WILLOW WARBLER. 97 



more extended, Mr Edward having found it in Banffsliire. Mr 

 A. G. More states in the " Ibis," that the Duke of Argyle had like- 

 wise observed the species at Balmoral. Mr Angus informs me that 

 in Aberdeenshire it is so rare that he has never seen it in any local 

 collection. He has, however, procured several specimens himself 

 in that county; one at Fyvie Castle in 1862, where he took the 

 nest and eggs, and a pair which he shot on the 19th May, 1866, 

 in the pleasure-grounds at Warthill. He has also observed it at 

 Fetteresso, in Glentanner Forest, in the Den of Leggat at Ban- 

 chory Ternan, and at Parkhouse. 



THE WILLOW WARBLER. 

 SYLVIA TROCHILUS. 



THE most careless observer, whilst walking in the country about 

 the time the buds are appearing, cannot fail to remark this lively 

 little bird one of our earliest summer visitants as it flits 

 briskly on every tree piping its little batch of pleasing notes. In 

 our northern climate it is cheerful indeed to hear the happy song 

 of so delicate a little creature, and see his slender figure threading 

 the intricacies of the half-clad twigs; and as soon as we know that 

 the Willow Warbler has come, we may feel sure that summer is 

 not far distant. There is something almost magical in the sud- 

 denness with which our woods and hedgerows become peopled 

 by these early migrants; we pursue our walk over a certain 

 course, and having finished a day's ramble in the certain belief 

 that no warblers have yet visited the long rows of hedges and 

 plantations we have passed, we are surprised next morning to 

 find hundreds darting about among the branches and twigs, 

 making the very tree tops sing with joy. Every ornithologist 

 welcomes the little fellow with as much interest as he does the 

 cuckoo or swallow, and rejoices in its salutation of pent-up 

 notes, which are uttered as if in gladness after a long and 

 somewhat hazardous journey to our shores. 



I have found the nest of the Willow Warbler in Shemore Glen, 

 Loch Lomond-side, at a considerable elevation, and placed in the 

 grass among tufts of heather, the structure in these cases being 

 lined with the feathers of black game, grouse, and pheasants. 

 This bird is also found breeding in great numbers in Inverkip 



