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MELODIOUS WILLOW WARBLER. 



MELODIOUS WILLOW WEEF. 



Sylvia hippofais, TEMMINCK. 



Sylvia. Sylva A wood. Hivpofais ? 



THE Melodious Willow Warbler appears to be dispersed 

 throughout the greater part of the European continent, being 

 found from the shores of the Mediterranean to Sweden. 



F. Plomley, Esq., M. D., F. L. S., of Maidstone, in Kent, 

 recorded in the 'Zoologist,' pages 2238-9, the first occurrence 

 of this bird in Britain, but only a 'flying visit;' one having 

 been obtained at Eythorne, near Dover, in that county, on 

 the 15th. of June, 1848. It came into the possession of Mr. 

 Chaffey, of Dodington, also in Kent, who obligingly drew my 

 attention to it when I saw his excellently preserved collection. 



'It is somewhat singular,' says Mr. G-ould, writing before 

 the occurrence of the above-named specimen, 'that this species, 

 so familiar to every naturalist on the continent, and which 

 inhabits the gardens and hedgerows of those portions of the 

 coasts of France and Holland which are immediately opposite 

 our own, should not, like the rest of its immediate congeners, 

 more diminutive in size, and consequently less capable of 

 performing extensive nights, have occasionally strayed across 

 the Channel, and enlivened our glens and groves with its rich 

 and charming song, which is far superior to that of either of 

 the three other species of the group.' 



'Its food consists of insects, such as aphides, and other small 

 kinds to which are added caterpillars, etc.' 



"Those who have not had an opportunity of listening to 

 the song of this little tenant of the grove, can scarcely form 



