THFi YOUNG NATURmST. 



229 



dark brown, almost black. The difference 

 of colour between the legs of this species 

 and the last cannot always be distinguished 

 in dried specimens. 



The sexes do not differ in plumage. 



Inmature Birds are much darker in 

 colour than the adults. 



Note. — The ordinary note is " chiff, 

 chaff," from which the name of the bird is 

 derived. But besides these notes it seems 

 to have a more regular form of song, which 

 is either more seldom used, or less observed 

 by ornithologists. In answer to an enquiry 

 in the Young Naturalist, Miss Prescott Decie, 

 of Tenbury, writes (Y.N. Vol. i, page 218) : 

 " In answer to the letter in the number 

 for April 27th, relative to the song of the 

 Chiflfchaff, I have since been observing the 

 Chiffchaffs to see for myself whether they 

 sing or not. I have heard them several 

 times singing in a somewhat low, but melo- 

 dious song. In Morris it says that they 

 sing from the tops of tall trees, but they 

 seem to me to sing much more often from 

 the midst of small bushes and hedges." 



The following note also appeared in the 

 Zoologist, page 3943 : 



"A curious circumstance came under the 

 observation of Mr. Vingoe yesterday, which 

 he has reported to me, respecting the song 

 of what he considers to be a Chiffchaff. It 

 consisted of the usual passages of both its 

 own chirp song, and the modulated cadence 

 of the Willow Wren. It commenced with 

 the ' chipp chopp ' notes but these passed 

 gradually to the song of the Willow Wren, 

 but the blending of the two songs was 

 different at times. Sometimes the perform- 

 ance being confined to one without the 

 other, at others united, but the notes 

 peculiar to each species were, when uttered, 

 distinct and specific. — Ed. Hearle Rodd, Pe7i- 

 zance, May 23, 1853." 



Flight.— The flight is generally from 

 tree to tree, quick and undulatmg. 



Migration. — in the neighbourhood of 

 Huddersfield this species is generally heard 

 about the 30th of March. It may be looked 

 for earlier further south, and later in the 

 north. It departs again at the end of 

 September. 



Food. — Sm2ll insects of all kinds. 



Habitat. — This bird is met with in 

 wooded districts throughout England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland. In the south it is very 

 common, but decreases in numbers further 

 north. It has been known to occur in 

 Orkney, but not to breed. 



Abroad it is found throughout Europe, 

 as far as Lapland, in summer ; also in 

 Palestine, Egypt, Arabia. Wintering in 

 Kordofan, Abyssinia, Algeria, Morocco, 

 Canary Islands, &c. Some remain in the 

 southern countries of Europe through the 

 winter. 



Nest. — The nest is placed upon the 

 ground on a sloping bank generally, and is 

 a round ball of dead grass leaves and moss, 

 with an abundant lining of feathers. 



Eggs. — Five or six is the number of 

 eggs laid, which are white with a few purple 

 brown specks, not unlike some varieties of 

 those of the Willow Warbler, but the spots 

 are darker, being purple brown in the Chiff- 

 chaff and brick red in the Willow Wren. 



Varieties occasionally occur pure white. 



VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 



■ By S. L. MosLEY. 



Although this class of animals include 

 many, we may say a great many species, 

 well known to the general observer, yet 

 their classfication, the relationship of one 

 genus or family to another, is not well under- 

 stood, even by persons who have consider- 

 able knowledge of some beings much lower 



