492 RARE BRITISH BIRDS 



and is absent from the Balkan Peninsula south of Bulgaria, the north-west and west of France, 

 and the Iberian Peninsula. It probably also breeds in North-west Africa, and either this or 

 the next species has bred occasionally in the south of England. Its winter quarters lie in 

 Tropical Africa, and over twenty specimens have been obtained in the British Isles, fourteen 

 from the south and east coasts of England, ten from Fair Island and Lerwick, and one from 

 Ireland. 



4. Nest and Eggs. The usual site for the nest is in the fork of a shrub or hedge, between 

 four and eight feet from the ground, occasionally much higher, and in a tree. It is neatly built 

 of down, grasses, wool, etc., interwoven with bark strips, fibre, and other materials, and lined 

 with grasses, roots, and hair, with sometimes a few feathers. The eggs are usually 4 or 5, 

 sometimes 6 in number, and have a dull rosy ground, sparingly spotted and streaked with 

 black. Average size of 142 eggs, -72x - 52 in. [18-3 x 13-4 mm.]. Incubation is performed by 

 both sexes, the male sitting in the afternoon (Naumann), and lasts 13 days. In Middle 

 Europe eggs can be found from the end of May to mid- June, and in Scandinavia during the 

 latter half of June. Probably only one brood is reared in the season as a rule. [F. c. R. J.] 



MELODIOUS- WARBLER [Hypoldis polyglotta (Vieillot). Polyglot- warbler, melodious willow- 

 warbler. French, fauvette polyglotte ; German, Sdnger-Laubvogel ; Italian, cvmapino}. 



1. Description. Resembles the icterine-warbler in size and coloration, but may be 

 distinguished from that species by the size and length of the bastard primary, which is more 

 than half an inch long, and extends for more than half its length beyond the primary coverts, 

 whereas in the icterine-warbler it is shorter than the primary coverts by a quarter of an 

 inch. The second primary generally intermediate in length between the sixth and seventh, 

 [w. p. P. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. There is reason to believe that this species has bred occasionally in the 

 south of England (Sussex, Surrey, etc.), but owing to the difficulty of distinguishing it from the 

 preceding species, the evidence is not wholly satisfactory. On the Continent its range is much 

 more restricted, and it is only known to breed in France (excepting only the north-eastern 

 departments), and locally on the west side of Italy, as well as in Spain and Portugal, except 

 north of the Cantabrian Mountains. It also nests in North-west Africa from Tunisia to Marocco 

 as far as the Rio de Oro. Its winter quarters lie in western Tropical Africa (Senegambia and 

 Upper Guinea), and it has been recorded from Belgium, Heligoland, and Austro-Hungary, as 

 well as four times at least from England and Ireland (Sussex two, Cornwall, and Co. Cork). 

 [F. c. R. J.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. The nest is generally built in the fork of some bush, from three to five 

 feet from the ground, and is neatly and compactly built of dead grasses and vegetable down, 

 with a dead leaf or so woven in, and is lined with down and a few roots, hairs, or feathers. 

 The eggs are 4 or 5, rarely 6 in number, generally rather a deeper rose-red than those of 

 the icterine, dull in texture, and spotted and streaked with black. Average size of 100 eggs, 

 69x'51 in. [17'7xl3 - 2 mm.]. Details as to incubation seem to be lacking, but the period 

 probably differs little from that of the icterine. In Spain the eggs may be found from mid-May 

 onward as a rule, and apparently two broods are reared, as fresh eggs may be found about the 

 third week of June. [F. c. R. J.] 



GREAT REED- WARBLER [Acroctphalus arundindceus (Limueus). French, rousserolle; 

 German, Drosselrohrsanger, grosser Rohrspatz ; Italian, cannareccione]. 



1. Description. Recognised by its very large size. Length 7| in. [190 mm.]. Sexes alike. 

 General colour of the upper surface rufous brown, becoming paler on the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts ; primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers blackish brown, margined on the outer web with 



