152 POLYGLOT WABBLEB. 



in establishing his Motacilla hypolais. It is the Sylvia hypolais of 

 all the German authors since Bechstein — of Teraminck and Nilsson. 

 The Prince cle Canino and Gould have figured it under this epithet, 

 but the latter at first designated under this name, like most English 

 authors, Sylvia rufa. None of Vieillot's works authorise us to admit 

 that he had known or distinguished the species; on the contrary, 

 considering the hypolais of the German authors as identical with his 

 Fauvette lusciniole or polyglotte. M. Gerbe made a similar mistake, 

 giving the name of litjpolais to Vieillot's fautette; he thinks he has 

 discovered in Hypolais rufa a species unknown to modern naturalists, 

 and which he refers, very mal ajoropos, to the pretended species des- 

 cribed by Vieillot under the name of Fauvette icterine. 



"The bird described by Vieillot under the name of Fauvette 

 lusciniole or polyglotte, [Sylvia polyglotta,) is a different species from 

 the Hypolais rufa, which Vieillot thought was identical with his 

 lusciniole. We have just stated how M. Gerbe, while he acknowledged 

 the difference between these two species, considers the' hypolais as 

 forming a species neglected by modern naturalists, and identical with 

 the pretended species named icterine by Vieillot. 



"The Pouillot polyglot has only at present been observed in a part 

 of France, where it replaces the hypolais. The only minute account 

 which exists of it is that given by Vieillot, and it has only recently 

 been fiofured in a manner which can be recosrnized. 



" Greece contains two species of Pouillot, sufficiently different from 

 those of which we have just spoken." 



Professor Newton makes the following remark: — "In a few years 

 naturalists will no doubt have a clearer idea of the relative distri- 

 bution of the two birds." If writers will strictly adhere to the use 

 of ^^ Hypolais''"' as a generic term, and remember that the two closely 

 allied birds as defined in this article are '^ Hypolais icterina" and 

 Hypolais polyglotta ; that the former is the larger bird, and that its 

 wing extends beyond the middle of the tail, we shall, I have no 

 doubt, as Professor Newton has remarked, in time get a clearer view 

 of their "relative distribution." 



Salvadori, in "Fauna dTtaiia," makes the following remarks: — 

 "Similar to S. icterina, from which it differs, however, that it is 

 much smaller, and that it has the first remige strikingly extending 

 (five millemetres) beyond the extremity of the greater wing coverts. 

 Besides these differences, it also differs in the proportionate size of 

 the remiges; (first small, second equal or nearly so to the sixth, 

 third and fourth longest, and equal to each other;) and by the wings, 

 which in repose do not reach the middle of the tail. It may be 



