Birds of Britain 



the young, and for the rest of the year they are almost silent 

 except for a harsh scolding note if the nest or young are 

 approached. Towards the end of summer it leaves us, but 

 for some time previous to its departure it has been so quiet 

 and skulking that its actual departure will probably be 

 quite unnoticed. 



The adult male has the head black and the rest of the 

 upper parts ash brown. Chin greyish white ; throat, breast, 

 and flanks ash grey ; belly white. Bill horn colour. Legs 

 lead colour. The female has the top of the head reddish 

 brown and the young at first resemble her. The males, 

 however, assume their black head in their first autumn, but 

 occasionally the cap shows a decided tinge of rufous. 

 Length 5*75 in.; wing 2*75 in. 



This species is fairly common in England and Wales 

 but rarer and more local in Scotland and Ireland. 



THE GARDEN WARBLER 



Sylvia hortensis, Bechstein 



In our minds this bird, for some reason which is not 

 very clear, is always associated with the Blackcap. They 

 are almost identical in habits and live in similar situations, 

 but at the same time, although both species may often be 

 found breeding together, the one is generally common in 

 localities where the other is scarce and vice versa. 



It is rather a late arrival, rarely appearing in numbers 

 before the end of April, and has never been known to 

 winter in these islands. 



46 



