330 SYLVIAS. 



Selby has noticed its appearance in Northumberland as 

 soon as the larch trees become visibly green. The Willow 

 Warbler is to be found in greater numbers, as well as 

 more generally dispersed, than either the Wood Warbler 

 or the Chiff Chaff, with which it is generically united, and 

 with both of which it is sometimes confounded. This 

 bird is, however, readily distinguished from the Wood 

 Warbler by the darker olive green tint of the plumage of 

 the upper parts of the body ; by the light-coloured streak 

 over the eye being smaller, and not so well defined ; by 

 all the under surface of the body, and under tail- coverts 

 being tinged with yellow ; and by the shortness as well as 

 by the structure of the wing, the second feather of which 

 is equal in length to the sixth. From the Chiff Chaff, 

 next to be described, it is best distinguished by its pale 

 brown legs, which in the Chiff Chaff are very dark brown, 

 or nearly black, with the second feather of the wing equal 

 in length to the seventh. 



The Willow Warbler frequents woods, plantations, shrub- 

 beries, thick hedge-rows, and bushes on commons, is 

 lively and amusing in its actions, hopping or flying from 

 branch to branch, and capturing any small insect that 

 comes in its way. Its song, though possessing but little 

 variety, is soft and pleasing, sometimes given from a high 

 tree, and occasionally while on the wing, passing from 

 place to place. The nest is built on the ground; and 

 one of the situations most commonly chosen for it is a 

 wood hedge-bank among long grass and coarse herbage. 

 The nest is oval or rounded in form, composed externally 

 of moss and grass, with a hole in the side through which 

 the bird creeps to the hollow space within, which is lined 

 with feathers. The eggs are six or seven in number, 

 white, with numerous small specks of pale red ; the length 



