THE WOOD-WARBLER. 309 



disappear, Ph. n. plumbeitarsus (Trans baikal to Sea of Okhotsk) 

 is like Ph. n. viridanus in general coloration but has double wing- 

 bar as in nitidus. Much resembles Chiffchaff and WilloAv-Warbler 

 in general coloration but distinctly paler under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries, wing-formula as Chiffchaff, pale tips to greater wing- 

 coverts distinguish it. Also somewhat resembles those specimens 

 of Ph. b. borealis which show only one wing-bar but besides other 

 differences 1st primary is shorter and 2nd longer in Ph. b. borealis. 



BREEDING-HABITS. Nests on ground in grass : once in crevice 

 between loose stones. Nest. Built of green moss, with a little 

 grass and a few leaves, lined with goats' hair or wool, and domed 

 with side entrance. Eggs. 4 normally, pure white, without 

 gloss and very thin shelled. Occasionally faint reddish markings 

 on eggs. Average of 9 eggs, 14.9 X 11.6 mm. Breeding-season. 

 Early in June. 



FOOD. Probably insects, but definite information wanting. 



DISTRIBUTION. England. One, a female, North Cotes (Lines.), 

 Sept. 5, 1896 (G. H. Caton-Haigh, Bull B.O.C., vi, p. viii). [A 

 second record, Sule Skerry Light., afterwards shown to be Phyllo- 

 scopus b. borealis, vide infra, No. 130.] 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Breeds from Baltic Provinces of Russia 

 (possibly north-east Prussia) throughout central Russia to west 

 Siberia and north Turkestan. Winters in India. Accidental 

 Heligoland (3 times). Replaced by Ph. n. nitidus in Caucasus, 

 Transcaspia and Persia, and by another form in east Siberia and 

 other parts of Asia. 



PHYLLOSCOPUS SIBILATRIX 



129. Phylloscopus sibilatrix sibilatrix (Bechst.) THE 

 WOOD-WARBLER. 



MOTACILLA SIBILATRIX Bechstein, Naturforscher., xxvii, p. 47 (1793 



Thuringian mountains). 



Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechstein), Yarrell, i, p. 427 ; Saunders, p. 7J. 



& 



The Wood- Warbler (Phylloscopus s. sibilatrix). Note minute 1st primary. 



