i go 
alt.en’s naturalist’s library. 
especially rich in colour on the under tail-coverts; axillaries 
vinous like the flanks; under wing-coverts white. 
Note. — The large size of the Orphean Warbler is one of its chief charac- 
ters when compared with that of the Whilethroats, as the wing is three 
inches in length, but it might possibly be confounded with the Blackcap, 
which sometimes equals it in length of wing. Like the latter species it has 
the first, or bastard, primary-quill rather long, equalling the length of the 
primary-coverts, or extending as much as 0*2 inch beyond them, and the 
second primary is equal to the (ifth, whereas in the Blackcap it is a little 
longer than the sixth. The white throat, however, will always distinguish 
the Orphean Warbler; in the Blackcap, ihe throat is ashy-grey. 
Range in Great Britain. — The two reported occurrences of this 
species in England are scarcely satisfactory for its recognition 
among British Birds, and the statements that the nest and eggs 
have been taken in this country are quite unreliable. Sir 
William Milner had in his collection a specimen said to have 
been shot near Wetherby, in Yorkshire, in J uly, 1848, but, not- 
withstanding that a pair of birds was stated to have been seen, 
the authority for the genuineness of the occurrence is not all 
that could be wished. The second instance of the capture of 
an Orphean Warbler is said to have taken place near London, 
when a young bird was caught at Holloway, in June, i 860 , was 
kept alive by Sergeant-Major Hanley for nearly six months, and 
was identified as belonging to the present species by the late 
Mr. Edward Blyth. It would have been more satisfactory if the 
history of this specimen had been followed up, as is necessary 
in the cases of all birds which may be kept as cage-birds at any 
of our military stations in the Mediterranean, and, like the 
Calandra Lark, gain a footing in the list of “British” species. 
The occurrence of the present bird in England is the less likely 
to happen, when it is considered that no specimen has ever 
been recorded from the countries opposite to our own shores. 
Range outside the British Islands. — The Orphean Warbler is 
principally a bird of the south of Europe, being found in all 
the Mediterranean countries as far east as Asia Minor and 
Palestine, though Mr. Seebohm says that the birds of these 
countries are intermediate between the west-European birds 
and the Indian Orphean Warbler (Sylvia jerdoni). It is a 
common bird in Spain and Portugal, and extends northward 
into Fiance, breeding sparingly in the Bienne district, and 
