406 



markings, and are spotted with dark red, the spots being much larger and closer at the larger 

 end, in one specimen almost confluent. In size they average about ff by f § inch. So far as I 

 can judge, the former variety, resembling those of the Whitethroat, is the commoner, and Von 

 der Muhle appears only to have obtained eggs thus coloured ; but Von Homeyer remarks (I. c. ) 

 that he found two distinct varieties of eggs, one of which he describes as coloured like Jays' eggs, 

 and the others like those of the Lesser Whitethroat. Mr. Howard Saunders writes to me : — 

 "The eggs are subject to most extraordinary and puzzling variations. For fear that there might 

 possibly be a mistake if the parent birds were shot, I made my collectors lime the birds on every 

 nest in spite of the injury to the plumage. In a series of carefully identified clutches of the 

 eggs of this species some are of a creamy white, handsomely blotched with sandy brown, similar 

 to a well-marked Robin's, others are thickly freckled with reddish, after the style of the Grass- 

 hopper Warbler's, another variety is dull greenish brown, like a Sedge- Warbler's, and yet a 

 fourth and not uncommon variety is undistinguishable from pale examples of the common 

 Whitethroat. As the parent birds were snared on all these nests, there can be no possibility of 

 any mistake as to parentage." 



The specimens figured are those described, being an adult male and female, and are in my 

 collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, d- Sardinia (Dr. Kulter). b, d , c, d , d, 2- Sardinia, April 1870 (Salvadori). e. Malta, January 1863. 

 /, <3 . Malta, December 1862 (Cooke), g, d , h, d , i, d , k, d . Maslak, Turkey, October 1871 (Robson). 

 I, d , m, d , n, 2 ■ Guikin, Asia Minor, March 24th, 1869. o, 2 , P, <S ■ Smyrna, Asia Minor, March 9th, 

 1871 (Dr. Krtiper). q,2. Cairo, January 30th, 1863 (S.S.Allen), r. Spain, December 30th (Irby). 

 s,juv. Sardinia (Dr. Kutter). 



E. Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a, d ■ Tlerault, South France, April. b, 2 ■ Cordova, Spain, March 21st, 1868 (H. S.). c,2- Malaga, 

 June 18th, from nest, d, 2. Malaga, July 8th, from nest, e, 2 juv. Malaga, July 24th. /, 2,g,juv. 

 Malaga, September 24th. h, d . Malaga, November 22nd. i, d ■ Seville, December 1st (H. S.). 



E Mus. Harvie-IJrown and Fielden. 



a, d ■ Malta, May 9th, 1874. b, d , c, d . Malta, November 26th, 1873. d, 2 . Malta, December 24th, 1873 

 (H. W. Feilden). 



E Mus. II. B. Tristram. 



a,2- Algiers, December 1855. b, d . Algiers, January 10th, 1856. c,2,d, d. Algiers, March 7th, 1856. 

 e, d . Smyrna, November 9th, 1863. /. Plain of Acre, April 21st, 1864. g, 2 ■ Engedi, January 22nd, 

 1864. h, 2 ■ Palestine, January 25th, 1864. i, d. Palestine, January 30th, 1864. k, d. Palestine, 

 January 30th, 186-1. /, d (type of Sylvia bowmani). Jericho, January 2nd, 1864 (H. B. T.). 



