Wren or Skylark, consisting of the syllables Tehudé, hudé, hudé, frequently repeated, descending by a sixth every time, and gradually diminishing in power. The bird moves its tail and wings continually while singing, and sings throughout the year, except during the moulting season. If reared from the

nest, it often learns to imitate the songs of other birds, and intermingle them with its own, though it is never able to repeat the Nightingale's song. Like the Crested Lark and the Wagtail, the Dunnock always sings during its quarrels and contentions with its fellow prisoners in the aviary.

ADDITIONAL.-The Hedge-Warbler, or Hedge-Accenter, HedgeChanter, Hedge-Sparrow, Hedge-Dunnock, and Shufflewing, are the various names by which this bird is known in different localities of Britain and Ireland, where it is so generally distributed, as to render any mention of particular counties unnecessary. It has been remarked, however, that although found in the western islands of Scotland, it has not been met with either in Orkney or Shetland. KNAPP's description of its habits are so fresh and original, that we are induced to quote them: "The Hedge-Sparrow, or Shufflewing, is a prime favourite. Not influenced by season or caprice to desert us, it lives in our homesteads and our orchards through all the year, our most domestic bird. In the earliest spring it intimates to us, by a low and plaintive chirp, and that peculiar shake of the wings which in all times marks this bird, but then is particularly observable, the approach of the breeding season, for it appears always to live in pairs, feeding and moving in company with each other. It is nearly the first bird that forms a nest; and this being placed in an almost leafless hedge, with little art displayed in the concealment, generally becomes the booty of every prying boy; and the blue eggs of the Hedge-Sparrow are always found in such numbers on his string, that it is surprising how any of the race are remaining, espe cially when we consider the many casualties to which the old birds are obnoxious from their tameness, and the young that are hatched, from their situation. The plumage of this motacilla is remarkably sober and grave, and all its actions are quiet and conformable to its appearance. Its song is short, sweet, and gentle. Sometimes it is prolonged, but generally the bird perches on the summit of some bush, utters its brief modulation, and seeks retirement again. Its chief habitation is some hedge, in the rick-yard, some cottage-garden, or near society with man. Unobtrusive, it does not enter our dwellings like the Redbreast, but picks minute insects from the edges of drains and ditches, or morsels from the door of the poorest dwelling in the villages.

As an example of a household bird, none can be found with better pretensions to such a character than the Hedge-Sparrow." By some English authors this bird is called the Titling; MUDIE describes it under that head, and says, "that its nest is one of those in which the female Cuckoo frequently deposits its eggs. Both birds," he says, speaking of this and the Titlark, "follow the Cuckoo, it may be sometimes from hostility, and sometimes in the character of foster-mothers; at all events, they do it voluntarily, and often blithely. It is the small following the great, and the Cuckoo and the Titling, or better still for the double meaning of the first name, the Gowk and Titling,' of the Scotch, has become not an uncharacteristic, and in some instances, a very biting expression for the little of mankind dancing a senseless and thankless attendance on the great."

154. THE REDBREAST.

Sylvia or Motacilla Rubecula, LIN. Rouge Gorge, BvF. Das Rothkehlchen, BECH.

Description.-This well-known bird is five inches and three quarters in length, of which the tail measures two inches and a quarter. The beak is five lines long, and brown, except at the root of the lower mandible and in the inside, where it is yellow. The iris, as well as the feet, which are eleven lines high, are blackish brown. The forehead, cheeks, and lower part of the body, as far as the belly, are dark orange; the upper part of the body, and the wing coverts, are dingy olive green; the rump, sides, and vent, of a lighter hue. The sides of the breast and neck are a beautiful pale grey; the belly white; the pen and tail feathers dark brown, edged with olive green; and the first wing coverts are tipped with a triangular yellow spot.

In the female, which is somewhat smaller, the orange on the forehead is not so broad; the colour of the breast is paler, and the feet are a yellowish brown. The yellow spots on the wing coverts are also generally wanting, though the very old females have sometimes small yellow stripes in their place. The males of one year old, which are caught in the spring, resemble the females very closely, in the absence, or very small size, of the yellow spots. The breast also is saffron yellow, but the shanks are always blackish brown.

There are also white and mottled varieties of this bird. If

the feathers of the wings and tail be pulled out several times, they will at last come white, which imparts a very engaging appearance to the little creature. These new feathers are, however, exceedingly weak and brittle.

Habitat.*-At the period of migration, the Redbreast may be met with in great numbers in hedges and bushes, while in summer it retreats into the woods. It returns (i. e. to Germany) about the middle of March, and passes a fortnight or three weeks in the open country before betaking itself to the forests. In October it may again be observed among the hedges, though some remain till November, and others throughout the winter; but the latter annually pay for their dilatoriness with their lives, as the cold either kills them, or drives them to farm-yards or stables, where they are caught by men and cats. They also die if brought at once from the cold of the open air into a warm room; though when the change of temperature is effected gradually, they thrive as well as those caught in autumn or spring.

