164 Silviadce. 



surpasses its congeners in song ; indeed, so sweet and musical arc 

 its notes, as to give it the sobriquet of the ' Warbling Pettychaps,' 

 and 'Melodious Willow Wren/ Gilbert White says it has a 

 'joyous, easy, laughing note; it is constantly in motion, flitting 

 from branch to branch, in search of the smaller insects that con- 

 stitute its food: for this and its congeners are perpetually em- 

 ployed in the destruction of Aphides or insect blight, which are 

 so injurious to our fruit and other trees, and sometimes threaten 

 to overwhelm them with their numbers; but little account is 

 taken by short-sighted man of the incalculable benefits which 

 these insect-eating birds confer upon him. All the Willow 

 Warblers live entirely on insect-diet, and never eat fruit or 

 berries, though they often frequent the fruit trees in search of 

 their insect prey. The specific name trochilus is given in the 

 B.O.TJ. Catalogue, as if 'a runner;' but if this is the correct 

 derivation, the name does not appear to be very happily chosen. 

 It is derived from rpiy^u, ' I run,' and is the same name as that 

 given by Herodotus to the Crocodile bird, the 'Spur-winged 

 Plover' (Charadrius spinosus), which was supposed to pick the 

 leeches from the open mouth of that formidable reptile. In 

 France it is from its singing powers known as Le Chant-re as 

 well as Bee-fin PouiUot ; in Sweden it is Lof-Sdnyare, ' Leaf 

 Warbler.' Why it is called 'Willow' Warbler is not quite ap- 

 parent, though for this several sufficient reasons may be found. 

 Perhaps, says Mr. Harting, from its partiality to willows and 

 the aphides which abound on them ; perhaps from its prevailing 

 green colour ; perhaps from its arrival as the willow is budding.* 

 From its domed or hooded nest, with a large hole at the side, 

 both this species and its congeners are sometimes known as 

 ' Oven birds.' 



56. CHIFF CHAFF (Silvia Itippolais). 



This is one of our earliest spring arrivals, and may be readily 

 recognised on reaching us, for alone of its congeners it makes 

 its appearance early in April, sometimes even in the last week of 



' Our Summer Migrants,' p. 25. 



