SYLVIAD^. 197 



garrulous song and bustling flight at once at- 

 tracting observation. It is less frequent to the 

 north of the Downs, and seldom seen in the 

 weald, where Curruca cinerea is by no means of 

 rare occurrence. 



Wood Warbler, Sylvia sylvicola. A very local 

 species. I never could obtain a specimen among 

 the oak woods on the clay soils. Appears to 

 be equally rare near Petworth, but particularly 

 affects the neighbourhood of Storrington, and the 

 tall elm trees in Parham Park, from whence I 

 have procured several examples. It is scarce in 

 the central parts of the county, and indeed seems 

 to prefer dry gravelly soils, where the beech and 

 elm are more prevalent than the oak. The eggs 

 and nest have frequently been found in Stanmer 

 Park, the latter being remarkable for the total 

 absence of feathers, as a material in the lining of 

 the interior, which are always applied to that 

 purpose by its congeners the chiff'-chafl* and the 

 willow wren. 



Chiff-chaff, Sylvia hippolais. Is partially 

 dispersed, being of rare occurrence in certain 

 districts — as for instance in the neighbourhood of 

 Shoreham and Beeding, while in others every 

 bush and copse rings with its merrj^ note. 



Willow Warbler, Sylvia trochilus. Is more 

 numerous and generally distributed, although from 



