THE CHIFF CHAFF. 63 



purple ; the spots are closer together at the thicker end, 

 and frequently take the shape of a belt ; the shell is par- 

 ticularly thin, and not much polished in texture. The young 

 birds make their appearance about the middle of June. 



The Chiff Chaff is decidedly of a bold and quarrelsome 

 disposition, and readily attacks other birds that may come 

 too near its haunts, the size of its antagonist not being 

 considered of much importance. 



This bird is a visitor to most of the European countries. 

 In England it is found throughout Sussex, Essex, Suffolk, 

 Norfolk, Derbyshire, and Worcestershire; it is also met 

 with in Westmoreland, Durham, and Cornwall. In Devon- 

 shire it is very common, and it is met with in Scotland 

 (more especially in the Lothians) and in Wales and Ireland. 

 The numbers of Chiff Chaffs that annually visit this 

 country vary considerably ; sometimes they come in com- 

 paratively large numbers : whilst on other occasions they 

 would appear to be few and far between. Migration is 

 invariably performed at night. 



The length of the bird is about four and a-half inches ; 

 the bill is dark-brown, the edges at the base being a pale, 

 yellowish-red, beset with bristles. Over the eye there is 

 a pale, yellowish-brown mark, and between the eye and 

 the bill the space is greyish ; a narrow circle of the same 

 colour also surrounds the eyes. The iris is dusky; the 

 head, crown, back of neck, and nape are greenish-ash 

 colour or brownish-olive ; the chin, throat, and breast, 

 pale, dull, yellowish-white, the yellow being chiefly in 

 indistinct streaks ; the back is greenish-ash colour, the 

 edges of the feathers being paler than the remainder. The 

 under-surface of the wings is grey; greater and lesser 

 wing-coverts are a greenish-ash colour, which gets duller 



