hade in ENGLAND,

;

GULDEN STaDT’S REDSTAJiT.

A

H I S T 0 R Y

OF THE

BIRDS OF EUROPE,

NOT OBSERVED I.\ THE BRITISH ISLES.

BY C. K. BREE, ESQ., M.D., F.L.S.,

Author of “Species Not Tninsmutable,’’
rh3siciiiii to the Essex and Colchester Hospital, &c,, ifcc.

VO].. II.

LONDON:

GllOOMBKIDGE AAD SONS, PATEENOSTEE EOW.

M DCCC LXIII.

(pL

Mo

1867-

V* Z

RB

C 0 N T E N T S

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

f Page.

Guldenstadt’s Redstart ....... 1

Grey Redstart ......... G

Swedish Blue-throated Warbler ..... 10

Ruby-throated Warbler . . . . . , .16

Thrush Nightingale . . . . . . . 19

Barred Warbler . . . . . . . .22

Ruppcll’s Warbler ....... 26

Sub-alpine Warbler ....... 29

Sardinian Warbler ....... 33

Spectacled Warbler ....... 38

Marmora’s Warbler ....... 42

Bonelli’s Warbler . . ...... 45

Olive Tree Warbler ....... 49

Olivaceous Warbler . . . . . . .54

Vieillot’s Willow Warbler . . . . . . 58

Black-throated Warbler ....... 64

Marsh Warbler . . . . . . . . 70

Booted Reed Warbler . . . . . . .76

Aquatic Warbler . . . . . . . 80

Moustached Warbler ....... 85

Fantail Warbler ........ 88

Cetti’s Warbler ..... ... 93

River Warbler ........ 97

iv CONTENTS.

r.vfiK.

Pallas’s Locustelle . . . . . . . 101

Pubj-'OrowiK'd Kinglet . . . . . . .108

Mountain Accentor . . . . . . . 11.5

Elack Wlieatoar . . . . . . . .'118

Kusset Wheatear . . . . . . . 12.8

Elack-eared Wheatcar . . . . . . .128

Pied Wheatear ........ 18.8

Menetries’ Wheatear . . . . . . .186

Yellow-headed Wagtail . . . . . . 138

Grejr-headed Yellow Wagtail . . . . . .148

Elack-headed Yellow Wagtail . . . . . 147

Sombre Wagtail . . . . . . . .1.51

Red-throated Pipit . . . . . . . 1.55

Water Pipit . . . . . . . . .164

Pennsjdvanian Pipit . . . . . . . 170

Tawny Pipit . . . . . . . .175

Eifasciated Lark . . . . . . . 179

Dupont’s Lark . . . . . . . .184

Desert Lark . . . . . . . . 188

Elack Lark . . . . . . . . .192

Calandra Lark . . . . . . . . 195

Siberian Lark ........ 200

BIEDS OF EUROPE,

NOT OBSERVED IN THE BRITISH ISLES.

INSECTIVORtE.

Family SYLVIAD^F.

Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

Generic Characters. — Beak slender, compressed on the ante-
rior half; the superior mandible sloped towards the point, the
inferior mandible straight. Nostrils basal, lateral, ovoid, and
half closed with a membrane. Tarsi longer than the middle
toe; three toes in front and one behind, the external one united
at its base to the middle; the claw of the hinder toe shorter
than the toe, and curved. The first wing primary is very
short, or absent, the second a little shorter than the third, or
as long; the greater wing coverts much shorter than the
primaries; tail extended, unequal, rounded, or square.

Section I.— RTJTICILL^, {^luhle.) SYLVAINS, {Temminclc.)

GULDENSTADT’S EEDSTART.

VOL. II.

Sylcia erythroyastra.

G U I. D E N S T A DT ’ S REDSTART.

Sj/lvia erythroijastra,
Motacilla erijthrocjastnx,

“ aurorea var. ceraiinia,
Lusciula erytlirogastra,
Rouge-queue de Giildenstddt,
Guldenstddt' s Jiothschwdnzchen,

Muhle; ]\Ionog. Europ.
Sylviens.

Gdldenstadt; Nov.
Comment., Petr. 19,
1775, p. 4G9.

Paelas; Zoog., 1, p. 478.
SciILEGEL.

