. A history of British birds . he eggs, five or sixin number, are very constant in colour and markings, beingof a dull brownish-pink with spots and specks of dark pur-plish-brown, almost black. They measure from 77 to 65by from 55 to -5 in., an exceptionally small one being only•47 by -41 in. The bill is brown above, the lower mandible yellowish :irides brown : from the nostrils a yellow streak passes overeach eye; top of the head, neck, scapulars, upper wing-co-verts and back, greyish-olive; quills ashy-brown, with lightexternal edges, those of the tertials broad and distinctly tingedwith pal
. A history of British birds . he eggs, five or sixin number, are very constant in colour and markings, beingof a dull brownish-pink with spots and specks of dark pur-plish-brown, almost black. They measure from 77 to 65by from 55 to -5 in., an exceptionally small one being only•47 by -41 in. The bill is brown above, the lower mandible yellowish :irides brown : from the nostrils a yellow streak passes overeach eye; top of the head, neck, scapulars, upper wing-co-verts and back, greyish-olive; quills ashy-brown, with lightexternal edges, those of the tertials broad and distinctly tingedwith pale yellow ; chin, cheeks, neck and all the lower partslemon-yellow ; legs and toes slate-colour ; the soles female is generally paler than the male ; and the younghave the yellow parts of a lighter hue. The whole length five inches and a quarter ; the wing,from the carpal joint, three inches and one eighth. Therelative proportion of the primaries has already been stated. 364 PASSERE.^ SYLVIIBJ^. VI .^^ \. »- \\,\ ACROCEPHALUS ARUNDINACEUS (LinilfeUS*). THE GREAT REED-WARBLER. Salicarla tnrdoidcsj. AcRoCEPHALUs, /. A. yaumann t-—Bill more or less straight, with the ciil-iiien elevated, wide at the base, compressed towards the tip, and slightly emar-giuated ; the edges of the lower mandible inflected ; nostrils basal, oblique,oval and exposed. Forehead narrow and depressed. Wings rather short; thefirst quill nearly abortive, the second commonly shorter than the third, which isgenerally longest. Tail rounded and rather long. Legs long ; feet large andstout, the hind toe strong ; claws long and moderately curved. We are indebted to Mr. John Hancock for this addition toBritish ornithology, announced by him in the Annals and * Tardus arimdinaceus, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 296 (1766). t Sylvia turdoides, B. Meyer, Vogel Liv- und Esthlands, p. 116 (1815). t Naturgeschichte der Vogel Deutschlands. Nachtr. p. 201 (1819). Thisreference is given on the a
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