336 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



with fine grass and horsehair. It is oval, and 

 domed like those of the Chiffchaff and Willow 

 Wren ; but is distinguished always from them by 

 having no feathers as an inner lining. 



Eggs. Five to seven, generally six; white in 

 ground colour, thickly spotted and speckled all 

 over with dark purplish-brown and ash-grey, most 

 thickly at the larger end. Size about '65 by '56 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in April and 

 departing in October. Notes : song, twee, twee, 

 cliea, chea ; call note, dee-ur. Local and other 

 names : Wood Wren, Yellow Wren. Sits closely. 



WARBLER, WILLOW. Also WILLOW WEEN. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about five 

 inches ; bill rather short, slender, slightly curved, 

 and brown in colour ; under mandible paler at the 

 base. Irides hazel. Crown, neck, back, and upper 

 tail-coverts dullish olive-brown ; wings and tail 

 dullish slate-brown, the feathers of the former being 

 bordered with olive-green. A pale yellow line runs 

 over the eye and ear-coverts ; chin, throat, and 

 breast whitish yellow ; belly, flanks, and lower tail- 

 coverts greyish-white, slightly tinged with yellow; 

 legs, toes, and claws light brown. 



The female is very similar in all respects to 

 the male. The bird is larger than the Chiffchaff, 

 and the feathers in its nest readily distinguish it 

 from that of the Wood Wren. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground amongst 

 coarse grass and weeds, entwining themselves round 

 slender twigs of low, open bushes growing on banks. 

 I have found it most frequently on banks near 



