— 12 — 



Length 5| inches. Upper parts of male dark grey, tinged 

 on back with brown ; under parts vinous brow^n ; wiiite on centre 

 of abdomen. Female browner and paler below. Both sexes 

 have white on outer tail feathers. 



N.B. — All the, forms of Sylvia found in Egypt have white 

 on the outer pairs of tail feathers, with the exception of the 

 blackcap and garden warblers, 



Shelley, p. 108, includes Sylvia {melizophilus) sarda, but I 

 think no sufficient proof is forthcoming of its occurrence in 

 Egypt. 



57. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla atricafilla (Linnaeus). Plate 20. 



Curruca atricapilla. Shelley, p. 105. 



Common from September to April ; frequently heard singing. 



Length 5| inches, Male, crown of head black ; upper parts 



olive-brown ; lower parts white washed ^^dth slaty buff. The 



female has the crown of the head orange-brown, as have 



immature birds of both sexes. 



58. Garden Warbler. Sylvia simplex Latham. Plate 20. 



Curruca hortensis. Shelley, p. 104. 



Not very numerous, a few during both migrations. 



Slightly larger than the preceding, which it much resembles 

 except that the crown of the head is of the same colour as the 

 back. The under parts are less grey, more cream coloured. 

 Sexes alike. 



59. Gold-crested Wren. Regulus cristatus (Linnaeus). 



Not mentioned by Shelley. 



Sometimes visits Lower Egypt in late autumn and mid- 

 winter. 



Total length about 3| inches. Centre of crown golden 

 yellow to golden orange, bordered by a black line ; upper parts 

 greenish ; under parts buffy white ; two pale buff bands on the 

 wing. 



60. Fire-crested Wren. Regulus ignicapillus (C. L. Brehm). 



Not mentioned by Shelley. 



The only occurrence of this species in Egypt, know^n to me, 

 is one male seen at very close quarters on the north-west frontier 

 of Egypt by Capt. E. H. Buxton in November 1916. 



