HEDGE ACCENTOR. 255 



many casualties to which the old birds are exposed from 

 their tameness, and the young that are hatched from their 

 situation." 



In a nest thus easily found, the Cuckoo is apt to deposit 

 her egg, and Mr. Slaney says more Cuckoos are fostered 

 by the Hedge Warbler than by any other bird. 



The eggs of the Hedge Warbler are four or five in num- 

 ber, sometimes, though rarely, six, of a delicate and spot- 

 less bluish green colour ; nine lines and a half in length, 

 by six lines and a half in breadth. According to Mr. 

 Jenyns, the first brood of young birds is hatched in April, 

 and a second brood is reared in the season. 



The Hedge Warbler goes as far north in summer as 

 Sweden ; but, according to M. Nilsson, most of them leave 

 that country before winter. It inhabits all the temperate 

 parts of Europe, but goes southward in autumn; it is 

 even said to leave Genoa in October, but to be found in 

 every hedge about Rome and the southern parts of Italy 

 in winter. It is found in Sicily and Malta. Mr. Strick- 

 land obtained this bird at Smyrna in December; but it 

 was considered rare in that locality. 



The beak is dark brown, but lighter in colour at the 

 base ; irides hazel ; head, nape, and sides of the neck, 

 bluish grey, streaked with brown, except behind and be- 

 low the ear-coverts, where the grey colour is unmixed 

 with brown ; back and wings reddish brown, streaked 

 with dark brown ; upper tail-coverts plain hair-brown ; 

 wing-primaries and tail-feathers dusky brown ; tertials 

 margined with reddish brown; chin, throat, and chest, 

 grey; breast and belly buffy white; sides and flanks 

 pale brown, streaked with dark brown ; under surface of 

 wings and tail-feathers greyish brown ; the tail slightly 

 forked : legs and toes orange brown ; claws black ; the 

 hind claw as large again as either of the other three. 



