120 



BIRD GALLERY. 



represent the fourth subfamily ; while the few Australian species of 

 Ephthianura (2068-2070) constitute the fifth. 



The Henicurina includes the fork-tailed species of Henicurus (2071) 

 and Hydrocichla (2072), inhabiting the mountain streams of the 

 Indian Region, and resembling Pied Wagtails in general appearance 

 and habits. 



To the Ruticillinee belong our Common (2074) and Black (2075) Bed- 

 starts, Robin (2082), Nightingale (2080), and Northern or " Sprosser " 

 Nightingale (2080 a), which has been recently procured in Kent, as well 

 as the Blue-throat (2079), an irregular visitor to our coasts; also the 

 Ruby-throats (Calliope] (2083), Chat-Thrushes (Cossypha) (2094-5), 

 and Shamas (Cittocincla) (2092), the latter much prized as cage-birds 

 on account of their sweet song. 



The Chats (Saxicolince} form the eighth subfamily. The British 

 breeding species belonging to this group are the Stonechat (2099), 

 Whinchat (2100), and Common Wheatear (2107), while the Isabellirie 

 (2106), Black-throated (Saxicola occidentalis) (2114), and Desert 

 Wheatears (2115) have occurred as stragglers. 



The ninth and last subfamily (Sialiitute) contains some strikingly 

 handsome forms, such as the American Sialia sialis (21 13) and Grandala 

 coelicolor (2111), found on the highest parts of the Himalaya at elevations 

 of from 15,000 to 17,000 feet. 



[Case 75.] Family XI. SYLVIID^E. WARBLERS. 



The numerous representatives of this family are distributed over the 

 Old World and include some of our finest songsters, such as the Black- 

 cap. They are distinguished from the Thrushes by having a double 

 moult, one in spring and one in autumn, and their young in first 

 plumage resemble the adult, but are rather more highly coloured. 

 With few exceptions they are birds of plain plumage. The majority 

 are migratory and traverse immense distances, but some, such as the 

 Grass Warblers (Prinia and Cisticola) are quite sedentary and incapable 

 of protracted flight. The food consists of insects, but most of the 

 species at certain times of the year feed on fruits, &c. No less than 

 twenty-five species are included in the British list, twelve of which are 

 regular summer visitors, while the remainder are accidental. To the 

 former category belong the Grasshopper- (2118), Sedge- (2123), Marsh- 

 (2119), and Reed- (2121) Warblers, the Wood- Wren (2144), Willow- 

 Warbler (2145), Chiffchaff (2143), Dartford Warbler (2134), Garden- 

 Warbler (2140), Blackcap (2137), Whitethroat (2139), and Lesser 

 Whitethroat (2138). The latter include the Rufous (2117), Aquatic 

 (2122), Great Reed- (shewn with its nest at the foot of the Case) (2141), 



