SAVl'S WARBLER. 327 



ear-coverts pale brown somewhat speckled with buff ; chin, centre 

 of throat and centre of belly white or buffish-white ; rest of under- 

 parts pale reddish-brown, at base of throat sometimes some darker 

 streaks, tips of under tail-coverts paler ; tail as rest of upper -parts, 

 but with obsolete transverse bars more easily observable in some 

 specimens than in others ; wing-feathers and wing-coverts as rest 

 of upper -parts but inner webs of wing-feathers narrowly fringed 

 very pale brown. This plumage is acquired by complete moult 

 in late summer. Summer. Possibly moults early in year, but no 

 specimen in moult has been examined. Abrasion has little effect, 

 but upper -parts become slightly paler and under -parts paler with 

 white of throat and centre of belly rather purer and more extensive. 



Nestling. A feathered skin has sparse reddish-brown down in 

 supra-orbital, occipital, humeral and spinal tracts. 



Juvenile. Xiike adult, but rather darker and more reddish 

 brown on upper parts. 



First winter. Apparently like adult, but no moulting specimen 

 examined. 



Measurements and structure. <$ wing 67-71 mm., tail 54-60, 

 tarsus 20-23, bill from skuU 12-14 (12 measured). $ wing 67-70. 

 Primaries : 1st minute, 1-5 mm. shorter than primary -coverts, 

 2nd longest, 3rd .5-3 shorter, 4th 3-6 shorter, 5th 5-9 shorter, 6th 

 8-11 shorter ; no emarginatioii on outer webs, and no notch on 

 inner web of 2nd ; outer primaries distinctly curved inwards. 

 Secondaries about 2 mm. shorter than 10th primary, tips slightly 

 rounded. Tail much rounded, 12 feathers, two central pairs about 

 equal and longest, rest graduated, outermost being 14-18 mm. 

 shorter than central, tips of feathers rounded. Under tail -co verts 

 very long, reaching beyond the outer tail-feathers. Bill fine and 

 compressed. Nostrils bare. A few minute rictal bristles. Legs 

 and feet fairly strong. 



Soft parts. Bill : upper mandible dark brown, lower pale 

 brown ; legs and feet pale brown ; iris brown. 

 CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. L. l.fusca (Transcaspia, Turkes- 

 tan) is considerably paler, less rufous and more tinged olive on 

 upper-parts and paler and whiter on under -parts. At once dis- 

 tinguished from other British Locustellce by its uniform upper- 

 parts. Superficially somewhat resembles Cettia cetti, but tinder- 

 parts are more rufous, less white and less grey-brown, tail has 12 

 instead of 10 feathers and wing-formula quite different. 

 FIELD-CHARACTERS. Haunts marshes and reed-beds and is not 

 shy. Male in breeding-season reels for long periods, perched high 

 up on reed -stem, with widely opened mouth, turning head from 

 side to side. Can only be confused with Grasshopper- and River- 

 Warblers, but is at once distinguished from former by uniform 

 colour of upper-parts and entire absence of spots, and from latter 

 by absence of throat -streaks (F.C.R.J.). 



