BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 35 



the same time as its congener ; rather locally distri- 

 buted, and more commonly met with in the oldest 

 timbered portions of the district. I have frequently 

 observed them in our solitary marsh-hawthorn and 

 hedgerow shelters in the autumn, in company with 

 the common species, Willow Wren, &c. Colonel 

 Montagu remarks, "is more abundant in the en- 

 closed parts of Lincolnshire than any other county "*. 



56. SYLVIA SYLVICOLA, Latham. Wood Warbler. 

 This exquisite and delicate bird must be considered 

 a rather rare summer visitant to North Lincolnshire 

 and Holderness, and is, I regret to say, of much less 

 frequent occurrence than formerly ; I have not seen 

 one in this parish for several years. It is now only 

 found in the neighbourhood of old woodlands and 

 well-timbered parks. Mr. Alington writes that " it 

 was formerly not uncommon in Swinhope parish, but 

 has of late years been a rarity." 



57. SYLVIA TROCHILUS (Linnaeus) . Willow Warbler. 



One of the earliest and most numerous of our little 

 summer warblers. The clear, silvery, ringing notes 

 heard when first " rosy plumelets tuft the larch " are a 

 sure indication of returning spring. Arrives about the 

 second week in April (earliest arrival noted during the 

 last ten years, April llth; latest, April 20th), leaves 



* Dictionary of British Birds, p. 378. 



