THE WOOD-WARBLER. 311 



sides of leaves, beneath which it hovers. Shivering song " Sip, 

 sip, sip, sip, tr-r-r-r-r-r-ree " is often uttered on the wing as the 

 bird passes from a lower branch of one tree to that of another and 

 when uttered from perch is usually accompanied by shivering of 

 wings. Song is sometimes prefaced by a plaintive note, " deeur, 

 dee-ur." Alarm note a mournful " pee-ou." 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in woods with undergrowth of bracken 

 and brambles, making use of natural hoUow in ground. Nest. — ■ 

 Built of dead bracken, dead leaves and grass, domed, with side 

 entrance, neatly lined with fine bents, and occasionally a few hairs, 

 but no feathers. Eggs. — Normally 6-7, occasionally 8 or 5 only, 

 white, thickly spotted and speckled with dark red-brown and 

 at times a few ashy shell -marks, the markings sometimes forming 

 a zone. Breeding -season. — Last fortnight of May and first week 

 of June. One brood. Incubation. — About 13 days, probably 

 by hen only. 



Food. — Insects, in all stages from egg to imago, chiefly taken 

 from leaves and branches of trees or on the wing : coleoptera, 

 lepidoptera, diptera, etc. Saxby records portions of Ephemeraj : 

 aphides also largely taken. Berries said to be eaten in autumn. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Summer -resident (mid-April 

 to Sept. Early date Mar. 16). Widel}'' distributed in well-wooded 

 districts, but local, being abundant in some parts (especially those 

 heavily-wooded with beech and oak) and rare or unknown in tree- 

 less districts. Has been observed Isle of Man. Scotland. — Fairly 

 common, but local to Loch Broom (Ross), north of which on west 

 side unknown as nester. On east side fairly common in south-east 

 Sutherland (as far west as Lairg), but very rare further north. 

 Scarce visitor to Shetlands and Orkneys, single birds Fair Isle, 

 June and Aug., 1907, May 1909, a number May 1910, single birds 

 Aug. 1911, May 1912 and 1913, single birds Lerwick, May 1913 

 and Aug. 1914, single birds Sule Skerry Sept. 1906 and Auskerry 

 Sept. 1913. A summer-resident in most I. Hebrides but onlj- 

 seen twice (N. & S. Uist) and obtained once (Aug. 1917, N. Uist) in 

 0. Hebrides. Ireland. — Extremely scarce, nesting small numbers 

 Galway and Queen's co., and Wicklow. Vagrants have been 

 taken in Donegal, Antrim, Fermanagh, Mayo and Dublin, and seen 

 in Sligo, Londonderry, Antrim, Fermanagh (May 18-June 7) and 

 Wexford. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe from Upsala, south Finland 

 and Archangel to France, Alps, and Austria-Hungary. Occasional 

 Canaries : casual Madeira. Winters in Tropical Africa. Re- 

 placed by an ill - defined subspecies in the Mediterranean 

 countries. 



