208 EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



types of ChiffchafF s eggs. The commonest type is spotted, chiefly 

 at the large end of the egg, with very dark reddish-brown. Be- 

 longing to this type are certain varieties, in which the markings 

 are very minute and more evenly distributed over the entire 

 surface of the egg. In the second type the spots are very much 

 larger and likewise paler and not so numerous. Underlying spots 

 of violet-grey are seen sparingly in the eggs of this bird. The 

 eggs vary in length from 065 to 0'55 inch, and in breadth from 

 0-5 to 0-45 inch. 



THE YELLOW-BROWED WILLOW WEEN. 

 (Plujlloscopiis superciliosus.) 



Plate 53, Fig. 9. 



The breeding-range of the Yellow-browed Warbler is supposed 

 to be confined to the pine forests of North-eastern Siberia, from 

 the valley of the Yenisei eastwards to the Pacific, and from the 

 mountains of Lake Baikal northwards to the Arctic circle. It is 

 an occasional visitor to Great Britain. 



A nest found by me in the Yenisei valley was built in a slight 

 tuft of grass, moss and bilberries, semi-domed, exactly like the 

 nest of our Willow Warbler's. It was composed of dry grass 

 and moss, and lined with reindeer-hair. 



The eggs are pure white in ground-colour, spotted very thickly 

 at the large end, in the form of an irregular zone, with reddish 

 brown, and more sparingly on the remainder of the surface ; some 

 of the spots are underlying and paler, but not grey, and on one 

 or two of the eggs they are confluent. They measure - 6 inch 

 in length and - 45 inch in breadth. The markings are well 

 defined, like those of the eggs of the Chiffchaff, but the colour is 

 decidedly more like those of the Willow Warbler's. 



THE GOLDCEEST. 



(Begulus cristatus.) 



Plate 53, Fig. 10. 



The Golden-crested Wren, Kinglet, or Goldcrest, as it is often 



called, is very generally distributed throughout the British Islands. 



It is found throughout the Palaearctic region, in Scandinavia as 



far north as the Arctic circle, but in North Eussia only as far as 



