Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 7 of 9.djvu/99



Danish, Vandsanger; French, Bec-fin aquatique; German, Seggen Rohrsanger; Hungarian, Csíkosfejü nádiposzata; Italian, Pagliarola; Norwegian, Starrsangaren; Polish, Gajowka wodniezka; Russian, Karnys-chewka wertljawaja; Spanish, Arandillo.

Adult Male in Spring.—The upper parts are yellowish buff, each feather having a blackish broad centre spot which gives the bird, when the plumage is in perfect order, a striped appearance. The yellowish buff is richer and brighter on the rump and upper tail-coverts where the spots are narrower. On the back two lighter stripes are formed by the whitish edges of the outer back feathers. The forehead is almost orange buff, and a light buff stripe, very distinct, runs down the centre of the crown bordered on each side by a broad black line with narrow buff edges. A whitish buff superciliary stripe is very conspicuous, the lores are greyish buff, sides of the head buff, and the uppermost ear-coverts blackish, forming a streak behind the eye. The least wing-coverts are brownish buff, the greater wing-coverts blackish, broadly edged with yellowish buff, and the bastard wing blackish. The primaries and their coverts are lavender brown tipped