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CYANECULA SUECICA. 
Ohs. The White-spotted Bluethroat {G. leucocyanea), which is generally admitted now to be a distinct race, has, as 
its name implies, the spot of the throat satiny white. The present species, however, exhibits a tendency to assume 
the white throat in some localities, although in other parts, such as Scandinavia, it never does ; while there are 
likewise certain regions (Holland and N. German}') in the habitat of the other race where it is known always to 
possess the white throat. Captain Shelley, writing in his ‘Birds of Egypt’ of G. suecica, says they differ consi- 
derably in the colour of the throat-spot, “w'hich may be met with in all stages from pure w'hite to rufous.” 
Dr. Altum relates an instance, in ‘ Narxmannia’ for 1855, of a young bird, which turned out to be a true G. lenco- 
cyama, assuming a red throat-spot for a few days during the time that this was turning from greyish white to 
pure white ; from which combined testimony we gather that each race occasionally assumes in the throat-spot the 
colour of the other, but that they put on their true dress in the breeding-season in the localities to which they 
resort to rear their young. Mr. Hume remarks that the white-spotted race is rarely found in India. Specimens 
so identified may have been perhaps G. suecica. A third race exists in Germany, Holland, and Spain, in which 
the throat is unspotted blue. It is rare, and is the G. wolji of Brehm. 
Disti'ibution . — The interesting fact that at certain periods of their existence birds are possessed of the 
instinet of migration to a greater degree than at others, and consequently are induced at times to overstep the 
ordinary limits of their annual journeys, is demonstrated in more than one instance in the history of Ceylon 
ornithology. 
The ease of the present species is one of the most interesting which I have to deal with in this work. It 
takes its place in our lists as a migratory straggler on the evidence of Layard, who procured “ a few specimens 
in the month of March at Ambegamoa;” one of these is still extant in the Poole collection, and is the only 
example I have ever seen from Ceylon. I am under the impression that a bird I met with in a thicket, while 
traversing some jungle on the slopes of the Dolookanda mountain in the Seven Korales, was this species ; 
but I was unable to verify my identification, either by shooting it or sufficiently observing it as it darted into 
tlie underwood in the shade of the tliick jungle. On some future occasion it will doubtless be procured again 
in Ceylon ; for its visits are, perhaps, of more frequent occurrence than has been supposed. 
It is a cool-w'eather visitant to India, spreading more or less throughout the country j but it does not 
appear to be often found in tlie extreme south, neither Dr. Fairbank nor Mr. Bourdillon having procured it. 
J erdon remarks that it is found in “ suitable localities,” from which I gather that there are many districts in 
which it is not usually met with. It extends as far east as Burmah, having been procured by Wardlaw Ramsav 
on the Pegu plain, and to the Andamans it is a regular annual visitor. It leaves the country for the north in 
March and April, and arrives in Turkestan, according to Dr. Scully, at the end of March, and leaves again in 
September. Its migration, however, is continued much further north than Turkestan ; for Mr. Seebohm 
procured it in the valley of the Yenesay, and found it breeding as far up as latitude 66|^° N. Dr. Finsch 
found it in July 1876 on the Chinese Altai and on the Irtisch, as also at Semipalatinsk j and Von Middendorff 
observed it breeding as far north as 70° N. It extends to the eastern parts of Siberia, and is found, according 
to Swinhoe, throughout China. From Western Asia and North-eastern Africa it migrates to Northern Russia 
and Scandinavia, breeding there in great numbers ; and it occurs on passage in the spring in Heligoland. In 
Palestine it is, according to Canon Tristram, a winter visitant. Captain Shelley remarks that it is an 
extremely abundant species in the delta of the Nile, and that it is very generally distributed throughout Egypt. 
It does not arrive in Northern Russia until late in the spring, as Messrs. Seebohm and Harvie Brown did not 
observe the first migrants to the Lower-Petchora district until the 23rd May. 
Habits . — This handsome Warbler, which is gifted with such fine notes that it is styled, in some countries, 
the Nightingale, frequents gardens and open country in India, and is, according to Jerdon, particularly partial 
to reeds and corn-fields. Its habits are in the highest degree interesting. I subjoin the following account of its 
vocal powers from Messrs. Seebohm and Harvie Brown’s paper on the Birds of the Lower Petchora : “ Often 
were we puzzled by the mimicry of this fine songster. On one occasion, after listening for some time to the 
well-known musical cry of the Terek Sandpiper, blended with the songs of scores of other birds, on approaching 
we saw our little friend perched high in a willow-bush, with throat distended, bill rapidly vibrating, and 
uttering the tirr-r-r-whui with perfect distinctness. We have heard the Blue-throated Warbler also imitate, 
amongst other bird- voices, the trilling first notes of the Wood- Sandpiper, or the full rich song of the Redwing. 
