24 THE BIRDS OF DEA'OX. 



of the angler "^ith the first days of the fly-fishing season, when the trout 

 in our -west-country streams rise keenly to the " blue upright," and have 

 not been rendered hard to please by the abundant supply of insect food 

 "which will make them fat and lazy and disposed to be critical by the 

 time the meadows are ready for the mower's scythe in the merrie month 

 of June, On many a breezy day towards the end of March have we 

 welcomed the Willow-Warbler as we have noted it for the first time for 

 the season fiitting with restless haste from twig to twig, scrutinizing each 

 unfolding leaflet, and every now and then flying up a few inches into the 

 air to capture some passing insect. Ever and again it will warble its 

 simple song, not to be compared in its melody with that of the Blackcap, 

 perhaps, but cheerful and sprightly, and dear to those who hear it as 

 among the first strains which usher the glad spring. It is often seen in 

 gardens, where it is a bold and fearless little bird, somewhat disposed to 

 play the tyrant among the other small frequenters of the shrubberies. 



Wood- Warbler, Phjlloscopus silUatrix (Bechst.). 



A summer migrant. Local, but common where it occurs. Breeds. 



The "Wood-Wren times its arrival in England so as to find the oaks and 

 elms already coming into leaf, and ie not to be expected before the end of 

 April or beginning of May, when it may be noticed in jilaces far from the 

 woods which are its summer abode. We have seen it on the level near 

 "Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. In Xorth Devon it is not rare in large 

 woods where there are tall oak and beech trees. 



At Plymouth it arrives in April and departs in October. It is common in Bick- 

 leigli Tale and in all large woods with tall trees, but is verv rarely seen in brush-wood 

 (E. M., Trans. Plyui. Inst. 1830, p. 30.i ; J. C. B., ^'at. Hist'. S. Devon, p. 207; 

 R. A. J., ' datura li?t.' i. p. 87 ; and J. G., v. v.). ? Ivybridge, Eev. G. C. Green ; 

 TaTistock, A. ^Mitchell (Pidsley's 'Birds of Deronshire '). It has not been met with 

 near Kingsbridge (R. P. >'.). 



There is a specimen in the Museum of the Torquay Natural History Society ob- 

 tained in the neighbourhood, and Turton and Kingston include it in their list of the 

 birds of the district. 



It is Tcrv scarce near Topsham, but one was shot there in July 1844 (F. W. L. E., 

 MS. vol. iv. p. IK'}. 



In IS'orth Devon it is common in oak-woods near Clovelly (O. V. A., Zool. 1887, 

 p. 71). Apparently numerous near Dulverton, in Somerset, close to the north-eastern 

 border of Devon (C. S., Zool. 1878, p. 330). 



Col. Aloniagu saw and heard this species in several of the western counties, and 

 obtained specimens, nests, and eggs (Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. iv. p. 35). 



[Icterine Warbler. Ihjpolais icterina (Yieillot). 



In Bellamy's ' Natural History of South Devon ' there is a description 

 given of a Warbler which was unknown to him, but which we have little 

 doubt was a specimen of the Icterine Warl)ler, the bird which for some 

 time had a place in the British list under the name of the Melodious 

 "WiUow-Warbler. However, this appellation was misleading, because the 



