S U 15 - A L P I N I '. A II I ! L E R . 
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According to Savi it is not often seen consorting with 
Blackcaps or Garden Warblers, although its song is 
somewhat of the same character. When the male wishes 
to sing he glides out of the bushes, and, perching on 
a neighbouring branch, sends forth his clear agreeable 
melody. When he has finished, or is disturbed, he 
glides again into the fence, and only makes his where- 
abouts cognizable by his frequent call-note, similar to 
that of the Common Wren. These habits fortunately 
render it a very difficult bird to capture. 
It builds twice a year; its nest is globe-shaped, placed 
in thick bushes from three to five feet from the ground, 
formed outwardly of straw and withered grass, and 
within of delicate small roots, rarely lined with wool, 
and interwoven with the webs of spiders and caterpillars. 
It lays four or five eggs, roundish, greenish white, 
sprinkled with small brown spots, which are most nu- 
merous and large at the broadest end. The male 
relieves the female in incubation during the middle of 
the day. — Muhle. 
According to M. Moquin-Tandon, as quoted by 
Degland, INI. M. Webb and Berthelot brought from the 
Canary Islands eggs of this species, which Avere exactly 
similar to those Avhich he took in the neighbourhood 
of Montpellier. 
The male in breeding plumage has the head, nape, 
and scapularies of a bluish lead-colour; upper parts of 
the wing and tail olive broAvn. The throat, crop, and 
flanks russet red, more or less strongly marked; middle 
of the belly Avhitish, mottled Avith bluish spots; a Avhitc 
line or moustache from the gape separates the grey of 
the nape from the red of the throat and cro^i. Under 
tail coverts Avhite, shaded Avith russet; tAvo outer feathers 
of the tail AA’hite on each side above and inside for 
