SYLVIA. 257 



The eggs vary from 0-53 to 0-68 in length and from 0-46 to 

 0-51 in breadth ; but the average of a very large number is 0-61 by 

 0-49. 



402. Sylvia affinis (Blyth). The Indian Lesser White-throated 



Warbler. 



Sylvia curruca (Gm.), apud Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 209. 



Sterparola curruca {Lath), Hume, Rough Draft N. ty E. no. 583. 



Of the nidification of the Lesser "Whitethroat within our limits, 

 I only know that it was found in May, breeding abundantly in 

 Cashmere in the lower hills, by Mr. Brooks. He did not notice it 

 comparatively high up ; for instance at Groolmerg, which, though 

 not above 9000 feet high, is at the base of a snowy range, he did 

 not see it at all. 



It builds a loose, rather shallow, cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly 

 of grass, coarser on the exterior and finer interiorly, which it places 

 in low bushes and thickets at no great elevation from the ground. 

 The nest is more or less lined with fine grass and roots. 



It lays four or sometimes five eggs. 



Mr. Brooks writes : — " I found this Whitethroat tolerably 

 numerous in Cashmere, where it appears generally distributed, 

 occurring at from 5500 to 6500 feet elevation or thereabouts, 

 It frequents places where there is ahundance of brushwood or 

 underwood, especially along the banks of rivers or near them. 



" I found several nests, and they were all placed in small bushes, 

 and from 4 to 6 feet above the ground. One was in a bush on a 

 small island in the Kangan Eiver, which runs into the Sind Eiver ; 

 and this nest I well remember was just so high that I could not 

 look into it as I stood. The nests precisely resembled in size and 

 structure those of O. garrula which I have seen at home, being 

 formed of grasses, roots, and fine fibres, and I think scantily lined 

 with a few black horsehairs ; but I forget this now. They were 

 slight, thinly formed nests, very neat but strong, and had bits of 

 spider's web stuck about the outside here and there. This appears 

 to be the decoration this bird and O. garrula are partial to. They 

 were not added, I think, for the purpose of rendering the nest 

 inconspicuous, for there were just enough to give the nest a spotted 

 appearance. 



" The song of this species strongly resembles that of its con- 

 gener, and is full, loud, and sweet. I found the nests by the song 

 of the male, for he generally sings near the nest. The eggs don't 

 differ from those of G. garrula in my collection." 



Major Wardlaw Bamsay says, writing of Afghanistan : — " This 

 "Warbler was very common and was breeding by the 27th 

 May. All the nests found were shallow cups, composed entirely 

 of dried grass, and situated in small bushes, frequently juniper, 

 about 2| feet from the ground. The eggs vary much both in size 

 and colour — some being long ovals, nearly pure white, spotted with 

 pale brown towards the larger end, and others of a much rounder 



vol. i. 17 



