Season. 



ments. 



320 



substantially built of grasses, interwoven with dead thistle leaves and 

 stalks of various plants and bits of thistle down, lined with fine roots, 

 down, and a few horsehairs. Diameter of cup 2i in., depth H — If in. 

 The foundation is more solidly built than in the case of the other Medi- 

 terranean warblers. 

 Eggs. Usually 4 or 5 in number, sometimes only 3. They are greenish 



white, often closely freckled all over with fine spots of greenish grey or 

 greyish brown. Sometimes the markings tend to form a darker cap or 

 zone at the big end, and some eggs show pale leaden markings, or a 

 fine blackish hair line or two. 



Breeding In Malta two broods are reared, for fledged young have been found 



by March 24 (Stenhouse) and also in May and June (C. A. Wright), 

 while in Tunisia the season extends from the middle or end of March 

 to June (Whitaker). In Corsica and on the N. Shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean, where it is a summer visitor, the breeding season is probably 

 rather later, and the few nests of which I have records were taken 

 in May. 



Measure- Avcrage of 53 eggs (20 by Erlanger, 14 by Bau, 14 by the writer 



and 5 by Koenig), 16.71x13.06; Max. 18.6x13.7, Min. 15.5x12. 

 The average of 109 eggs quoted in Dr. Hartert's Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 

 599, included measurements of 83 eggs from the Canaries by an oversight. 

 Average weight, 88 mg. (Bau). 



[A darker race, known as S. conspicillata bella Tsch. , breeds in Madeira, the 

 Canaries and the Cape Verde Isles. Eggs figured by Dresser, pi. — fig. 31, 33 — 36. 

 In Tenerife eggs may be found from March onward, but in some of the islands of 

 the Cape Verde group it breeds even in November! In nesting habits it does not 

 differ from the Eastern form, but Alexander found nests in lavender bushes as much 

 as 7 ft. above the ground. In Madeira Schmitz states that most eggs are laid in May 

 in the mountains and that the nest is always lined with wool and sometimes also with 

 roots. Average of 29 eggs from Madeira , 16.9 X 13.09, Max. 17.6X13.5 and 16.8X14, 

 Min. 15.5 X 11-5. Average weight of 16 eggs 70 mg. (Schmitz). Average of 83 eggs 

 from the Canaries (57 by Koenig and 26 by the writer), 16.31 X 12 51, Max. 18X12 

 and 17 X 13, Min. 15 X 12 and 17.1 X 11-5. The clutch is usually 4, less often 3 or 5. 

 Tristram's Warbler, Sylvia deserticola Tristr. breeds in the Atlas and Aurfes ranges in 

 N.W.Africa. Eggs figured in J. f. 0., 1896, Taf. VII, fig. 2; nest and young, t. c, 

 1895, Taf. IJ. Meade- Waldo records it from the Atlas Mts. in Marocco, from above 

 the tree limit up to 9000 ft., while Koenig found it common in the Aur6s range in 

 Algeria and Whitaker describes as not uncommon among the maquis covered hills 

 of N. Tunisia. The nest is generally placed in a rosemary bush, and is built of stalks 

 and bents interspersed with down and lined with flowers of Aerva javanica and 

 sometimes hair. The eggs are usually 4 in number, greenish white, with slight gloss, 

 thickly covered especially towards the big end with olive or dark brown spots, 

 blotches, etc., which sometimes form a zone. Eggs may be taken from the beginning 

 of May. Average size of 15 eggs (8 by Whitaker and 7 by Koenig\ 15.6 X 12.47, 

 Max. 16 X 13, Min. 15 X 12. Average weight of 7 eggs, 81 mg. (Koenig).] 



