138 MABMOBA'S WABBLEB. 



that it is always found in company with *S'. provificialis, the Dartford 

 Warhler. It was discovered by Marmora, in 1819, and is not unlike 

 in plumage S. melanocephala, having the same naked ring round the 

 eyes; it may, however, be distinguished by the specific characters 

 given above; in addition to which the beak is more slender and 

 weak; the general colour has a more smoky tinge; the throat is also 

 ash-grey or darker, instead of white, so that the two birds can never 

 be confounded. Of its habits we know very little, and what we do 

 know of them differs but slightly from those of the Dartford Warbler; 

 its call-note is said to be a sharper and rougher cry. Mr. Howard 

 Saunders says that he saw this bird in Spain, but was unable to 

 capture it. Being so similar, however, to the Dartford Warbler, we 

 cannot upon mere sight give it a Spanish locality. 



According to Thienemann, its nest and eggs are similar to those 

 of the Dartford Warbler. Degland says it builds in bushes a short 

 distance from the ground, making a deep well-constructed nest, in 

 which it deposits from four to six eggs, of a dirty white, slightly 

 yellowish, with spots grey and reddish, thicker about the greater end; 

 great diameter sixteen, small twelve millemetres. 



Mr. A. B. Brooke, in his paper in the '^Ibis" (before quoted) for 

 June, 1873, thus adds to our knowledge of this bird: — "This inter- 

 esting little Warbler is very common on all the uncultivated parts of 

 the plain, where the undercover (consisting chiefly of cistus) does not 

 grow very tall or thick, but is scattered sparingly; and I have never 

 seen them in the woods. They are, as far as my observations go, 

 entirely confined to the plain, rarely, if ever, wandering even to the 

 adjoining low hills, where their place seems to be taken by M. pro- 

 mncialis, a very allied species. I have only on one occasion met 

 with these two species on the same ground. *S'. sarda is a bold little 

 bird, often hopping and creeping about confidently within ten yards, 

 trusting to escape observation by its diminutive size, dusky colour, 

 and quiet unobtrusive habits. Their flight is feeble and wary, rarely 

 extending any distance; and on alighting it is often hard to see 

 them again, as they creep off close to the ground along the stems 

 of the cistus, and by the time the spot they disappeared in is reached 

 they are thirty or forty yards ofl", perhaps in an opposite direction. 

 They sing either perched on the top of the cistus, or frequently in 

 the air, jerking themselves down again into the bushes. Their song 

 is very like that of the Dartford Warbler, fS. protinciaUs ; ) but I 

 do not think it quite so grating; their alarm-note is a single short 

 tick, unmistakeable when once heard. 



**I was unfortunate in never being able to find a nest, owing to 