Of the Feench.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — The tail unicoloroiis rust red, except the
two middle feathers, which are brownish red; a white mirror from
the third to the tenth primary. Length from the tip of the
beak to the end of the tail seven inches. Length of wings
four inches one line and a half, of tarsi one inch two lines,
of middle toe eight lines, of hind toe five lines.

The group of birds of wliicli tlie present is tbe first
notice, is one of great interest to all wlio take tlie
slightest pleasure in natural history. It contains all
our summer Warblers — those harbingers of coming spring,
which greet us with their merry or plaintive notes,
or, as in the Nightingale, waken up the stillness of
night with that full, rich, and beautiful song, which is
unequalled by any music in the world. In all our
summer walks or rides, however cultivated or barren
the scenery, by A\nod or river, mountain or lake, we
are sure either to see or hear some member of the family.
We associate with our earliest days the croak of the
AVhitethroat, as flitting from branch to branch, or
winding her way like a snake through the dense fence,
she sought hovr often in vain to scare us from her
nest. Who does not remember the “Renny Red-tail,”
and those old pollards in that quiet lane Avhere the
half-holidays of our youth were spent? or who will not
always think with a corresponding touch of melancholy.

GULDENSTADT’s REDSTAllT.

3

of that low, soft, plaintive rebuke which the little green
Willow Warbler poured into the ears of those who in-
vaded its domed nest, so carefully hidden in the long
grass; or the rich thrill of that saucy Blackcap, as he
heralds the coming warmth of spring and summer by
the song of triumph which announces his nuptial vic-
tory against all rivals? Then, again, there is the
Grasshopper Warbler, with his invisible form and long
sibilant note, and the Beed Wren, with his garrulous
lecture, as he winds among the herbage by the river
side, or the Sedge Warbler, as it sends forth in the
still night its song of rivalry with the Nightingale. All
these are salient beauties in that mental landscape
which the naturalist often creates for himself, when the
fortunes of life may have carried him among sterner
and less poetical realities.

The Sijlciadce may be taken as typical of the Inscc-
timree — their food being almost exclusively insects. But
this is not quite true, for, notwithstanding the assertion
of the late Mr. Yarrell to the contraiqq the Willow
Warbler will sometimes join in the more constant
depredations of the Whitethroat.

Temminck divided the group into the itiverains, or
those whose habits were aquatic; Stjlcains, or those
found more or less inhabiting wmods ; and Muscivores,
or those which live principally upon flies, which they
catch on leaves or on the vring. Count Von der
Mlilile has separated them into seven sections, which
form, I think, a more natural di\ision, and which
I shall therefore adopt, giving at the same time that
to which the bird is referred by Temminck, so as to
keep up uniformity of arrangement. Count Miihle’s
sections are —

1. llaticillcs, Rothlinge. — Bedtails.

4

guldenstadt’s redstart.

2. Haynicolce, Erdsiinger. — Ground Warblers.

3. Philacantlice , Grasmuckcn. — Hedge Warblers.

4. Dumetlcolce, Strauclisilnger. — Bush AV'arblers.

5. PhijUojJseustce, Laubsanger. — Leaf Warblers.

G. Polyglottce, Spotter. — Mockers.

7. Calamodytce, llobrsanger. — Heed W arblers.

The lluticillce or Hed-tails^ have long slender legs,
tolerably long wings, and somewhat rounded tails, which
are rusty or fox red, except the two middle ones. The
males, and females, and young differ in plumage.
Moult only once, and that during harvest.

Syloia erijthrogastra is an inhabitant of the Caucasus
during the summer, migrating about the end of October
to a warmer climate. It was first described by Glil-
denstiidt in 1775, and was subsequently confounded with
the Motacilla aurorea of Pallas, which is not, however,
a European species, and is distinguished from it by
the following characters, as given by Schlegel: — First,
the two middle feathers in the tail of aurorea are
black and not brown red. Second, the white mirror
.of the wings occupies the secondary quills to the
eighteenth. Third, aurorea is altogether smaller, the
total length being six inches ; the wings three inches
one line; tail two inches eight lines; tarsi eleveii lines;
middle toe six lines; and the hinder toe three lines.

According to Glildenstadt the manners and habits of
this 'Warbler are similar to the rest of the family, ap-
proaching nearest to those of the Common Bedstart.
It lives on the shores of rivers, and is not a shy bird.
It feeds on insects, and berries of the Ilippophoe
rhamnoides, in which also it builds its nest with grass.
Nothing seems to be known about its eggs.

