42 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



It lays its eggs about the beginning of June, and under Hermon is 

 very plentiful. The Indian form is distinguishable by its larger size and 

 bigger bill, and named iT. jcrdoni (Blyth, J. R. S. Bengal, xvi., p. 439). 

 But both forms occur and interbreed in Palestine. 



The Western form spends the summer in the Mediterranean countries, 

 and the winter on the Gambia and in Central Africa. The Eastern form 

 breeds in Persia and Turkestan, and winters in India and Arabia. 



39. Sylvia riicppcUii. Temm. PI. Color, iii., 245, fig. i. Ruppell's 

 Warbler. 



This beautiful Warbler is scarce, but generally distributed in Palestine. 

 I have found it on Carmel, in Judaea and Gilead, and on Lebanon. It 

 appears to reside permanently in the warmer parts of the country. 



Riippell's Warbler is confined within very narrow limits. It has seldom 

 been noticed beyond the boundaries of Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, 

 including the Sinaitic Peninsula. It is very rare in Greece and Algeria. 



40. Sylvia atricapilla. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 332.) Black-Cap. 

 The Black-Cap is one of the commonest birds in Palestine. All 



through the winter it may be found in small flocks, the males having the 

 brown cap, which in summer is characteristic of the female. In spring the 

 numbers in the south are not much increased ; but it breeds by hundreds 

 about the Cedars of Lebanon and in the woods near Hermon. These 

 mountain denizens do not arrive until after the birds in the south have 

 begun the work of nidification. 



The Black-Cap is found in every country of Europe, in the Caucasus, 

 and Asia Minor. In winter it is spread over Africa as far as the Canaries, 

 Senegal, and Abyssinia. Palestine may be considered its Eastern limit, 

 thousfh it has been once recorded from Persia. 



41. Sylvia hortensis. (Gmel. Syst. Nat. i., p. 955.) Garden Warbler. 

 The Garden Warbler visits Palestine in spring, remaining to breed, but 



in very small numbers ; this country appearing to be its extreme eastward 

 limit. 



The Garden Warbler ranges throughout Europe in summer, and 

 through almost all Africa, even down to Damara-land and Caffraria, in 

 winter. 



