LOCUSTELLA.
Small reddish brown Warblers. 1st primary shorter than coverts; no rictal bristles; tail rounded, under tail coverts long, reaching over tips of lateral rectrices; frequent marshy and reedy but also drier places; nest a cup near ground in herbage or brushwood; eggs white, pinkish when fresh, finely dotted or freckled with reddish brown.
Locustella fluviatilis (Wolf). RIVER WARBLER. Ger. Flussrohrslinger.
9 Above greenish olive brown, not striated ; tail faintly barred ; beneath paler, whitish on throat and abdomen, and boldly streaked with olive brown on throat and breast ; under tail coverts broadly tipped white. Bill dark brown, pale below. Legs and feet brown. Wing 75-79, 9 70-75. Tarsus 20-22 (H.). Bill 9-I I.
Breeds.—E. Germany (local), Poland, Baltic Provinces, S. and C. Finland, Austria, S. Hungary, Transylvania, Rumania, Central Russia north to 6o° and east to Urals and Lower Volga. Migrates ; occurs on passage S. Russia, Asia Minor and Palestine ; has been obtained E. Africa in winter.
"L. f. obscura" Tschusi described from Bosnia is not con sidered separable.
Locustella luscinioides luscinioides (Savi). SAVI'S WARBLER. Fr. Fauvette des Saules ; Ger. Nachtigall-Rohr stinger ; Ital. Salciaiola.
9 Above reddish brown, tinged olive, not striated ; tail faintly barred ; beneath reddish buff; throat and abdomen white, throat and breast not striated. Bill dark brown above, pale below. Legs and feet pale brown. Wing j 67-72, 9 65-7o. Tarsus 21-22. Culmen S 16-17, 9 (H.).
Breeds.—S. France, Italy (local) especially north, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Holland and adjacent Rhine territory, E. Prussia, Poland, Galicia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, C. and S. Russia north to Ufa and Volga Delta, Crete, and probably Palestine. Migrates ; occurs on passage in Egypt and in winter in Morocco and Sahara. Accidental Britain (formerly bred English fens).
"L. 1. geyri" Koenig described from Rhine Provinces is not considered separable.
L. luscinioides fusca (Severtzow). Paler than typical form, above less reddish brown, more olive coloured, flanks paler and under tail coverts whiter.
Breeds.—Transcaspia and Turkestan. Has occurred in winter
in Egypt.
Locustella certhiola (Pallas).
Somewhat resembles a Sedge Warbler, but with rump and upper tail coverts generally striated, and tail black beneath with white tips ; ist primary about equal to primary coverts. Young are very yellow below. Wing j 61-68, ? 59-65 (W.). Tarsus 20-22.5. Culmen 15-17. Bill brown, yellow at base below. Legs and feet yellowish white.
An Asiatic species. Has occurred once in Heligoland and once in Ireland.
Locustella nmvia (Boddaert). GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. Fr. Locustelle tachetee ; Ger. Heuschreckensanger ; /1a/. Forapaglie macchiettato.
j ? Above olive brown with dark spots, no supercilium, tail rounded and faintly barred ; beneath dull white, breast with a row of brown spots, flanks and under tail coverts pale brown with a few streaks ; 1st primary about equal to primary coverts. Bill dark brown above, pale brown below with dark tip. Legs and feet pale brownish. Wing j 60-67, ? 59-66 (\V.). Tarsus 18-21. Bill 8-to.
Breeds.—British Isles, Holland, France (especially C. and S.), N. Spain, Switzerland, Italy south to Tuscany, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Baltic Provinces, Poland, Rumania, S. and C. Russia to about 62° N. Rare in Denmark, Norway and Finland. Migratory ; occurs S. Spain on passage, probably also winters. N.\V. Africa in winter.
L. nmvia straminea Seebohm. Somewhat smaller. j 57-6o (H.). Above more olive coloured, less brownish.
Preeds.—Ural District and Caucasus, and east in Asia to Altai Mountains. Winters in India.
Locustella lanceolata (Temminck). LANCEOLATED WAR B LER.
Resembles " L. mevia" hut smaller, underparts more tawny ; in most striations more profuse and distinct over entire breast (after moult) and over flanks. Bill dark brown, paler below.
Legs and feet pale yellowish brown. \Ving a 52-59. Tarsus 18-19. Bill 8-lo. Young are very yellow beneath.
An Asiatic species which breeds in N. Russia (Onega). Accidental Britain, Galicia, Dalmatia.