The figure which we have given of this bird is from
Count M aide’s monograph, and is a copy of the speci-

guldenstadt’s redstart.

5

men in the Leutchtenbergstein collection. The following
is also Count Miihle’s description: — ‘‘The old male in
the spring has a very pretty and well-pencilled plumage.
The whole surface of the head to the nape of the neck
is of a brilliant satin white; the mantle, wings, flanks,
cheeks, throat, and upper part of the chest, deep vel-
vet black; the whole under part of the body, under
wdng coverts, rump, and tail, a lively fox red; on the
deep black Avings, and where the feathers are almost
imperceptibly edged Avith a greyish tint, there is a
great white mirror-like spot extending from the third
to the tenth feathers. The secondaries have in the
middle of the inner colours a Avhite, though not an
equally-conspicuous spot. The second primary is like
the seventh, the third like the fifth. Beak black, Avith
stiff black hairs round the angle of the mouth ; throat
yellow; iris broAvn; the tolerably long feet are black.
After the autumn moult the plumage is much plainer.

The female has the colours of the under Aving
coA’erts and tail like the male, but paler; the AAdiole
body is brownish, ash grey; on the under part of the
body and about the sides lighter; under tail feathers
rusty.

The unknoAvn young birds we must suppose to be
similar to other “Bothlings,” clear spotted and streaked.

Figured by Heinrich Graf Von der Milhle, in his
“Monog. der Europ. Syl\'ien.”

G

INSECTIVOII.E.
Family SYLVIA!)^.
Genus Sylvia. ( Latham. )

GREY REDSTART.

Sylcia cairii.

RutlcillcB carii,

“ titliijs,
Eritliacus carii,

Gekbe; Diet.

Univ. D’ hist.

Nat. tom. xi. p. 259.
Beeum:.

Degland.

Sjiecific Characters. — The primary ami secondary quills fringed
with ash-colour. General colour grey, with darker irregular mark-
ings. Dimensions of a male specimen sent to me by M. Ed.
Yerreaux, which is figured, length five inches and a half; from
carpus to tip of wing three inches and three tenths; tarsi one inch;
tail from vent two inches and a half.

This bird is exactly similar in plumage to the au-
tumnal moult of the male S. tithys, the Black liedstart
of the British lists. It affords a good example of
what is termed a permanent variety or race; because
it has been found by careful examination that it never
assumes the dark breeding plumage of the latter bird.
I have thought it right therefore to give a figure and
notice of it in this work ; more particularly as the Black

GREY REDSTART,

GREY REDSTART.

7

Redstart is a rare straggler in Britain, and not likely
to be met vritli here in its moulting plumage.

Upon tlie question of specific difference, Degland
observes: Gerbe,” wbo named tlie bird after the

Abbe M. Caire, ‘Svrites me word that after mucli hesi-
tation, and many objections made by bis friend the
Abbe, be bad come to tbe conclusion that H. carii was
only 11. tithys in tbe autumn plumage.” “But,” con-
tinues M. Degland, “it is extraordinary tbat tbis
bypotbesis sbould be retained after tbe statement of
M. Caire, corroborated by that of tbe Sbejdierds and
Chasseurs, whom be consulted upon the subject, namely,
tbat tbis bird breeds in its autumn plumage, wbicb it
never changes at any period of tbe year; tbat it only
inhabits the highest regions of tbe Alj^s; tbat its song
differs sensibly from tbat of It. tithys; and that it is
only a bird of passage in tbe country inhabited by M.
Caire, while tbe true tithys is sedentary there. Every
research which has been made in tbe spring to find a
bird in intermediate plumage has been in vain.” And
further M. Degland remarks, “Tbis bird in its passage
near Moustiers does not frequent tbe same places as
tithys; it is only met in valleys, corn fields, meadows
bordered with hedges, bushes, osiers, etc., into wbicb
it retreats at tbe slightest noise. On tbe contrary tithys
always remains in rocky places, and upon old ruins.
Tbis difference in habit always prevented M. Caire,
wbo gave me these details, from being mistaken, or
from killing one instead of tbe other. His Redstart
appears in the environs of Moustiers-Ste-Marie from tbe
otb. to tbe 15tb. of April; tbat period past it may be
looked for in vain, it is always very high up among
the mountains. Tbis year, M. Caire writes, they have
been very abundant; be saw more than twenty during

8

GREY RED.STAR'r.

the 9th. and 10th. of April, and in the number lie did
not see a single tithys. The arrivals of tithys, which
do not winter in the country, are always eight days
later.”

