192 
AVES. 
The immense group of Sylvicoles {Sylvicola), peculiar to America, certainly appear to have some relationship 
with the Dunnocks, but are probably slender-billed modifications of the same great type as the Tanagers. 
The Kinglets {Regulus, Cuv.) — 
Have a slender bill, forming a perfect and very sharp cone, the sides of which even appear a little 
concave when viewed from above. They are small birds, which live among trees, and pursue Gnats. 
Among European species, we have 
The Golden-crowned Kinglet {Mot. regulus, Lin.),— which is the smallest of European birds, greenish-olive 
above, yellowish-white below, the head of the male marked with a brilliant golden-yellow crest, bordered with 
black, [which latter can open or close nearly over it : in the female the coronal feathers are pale yellow]. It con- 
structs a globular nest on trees, with a lateral opening, suspends itself on their boughs in all positions, like a Tit, 
and approaches human habitations in the winter ; [is very animated, and utters a shrill weak song in the breeding 
Fig 89.— Song Pettjdiaps. 
A still smaller [or rather a somewhat larger] species has recently been distinguished, the crest of which inclines 
more to reddish, and which has a black streak before and behind the eye [with a white line on each side of the 
crest] {Reg. ignapillus, Naum). [This bird is of rare occurrence in the British isles, where the first is very 
common. 
A third has still more recently been detected in Dalmatia, and since in England, with only a pale central yellow 
line in place of the crest, but a bright yellow streak over each eye {R. modestus, Gould). This species wants a 
remarkable character of the others. Which is, that the nostrils are covered by a single feather, that grows 
over them. 
There are several more, allied to the two first, in Asia and America. 
The following, however, ranged by the author in this genus, have little to do with them. They constitute the 
restricted Sylvia of some nomenclators, Phillopneuste, Meyer, and are all summer visitants only in these parts]. 
The Song Pettychaps {Mot. trocMlus, lAn.) (fig.89.)— Rather larger than the Kinglets, and nearly of the same colour, 
but without any crest, [and also longer in its make. It is distinguished from one 
of the other British species by its duller tints, and a yellow tinge on the under 
tail-coverts, and from the other by its yellowish-brown legs. From both it differs 
in the pleasing melody of its song, which is extremely musical, though consisting 
only of a simple run of notes. This bird is extremely common throughout Europe, 
and we have seen a very similar species, if not actually identical, from Japan. 
The Dark-legged Pettychaps {S. rufa, Naum) (fig. 90), is rather smaller, half a 
shade darker, with shorter wings, and blackish-brown legs. Has only a mono- 
tonous cry of two notes, repeated many times successively, and occasionally 
alternated with a croaking sound, which is extremely peculiar. The young, after 
the first moult, of both this and the preceding species, are much brighter yellow 
than the old birds, but their colour gradually fades during the winter. 
The Grove Pettychaps {Mot. sihilatrix, Lin.) (fig. 91.) has longer wings than 
either of the preceding, more vividly green plumage on the upper parts, with a 
much broader and clearer yellow streak over the eye, yellow cheeks and breast, 
and pure white belly and under tail-coverts. It arrives later than the others, and 
frequents trees much more exclusively, where it may be recognized by its peculiar 
shivering voice, during the utterance of which it shakes its wings in a remarkable 
manner ; it also emits a very plaintive cry, which is common to both sexes. 
These birds generally nestle on the ground, among the herbage. There are two 
other European species, Sylvia icterina and S. Nattereri.1 
Le Grand Pouillot {Motac. hippolais, Lin.).— Larger than the preceding, [of the 
w/ ^ same size and shape as the Reed Babbler : it belongs, however, to a distinct group 
' ’ from {i\vQ Hippolais of Brehm), and is a fine songster: it has never yet 
been detected in Britain, though common along the opposite coast]. 
The Wrens {Troglodytes, Cuv.) — 
Merely differ in having the beak still more slender, and a little arcuated. 
[They are properly an American group, of which one species only occurs in 
Fi^. 9i.-Grove Pettichaps the eastcm hemisphere.] 
The European Wren {Mot. troglodytes, Lin.)— Brown and transversely striated, with rather a short tail, gene- 
rally held erect. It builds a domed nest, and sings agreeably, even in the depth of winter. 
[America produces numerous others, and there are even many well-marked divisions of them.] Some of the 
foreign species inosculate with the Antcatchers, and others with the Tree-creepers. 
The Wagtails {Motacilla, Bechst.) — 
Combine a bill even more slender than that of the Fauvettes, with a long tail, wdiich they are con- 
stantly shaking up and down, lengthened legs, and particularly elongated tertiary feathers, which 
extend as far as the tip of the closed wing, imparting a resemblance to the generality of waders. 
Fig. 90f— 'Dark-legged Pettychaps. 
