.SYLVIA 85 



Garden Warbler, and the other having the ground colour and 

 clouding pinkish, and the markings reddish-brown. In size 

 they average about 073 by 0*57. Sylvia heinckcni from. Madeira 

 is merely a melanism of this species. 



123. ORPHEAN WARBLER. 

 SYLVIA ORPHEA. 



Sylvia orpJiea, Temm. Man. d'Orn. p. 107 (1815) ; Hewitson, i. p. 133 5 

 pi. xxxv. fig. 3 ; Naumann, ii. p. 445, Taf. 76, figs. 3, 4 ; (Gould), 

 B. of Gt. Brit. ii. pi. 61 ; Newton, i. p. 423 ; Dresser, ii. p. 411, 

 pi. 64 ; Seebohm. Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 14 ; Saimclers, p. 45 ; 

 Lilford, iii. p. 57, pi. 29. 



Fciumtte orpftfo, French ; Rosinyol masearat, Span. ; Bigia 

 grossa, Ital. 



<J ad. (Spain). Crown and sides of head extending below the eye 

 black, paler on the nape ; upper parts ashy grey with a brownish tinge ; 

 wings blackish brown, externally paler margined ; tail blackish, the 

 external feather white on outer web and along the middle of the inner 

 web ; the next two with an apical white spot ; under parts white, the 

 breast and flanks tinged with vinous grey ; under wing- and tail-coverts 

 and lower flanks pale reddish grey ; upper mandible black, the lower 

 bluish with black tip ; legs brownish plumbeous ; rris bright sulphur 

 yellow. Culmeii 0'71, wing 3'1, tail 2'6, tarsus 0'9 inch. The female differs 

 merely in being duller and having less black on the head. The young 

 bird is paler and browner, and has the black on the head replaced by lead 

 grey. 



ffab. Southern Europe and North Africa as far north as 

 Luxemburg, and as far east as South Russia and Greece, where 

 it meets the eastern form; has been twice recorded from 

 England ; Avinters in Central Africa. 



In its habits it is restless and active but somewhat shy. Its 

 food consists chiefly of insects, but it feeds also on berries and 

 fruit. Its song is louder and harsher than that of the Blackcap, 

 consisting both of clear flute-like notes and also harsh ones like 

 those of the Reed- Warbler. It frequents bushes and trees, and 

 breeds late in April or in May, placing its nest on bushes and 

 also on trees at a considerable height above the ground. The 

 nest is composed of coarse bents and plant-stems lined with 

 fine bents and plant cotton, and the eggs, 4 or 5 in number, are 

 white with the faintest sea-green or bluish tinged, spotted and 

 blotched with pale purplish grey shell markings, and blackish 

 or dark-reddish brown surface spots, and in size vary from 0'75 

 by 0-6 to 0-83 by 0'63. 



