116 BARBED WARBLER. 



This is one of the largest species of European Sylviidce. It inhabits 

 particularly the north and eastern parts of Europe. It is found on the 

 shores of the Mediterranean, and thence to Sweden and Norway, the 

 north of Germany and some parts of Russia, and in Hungary. It is 

 more rare in Austria, but is found in Lombardy, in Piedmont, Central 

 Italy, and the coast of Barbary. Count Miihle doubts if it occurs in 

 the Pyrenees. According to Temminck it is found accidentally in 

 Provence, and during its passage in Tuscany; less rare in the Levant, 

 and common in the neighbourhood of Vienna. Canon Tristram records 

 it among the birds of Palestine, but rare, in dry wadys during its spring 

 migrations, very few supposed to remain. Von Heuglin says that this 

 bird was only seen by him rarely in October and beginning of April 

 in Nubia and Northern Senaar. It was always to be found, but sepa- 

 rately along the Nile. The birds seen were mostly young ones. 



Salvadori, "Fauna d'ltalia," writes, "Rare in Italy. More frequently 

 found in Venetia than elsewhere. According to Perini it is common 

 in the Veronese territory, where it nests upon the mountains or hills. 

 It is not very rare in Piedmont. In Liguria and Modena it occurs 

 accidentally. I have killed a young bird of this species in the Marches 

 on the 15th. of August, 1855, and another on the 30th. of August, 

 1871. It does not appear to be met with in Sicily unless accidentally, 

 though Malherbe includes it in his ' Fauna Ornithologique de la Sicilie.' 



The habits of this bird are but little known. It is more frequently 

 found in Germany and some parts of Russia. The two individuals 

 which I killed were in a vineyard. According to Perini it appears 

 in April on the Veronese hills, and nests there. The nest is similar 

 to that of S. orphea. Eggs four to five, spotted with lead colour. 

 When the young are fledged it goes down into the plains, and leaves 

 at the end of September. The nest is said to have been found several 

 times near Torbe. It will be important to verify this assertion of 

 Perini. 



This species appears to me to be nearly allied to aS'. orphea, with 

 which it has in common the size and stature, and also the same light 

 yellow coloured iris, which occurs only in the adult. In the young 

 it is dark grey. 



Gerbe states that this bird is found in Sicily and Tuscany, but no- 

 body has ever found it there. The female does not differ much from 

 the male. The young bird before the first moult has the under parts 

 whitish without spots of any kind. In this state Savi, mistaking it 

 for an adult bird, proposed to give it distinct rank under the name 

 of Pajola" 



