A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.
- George Montagu
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![xxxii. 119, under name of Reed War- bler.] Motacilla aruiidinacea, Gmel. Syst. i. p. 993. Sylvia arimdiuaeea, Ind. Orn. ii. p. 510, 13. Passer amndinacens minor, Itaii Syn. p. 47, A. 9? Will. p. 99 ? Bou- scarle de Provence, Buf. v. p. 194 ? Lesser Reed Sparrow, Will. Anyl. p. 144? Raed Wren, Lath. Syn. Sup. p. 1H4 ; Lewiii, Br. Birds, iii. t. 114. — The len^'th of this spe- cies of Warbler is scarce five inches and a half; weight nearly three drams. Tlie bill is about half an inch in length, dusky above, yellowish beneath, and broad at the base ; at the corner of the mouth are three strong bristles ; irides hazel. The plum- age of the whole upper parts of the bird are of a plain olive-brown ; the under parts yellowish white, lightest on the throat and down the middle of the bdlly; the sides a little inclining*to rufous-brown ; from the bill to the eye is an obscure lightish streak; eyelids lighter, but no stroke over the eye; the tail is cuneiform; the feathers, like those of the quills, dusky brown, edged with the same colour as the back; legs dusky brown. This bird has been in ge- neral confounded with the Sedge Warbler; its form, size, manners, and habits are alike, and are both migrative species; so that it is difficult to discover which of these birds most authors mean by their descriptions. The Reed Wren, however, may at once be distinguished from the other by the base of the bill being broader; in having no light stroke over the eye, which in the other is broad and con- spicuous ; and in the whole upper parts being of one plain colour. Its nest and eggs are also ditferent. The nest is com- posed of long grass and the seed-branches of reeds, and lined with the liner parts of the latter; it is very deep, and conceals the bird when sitting. This is generally fastened by long grass to several reeds which are drawn together for that pur- pose, and generally placed over the water. The eggs are four or five in number, rather larger than those of the Sedge Warbler, of a greenish white, blotched all over with dusky brown. This species is much more local than the Sedge bird, but are some- times found together. Their notes are similar. We have found both species all along the coasts of Kent and Sussex, from Sandwich to Anmdel, amongst the reedy pools and ditches, especially on Romney Marsh; but in Wiltshire and Somerset- shire, where the Sedge Warbler is found in abundance throughout the banks of the Avon, not a single Reed Wren is to be be found. The nest of this bird being deep gives security to the eggs, which would otherwise be thrown out by the wind. Wo have seen the bird sitting on her nest when the wind blew hard, and at every gust forced it almost to the surface of the water. It makes its first appearance with us the latter end of.'Vpril, or begin- ning of May, and departs in September. Is said to be found in the fens of Lincoln- shire, and the banks of the river Coin in B uckinghi un shire. Wren, White. i Wren, Willow. 1 See Wren, Yellow. Wren, Wood.— [Yarrell,i. 346; Hewit- son, xxxvi. 195, under name of Wood War- bler.] Sylvia Sylvicola, Lin. Trans, iv. p. 35 ; Lath. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 297. Regulus non cristatus major, Will. p. 164; Ib.Angl. p. 228; White, Hist. Selb. p. 55; Bris. Orn. 3, 482, A.; Ind. Orn. ii. p. 550, d. Wood Wren, Lin. Trans, ii. p. 245, t. 24. Green Wren, Albin, ii. t. 86, 6 ? Yellow Willow Wren, Beioick, Br. Birds, i. p. 229. Larger not crested Wren, Will. Anyl. p. 228. Larger Yellow Wren, White, Selb. p. 55; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 514, C. Motacilla Siba- latrix. Das Laubvogelchen, Naturf. 27, p. 47, 4.— This species of Warbler weighs about two drama forty grains ; length five inches and a quarter. The bill is dusky; irides hazel. The upper part of the head, back, scapuhn'3, wing-coverts, and upper coverts of the tail are of a lively yellow- green ; over the eye is a bright brimstone- coloured streak; tbe cheeks and throat are yellow ; the upper part of the breast white, tinged with yellow ; the lower part, the belly, and under tail-coverts pure white; the quill-feathers are dusky, edged on their exterior webs with yellow-green ; tbe tail a little forked, coloured like the quills, ex.cept the two outmost feathers, which want the yellow margin; the legs yellowish brown. The female is rather larger, W'eigbing about three drams; the plumage exactly like the male. The Wood Wren is a migrative species, appearing with us first about the latter end of April, the females ten days or a fortnight later, and depart again in September. The reason this bird has been so little noticed as a distinct spe- cies is from its great similitude to the Yel- low W'ren, for which it has been con- founded, and probably likewise for the Lesser Pettychaps. But its superior size to the latter, and the pure whiteness of tbe under tail-coverts, are characteristio marks of distinction ; which part in both the others is tinged with yellow; the co- lour of the upper parts is also much more vivid, and the stroke above the eye brighter yellow. It differs also from those birds in manners and habits : this is found to in- habit woods only in the breeding season. The nest is placed on the ground, in form like both that of the other birds, being oval, with a small hole near the top,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0420.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
