318 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Warblers 



about seven thousand feet above the level of the 

 sea, but thinks it probable that it may be found on 

 all the peaks of Java, which are covered with thick 

 forests accommodated to its peculiar habits. The 

 recurrence, he observes, of several quadrupeds and 

 birds, at a certain elevation, is as regular in that 

 island as that of many plants and insects. On 

 Mount Prahu, which, he says, in the luxuriance of 

 its vegetation and gloomy thickets is probably not 

 surpassed in any portion of the globe, this bird is 

 very numerous. In his daily excursions Dr. Hors- 

 field uniformly observed and occasionally sur- 

 prised it in its short sallies among the openings 

 of the forest. It was chiefly found on the lowest 

 branches of trees or on the ground. As the short- 

 ness of its wings incapacitates it for elevated or 

 distant flights, its motions are low, short, and made 

 with great exertion. It lives in the thickest coverts, 

 feeding on the larvae of insects, worms, &c, and 

 there it forms its nest on the ground. " It utters, 

 almost without interruption, a varied song. Its 

 common note is a quickly reiterated babbling, re- 

 sembling that of the Curruca garrula of Brisson, 

 and other birds of this family : it also has a pro- 

 tracted plaintive note, but it sometimes rises to 

 higher and melodious warblings, which, in the 

 general silence of these elevated regions, afford an 

 inexpressible sensation of delight to the mind of the 

 solitary traveller." 



In the male the head and neck are of a dark 

 indigo blue, variegated with darker and lighter 

 shades ; above the eyes a white mark ; body gene- 

 rally ferruginous ; wings and tail black ; lower part 

 of breast and abdomen whitish ; plumage lax and 

 silky. Length, nearly ten inches. 



In the female the dark blue tint, which in the 

 male covers the head and neck, extends over the 

 body generally, and also marks the exterior vanes 

 of the quills. The throat and neck underneath 

 have a dark greyish tint. The abdomen is greyish 

 white. The covering of the abdomen and thighs 

 is long, delicate, silky, and pendulous. The lower 

 figure represents the male. 



1414 (d). — The Redbreast 

 (Erythaca Rubecula). Rouge-gorge of the French ; 

 Rothburstiger Sanger of Meyer. This familiar and 

 beautiful little bird is a permanent resident in our 

 island, but in Norway and other northern districts 

 of continental Europe it is migratory, passing 

 southwards on the approach of winter. Every- 

 where this species is a favourite, and has in most 

 countries received appellations indicative of attach- 

 ment: thus in Sweden it is called Tomi Liden ; in 

 Norway, Peter Ronsmad ; in Germany, Thomas 

 Gierdet; and in England, Robin Redbreast. In 

 the spring the redbreast leaves the immediate 

 vicinity of our habitations, for the wood, copse, or 

 shady garden, where, in conjunction with his mate, 

 he builds a nest, shrouding it amidst dense foliage, 

 on a bank, among the roots of trees, or in the 

 crevice of an old ivy-shadowed wall or crok. The 

 eggs are of a pale yellowish grey, with numerous 

 reddish-brown spots. 



When the dullness of autumn proclaims the ap- 

 proach of winter, the redbreast leaves the woods 

 and thickets, and, seeking for food and shelter 

 around the precints of our dwellings, "pays to 

 trusted man its annual visit ; " and utters its clear 

 notes while perched upon the twig of a leafless tree. 

 The song of the redbreast near the window is the 

 presage of the autumn. 



This species is bold and spirited, and will not 

 admit the approach of any small bird near its nest, 

 nor the presence of a rival within the precincts it 

 has selected for its walk through the winter; two 

 males, indeed, seldom meet at any time without a 

 conflict. We will not enter into the descriptive 

 details of a bird with which all are acquainted. 



1423*, 1424.— The Blue-Bihd 



(Erithica sialis). Sialis Wilsoni, Swainson. Like 

 our redbreast, this harbinger of spring to the Ame- 

 ricans " is known to almost eveiy child, and shows," 

 says Wilson, " as much confidence in man by as- 

 sociating with him in summer, as the other by his 

 familiarity in winter." 



" So early as the middle of February, if the 

 weather be open, he usually makes his appearance 

 about his old haunts, the barn, orchard, and fence- 

 posts. Storms and deep snows sometimes succeed- 

 ing, he disappears for a time ; but about the middle 

 of March is again seen accompanied by his mate, 

 visiting the box in the garden, or the hole in the 

 old apple-tree, the cradle of some generations of 

 his ancestors." 



It is interesting, says a curious and correct ob- 

 server, " to behold his courtship, his solicitude to 

 please and to secure the favour of his beloved 

 female. He uses the tenderest expressions, sits 

 close by her, caresses and sings to her his most 

 endearing warblings. When seated together, if he 

 espies an insect delicious to her taste, he takes it 



up, flies with it to her, spreads his wing over her, 

 and puts it in her mouth." 



