WOOD-WARBLER. 187 



open woodlands and parks, where oaks and beeches pre- 

 dominate, and in hilly districts occurs far up the wooded 

 valleys, even where beeches are absent and oaks and birches 

 stunted. It is larger, more slender and graceful than the dainty 

 Willow-Wren and Chifichaff; its longer, more pointed wings 

 make flight and actions deliberate but easy. Added to this the 

 clearness of its yellow tints, especially on the broad eye-stripe, 

 prevent confusion with its congeners. The young foliage is 

 well advanced when the Wood-Wren reaches its haunts, and 

 the greenish-yellow dress blends with the leaves ; it is seldom 

 detected until it begins its distinctive shivering song. Hudson 

 describes this as a " long passionate trill — the woodland sound 

 which is like no other " ; there are a few preliminary notes 

 which glide into a rapid descending silvery shiver, certainly 

 like no other in tone unless it be the more deliberate song of 

 the Blue Tit, but, from the way its whole body, wings and tail 

 vibrate as it sings, suggestive of the vehemence of the energetic 

 W^ren. Every few moments the song is repeated as the bird 

 flits from branch to branch and, as it crosses to a fresh tree, the 

 opening notes may be sounded on the wing, but the trill when 

 it has regained a perch. Between the snatches it is not idle ; 

 now it sails out and intercepts a passing fly, now poises in the 

 air with rapidly whirring wings as it neatly picks an insect from 

 the underside of a leaf, now pauses to utter its clear mellow call, 

 deejir, deeu7\ The alarm is a plaintive pee-00. 



It is almost safe to say that the nest is always on the ground 

 unless it is in the ground, for a hollow or depression is often 

 utilised ; a favourite spot is the slope ot a bracken- covered 

 bank, where it is wonderfully hidden by the spreading fronds. 

 Domed like that of its relatives, it is built of dry grass, withered 

 leaves and moss, and lined with finer bents and hair, but s'eldom 

 if ever with feathers. The male, who at times helps to build, 

 indulges in graceful nuptial flights, saihng with wide expanded 

 wings and tail, the former quivering as he descends in a slight 



