78 MELODIOUS WARBLER. 
Melodious Warbler, was sent to me in 1893 as having been taken 
near Lancing, Sussex, where the species was stated to have bred 
two or three years in succession. 
The Melodious Warbler does not penetrate so far north as its 
Jarger relative, and its range is western. In winter it is found as far 
south as Senegambia, and its breeding-grounds begin in North 
Africa, extending from Tangier to Tunisia. A comparatively small 
portion of the birds which cross the Mediterranean visit both sides 
of the Adriatic, and wanderers have been recorded from South 
Tyrol, Bohemia and Moravia; while Italy is regularly visited, 
especially the western side. But the bulk pass the summer in the 
Iberian Peninsula, where the species is abundant, as well as in 
France up to Normandy, the boundary of its eastern distribution 
being, roughly, a line from Savoy to the valley and mouth of the 
Seine. It is much if a straggler has occurred in North-eastern 
France or in Belgium; on Heligoland Gatke obtained one, on 
May 23rd 1846. 
Col. Irby gives April 25th as the earliest date of the arrival of this 
Warbler in the south of Spain, and May 14th for eggs ; two broods 
are, however, produced in the season, as I have had eggs taken up 
to July 25th. The deep and cup-shaped nest is chiefly composed 
of down from willows and thistles, and is placed in bushes or low 
trees, generally at no great distance from water; the 4~5 eggs are 
rose-pink (brighter than those of the Icterine Warbler), with small 
blackish spots, and often with a large amount of fine hair-lines: 
measurements ‘7 by ‘5 in. The song is similar to that of the pre- 
ceding species, but, having heard both, I agree with Mr. J. L S. 
Whitaker and Mr. Aplin in considering that of the Melodious 
Warbler to be far finer, though less loud. The food consists of 
insects and fruit. 
The adult may be distinguished from the Icterine Warbler by 
its smaller size; the absence of any pale margins to the inner 
wing-quills (except just after the autumn moult) ; its proportionally 
short wing; its larger bastard primary; and by the 2nd primary 
being shorter than the sth (in A icterina the 2nd is decidedly 
longer than the 5th). Length 4:9 in. ; wing only 2°5 in. 
