132 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



food, and often taking them on the wing. It is 

 difficult to describe the special haunts of the Willow- 

 Wren, as it may be found almost everywhere ; but I 

 think it shows a decided fondness for young planta- 

 tions of fir and larch. A good deal of confusion 

 has arisen, and still exists, from the great similarity 

 in plumage and habits of this bird to the Chiffchaff, 

 which is also very common in Northamptonshire. 

 The chief points of difference between the two species 

 are the greater length of wing in the Willow-Wren, 

 the colour of the legs, which are yellowish flesh- 

 coloured in the present species and dark brown in 

 the Chiffchaff, and the smaller size of this latter bird ; 

 I find in Mr. Harting's ' Handbook of British Birds ' 

 the total length of the Willow- W f ren given as 5'0 

 inches, and that of the Chiffchaff as 4'7 inches. 

 Besides the above distinctions I may mention those 

 of the respective notes, the Willow- Wren possessing 

 a sweet, loud, and somewhat prolonged song, whilst, 

 so far as I know, the musical powers of the Chiffchaff 

 are confined to very slight variations on its well- 

 known " chip-chip," which, however agreeable it 

 may be as a signal of the returning Spring, cannot 

 be considered otherwise than monotonous. 



The nest of the Willow-Wren is generally placed 

 on, or close to, the ground, amongst grass or low 

 bushes, and much resembles that of the W r ood-Wren, 

 being domed, with a large irregularly-shaped entrance 

 at the side, and composed of moss, dry grass, and, 

 where the common bracken grows, pieces of that 

 plant, but differs from the nest of the last-named 

 bird in being always lined with feathers, sometimes 

 in great profusion. In one of these nests, which I 

 found in the pleasure-grounds at Lilford, the lining 



