THE WOOD WARBLER. 19 



outer webs sloped off towards the extremity. 

 Willow Warbler, 2nd=6th ; 3rd, 4th, and 5th 

 sloped off. Chiff-chaff, 2nd=:7th ; 3rd, 4th, 5th, 

 and 6th sloped off. 



The Wood Warbler is much greener on the 

 back and whiter on the under parts than either 

 of its congeners, and has a well-defined super- 

 ciliary streak of sulphur-yellow, which, in the 

 Willow Wren, is much shorter and paler. The 

 legs of the Wood Warbler and Willow Wren 

 are brownish flesh-colour, while those of the 

 Chiff-chaff are dark brown. After the first moult, 

 the young of all three species are much yellower 

 in colour than their parents. Hence the mistake 

 which Vieillot made in describing the young of 

 P. trochilus as a distinct species under the name 

 of fiaviventris. 



Although the majority of the Sylviidcs are 

 fruit-eaters, the species now under considera- 

 tion are almost entirely insectivorous;^ they 

 are also more strictly arboreal in their habits, 



' Dr. Bree states that he has occasionally observed the 

 Willow Wren taking currants from his trees. 



