164 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



84. Rufous Warbler, Aedon galactodcs (Tern.). 



Was got first on the 24th of March, and shortly after- 

 wards it had become common in the tobacco fields, etc. It 

 is very fond of the lower branches of the Sont tree. I have 

 seen one perch as high up as twenty feet, but that is ex- 

 ceptional. It is generally to be seen upon the ground, 

 strutting about with its tail cocked up. I found this species 

 at the Faioum. In Dr. Bree's translation of Hcuglin, it is 

 stated that Dr. Hartman observed one at the end of Novem- 

 ber in Lower Egypt, but I cannot help suspecting that 

 there may have been a mistake as to the species seen by 

 him. 



•)f85. Orphean Warbler, Sylvia orphca (Tem.). 



I shot this in a low tree near Benisouef, February 24th. 

 It appeared to be alone : I did not see another one, and 

 indeed I should not expect it to be mated so early. 



86. Black-headed Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala 



(Gm.). 



I hardly know if I am justified in including it, but 

 every other writer seems to have found it common. Mr. 

 E. C. Taylor even goes so far as to say that it is perhaps 

 the most abundant Warbler in March (Ibis for 1867, p. 62). 

 I believe that I saw it once or twice ; and as the probabilities 

 are thus strongly in its favour, perhaps I should be least 

 justified in omitting it. 



87. Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia aimica (Linn.). 



Probably this is a migrant which winters in Egypt further 

 south than the Chiff-Chafif, and yet not so far as the majority" 



