390 



Adult Female (delta of the Nile, 1st April). Differs from the male in having the upper parts uniform ashy 

 brown, the wings and tail browner than in the male, the margins to the secondaries and wing-coverts 

 dull light brown with a fulvous tinge ; on the throat there is no trace of the chestnut-red, but the 

 entire underparts are white with a warm buffy tinge, the sides of the breast and flanks being brownish 

 buff. 



Obs. In very old females there is a slight indication of the rufous coloration on the throat. One from 

 Smyrna has the throat marked here and there with pale rusty red. 



Obs. Temminck, who included the present species under two names, believed that Motacilla passerina of 

 Gnnelin was this species ; but after a most careful examination of D'Aubenton's figure and Brisson's 

 and Buffon's descriptions, on which Gmelin's name was founded, I think it far more probable that the 

 bird they describe and figure was a Lesser "Whitethroat, and not the Subalpine Warbler. I have 

 therefore discarded the very doubtful specific name passerina in favour of Bonelli's name, about which 

 there can be no doubt. 



The range of the present species is nearly the same as that of the Spectacled Warbler ; but it is 

 found also in North-east Africa, where that species does not appear to occur. 



It is not known to have occurred in Germany or the northern countries of continental 

 Europe ; while in the south of France it is said to be common in some districts of Languedoc and 

 Provence, but is only a summer resident, leaving in the autumn and returning in April. Pro- 

 fessor Barboza du Bocage includes it in his list of the birds of Portugal ; and Dr. E. Rey states 

 (J. f. 0. 1872, p. 148) that it was met with by him everywhere in Algarve, being most numerous 

 at Cape St. Vincent and Villa do Bispo, but everywhere rarer than S. conspicillata. It was 

 observed by Mr. Howard Saunders near Murcia, in Spain ; and Colonel Irby writes (Orn. Str. 

 Gibr. p. 87) as follows : — " It is not often noticed near Gibraltar ; but I shot one on the 20th 

 March, 1870, and at Tangier on the 26th March and 27th April 1874. On the 27th March, 

 1871, I saw eight or ten among the flowers and trees on the Alameda de Apodaca at Cadiz; 

 they were exceedingly tame, and I watched them for a long time hopping about in and out 

 among the flowers like a common Wren. One or two were very bright-coloured males. I also 

 saw this Warbler on the 25th of April, 1869, in the Goto del Rey. Lord Lilford informs me he 

 found a nest early in May, built in a gum-cistus bush in the Coto del Donaiia, the eggs being 

 very hard sat-on." 



In Savoy it appears to be tolerably common during the summer. Bailly says that it arrives 

 between the 12th and the 20th April, and is common in uncultivated and rocky localities where 

 there are small thorny bushes, amongst which it places its nest, always close to the ground. It 

 only rears one brood, and leaves Savoy at the end of August. The male leaves off uttering his 

 song-note in the middle of July, when the moult begins. It is extremely fond of the society of 

 the Whitethroat ; and their nests are often placed near together. 



In Piedmont it is stated to be rare, but appears to be common in Tuscany and Liguria. It 

 is found about the Alban hills, near Rome ; and if considered rare in the Neapolitan district, it 

 is probably because it has not been looked for, as it is common in Sicily. Respecting its occur- 

 rence in Sardinia, Mr. A. B. Brooke writes (Ibis, 1873, p. 242) as follows: — "I cannot say 

 whether these Warblers remain in Sardinia during the winter. They are moderately common 



