76 BRITISH BIRDS. [VoL. XI. 
as it also sings much later than in England (to about the 
10th or 15th July), I think it is probably double-brooded here. 
The passage of species on their way to and from higher 
latitudes or higher zones is too large a subject to be dealt with 
here. But it may be of interest to remark that I have notes 
of individuals staying as many as three days (Redstart, 
Willow-Wren, Wood-Wren) and even five days (Pied 
Flycatcher) on their way north in spring. 
THE SUBMONTANE ZONE comprises most of the volcanic 
hills to the north and south of Rome, as well as the lower 
parts of the Apennine, here almost entirely limestone. On 
the voleanic soils, chestnut woods (generally as twenty-year 
coppice) cover most of the slopes, though there is a certain 
amount of arable and grass land, and some fruit. On the 
limestone the woods are chiefly of deciduous oaks (of several 
species), but the steepest slopes generally bear a mixture 
of deciduous trees; most of the more accessible slopes are 
cultivated. 
No species seems to be confined to this zone (unless it be 
the Orphean Warbler, which I have met with only once), 
though the Rock-Thrush and Ortolan Bunting reach only 
from the upper part of it into the lower part of the montane, 
and the Dipper and Grey Wagtail hardly range out of it 
owing to scarcity of suitable haunts at higher and lower 
levels. The following species may, however, be said to 
reach their greatest abundance here: Whitethroat, Golden 
Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Crag-Martin, Cuckoo. 
The arrival of the migratory breeding-species becomes 
later on ascending through the zone, but I have no observa- 
tions yet as to their departure. 
Migration through the zone* is still considerable ; in spring 
Wood-Wren, Willow-Wren, Garden-Warbler and Tree-Pipit 
are species frequently noted, and I have also seen Redstart, 
Pied Flycatcher, Rock-Thrush and Honey-Buzzard; in 
autumn Wheatear, Tree-Pipit and Wood-Wren are plentiful 
and other species noted include Yellow Wagtail (? subsp.), | 
Bee-eater, Bonelli’s Warbler, Swallow. 
Blackcap, Wryneck and Chiffchaff leave this zone for the 
winter ; I believe that the Chiffchaffs from the upper parts 
of the Alban Hills descend only to the sheltered basins of 
the Lakes of Albano and Nemi, often not leaving till early 
November and moving up again early in March; possibly 
Blackcaps do the same. At the same time the submontane 
* These observations refer almost exclusively to the Alban Hills. 
south of Rome. 
