CHIFFCHAFF. 439 



found, formed externally of dead leaves, placed in dead 

 fern, at least two feet from the ground ; and Mr. Hewitson 

 mentions another, at an equal elevation, built in some ivy 

 against a garden-wall. The eggs are usually six in number, 

 of a transparent white, sparsely spotted and speckled with 

 dark purplish-brown and sometimes dark grey. They 

 measure from *62 to *57 by from *43 to *46 in. 



As this bird is one of the first to arrive here in spring, 

 so is it also one of the last to leave us in autumn, and it is 

 frequently heard and seen as late as the middle of October ; 

 while some no doubt pass the whole year in England. 

 Montagu saw it several times in the winters of 18067 

 and 1808-9 in Devonshire ; Mr. Kodd states that a few 

 examples remain in Cornwall throughout most winters, and 

 have been heard chirping in mild open weather. Lord 

 Lilford kindly forwards the information that he has twice 

 seen the bird in Northamptonshire in December. Neville 

 Wood in 1836 observed it in Derbyshire as early as February 

 5th, and several other similar cases are on record. The 

 Editor was informed by Mr. Dresser that he heard its well- 

 known note near the Crystal Palace at the end of January, 

 1872 ; but on the other hand in some parts of England, 

 even where it breeds, the bird is not usually heard till the 

 end of April, or even till May. 



The Chiffchaff is in few places so abundant as the Willow- 

 Wren ; but in some of the western and southern counties 

 or at least in certain parts of them it is undoubtedly the 

 more numerous of the two species. This the Editor, from 

 his own observation, can affirm to be the case in the south 

 of Devon, while the same is said of it by Mr. Cecil Smith 

 as regards his own neighbourhood in Somerset and by Mr. 

 Harting in respect of Middlesex. The partiality which the 

 Chiffchaff shews for trees, and especially elms, of an older 

 growth, while the Willow- Wren is equally content with, 

 or even prefers, young plantations of a mixed character may 

 possibly explain this difference, but further investigation 

 is needed before the suggestion can be accepted. The 

 Chiffchaff breeds regularly in every English county, as also 



