THE WARBLERS. 
191 
more frequently in Potiou, while it also occurs as far as the 
Vosges and Luxembourg: it has also occurred at Heligoland. 
In Italy it is somewhat local, but is found plentifully in Greece. 
Its winter home appears to be North-eastern Africa, and it has 
also been met with in Senegambia. 
Habits. — In these, says Mr. Howard Saunders, there is 
nothing particular to record as different from those of the other 
Warblers. Mr. Seebohm states that he was disappointed in the 
song, which is louder and harsher than that of the blackcap, 
and" its alarm-note is very loud, as loud, he says, as that of a 
Blackbird. Lord Lilford has given the following account of 
the bird in Spain : “ I found it exceedingly common in the 
neighbourhood of Madrid and Aranjuez. In these localities I 
generally met with it frequenting the avenues of elm and 
deciduous bushes in the gardens and open country, as a rule 
avoiding thickly-wooded districts; in Andalucia, on the other 
hand, our bird appeared especially to frequent the pine-woods, 
and the willows that grow thickly along certain portions of the 
Guadalquivir. The nests that we found were placed at various 
heights, from five to twenty feet from the ground, often resting 
on the young growers from the trunks of the elms, and perhaps 
as often in the folks of willows, tamarisks, and olive-trees. 
The nest is very much more substantially built than that of the 
other Warblers of this family. The song of the bird, though 
move powerful than that of our blackcap, cannot, in my 
opinion, be compared with it for melody or sweetness. In 
fact, 1 have always been puzzled to know why the name of 
‘Orpheus’ should have been bestowed on this species.” 
Best. — Generally placed, without any attempt at concealment, 
in the branch of a tree, at about four or five feet from the 
ground, or near the top ol a hush, and found by C.apt. 
Willoughby Verner in the summit of young cork-trees near 
Gibraltar, at a height of twelve feet. The nest, says Mr. See- 
bohm is a tolerably substantial one, and deep, composed of 
dry grass and leafy stalks of plants. Inside it is built of 
finer' grasses, and sparingly lined with thistle-down, or the 
flowerof the cotton-grass. 
Ego . s From four to five in number. They look at first 
sight like large eggs of the Lesser Whitethroat, though there 
