236 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



Locustella nczvia, B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 20 (1883) ; Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. ix. (1888); Saunders, Man., p. 81 

 (1889). 



Adult Male. General colour above olive-brown, all the 

 feathers centred with dark brown, producing a mottled ap- 

 pearance, the markings being smaller on the head, almost 

 obsolete on the sides of the neck, and not very distinct on the 

 lower back and rump, disappearing entirely on the upper tail- 

 coverts ; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back, the 

 greater series, as well as the primary-coverts and quills, dusky- 

 brown, externally olive-brown, the margins rather broader on 

 the innermost secondaries ; tail feathers dark brown, with 

 olive-brown margins, and ribbed across with dusky bars, very 

 distinct in certain lights ; lores and sides of face dark brown ; 

 over the eye a very faint line of whitish ; cheeks, throat, centre 

 of breast and abdomen whitish ; the sides of the throat, breast, 

 and sides of the body brown, washed with buff; under tail- 

 coverts buffy-white, with dark centres; axillaries and under 

 wing-coverts ashy-fulvous, the latter with dusky centres ; bill 

 dark brown, paler on the lower mandible ; feet flesh-colour or 

 pale brown ; iris clear brown. Total length, 5*3 inches ; cul- 

 men, 0-5 ; wing, 2*3 ; tail, 2'o ; tarsus, 0-85. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male in colour and markings, 

 but somewhat warmer brown above, and more fulvescent 

 below. Total length, 5*4 inches; wing, 2*4. 



Young. Slightly more rufescent and not so clear olive-brown 

 above than the adults, and tinged with sulphur-yellow on the 

 throat and breast, with numerous tiny spots of blackish-brown on 

 the lower throat and fore-neck ; the under tail-coverts are ru- 

 fescent, with ashy whitish tips and dark brown centres to the 

 feathers. Even after the spring moult there are often remains 

 of the stripes on the fore-neck, and the under parts are dis- 

 tinctly suffused with yellow. Such specimens are probably 

 birds of the previous year. 



NOTE. The Grasshopper Warbler is easily recognised by its striped 

 back and olive-brown colour. The only Warblers, therefore, with which 

 it might be at first confused are the Sedge- Warbler and Aquatic Warbler, 

 both of which have striped backs. They are, moreover, not only more 



