Collection of Birds from the Mediterratiean. 155 



birds were evidently migrants^ as Port Said has no suitable 

 breeding-place for them. 



At Platea in mid-July family-parties were about^ and 

 specimens were obtained. 



Note. — In Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia at no season was 

 any species of Ifypulais observed. 



Sylvia houtensis ckassirostris Cretzschm. (<S. jerdoni 

 auct.) 



A male Eastern Orphean Warbler singing among ilex 

 trees, and very likely about to breed (testes large), was shot 

 near Athens on the 22nd April. 



No Orphean Warbler was observed in Crete in spring or in 

 Egypt in autumn. At Leranos an Orphean Warbler (? race) 

 on migration was seen on 23rd August. 



Sylvia atricapilla (L.). 



Egypt. — Scarce migrant. Several seen on 7th October, 

 last noted 20th October (a single male with black head). 



Crete and Athens. — Not observed between 3rd February 

 and 28th April. 



Platea. — A few in winter. A male shot lOtli December, 



Corfu. — A few seen in mid-winter. 



Malta and Sardinia. — Not observed in winter or even on 

 migration. 



Sicily. — Breeding abundantly in the "Cavas." Four 

 nests of nearly fresh eggs, 25th May to 3rd June. 



Gibraltar. — Plentiful on the Hock in winter. Very abun- 

 dant in flocks in the cork- wood on 9th March, when the 

 males and females all, or nearly all, seemed to be in separate 

 flocks, according to sex. (This was also observed in Jerez 

 province up to last week of March in 1910.) 



Sylvia communis communis Lath. 



For the most part the Whitethroat was only met with as a 

 plentiful migrant from east to west of the Mediterranean, 

 but its presence in Sicily on 22nd May, and at Platea in 

 mid-July, seemed to indicate breeding at those })laces. On 

 migration the Whitethroat is very skulking. 



