30 SIJB-ALPIISTE WARBLER. 



Specific Characters. — The inner barb of the primaries and 

 secondaries edged with wliite in tbe male, unicolorous olive brown 

 in the female. Edge of carpal joint in both sexes white. Length 

 of an adult male from M. E. Yerreaux, four inches and a half; 

 from carpus to tip two inches and two-tenths ; tail two inches and 

 three-tenths; tarsus four-fifths of an inch. Eemale aboixt same size. 



This bird was described by Temminck in tlie first 

 edition of the "Manual" as a new species. Savi and 

 _R,oux, however, clearly demonstrated that it was not 

 specifically distinct from Sylvia passerina, described in 

 the third volume (edition 1835) of the "Manual," but 

 only that bird in the breeding plumage. Schlegel and 

 Miihle have consequently sunk the name of Passerina, 

 and adopted that of Siib-alpina, given to it by Bonelli. 

 To add to the confusion Meyer and Wolff have also 

 described one of the plumages of this bird as a distinct 

 species, Sylvia leucopogon. It will be necessary, there- 

 fore to bear in mind that S. passeri7ia of Temminck, 

 and S. leucopogon of Meyer and Wolff, are both com- 

 prised in the Sylvia suh-alpina of this notice. 



The Sub-alpine Warbler has a wide range both in 

 Europe and Africa. It lives along the whole coast of 

 the Mediterranean, is abundant in Algeria and Egypt, 

 and is found in Sardinia, Italy, Dalmatia, Silesia, and 

 in the Steppes of New Russia and the Gliouriel. It 

 also occurs plentifully on the borders of the Caspian 

 Sea. In the South of Europe it generally appears with 

 the other migratory Warblers in the beginning of April. 

 In Greece Count Miihle informs us it is seen about 

 the middle of March, in the low bushes and shrubs 

 along the dried-up river beds in the mountainous part 

 of the country. In Italy it occupies similar localities, 

 in company with the Common Whitethroat, and leaves 

 in September or beginning of October. 



