16 



13. — Golden-Crested Wren (Regulus Cristatus). 



This, the smallest of all British birds, and I think the most 

 restless, is an occasional visitor to " The Cedars' " grounds. I 

 well remember one being shot here with a catapult, to the great 

 grief of the marksman, who never imagined he could hit it. 



On 12th July, 1885, I watched three playing about on a 

 cedar tree, in fact the very cedar from which the grounds take 

 their name. This tree is a gigantic old male, and some 150 yards 

 off is an equally enormous female, and tradition has it, that their 

 roots meet midway, and are lovingly entwined one round the 

 other. 



14. — Chiffchaff (Philoscopus Rufus). 



When at " West Lodge " I generally hear this welcome little 

 visitor heralding the approach of summer about the beginning 

 of April. The 30th March, 1896, is my earliest date here. 



On May 17th, 1901, I photographed a Cedars' Chiffchaff, 

 but in justice to the bird destroyed the print. 



15. — Willow Wren (Philoscopus Trochilus). 



A summer visitor, coming and going with the other warblers. 

 " West Lodge," 3rd April, 1899 ; 18th May, 1899 ; 8th April, 

 1901 ; 26th April, 1903, &c. 



I am confident this little bird builds down by "The 

 Cedars'" pond, but then its nest is sometimes so difficult to find, 

 although sometimes so easy. 



16. — Hedge Sparrow (Accentor Modularis) 



A resident of " The Cedars," and nests there freely. It is 

 a wonder to me this bird ever brings off its young, so carelessly 

 placed is its nest, and so conspicuous are the blue eggs. 



I remember one in the broad walk at " The Cedars " in a 

 holly, about six inches from the ground, with eggs visible about 

 ten yards off, yet it hatched off four eggs, 24th May, 1898. 



On April 24th, 1903, there was a nest with two eggs in 

 " The Cedars' " privet hedge, which, I hope, hatched off all right. 



