SYLVIA SUBALPINA. 53 



8th of May, 1875, breeding in the cork-woods along the base of 

 the Retin Hills ; the nests were on the tops of branches of small 

 cork-trees, about ten feet from the ground. 



It would seem that this Warbler must chiefly pass further to 

 the east. They nest around Seville and are common about 

 Madrid ; but I did not ascertain that they bred near Tangier. 



Male. General colour above ashy grey ; chin, throat, and underparts 

 white ; outer pair of tail-feathers with outer web white, inner web brown ; 

 next pair white only at tips ; head black ; legs bluish ; irides yellow. 



Female. Like male, but the head only slightly darker than back. 

 Length 6 1 inches. 



30. Sylvia subalpina, Bonelli. The Subalpine or Chestnut- 

 breasted Warbler. 



Favier merely states that " this species occurs near Tangier on 

 passage in March and April, and again in October." 



They are not often noticed near Gibraltar ; but I shot one on 

 the 20th March, 1870, and at Tangier on the 26th of March and 

 27th of April, 1874. Mr. L. P. Irby obtained one at Tangier on 

 the 18th March, 1894. On the 27th of March, 1871, I saw 

 eight or ten among the flowers and trees on the Alameda de 

 Apodaca at Cadiz ; they were exceedingly tame, and I watched 

 them for a long time hopping about in and out among the 

 flowers like a common Wren. One or two were very bright- 

 coloured males. We also saw this Warbler on the 25th of April, 

 1869, in the Goto del Key. Lord Lilford informs me he found a 

 nest early in May, built in a gum-cistus bush in the Goto del 

 Donana, the eggs being very hard sat-on. 



I never had the good fortune to discover a nest ; but they 

 build much in the same manner and situations as S. melano- 

 cephala, the eggs being also very similar to those of that bird. 



Owing to the chestnut colour of the throat and breast of 

 the male, this species is very apt to be confounded, when flying 

 and hopping about, with the Dartford Warbler, but the length of 