The food of the blue-bird consists principally 

 of insects, particularly large beetles and other 

 coleoptera, frequently of spiders, and sometimes of 

 fruits and seeds. 



The nest is built in holes in trees and similar situa- 

 tions. The eggs, which are of a pale blue colour, 

 are five in number ; two and sometimes three 

 broods are produced in a season. 



Its song is cheerful, continuing with little in- 

 terruption from March to October, but is most fre- 

 quently heard in the serene days of the spring. 



With regard to its geographical distribution, 

 Catesby says, "These birds are common in most 

 parts of North America, for I have seen them in 

 Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and the Bermuda 

 Islands," Wilson gives the United States, the 

 Bahamas, Mexico, Brazil, and Guiana, as its lo- 

 calities. About November it takes its departure 

 from the United States. The whole upper part of 

 the bird, which is about seven inches and a half 

 long, is of a rich sky-blue shot with purple. The 

 bill and legs are black. Shafts of the wing and 

 tail-feathers black. Throat, neck, breast, and sides, 

 partially under the wings, reddish chestnut. Wings 

 dusky black at the tips. Under parts white. The 

 female is duller in its colours. 



1425. — The Blue-throated Redstart 



{ Phcenicura Suecica). Gorge-bleue of the French; 

 Blankehlein of the Germans; Petto Turchino of the 

 Italians. 



This beautiful bird is only an accidental visitor 

 to our island, and is even rare in France and 

 Holland. According to Bonaparte, it appears about 

 the neighbourhood of Rome only in severe weather. 

 Bechstein assures us that it is far from being un- 

 common in Germany, and that if in the first fort- 

 night of April, up to the 20th, cold and snow return, 

 plenty may be found by merely following the 

 streams, rivers, and ponds, especially in the neigh- 

 bourhood of a wood. The nest is said to be built 

 in bushes and in the holes of trees. General colour 

 above ashy-brown ; a reddish white line passes 

 above the eyes ; cheeks dark brown spotted with 

 rust red ; throat and upper part of chest of a rich 

 azure blue, bounded by a narrow gorget of black, 

 succeeded by another of reddish brown or orange, 

 a central spot of the purest white on the larynx 

 contrasting with the surrounding azure. Under 

 parts dusky white. Tarsi one inch in length. Total 

 length of bird, five inches and a half. 



1426. — The Grey-backed Warbler 



(Sylvicola plumbed). The various species of this 

 genus feed on insects, which they often take in the 

 manner of the flycatchers ; they are lively and 

 active, continually hunting after sedentary insects, 

 and pursuing such as fly from bough to bough : all 

 are American. The grey-backed warbler is of a fine 

 blue grey above, golden yellow beneath ; back 

 olive ; wing-coverts tipped with white. Native 

 country, Brazil. 



1414 (e). — The Sedge-Warbler 



(Salicaria Phragmitis, Selby). This species, which 

 is one of our summer visitors, resorts to marshes, 

 and the banks of lakes or rivers, wherever extensive 

 reed or osier beds afford it shelter. In such situa- 

 tions it may be heard, while concealed from view, 

 uttering its varied song, which is continued through 

 the greater part of the night. Amongst its notes 

 may be distinguished imitations of those of the 

 swallow, lark, sparrow, and linnet, mingled with 

 guttural intonations, the whole delivered confusedly 

 and with great rapidity. Several may be often 

 heard in chorus. 



This species generally attaches its nest to the 

 stems of three or four reeds growing close together, 

 or to twigs of osiers. It is composed of grasses and 

 a little .moss, with a lining of hair and fine dried 

 grass. ' The eggs are of a pale brown with darker 

 spots. This species is abundant on the Continent ; 

 it is allied to. the Reed Wren (Salicaria arundinacea, 

 Selby), but is smaller, and is distinguished by a 

 yellowish-white streak above the eye. The general 

 colour above is brown or yellowish brown ; the 

 feathers of the head and upper part of the back 

 being washed in the centre with dusky black. 

 Under parts generally pale yellowish white. 



1427. — The Garrulous Synallaxis 

 (Synallazis garrulus). Mr. Swainson has given a 

 good figure of this bird under the name of Malurus 

 garrulus, in the first series of his Zoological Illus- 

 trations. It is remarkable, he observes, for its very 

 singular nest, which is so large as to form a feature 

 in the woodland scenery of Bahia, the only part of 

 Brazil where he observed it. He describes the nest 

 as built in low trees, formed externally of dried 

 sticks, without any neatness, usually three or four 

 feet long, and resembling at a distance a thick 



twist of bean-stalks thrown in the branches by acci- 

 dent. Sometimes, he says, two of these nests ap- 

 pear as if joined together, and there is an opening 

 on the side, besides one at the top. He further 

 states that the sexes are generally seen near the 

 nest, uttering a shrill, incessant, monotonous chirp, 

 particularly in the morning and evening ; adding 

 that he never could bring himself to tear one of 

 these nests to pieces merely for the purpose of 

 seeing its construction. Fig. 1428 represents the 

 nest. 



