| CURRUCA HORTENSIS.
Garden-Warbler.

Sylvia hortensis, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom.
Motacilla hortensis, Mont. Orn. Dict.

passerina, Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 250.
Curruca hortensis, Flem. Brit. Anim., p. 70.
Sylvia Adonia, Bonn. et Vieill. Ency. Méth. Orn.,
Epilais hortensis, Kaup.

Greater Pettychaps of some authors.

1. p. 955.

partie 2nde, p. 424,

 

Like the Blackcap, the Whitethroat, and the Willow-Wrens, the Garden-W
visitants whose appearance in England may be looked for
when the deciduous trees and shrubs are putting

arbler is one of our summer
about the middle of April, that vivifying period
forth their leaves, and insects are rapidly springing into
active life. At this season the bird appears so suddenly in our gardens and shrubberies, that, did we not know
to the contrary, we might imagine it had made a night-descent from the heavens; instead of which it has

crossed the seas from more southern countries, of which fact we have abundant evidence in the numbers of

this and other migrants which are annually killed by flying against the lighthouses of our south coast, the
beacons which the mariner avoids being too often a fatal attraction to these little migrants. Although the
Garden-Warbler is frequently seen and heard in the same coppice as the Blackcap, it evinces a preference
for low, damp, and swampy situations rather than the high and dry woodlands ; among the shrubs and
tangled herbage, overgrown with nettles and other plants, which occur in such localities it procures an
abundant supply of aphides and other insects, which it picks off from the under sides of the leaves, or
captures on the wing. In such situations, also, it constructs its nest and rears its progeny, consisting
mostly of two broods a year.

 

In disposition the Garden-Warbler is more quiet or less animated than the Blackcap. The latter bird, as
we all know, often ascends the tallest trees, and pours forth its song from the uppermost branches; but the
Garden-Warbler stealthily creeps among the low shrubs and herbage near the ground, where it may
frequently be seen leaping from branch to branch, from nettle-stalk to nettle-stalk, and now and then
venturing into the open glades to utter its melodious notes—notes which are so near akin to those of
the Blackcap, that a nice ear is requisite to distinguish oue from the other: still those who have paid
attention to the songs of our native birds readily recognize them, while the ear of the professional musician
might fail to do coun The song of the male, which commences from .the day of his arrival, is at first feeble,
but daily increases in power, and by the time the female has arrived a Sd its el vocal puch

The male precedes the female by about a week, and selects the site in which the future season is to be

 

spent ; and as soon as he is Joined by his mate, the task of incubation is Sree During the fortnight
employed in hatching the eggs, he continues to sing most assiduously ; but uns important duty performed,
his music either entirely ceases or is less frequently heard. Both parents bemg equally diligent in the care
and nurture of their offspring, the nestlings soon attain the size of the adults, and are able to procure food
for themselves in a remarkably short period of time. The mated pair then go through the same duty a
second time, produce another brood ; and when the summer is far ote both old and oun seek a
warmer climate in which to spend the winter, proceeding across the continent of Europe to Africa.

England, Ireland, and Scotland are all frequented by this Spec uae acconding to sero sou 7 S
not so numerous in the Emerald as in the other islands. On the Continent it is a abundant as it ts with
us, from Spain to the Crimea, from the Mediicniadean to one Baltic, and ne be fou oe cae
extent of range wherever situations occur suitable to its lnaleuts au mode of life, but, according 2 , | - ys
never ascends into the mountain districts. In its vernal migration it passes over the ees eee i
April, when vast numbers are netted for purposes of the table: It is said to S oe ee ae
—the bird so highly prized by the Italians, who eat every little bird, from a Robin to a Tit; bu e

 

 

1 ractions in a gastr ic pol view, and which
that this is the species par ewcellence which offers such attractions in a gastronomic point of view, anc
LL S 2 S ? a ars a
Mr. Wright informs us, in his “‘ Notes on the Birds of the Islands of Malta and Gozo,” is so eagerly sought
oe cs : ; f 1 on rejol f this bird
t i 4 ark < . - WE Ms birc
after that as many as a hundred dozen are sometimes brought to market at a time. The weight o
‘ d as C c , ss . > 9 en rage ac
therefore not be uninteresting One, weighed by myself in May 1864, amounted to 280 grains, while
may therefor sting 2 y my pe
i 1 reighe same dé as rains,
a female Blackcap which appeared of unusual size, weighed the same day, was i g | |
: i 0 e ° : eee
y sists of insects; but this diet is changed in autumn to seeds,
‘i f arden-Warbler consists of insects ; bu g
The staple food of the Garden-We ; anes
i i thich have arisen great complaints against this and many other species having
berries, and fruits, from which have arisen g g