M. rubecula, or the redbreast, is found in almost every country of Europe, and, with respect to most, is supposed to be, migratory. These birds are never seen in flocks, not even previously to their migration from any country, this being performed by each bird singly. With respect to England, many are known to remain there during the whole year, and, indeed in winter they are more seen than in the summer, when they have withdrawn to the woods to build their nests and rear their young. In order to keep the nest effectually concealed, it is often covered with vegetable substances, and a narrow entrance only is left to it, under a large collection of leaves. They subsist on insects and worms, which, however, they are observed never to de vour alive, and often take great pains to kill before they will swallow them.— Their extreme familiarity with mankind has attracted the attention of every age, and bestowed upon them a privileged ex emption from that wanton destruction and mischief, which are the fate of most of the aerial tribes. They will follow this movements of the hoe or spade in the garden, and in winter will enter the door or window of a habitation, and pick up the fragments that ha e fallen, as if con scious of security and welcome The song of this bird, particularly during the incubation of female, is highly animat ed and melodious.
M. hippolais, or the pettichaps, con ceals itself in the thickest parts of bush wood, and has mimitic powers of very considerable and amusing extent, fre quently beginning his varied career of song with the notes of the swallow, and after following it up with numerous in termediate links, terminating with the rich and full song of the blackbird.— Though frequently to be heard, it is very rarely seen.
M. atricapilla, or the black-cap, is mi gratory in England, arriving in April, and withdrawing in September. It feeds not
only on insects, but also on various ber ries, particularly those of ivy. The male takes his share in the labours of incuba tion, and is highly assiduous also in pro curing for the female flies and insects during her term of confinement. Its song is in a great degree similar to the night ingale's, and, when it is exercised in its best style, for it is sometimes regular and continued, and sometimes abrupt and transient, must be considered superior to that of any of the warblers, the nightin gale alone excepted.
M. regulus, orthe golden-crested wren, is the smallest of European birds, when stripped of its feathers being not quite an inch long. Its food consists of small worms, several sorts of seeds, insects and their eggs, which last they find plenti fully in the fissures of the bark of trees, particularly the oak, to which they seem greatly attached. In a branch of this, or some other tree, it fixes its nest, suspending it by a sort of cord formed of the same materials as the nest itself. The regulus possesses great agility, moving in every direction with perfect ease and unwearied alertness. It bears every lati tude, from great heat to very rigorous cold, and is by some much admired for its melody. It remains in England the whole year.
M. c:nanthe, or the wheat-ear, visits England about the middle of March, and builds its nest under a clod, in lands which have been recently ploughed. It lives on worms and insects, and is a regular follower of the ploughman in his progress over the field. In some parts of England these birds are taken in vast numbers for the table, two thou sand dozen having been taken in snares framed of horse hair, in one season and district only. They are sent to the mar kets of the metropolis, and sold at the rate of sixpence per dozen. By some they are considered as not inferior to the ortolan.