General colour of this species brown, beneath 

 whitish, feathers on the front of the head rigid, 

 pointed, and rufous ; lines before and behind the 

 eye whitish; tail moderate, rounded. 



1429.— The Pied Wagtail 



(M. Yarrellii, Gould). Motacilla alba of authors. 

 The birds composing the genus Motacilla, and sub- 

 genus Budytes, are confined to the Old World only. 

 They are an active and graceful race, tripping along 

 smooth grass-plots and commons, around the edges 

 of ponds or rivulets, and sandy river-shores, in 

 search of their insect food, their long tail incessantly 

 vibrating, and particularly after each short flight 

 made in pursuit of some passing insect, for they 

 take their prey both on the wing and on the 

 ground. They are subject to a double moult, in 

 autumn and in spring, the latter of which changes 

 the colour of the neck, and in some species of the 

 head also. 



Mr. Gould was, we believe, the first to discover 

 that the Pied Wagtail of England is a distinct 

 species from the Pied or White Wagtail so common 

 in France and other parts of the Continent, and 

 which is perhaps the true M. alba of Linnseus ; cer- 

 tainly of the modern Continental ornithologists. 

 Mr. Gould states, besides the British Islands, Nor- 

 way and Sweden are the only parts of Europe 

 where he has been able to procure specimens 

 identical with our British bird, whence he con- 

 cludes that its range is very limited. He then 

 goes on to observe that the Pied Wagtail of Eng- 

 land is somewhat more robust in form than the 

 Continental bird, and when in full summer dress 

 has the whole of the head, chest, and back of a 

 deep black; while in the White Wagtail of France, 

 at the same season, the throat and head alone are of 

 this colour, the upper surface being light ash-grey. 

 In winter the two species more nearly assimilate in 

 their colouring, and this circumstance is more pro- 

 bably the cause of their having hitherto been con- 

 sidered identical ; the black back of M. Yarrellii 

 being grey at this season, although never so light 

 as in M. alba. 



The British Pied Wagtail is incessantly in motion, 

 running about in quest of prey, and ever and anon 

 moving from place to place by short undulating 

 flights, uttering a lively note, and, on gracefully 

 alighting, rapidly vibrating its tail, which seems as 

 if hung on tremulous springs. It frequents grass- 

 plots, commons, and the borders of sheets of water, 

 and will wade in search of aquatic insects ; nor are 

 even small fishes safe from its attacks. W. Rayner, 

 Esq., in a letter to Mr. Yarrell, quoted in his 

 ' History of British Birds,' states that in the summer 

 and autumn of 1837 he had in his aviary several 

 wagtails, the pied and yellow, "both of which were 

 very expert in catching and feeding on minnows 

 which were in a fountain in the centre of the aviary. 

 These birds hover over the water, and catch the 

 minnow as it approaches the top, in the most 

 dexterous manner. I was also much surprised at 

 the wariness and cunning of some blackbirds and 

 thrushes in watching the wagtails catch the 

 minnows, and immediately seizing the prize for 

 their own dinner." The nest of the British Pied 

 Wagtail is composed of fibres of roots, withered 

 grass, and moss, lined with hair and a few feathers : 

 it is generally placed near water, on a bank, or in 

 the hole of a wall, or crevice between stones, among 

 logs of woods, or in the thatch of an outbuilding 

 or cart-shed. The eggs are white spotted with 

 ash-colour. This species may be often seen run- 

 ning about close to cows reposing in their pasture- 

 land, busily engaged in collecting the flies that 

 settle on the sides or limbs of the placid ruminants, 

 or flit about them. 



1430.— The White Wagtail of the Continent 



(Motacilla alba). La Bergeronette grise and Lavan- 

 diere of the French ; Cotremolo, Codetta, Codetta 

 di Pecore, Ballarina, Monachina, and Cuttretola of 

 the Italians ; Die Weisse Bachstelze and Weisse 

 und Schwartze Bachstelze of the Germans. This 

 species is common throughout the continent of 

 Europe, and inhabits the highlands of India, ex- 

 tending also into Africa : its habits are similar to 

 those of our British Pied Wagtail. 



1431. — The White-winged Wagtail 



(Motacilla lugubris). This species is a native of 

 eastern Europe, seldom advancing farther west than 



