330 SYLVIADA, 
Selby has noticed its appearance in Northumberland as 
soon as the larch trees become visibly green. The Willow 
Warbler is to be found in greater numbers, as well as 
more generally dispersed, than either the Wood Warbler 
or the Chiff Chaff, with which it is generically united, and 
with both of which it is sometimes confounded. This 
bird is, however, readily distinguished from the Wood 
Warbler by the darker olive green tint of the plumage of 
the upper parts of the body; by the light-coloured streak 
over the eye being smaller, and not so well defined; by 
all the under surface of the body, and under tail-coverts 
being tinged with yellow; and by the shortness as well as 
by the structure of the wing, the second feather of which 
is equal in length to the sixth. From the Chiff Chaff, 
next to be described, it is best distinguished by its pale 
brown legs, which in the Chiff Chaff are very dark brown, 
or nearly black, with the second feather of the wing equal 
in length to the seventh. 
The Willow Warbler frequents woods, plantations, shrub- 
beries, thick hedge-rows, and bushes on commons, is 
lively and amusing in its actions, hopping or flying from 
branch to branch, and capturing any small imsect that 
comes in its way. Its song, though possessing but little 
variety, is soft and pleasing, sometimes given from a high 
tree, and occasionally while on the wing, passing from 
place to place. The nest is built on the ground; and 
one of the situations most commonly chosen for it is a 
wood hedge-bank among long grass and coarse herbage. 
The nest is oval or rounded in form, composed externally 
of moss and grass, with a hole in the side through which 
the bird creeps to the hollow space within, which is lined 
with feathers. The eggs are six or seven in number, 
white, with numerous small specks of pale red; the length 
