1920] Birds of Soufhern Pa/cs/hic. 221 



of souUiern ralo.-^tine and in the Sheplielah vvlierever there 

 "was suitable bush country. Not observed on the main 

 Judfean ridoe. A common resident in the southern parts of 

 the Jordan Valley. It breeds freely on ]\Iount Carmel. 



Of fourteen obtained, eleven males have wings varying 

 from 54 to 50 mm., and three females have wings of ^4 mm. 

 The ring round the eye is dai'k brick-red in live birds. Iris 

 bright brown, duller in the immature bird. 



They are shy but iiujuisitive birds. They are bad skulkers 

 in cactus hedges, but will sometimes fly out to a tree, where 

 they become very restive. They invariably, when in bushes, 

 keep close to the ground, and I have nevei- seen one more 

 than three or feet above the ground. In the Shephelah they 

 abound in the bushes, and if the observer keeps still the small 

 wdiite-breasted l)ird appears like a Jack-in-the-box to have a 

 look round, and as quickly dives back again, to reappear in a 

 mii]ute or so. The white terminal bars to the tail are very 

 noticeable in flight. The alarm note is either a sliarj) " tick, 

 tick," or a continuous cricket-like sound not uidike that of 

 the (Grasshopper A\'arbler. 



Sylvia ruppelli Tenini. 



Only observed on autumn ])assage at Kafa from 5, ix. to 

 20. X., wdien it was scarce and no adult males were seen. 

 A female was obtaincil on Blount ( arniel on 22. iv. 



Agrotates galactotes. 



A. t/. <j(il(i<-[()l('s (Temm.). 



A very plentiful sunnner visitor to all the gardens in the 

 coastal jilain from Hafa noi'th to ('annel. No records fi'om 

 the Ju(hean highlands or the Jordan Valley, though it may 

 occur in both districts. 



breeding birds usually arrivo duiing the lirst or second 

 week in April, and lay thi-oughout May and in early June. 

 Towards early August the adults begin to leave, and by the 

 last day of August the whole h)t have left. 



The nest is placed low down in an oi-angc tree, in a cactus 

 hedge, or often on a stump mar a stream. It is a large 

 untidy structure, measuring some iij inches across, the cup 



