290 



Italy: Canapino maggiore. Poland: OajSwka szczebiotliwa. Russia: Ljesnaja 

 Malinowka. Sweden: Gulbrostad sdngare. 



Hypolais icterina (Vieill.). Newton, ed. Yarrell, I, p. 360. Dresser, 

 B. of Europe, II, p. 521 and Man. Pal. Birds, p. 107. Saunders, Man. 

 p. 75. Hippolais icterina (Vieill.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 570. 



Breeding Range: Continental Europe, except N. Scandinavia and 

 Russia, W. France, and the Iberian and Balkan peninsulas. [Also W. 

 Siberia and probably Algeria.] 



[Although it is a fact that one (or more) species of this genus has 

 bred on several occasions in the S. of England, there is no definite proof 

 as yet, beyond the presence of eggs which might belong to this species 

 or H. polyglotta.] It is remarkable that it should be so little known in 

 England, for its range extends in Norway up to lat. 67 i°, well within 

 the Arctic circle. In Sweden it is chiefly confined to the southern part 

 and the islands of Gotland and Oland, but is found up to about lat. 63°, 

 while in Finland it occurs as far as Kuopio and in N, Russia ranges 

 to Archangel and lat. 57" at least in the Urals. Its southern limit in 

 Russia coincides with that of the birch, but isolated instances of its 

 occurrence have been recorded from the N. Caucasus, Crimea, Odessa etc. 

 Throughout middle Europe it is generally distributed in fair numbers, but 

 becomes scarce S. of the Danube valley, although a few pairs breed in 

 Bulgaria and Montenegro and it is tolerably common in S. Dalmatia. 

 In Italy it is generally distributed and is said also to nest in Sicily, but 

 has not been found breeding in Sardinia or Corsica. In France it is 

 only found in the E. and S., and is absent from the N. "W., from the 

 mouth of the Garonne and the departements Charente, Vienne, Cher, 

 Nifevres and Seine et Marne almost to Calais (L. Bureau). In the Low 

 Countries, Denmark and Germany it is common and has twice bred on 

 Helgoland. [The nest has been taken in W. Siberia about 57" N. and 

 74" E., and it is almost certain that it breeds in Algeria and Tunisia, 

 for Hartert shot a female in N. Algeria with enlarged ovary on May 24.] 

 Neet. The neatly constructed nest is generally placed in the fork of slender 



twigs of some shrub, such as syringa or lilac; sometimes in a tree or tall 

 hedge, as a rule between 4 and 8 ft. high, but sometimes as much as 

 30 — 40 ft. from the ground and occasionally only a foot or two above 

 it. It is rather deep, and firmly built, but very light. The materials 

 vary according to locality, but generally consist of vegetable down, dry 

 grasses, sometimes bits of wool, lichens or moss, interwoven with fine 

 strips of birch bark, fibre or roots, and lined with grasses, roots and 

 a few hairs. In some cases (especially in the N.) feathers are used in 

 the lining. Birch bark is freely used to decorate the exterior as a rule, 



