228 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Song of the Icterine Warbler. — I am glad that my remarks on the 

 song of the Icterine Warbler have called forth a note on the subject by so 

 experienced an observer as the Rev. Charles H. Benson. His note is very 

 interesting to me, especially with regard to a remark of mine that " perhaps 

 the examples of H. icterina I found spending the breeding season in Africa 

 were less imbued with spirit and energy than those which go further north 

 in spring — it is quite possible." Mr. Benson states that although he heard 

 the Icterine Warbler at the Hague singing a remarkable song, which he 

 thought fully equal to that of the Nightingale, yet on subsequent occasions, 

 when he encountered the bird again in two other localities, he did not hear 

 " the sweet song," but heard it sing as described by Seebohm in the passage 

 which in my paper I quoted as to my mind the best description Seebohm 

 gave of the song. It would appear then, from Mr. Benson's observations, 

 that the Icterine Warbler in Central Europe does not invariably give 

 utterance to that song, the sweetness and melody of which have ravished the 

 ears of some of those who have written about it. I certainly never heard 

 this sweet song in Africa, although I have listened many times to the bird, 

 and made sure of the singer more than once by shooting the specimen. 

 Personally I never heard any bird utter notes to equal the finest of those 

 cf the Nightingale in their own peculiar quality; or any bird whose song 

 resembled that of the Nightingale save the Marsh Warbler, and sometimes, 

 more remotely, a very fine Song Thrush. But as, among Nightingales, 

 there are some which are remarkably fine and brilliant singers, so there are 

 others which are comparatively poor performers ; and it must have been 

 indeed a wonderful melody which, according to Hewitson, equalled, if it did 

 not surpass, that of the Nightingale, unless Hewitson compared it with one 

 of little merit. That the song of the Icterine Warbler, in a locality where 

 it sings its best, would have, even to my ears, some resemblance to that of 

 the Nightingale is very likely, for Seebohm speaks of it coming nearest to 

 that of the Marsh Warbler, and a very wonderful song it must be if it does 

 so, unless it wants all the Mocking-bird part. I have no wish to belittle 

 the song of the Icterine Warbler, but rather to give the facts of my own 

 observations, and once more to draw attention to the probable fact that birds 

 inhabiting more or less widely separated localities in the breeding season 

 (and therefore, whether resident or migratory, probably of different races), 

 may differ in their song and habits. That birds do undoubtedly vary in 

 the quality and the manner of delivery of their song in different localities 

 seems certain. For one instance I would refer to Seebohm's remarks on 

 the Crested Lark, Mr. Dixon's notes (which he quotes), and my observations 

 on the same species (p. 127), which agree very much with Mr. Dixon's, made 

 in the same country. Seebohm apparently knew the Crested Lark best in 

 South Holland and Germany. I have hopes of hearing the Icterine Warbler 

 again in the north of Europe next month, when perhaps I shall be treated 

 to an exhibition of its finer song. — 0. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



