l82 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



with the exception of two for Ireland, all records are from the 

 south or east coast or the Shetlands. The European range 

 of this bird is extensive, but in western France and Spain it 

 is replaced by the Melodious Warbler, from which it is difficult 

 to distinguish in the field. The second primary is longer than 

 the fifth, whereas in the Melodious it is shorter. Both birds are 

 olive-yellow above, and lemon-yellow on the under parts, and 

 have yellow lores and eye-stripes, brown wings and tail, and 

 buff margins to the secondaries. The bill and irides are brown, 

 and the legs slate-brown. The female is paler, and the young 

 are browner with more pronounced buff margins. The Icterine 

 is the larger and brighter bird. Length, 5*2 ins. Wing, 3-1 ins. 

 Tarsus, "8 in. 



Melodious Warbler. Hypolais polyglotta (VieiL). 



The Melodious Warbler is a smaller bird than the Icterine, 

 but its general appearance, habits and song are so similar that 

 it is difficult to distinguish in the field. It is known to have 

 occurred about half a dozen times in places so far apart as 

 Sussex, Cornwall, the Isle of May and Cork, and songs 

 apparently of this or the Icterine have been reported from 

 other localities. It visits Britain, but how frequently we do 

 not know. It nests in south-west Europe and north-west 

 Africa, and winters in western Africa, and occurs in France 

 as far north as Normandy. Both species have fine songs, 

 though Seebohm considered that of the Icterine " deficient in 

 melody." The alarm, "an angry tek, tek, tek,'' is said to be 

 generically distinctive. The eggs of both species are salmon- 

 pink in colour. The Melodious Warbler is reported to have 

 bred in Sussex and Surrey ; an ^g% submitted to Saunders was, 

 he considered, referable to this species. 



The colours are duller and darker than those of the last 

 species, but the wing is considerably shorter, the first primary 



