ornithologist's text-book. 61 



and Rennie has recorded it in the Ornithological 

 Dictionary, but the latter doubtless had it from 

 Selby. We ourselves have heard it, but not often, 

 although we have, for several years, paid parti- 

 cular attention to the habits and haunts of this 

 charming bird. 



In our opinion, the Hedge Coalhood's having 

 " no familiarity or association with us," is one of 

 its greatest charms. To follow a family of these 

 birds in the gloomy thickets and woods to which 

 they are so partial, or to hear its plaintive call- 

 note in the distance, answering to its mate, is pe- 

 culiarly delightful to the Ornithologist, especially 

 as there is yet much to be ascertained with regard to 

 its economy. — Although we have frequently caught 

 the Hedge Coalhood in the act of devouring the 

 buds of our plum and cherry trees, yet we never 

 either apprehended or experienced any material 

 damage from this cause. We indeed incline to 

 the opinion of many Naturalists, of its being 

 wholly beneficial to fruit trees. We grant that 

 it always singles out the best trees as the scene of 

 its labours, but then may we not well suppose that 

 the insects also choose the choicest trees for their 

 depredations? and that the Hedge Coalhoods are 

 chiefly observed on these on account of the num- 

 bers of noxious insects or caterpillars lodged in the 

 buds? We think — supposing our conjecture to be 

 true — there are few who would not rather have 

 their crop of fruit spoiled by so handsome a bird as 

 the Hedge Coalhood, than by a caterpillar which 

 is seldom or never to be seen, or, if visible, by no 

 means a delectable object. We have often reflected 

 that so far from being entirely destructive to fruit 

 trees, the Hedge Coalhood is extremely beneficial 

 to them, by plucking off a certain number of buds 

 where the crop is superabundant; as, though it will 

 occasionally entirely strip a single tree of its buds 



F 



