56 TURDID^E. 



33. Aedon g-alactodes (Temminck). The Western Rufous 

 Warbler. 



Moorish. Houmeira. Spanish. Alzacola, Eubita, Vinadera. 



"Abundant in the vicinity of Tangier, arriving in April and 

 May, returning during September, many remaining to breed. 

 Their habits are the same as those of the Nightingale. The 

 nest, large and well built, is placed at some height from the 

 ground, in thick foliage. The eggs, from five to six in number, 

 only differ from Sparrow's eggs in the spots being more reddish. 

 The males assist in incubation." Favier. 



On the Spanish side, this " Cocktail " Warbler, as they may 

 well be called from their well-known habit of continually jerking 

 their tails up, is very plentiful, frequenting sandy lanes hedged 

 with aloes and prickly pears, such as those close to the First 

 Yenta, near Gibraltar. As Favier remarks, they resemble 

 the Nightingale very much in some of their habits, and are 

 at first sight very likely to be mistaken for that bird ; 

 only the Nightingale comes some three weeks or a month 

 earlier. 



The Rufous Warblers mostly arrive near Gibraltar between the 

 1st and 5th of May. The earliest I noticed in 1869 was on the 

 28th of April, in 1870 on the 29th, in 1871 on the 22ud, and in 

 1 872 on the 28th of that month, the migration lasting for weeks. 

 They nest about the last fortnight in May. 



In places where there are many vineyards (which they 

 frequent) they are known as Vinadera. Alzacola is the local 

 name about Gibraltar ; and " Cocktail " is very nearly a 

 translation of it. " Eufous Sedge- Warbler," as this bird has 

 been called, is most inappropriate, as they are never seen near 

 either water or sedges. 



Upper parts pale chestnut-brown. Tail long and graduated ; the two 

 centre feathers rich reddish buff ; the others reddish buff, except the ends, 

 which are black, tipped with white. Length 7 inches. 



