156 
SYLVIADiE. 
near Stanz, in Switzerland ; in different parts of Italy ; and in tlie 
royal garden at the palace of Fontainebleau, in France, where on 
the 30 th of August, a whole family of them appeared at once, and 
their fine bright colours were in admirable keeping with the 
lovely flowers around. When sailing in H. M. S. Beacon, from 
Malta to the Morea, in April, 1841, a female bird of this species 
flew on board on the 25th, when we were about 60 miles from 
Calabria, — the nearest land — and 135 from Mount Etna: on the 
27th two other females alighted on the rigging and were captured; 
we were then 45 miles from Zante (the nearest land), and 60 
from the Morea. 
THE HEDGE-SPABBOW. 
Hedge- Warbler or Accentor. 
Hunnock. 
Accentor modular is, Cuv. 
Motacilla „ Linn. 
Is distributed over the island in suitable localities. 
A favourite haunt of this bird, so plain in plumage and unob- 
trusive in its habits, is the base of thick white-thorn hedges, 
where we are often amused on perceiving it thread its way, evi- 
dently as happy and contented as if no obstacles were opposed 
to its progress : we may often too, see it come quietly stealing out 
of heaps of pea-rods piled up in the outskirts of the garden, 
where its early nest (sometimes built in the first week of April,) 
with the beautiful bluish-green eggs, so much prized by juvenile 
depredators, will not unfrequently be found.* A nest which came 
under my observation was formed exteriorly of grass and mosses 
{Hypna) : and with the exception of a small tuft of hair, was fined 
entirely with the latter, some of the graceful urn-shaped capsules of 
which, rich-brown in hue, most picturesquely nodded over the four 
beautiful bluish-green eggs. This bird is not confined to the country, 
* Since this was written, remarks on the species to the same effect, but fuller and 
better, have been published by Sir. Wm. Jardine, Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 187. Mr. 
Macgillivray too, gives an excellent account of its habits, vol. ii. p. 251 ; and it 
is very agreeably treated of in the Journal of a Naturalist, p. 148. 
