PETTYCHAP WARBLER. 



747 



it commences singing, and prepares its nest, which 

 is composed of dry leaves and coarse dry grass 

 externally, and fine downy feathers within ; its 

 shape is oval ; it is generally placed on or near 

 the ground, in a tuft of grass or low bush : the 

 eggs are six in number, white, sprinkled with 

 purplish red at the larger end, and one or two 

 spots at the sides. The note of this bird, which 

 is continually repeated, is extremely simple, and 

 not at all interesting, except from its being the 

 harbinger of spring : it has a resemblance to the 

 words chip chop chop, chip chop, or, according to 

 some, chiff chaff: it is continued throughout the 

 summer. This is a very hardy bird, and is greatly 

 diffused over England, being found in all places 

 where the woods and hedges afford it shelter: 

 it often remains here till the latter end of Octo- 

 ber, and even through the winter, as it has been 

 seen by Colonel Montagu in Devonshire in the 

 months of December and January, but the season 

 was extremely mild, the thermometer being but 

 once below the freezing point. 



