266 SYLVIAD^. 



September, a straggler being occasionally seen in the 

 winter. It visits during the summer, Provence, Spain, 

 France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Prussia, going 

 as far north as Russia, Siberia, Finland, West Bothnia, 

 and the most distant part of Sweden. It was seen by 

 Mr. Hewitson in Norway ; but, according to M. Nilsson, 

 it is never seen in the lower or southern part of Sweden, 

 nor is it included among the birds of Denmark. It 

 appears to prefer the southern parts of France, and is 

 more abundant in Lorraine and Alsace than elsewhere, 

 in which latter-named country this bird is considered a 

 delicate article of food, and great numbers are caught for 

 the table. 



The Blue-throated Warbler is found in Sicily, Malta, 

 and Egypt ; Mr. Blyth has also found it in India, near 

 Calcutta. 



The food of this species is earthworms, insects, and 

 berries ; and its song is said to be pleasing. 



I have been favoured by Mr. J. D. Hoy, of Stoke Nay- 

 land in Suffolk, with the following notes of his own obser- 

 vations on the habits of this species on the Continent. 

 " This bird makes its appearance early in spring, preceding 

 that of the Nightingale by ten or twelve days. I have 

 always found this species in the breeding season in low 

 swampy grounds, on the woody borders of boggy heaths, 

 and on the banks of streams running through wet springy 

 meadows, where there is abundance of alder and willow 

 underwood. The nest is placed on the ground among 

 plants of the bog myrtle, in places overgrown with coarse 

 grass, on the sides of sloping banks, in the bottom of stubs 

 of scrubby brushwood in wet situations. It is well con- 

 cealed and difficult to discover. I do not believe they ever 

 build in holes of trees. The nest is composed on the out- 

 side of dead grass and a little moss, and lined with finer 



