THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 



brings this Warbler to the London area. March 16, 1906, 

 is an exceptionally early record from Mitcham. The migra- 

 tion is stronger as April advances, and soon all the accus- 

 tomed spots are filled. The return journey is equally a late 

 one, and many examples of this species linger with us well 

 into October. The bird soon proclaims its presence in a 

 district by its monotonous so-called song, resembling the 

 syllables chiff-chaff, which it utters with the greatest 

 persistency at intervals the livelong day. Its general 

 actions are very similar to those of its near ally the 

 Willow Warbler, but the bird shows a more decided 

 preference for trees, in this respect resembling its con- 

 gener the Wood Warbler. It is an active, restless little 

 bird, incessantly hopping about amongst the foliage, 

 which it searches most industriously for its food. This 

 chiefly consists of insects and larvae. Upon one occasion 

 I was intently watching a ChifTchaff searching an apple- 

 tree for aphides, picking them off the under surface of 

 the leaves, when it suddenly flew to the window and tried 

 to catch a house-fly creeping inside the glass. It was most 

 amusing to watch the bird fluttering before the window- 

 pane, making repeated pecks at the glass in its efforts to 

 catch the fly. To the above fare are added many small 

 fruits. Soon after its arrival the Chiffchaff may be seen 

 in pairs, and the breeding season extends over April, 

 May, and June. Although fond enough of resorting to 

 the higher branches, it generally selects a site upon the 

 ground for its nest, or at most a few feet above it, amongst 

 ivy on a wall, or in a tangle of brambles and briars. A 

 favourite spot is amongst the meadow-grass or tall herbage 

 on a bank. It is semi-domed, and made externally of 

 moss, dry grass and leaves, lined with hair and feathers. 

 The half-dozen eggs are white, sparsely spotted with dark 

 reddish brown, paler brown, and grey. The old birds are 

 wary and secretive near the nest, and it is only by exer- 

 cising great patience that one can induce them to betray 

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