PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 15 



commonly in ivy on walls. It is globular in shape, with a rather wide opening at 

 the side, and is more bulky than that of the willow-warbler, and chiefly composed of 

 dead leaves, though moss, grass, stalks, and lichens are also used, and internally it 

 is freely lined with feathers. (PI. xx.) The work of construction is entirely, or 

 almost entirely, performed by the hen. Eggs, usually 6, rarely 5 or 7, smaller and 

 more glossy than those of the willow-warbler, white in ground-colour and finely 

 spotted towards the big end with very dark purplish brown, and some violet shell- 

 marks as a rule. Eggs in which the markings are more reddish brown occur at times, 

 but require careful authentication. Average size of 100 eggs, -61 x -47 in. [15-5 x 

 11 '9 mm.]. (PL C.) Laying begins from early in May to late in the month accord- 

 ing to locality, and incubation, which appears to be performed by the hen alone, 

 (H. E. Howard, British Warblers, ii. p. 19), lasts about 13 days. Although one brood 

 is reared as a rule there are several instances on record of a second. [F. c. E. J.] 



5. Food. Insects and their larvae, spiders, and, in autumn, berries. The 

 young are fed by both parents on insects and their larvae. [F. B. K.] 



6. Song Period. From shortly after its arrival till its departure in October, 

 within an interval of silence, or comparative silence about the end of July and 

 beginning of August. See also p. 70. [F. B. K.] 



WILLOW- WARBLER \PJiylloscopus trochilus trochilus (Linnaeus). 

 Willow-wren, peep. French, pouillot-fitis ; German, Fitis-Laubsdnger ; 

 Italian, lui grosso. ] 



1. Description. The willow-wren and chiffchaff are practically identical in 

 plumage, but the former may always be distinguished from the latter by the pale 

 brown coloration of the legs and the fact that only the third, fourth, and fifth 

 primaries have emarginate outer webs. (PL 52. ) In the spring, however, the colours 

 of the willow-wren are purer, brighter in tone, the superciliary stripe is yellower, 

 the under parts more yellowish white, and the flanks distinctly sulphur coloured. 

 The sexes are alike. Length 4-9 in. [124 mm.]. The young willow- wren resembles 

 the adult, and differs from the young chiffchaff in its greater brightness and purity 

 of tone. [w. P. P.] 



2. Distribution. This, the typical form of the willow-wren, is a summer 

 visitor to the British Isles and almost all the European continent, excepting North- 

 east and South-east Eussia, Turkey, and Greece. In Siberia and North-east Russia 

 it is replaced by the next form. In Great Britain it is very plentiful and widely 



