THE CHIFF-CHAFF. 51 



Silvia Poliglotta, Rnnsanr, Elem. Zool. Hi. v. p. 97. Bujfbn.Pl. Enl. 581. fig. 2. ; 

 S. Hippolais, R'uppel, MS. Mus. Frankfort ; and Goldfuss, MS. Mus. Bonn. 



Erroneims Synonimes. Motacilla Hippolais, GmeL i. 955. sp. 7. ; Sylvia Hippolais, 

 Latham, Ind. ii. 507 ; Lesser Petty Chaps, Lath. Syn. iv. 418.; Gen. Hist. vii. 12. ; 

 Shaw's Zool. x. 746 ; Penn. Brit. Zool. i. No. 249. and i. p. 508 ; and Griff. Cuv. vi. 

 472; Herbert, White's Selborne, 8vo. ed. 1852, p. 55, note; Chiff Chaff, Mont. Diet, 

 and Supp.and 2d edit. p. 83. ; Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 72. ; Selby, Illustr. p. 189. pi. 47, 

 fig. 1 ; and 1 believe all other British Naturalists. Temminck, Cuvier, and Savi, are 

 too vague to be quoted with certainty. 



In the full-grown male, the bill is about half an inch long, straight, 

 somewhat blunt, broad and flat at the base. The upper mandible has 

 an exceedingly indistinct notch, and is greenish blue ; the under man- 

 dible yellowish, with a tinge, of red ; the angles yellowish ; and the 

 opening of the mouth lemon yellow. The tongue is yellow, abrupt at 

 the point, and furnished with three bristles. The iris is dusky brown. 

 The forehead is low, flat, angular, and pointed. The eye-brows and eye- 

 lids are yellow, and a yellow line runs from the nostrils to the eyes. 

 The crown of the head, neck, back, and wing coverts, are olive grey, 

 inclining more to green on the rump. The shoulder of the wing (camp- 

 terium, ILLIGER), is yellow; the primary quill-feathers are dusky 

 brown, with a slight fringe of olive grey ; the rest of the quill-feathers 

 have a broader fringe of greyish white, which, when the wing is closed, 

 forms a whitish patch. The tail is two inches long, the feathers being of 

 equal length, and very nearly the same colours and fringing as the 

 wing quills. All the under parts of the body are of a fine clear lemon 

 yellow. The legs are five-sixths of an inch high, and of a lead colour ; 

 the claws greyish brown. The whole length is five inches and a half ; 

 the extent of the wings nine inches. 



The female is sometimes, but not always, rather paler than the male. 

 The young have the yellow parts very pale. 



The eggs are the size of a linnet's, from four to five in number, of a 

 bright but pale pink, with deep scarlet or crimson spots, rather large, 

 and irregularly scattered over them. 



The birds are late in arriving in Germany, seldom before the begin- 

 ning of May, and depart early in August, almost as soon as the swift. 

 The young do not moult before their departure, and in confinement the 

 moult of both old and young takes place about Christmas. They feed 

 almost exclusively on insects, and will not touch fruit unless com- 

 pelled by hunger. The call-note is loud and strong, and not unlike 

 that of the green bird (Frinyilla chloris). Bechstein gives it "dak. 

 dak,ftdhoy t fidhoy ! " 



It will appear from this, I think, that we have no reason to suppose 

 this fine bird to be a native of Britain, as we certainly have the following. 



E 2 



