96 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



nowhere abundant, Marmora's Warbler is to be met with occasionally, 

 and in some districts on the south coast it may possibly be resident. 

 On the Italian mainland, however, the species is distinctly rare, for 

 it has only been procured on one or two occasions from Liguria. 

 Further eastwards it appears to have been met with occasionally in 

 some parts of Greece, as well as, perhaps, in Turkey and Palestine, 

 and according to von Henglin (Orn. N. 0. Afr. p. 303), the species 

 also occurs in spring in Egypt. In conclusion, it would appear that 

 Marmora's Warbler is decidedly local in its distribution, and were 

 it not for its occurrence in Portugal, the species might be considered 

 as a strictly Mediterranean form, occurring most commonly in the 

 islands of that basin where a " maquis " vegetation flourishes. 



In its general habits, food and nidification the present species 

 greatly resembles the Dartford Warbler. Its song, however, appears 

 to be more like that of S. melanocephala, and its alarm note is 

 particularly harsh and grating, like that of the latter bird. 



Although I have no positive information as to the nesting of 

 M. sarcitis in Tunisia, I am inclined to think that the species breeds 

 in the Kegency, and Dr. Koenig seems to have been of the same 

 opinion when he met with this warbler in March on the island of 

 Curiat. 



MELIZOPHILUS DESERTICOLUS (Tristram). 

 TRISTEAM'S WARBLER. 



Sylvia deserticola, Tristram, Ibis, 1859, pp. 58, 417 ; Seebohm, Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus. v, p. 32, pi. iii. ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1896, p. 91 ; id. Ibis, 



1898, p. 132. 

 Melizophilus deserticolus, Erlangcr, J.f. O. 1899, p. 271. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from El-Oubira, Central Tunisia. 



Crown and entire upper plumage dark slate, shaded with brown on 

 the back and rump ; wings dark brown, the feathers broadly fringed with 

 rutous-buff ; tail-feathers dark brown, with lighter fringes, the outer pair 

 with the outer webs and the terminal portion of the inner webs white ; a 

 faint moustachial stnpe and a few feathers on the chin white ; the 

 remainder of the underparts chestnut colour, becoming paler on the 

 abdomen and crissum. 



