Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 1 of 9.djvu/43

 the head and neck olive greyish green. The under parts vary, the throat being generally whitish and spotted, or unspotted; the crop varies from light buff to deep olive buff. The middle of the abdomen is whitish, often washed with light buff. The flanks are of a stronger olive brown; the under tail-coverts vary from light buff to light olive brown, with dark brownish arrow-headed spots. Under parts of the tail-feathers are brownish lavender grey with indistinct crossbars and whitish shafts to the feathers. The upper mandible is dark brown, the lower horn green, lighter towards the tip; iris dark brown; legs fairly light brownish flesh, the soles having a wash of olive yellow.

Adult Female in Spring.—The upper parts are of a uniform lightish olive umber slightly washed with a rusty colour. The marking on the back and shoulders is the same as in the male and well pronounced, the dark centres to the feathers forming on the crown about six narrow stripes, which, though plain, are not very conspicuous. The back of the neck is unspotted and the dark centres are very inconspicuous on the rump and upper tail-coverts, whereas the transverse bars on the tail-feathers are easily seen. The wing is brownish black on the innermost secondaries, with a fairly broad edge of the same colour on the upper parts, though more rusty. The outer edge of the first large primary is whitish buff. The lores are dusky, and there is an indistinct superciliary stripe. The feathers on the eyelid are whitish buff, throat whitish, sides of the head, neck and body rich gamboge olive, darkening towards the tail, with faint dark centres to each feather, and blending into whitish on the centre of the abdomen. The crop is fawn colour, with small brown spots, and suffused with a beautiful vinous tint. The under tail-coverts are whitish buff with dark brown centres, both colours well pronounced. The under part of the tail is brown, washed with a faint lavender grey.

Fledglings.—The upper parts are very much like the adults, only slightly richer in tint and distinctly olive rust