106 



the vernal migration. In September they are frequently strung with the bunches of Night- 

 ingales, Garden-, and other Warblers which are sold in the market. At that season they are 

 excessively fat." Lord Lilford says (Ibis, 1860, p. 235) that he twice observed it in Epirus — once 

 in the great marsh of Phanari in March 1857, and again in December in the same year near 

 Kinouria, at the head of the Lake of Butrinto. Lindermayer writes that it winters in Greece, 

 and may frequently be observed in the olive-groves from October to March ; and Dr. Kriiper 

 writes to me that he has observed it on Olympus during the winter season. In Southern 

 Germany, as in North Germany, it is common during summer ; and Dr. A. Fritsch writes that 

 he has found it numerous in Bohemia from April to August. It occurs in the countries bordering 

 the Southern Danube ; and Messrs. Elwes and Buckley heard its unmistakable cry several times 

 when in Bulgaria. I have several specimens collected by Mr. Robson near Constantinople ; and 

 it occurs numerously in Southern Russia. Von Nordmann writes that it arrives at Odessa about 

 the middle of April, and that it is very common in the Crimea and the Caucasus, extending also 

 to those portions of the steppes which are not entirely destitute of trees and bushes. 



Dr. Kriiper informs me that it occurs in Asia Minor regularly during the seasons of passage ; 

 and Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1866, p. 284) that it is a scarce migrant in Palestine, returning 

 from the south about the middle of April. 



In North-east Africa it occurs during the seasons of migration, or during the winter. 

 Captain Shelley says (B. of Egypt, p. 161) that it is not uncommon as a spring and autumn 

 visitant in Egypt, but is much less plentiful in Upper Egypt and Nubia than lower down the 

 Nile. Mr. E. C. Taylor shot one at Thebes in March, and another near Damietta in April ; 

 and Von Heuglin says that he only observed it in March and April, and again in September and 

 October, at which seasons it was not rare along the Nile and on the coast of Arabia, southward 

 to Abyssinia and Kordofan. Dr. A. E. Brehm writes (J. f. O. 1854, p. 78) that he killed several 

 in the woods of East Sudan. 



In North-west Africa it occurs not uncommonly. Major Loche says that it is common in 

 the forests of Algeria, where it breeds. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun. (Ibis, 1871, p. 294), met with 

 it at Boufiarik and, he believes, also at Tilremt. Mr. Taczanowski states (J. f. O. 1870, p. 40) 

 that it has on several occasions been observed in Algeria at different seasons of the year. 

 Mr. Chambers-Hodgetts says (Ibis, 1867, p. 103) that he shot a pair in Tripoli ; and Mr. C. F. 

 Tyrwhitt-Drake shot one at Tangier on the 30th March. 



To the eastward it is met with as far as Japan. Mr. Blanford did not meet with it in Persia ; 

 but Severtzoff observed it in Turkestan, where, he says, it is met with, both during migration and 

 to some extent during the breeding-season, throughout the country. In India it is, according to 

 Jerdon (B. of India, i. p. 303), "found throughout India, except perhaps on the Malabar coast, 

 where I never saw it, nor heard of a specimen being procured. I have obtained it at Madras, 

 Nellore, Nagpore, Saugor, and Mhow : and it is not rare in Lower Bengal and in the North-western 

 Provinces. It was sent by Hodgson from the sub-Himalayan Provinces, and has been seen in 

 Assam. It is chiefly, perhaps, a cold-weather visitant in the south of India; but it is said to 

 remain all the year further north." Colonel Irby met with it in Kumaon; and Mr. Beavan 

 records it (Ibis, 1865, p. 411) from "Perulia and Kashneghur, Maunbhoom, in March 1864; seen 

 also near Barrackpore in October." It has been met with in Eastern Siberia by the various 



