520 British Willow Wrens. 
Specific Character. — Belly and under tail-coverts white 
tinged with yellow, in some birds the belly dull white ; closed 
wings distant an inch from tip of tail; first quill very short, 
second of same length as, or a little longer than, the sixth, 
third and fourth the longest, and of equal length, only the 
third, fourth, and fifth quills having the outer webs sloped 
towards the tips; length hardly 5} in.; breadth 8 in.; weight 
about 5 drachms 12 grains. 
The female is generally rather smaller than the male, and 
has not the plumage so bright. The young, on leaving the 
nest, differ from the adults in being yellower on the under 
parts, wings, and tail, and the bill and streak over the eye are 
also more yellow. 
To distinguish this bird from the lesser pettychaps I found 
often very difficult, previously to my discovering the difference 
in the quills; for the variance in the plumage and legs is some- 
times very trifling, having met with yellow wrens with legs 
nearly as dark as those of the pettychaps, and with males of 
the latter with a plumage quite as bright as females of the 
former. It is also sometimes very difficult to separate their 
eggs, though the spots on those of the yellow wren are gene- 
rally lightest. 
The yellow wren shows itself in Kent about the second 
week in April, and appears to be more generally dispersed 
through England and Wales than either of the other species. 
It is the only one of the three that I have ever observed to 
frequent gardens and orchards. 
Lesser PetrycHars (Sy’LVIA HIPPOLATS). (fig. 126. c.) 
Synonymes. — Lesser Pettychaps: Mont. Ornith. Dict. ; 
Selby’s Br. Birds, pt.i. p. 186. pl. 47. f. 1. Chiff-chaff: Bew. 
Br. Birds, ed.'1826, v. 1p. 258: 
I do not refer to the Bec-fin a poitrine jaune of ‘Temminck, 
believing it, from his description, particularly of the nest, to 
be a different bird. 
Specific Character. — Belly and under tail-coverts like the 
yellow wren; closed wings distant about an inch from tip of 
tail; first quill very short, second of same length as the 
seventh; third, fourth, and fifth of equal length, and the 
longest in the wing; third, fourth, fifth, and sixth quills 
having their outer webs sloped towards the tips; length 44; 
breadth 74; weight about 4 drachms 12 grains. 
The female has her colours duller than the male; while 
the young have them brighter. In general plumage it greatly 
resembles the yellow wren, but is not quite so much tinged 
with green above or yellow beneath. ‘The lesser pettychaps 
