192 LLOYD'S NATURAL HI-: 



are some variations in the type of egg from those of the latt r 

 species. The ground-colour is white or greenish-white, and 

 the spots vary from olive-brown to black, in the latter case 

 being dotted over the egg. The underlying spots and blotci 

 are violet-grey, but often pinkish-grey. As with many of the 

 3 of this group of Warblers, the grey blotches are very 

 prominent, and sometimes overwhelm the fainter overlying 

 spots. One type of egg has almost the appearance of a Tied 

 Wagtail's, both the overlying and underlying dots being very 

 small, and a little more clustered round the larger end. Axis, 

 o'75-o-S inch; diam., 0-55-0-6. In Spain the Cuckoo is very 

 partial to the nests of this Warbler, and lays eggs exactly like 

 those of the birds it victimises {cf. Saunders, Man., p. 46). 



V. THE BLACKCAP. SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA. 



Motacilla atricapilla, Linn., S. N., i., p. 332 (1766). 



Sylvia airicapilla, Macg., Br. 13., ii., p. 339 (1839) j Newt. ed. 



Yarr., i., p. 418 (1873); Dresser, B. Eur., ii., p. 421, pi. 



66 (1S75); Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., v., p. 23(1881); 



id. Hist. Br. B., i., p. 394 (1883); B. O. U. List Br. B., 



p. 12 (1SS3); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B., pt. i. (1SS5); 



Saunders, Man., p. 47 (1889). 

 Adult Kale. — General colour above light olive-brown, a little 

 greyer towards the rump and on the upper tail-coverts ; wing- 

 coverts like the back ; quills sepia-brown, edged with olive- 

 brown, greyer on the primaries ; tail feathers sepia-brown, 

 edged with ashy-grey; crown of head glossy black, extending 

 as far as the nape and forming a cap ; hind-neck and sides of 

 head slaty-grey, like the ear-coverts and sides of the face and 

 lures ; eyelid whitish; throat, breast, and abdomen ashy-white, 

 the fore-neck, chest, and sides of body light slaty grey, be- 

 coming tinged with brown on the lower Hanks, and darker 

 brown" on the thighs j under tail-coverts white with dusky 

 ashy centres; axillaries and under wing-coverts ashy with a 

 tinge of isabell'me; quills dusky below, with an ashy lining ; 

 bill dark brown ; feet and claws leaden grey ; iris ha/el. 

 Total length, 5*8 inches; Oilmen, 0-45 ; wing, 2-95 ; tail, 225 ; 

 tarsus, 00. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male, but distinguished by 

 having the cap rufous or rusty brown, the hind neck being 

 y as in the male. Total length, 55 inches; wing, 28. 



