SYLVIIN/E. 6 1 



THE CHIFFCHAFF. 



Phvlloscopus rufus (Bechstein). 



The Chiffchaff is the earliest visitor among our spring migrants, 

 the familiar note, from which its name is derived, being frequently 

 heard by the middle of March, before the trees have put out their 

 leaves ; while a comparatively small number occasionally pass the 

 winter in various sheltered portions of our islands, especially in 

 Cornwall. Tolerably abundant in summer in our southern counties, 

 and particularly so in the south-west and midlands, the Chiffchaff 

 is somewhat rare, or local, in Norfolk, Lancashire, and the north-west 

 of Yorkshire ; but more frequent in Cumberland, A\'estmorland, 

 1 )urham and Northumberland. In Scotland it has been observed as 

 far north as Caithness, and is stated by Mr. J. H. Dixon to be 

 common at Gairloch, Ross-shire; but it is much scarcer everywhere 

 than the Willow-Wren, and is merely a straggler to the Outer 

 Hebrides and Orkneys. To Ireland, according to Mr. A. G. More, 

 it is a frequent summer-visitor. 



In Northern Europe the Chiffchaff ranges in summer up to the 

 Arctic circle, and as far east as the valley of the Volga ; beyond 

 which it is replaced by the Siberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscoptis trisiis, 

 a rather smaller bird, browner and duller in coloration. South- 

 ward, our Chiffchaff is generally distributed in suitable localities 

 as far as the shores and islands of the Mediterranean, and is more 

 or less resident beyond the Pyrenees and the Alps ; its numbers 

 being largely augmented at the times of migration and in winter. 

 At the latter season, it is abundant in some parts of Africa down to 



