362 sylviid.t:. 



the tail ; while in the Polyglot Warbler the wing does not 

 reach so far as the middle of the tail. Again, the second 

 primary in the Icterine Warbler is longer than the fifth, and 

 equal or nearly equal to the fourth, which is shorter than the 

 third, while in its ally the second primary is equal to the 

 sixth, and the third and fourth are longest. In habits no 

 doubt the two species are very similar, and with our present 

 knowledge of them it is perhaps premature to attempt a de- 

 finition of the geographical range of each. The Icterine 

 Warbler, however, would appear to be the more eastern as 

 well as the more northern bird of the two. Prof. Sundevall 

 has received it from Egypt. Strickland procured it in 

 Zante, and Mr. Wright has sent it to Mr. Dresser 

 from Malta, as did Seidensacher from Styria. It is very 

 common in most parts of Germany, Holland, ]>olgium and 

 northern France. It goes to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, 

 in which last Messrs. Godman obtained it so high as Bodo. 

 The true Polyglot Warbler, on the other hand, seems not 

 to occur in Germany, but it is met with in Southern France. 

 Mr. Saunders found it abundant in Spain and Mr. Dresser 

 has received it from Tangier. In a few years naturalists 

 will no doubt have a far clearer idea of the relative distribu- 

 tion of the two birds. 



The food of the Icterine Warbler consists chiefly of various 

 caterpillars and small insects, some of which it catches on the 

 wing. It is a summer-visitant to Europe, and inhabits in- 

 differently thickets in wet situations, gardens and orchards. 

 Its song is remarkably fine. Rennie, the first British author 

 to give an accurate account of this species from his own 

 observation (Field Naturalist, i. p. 46), is loud in praise of 

 the rich intonation and multitudinous variety of its notes*, 

 and well remarks that it would be impossible for so fine a 

 songster which haunts gardens to occur in this country with- 

 out revealing its presence. In Mr. Hewitson's opinion too, 



* He, however, though clearly distinguishing it from the Chiftchaft", with which 

 it had, liy a niisayiplication of the specific name hi/po/uls, been often confounded, 

 erroneously took it to be the Sylvia poli/(/lotta of Vieillot, who, for his jiart, also 

 supposed that his S. pohjfjloiia was the -S'. hypolais of Bechstein. 



