Our native songsters

Chapter I. Page

Music of iN at urc— Common Thrush — Solitary Thrush— Winter Woods — Missel Thrush — Blackbird — I'sofulness of Blackbird — Rinf? Ou7,cl—Dip|>er— Pastor Ouzel — Fieldfare — Redwing— Birds practising their Songs — (iolden Oriole 1

CIIAITER II

I^autv of Siiniig -\ iirious Appcaninces of Nature — Time of Nest-building — Nest* of various Birds — Patience of the Mother-bird during Incubation — Affection of Parent Birds for their Young — Hedge Sparrow — Associations connected with Singing of Birds — Alpine Accentor — Chiff-Chaff: Taraeness in Captivity — Yellow Wn-n — Attiichmcnt of Birds to their Nests — Wood Warbler — Dartford Warbler— Gold-Crest : great Beauty of its Nest — Firejrrcsted Regulus — Common Wren — Old Traditions respecting Wren — Cruel Superstition respecting Wren in Ireland — Devices of Wren for concealing its Nest — Great value of Wren in destroying Insects and their Larv;i, — Singular Practice in European Countries of terming the Wren " King" 56

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KKi iv CONTENTS.

Chapter III. Pag

Beauty of Streams and their Margins— Flowers and Birds peculiar to these Places— Sedge Warbler— Its Power of Imitating otlier Birds— Reed Warbler— Beauty of its Nest— Grassliopper Warbler —Ventriloquising Power of this Bird— Pied Wagtail— Continental Species of Wagtail— Cuckoo placing its Egg in Nest of Wagtail —Grey Wagtail— Yellow Wagtail

CHAPITER IV.

Summer and the Cuckoo— Nightingale — Song joyous or sad- Opinions of Poets — Description of its Song— Jealous Character of this Bird— Blackcap— AlTection of this Bird to its Young and to Man— Garden Warbler— Wliitethroat—Tjosser Wliitothroat . . VM

Chapter V

Our Heath-lands during M' inter and Spring— Wheatcar—Singukr Note— Autumnal Flight — Numbers taken in Traps — Stonechat — Whinchat— Successful Imitation by Whinchat of Songs of other Birds 167

CIIAITEU VI.

Notes of various Birds in Autumn — Rc<ibrcast's Antumnal Song- Familiarity of this Bird with Man— Song at other Sfuwns of the Year — Robin a favourite Bird in many European Countries- Old notion that it strewed with lieaves the I^xlirs of tho I'n- . Iniried — Il^'ferenccs to <H;TtTil old Authors rrspcrtinjr this — Pugnacity of the Robin — Redbreast useful in (ranlrns and Orchards — Singular Plaee.s chosen by this Bird fur Building l\ed.Nlart : Attachment to its Young— Bluc-thmatcd Warbler I * '