SEDGE-WARBLER 



the small coverts, and forming a sort of dark band across the 

 wing, almost hiding the dark centres on the upper wing, 

 making this part look uniform in colour. The sides of the 

 face and neck are rather rich olive-buff with faint dark centres 

 to the feathers, and there is a moustache stripe, though not 

 very conspicuous. The throat is pure whitish buff ; the crop 

 and flanks are buff, with or without a faint olive wash, the 

 former being furnished with brownish grey spots. The 

 abdomen is whitish, blending into a pure buff on the under 

 tail-coverts ; under surface of the tail and wings are lavender 

 grey narrowly edged with light buff and the feather shafts 

 are white. The upper mandible is dark horn lavender, lower 

 mandible light lavender flesh, darker towards the tip, and 

 the corner and inside of the mouth orange yellow. Irides 

 dark brown, the small feathers above are light buff, those 

 below white. The eyelid is dark lavender flesh. Tibia olive 

 buff. Tarsus and toes fairly light greenish lead colour ; soles 

 yellowish olive, and the claws olive grey. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



It is so generally distributed from the middle of April to 

 September throughout the British Isles that it is not necessary 

 to mention any particular locality : we find, however, that as 

 we proceed further north it is rather more local, and does not 

 apparently reach the Shetlands, although in the Orkneys it is 

 by no means uncommon. In the north-west of Skye it is 

 rare, but in the islands further south, Islay and Mull, more 

 numerous. In Ireland it breeds in every county, and is even 

 found on Achil Island. 



Crossing the English Channel and commencing in the 

 south-w^est, we find it rare in the south of Spain and in 

 Portugal, but rather more numerous further north, especially 

 near Aroza Bay. In the Pyrenees it is common, also in 

 suitable places throughout France, Belgium, and the Nether- 



