44 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



never seen or heard of another specimen. It was skulking Uke the Chiff- 

 chaff in the thickets by the waterside. 



It is a strictly Asiatic species, breeding in Siberia and wintering in 

 India and China; but stragglers have been obtained in England, Heligo- 

 land, and Germany. 



47. Phylloscopns rufiis. (Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. iv., p. 682.) 

 Chiffchaff. 



The Chiffchaff swarms everywhere in Palestine during the winter, but 

 is never seen after February. 



This species is found in summer through all Northern Europe. In 

 winter it is spread over Southern Europe, North and Central Africa, and 

 Western Asia, as far as Persia. 



48. Pliylloscopus trocJiilns. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 338.) Willow- 

 Wren. 



The Willow-Wren positively swarms in winter, especially in the Jordan 

 valley, but leaves for the North about the middle of March. 



The Willow-Wren is a widely spread species, visiting the whole of 

 Northern Europe and Asia as far as the Yenesei in summer ; and in 

 winter extending through Africa as far as the Cape of Good Hope, but 

 in Asia not further south or east than Persia, where it is not common. 



49. Phylloscopns sibilatrix. (Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. iv., p. 688.) 

 Wood-Wren. 



The Wood-Wren appears in Palestine in great numbers about the last 

 week in April, and has almost entirely disappeared by the second week in 

 May. I had formerly believed that it was here only on passage, but in 

 1 88 1 I found it breeding in the north near the Litany river. 



The Wood-Wren is a summer visitor to nearly the whole of Europe, 

 and is found in Barbary, Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia. It has been sent 

 from the Gold Coast, but I have not been able to trace it further east 

 than Palestine, excepting a statement by Menetries that he procured it 

 near the Caspian. 



