388 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Food. — Obtained on ground as well as in bushes ; insects (coleop- 

 tera, orthoptera, larvae of lepidoptera, etc.). Also earthworms. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Five. One near Brighton (Sussex), 

 Sept. 16, 1854 (W. Borrer, ZooL, 1854, p. 4511 ). One Start (Devon) 

 Sept. 25, 1859 (G. R. Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 3, Vol. 

 IV, p. 399.) One Slapton (Devon) Oct. 12, 1876 (H. NichoUs, 

 ZooL, 1876, p. 5179). One Brede (Sussex) Sept. 20, 1913 (H. W. 

 Ford-Lindsay, Brit. B., vii, p. 172). One Old Head of Kinsale 

 (Cork) Sept.,^ 1876 (R. J. Ussher, Irish Nat., 1899, p. 52). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Southern Spain and Portugal, north 

 Africa, south Syria. Stray birds have been observed in Italy. 

 Appears in winter or on passage in oases of Great Desert. 



162. Agrobates galactotes syriacus (Hempr. & Ehr.) — THE 

 BROWN-BACKED WARBLER. 



CuRRUCA GALACTODES VAR. sYRiACA Hemprich and Ehrenberg, Symb. 

 Phys., fol. bb (1833— Syria [Beirut]). 



Aedon jamiliaris, J. B. Nichols, Brit. B., i, p. 257 ; A. F. Griffith, Bull. 

 B.O.C., XXVII, p. 29. A. g. syriacus, Witherby, Brit. B., iv, p. 310. 



Description. — Adult male and female. — Like A. g. galactotes but 

 crown, mantle, scapulars and back brown not chestnut and darker 

 than in A. g. galactotes ; rumj) and upper tail -co verts chestnut 

 as in ^. g. galactotes and contrasting strikingly with rest of upper- 

 parts ; eye-strijDe rather purer white ; under-parts greyer not 

 sandy-coloured ; central tail-feathers with most of outer webs 

 brown and tips of inner webs bro^^ii ; wing-feathers and wing- 

 coverts darker brown than in A. g. galactotes and edgings and tips 

 whiter. 



Nestling and Juvenile. — (Not examined.) 



Measurements and structure. — (^ wing 83-89 mm., tail 62-69, 

 tarsus 25-27, bill from skull 17-20 (12 measured). $ wing 79-85, 

 tail 58-65. Primaries : 1st 1-3 mm. longer or 1-2 shorter, than 

 primary -co verts, 3rd and 4th longest, 2nd and 5th 1.5-2.5 mm. 

 shorter, 6th 5-8 shorter ; 3rd and 4th emarginated outer webs. 

 Other structure &s A. g. galactotes. 



Breeding-habits. — Similar to those of Rufous Warbler, but nest is 

 more frequently placed in a tree, especially in olive-groves, 

 4 to 6 ft. from the ground. Eggs. — Also similar in type, but on 

 average slightly smaller. Average of 87 eggs, 21.7x16 mm. 

 Breeding-season. — From May 18 to June 18 in Greece : mostly late 

 in May or early in June. Single brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly insects : coleoptera, orthoptera (locusts, grass- 

 hoppers, etc.). Also earthworms. 



