40 FAUNA AND FLORA OF FALESTINE. 



The White-throat inhabits in summer the whole of Europe and 

 Western Asia as far as Persia, wintering in the Mediterranean countries 

 and in Africa, where it is found as far south as Kordofan and the Gold 

 Coast. 



32. Sylvia ciirntca. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 329. Lesser White- 

 throat. 



The Lesser White-throat is only a summer visitant to Palestine, 

 generally returning in great numbers in March, and breeding all over 

 the country ; but it remains throughout the winter in the warm nooks and 

 glens surrounding the Dead Sea, especially on the eastern side. On 

 Lebanon it was breeding as late as the middle of June. 

 • The Lesser White-throat is a bird of most extensive range, visiting 

 the whole of Europe and Northern Asia in summer, and Northern and 

 Central Africa and India in winter. The Eastern race, which is slightly 

 larger has, however, been separated as Sylvia affi.nis, Blyth. Palestine 

 specimens are intermediate in size. 



2)2,- Sylvia sttbalpina. Bonelli. in Temm. Man. d'Orn. i., p. 214. 

 Subalpine Warbler. 



The Subalpine Warbler was obtained by me once near Mount Tabor 

 towards the Jordan. It is very shy, and probably not so rare as has been 

 supposed. 



This bird is found in small numbers in all the countries bordering on 

 the Mediterranean, frequenting thick low scrub. It has been procured in 

 Kordofan, and on the Gambia. 



34. Sylvia cotispicillata. Marmora, fide Temm. Man. d'Orn. i., p. 211. 

 Spectacled Warbler. 



This bird is very generally spread, but in small numbers, over the 

 bare highlands of Judea, and on the plains of Jordan, throughout the year, 

 in dry stony places. Its nest, in a low bush, is a very neat open structure, 

 and its habits are those of the Lesser White-throat. 



The Spectacled Warbler inhabits all the countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean. Westward it extends to the Canaries, and eastward to 

 Mesopotamia. It is abundant in the Sahara, but has not been noticed in 

 Egypt. 



