Dr. A. L. Adams on the Birds of Egypt and Nubia. 17 



the impenetrable bushes of camel-thorn, where it secretes itself 

 on the slightest appearance of danger. The white of the lower 

 parts in all I examined in Nubia was not so clear as in many 

 procured in Malta during its migration northwards in spring. 



Sylvia curruca. 



Among the acacia and thorny bushes which line the Nubian 

 desert ; it is a lively sight, during a clear sunny day, to witness 

 numerous Lesser Whitethroats, ChifF-rchaffs, and Sardinian 

 Warblers flitting among the countless cobwebs which stretch in 

 tangled meshes from every twig. As the Chiff-chaff flutters like 

 a Humming-bird around the fragrant yellow flowers of the 

 acacia, emitting its lovely " hoit," the Whitethroat moves along 

 stealthily among the twigs, now and then seeking the denser 

 parts to chant its sweet melodious song, while the Sardinian 

 Warbler sits picking the cobwebs to pieces in search of their 

 owners. I procured one specimen of Sylvia cinerea in the The- 

 baid j it is not nearly so common as the Lesser Whitethroat. 



SUYA GRACILIS. 



This is in all probability the Sylvia textrix of Savigny *, but 

 whether to consider it the same as Prinia gracilis of Riippell I am 

 not in a position to determinef. It is an active littlecreat ure, 

 and has the restless manner and noisome call of its congeners, the 

 Prinia and Maluri. The iris is brick-red ; the call a loud " creek,'' 

 like that of the Common Wren. It readily secretes itself in thick 

 bush, where its presence is usually discovered by the rough notes 

 invariably uttered when its haunts are approached. This species 

 is common both in Egypt and Nubia. 



Cyanecula suecica. 



It would seem that all the southern and oriental specimens of 

 this bird have the breast-spot red. Sometimes in Indian and 

 Egyptian individuals I have noticed a dash of white around 

 the borders or tipping the feathers of the breast-spot ; this, 

 however, is by no means regular, and seems the result of age. 



* ' Egyptian Expedition,' pi. 5. fig. 4. 



t I believe this is Prinia gracilis of Riippell's ' Atlas,' t. 2. fig. b. It is, 

 however, as Mr. Swinhoe informs me, a true Suya, congeneric with S. le- 

 pida of India and S. striata of Formosa. — Ed. 



VOL. VI. C 