It is impossible, I think, to resist the force of these
remarks. If not a species, S. carii is at least a per-
manent variety or race of a very interesting character,
and quite as much entitled to specific distinction as the
Shrikes described in a former number.

In estimating the value of colour as an element in
determination of species, it cannot be too generally
known that many of our most beautiful birds, such as
the splendid Humming Birds, have in reality no colour
at all, so far as this depends upon the deposit of pig-
ment. The effect of colour is entirely produced on
many feathers by delicate stride, which decompose the
light, the feather itself being colourless. This therefore
is a permanent organic change in the structure of the
bird, and not dependent upon those causes which
influence the deposit of pigment. Colour then must
be considered a valuable test of specific distinction
when permanent. In the present instance, that of S.
carii, the peculiarity appears to be in the incapability
of producing breeding plumage feathers. This is prop-
agated from one to another, like many other abnormal
peculiarities in all classes of animals, and the result is
a permanent variety or race, which the sagacity of
Temminck and others led them to indicate as distinct
from specific difference.

The Sylvia carii, or, as I have taken the liberty of
calling it, the Grey Bedstart, inhabits the top of the
Basses-Alpes, where it breeds in old isolated chalets or
huts. It lays two sets of eggs, one at the end of
April in more temperate regions, when the high moun-

GllEY REDSTART.

9

tains are covered with snow; the other at the summit
of these mountains near the eternal snows, whore the
Alpine Accentor and Snowfinch breed, and where one
never sees by any chance a specimen of titliysT

Its nest is composed of dry blades of grass, and is
lined v»^ith a quantity of feathers, in which is laid four
or five white eggs, but of a paler hue than those of
titJiys, and slightly shaded with blue.

The description given by M. Degland, who appears
to have paid much attention to this interesting race, is
exactly like the skins sent me by M. Verreaux.

The male has the entire plumage of an ashy brown
or grey; the under parts slightly clearer, with a russet
shade on the top and front of the head; the space be-
tween the beak, the eyes, and parotid region brown;
free edge of eyelids grey; the fringe of the secondary
quills of the wings much less than that of tithys, and
grey; all the primaries bordered with clear ash-colour;
the upper tail coverts of a lively russet; the under tail
coverts of a reddish white; all the feathers of the tail
red except the two middle ones, which retain the
general colour of the plumage; beak and tarsi black.

The female has the plumage slightly lighter than the
male, and shaded with russet on the chest; no brown
between the beak and eyes; throat reddish; the rest as
in the male.

S. carii differs from tithys, according to Degland,
by; first, absence of black from plumage; second, by
the edges of secondaries which, instead of being white,
and so large as to form a sort of mirror on the folded
wing, are grey, and scarcely visible.

VOL, II.

10

INSECTIVOR^.

Family SYL VIAD^.

Genus Sylvia. (Latham.)

Section II. — HUMICOL^, {Muhle.') Ground Warblers.
SYLVAINS, {Temminch.)

SWEDISH

BLUE-THROATED WARBLER.

Sylvia ccerulecula.

Motacilla suecica,

ii a

“ ccerulecula,

Sylvia suecica,

Lusciola suecica,

“ cyanecula orientalis,

OstlicJier BlauJcelilchen,
Gorge-hleu orientale.

LiNNiEus S. N. 12th. Edit.

1766, tom. i., p. 336.
Gmelin; Syst. 1788,
tom. i., p. 989.

Pallas; Zoog. 1811, p. 480.
Latham; Ind. 1790,
tom. ii., p. 521.
Keyseeling and Blasius;

Die Wirbelt, 1840.
ScHLEGEL; Eevue, 1844.

Or THE Geemans.

Of the Feench.

Specific Characters. — Throat and neck blue, with a rusty red
spot in the centre; tail feathers dark brown; the basal half bright
red, except the two middle ones. Length of adult male sent me

SWEDISH BLUE-THROATED WARBLER.

SWEDISH BLUE-THROATED WARBLER.

11

by M. Verreaux, five inches and a half; from carpus to tip three
inches; tarsus thirteen lines; tail two inches; beak, the lower
mandible six tenths, and the upper eleven twentieths of an inch.

