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ALLEN'S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
are some variations in the type of egg from those of the latter 
species. The ground-colour is white or greenish-white, and 
the spots vary from olive-brown to black, in the latter case 
being dotted over the egg. The underlying spots and blotches 
are violet-grey, but often pinkish-grey. As with many of the 
eggs of this group of Warblers, the grey blotches are very 
prominent, and sometimes overwhelm the fainter overlying 
spots. One type of egg has almost the appearance of a Tied 
Wagtail’s, both the overlying and underlying dots being very 
small, and a little more clustered round the larger end. Axis, 
o ' 75 ~ 0 'S > nc h l diam., o - 55-o - 6. In Spain the Cuckoo is very 
partial to the nests of this Warbler, and lays eggs exactly like 
those of the birds it victimises ( cf Saunders, Man., p. 46). 
THE BLACKCAP. SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA. 
Motacilla atricapilla, Linn., S. N., i., p. 332 (1766). 
Sylvia atricapilla , Macg., Br. B., ii., p. 339 (1839); Newt. ed. 
Yarn, i., p. 418 (1873) ; Dresser, B. Fur., ii., p. 421, pi. 
66 ( i8 75 ) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., v., p. 23 (1881) ; 
id. Hist. Br. B., i., p. 394 (1883) ; B. O. U. List Br. B , 
p. 12 (1883); Lilford, Col. Fig. BriL. B., pt. i. (1883); 
Saunders, Man., p. 47 (1889). 
Adult Male. — General colour above light olive-brown, a little 
greyer towards the rump and on the upper tail-coverts ; wing- 
coverts like the back ; quills sepia-brown, edged with olive- 
brown, greyer on the primaries ; tail feathers sepia-brown, 
edged with ashy-grey ; crown of head glossy black, extending 
as far as the nape and forming a cap ; hind-neck and sides of 
head slaty-grey, like the ear-coverts and sides of the face and 
lores ; eyelid whitish ; throat, breast, and abdomen ashy-white, 
the fore-neck, chest, and sides of body light slaty-grey, be- 
coming tinged with brown on the lower flanks, and darker 
brown on the thighs ; under tail-coverts white with dusky 
ashy centres ; axillaries and under wing-coverts ashy with a 
tinge of isabelline ; quills dusky below, with an ashy lining; 
bill dark brown ; feet and claws leaden grey ; iris hazel. 
Total length, 5-8 inches; oilmen, 0-45 ; wing, 2-93 ; tail, 2-25 ; 
tarsus, o - 8. 
Adult Female. — Similar to the male, but distinguished by 
having the cap rufous or rusty-brown, the hind neck being 
grey as ip the male, Total length, 5 '5 inches; wing, 2 ‘8. 
