Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 4 of 9.djvu/75

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GREENISH WILLOW WARBLER.

Phylloscopus viridanus, Dresser, Birds of Europe, vol. ix. (Supplement), p. 87, pl. 651, fig. 1 (coloured figure of adult), 1895; Lilford, Coloured Figures, vol, iii, p. 65, pl. 33 (coloured figure of female), 1897; Saunders, Manual of British Birds, 2nd Ed., pp. 65-66 (woodcut), 1897.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLUMAGE.

Adult Male in Spring.—The upper parts are olive green, slightly darker on the crown, but somewhat lighter on the rump. The wings and tail are brown, the feathers being edged with much the same colour as the back, though a little more greenish. The outer edge of the outermost tail-feather and primary is light brown. The greater secondary wing-coverts are olive brown tipped with white, and the median coverts, bastard wing, and primary coverts olive. Thus there is only one light bar across the wing. There is a distinct whitish yellow superciliary stripe, the lores are ash grey, and the sides of the head light olive green. The under parts generally are buffish white, but slightly more olive buff on the sides of the breast and flanks, and the under surface of the wings and tail is ash grey, the feathers having white shafts. Upper wing-coverts are light sulphur yellow. Upper mandible is dark brown, and the lower brown at the tip, but buff colour at the base. Iris is dark brown, and feet brownish olive.

In winter the plumage is duller.

The young resemble the adults, but the colouring is not so bright.

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