A HISTORY OF WORCESTERSHIRE named, and it is not heard in the rubbish of a hedge or ditch, but more frequently from some tree or tall bush. The nest, which is extremely fragile, but nevertheless a very beau- tiful structure, is almost alw^ays placed at some little distance from the ground, sometimes in- deed high enough to enable the obsen'er to walk under it and see the eggs through the bottom. 1 6. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla (Linn.). The blackcap is one of our early summer visitors, but as his song is not heard on his arrival his first appearance is unobserved. When however in Aill song his sweet wild melody proclaims his presence. Although somewhat of a mimic his music will never be taken for that of any other bird, for how- ever much he may imitate, his finishing notes are always his own and quite unmistakable. 17. Garden- Warbler. Sylvia hortensis {^tzh- steiii). This bird is never so common as the blackcap, is more strictly a sylvan species, and certainly not, as the name implies, a fre- quenter of gardens. The song is a low, sweet and continuous warble, but has none of the wild music of the blackcap's. 18. Dartford Warbler. Sylvia undata (Bod- daert). I am unable to add anything to the state- ment made many years ago by Hastings of the occurrence of this bird at Springhill, near Broadway, excepting to observ'e that the brakes of furze which are there of consi- derable extent are very suitable to the habits of this species. 19. Goldcrest. Regului crntatm^Y^.l^.YiQzh. We have a considerable number of gold- crests which breed with us, and the place for which preference is shown for the nest is the horizontal bough of a yew. Other evergreen trees are resorted to, such as the spruce fir, and even ivy-clad trees and bushes are some- times selected. There is not, however, any doubt that the greater number of these small birds observed in Great Britain in the win- ter are autumn visitors which depart in the spring. The goldcrest is not uncommonly seen throughout the winter in the company of tits searching among the branches and sprigs of trees in woods and coppices, and uttering its small plaintive note, so unlike its merry song of the breeding season. [Firecrest. Regulus ignicapillm (Brehm). On two occasions at least this species has been met with in near proximity to the county of Worcester, once at Weston-on-Avon, and once at Dorsington, both places in the north- east corner of Gloucestershire, and by the side of the Avon. The first was seen by the pre- sent writer in a large ivy-grown hedge, and being shot proved to be a male, and the second was also seen and recognized but not shot. It is also reported to have occurred near Worces- ter. The motions of both more nearly resem- bled those of a tit than of a goldcrest.] 20. ChiffchafF. Phylloscopus rufus (Bechstein). A common summer visitor, though not so abundant in Worcestershire as the willow- warbler. It is our very earliest migrant, having been heard in the vale of the Avon as soon as the last day of February. That was in 1 846, when the writer both heard and saw one busily engaged in searching some hawthorn bushes for insect food. 21. Willow- Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus (Linn.). Locally, Willow-Wren. This bird so closely resembles the chifFchaff as to be difficult to distinguish from it, yet the two are quite distinct both in their song and the coloration of the eggs. 22. Wood -Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechstein). Locally, Wood-Wren. Although bearing considerable resemblance to the chiffchafF and willow-warbler the present species will not be confounded with them, being larger, and the wings relatively smaller. It is much less abundant than either of them, and appears to prefer trees in woods and coppices rather than hedges or brakes, and its song, which is a peculiar sort of trill, is often heard from some tall tree, frequently from its very top. The nest which, like those of the chiffchafF and willow-warbler, is on or near the ground and is domed, instead of being lined with feathers is lined with horse-hair. 23. Reed - Warbler. Acrocephalus streperus (Vieillot). As the name imports the present noisy little bird frequents beds of reeds, and in fact a reed bed is almost a necessity to it. Occasionally it will be heard in osier aits or in beds of willow-bushes, or indeed amongst other tall plants, but only where there are no reeds. The nest is always suspended between the vertical stems of reeds, osiers, or other up- right plants by the side of river or pond. Its abundance or the reverse appears almost wholly to depend on the presence or absence of reed beds. 46
