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422 BRITISH BIRDS. 
of the tamarisk, which form the outside,—the inside and lining being 
usually coot’s or duck’s feathers mingled with wool or camel’s hair; and, 
im nine cases out of ten, a small piece of serpent’s skin is loosely placed in 
the bottom of the nest.” It should be remarked that Canon Tristram 
also mentions this strange material in the nest-lining. In Southern Spain 
the Rufous Warbler is said by Saunders to build its nest between the 
leaves of the cactus, which forms the hedges in the vineyards. 
The eggs of the Rufous Warbler are from three to five in number, and 
differ somewhat in the extent and colour of the markings. The usual type 
is very pale bluish white or French grey in ground-colour, irregularly 
marked and dashed with large brown spots, and with a few streaks of the 
same colour and pale violet-grey shell-markings. Another type is very 
pale blue in ground-colour, finely speckled with pale brown, the spots 
being most numerous on the large end of the egg. They measure from 
"95 to ‘8 inch in length, and from °67 to *59 inch in breadth. The eggs 
of the Rufous Warbler very closely resemble those of the Tawny Pipit 
(Anthus campestris) ; but, asa rule, the eggs of the latter bird are compara- 
tively broader in proportion to their length. Canon Tristram states that 
his Palestine eggs of the Rufous Warbler are much more delicately 
and sparsely spotted than those from Africa. 
The food of this bird is composed of insects, for which it searches 
not only in the branches but also on the ground. It may sometimes be 
seen turning over dung like a Thrush; and very often it flies into the air 
to catch a passing insect. 
The typical form of the Rufous Warbler has the general colour of the 
upper parts pale chestnut-brown, with a buffish-white eye-stripe extending 
to the nape. The quills and wing-coverts are brown, margined on the 
outside web with buffish white. The tail is rich chestnut-brown ; the two 
centre feathers have a more or less obscure broad terminal dark band, 
which is sometimes obsolete; and the remaining feathers have broad 
terminal white bands and nearly black subterminal bands. The whole of 
the underparts are very pale buffish white, slightly darker on the sides of 
the breast and flanks. Bill brown above, horn-colour below ; legs, feet, 
and claws pale brown; irides hazel. The female does not differ in colour 
from the male; and the differences caused by age and season are very 
small. 
