VOL. viT.] DUSKY WARBLER IN ORKNEY. 223 



The following is a free translation from the German 

 of Dybowski's account of the breeding-habits of Ph. 

 fuscatus (J. /. 0. 1872, p. 357) :— 



The spring passage of this bird takes place in the last 

 days of May, and it is found in considerable numbers through- 

 out the whole summer in the district south-east of Lake 

 Baikal, inhabiting valleys overgrown with low scrub or 

 woods on the sides of the lower hills, especially those which 

 border swamps. Soon after its arrival one hears its monotonou s 

 song which resembles the syllables " Tsius-tsius-tsius." 



The nest is built on hillocks overgrown with high grass or 

 in bushes, generally in one close to running or stagnant water, 

 and is either close to the ground or else about eighteen inches 

 above it. The nest is domed, with a side entrance. The 

 material used is dry grass mixed with some moss, and lined 

 with a quantity of feathers. The grasses used are much 

 finer than those employed by the Chiff chaff. About the 

 middle of June the female lays five or six pure Avhite eggs, 

 \Aithout gloss, and usually more or less distinctly pointed 

 in shape, measuring 18 X 12.5 mm. ; 15.3 X 12 mm. The 

 hen sits very closely and usually only leaves the nest when 

 the grass or scrub among which tlie nest is placed is disturbed, 

 when she is joined by the male, attracted by her cries. If 

 one withdraws for a few paces she returns at once to the 

 nest. Cuckoos' eggs are frequently deposited in the nests 

 of this species. In autumn they remam to mid-September, 

 but smgle individuals are also seen up to October. 



The species should be added to the Hand-List as follows : — 



I28a. Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth). — THE DUSKY 

 WARBLER. 



Phyllopneuste fuscata Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, xi, 

 p. 113 (1842— Calcutta). 



Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth), Clarke, Scot. Nat., 1913, p. 271. 



Distribution. — Scotland. — One, a female, Auskerry (Orkney), 

 Oct. 3, 1913 {ut supra). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — ^Breeds from Yenisei eastward to 

 Sea of Okhotsk, and from Mongolia and Manchuria north- 

 wards, probably to about lat. 64° N. On migration, occurs 

 in China, Japan and Mongolia, wintering in Formosa, south 

 China, Burma, Assam, Nepal, Tenasserim, and plains of 

 northern India. 