The bird figured by Mr. Yarrell as Phcenicvra
suecica is the S. cyanecula of Brisson, Meyer, and
Scliinz, and the variety B. suecica of Gmelin and
Latham. The real Motacilla suecica of Linmeus is,
according to Degland, the bird which I have figured,
and which in a dozen skins sent me by M. J. Verreaux,
has the red mark in the centre of the blue more or
less developed. It is most probably one of two varieties,
and it is very difficult to decide to which of the two
the typical form can be referred.

Yarrell says that the white spot of Phcenicura cyan-
ecula, the bird which he has described and figured as
the original Motacilla suecica of Linnseus, is sometimes
seen in very old males red. M. Temminck also describes
the red-spotted variety as a permanent race, only oc-
curring in Russia and Siberia. Degland, on the con-
trary, says that the Russian specimens have the white
spot as well as the red one, and some have the spot
partly red and partly white, as though the two races
had crossed; and the same has been remarked by Mr.
Hardy of specimens sent to him from the Nile.

Professor Allman has received during the present year
a series of S. ccerulecula, sent to him for the Museum
of Edinburgh, from Heligoland, by Mr. H. Gatke. They
are adult male and female, and three young ones. In
one of the latter there is a clear white spot, with a
tinge of red appearing round it. The occurrence of
this variety in Heligoland, Norway, and Sweden gen-
erally, strengthens Degland’s opinion that it is the
genuine Motacilla suecica of Linmeus. It breeds regu-

12

SWEDISH BLUE-TIIROATED WARBLER.

larly in the island, and the white-spotted variety is not
known there.

M. J. Verreaux says that the red-spotted variety is
constant, and the Indian skins which I have examined
have this mark in all the specimens. Schlegel has
called the variety Lusciola cyanecula orientalis ; hut
Mr. Blyth referred the bird he has described in
India to the Avhite-spotted variety, and considers it, like
most other ornithologists, as the Motacilla suecica of
Linnaeus. All this confusion might have been avoided
had naturalists merely described the two birds as va-
rieties of each other, which it appears to me they are
undoubtedly, although the constant character of the white
or red spots evidently entitles them to be considered
as separate races of the same original stock. As only
one bird has been figured and described as occasionally
found in England, I take the opportunity of introducing
the other variety in this work.

We have in this bird one of the many illustrations
which the modern system of nomenclature affords us
of the impropriety of tampering with generic names.
Linnaeus placed it in the genus Motacilla, to which it
is in its habits closely allied. Latham subsequently re-
moved it into his Sylvia, where it ought to have finally
rested. In accordance however with what is termed the
‘^system of nomenclature adapted to the progress of
Science,” we find it changed by one writer to Lusciola,
by another to Cyanecula. Selby placed it with the
Redstarts in the genus Phoenicura, Eyton in that of
Ficedula, Degland in that of Eritliacus, and Hodgson
in that of Calliope. I trust I need only mention these
facts to condemn a system false in principle and inju-
rious to the progress of Natural Science; for we must
always bear in mind that the general reader and

4 ^

•f

1

I. SWEDISH BLUB-TH:R0 ATED WARBLER.
2. ROBV-THROATED WARBLER.

4 t

SWEDISH BLUE-THKOATED WARBLER.

13

student, for whom all systems are formed, is apt to
draw conclusions upon the subject by no means flattering
to the judgment or acuteness of the writer.

The Sylvia ccerulecula is found inhabiting Russia and
Siberia, Lapland, Norway, and Sweden. It occurs in
the East Indies, and the species is identical with that
of Europe. Degland notices a male having been killed
the end of April, 1836, near Douai, and others he says
have been captured at Burgoyne and in Picardy. M.
Malherbe possesses two specimens, which were killed
near Metz, and its plentiful occurrence in Sweden and
Norway has been recorded by M. M. De Lamotte and
De Cosette, in 1829. Count Miihle notices the ap-
pearance of isolated individuals in Greece. They are
found in the autumn, and appear to be migrating from
the north-east to the south-west. Only the Russian, or
more properly the Norwegian variety f ccerulecula )
occurs.

The following extracts from the Journal of the Asiatic
Society and the Madras Journal, give an interesting
account of the habits of the ^‘Blue-breast,” by Mr.
Blyth and Mr. Jerdon. From what we have said it
clearly does not signify much which of the two races
it refers to, as their habits are most probably precisely
the same.

