70 Mr. C. A. Wright's List of the Birds 



gardens, orange-groves, and places where the carob and other 

 trees afford it shelter and insect food. Careful measurement of 

 numerous specimens taken by myself and sent to me by friends, 

 has shown that the Chiffchaffs found in Malta are generally 

 somewhat smaller than the dimensions, given by authors, of 

 those from northern Europe. Sir William Jardine has also 

 noticed this peculiarity in examples sent to him by Dr. Adams 

 and myself. In other respects they are precisely similar. Half 

 a dozen examples now before me, measured in the flesh, did not 

 exceed 1 1 centimetres in length ; and upwards of a dozen kindly 

 lent me for examination by Dr. Adams were all of the same 

 diminutive size. 



123. Phyllopneuste sylvicola. (Wood Warbler.) 

 Bu-fula, Maltese. 



Common in spring and autumn. It especially affects fig- and 

 almond-trees when in leaf, the colour of whose foliage mostly 

 assimilates to its own plumage, and renders it not easy of de- 

 tection when at rest. It is also found in the olive- and carob- 

 trees. I cannot confirm Schembri's statement that it passes the 

 winter in Malta, though I have seen it late in autumn. In this 

 I am supported by Dr. Adams's observations. 



124. Phyllopneuste bonellii. (Bonelli's Warbler.) 

 Bu-fula, Maltese. 



A bird of passage in spring and autumn. It is very liable to be 

 confounded with P. trochilus, which it much resembles in general 

 appearance, especially in the young birds of autumn, which have 

 more yellow about the under parts than the examples taken in 

 spring. There can be no doubt, however, of their being different 

 species. The eggs, I am informed, are widely different — totally 

 unlike. A propos of eggs as indicative of specific distinction 

 and of generic relation, Mr. W. C. P. Medlycott writes to me 

 that he went over several drawers of Mr. Tristram's extensive 

 collection with him, and in many, indeed almost all cases where 

 SylvicE were most closely allied in the external characters of form 

 and colour of plumage, the difference between their eggs was 

 most plainly marked. Thus in the present instance in P. bonellii 

 the eggs are white, thickly spotted with dark chestnut (closely 



