40 



SPECTACLED WARBLER. 



the latter by its smaller size, by the lunettes over tlie 

 • eyes, and by tlie general greater distinctness and purity 

 of the colours. I am however at a joerfect loss to 

 imagine upon what grounds it can be separated from 

 the "Whitethroats," and formed into a distinct genus. 



The Spectacled "Warbler builds in March, in low 

 bushes, about a foot from the ground. The nest is in 

 the shape of a blunt cone, and tolerably thick and 

 compact. It is formed of dry grass, stems, coarse plant 

 stalks, much down of seeds, and sometimes spiders' webs, 

 and* is lined with small roots and human as well as 

 horse-hair, (Miihle.) The outside as well as the inside 

 is constructed with especial care. The delicate eggs are 

 four, rarely five, in number; ground colour pale greenish 

 grey, with fine spots, greyish and greenish grey, some- 

 times thicker towards the base. 



In the adult male in breeding season, the vertex and 

 cheeks are ash grey; the whole upper part of the body 

 greyish russet, more or less marked; throat white; the 

 rest of the inferior parts red, tinged with grey, clearer 

 on the belly; lores and eyebrows black; cheeks white; 

 wings blackish, with the coverts broadly fringed with 

 lively red; tail dark brown, with the two internal 

 barbs of the external quills white; a small and some- 

 times a large spot of the same colour on the extremity 

 of the last, and a small spot on the third; beak, 

 yellow on the borders and the basal half below, the 

 rest blackish; feet yellowish; iris brown. 



The male in autumn has the head of a less pure ash- 

 colour; neck and mantle grey, with the feathers bordered 

 with russet; throat white; lower part of neck bluish ash; 

 crop and flanks red; middle of stomach whitish. 



The adult female has the top of the head dark ash 

 grey, while the black "spectacle" mark over the eyes 



