THE COMMON TREE-WARBLER. 95 



it is probable that it is only by a sojourn in a far 

 country, where there is abundance of food, that a 

 Warbler is able to endure the strain on its 

 system of a second moult. 



The subject of our notice is often called 

 the " Icterine " Warbler, and is a late arrival 

 in Europe, not putting in an appearance in 

 Holland or Germany before the beginning of 

 May, when the males arrive first, and sing lustily. 

 Mr. Seebohm, who has made a special study of the 

 Thrushes and Warblers of the world, and to 

 whom the discovery of the important characters, 

 on which we have descanted above, is due, has 

 written an excellent description of the habits of 

 the present species in his " Birds of Great Britain." 

 He doubts the wonderful mocking powers usually 

 attributed to the species, and he does not allow 

 that the song can for one moment be compared to 

 that of the Nightingale, as some ornithologists 

 have asserted. " The song," he says, " is some- 

 what harsh, though very varied, although it 

 repeats every combination of notes two or three 

 times over in rapid succession, like a Song- 

 Thrush. Indeed, one might imagine tliat it had 

 been taught to sing by that bird, exactly as one 



