Two instances only of the occurrence in England of this
prettily-marked Warbler have been recorded. The first bird
was shot on the boundary hedge of Newcastle Town Moor
in May 1826, and was presented by Mr. Thomas Embleton
to the Museum of the Literary and Philosophical Society of
Newcastle. This circumstance was, I believe, first noticed
by G. T. Fox, Esq. of Durham, in his Synopsis of the Newcastle
Museum, page 298, and afterwards in the third volume
of the Zoological Journal, page 497. By the influence and
kindness of that gentleman, this specimen, with some other
birds of great rarity and interest, were exhibited a few years
ago in London, at one of the evening meetings of the Zoological
Club of the Linnean Society. The occurrence of the
second specimen is recorded in the second volume of the
Naturalist, page 275, and is said to have happened in Dorsetshire.
This species visits the European Continent from the south
in the breeding season. I t is observed in Italy on its passage
northward in April, and again on its return in September,
a straggler being occasionally seen in the winter. It
visits during the summer Provence, Spain, France, Holland,
Germany, and Prussia, going as far north as Russia, Siberia,
Finland, West Bothnia, and the most distant part of Sweden.
I t was seen by Mr. Hewitson in Norway; but, according
to M. Nilsson, it is never seen in the lower or southern
part "of Sweden, nor is it included among the birds of
Denmark. It appears to prefer the southern parts of France,
and is more abundant in Lorraine and Alsace than elsewhere,
in which latter-named country this bird is considered a delicate
article of food, and great numbers are caught for the
table.
The food of this species is earthworms, insects, and berries
; and its song is said to be pleasing.
I have been favoured by Mr. J. D. Hoy, of Stoke Nayland
in Suffolk, with the following notes of his own observations
on the habits of this species on the Continent.
“ This bird makes its appearance early in spring, preceding
that of the Nightingale by ten or twelve days. I have always
found this species in the breeding season in low swampy
grounds, on the woody borders of boggy heaths, and on the
banks of streams running through wet springy meadows,
where there is abundance of alder and willow underwood.
The nest is placed on the ground among plants of the bog
myrtle, in places overgrown with coarse grass, on the sides of
sloping, banks, in the bottom of stubs of scrubby brushwood
in wet situations. It is well concealed and difficult to discover.
I do not believe they ever build in holes of trees.
The nest is composed on the outside of dead grass and a
little moss, and lined with finer grass. The eggs from four
to six in number, of a uniform greenish blue, eight lines long,
and five lines and a half in breadth.
The notes of this bird have some resemblance to those of
the Whinchat, but are more powerful. While singing, if undisturbed,
it perches on the tops of the brushwood or low
trees; but on the least alarm it conceals itself among the
low cover. It does not exhibit the quivering motion of the
tail peculiar to the Redstarts ; but very frequently jerks up
the tail in the manner of the Nightingale and Robin, and
while singing, often spreads it. It frequently rises on wing
a considerable height above the brushwood, singing, with the
tail spread like a fan, and alights often at a distance of fifty
or sixty yards from the spot where it rose. On approaching
the nest when it contains their young, their notes of alarm or
anger resemble those of the Nightingale, but end with a
short sharp note instead of the Nightingale’s croak : the
wings are then lowered, the tail spread and jerked up. The
Blue-throat commences his song with the first dawn of day,
and it may be heard in the evening when most of the feathered