240 
NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
One of my neighbours, an intelligent and observing man, in- 
forms me that, in the beginning of May, and about ten minutes 
blackcap and whitethroat fauvets, between which it is in some degree intermediate, though 
smaller, and more active in its habits, than either. It is an elegant little bird, arriving generally 
towards the close of the month of April, and departing in September, though a few stragglers are 
often met with for some weeks afterwards. This species has most erroneously been described to 
keep wholly to the closest underwood, whereas it passes its time chiefly upon trees, often at a 
considerable height from tl>e ground, and is nowhere found but in their immediate vicinity. It is 
a bird wonderfully little known, considering its abundance, and also the familiarity of its habits, 
the general character of its haunts much resembling those of its musical congener the blackcap. 
It is particularly common about little cottage gardens, and indeed everywhere affects gardens and 
neighbourhoods, often building in ornamental shrubs close to the house. It is also plentiful 
about tall and thick hawthorn hedges, but is never found (like the whitethroat) in open and ex- 
posed places, nor does it ever mount singing into the air (like that species), though its notes may 
be occasionally heard, as it flutters, in a vacillating manner, from tree to tree. Its song is very 
low and weak, and may be easily recognised by the frequent recurrence of a note like sip, sip, sip; 
but, after warbling iu this strain continuously for a few seconds, it always terminates with a loud 
and shrill shivering cry, which is monotonous and unplcasing, though analogous to the lively 
whistle of the blackcap. Not unfrequently it emits this cry without any previous warbl<!, and it 
utters also the same check as its congeners, and sometimes also a peculiar inward rolling note, which 
it has in common with the furzelin, or Dartford warbler, to which species it is allied (aud immedi- 
ately connected by means of an exotic songener), and which at least in confinement it consider- 
ably resembles in its manners, both these little birds sometimes climbing up the wires of their 
cage in a manner that is not observable in the other fauvets. An individual I formerly kept in 
captivity, in a spacious cage, was exceedingly active in its habits, sometimes darting about eo 
rapidly that the eye could scarcelj' follow ; and it used frequently, and many times in succession, 
to perform quick somersets in the air, throwing itself over backwards, a habit which I have 
noticed in otheis of the same species in a captive state. It is a determined fruit-eater in the 
season, hardly inferior in this respect to the blackcap, and in the spring is very expert in the 
capture of winged insects, though it never leaves its perch in order to seize them, but snaps at 
them the moment they are within reach. It also feeds a good deal, like the pettychaps genus, 
upon small caterpillars, and like then* is a great destroyer of aphides. It also resembles them in 
the extreme pugnacity of its disposition, which I have observed, not only in confinement, but in 
the wild state, a qualit)' in which it much difi^ers from its British congeners. The male and 
female are quite alike in plumage, and some of the older individuals have the irides of a beautiful 
and conspicuous pearly white, which adds much to the handsomeness of their appearance; many 
have also a delicate blush •n thei/.- under parts, which is likewise frequently observable in the 
male whitethroat. The nest is smaller than that of the last-mentioned species, and is always 
lined with fibrous rootlets ; the eggs, four or five in number, are also of less size than those of that 
bird, but have the markings more defined, and larger. 
I have been thus diff'use in describing this pretty little species, because I have never yet met 
with a good history of it. Mr. White imagined it to have been the " pettychaps," by which term 
he evidentl}' intended the garden fauvet, which was so named by the earlier naturalists. That 
the garden fauvet {ficedula hortensis) should have entirely escaped his observation, I look upon as 
a very singular fact, as the species actually abounds in Selborne parish, and is one of the very 
finest of our vernal songsters. He probably confused its lay with that of the blackcap. It is 
closely allied to the species just mentioned, so much so that an albino of either could scarcely be 
distinguished ; but in the hand it may be readily told by its more uniform olive colour, and the 
absence of the black (or, in the female, rust-colour) upon the crown. The sexes are very much 
alike; and, for the information of those who may wish to keep one in confinement, I may state 
that the only difference I could ever perceive between them, consisted in the more rufous tint of 
the under surface of the wing in the cock hird. Its melody resembles somewhat the continuous 
note of the b'ackcap, but is softer, much deeper, and more flute-like in its tone, approaching to 
the mellifluous warble of the blackbird. As it proceeds, it increases gradually in spirit and loud- 
ness, and often ends with a rich and dulcet melodious flourish, though never so clear and loud as 
the lively, spirit-stirring music of its congener the blackcap. I have noticed it to sing with great 
spirit against a nightingale, determined not to be outdone; and indeed the peculiar sweetness of 
its lay must ever render it a prime favourite with those who love to listen to the wild music of the 
grove. Its habits are exactly similar to those of the blackcap, which it also resembles in i*e 
