HYPOLAIS ICTERINA. 295 
are common about Colesberg, inhabiting large plains covered with 
tall shrubs, in which they construct their nests. About the latter 
they are very solicitous, often suffering themselves to be knocked 
over with a stick when the nest is approached. Mr. T. C. Atmore 
has sent us specimens from the vicinity of Grahamstown, and Mr. 
T. L. Ayres has forwarded to Captain Shelley sundry examples shot 
near Pinetown in Natal. We are indebted to Mr. Ortlepp for the 
nest and eggs of the present species. The former is a small cup of 
wool and wild cotton lined with a few grass stems, placed in a bush. 
The eggs, three in number, are pure white, minutely spotted over 
the whole of the obtuse end with red dots. Axis, 7” ; diam. 51”. 
The following description is taken from one of Sir Andrew Smith’s 
skins in the British Museum. The species may be distinguished from 
C. olivacea by its green back, wings and tail, and by the entirely 
white under-surface. 
Adult.—General colour dull olive-green, the forehead with some- 
what of a greyish shade: wing-coverts green like the back, but a 
little brighter and more yellow in tone; quills brown, externally 
washed with green like the back, brighter on the outer edge of the 
primaries: tail dull olive-green, with nearly obsolete remains of 
lighter tips: lores greyish white, as also a slightly indicated eye- 
brow: round the eye a ring of buffy white feathers: in front of 
the eye a dusky spot: ear-coverts ashy brown with faint whitish 
shaft-lines: cheeks and entire under surface of body dull white, the 
sides of the body washed with ashy grey: thighs dull tawny yellow : 
under wing-coverts and axillaries pale yellow, as also the outer edge 
of the wing, the greater series of coverts whitish : “ bill black, legs 
flesh-colour ; iris rich brown” (Z’. L. Ayres). Total length, 4°2 inches ; 
culmen, 0°55; wing, 2°05; tail, 1:7; tarsus, 0°8. 
Fig. le Vaill. Ois. d’Afr. iii. pl. 125. 
279. TH yYpoLais ICTERINA. Icterine Warbler, 
Sylvia obscura, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 102. 
Like the Willow Warbler, this European species appears to make 
South Africa its winter home. Sir A. Smith, who described it 
under the name of Sylvia obscwra, obtained a smgle specimen near 
Latakoo. Mr. Andersson, who is at present the only other naturalist 
who has met with the species in South Africa, writes as follows :— 
“T observed this Warbler sparingly in the neighbourhood of the 
