THE WILLOW-WARBLERS. 209 



more olive-brown above than the adults, and entirely yellow 

 below. Before the first autumn moult the colour is a dull 

 olive-brown above, the throat and breast dingy ashy-brown; 

 the abdomen white, with a wash of sulphur-yellow in the 

 middle; the feet very pale. 



Winter Plumage. The adults in winter have the plumage very 

 like that of the spring, but rather more yellow. 



NOTE. The Willow- Warbler is easily distinguished from the Wood- 

 Warbler by its smaller size and duller coloration. The third and fourth 

 primaries are the longest quills, and the second primary is intermediate 

 between the fifth and sixth. It is with the Chiffchaff that the Willow- 

 Warbler is often confounded, but, as will be seen below, the wing of the 

 Chiffchaff is much more rounded, and the proportion of the quills is quite 

 different. In the Willow- Warbler the wing is much more pointed, as befits 

 a bird of such extended migration. The feet are also much paler in the 

 Willow- Warbler than in the Chiffchaff. 



Range in Great Britain. A summer visitor to nearly every por- 

 tion of the British Islands, though somewhat local in the west 

 of England and parts of Wales. It is only known as a straggler 

 in the Orkneys and Shetland Isles. It arrives in England about 

 the beginning of April, and departs in September. 



Range outside the British Islands. Occurs in nearly every part 



I of Europe, but in many countries only on migration. Its 



breeding range extends to the extreme north of Scandinavia, 



and in the valleys of the Petchora and the Yenesei Mr. See- 



jbohm found the species up to yo Q N. lat. In the northern 



[countries of Europe it breeds, but chiefly in the mountains, 



iand is decidedly local, while for its eastern range Dr. Pleske 



gives ample data to show that it nests in most of the provinces 



}f Russia, and even in the Caucasus and the isolated woods of 



he Kirghis-steppes. The principal winter home of the Willow- 



kVarbler is Africa, where it is found not only on the west coast 



)ut also in South Africa down to the Cape Colony itself. It 



bccurs in most collections from the Transvaal, and it is also 



net with in Damara Land during the cold season in the north. 



t is even said to winter in some of the Mediterranean countries, 



I nd certainly does so in the oases of the Sahara. 



Habits. Although the Willow- Warbler is frequently noticed 

 i the woods, especially on its first arrival in spring, it is by no 

 : leans so exclusively a denizen of them as the Wood-Warbler. 

 i t 



