SYLVIIN.^. 



69 



THE ICTERINE WARBLER. 



Hypolais icterina (Vieillot). 



Although common on the Continent, even within sight of our 

 own shores, this member of a well-marked genus not remotely allied 

 to the group of Reed- Warblers is only a very rare straggler to the 

 British Islands. The first example was killed on June 15th 1S48, 

 at Eythorne, near Dover; a second (now in the Dublin Museum), 

 on June 8th 1856, at Dunsinea on the banks of the Tolka, co. 

 Dublin ; and a third was shot by Mr. F. D. Power on September 

 nth 1884, near Blakeney, Norfolk. All three examples have been 

 examined and identified by competent authorities ; the significance 

 of which will be apparent hereafter. 



In Norway the Icterine Warbler reaches the Arctic circle, although 

 in Sweden, Finland and Russia, its northern range is less extensive. 

 Eastward, the Ural and the valley of the Tobol form its known 

 limits, and further south it has been obtained at Lenkoran on the 

 western side of the Caspian, In Asia Minor, and South-eastern 

 Europe as far as Malta, it is only known on its migrations to and 

 from Africa — where it winters down to about 25° S. lat. ; but in Sicily 

 and on the mainland of Italy it arrives in April and remains to 

 breed; though Sardinia and Corsica are seldom, if ever, visited. In 

 Central and Northern Europe, up to the Baltic provinces, Denmark, 



