72 WOOD-WREN. 
in the Baltic provinces, though rarer in South Finland, and only a 
straggler to Archangel. Eastward it can be traced to Kazan, the 
lower valley of the Volga, the Caucasus, and the western shore of 
the Caspian. In Palestine, Asia Minor, and Greece, it chiefly 
occurs on migration: but it breeds in Turkey and the greater part 
of Europe, although rarely in the extreme south; while it is only a 
migrant in Spain, and almost unknown in Portugal. It appears 
probable that a few remain during the summer in the mountain forests 
of the Atlas; the winter migrations extending to Madeira, the 
Canaries, and the Gold Coast on the west side of Africa, as well as to 
Abyssinia on the east. Notwithstanding its comparatively long 
wings, the Wood-Wren appears to hug the land on passage far more 
closely than is customary with the Willow-Wren and the Chiffchaff, 
thousands of which annually visit Heligoland on their migrations ; 
whereas the Wood-Wren is seldom met with there. 
Like its congeners, this species makes a domed nest of dry grass, 
but there is no dining of feathers. Sloping wooded banks are 
favourite situations for the nest, which often is not merely ov the 
ground, but is actually set zz some natural hollow among scanty 
undergrowth and dry leaves. The hen at times sits very closely, 
and when fairly beaten out she will feed in an unconcerned manner 
for a quarter of an hour or more, uttering a low Zz-d ; after which she 
works round to a branch above her nest, drops down abruptly, and 
enters it inan instant. The 5-7 eggs, laid about mid-May, are white, 
thickly spotted and frequently zoned with purplish-brown and violet- 
grey: average measurements ‘65 by ‘55 in. (P. dome//ii—a miniature 
Wood-Wren, common on the Continent, especially in the south—lays 
similar but much smaller eggs.) The food is principally insects, 
often taken on the wing, and berries in the season. The call-note 
is dee-ur, dee-ur, dee-ur ; the shivering song, which may be syllabled 
as chit, chit, chit, chit, chitr, tr-tr-tr-tr-tr-tre, is accompanied by rapid 
vibrations of the wings and tail. 
In spring the adult has a broad and characteristic sulphur-yellow 
streak above and behind the eye ; the upper parts yellowish-green ; 
wings greyish-brown, edged with yellowish, turning whiter on the 
inner secondaries ; tail greyish-brown ; belly and under tail-coverts 
white ; breast and throat sulphur-yellow ; bill, legs and feet brown. 
Length 52 in.; wing, to the tip of the 3rd and longest quill, 31 
in.; the first or bastard quill being very short; tarsus ‘yin. In 
plumage the sexes are alike; the young differ in being rather 
yellower than the adults. The coloration, larger size, and propor- 
tionately long wing distinguish this species from its allies. 
