SYLVIA SUBALPINA 79 



occurrence of the species in Marocco, but it occurs in Spain, and Mr. 

 Howard Saunders mentions having seen an individual of it in the 

 Western Pyrenees. He also states that a few pass the winter to 

 the east of Malaga, and that in some years the species is fairly 

 common on migration about Valencia and Murcia (Man. Br. Birds, 

 2nd ed., p. 44). In Eastern Europe, however, the species is far 

 commoner, and going still further eastward into Asia closely allied 

 forms of the bird are to be met with. 



In Egypt and North-east Africa this species is common on 

 migration. 



In its general habits the Lesser Whitethroat resembles the 

 common Whitethroat to a great extent. I am unaware of its nesting 

 anywhere in North-west Africa. 



SYLYIA SUBALPINA, Bonelh. 

 SUBALPINE WARBLER. 



SylYia subalpina, Bonelli, fide Temm, Man. d'Orn, i, p. 214 (1820) 

 Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v, p. 27 ; Koenig, J.f. 0. 1888, p. 196; 

 id. J.f. 0. 1892, p. 398; Whitakcr, Ibis, 1895, p. 94; Erlanger, 

 .7. f. 0. 1899, p. 267. 



S. passerina, Malherbe, Faune Ornith. de VAlg. p. 12 (1855). 



Stoparola subalpina, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 243 (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Feriana, Central Tunisia. 



Forehead, crown, nape, back, scapulars, rump and upper tail-coverts 

 slate-grey, rather darker on the head ; wings brown, with light margins 

 to the feathers ; tail blackish-brown ; exterior rectrices white ; lores and 

 ear-coverts slate-brown ; a white moustachial stripe ; chin and entire 

 throat rich chestnut ; upper breast and sides of the body and flanks pale 

 chestnut ; abdomen white, tinged with chestnut ; under tail-coverts 

 whitish. 



Iris bright hazel ; eyelid brick-colour ; bill dark brown, yellowish at the 

 base of lower mandible ; feet yellow-ochre, or yellowish-flesh colour. 



Total length 5-20 inches, wing 2'40, culmen -40, tarsus -70. 



Adult female, above ashy-brown ; wings and tail as in the male ; below 

 whitish, tinged with buff. Soft parts and measurements as in the male, 

 except that the eyelid is whitish instead of being reddish, and the iris is 

 paler, being sometimes straw-yellow. 



