BRITISH WARBLERS 



the vicinity of Stavropol and the northern slopes, but there 

 are no records from Trans-Caucasia. Crossing the Caspian 

 Sea, we find it occurring in the Mangishlak Peninsula, 

 breeding along the west of the delta of Sir Daria, and in 

 Western Thian-Shan, visiting Iskandar Kul and the Northern 

 Pamirs ; and still continuing east, we find it on Lake Ala Kul, 

 and finally lose sight of it on the southern slopes of the Altai 

 Mountains. There is much to be learnt about the southern 

 range ; at present it has not been found in Egypt or Tunisia, 

 but in winter it visits Morocco and Algeria. 



Now it must be evident to any one who follows these 

 details, and at the same time bears in mind certain habits of 

 this bird referred to in the text, that we have in these habits 

 a possible explanation of some of the facts which are otherwise 

 somewhat inexplicable. Since, therefore, it is probable that 

 at some future date a more intimate acquaintance with these 

 habits will influence and expand our ultimate knowledge of 

 the distribution, and in order that the relation they may bear 

 to the present incomplete state of this knowledge may be 

 fully realised, I propose to briefly allude to them again. 



A partial and in many places almost complete 



cessation of the song after pairing has taken place 



until the young leave the nest. 



A very erratic appearance in any one particular 



district from year to year. 



Very skulking habits after eight o'clock in the 



morning until the evening and during incubation 



throughout practically the whole day. 

 In countries where the bird is seen in the spring and 

 autumn migration, but is not supposed to breed, especially 

 where the autumn migration is a comparatively early one, 

 it is possible that an explanation may be found in the first 

 of these habits, the bird being overlooked during the quiet 

 period. But after due allowance is made for these habits, 

 and the resultant unsatisfactory state of our knowledge, the 

 geographical distribution remains an interesting one. 