Mr. Blyth says, “The Blue-breast affects the open
country where there are no trees, and especially reedy
places or plantations of sugar-cane, or growing corn or
high grass, or ground covered with the broad leaves of
cucurbitaceous plants; and there they are generally seen
on the ground, running with alternate steps, like a
Pipit or Wagtail, and occasionally spreading wide the
tail, displaying its rufous base to advantage; seldom
perching, but flitting before you as you advance, and

14

SWEDISH DLUE-TIIROATED WAR15LER.

disappearing among tlie low cover, but soon coming
forth when all is still, yet without absolutely quitting
the shelter of the herbage by going more than a few
paces from it. In Lower Bengal these birds arc ex-
tremely common in suitable situations.”

Mr. Jerdon remarks, ‘‘In the Dukhun this is far from
being common, and is only found during the cold season
— from October to March. It frequents thick hedges,
gardens, sugar-cane fields, and long grass or weeds in
beds of tanks, etc., occasionally coming close to houses.
It feeds on the ground, on which it runs along, picking
up various insects, and does not return so quickly to
its perch, neither has it that peculiar quivering of the
tail, as the Indian E-edstart, though while feeding on
the ground it occasionally jerks it up. It generally
tries to conceal itself among the bushes it frequents
when observed.”

The male in breeding plumage has the upper parts
and wings greyish brown; rump reddish; throat, from
base of lower mandible to crop, bright blue, with a
rusty red mark, or, as Temrainck calls it, “mirror” in
the centre; the lowest blue feathers are edged with
grey, and immediately below there is a broad black
band, succeeded by one of a bright russet; abdomen
and flanks are of a dirty white, with dusky and irreg-
ular reddish markings; under tail coverts yellowish red;
tail dark brown, the basal half of each feather, except
the two middle ones, bright russet red; beak black;
iris and legs brown.

The female differs from the male in having the throat
whitish, margined only with blue; the colours across
the chest quite distinct; the abdomen is more uniformly
yellowish white.

In the young, before the first moult, the plumage is

SWEDISH BLUE-THROATED WARBLER.

15

sliglitly browner above than that of tbe adult, with the
throat whitish, mottled with black spots here and there.
In older birds the black sjiots form a ring more or less
broad, with a white space or mirror in the centre.

1(3

INSECTIVOR.E.
Family SYLVIADJE.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

RUBY-THROATED WARBLER.

Syhia calliope.

Motacilla calliope.

Tardus ca m tscha tkensis,

“ calliope,

Accentor calliope.

Calliope latliami,

“ camtschatJcensis,

Luseiola (melodes) calliope,

Cyanecida calliope,

Sylvia calliope.

Gorge en feu calliope,
FeuerTcelilchen Sanger,
Gunpigera,

Gangular,

Nogotto,

Pallas; Voy., 1776.

Gmelin; Syst. N., 1788.
Gmelin; S. N. L.

Latham; 1790.

Temminck; 1835.

Gotjld.

Bonaparte; 1838. Blyth.
Hodgson.

Keyseeling and Blasius; 1840.
SCHLEGEL; 1844.

Gray; Gen. Birds.

Muhle; 1856.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Bengal.

Nepal.

Japan.

Specific Characters. — Upper parts olive green; primaries and
tail hair brown. Under parts whitish, mottled with olive; throat
and neck of a clear brilliant vermilion red, lighter in the female.
Length of male six inches and a half; carpus to tip three
inches; tarsus one inch and three fifths; middle toe one inch and
one fifth. Female rather less.

RUBY-'^J'HK DATED WARBLER

t

RUBY-THROATED WARBLER. 17

This beautiful Warbler is an inhabitant of India,
the Philippine Islands, Japan, and other j^arts of the
eastern world. It is also found in Siberia, Kamtschatka,
and occasionally in Russia and the Crimea, in conse-
quence of which it has been introduced into the
European fauna. According to Blyth, it is common in
Lower Bengal during the cold season. In Eastern
Siberia it is found plentifully at Jenisei, Selenga, and
Angara, where it arrives in May and disappears in
September.

