BIRDS OF THE WOODLANDS 77 



lofty trees, whereas the Greater is essentially a 

 hedge-loving bird. Its song, too, is much softer, 

 and has little of the insistent quality which compels 

 attention. It is generally believed to sing later in 

 the year than any of the summer warblers. 



The Garden Warbler is another true summer 

 visitor. After wintering in Cape Colony it travels 

 through Northern Africa and Asia Minor, and 

 reaches our shores somewhat later than most of its 

 congeners, rarely appearing before the end of April. 

 Like the Nightingale and others of the group, the 

 males usually arrive from ten to twelve days before 

 the females. In common with other great singers, 

 the plumage of the Garden Warbler is inconspicu- 

 ous. The whole of the upper surfaces are of a 

 uniformlv delicate brown, faintly rufous, save that 

 certain of the wing-feathers are of darker hue 

 margined with white. Above the eye is a lightish 

 streak, and the throat and breast are of yellowish- 

 white. The bill is comparatively short and thick, 

 and in this respect it differs from all other birds 

 with which it is closely allied. 



The Garden Warbler is pretty generally dis- 

 tributed throughout England, although in common 

 with certain other warblers it appears to shun the 

 south-western counties, Cornwall in particular. 



The nest is usually placed in low brushwood or in 

 any tall and tangled vegetation to be found about 

 the garden and shrubberies, as, for instance, amidst 

 the peas and pea-sticks, and more rarely in the ivy 

 of a wall. 



As a musician the Garden Warbler stands third 



