244 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



Warbler and the Marsh Warbler love to skulk 

 among the dense vegetation by the pools, and 

 catch the insects that dance in myriads in the 

 brilliant sunshine ; and in the half-dry beds of 

 the desert streams, the pretty Dotterel, tame and 

 confiding as ever, runs up and down the sand. 

 With the dawn of spring, most of these birds 

 hurry away from this land of promise ; when the 

 sun reaches the northern tropic, everything down 

 here will be scorched and parched, the waters will 

 dry up, and all will become deserted and desolate. 

 In the north, however, tempted by the beautiful 

 climate of the Tell, a few birds will remain behind 

 to rear their broods after their companions are 

 gone. These are the Pied Flycatcher and the 

 Wood Wren. 



Although this district is the grand winter 

 home, not only of our own summer birds, but 

 of the countless millions that inhabit the whole of 

 the northern parts of the west Palseartic region, 

 the remaining half of the hot and sultry African 

 Continent is a favourite wintering place of a great 

 many species. Some few there are that may be 

 found in winter south of the Atlas, from one end 

 of Africa to the other. These are the Spotted 

 Flycatcher, the Sedge Warbler, the Garden 

 Warbler, and the Common Whitethroat, the 

 Yellow Wagtail, the Swift, and the Goatsucker. 

 Some few of these remain behind to breed in 

 the extreme north of Africa, as, for instance, the 

 Spotted Flycatcher, the Swift, and the Goat- 



