. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE NIGHTINGALE. 3^7 general colour is brownish above, marked with olive-green, and ilanked with white on the wing-coverts. The under surface is yellowish gtey, the beak is black, and the eye hazel-brown. The forehead is marked with greyish white ; the crest is brilliant yellow tipped with orange, and on each side of the crest runs a black line. The female is not so brilliant in her colouring, and the crest is wholly of a pale yellow. The Fire-crested Wren is very similar to the preceding species, but may be distinguished from it by the ruddy hue of the
. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE NIGHTINGALE. 3^7 general colour is brownish above, marked with olive-green, and ilanked with white on the wing-coverts. The under surface is yellowish gtey, the beak is black, and the eye hazel-brown. The forehead is marked with greyish white ; the crest is brilliant yellow tipped with orange, and on each side of the crest runs a black line. The female is not so brilliant in her colouring, and the crest is wholly of a pale yellow. The Fire-crested Wren is very similar to the preceding species, but may be distinguished from it by the ruddy hue of the forehead, the fiery orange of the crest, and the decidedly yellow hue of the sides of the neck. It is an inhabitant of England, but it is a much rarer bird than the Golden- crest. Owing to the great resemblance between the two species, they have often been mistaken for each other, and it is only within a comparatively recent period that their diversity was established. With the exception of the nightingale, the Blackcap Warbler is the sweetest and richest of all the British song-birds, and in many points the voice of the Blackcap is even superior to that of the far-famed Philomel. The Blackcap derives its name from the tuft of dark feathers which crown the head, and which in the males are coal black, but in the females are deep reddish brown. It is rather late in arriving, seldom being seen or heard until the end of April, and it remains with us until the middle of September. As seve- ral specimens of this pretty bird have been noticed in England in the months of December and January, it is probable that some individuals maynot migrate at all, but remain in this country through- out the entire winter. Should it do so, it might easily escape notice, as it would not be likely to sing much during the cold months, and owing to its retiring nightingale.—(Zaj««M Philomela.) habits it is at all times more likely to be heard than seen. The food of the Blackcap consists chiefly of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
