S. cinerea, Lath. Tern. Motacilla sylvia, Lin. Cc. White throat, or White-throated Warbler,Prov. Muggy, or .7Vet tle-creeper. Cinereous above, white beneath, with the outer tail feathers longitudinally half white, and the next tipt with white. Bill dusky-brown above, whitish beneath ; irides yellowish ; legs pale-brown. Weight about four drachms ; length five inches and three-quarters. The male has a roseate tint on the breast, and purer colouring than the female. Several varieties have been observed. Occurs from Sweden to Italy, and is diffused over most of Russia and Siberia, In this country it is very common in all in closed districts, appearing about the middle of April, and enlivening our hedges with its song. It prefers smooth caterpillars, and other larva, to full-formed insects, and is partial to hedges and bushes ; but in the summer it brings its brood into gardens and orchards, for the sake of cher ries, currants, and other fruits, among which it makes serious havock. The nest is generally placed in some low bush, among nettles or other luxuriant herbs, and made of goose-grass, lined with fibres, and sometimes a few long hairs ; but it is of such a slight texture, that it can afford little warmth to the eggs or young. The former are greenish-grey, with numerous rufous and olivaceous spots. The note of this bird, which is constantly repeated, and often accompanied with odd gesticulations on the wing, is harsh and displeasing. Both sexes are shy and wild in the breeding season, avoiding neighbourhoods, and haunt ing lonely lanes or commons, where there are bushes or covers.
S. modularis, Lath. MotaciVa modularis, Lin. Accentor niodularis, Cuv. Temm. Hedge-sparrow, or Hedge warbler, Prov. Titling, or Dunnock. Grey-brown above ; tips of the wing-coverts white ; breast grey-blue. Belly dvslcy.white, sides and vent tawny-brown. Bill dusky, irides light hazel. Length nearly six inches ; alar extent eight ; weight six drachms ; and size about that of the red breast. The female has less of ash-colour about the head and breast ; the under parts pale-cinereous, and the belly more spotted. The hedge-sparrow inhabits most of the temperate, and some of the colder regions of Europe, and is one of the few of the warbler tribe that remain with us all the year. In France, however, it arrives when most of the other migrants are retiring southward. In this country it is a very common and familiar bird, beginning its plea sant song, if the weather is mild, with the beginning of the year. It seems to prefer situations near human dwell ings, and breeds early, making in March, a nest of green moss and wool, lined with hair, in some low ever-green shrub, thick bush, cut hedge, or faggot-piles, and laying four or five light-blue eggs. It is chiefly in the morning and evening that it utters its feeble and plaintive, but not unpleasing song. It may likewise be recognized by its little tremulous cry of tit, incessantly repeated, from which it has got the name of Titling. The male assists his mate in the construction of the nest, the cares of incubation, and the rearing of the brood. The hedge-sparrow, when taken young, is easily tamed, and indicates affection to those who cherish it. Instances occur of its breeding in aviaries and orangeries. Though well furnished with plumage, it is seldom found fat.
S. residue, Lath. Tern. Motacilla regulus, Lin. &c. Regulus vulgaris, Steph. Golden-crested Wren, or Com mon Gold Crest, Prov. . Marigold Finch, Wood Titmouse, and Tidby Goldfinch. Cheeks pure cincreous,*without any indication of white bands ; crest of the male orange yellow ; bill very feeble, and awl-shaped. This is the least of British, and perhaps of European birds, weighing only seventy-six grains, and being three inches and a half long ; the 'wings extending only to five. When stripped of the
feathers, it is scarcely an inch in length. In consequence of this diminutive size, it glides through the wires of cages, and the meshes of snares, and, if let loose in a chamber, the smallest opening will allow it to escape. From other birds it may be readily distinguished, not only by its mi nuteness, but by its beautiful crest, which is composed of a double series of feathers, arising from each side, and almost meeting at the points, the exterior ones being black, and the inner bright orange-yellow.
Notwithstanding its apparent delicacy, the golden crested wren braves the rigours of northern winters; for it not only remains with us all the year round, but is found in as high a latitude as Drontheim in Norway; and, though rare in Russia, it is frequent in Siberia, about the banks of the Jenisei. It crosses annually from the Orkneys to the Shetland Islands, where it breeds, and returns again before winter—a long flight for so small a bird. It is also found in Pennsylvania, New York, and some of the northern parts of America ; and Latham mentions a specimen received from Cayenne with black legs. As it has also been found in Bengal, it seems to be a true cosmopolite. It delights in wooded parts of the country, particularly where oaks and firs abound ; and it is more common than is ge nerally supposed, its minuteness often concealing it from view among the foliage, so that it is more readily observed in winter, when it flits among the naked sprays. Its feeble, but not disagreeable song, is repeated at intervals (luring the day, in spring, but is discontinued during the rearing of the young. It subsists on insects, small worms, and seeds. In summer, it seizes its prey nimbly, on the wing; in winter, it explores the holes and crevices, in which it finds dead insects, or dormant larvae, and fre quently eats till it is surfeited. It is very agile, and al most constantly in motion, fluttering from bough to bough, creeping on the trees, or clinging, indifferently, in every situation, and often hanging by the feet, like the tit-mice, ferreting in all the cracks of the bark for its tiny prey, or watching it as it creeps out. The nest is not constructed with an opening on one side, as alleged by sonic, but in form and elegance resembles that of the chaffinch, being composed of green moss, interwoven with wool, and inva riably lined with small feathers, with which it is so well bedded as to conceal the eggs. It is sometimes placed against the body of a tree covered with ivy, but more com monly beneath the thick branch of a fir. The eggs are from six to eleven, about the size of large peas, of a pink ish white, and rather darker at the larger end. It has been remarked that the female, from some cause which has not been satisfactorily explained, is frequently de stroyed during the time of incubation, and the nest with the eggs left to decay. A nest, containing ten young, was placed in a small basket, near the window of Colonel Montagu's study, for the purpose of enticing the old birds, which soon made their appearance, and became very fami liar, the mother attending even when the nest was placed far in the room, or held in the hand. The male constantly accompanied his mate as far as the outside of the window, but would not venture in; nor did he utter any note except his partner was in sight, and then only a slight chirp. The hen bird repeated her visits, every two or three mi nutes, for full sixteen hours daily, each time loaded with food, which her offspring greedily devoured, consuming above their own weight in four days. In autumn, these lvrens being plump and delicate, arc in some countries taken by a call, and sold for the table : the market of Nu remburg in particular is abundantly stocked with them during that season.