THE MOUSTACHED WARBLER. 325 



Plumage as winter. Abrasion makes crown more uniform black, 

 mantle more clearly streaked and under -parts whiter, breast 

 becoming white as throat and belly and faint streaks wearing 

 completely away. 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Like adult but brown of upper -parts more tawny 

 less deep chestnut. 



First winter. Like adult. The juvenile body -plumage is 

 moulted June -August, but not wing or tail-feathers. 



Measurements and structure. $ wing 53-62 mm., tail 48-55, 

 tarsus 19-22, bill from skull 12-14 (12 measured). $ wing 52-59. 

 Primaries : 1st 5-8 mm. longer than longest primary-covert, 4th 

 and 5th longest, 3rd sometimes as long, but usually 1-2 mm. 

 shorter, 6th 1-3 shorter, 7th 3-5 shorter, 2nd usually equal to 8th, 

 occasionally as long as 7th or as short as 9th ; 3rd to 5th emar- 

 ginated outer webs. Tail much rounded, two central pairs being 

 longest and rest graduated, outermost 9-11 mm. shorter than 

 central pair, 12 feathers, tips rounded. Bill fine and compressed. 

 Two or three short rictal bristles but no nasal bristles. Nostrils 

 uncovered. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. L. m. mimica (west Turkestan, 

 Persia), is larger and considerably paler brown on upper-parts and 

 whiter on under-parts. Superficially somewhat resembles Sedge- 

 Warbler but crown is blacker, upper -parts more chestnut, eye- 

 stripe whiter, under-parts more rufous-buff not so yellowish, bill 

 is more compressed not so flat and wide, first primary is much 

 larger and wing much rounder, tail-feathers more graduated. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. Darker crown and upper-parts contrasted 

 with prominent white eye-stripe and pure white under-parts 

 distinguish it from Sedge-Warbler. Also has generally slimmer 

 appearance and habit of raising tail to vertical position. Song 

 sweeter, and more refined than Sedge-Warbler's and frequently 

 opens with a succession of some four musical, high-pitched notes 

 after manner of Nightingale. Alarm note a jarring rattle (H. Lynes). 



BREEDING-HABITS. A swamp -haunting species, always breeding 

 over moderately shallow water, nesting in the knots made by 

 fishermen tying reeds together in Hungary and in small bushes 

 growing in water or at bases of reed -clumps in Sicily (Lynes). 

 Nest. Built of water-grasses, bits of sedge, lined reed-flower, 

 bents and sometimes feathers. Eggs. Normally 4-5, rarely 

 6 and often 3 in late broods. Much like Sedge-Warbler's, but 

 average lighter : evenly speckled with olive-brown and ashy, 

 almost obscuring ground, and generally black hairstreak at end. 

 Average of 90 eggs, 17.8 x 13.1 mm. Breeding -season. End 

 April to early June in Hungary : probably early April onwards 

 in Sicily. Double brooded. 



