Sweden and Norway ; it also inhabits the whole of the northern coast of Africa, Persia, and the peninsula 
of India, over the greater part of which, Mr. Jerdon informs us, it is found in the “cold weather, and is 
much more common than the Si/Ma orpfiea and S. affinis. It frequents similar localities, and has the same 
habits and food, feeding both on insects and flower-buds, and incessantly moving about the upper and extreme 
branches of trees. Mr. Blyth, Avho observed it in Bengal, noticed that it frequented Mimosas in small parties 
and kej)t chiefly to trees.” Besides insects, this species, like the other members of the genus, eats the elder- 
and other berries, and makes a foray on the fruits of our gardens, particularly in autumn. 
“ Its song,” says the Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert, “ is pleasing, hut not so strong and varied as that of the 
Whitethroat. It builds in gardens, like the Blackcap, and with it attacks the fruit, though less perti- 
naciously, as it is very fond of flies and small caterpillars, and probably on the Avhole does more good than 
harm in a garden. The nest is very small and slender, so that it may actually be seen through ; and it is 
often placed in the fork of a rose-bush or thorn, sometimes eight or nine feet from the ground, at others 
in a low brier. It does not lay, so far as I have seen, above four eggs.” In captivity, “ it has a little of the 
manners of the Tits, often running along the wires of the cage, suspended by the feet, which is not usual 
with the birds of the genus Sylvia. It is of a remarkably tame nature. I have captured a cock bird and its 
young, and, the day after it was taken, it fed them upon bread and hemp, and reared them, and some months 
after it would even perch upon my hand to feed Itself. It is fond of the seeds of the broad-leaved plantain.” 
AnestAvhlch I took from a garden at Maidenhead Avas cup-shaped, and composed of various dried grasses, 
lined inside Avith similar but finer materials, fibrous roots and horsehair, to Avhich, in another example, a 
little Avool and flocculent vegetable substances were added. The eggs AA'ere stone- or greenish Avhlte, speckled 
witli brown and ashy grey, j)artlcularly at the larger end. They Avere about 8 lines long by 6 lines broad. 
On the 11th of August, 1858, a bird-catcher brought me a beautiful clean-moulted example, which may 
he thus described ; — 
Head and ear-coA Crts dull grey ; chest and abdomen greyish Avhite, the former very slightly tinged Avlth 
vinous, and the flanks with buff ; upper surface oliA'e-brown ; rump grey ; tail and Avings hroAAm, edged AA'ith 
grey; bill and legs dark olive-grey; irldes very dark broAvn. 
The figures represent the birds as nearly the size of life as may be. The plant is the Bird-Cherry 
(^Prumis avium, Linn.). 
