Common chiffchaff see", since this genus comprises species that spend much of their time feeding in trees, while "collybita" is a corruption of "kollubistes", "money changer", the song being likened to the jingling of coins. The common chiffchaff is a small, dumpy, 10–12 centimetres (4 in) long leaf warbler. The male weighs 7–8 grammes (0.28–0.31 oz), and the female 6–7 grammes (0.25–0.28 oz). The spring adult of the western nominate subspecies " P. c. collybita" has brown-washed dull green upperparts, off-white underparts becoming yellowish on the flanks, and a short whitish supercilium. It has dark legs, a fine dark bill, and short
Handbook to the Birds of Australia prose of the nineteenth century which, verbose or not, reflect the dignity that the age expected of its science. It is true that Gould broadly speaking, was deaf to the song of Australian birds, but this probably shows the subjectiveness of nationality rather than a lack of appreciative ability. He was an Englishman, attuned to a mellow countryside and a seasonal bird-song, now in an arid land, looking – and listening – for ornithological differences. The Murray Scrub (mallee) was a far cry from Dorset, and 26 Charlotte Street; he heard little that stimulated nostalgic affection; and one does not