In cottages the Redbreast is often allowed to fly about the sitting or sleeping rooms, and is found to destroy flies, fleas, &c. A roost place should be made for them by fixing oak or beech branches to the wall, and in such a situation they will frequently live from eight to twelve years. Two birds, however, never agree together; if one be stronger than the other, the weaker is sure to be killed; and if of equal strength, they will divide the room between them, and each will furiously resent any attempt of the other to pass the appointed boundary. Those who are fond of the Redbreast's song, may keep it in a cage of any desired form.

Food. In a wild state the Redbreast feeds on insects of various kinds, earth worms, and all sorts of berries. An earth or meal worm will soon induce it to eat the usual food of the aviary, though it thrives best on the Nightingale's food. It is also very fond of new cheese. It requires a daily supply of water, not only for drinking, but for bathing, in which it seems to delight, and often makes itself so wet, as to obliterate for the time every trace of colour from its plumage.

Breeding.-The Redbreast builds its nest, which is made of lichens loosely put together, and lined with grass stalks, hair,

The Redbreast remains in England throughout the winter.

and feathers, on the ground, among moss, stones, roots, or in deserted mole hills, &c. The female lays twice a year, from four to seven yellowish white eggs, spotted and striped with orange, and having a ring of light brown at the thick end. The young birds are at first covered with yellow down, like chickens, and are afterwards grey, with a dingy yellow border on all the small feathers; though they do not acquire the red throat and breast till after the first moulting. They may be reared on bread soaked in milk, and if instructed by a Nightingale, will become excellent singers.

Diseases.-The Redbreast is subject to diarrhoea, for which a spider or two is the best cure. Ants' eggs and meal worms are an effectual remedy for decline; indigestion, arising from having eaten too many earth worms, often proves fatal; though it may be cured by administering meal worms and spiders.

Mode of Taking.-In spring the Redbreast may be taken by inserting stakes, to which limed twigs are attached, transversely, in the hedges, and driving the birds gently to them. The reason of this peculiar method is, that the Redbreast has a habit of perching on all projecting twigs at the bottom of a hedge, in order to examine the ground for earth worms. It may also be taken, like the Dunnock, on a place cleared of moss or grass, and set with limed twigs, baited with meal or earth worms; and in the Nightingale, Tit, or the water-trap. autumn it easily falls into springes, baited with elderberries, though its feet are often injured by this plan, except great care be taken.

In

Attractive Qualities.-This bird is recommended to the amateur both by its tameness and the beauty of its plumage. It soon becomes so familiar, as to march upon the dining table and eat out of its master's dish, making, meanwhile, the most varied movements of its body, and repeating its call, Sisri! Its song, which, though loudest in spring, lasts throughout the year, has a solemn and melancholy effect. Those which are kept in cages sing with more ecstacy and energy than such as are allowed to fly about the aviary. In a country residence it is very easy to teach this bird to come and go at command, especially in the winter. M. GOEZE mentions one, which came back in the autumn of two successive years, having been turned out in the spring, and passed the winter in the warm room, where it was exceedingly tame and affectionate.

ADDITIONAL.-The following observations upon this well-known bird, are extracted from a beautiful work on the Song Birds of Britain, by JOHN COTTON, F.Z.S.*

"The Redbreast, or Robin, as he is occasionally denominated, is familiar with us from childhood. Before we can read, we learn to repeat the fabled story of poor Cock-Robin's death and burial. In all countries he is a favourite, and has what may be called a pet name. The inhabitants of Bornholm call him Tommi Liden;' the Norwegians, Peter Bonsmed;' the Germans, 'Thomas Guidet;' and in England he is called by the more familiar appellation of ' Bob.'

"WORDSWORTH thus poetically addresses the Redbreast :—
'Art thou the bird whom man loves best,
The pious bird with the scarlet breast,
Our little English Robin;

The bird that comes about our doors
When autumn winds are sobbing?
Art thou the Peter of Norway boors?
Their Thomas in Finland,

And Russia far inland?

The bird who by some name or other

All men who know thee call thee brother,

The darling of children and men?'

"The melodious notes of this little favourite are well known. Its song is sweet and well supported, and is continued almost throughout the year. During spring the Redbreast haunts the wood, the grove, and the garden; it generally retires to thick hedge rows or other secluded spots to breed in, and is then seldom heard till autumn; when, on the retirement of our summer visitors, he again makes his appearance about our houses, and awakens our former attachment by pouring out his soft liquid carol, perched on some neighbouring shrub. It becomes the companion of the gardener, or faggot-maker in the woods, fluttering around and chirping its slender Pip! But when the cold grows more severe, and thick snow covers the ground, or frost hardens its surface, it approaches our houses, taps at the closed casement, casting sidelong glances in-doors, as envious of the warm abode. It is probably attracted to the habitations of man by the shelter that it there obtains from the rigour of the weather, and in search of the insects that are collected in great numbers by the same cause."

On the subject of the extreme pugnacity of this bird, Wood has the following remarks :

66

My esteemed correspondent, Mr. BLYTH, says he has seen two of these birds fight in his garden until one was killed; and

* Privately printed, 1836.