108 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



under tail coverts buff; eye-rim pale red; ist primary almost 

 as long as primary coverts. Bill dark brown above, paler below. 

 Legs and feet pale brown. Iris yellowish brown. Wing ^ 69-74, 

 $ 68-70. Tarsus 20-22. Bill 9-10. ? browner; beneath buffy 

 white without rosy tinge on breast. 



Breeds.— British Isles ; Continental Europe north to about 64°, 

 and east to Urals ; Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Crete, 

 Morocco, also Asia Minor. Occurs on passage Egypt and 

 N.W. Africa. Winters Africa and S. Arabia. 



S. communis icterops Menetries. Upper parts and wings 

 darker, edges to secondaries less rufous. Somewhat larger. 

 Wing 74-78 (H.). Iris yellow. 



A W. Siberian breeding form whose range extends into 

 Caucasus, also to Orenburg, where it meets typical form. Occurs 

 in Egypt on passage. 



Sylvia curruca curruca (L.). Lesser Whitethroat. 

 Fr. Babillarde ordinaire ; Ger. Zaungrasmiicke ; Swcd. Artsmyg. 



$ $ Above pale grey brown, greyer on crown ; lores and 

 ear coverts dark brown ; beneath greyish white with faint rosy 

 tinge ; ist primary longer than coverts, 2nd between 5th and 6th ; 

 tiny feathers on eyelids white. Bill dark horn, whitish below at 

 base. Legs and feet plumbeous. Iris greyish brown. Wing 

 $ 63-70, 9 62-66. Tarsus 18-20. Bill 8-9. 



Breeds. — England ; Continental Europe to about 64° N., east 

 to Urals ; Caucasus. May breed Scotland but occurs chiefly on 

 passage, very rare Ireland. Spain on passage in east. Migrates 

 chiefly to south-east. Winters N.E. Africa. 



S. curruca afflnis Blyth. Like typical form, but 2nd primary 

 shorter than 6th, usually between 6th and 7th, sometimes 

 7th and 8th. 



A Siberian race whose breeding range extends into Russia 

 (Orenburg and Lower Volga Steppes). Occurs in Egypt (Nicoll). 

 Winters in India. Has been reported as occurring in C. and W. 

 Europe ; once obtained at Fair Isle. 



S. curruca minula Hume. Paler above than typical form 

 and " affinis " ; 2nd primary generally between 7th and 8th. 

 Wing 60-65. 



B7'eeds. — S.W. Asia. Has occurred at Orenburg (Grote). 



