210 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



It is equally to be found in gardens and orchards, and even 

 in the parks and shrubberies of towns. In the suburbs of Lon- 

 don it is a common visitor during the spring and autumn 

 migration, and is to be seen at the last-named time of year 

 feeding with the Blackcaps on the elderberries. The song of 

 the Willow- Warbler is more feeble than that of the Wood- 

 Warbler, but is of the same trilling character, though the song 

 is not so p v olonged and is in a descending scale. After the 

 breeding season and the autumnal moult has been accomplished, 

 the bird recommences to sing, but as a rule at that season of 

 the year it is generally silent, uttering only its "whit "-like 

 call-note, and searching diligently for food, not only in the 

 inland woods, but more particularly in the trees by the river- 

 side. It is at this time of year that it more especially merits 

 the name of " Willow "-Warbler, for it is a very common thing 

 in the Thames Valley to see little parties of these birds feed- 

 ing among the willows in August. 



Nest. As with the Wood- Warbler, the nest of this species is 

 placed on the ground, and is very difficult to discover. With 

 both of them the best way is to beat the ground with a stick, 

 and so drive out the hen-bird from the nest. Not only is the 

 entrance to the nest very small, but the materials of which it is 

 composed greatly assimilate to the surroundings and aid in its 

 concealment. The nest is half-domed, the rim of the entrance 

 being built at an angle of about 45. 



A nest taken in Sussex is now before us. It is neatly con- 

 structed when taken away from its ragged surroundings, and is 

 composed principally of dry grass-stems, with a good deal of 

 moss near the top, and a few dead leaves interwoven ; on the 

 outside are also a few feathers, among them one from the 

 breast of a Cuckoo. Inside the nest is scantily lined with 

 feathers. 



Eggs. Five to eight in number. Ground-colour white, or 

 creamy -white, either numerously sprinkled with reddish dots, 

 or having the spots larger, more scattered, and sometimes in 

 the form of blotches or tiny streaks, generally at the larger end 

 of the egg. The shape of the egg varies considerably, being 

 sometimes elongated, and at other times almost round, but the 

 spots are always reddish. Axis, 0-6-07 inch; diam., 0-45-0-5. 



