272 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



ascertain, hitherto been obtained in Europe ; but Herr Gatke 

 relates ( Vogelwarte Helgoland, p. 294) the circumstances 

 under which he believed he saw a bird of this species on 

 Heligoland on 24th October 1876. The occurrence of this 

 bird in Orkney so very far removed from the accustomed 

 lines of flight traversed by its kind when en route for its 

 oriental winter quarters, adds yet another to the many 

 remarkable instances of the inexplicable wanderings of 

 feathered travellers during the periods of their migrations. 



According to Dresser {Manual of Palcearctic Birds) this 

 warbler frequents low bushes on the plains and at low 

 elevations on the hills, especially in damp localities, and is 

 not shy. Its song is simple but loud, and may be heard 

 through the summer till the young are fledged. It breeds 

 in June, and its nest, which is placed on the ground or in 

 a low bush, is oven-shaped with an entrance hole at the 

 side, and is constructed of dry grasses and moss, and well 

 lined with feathers. The eggs, usually five in number, are 

 pure white and average 16-6x12-5 mm. (0-65x0-49 ins.). 

 The Cuckoo very frequently deposits its eggs in the nest 

 of this bird. 



The Auskerry example is a female in the fresh plumage 

 of autumn. The upper parts are olive brown, darker on the 

 head ; wings and tail dusky, and their feathers edged 

 externally with olive brown ; lores and feathers behind the 

 eye dark brown ; a conspicuous buff stripe extends over the 

 eye to the nape ; cheeks and ear-coverts mottled brown and 

 buff; chin whitish ; throat and abdomen buffy white ; breast, 

 axillaries, edge of wing, vent and under tail-coverts buff; 

 flanks deep brownish buff. The fourth and fifth primaries 

 are equal and longest ; the second primary is equal to the 

 tenth ; and the first or bastard primary is long, being rather 

 more than half the length of the second and extending 

 beyond the primary coverts. Wing 55 mm. (2*18 ins.). 

 Feet dull pale brown ; upper mandible blackish, pale at the 

 tip and edges. Base and edges of under mandible yellow, 

 rest dusky. The males are similar in plumage but are rather 

 larger, their wings being from 60 to 66 mm. (2'^y to 27 ins.). 



Speaking generally, this warbler has not the appearance 



