228 



THE YOUNG NATUEALIST. 



brown ; eyes hazel ; the crown of the head 

 and back down to the tail is olive green ; 

 wings and tail a darker shade of the same 

 colour ; over the eye is a yellowish white 

 streak, and the sides of the head are white, 

 tinged with yellow ; under parts white. 

 This species is rather less than the Wood 

 Warbler, less yellow, and the wings shorter. 



The sexes are similar in colour. 



Immature Birds are much yellower than 

 adults. 



Varieties.— One is recorded fNat., 1864, 

 p. 146) " of a uniform pale yellow, inclining 

 to a straw yellow on the upper parts of its 

 plumage ; bill and legs straw-yellow ; killed 

 in the neighbourhood of Gunton in August, 

 1861." Mr. Bond has seen several white, 

 more or less tinged with lemon. 



Note. — The song, though short and not 

 of much variety, is lively and pleasing. 

 For some time after the arrival of these 

 birds in this country, every wood, copse, 

 and hedgerow rings with their sweet, inces- 

 sant song. As with most other birds, it 

 ceases during the height of the breeding 

 season, but is renewed again for a short 

 time in autumn before the departure of the 

 birds. 



Flight.— The flight is quick, but un- 

 even, and only for short distances, as from 

 one bush to another. 



Migration. — A summer migrant, arri- 

 ving in this country early in April and 

 departing again at the end of September. 



Pood. — Flies, spider, caterpillars, and 

 small insects of all kinds. The bird may 

 be observed hopping about the bushes, 

 peering under every leaf, and destroying in 

 this way a great many insects. These birds 

 are very serviceable in checking the too 

 rapid increase of insect life ; but it should 

 be remembered that many insects, such as 

 ichneumon flies, are beneficial, and the un- 

 due encouragement of insectivorous birds 

 tend to decrease these. 



Habitat— This is one of our common- 

 est summer visitors, being found in woods* 

 plantations, hedgerows, and gardens through- 

 out England, Scotland, and Ireland, though 

 less commonly in the extreme northern 

 portion. 



Abroad, it is common throughout Europe, 

 even as far north as Lapland in summer ; 

 also in parts of Asia and Africa. 



Nest. — The nest is placed upon the 

 ground, generally on a sloping bank over- 

 grown with herbage, or sometimes in a tuft 

 of herbage on the level ground. It is a 

 large structure for the size of the bird, and 

 is dome-shaped with an opening at the side. 

 The materials of which it is constructed are 

 dry grass and moss profusely lined with 

 feathers. The bird generally sits very close, 

 especially during incubation. The bird will 

 feign lameness in order to draw attention 

 from its nest. 



Eggs.— From five to seven eggs are laid, 

 which are white, spotted with red. They 

 vary greatly, however, in the extent and 

 arrangement of the spots. Sometimes the 

 whole egg is covered, especially at the large 

 end, with minute specks ; others have a few 

 large, bold spots at the large end and a few 

 smaller ones scattered about. Sometimes 

 odd spots are scattered irregularly all over 

 the egg,while others have them concentrated 

 into a zone at the large end and the rest of 

 the egg almost clear white. 



Varieties. — Newman says " Sometimes 

 unspotted white." I have seen some in 

 which the ground colour was pale pink with 

 the usual spotting and others pure white 

 (F.B.). ^ 



47. CHIEF CHAFF. 

 Sylva rufa, Limm. 

 Rufa, reddish. 



Size. — Length 4^ in. ; expanse 6 in. 



Plumage. — Coloured very much like 

 the Willow Warbler, but the green parts 

 are rather browner and the legs and toes 



