A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 69 



SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA 



146. Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla (L.)— THE BLACKCAP. 



MoTAciLLA Atricapilla Linnspus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 187 (1758 — 

 " Habitat in Europa." Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus), Yarrell, i, p. 418 ; Saunders, p. 47. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Summer-resident (about end 

 April to Sept. and often later, and occasionally winter). Some- 

 what local, but fairly well distributed. Rare Anglesey and Lleyn 

 (Carnarvon). Scotland. — Generally distributed, but local west side 

 as far north as Argyll., where becomes scarce, but breeds Jura ; 

 north of Ardnamurchan only once recorded (West Ross. Nov. 23, 

 1905). On east side frequent nester as far north as Dunkeld (Perth. ), 

 and further north breeds locally in Kincardine and Spey Valley. 

 In other parts of north-east chiefly kno^^n as autumn migrant, but 

 has bred once Loch Ness and near Beauly (Moraj^ Firth). In 

 Orkneys, Fair Isle, and Shet lands fairly regular autumn- migrant, 

 (Sept.-Oct.). In Shetlands once attempted to breed, and has 

 probably also bred Orkneys. In O. Hebrides rare straggler. Has 

 often occurred even in north in Nov. and two or three times in 

 Dec. Ireland. — Has a wide range, breeding in many counties, 

 but in most it is scarce and even rare, being most numerous in Wick - 

 low. Fairly often occurs in winter. 



Migrations. — Great Britain. — ^From third week Sept. to mid-Oct. 

 a well-marked passage do\^Ti east coasts. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe generally from about lat. 66° 

 north in Scandinavia to Mediterranean, west to Azores and Cape 

 Verde Islands, south to Marocco, Algeria and Tunisia, north of 

 Atlas, east to Asia Minor, SjTia and Persia, in west Siberia near 

 Omsk, Winters in Africa and in small numbers in south Europe. 

 Replaced in Madeira and Canary Islands by closely- allied form. 



SYLVIA COMMUNIS* 



147. Sylvia communis communis Lath. — THE WHITE- 

 THROAT. 



Sylvia communis Latham, Gen. Syn. Suppl., i, p. 287 (1787 — England). 

 Sylvia rufa (Boddaert), Yarrell, i, p. 406 ; Sylvia cinerea Bechstein, 

 Saunders, p, 41. 



Distribution. — England, Wales, and Ireland. — Summer-resident 

 (April to Sept.). Generally distributed. Scotland. — Generally dis- 



* This species has also been unfortunate with regard to its names. It 

 has often been called Sylvia rufa, but that name was based on an unrecog- 

 nizable figure, and more commonly S. cinerea, but Latham clearly described 

 the'English bird as Sylvia commvnis sixteen years before Bechstein. — E.H. 



