261 



118. Wood Warbler, Philloscopus sibilatrix (Bechst.). 



Geographical Races. 



a. Northern Wood Warbler, P. sibilatrix sibilatrix (Bechst.). 



Plate 28, fig. 11—14 (Germany). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl. Tab. XIX, fig. 11, a — d. Hewitson, 

 I Ed. I, pi. CXVIII, fig. 2, 3; II Ed. 1, pi. XXVIII, fig. 1; III Ed. I, 

 pi. XXXVI, fig. 3. Baedeker, Tab. 19, fig. 5. Taczanowski, Tab. LI, 

 fig. 2. Seebohm, Br. Birds, pi. 10; id. Col. Fig., pi. 53. Frohawk, 

 Br. Birds, I, pi. II, fig. 55. Dresser, pi. — , fig. 11, 12. Nest: 0. Lee, 

 III, p. 36. 



British Local Names: Wood Wren, Oven Bird, Yellow Wren. 

 Welsh: Dryw Felen. Foreign Names: Bohemia: Sykavka. Denmark 

 and Norway: Oronsanger. France: Pouillot siffleiir. Germany: Wald- 

 laubscinger. Helgoland: Oiihl Fliegenhitter. Holland: Fhiiter. Hungary: 

 Sisego fuzike. Poland: Gnjowka hvistunka. Russia: Beresowka. Sweden: 

 Gro?isdngare. 



Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechst.). Newton, ed. Yarrell, I, p. 427. Dresser, 

 B. of Europe, II, p. 497 and Man. Pal. Birds, p. 95. Saunders, Man. 

 p. 95. P. sibilatrix sibilatrix (Bechst.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 515. 



Breeding Range: The British Isles and Continental Europe, ex- 

 cepting N. Scandinavia and N. Russia, where it is absent, and the 

 Mediterranean basin, where it is replaced by a somewhat doubtfully 

 distinct race. 



This is the latest to arrive of the Leaf-"Warblers in our islands, British 

 and is also the most local in distribution. A few pairs are generally to 

 be found wherever woods of deciduous trees (especially beech and oak) 

 are to be met with, and in some parts of England and "Wales, such as 

 the woods of Northumbria and W. Merioneth it is exceedingly plentiful, 

 quite outnumbering the Willow Warbler locally. On the other hand it 

 is practically unknown in W. Cornwall and W. Pembroke, and is every- 

 where rather irregularly and locally distributed. It has bred in the Isle 

 of Man, and has apparently increased its range in Scotland of late years. 

 Its northern limits appear to be S. E. Sutherland, Caithness and W. Ross, 

 while A. C. Chapman has recorded its presence in treeless N. Uist! 

 [Cf. V. F. of N. W. Highlands etc., p. 64 for details of increase in 

 Scotland). To Ireland it is a very scarce visitor, but has been known to 

 breed in Queens Co. and Galway, and is observed annually in Co. 

 Wicklow. 



Though absent from Norway, it occurs in Sweden, up to about con- 

 lat. 63", but only in S. Finland. It is however exceedingly common in ^uro^e 

 the forests of N. Germany and in the Baltic Provinces, extending 



