4 4 * W A R B L E R .
fong, which is continued throughout the year, though at fome
times betterthan others. T he female too has her fong, but much
inferior to that of the male.
The food is fuppofed to be chiefly injects, though at times attacks
fruits o f the lufcious k ind ; but whether for the fake of
them alone, or the infedts that infeft them, is not known.
4- R3*E-DBREAST.
Motacilla rubecula, Lin. Syfl. i. p. 337. N °4;— Faun. Suec. 260__Scop. ann.
i. N° 231----Kram. el. 376. 13.—Brun. N° 283.—Muller, N" 276__
Frifch. pi. 19.—Olin. uc. pi. in p. 16.
Le Rouge-gorge, Brif. om. iii. p. 418. N° z i . — Buf. oif. v. p. 196. pi. n .
—PI. enl. 361. f. 1.
Robin Red-breaft, of Ruddock, Raii Syn. p. 78. A. 3. — Will. orn. p. 219.
pi. 39.—Albin. i. pi. 51.—Br. Zool. i. N° 147.—A r il. Zool.
Br. Mu/. Lev . Muf.
D escription. T H I S needs little defcription. It is fufficient to fay, that the
upper parts are o f a greenifh afh-colour : the forehead,
throat, neck, and breaft, rufous orange: belly and vent whitifh :
bill, legs, and fides o f the body, dulky..
Place and
Manners. T his is a conftant inhabitant of. thefe kingdoms, as well as the
whole European continent from Sweden to Italy; and is by fome
reckoned a bird o f paflage, at leaft as to the major part of them.
In great abundance in Burgundy and Lorraine, where numbers are
taken for the table, and thought excellent.
T his departure, as Buffon obferves, is not fo manifeft in this as
in other migratory fpecies, as it is not its cuftom to join in
flocks : each goes off one by one. — H ow this matter is in reflect
to England, I am at a lofs to th in k ; yet Buffon’s opinion
feems
feems to weigh with m e; and S copo li * mentions it as a bird of
paflage in C a rn io la . However this be, it is certain that more are
fe en in winter than fummer, owing to their frequenting the inhabited
parts ; about which very few are feen in fummer, as for the
moft part they retire to the woods to build.
T he neft is compofed of dried leaves, mixed with hair and mofs,
and lined with feathers.
T he eggs are o f a dulky white, marked with irregular reddilh
fpots ; and are from five to feven in number.
It builds not far from the ground, if in a bulh, though fome-
times fixes on an out-houfe, or retired part of fome old building.
The young, when full feathered, may be taken for a different
bird, being fpotted all over. The firft rudiments of the red
break forth on the breaft about the end of A u g u f i ; but it is quite
the end of September before they come to the full colour.
N o bird is fo tame and familiar as this; clofely attending the
heels of the gardener when he is ufing his fpade, for the fake o f
w orms; frequently in winter entering houfes where windows are
open ; and will pick up the crumbs from the table while the family
is at dinner.
Infers are their general food;. but in defedt of thefe, will eat
many other things.
Its familiarity has caufed a petty name to be given it in feve-
ral countries. T he people about B ornholm call it T om m i-lid en ;
in N o rw a y , ''P e t e r R o n jm a d ; the Ge rm ans, L h om a s G ie r d e t ; and
we, the R a b in R e d -b r e a jl»
One totally white is in the collection o f M . ‘T u n jla l, Efquire,
* Circa sçpfinoûium venit & migrât, etfi aliqus hyemen ferant.