n 4 BRITISH NESTING BIRDS 



Food. — Water insects and their larvae, and slugs. 



Voice. — Call, "cheep," or a harsh " turr; " also a soft " wheet- 

 wheet." Alarm, "tut-tut;" song, "chuck, chuck, chuck, 

 chuck, chuck, click, click." An impetuous utterance. 



Chief Features. — A Summer Migrant, arriving towards end of April. 

 A shy bird, and hates being watched. Has the habit of uttering 

 a vehement song when a stone or other missile is thrown near 

 its haunt. Mimics the calls and cries of other birds. Streak 

 over eye a good method of identification. 



Plumage. — Greyish-brown above; a broad, distinct, yellowish-white 

 streak above eye; pale buff underneath; white throat. 

 Length. — Four inches and three-quarters. 



WARBLER, WILLOW (Phylloscopus trochilus) 



Local Names. — Bank Jug, Bee, Billy, Grosbeak, Ground Huck-Muck, 



Hay Bird, Hazock Wren, Muftie Wren, Oven Bird, Oven Tit, 



Peggy » P e g»y Whitethroat, Sally Picker, Scotch Wren, Silver 



Wren, Smew, Strawsmeer, Tom 



Thumb, White Wren, Willie 



Muftie, Willow Sparrow, 



Willow Wren, Wren Lintie, 



Yellow Warbler, Yellow Wren. 

 Haunt. — Woods, copses, planta- 

 tions, commons, and gardens. 

 Nesting Period. — May and June. 

 Site of Nest. — On the ground among 



grass, or at the base of a 



bush. ^v 



Materials Used. — Moss, leaves, -pig. 45. Willow Warbler. 



grass, and horsehair, with a 



profuse feather lining. Dome-shape, and similar to that of 



Chiff Chaff. 

 Fggs. — Six to Eight. White, freckled with light red. 

 Food. — Insects. 

 Voice. — A simple refrain, little varied but very sweet. Call, " for- 



eet " and " hoid-hoid; " otherwise " tu-it " or " weep-ep." 

 Chief Features. — Haunts tall trees and bushes, and resumes Spring 



song in August. A Summer Migrant, arriving early in April. 



Care should be taken not to confuse this bird with the Chiff 



Chaff. Compare plumage and notes. 

 Plumage. — Bright olive-green above; above eye a narrow yellow 



streak; yellowish-white underneath, palest towards centre; 



yellow leg-feathers. Length. — Almost five inches. 



