496 PERCHING BIRDS 



all the more marked. Young birds arc like their parents in autumn. 

 The breeding-range of the garden-warbler reaches farther north than 

 that of the whitethroat, extending to latitude 70° in Scandinavia and 

 about five degrees less in central Russia. Possibly this may be connected 

 with the fact that the species arrives in Europe later than the white- 

 throat, not reaching England till May, and departing in September. 

 Eastwards the summer-range includes the Caucasus, Syria, and north- 

 western Persia, and thence northwards to the Tomsk district of western 

 Siberia, that is to say, approximately 85'' east longitude. In winter 

 the species visits Africa, journeying as far south as Cape Colony. Its 

 distribution in the British Islands is decidedly local. It is stated, for 

 instance, not to breed in the west of Cornwall ; and in Wales, while 

 rare in Pembroke and the neighbouring counties, it becomes much com- 

 moner farther north, in Cardiganshire. On the other hand, in Scotland, 

 where it is common in the Solway Plrth district, it appears to be 

 mainly restricted, at least as a breeding- species, to the southern 

 counties, although during the spring and autumn migrations it has 

 been found as far north even as the Shetlands. To Ireland it is 

 a comparatively rare and local visitor, but is either more common than 

 formerly or has been more generally recognised by observers. 



In common with some of the other warblers this species is known 

 on the Continent as bcccafico, a name implying that it supplements the 

 ordinary insect-diet with the juicy contents of ripe figs when in season. 

 In general habits it is very similar to the blackcap ; and while some 

 writers consider its song, which generally ceases in June, inferior to 

 that of the latter, in the latest work on the birds of that country the 

 species is stated to be the sweetest songster in Ireland. The alarm- 

 note has been compared to a clock being slowly wound up. Although 

 in some districts the two are found together, in others blackcaps and 

 garden-warblers arc stated to be respectively confined to particular 

 localities. Eour or five is the usual number of eggs in a clutch, 

 these being of the blackcap-type, but with somewhat coarser and more 

 ])ronounced markings. 



„ . , On account (jf its relatively longer tail, which extends 

 Dartford Warbler , , , , , • .u ta .r 1 ui 



beyond the closed wings, the Dartford warbler, 

 (Sylvia undata). , -^ . . 1 , • m •. . u-^ .1 



despite Its marked similarity to a whitethroat (a 



similarity also obtaining in the case of the eggs), has been made the 



type of a distinct genus, under the name of Melizophilus uudatus. The 



separation from the typical warblers seems, however, scarcely necessary. 



The species, which takes its name from having been first identified 



