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ORPHEAN WARBLER. 



Sylvia orphea, Hewitson, Eggs of British Birds, 3rd Ed., vol. i, pp. 133- 

 134, pi. 35, fig. 3 (egg), 1851 ; Yarrell, British Birds, 4th Ed., 

 edited by Newton, vol. i, pp. 423-426 (woodcut), 1873 ; Dresser, 

 Birds of Europe, vol. ii, pp. 411-416, pi. 64 (coloured figures of 

 adults), 1874 ; Lilford, Coloured Figures, vol. iii, pp. 57-58, pi. 29 

 (coloured figures of adults), 1893; Saunders, Manual of British 

 Birds, 2nd Ed., pp. 45-46 (woodcut), 1897. 



SylYia orpheus, Seebohm, British Birds, vol. i, pp. 390-393, pi. 10, fig. 4 



(egg), 1883. 



French, Bee-fin Orphee ; German, Orpheus- Grasmiioke ; Hungarian, 

 Dalos poszdta ; Italian, Bigia rossa ; Spanish, Ganaria. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLUMAGE. 



Adult Male in Spring.— The crown is dull blackish grey 

 blending on the hind neck with the brownish grey colour of the 

 upper parts. The wings are dark brown, the primaries and 

 outer secondaries being narrowly and the innermost broadly 

 edged with the same colour as the back. 



The primary coverts and bastard wing are brownish slate 

 edged with the same colour as the back. The tail-feathers, 

 with the exception of the outermost, are dull blackish brown 

 edged with the same colour as the back, the outermost ones 

 being white with black shafts and a blackish brown wedge- 

 shaped spot on the inner web. The under parts are white 

 faintly washed with buff on the breast and distinctly washed 

 with greyish buff on the flanks, and the abdomen proper is 

 white. The under tail-coverts are greyish, broadly edged with 

 whitish buff. The under side of the tail is greyish brown, the 

 shafts of the feathers being brown except the outermost ones, 

 which are white. The iris is bright sulphur yellow, the 

 bill slate brown, and the feet brownish grey. 



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