70 Mr. 11. }^oh\c— Forty-four 



JIypolais polyulotta. 



Common near the river. On May 27tli many nests were 

 taken with from three to five eggs, nearly all fresh ; they 

 were mostly in low bushes, well concealed, and made of 

 grass, lined with hair or fine grass. 



Hypolais opaca. 



More abundant than the former species ; several nests were 

 found in tamarisk-bushes near the river. These nests, often 

 much exposed, were deep, cup-shaped, and made of grass, 

 well lined with cotton-down, thistle-down, and in one case 

 with sheep^s wool; the lowest was about 4 feet from the 

 ground, the highest about 12 feet. No nest contained more 

 than four eggs, and some of these were slightly incubated on 

 May 28th. 



Acrocephalus TUimOlUES. 



Very numerous on the river-banks wherever reeds were 

 found ; their harsh song might be heard all thi'ough the 

 day and most of the night. On May 7th they were just 

 beginning to lay, and we found nests with from one to three 

 eggs; on May 24th we saw others containing from four to 

 six eggs, mostly incubated. The nests are counterparts of 

 those of our Reed-Warbler, though of course on a larger 

 scale; very substantial, deep, and easily found. 



Acrocephalus streperus. 



Not very common. Nests found from May 7th to 

 May 28th. 



CeTTIA CETTII. 



The first nests found, on May 6th, contained four eggs 

 each, one clutch too much incubated for preservation ; others 

 with four and five eggs on May 11th and after. They were 

 all in tamarisk-bushes near the river, compactly put together, 

 deep, made of grass, and lined with horsehair. Unlike 

 those mentioned by Col. Irby, these nests were placed almost 

 in the open and were quite easily seen. The bird seems to be 

 very local, but numerous where it is found. 



