THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 283 



107. — Siberian Chiff chaff [Sibirischer Laubvogel]. 



SYLVIA TRI8TIS, Blyth.' 



Siberian Cliiffchaff. Seehohm, Siberia in Europe, p. 1 16 ; Siberia in 



Asia, pp. 103, 152, 173. 

 Phylloscopiis tristis. Dresser, ii. 477. 



Only once, in October 1846, have I obtained a young bird of 

 this species in its first autumn phiruage; in this example the 

 characteristic whitish rust-coloured markings of the neck, upper 

 breast, and sides were very strongly defined. In this dress the 

 species is very easily recognised, even at some distance ; older, less 

 intensely coloured examples, on the other hand, it would not be so 

 easy, in the open air, to distinguish from somewhat grey specimens 

 of the ChifFchaff, if the birds did not at once make their presence 

 known, even at a fair distance, by their loud and striking call- 

 note. The latter has not the least resemblance to that of any 

 other Warbler, but sounds remarkabl}' like the anxious calls of a 

 young chick that has strayed from the hen. The sound is 

 pi-ak — pi-ak — pi-ak (pee-ak — pee-ak — pee-ak), special stress being 

 laid on the first syllable, and is repeated invariably three or four 

 times ; tlien follows a pause, lasting from half a minute to several 

 minutes, and sometimes, when the bird thinks it is being watched, 

 even ten minutes. 



Unfortunately, however, this bird, like many of its relatives, is 

 extremely sharp in detecting any attention paid to it ; and manages, 

 by hopping away through the bushes, to withdraw from all observa- 

 tion with such deftness, that neither I nor Aeuckens have ever suc- 

 ceeded in killing one of the six or eight examples which have been 

 met with here. All these had a special preference for a row, fifty feet 

 long, of about twenty thorn-bushes in my garden. These bushes 

 are about twenty feet high, and their crowns form a compact 

 meshwork of twigs. On the last occasion the birds were seen there, 

 Aeuckens stood on the outside, and myself on the inside, of these 

 bushes, at a distance of about thirty paces, and although from the 

 call-notes of the birds and from the frequent slight movements of 

 the outei'most and thinnest branches, we could perceive that they 

 were slowly making then- w^ay from one end of the bushes to the 

 other, we were unable, in spite of the utmost watchfulness, to hit on 

 a favourable moment for firmg; as in all similar cases, a few 

 minutes after, we could hear the well-knowTi pi-ak — pi-ak — pi-ak 

 resounding from a neighbouring garden. 



' Phylloscopiui tristis, Blyth. 



