It is rather a late arrival, rarely appearing in numbers before the end of April, and has never been known to winter in these islands. [Illustration: BLACKCAP _Sylvia atricapilla_ Female (above). Male (below)] The nest also resembles that of the Blackcap in structure, and though the present species never lays the reddish type of egg common to the Blackcap, its eggs are very similar to the creamy variety of the latter, but the markings are as a rule more blotchy and the clear-cut small spots are far fewer. “Garden” Warbler is to some extent a misnomer, as it is seldom found in gardens, preferring woods and coppices in the open country, and not visiting the currant bushes anything like so frequently as the Blackcap. The sexes are alike and are of a uniform olive brown, rather darker on the wings and tail. Under parts buffish white. There is a pale streak over the eye and a greyish area on the lores. The young are almost indistinguishable from their parents. Length 5·75 in.; wing 3 in. Except that it is scarcer and more local, its distribution in our islands is similar to that of the Blackcap. THE BARRED WARBLER Sylvia nisoria, Bechstein Making its summer home in South Sweden, Denmark, East Germany and Central Europe, our islands lie too far to the west for this species to be known except as a rare straggler. About a dozen examples are known to have occurred in our eastern counties, always in autumn; it has also been taken in Skye and on two occasions in Ireland. The general colour above is ash grey faintly barred with slate on the upper tail coverts. Under parts whitish barred with grey. The young bird is hardly barred at all and somewhat resembles a large Garden Warbler. Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·4 in. THE SUB-ALPINE WARBLER Sylvia subalpina, Bonelli Breeding numerously in Spain and South-East France, this species has only once occurred here, namely on St. Kilda in June 1894. The upper parts are dull grey and under parts chestnut. There is a red ring round the eye and a conspicuous white moustache-like streak extending backwards from the bill. The female is much duller and the under parts are pale buff. Length 4·7 in.; wing 2·3 in. THE DARTFORD WARBLER Sylvia undata (Boddært) [Illustration: DARTFORD WARBLER _Sylvia undata_ Male (above). Young (below)]