134 SPECTACLED WABBLEB. 



it inhabits the bush-covered hills, from four hundred to six hundred 

 feet above the sea level. It is a very nimble bird, rivalling the 

 Sardinian Warbler, with which it is frequently found, in this respect. 

 Count Miihle tells us that it sings perched on an open branch, with 

 its feathers raised, and that its song is simple, but loud and agreeable. 

 Its call and song-note resembles much that of the other species in 

 the family; in fact it is so closely allied that it has frequently been 

 confounded with S. sub-aljnua, and has even been considered by 

 some only a southern variety of S. cmerea. It is however easily dis- 

 tinguished from the latter by its smaller size, by the lunettes over 

 the eyes, and by the general greater distinctness and purity of the 

 colours. I am however at a perfect loss to imagine upon what 

 grounds it can be separated from the "Whitethroats," and formed 

 into a distinct genus. 



The Spectacled Warbler builds in March, in low bushes, about a 

 foot from the ground. The nest is in the shape of a blunt cone, 

 and tolerably thick and compact. It is formed of dry grass stems, 

 coarse plant stalks, much down of seeds, and sometimes spiders' 

 webs, and is lined with small roots and human as well as horse-hair, 

 (Miihle.) The outside as well as the inside is constructed with especial 

 care. The delicate eggs are four, rarely five, in number; ground 

 colour pale greenish grey, with fine spots, greyish and greenish grey, 

 sometimes thicker towards the base. 



Mr. Savile Reid records in his notes of this bird at Gibraltar: — 

 "Not uncommon at the foot of the hills in the neighbourhood. In 

 their movements they resemble S. melanocepliala, being exceedingly 

 lively and restless. Their song is very short and sweet, resembling 

 somewhat that of the Goldfinch. It is uttered from the top of a 

 small shrub or bunch of heather. I found a nest of five eggs about 

 the first week in May. They were of a dirty white, freckled all over 

 with greenish blotches, (Bree's figure is very good.) My horse nearly 

 trod on the nest, which was in a little bush close to the ground, 

 built compactly of dry grasses and down from flower seeds, lined 

 with hair and fine roots. I visited the spot several times again, but 

 to my great disappointment could never find the nest again, so well 

 was it concealed, and so similar was one bush to another on the 

 scrub-covered plain." 



Major Irby writes: — "This bird is migratory, arriving in Spain 

 with its congener the Common Whitethroat. It is common, and fre- 

 quents dry scrubby ground." 



Mr. A. B. Brooke, writing about the Ornithology of Sardinia, in the 

 "Ibis" for June, 1873, remarks of this bird: — "Very common in all 



