in which 
her young ones w^ere concealed; in the same manner as 
swallows and martins will fly close to, peck at, and buffet a 
tame owl which happens to show itself abroad by daylight. 
In this species the tints of the plumage vary very greatly 
at different seasons. In autumn, after the annual moult, their 
plumage is as follows:—The head, back and scapulars, and 
the upper coverts of the tail are brownish olive: the quills 
and tail-feathers are blackish grey with olive green borders; 
