TCRDID.tE. 



Type. 

 Adoplioneus, Kaup, Xatiiii. Syst. p. 28 (1829) .... S. orpheus. 



Monaclius, Kaup, Natiirl. Si/st. p. 33 (1829) S. atricapilla. 



Alssecus, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 108 (1829) S. subalpina. 



Thamnodus, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 109 (1829) .... S. proviucialis. 



Epilais, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 14o (1829) S. hortensis. 



Erythroleuca, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 153 (1829) . . S. couspicillata. 



Nisoria, Bonap. Comp. List, p. 15 (1838) S. nisoria. 



Adornis, Gray, List Gen. B. p. 29 (1841) S. hortensis. 



Pyrophthalma, Bonap. Ucc. Eur. p. 37 (1842) .... S. melanocephala. 



Stoparola, Bonap. Cat. Parzucl. p. 6 (1856) S. siibalpiaa. 



Philacautha, Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 355 (e.v Gloger) S. nisoria, 

 Atraphornis, Severtz. Turkest. Jeootn. p. 05 (1873) .. S. nana. 



Bill of Sylvia cinerea, Bechst. 



The genus Sylvia contains about a score species of birds closely 

 allied to Phylloscopus, Acrocephalus, and Hypolais. In five of the 

 species the bastard primary is so minute that it does not project 

 beyond the primaiy-coverts, and in none does it project beyond 

 those feathers more than 0"3 inch. The tail is nearly- even in two 

 species, in three species the outside feathers are about O'l inch 

 shorter than the longest, in four species about 0'2, in four species 

 0'25, in four species 0-35, and in one 0"4. The bill is shorter and 

 less depressed at the base than in Phylhscopus, and the rictal 

 bristles are only slightly- developed. The feet and tarsus are stout, 

 and the latter is scutellated in front. The males of many of the 

 species have black heads, and most of the species have -white on the 

 outside tail-feathers. Most of tlie species have the tail shorter than 

 the wing. In two species the tail is slightly longer than the wing, 

 in another species more decidedly longer than the wing, and in two 

 other species the tail is still more lengthened. The centre of dis- 

 tribution of the genus is undoubtedly the basin of the Mediterranean, 

 and several species are resident on its shores. One species is a resi- 

 dent as far north as the south of England ; but most of the species 

 are migratory, breeding in Europe and wintering in Africa. Several 

 species extend their range eastwards as far as Turkestan in the 

 breeding-season, wintering in India ; and one species at least has 

 been found in China. Most of the species are songsters of greater 

 or less merit. 



