32 xrEDiD.?:. 



Melizophilus obsoletiis, Brehm, Naum. 1855, p. 283. 



Pvrophthalma provincialis (Gmel.), Jaub. et Barth.-Lupomm. Rich. 



"Oy/i. p. 249(18o9). 

 Syhna (Melizophilus) provincialis (Gmel.), Fritsch, Viig. Eur. p. 176 



'(1870). 

 Melizophilus undatus (JSodd.), Newt. ed. Yarr. Br. B. i. p. 398 

 (1873) ; Dreiser, B. Eur. pt. xhii. (1875); Irby, B. Gibr. p. SS 

 (1875). 



In the adult male in spring plumage the general colour of the 

 upper parts is very dark sooty brown, shading into very dark slate- 

 grey on the head ; innermost secondaries, ■n'ing-coverts, and quills 

 dark brown, edged externally with pale brown ; tail very dark grey, 

 the outside web and tip of the outside feathers white. Under- 

 parts chestnut-brown, shading into white on the centre of the 

 belly, and having the feathers of the chin and upper throat tipped 

 with white ; a white patch on the edge of the wing just below the 

 carpal joint ; under tail-coverts grey, with whitish tips ; axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts grey ; inner margin of quills jjale reddish 

 brown. Bill of typical shape, very dark brown, the lower mandible 

 pale at the base ; rictal bristles short and slender. Wing with the 

 fourth and fifth primaries slightly the longest; second primary equal 

 to the ninth or tenth ; bastard primary extending 0-2 inch beyond 

 the primary-coverts. Tail considerably longer than the wing ; out- 

 side feathers 0-4 to 0-6 inch shorter than the longest. Legs, feet, 

 and claws pale brown. Length of wing 2'15 to 1'9 inches, tail 2*7 

 to 2-3, culmen 0-5 to 0-42, tarsus Owo. 



The female differs from the male in having the general colour 

 of the underparts pale cinnamon-brown instead of rich chestnut- 

 brown. After the autumn moult but little change in the plumage 

 apparently takes place. Birds of the year are slightly paler and 

 browner above, and have the underparts considerably paler than in 

 the adult female. 



The Dartford Warbler is a resident in the soiith of England, some 

 parts of France, the Spanish peninsula, and Italy, occasionally 

 straying into Greece ; it is also found in Xorth Africa and Pules- 

 tine, apparently wintering in the plains, and retiring to the hills to 

 breed. 



0,6. c?, c. Juv. sk. Farnham, Surrey (F. F.GodmanandO.Salvin, 



Godman). Esqrs. [P.]. 



«f,e. Ad. St. Kent. Col. Montagu [P.]. 



f. Ad. St. Devonshire. Col. Montagu IP.]. 



g, h. Ad. sk. Gibraltar. Col. Irl)y [P.].^ 



I. (S ad. sk. Sardinia, May 20 (A. E. B. Sliarpe, Esq. [P.]. 

 B. Broohe). 



k. Ad. sk. Morocco {Olcese). R. B. Shai-pe, Esq. [P.]. 



20. Sylvia deserticola. (Plate III.) 



Sylvia deserticola, Tristram, Ibis, 1859, p. 5S ; Grag, Hand-l B. i. 



'p. 212. no. 3009 (1869). 

 Stoparola deserti, Loche, apud Sclnter, Ibis, 1859, p. 417. 



This species is only known in autumn or winter plumage, the 



