BARBED WABBLEB. 117 



The Barred Warbler belongs to the same division as the White- 

 throats, and, like them, though of considerable size and somewhat clumsy 

 appearance, it is swift and active. It lives generally very much 

 concealed, and is not therefore so often observed as other members 

 of the group. It has a particular predilection for thorny bushes. 

 Avoiding mountainous districts, it is found in field hedges and young 

 thickets, particularly where blackthorn and whitethorn abound. In 

 spring it is observed in woods on high trees about the period of mi- 

 gration, getting again into the thickets in the autumn. It is a restless 

 bird, never known to sit still, hopping about from branch to branch, 

 and gliding along the fence with considerable rapidity. When met 

 with suddenly, it raises up the feathers on the top of its head, like 

 the Common Whitethroat, jerks up its tail, and utters a harsh cry. 



Count Miihle does not give our bird a very high character. He 

 says it is not only a very restless, but also a very quarrelsome and 

 jealous fellow, driving away all other birds out of its hunting district; 

 and while the lady bird is performing the duties of incubation, her 

 lord is assiduously employed in driving off all disturbers of the peace. 



The note of S. nisora is strong and melodious, and it sings from 

 early morning till late in the evening a song not inferior to that of 

 the Garden Warbler, which it somewhat resembles. It sings frequently 

 while flying, and may often be seen rising up several yards into the 

 air, and then falling down like a shot upon another tree or bush, 

 alternately flying and fluttering. 



In autumn the young males may be heard like the other Hedge 

 Warblers, snapping and croaking to all comers. 



The Barred Warbler, according to Miihle, builds in the beginning 

 of May in thick thorn bushes, at a height of two to four feet, a slight 

 half-globular-shaped nest. It is made very loose, with dry stalks of 

 plants, small straws interwoven with spiders' and caterpillars' webs, 

 and lined inside with horse-hair. It lays four to six eggs, grey greenish 

 or yellowish grey, with bright ash grey or pale brown spots. They 

 only breed once a year, and the male and female sit on the eggs 

 alternately. 



The male has the whole upper part of the body clear dark grey, 

 usually with a rusty yellowish tint. The greater and lesser wing coverts 

 and upper tail coverts edged with white, more feeble and contracted 

 from the third to the fifth primary; the third primary longest, the 

 second almost as long; tail dark ash grey, first feathers with outer 

 border whitish; the middle quill and second quill have at the end a 

 broad wedge-shaped white spot; the third and fourth an oblique deep 

 edge of white. Under parts of body greyish white, and flanks darker. 



