1883-84.] Edinburgh Naturalists' Field Club. 143 



VI.— THE SYLVIIDyE OR WARBLERS. 



By Mr ARCH. CRAIG, Jun. 



{Read Jan. 24, 1SS4.) 



Pekhaps no birds attract the attention of the generality of people in 

 a lesser degree than do the Sylviid^e, or Warblers ; and in contra- 

 distinction to that assertion, few or none possess a greater interest in 

 the eyes of the naturalist. The first statement may be accounted for 

 readily enough in any of the following ways, such as the diminutive- 

 ness of the species — theu' shy, retiring habits, wliich render observation 

 at times difficult — their total want of gay plumage, and, in addition, 

 the peculiar character of their haunts, — all combined having a tend- 

 §ncy to make the average observer pass them by in many instances 

 unheeded. If they partake of all these apparent disadvantages, the 

 question may natm'ally be asked, What is there which makes them 

 so prepossessing to the ornithologist 1 Having put the query, the 

 duty devolves upon me to attempt an answer, which shall be done as 

 briefly as iDOSsible. The fact of their migration from the more 

 genial climes of Southern Europe and Northern Africa to our colder 

 and comparatively suidess country, is of itself matter of sufficient 

 moment to recommend them to all lovers of bird-life. When we 

 take into consideration the great distance to be covered, and the 

 dangers that have to be encountered en route, it is indeed wonderful 

 how sucli little creatures manage to perform the journey in safety : 

 and besides, the regularity with which they, generally speaking, re- 

 appear in their old resorts at, or very near, the same period every 

 spring, calls for special remark. The migration of birds is irndoubt- 

 edly a theme of surpassing interest, but it is too large and difficult to 

 be attempted by one possessing such slight knowledge of the subject 

 as myself. Although, as has been already mentioned, their plumage 

 is of a sober cast, this defect, if it be a defect, is more than com- 

 pensated for by the beauty and peculiarity of their song, which, 

 delightful m itself, is enlianced by the extraordinary powers of imi- 

 tation with which many of the species are endowed. Were size of 

 body to be taken as the groundwork on which to gauge the vocal 

 powers, very faint music might be expected to issue from tlie tlu-oats 

 of Warblers : but bulk has evidently nothing to do with the matter, 

 as it is no uncommon feature for several of the species to emit sound 

 that does not seemingly fall far short in point of volume to that 

 produced by much larger birds. To prevent misapprehension on this 

 point, however, there is one thing to be said, that although, to the 

 ears of a person in close proximity to the songster, the sound appears 

 to rival that of the larger species, yet it does not in reality penetrate 



