PYGNONOTUS 22& 



and is very partial to ripe oranges. Its song is a clear 

 melodious whistle, resembling the syllables Jrwhit, PwJiit, 

 Quit era, Quiterd. It breeds in May, June, and July, placing 

 its nest, which resembles that of a Woodchat Shrike, on the 

 branch of a fruit tree, and deposits 3 to 4 eggs, which are 

 very thin-shelled, greyish white, marbled and spotted with 

 red or reddish brown surface spots, and purplish grey shell- 

 markings, in size averaging about 0'98 by 0'73. 



330. PALESTINE BULBUL. 

 PYCNONOTUS XANTHOPYGUS. 



Pycnonotus xanthopygus, (Hempr. and Ehr.) Symb. Phys. fol. bb. (1829) ; 

 Shelley, B. of Egypt, p. 68 ; Dresser, iii. p. 357, pi. 143, fig. 1 ;: 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. vi. p. 135. 



(J ad. (Palestine). Head and upper neck glossy black ; upper parts 

 dull ashy brown ; wings and tail umber-brown ; under parts dull white 

 washed with pale ashy brown on the breast and flanks ; vent and under 

 tail-coverts brilliant yellow ; bill and legs black ; iris dark brown ; edge of 

 the eye-lids grey. Culmen 07, wing 37, tail 3*8, tarsus 0*9 inch. Sexes 

 similar and the young bird does not differ except in having the plumage 

 duller. 



Hob. North-east Africa, Arabia, Syria Palestine, Cyprus, 

 Rhodes, and the Cyclades. 



In its skulking habits it resembles P. barlatus, but is not 

 gregarious, being usually seen in pairs. 



It frequents wooded lowlands and gardens, and is not found 

 in the mountains. Its song is exceedingly rich, indeed but 

 little less so than that of the Nightingale, but it lacks the 

 two last notes of that bird's song. Its nest is small and neat,, 

 not unlike that of Fringilla ccelebs, and is placed in a small fork 

 or side branch of a tree. The eggs, 3 to 4 in number, are- 

 deposited late in April or early in May, and are white, covered 

 with purplish grey shell-markings, and clear chocolate crimson 

 surface-spots, averaging in size about 0'91 by 0'69. 



Pycnonotus capensis, a South African species, has been once recorded 

 from Ireland, but there is no doubt that it has no claim to be included, even, 

 as a straggler, among European lards. 



