90
EPPING FOREST.
caught. In the spring of 1858 an old Leytonstone bird-
catcher caught thirty-four about the avenues. I lately
found one of these gentry, who mostly hail from White-
chapel, outside my fence at Knighton. He was at the
time engaged in catching cock chaffinches with bird-
lime, using a tame hen chaffinch as a decoy—an old
device. In reply to the hope which I expressed that he
did not catch nightingales, he replied, '' No, sir, we
seldom catches 'em, and when we does, we lets 'em go."
From the preternatural innocence with which this was
said, it was perhaps true. The nests are placed on the
ground in dense herbage, and are fortunately difficult to
find.
Redstart. Frequent in summer, and a great ornament to
our Forest.
Hedge Sparrow. Very common.
Alpine Accentor. Many years ago a specimen of this rare
little bird was shot in a garden on the borders of the
Forest by Mr. James Pamplin of Whip's Cross Nursery,
Walthamstow. It was taken to London and identified
by the late Mr. Gould, and will be found recorded in
the Magazine of Natural History for 1832, p. 288.
Garden Warbler. Its pleasing song not unfrequently heard
in April and May in forest copses and Wanstead Park ;
it used to be common about the avenues.
Sedge Warbler. Common in the spring by the Roding, at
Red Bridge, and in Wanstead Park.
Grasshopper Warbler. Common throughout the district.
Blackcap. Arrives early in April, and is common in the
forest and gardens, but especially in Wanstead Park,
where the wood echoes in early summer with its fine
song.
White-throat. In every hedge in spring and summer.
Lesser White-throat. A regular summer visitor to our
gardens ; a restless noisy little bird.
Chiff Chaff. Our earliest spring visitor.
Willow Wren. Very common everywhere when April
comes. The approximate dates of arrival of the three
species of Willow Wren in the Forest are—Chiff Chaff,
31st March ; Willow Wren, 3d April; Wood Wren,
15th April.
Wood Wren. Local rather than rare, generally frequenting tall
trees, and the latest of the three willow wrens to appear,
arriving usually in the third week of April. All three
species breed in the Forest. The nest of the wood
wren may always be known from those of the others
by never having any feathers in the lining.