SYLVIA PHCENICURUS. 295 



feet are black ; iris, brown. It is a beautiful bird, 5J inches 

 long and 9 J in extent of wings. In April 1886 one was shot at 

 Cameron; another at Kittock's Den, Kinkell, in June same 

 year ; and on June 3rd, 1887, I got a fine male from a fisher- 

 man, which I have stuffed. It flew on his boat, and was caught 

 quite exhausted, and died soon after — about thirty miles east 

 from the Bell Eock. It had likely been driven to sea by a gale, 

 and unable to regain the land ; which proves that our short- 

 winged summer migrants are bad flyers — unable to beat against 

 adverse winds — hence they generally come to us with a south- 

 east wind. It was in fine condition. The female is similar to 

 the male, but the colours not so rich. 



The other two species — the black-breasted (or Tithy's 

 redstart) and the blue-throated are rare in Britain; and as I 

 never saw them here, I need not describe them further than that 

 the first is like the common one without its white frontal band, 

 and having its breast black instead of red, and its eggs pure white. 

 The other has the crown of the head umber-brown, instead of 

 bluish-grey ; the throat and upper part of the breast rich azure- 

 blue, instead of black or red ; but its eggs are greenish-blue, like 

 the first. 



The next sub-family of the Sylviaclce in this arrangement is the 

 PMlomelince, which includes the nightingales and warblers, of 

 which the genus Salicaria, or aquatic warblers, are the first. 



SUB-FAMILY. PHILOMELINA. 



Genus, Salicaria — Aquatic Warblers. 



This genus derives its name of aquatic from frequenting reedy 

 marshes and damp underwood, overgrown with furze and 

 brambles, where the species live concealed, seldom appearing on 

 the upper branches, but keep to the under and closest parts, 

 through which their long sharp claws, low and narrow heads, 

 enable them to pass with great dexterity and speed — like sand- 

 eels amongst sand, or a field mouse amongst corn. Their usual 

 flight is low, merely from bush to bush. Their food chiefly 

 insects and larvae. 



