and Sweden it certainly does not go so far north as the P. trochilus ; but I both oe shot : single
individual near the celebrated waterfall at Drontheim. This, however, is the furthest [pout a that direction
at which, so far as I am aware, it has ever been met with. On the continent of Europe it is oo generally
spread over all the southern and central countries, but it is CO so plentiful as tne IP, ee It is
more local than that species, and never ascends to so great an Se on the mountains. With us it affects
woods, coppices, gardens, and thick hedge-rows, the tops of the highest trees as well - nose of the lowest
In its manners it is very tame and fearless, admitting of the nearest

growth being equally frequented by it.
If the situation of its nest be intruded upon, it becomes rest-

approach without evincing any signs of alarm. May
less, and continues to flit to and fro from branch to branch, thereby often betraying that which it is desirous to
conceal. Besides its ordinary bi-toned note of chzlp-chilp or cheep-cheep, likened by some to the syllables chiff-
chaff’ (whence its trivial name), it utters a mournful, piping call whenever it is disturbed Os alarmed. This
alarm-call is also uttered by the Wood-Wren, and, I believe, by its still nearer ally the Willow-Wren.

The situation of the nest of the Chiff-chaff is more varied than those of its immediate congeners ; it is also
much more perfect in its structure, beg both well and neatly built. It is of a domed form, very similar to
that of the common Wren (Zroglodytes Europeus), but with a larger opening near the top: sometimes it is
placed on the ground, among thick herbage and grasses; at others, in a tuft of grass on the sunny side of a
shelving bank ; and occasionally among the thick branches of furze, bramble, and other bushes. I found a
very beautiful one in a tuft of grass near the bridge in Mitcham Grove. The exterior of this nest was com-
posed of leaves, thin shreds of bark, and grasses ; next to this was a series of finer grasses, then a layer of
cow-hairs and feathers, and lastly an inner lining of the breast-feathers and hackles of the domestic fowl ; the
whole forming a very warm receptacle for the seven eggs contained within. Two nests found on the 9th of
May, 1859, in Cliveden Woods, were placed, one in a tuft of grass, the other in a bramble-bush one foot from
the ground; both were dome-shaped, and built of grasses and leaves, and lined with feathers. There were
six eggs in one nest, and two in the other. The eggs are of a delicate pinky flesh-colour, sparingly dotted
with purplish brown; when blown, the flesh-tint, which appears to be due to the colour of the yelk showing
through the almost transparent shell, disappears, the ground-colour becomes an opaque milky white, and the
spots, of course, darker and more conspicuous.

Another nest, taken at Formosa on the Thames, May 14, 1860, had a rough outside covering of coarse dry
grass, next to which was a series of fine straws compactly interwoven, and within this an inner lining of hair,
moss, and a few feathers. It was built in a laurel-bush overhanging the water. The eges were five in
number, and, like those above described, were finer, both as regards the delicacy of colour and the sharpness
of the outline of the spots, than those of the Willow-Wren (Phyllopneuste trochilus). About twelve days are
occupied in the duty of incubation; and at least two broods are reared during the bird’s summer sojourn in
this country, which commences in April, and terminates in August, when, with the other little warblers, it
departs for Africa,—the adults probably going at one time, and their progeny at another ; for we may readily
suppose that they remain to the last, in order to gain strength and vigour for the arduous journey they have
to perform: and how wonderful is the power granted to these frail and recently helpless little birds of migrating
to so great a distance, and of effecting a successful passage over our usually tempestuous seas !

The sexes are alike in plumage; and the young closely resemble the adults in colour before they leave
us for their winter quarters ; still their plumage is more suffused with yellow.

Head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts dark olive-brown, becoming paler or more yellow on the lower
part of the back and upper tail-coverts ; primaries brown, edged with olive; tail brown; under surface dull
or brownish white, suffused with yellow ; under wing-coyerts pale sulphur-yellow ; over the eye an obscure
yellowish stripe ; irides very dark brown; upper mandible dark olive ; under mandible fleshy ; legs blackish
brown ; soles of the feet yellow; claws black.

Willow-Wren :—weight 160 grains ; total length 4% inches ; wing 212; tail 21; tarsi 2,

Chiff-chaff:—weight 124 grains ; total length 42 inches; wing 2+%;; tail 24; tarsi 2.

Wood-Wren :—weight 160 grains ; total length 4% inches ; wing 24%; tail 2+; tarsi 44.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size, on a branch of the Udnus major, as it appears
in the month of April.

2 bs ART ve me I a