524 



According to Professor Sundevall, a specimen shot in March, and sent home from Caffraria by 

 Wahlberg, belongs to the present species, as it is undistinguishable from Swedish examples- 

 I have also examined a specimen obtained by Andersson at Objimbinque, in South Africa, and 

 now in the British Museum, which is certainly the present species. On referring to the plate 

 and description of Sylvia obscura, I am certainly of opinion that the present species is meant ; 

 but the length of the wing (2-3 inches) does not agree with any specimen of H. icterina, and I 

 can only suppose that it is a misprint and should be 3-2 inches, which is about the proper size. 

 Besides, the fact of Wahlberg and Andersson having obtained the present species, and not 

 //. polyylotta, makes my supposition the more reasonable. It is, however, well possible that 

 both species may occur there, as I have seen a specimen of H. polyglotta from the Gambia and 

 now in the British Museum. The eastern limits of the range of the present species can scarcely 

 be denned, as information is wanting respecting it from South-eastern Europe. It does not 

 appear to pass east of the Ural range in Russia ; and Von Nordmann speaks of it as rare near 

 Odessa and in Southern Russia generally. Messrs. Dickson and Ross (P. Z. S. 1839, p. 120) 

 refer to a bird under the name of Sylvia Mppolais as " seen near Erzeroom from the commence- 

 ment of April to the beginning of October," and as being migratory, which I believe to be the 

 present species ; but Mr. Blanford did not meet with it in Persia. 



In its habits the Icterine Warbler somewhat resembles the aquatic Warblers, though almost 

 equally allied to the Willow- Wrens, and is in fact in this as in many other respects a link between 

 these two groups. Baron De Selys-Longchamps says that it affects thickets in damp situations, 

 especially willow-growths, but appears to inhabit equally dry situations, gardens, and orchards ; 

 it is, however, a bird of the lowlands, shunning the more elevated or mountainous districts. In 

 Norway, Mr. Collett informs me, where about forty years ago it was almost unknown, it now 

 increases in numbers from year to year, and is found in almost every large garden near Christiania ; 

 it frequents non-evergreen woods, especially such as are, to a small extent, intermixed with conifer 

 trees scattered singly here and there. Throughout the whole of Europe it is merely a summer 

 visitant, arriving late and leaving early, doubtless wintering very far south in Africa. 



Every author who has written on the habits of this species refers to its rich and varied song. 

 It is years since I have had an opportunity of hearing it ; but I have even yet a tolerably clear 

 recollection of its extreme variety and compass, to some extent reminding one of the song of the 

 Nightingale. It is an excellent mimic, and will reproduce at length the song of many species 

 inhabiting the same districts. Baron De Selys compares its song to that of the Marsh- Warbler, 

 but says it is more lively and gay. Mr. Collett, writing on its song, says that " it is the very 

 best of our songsters, although we have several whose notes are by no means feeble. Its song 

 not a little resembles that of the Nightingale ; and like that bird it has a habit of repeating 

 several notes, which is either not at all or else only to a very small extent the case with the 

 other songsters ; but one finds it again in the ditty of the Song-Thrush. Its talent for mimicry 

 is developed to an astonishing degree ; for it reproduces with striking fidelity not only the call- 

 and alarm-notes of the Swallow, Titmouse, and Lark, but will imitate from beginning to end the 

 notes of the Wryneck, Stone-Chat, Starling, and several other species, besides repeating portions 

 of the songs of the Redstart, Whitethroat, and other Warblers. It is exceedingly shy, and it is 

 most difficult to come within range of it ; besides which it hides, when singing, in the dense 



