THE BREEDING BIRDS OF MALTA. 165 



5. Sardinian Warbler. 



Sylvia melanocephala, Gmel. — Buswejda. 



This bird is rather irregular in its visits, both in Spring and 

 Autumn ; during some years, however, it arrives in fairly good 

 numbers, especially during the Spring, when it remains with us 

 to breed. 



The nest is usually built in trees ; the bird, however, does not 

 seem to be partial to any tree in particular. In fact, I have 

 found nests in earob, almond, pomegranate, fig, and orange 

 trees, and on two occasions also I found it in the vine. 



In structure, too, these nests vary considerably, some being 

 very compact and deeply cup-shaped, others very flimsy and 

 flat ; the construction-material consists of hay and several kinds 

 of dried grasses, with large leaves on the outside, the inside 

 being lined with fine rootlets and horsehair ; nests are, however, 

 often found having no inside lining at all. 



Both male and female are employed in the construction of 

 the nest, which is brought to completion in about a week. 



The eggs, which vary in number from five to six, vary also 

 greatly in colour ; some are of a light grey colour speckled over 

 with brown, others are of a bluish-white speckled with olive and 

 purplish-grey ; a third variety, which is common too, is pink 

 or light red mottled over with chocolate or darker red ; a fourth 

 variety, which is the rarest of all, is of a pure white, sometimes 

 very sparingly spotted with brown. 



Nidification usually lasts from the beginning of March to the 

 end of May, and two broods are usually reared during a season — 

 sometimes, but very rarely, three. 



It is rather curious that Wright says that he had never known 

 this species to breed here. 



6. Subalpjne Warbler. 



Sylvia subalpina, Bonelli. — Ghasfur il harrub. 



This species, which is generally a rare migrant during both 

 seasons, nests here every now and then. 



It usually chooses some low herbage wherein very skilfully 

 to conceal its nest, which is constructed with dry blades of 

 grass on the outside, and fine roots on the inside ; here horse- 



