514 



dark cedar-forests, especially those where Pinus cembra and Pinus pichta are interspersed ; and 

 they are even found in the underwoods. They seem to prefer dark humid places overgrown 

 with Rhododendron chrysanthum and upland willows. The nest of this species is placed on the 

 ground in moss interwoven with grass, bilberry, and rhododendron bushes, and is dome-shaped, 

 the bird working the moss or grass around into a sort of arch or dome, under which it makes a 

 bed for its eggs of dry cedar-spines. Its nest altogether resembles that of the other Phylloscopi. 

 Late in July we found a nest containing six half-fledged young. The young leave the nest when 

 their tails are half-grown, and remain together for some time." 



Mr. Meves, who met with this bird in North Russia, says that the old birds were feeding on 

 the large green larvse of a Tenthredo or Lophyrus, which, holding in their bill, they struck 

 against a bough until fit to swallow. They were very lively and active ; and he compares the 

 note to that of Muscicapa grisola or Sylvia atricapilla. 



Mr. Seebohm, who found this bird breeding on the Yennesei, gives me the following notes, 

 viz.: — "A fortnight after the arrival of Phylloscopus trochilm, P. tristis, and P. superciliosus, I 

 had given up P. borealis in despair, when suddenly it arrived in great numbers and became the 

 commonest of the four species. The song is almost exactly like the trill of the Redpole, but 

 not quite so rapid, and a little more melodious. Its call-note is generally a single monotonous 

 'hit, but sometimes made into a double note by dwelling on the first part d-z, zit. It is less 

 restless than the other Willow- Warblers, by no means shy, and is easy to shoot. When I left 

 the Arctic circle it had probably not commenced to breed ; but on the 6th of July I had the 

 good fortune to shoot a bird from its nest at Egaska in lat. 67°. The eggs are larger than those 

 of our Willow- Warbler, pure white, and profusely spotted all over with very small and very pale 

 pink spots. They were five in number. The nest was built on the ground in a wood thinly 

 scattered with trees, and was placed in a recess on the side of a tussock or little mound of grass 

 and other plants. It was semidomed, the outside being composed of moss, and the inside of fine 

 dry grass. There was neither feather nor hair used in the construction. I did not see this bird 

 further north than lat. 69°." 



The specimen figured is an adult male in full summer dress from Lake Baikal, in my own 

 collection. 



In the preparation of the above article 1 have examined the following specimens: — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, <j. Laxelo, Porsanger, Finmark, July 7th, 1876 {R. Collelt). b,6. June 4th; c, d, d. June 5th, Lake 

 Baikal (Dybowski). e,f,g,h. Amoy, China, April, i, k. Araoy, May {R.Swinhoe). I. Yedo, Japan 

 (C. M'Vean). 



