VOL. viT.] DUSKY WARBLER IN ORKNEY. 223 



The following is a free translation from the German 

 of Dybowski's account of the breeding-habits of Ph. 

 fuscatu-s (J. f. 0. 1872, p. 357) :— 



The spring passage of this bird takes place in the last 

 days of May, and it is found in considerable numbers through- 

 out the whole summer in the district south-east of Lake 

 Baikal, inhabiting valleys overgrown with low scrub or 

 M oods on the sides of the lower liills, especially those which 

 border swamps. Soon after its arrival one hears its monotonous 

 song which resembles the syllables " Tsius-tsius-tsius." 



The nest is built on hillocks overgrown with liigh grass or 

 in bushes, generally in one close to running or stagnant water, 

 and is either close to the ground or else about eighteen inches 

 above it. The nest is domed, with a side entrance. The 

 material used is dry grass mixed with some moss, and lined 

 witli a quantity of feathers. The grasses used are much 

 finer than tliose employed by the Chiffchaff. About the 

 middle of June the female lays five or six ^oure \Uiite eggs, 

 A^ithout gloss, and usually more or less distmctly pointed 

 in shax3e, measuring 18 X 12.5 mm. ; 15.3 x 12 mm. The 

 hen sits very closely and usually only leaves the nest when 

 the grass or scrub among which the nest is placed is disturbed, 

 when she is joined bj^ the male, attracted by her cries. If 

 one withdraws for a few x^^ces she returns at once to the 

 nest. Cuckoos' eggs are frequently deposited in the nests 

 of this species. In autumn they remain to mid-Sei)tember, 

 but single individuals are also seen up to October. 



The species should be added to the Hand-List as follows : — 



I28a. Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth). — THE DUSKY 

 WARBLER. 



Phyllopneuste fuscata Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, xi, 

 p. 113 (1842— Calcutta). 



Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth), Clarke, Scot. Nat., 1913, p. 271. 



Distribution. — Scotland. — One, a female, Auskerry (Orkney), 

 Oct. 3, 1913 {ut supra). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — ^Breeds from Yenisei eastward to 

 Sea of Okhotsk, and from Mongolia and Manchuria north- 

 wards, probably to about lat. 64° N. On migration, occurs 

 in China, Japan and Mongolia, wintering in Formosa, south 

 China, Burma, Assam, Nepal, Tenasserim, and plains of 

 northern India. 



