408 SYLVIID.E. 



and entertaining when kept in confinement, and, for a species 

 of this family, is so easily preserved in health that, accord- 

 ing to Capt. Hutton, it has survived a voyage to New Zealand, 

 whither it has been transported with the hope of its becoming 

 naturalized. 



The Greater Whitethroat is plentiful in most parts of 

 England and Wales, but, though breeding regularly in every 

 county, appears to decrease in numbers towards the north. 

 It is, however, one of the most familiar summer-visitants in 

 Scotland : Mr. Graham found it in Mull and lona, but ac- 

 cording to Mr. Gray it is wholly unknown in the Outer 

 Hebrides. The same gentleman states that Mr. Sinclair 

 has traced it beyond Loch Sunart in Inverness, and that it 

 appears to have occurred once or twice in Orkney and Shet- 

 land. In Ireland it is said to be a regular summer-visitant 

 from south to north and to frequent every hedgerow. 



This Whitethroat is said to be common in Norway as far 

 as Trondhjem and to visit Nordland. In Sweden it has been 

 found in Jemtland and is plentiful further south. Dr. Malm- 

 gren informs the Editor that it occurs at Uleaborg in Finland 

 and breeds near Kajana. In Russia Herr Meves found it 

 common even at Archangel. . Pallas says that it inhabits 

 Siberia, but his determination of the species is open to doubt. 

 Menetries found it in bushes near Lenkoran. Mr. Blanford 

 noticed it in Persia* one hundred and fifty miles east of 

 Shiraz, and Mr. Hume says (Ibis, 1871, p. 32) that one was 

 obtained by Dr. King at Aboo in India. It is abundant in 

 Palestine and resident there, though its numbers are in- 

 creased by immigration in spring. It is a bird of double 

 passage in Arabia and Egypt, Avintering in Abyssinia and 

 Kordofau. It also occurs throughout North Africa, and 

 Messrs. Shelley and Buckley obtained it at Accra on the 

 Guinea Coast, MM. Webb and Berthelot observed it in the 

 Canaries but it has not been recorded from the Azores or 

 Madeira. In almost all countries of Europe it seems to be 



* The Persian bird, whicli is said to be very common tliere, is distinguished by 

 De Filippi as ^' var. persica" ; but specimens kindly shewn to the Editor by 

 Mr. lilanford ajipear not to differ from our own. 



