M ( ) i: ST A ( ' m ; 1) w .v ii i i i , i-; r . 
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T]ie Moustaclicd AVarblcr is a rare bird, for, not- 
withstanding the statement of Tcmminck tliat it is 
common in the neighbourhood of Rome, near Ragusa, 
and in Tuscany, hut few specimens are found in cabinets. 
It occurs, however, in Sicily, Italy, the south of France, 
Greece, in the swamps of Lentini, and at Syracuse. 
Temminck says that it is “tres commune'''^ about the 
lake Castiglione, and Ostia. However this may be we 
know very little about its habits, more than has been 
mentioned by M. Cantraine, who collected specimens for 
Temminck in Italy, and who remarks that it always 
lives in the swamps, and in the bushes which surround 
them. It climbs along the reed-stems like the rest of 
its family, and lets its sharp singing notes be heard 
clearly enough. Like Sylvia aquatica, it also runs 
along the reed-stems and Avater-plants, above the surface 
of the water. It is not shy, and frequently sits on the 
tops of the reeds. Those which M. Cantraine killed in 
the winter were all males. 
M. Moquin-Tandon has kindly sent me a beautiful 
drawing of the egg, (which I have figured,) with the 
following remarks: — “From the neighbourhood of 
JMontpellier, from Avhence it was sent me by M. Lebrun. 
This Warbler builds among the reeds. Its nest is small, 
in the form of a deep cup, and comjDosed of fibrils and 
roots and leaves of small grasses, and the interior is 
lined Avith horse-hair and avooI. It contains four or 
five eggs, having an azure white ground, Avith broAvn spots, 
larger and more thickly scattered round the larger end. 
Great diameter fourteen millemetres, small eleven.” 
A male in breeding j)lumage sent me by M. E. 
Verreaux, has the head dark black; nape, back, and 
rump rich nut broAvn, Avith longitudinal rays of black 
on the middle of the feathers of the back; throat, 
