THE WILLOW- WARBLER 31 



For two successive years a little yellowish bird, scarcely bigger 

 than a wren, has established himself in my garden about the middle 

 of April, and sedulously devoted himself to clearing away the 

 aphides which infested some China roses trained against the walls 

 of my house. Occasionally he would flutter against the windows, 

 and give his attention to the spiders and gnats which nestled in 

 the corners of the panes. The first year I took him for a Haybird, 

 but, only too grateful for his kind offices, I was careful not to molest 

 him. When, however, he appeared a second year, exactly at the 

 same season, and performed a series of manoeuvres so precisely 

 similar that it was impossible to doubt that the bird was not 

 merely of the same species, but the same individual, I watched 

 him more closely. The dark colour of his feet, as observed from 

 within the house, as he was fluttering against the glass, decided 

 the point that he was not a Hay-bird, and when he retired to an 

 apple-tree hard by and treated himself to a song after his repast, 

 no doubt remained that he was a Chiff-chaff. It is not often that 

 the Chiff-chaff is thus familiar in its habits. More frequently 

 it makes its abode in woods and groves, resembling the Hay- 

 bird so closely in size, colour and habits, that to distinguish the 

 two is very difficult. The difference of note, however, is decisive ; 

 and the colour of the feet (when the bird is near enough to admit 

 of being thus distinguished) is another certain criterion. The two 

 birds frequent the same trees without rivalry or jealousy. The 

 Chiff-chaff is the earliest of our spring visitors, arriving the middle 

 of March, and it sings all through the summer ; I have heard it as 

 late as the thirtieth of September. The nests, popularly called 

 ' wood-ovens ', are alike and placed in similar situations ; their eggs are 

 of the same size and shape, but those of the Chiff-chaff are spotted 

 with very dark purple instead of rust colour. A few occasionally 

 remain with us all the year, feeding on winter gnats and the pupaa 

 of small insects, but remaining wholly silent. Other names by 

 which it is known are ' Chip-chop ' and Lesser Pettichaps. 



THE WILLOW-WARBLER 



PHYLLOSCOPUS TROCHILUS 



Upper parts bright olive-green ; a narrow streak of yellow over the eye ; under 

 parts yellowish white, palest in the middle ; feathers of the leg yellow ; 

 second primary equal to the sixth ; third, fourth, and fifth with the outer 

 web sloped off at the extremity ; feet stoutish ; legs light brown. Length 

 nearly five inches ; breadth eight. Eggs white, more or less speckled 

 with rust colour. 



There seems to be no sufficient reason why this bird should be 

 named Willow-warbler or Willow-wren, as it shows no special 

 preference for willows, nor does it frequent watery places. The 

 popular name, ' Hay-bird ', is, I think, the better of the two ; for, 



