SAVl'S WARBLER. 327 



ear-coverts pale brown somewhat sj)eckled with buff ; chin, centre 

 of throat and centre of belly white or buffish-white ; rest of under- 

 parts pale reddisli-bro%\'n, at base of throat sometimes some darker 

 streaks, tips of under tail-coverts paler ; tail as rest of upper -parts, 

 but with obsolete transverse bars more easily observable in some 

 specimens than in others ; wing-feathers and wing-coverts as rest 

 of upper-parts but inner Avebs of wing-feathers narrowly fringed 

 very pale brown. This plumage is acquired by complete moult 

 in late summer. Summer. — Possibly moults early in year, but no 

 specimen in moult has been examined. Abrasion has little effect, 

 but upj)er-parts become slightly paler and under-parts paler with 

 white of throat and centre of belly rather purer and more extensive. 



Nestling. — A feathered skin has sparse reddish-brown doAAai in 

 supra -orbital, occipital, humeral and spinal tracts. 



Juvenile. — Like adult, but rather darker and more reddish 

 brown on uj)per parts. 



First winter. — Apparently like adult, but no moulting specimen 

 examined. 



Measurements and structure. — o wing 67-71 mm., tail 54-60, 

 tarsus 20-23, bill from skull 12-14 (12 measured). $ wing 67-70. 

 Primaries : 1st minute, 1-5 mm. shorter than primary-coverts, 

 2nd longest, 3rd .5-3 shorter, 4th 3-6 shorter, 5th 5-9 shorter, 6tli 

 8-11 shorter ; no emargination on outer webs, and no notch on 

 inner web of 2nd ; outer jDrimaries distincth^ curved inwards. 

 Secondaries about 2 mm. shorter than 10th primary, tips slightly 

 rounded. Tail much rounded, 12 feathers, two central j^airs about 

 equal and longest, rest graduated, outermost being 14-18 mm. 

 shorter than central, tips of feathers rounded. Under tail-coverts 

 very long, reaching beyond the outer tail-feathers. Bill fine and 

 compressed. Nostrils bare. A few minute rictal bristles. Legs 

 and feet fairly strong. 



Soft imrts. — BiU : upper mandible dark brown, lower pale 

 brown ; legs and feet pale brown ; iris brown. 

 Characters and allied forms.— -L. l.fusca (Transcaspia, Turkes- 

 tan) is considerably paler, less rufous and more tinged olive on 

 upper-parts and paler and whiter on under-parts. At once dis- 

 tinguished from other British Locustellce by its uniform upper- 

 parts. Superficially somewhat resembles Cettia cetti, but under- 

 parts are more rufous, less white and less grey-browaa, tail has 12 

 instead of 10 feathers and wing-formula quite different. 

 Field -CHARACTERS. — Haunts marshes and reed-beds and is not 

 shy. Male in breeding-season reels for long periods, perched high 

 up on reed-stem, with widely opened mouth, turning head from 

 side to side. Can only be confiised with Grasshopper- and River- 

 Warblers, but is at once distinguished from former by uniform 

 colour of upf)er-parts and entire absence of spots, and from latter 

 by absence of throat -streaks (F.C.R.J.). 



