64 BUITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



THE MELODIOUS WILLOW WARBLER. Sylvia hippolais. 

 Latham's Pettychaps, as this bird is likewise termed, is 

 but an occasional visitant to this country : a specimen was 

 shot near Dover in June 1848. It builds at a considerable 

 elevation, sometimes near the top in tall bushes or young 

 trees. "The nest/' says Mr. Yanvell, "is open at the top, cup- 

 shaped, the bottom and sides made up of long grass bents 

 and long hairs, interlaid and wound round together, the in- 

 side lined with fine roots, hairs, and bits of wool." The 

 same authority describes the eggs as "pale pinkish-white, 

 speckled with dark or purplish red." 



THE ORPHEAN WARBLER. Sylvia Orphea. This species 

 is found as a summer visitor in several parts of Italy, it also 

 visits Switzerland, and is found in the forests and dry dis- 

 tricts of Lorraine and Provence. In July 1848, a bird of 

 this species was shot in Yorkshire, but it is only known in 

 Britain as an occasional visitor. The nest, which is placed 

 among bushes, blocks of stone, or in other favourable situa- 

 tions, is large ; the materials consist of twigs and strong 

 bents of grass, with which are interwoven, both outside and 

 inside, many long horse-hairs. 



The eggs, which are four or five in number, are white, 

 tinged with pale-green, spotted and speckled with reddish- 

 yellow and light-brown. 



