7 8 MELODIOUS WARBLER. 



Melodious Warbler, was sent to me in 1893 as having been taken 

 near Lancing, Sussex, where the species was stated to have bred 

 two or three years in succession. 



The Melodious Warbler does not penetrate so far north as its 

 larger relative, and its range is western. In winter it is found as far 

 south as Senegambia, and its breeding-grounds begin in North 

 Africa, extending from Tangier to Tunisia. A comparatively small 

 portion of the birds which cross the Mediterranean visit both sides 

 of the Adriatic, and wanderers have been recorded from South 

 Tyrol, Bohemia and Moravia ; while Italy is regularly visited, 

 especially the western side. But the bulk pass the summer in the 

 Iberian Peninsula, where the species is abundant, as well as in 

 France up to Normandy, the boundary of its eastern distribution 

 being, roughly, a line from Savoy to the valley and mouth of the 

 Seine. It is much if a straggler has occurred in North-eastern 

 France or in Belgium ; on Heligoland Gatke obtained one, on 

 May 23rd 1846. 



Col. Irby gives April 25th as the earliest date of the arrival of this 

 Warbler in the south of Spain, and May 14th for eggs ; two broods 

 are, however, produced in the season, as I have had eggs taken up 

 to July 25th. The deep and cup-shaped nest is chiefly composed 

 of down from willows and thistles, and is placed in bushes or low 

 trees, generally at no great distance from water ; the 4-5 eggs are 

 rose-pink (brighter than those of the Icterine Warbler), with small 

 blackish spots, and often with a large amount of fine hair-lines : 

 measurements 7 by "5 in. The song is similar to that of the pre- 

 ceding species, but, having heard both, I agree with Mr. J. I. S. 

 Whitaker and Mr. Aplin in considering that of the Melodious 

 Warbler to be far finer, though less loud. The food consists of 

 insects and fruit. 



The adult may be distinguished from the Icterine Warbler by 

 its smaller size ; the absence of any pale margins to the inner 

 wing-quills (except just after the autumn moult) ; its proportionally 

 short wing; its larger bastard primary; and by the 2nd primary 

 being shorter than the 5th (in H. icterma the 2nd is decidedly 

 longer than the 5th). Length 4*9 in. ; wing only 2-5 in. 



