368 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Characters and allied forms. — Several forms have been separated 

 as distinct from the Atlantic Islands but only the rather small 

 and very dark S. a. heineken (Madeira and Canaries) seems certain. 

 Absence of white in tail and black cap of male and reddish -brow^n 

 cap of female, besides size and wing-formula, distinguish it from 

 other British warblers. 



Field -CHARACTERS. — Ashy plumage (no white throat as in Orphean 

 Warbler) and jet-black crown of male are unmistakable. Female 

 duller, but reddish- brown crown diagnostic. Haunts woods and 

 coppices as well as tangled hedgerows and thickets, but perhaps 

 less retiring than Garden -Warbler. Song, usually poiired forth 

 from thick cover, but often in early spring from top of ash or other 

 tree, is a rich and varied melody, wonderfully modulated, loud for 

 size of the singer, and frequently mimetic. Call -note a soft whistle. 

 Alarm expressed by bold harsh " tac, tac, tac," whilst a churring 

 note seems, as with other warblers, to express anger. 



Breeding-habits. — Nests usually higher than Garden-Warbler, but 

 not infrequently quite low down ; occasionally high up. Breeds in 

 bushes (especially snowberry), hedgerows, among honeysuckle or 

 briars, etc. Ne3t. — Slightly built of bents, roots and grasses, lined 

 fuier materials and sometimes horsehair. Eggs. — Normally 5, not 

 infrequently 4, and occasionally 6, varying greatly. Many have a 

 light buff or stone ground, clouded and blotched with brown and 

 ashy shell-marks and a few dark, blurred spots. The rare erythristic 

 type has salmon-pink ground and the markings are pinkish-brown, 

 or red-brown. Others are white, or white with a few very dark 

 spots, etc. Average of 100 eggs, 19.3x14.5 mm. Breeding- 

 season. — Usually during second half of May in England, sometimes 

 not till June, but occasionally from end of April onward. 

 Incubation. — 14 days ; about 1.5 days (Howard) ; shared by both 

 sexes. Said to be often double -brooded abroad, but though fresh 

 eggs have been taken in Jul}^ apparently seldom rears two broods 

 here. 



Food. — Insects, fruit and berries. In spring, small coleoptera. 

 lepidoptera and their larvae, diptera, hjanenoi^tera, etc. Also 

 aphides and spiders. Seen to take pea-louse (Macrosiphum) by 

 Collinge, and exceptionally worms. Raspberries, currants, cherries 

 and strawberries, as well as peas, are eaten ; also berries of ivy, 

 privet, elder, honeysuckle, yew, holly, mountain ash, etc., and in 

 south Europe, oranges and figs. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Summer-resident (occa- 

 sionally winter). Somewhat local, but fairlj^ well distributed. 

 Rare Anglesey and Lleyn (Carnarvon). Scotland. — On west side 

 local as far north as Argyll., breeds Jura ; north of Ardnamurchan 

 only once recorded (West Ross, Nov. 23, 1905). On east side 