It was placed by Temminck among the Accentors,
but more naturally, I think, by Miihle among the
Sylvia, and near the Blue-throated Warbler. Its
long synonymy will shew the contest which has arisen
in men’s minds as to the rio-ht desimation of this

O O

interesting songster. But if a bird which in structure
and many parts of its plumage closely resembles the
Nightingale, which, as we are told by Pallas, frequents
willow bushes, from the top of which, emulating the
queen of song, it sends forth its glorious notes at
sunrise, noon, or midnight alike; if, I say, such a bird
does not deserve to be ranked among the Warblers,
and to stand high in the well-marked family of Sylvia,
I cannot understand how we are to make natural
affinities the bonds or links of classification.

Of the nidification of S. calliope we know very little.
Pallas tells us that it builds a careless nest, and that
its eggs are greenish in colour, and that its call-note
may be heard as it flies. It is entirely insectivorous.

Male. — The whole upper part of the body is olive
green; top of the head, primaries, and tail, umber
brown tinged with olive; a clear white streak over the
eyes, and another larger one extending from the base
of the lower mandible to the middle of the side of

VOL. II.

18

KU15Y-TIIR0ATE]) WARBI.ER.

the neck. The lore and base of the inferior mandible
deep black; the throat and upper part of the neck
brilliant vermilion red, bordered with dark grey; mid-
dle of abdomen and under tail coverts bluish white;
crop and flanks greenish grey or olive brown; middle
tail feathers the longest, and rounded; the side feathers,
particularly the outermost ones, pointed. Beak and iris
brown; feet brown. In autumn the splendid red
throat is covered with white feathers.

The female has the upper parts like the male, but
the red on the throat is much lighter, and in some
specimens it is described as being more of a rosy
tint. In the East Indian specimen before me, sent
by M. Verreaux, the vermilion red is still retained,
though lighter, and with a whitish spot in the centre.
In my specimen the lore is black, and the vermilion
red is surrounded by a bright grey border, becoming
black as it comes in contact with the white line which
extends from the base of the mandibles.

The young male is described by Degland as similar
to the adult, with the throat and upper part of neck
of a clear rose or yellowish red.

My figure of this bird is a male in breeding plumage,
from an Indian specimen sent to me by M. Verreaux.
It has also been figured by Gould, in “B. of E.”

19

INSECTIVOR.E.
Family SYLVIAD^.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

THRUSH NIGHTINGALE.

Sylvia philomela.

Luscinia major,

H 66

Ifoiacilla luscinia major, var.,

Sylvia philomela,

66 66

66 66

Lusciola philomela,

66 66

Fee-fin or Fossignol pliilomele,
or Grand Fossignol,
Sprosser Nachtigall,

Fossignolo Forestiero,

Beisson; Ornith., 17(50.
Naumann. Gould.

Gmelin; Syst., 1788.
Bechstein; 1810.

Temminck; Manual, 1820.
ScHiNZ; Europ. Fauna, 1840.
Ketseeling and Blasius.
SCHLEGEL.

Of the Eeench.

Of the Geemans.

Of Savi.

Specific Characters. — Plumage above of a sombre brown. The
first primary nearly obsolete, the second nearly as long as the
third, and longer than the fourth. Length of male and female
seven inches; from carpus to tip three inches and a half; tail
from vent three inches; beak from gape seven tenths of an inch.

The Thrush Nightingale is an inhabitant of the
eastern parts of Europe. It is found m the south of
Sweden — in Pomerania and Finland, in the south of
Germany and Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, and

120

TIIIIUSII NIGHTINGALE.

Dalmatia. According to Temminck it is also found in
Spain, but this is doubted by Count Mliblc. It ranges
south as far as the Volga, the Caucasus, Egypt, and
Persia. It is rare in France, tbougli M. Gerbe records
the appearance of two specimens in the neighbourhood
of Paris, in September, 1847. It does not occur in
Holland.

Count Muble informs us that it appears later than
the Nightingale, but that it chooses the same localities,
preferring, however, the neighbourhood of water and
marshes. It likes to select its dwelling in the deep-
lying thickets among the cultivated islands on the large
rivers. In Germany it especially frequents the shores
of the Don, Oder, Elbe, and their tributaries, but is
rarely found on the Phine.

In its habits the Thrush Nightingale appears more
impetuous and not so graceful as its congener; its song
is deeper and louder, and by some not thought so
pleasing. It builds generally on stumps of trees. It
lays five or six eggs, which, as will be seen by the
figure of a specimen sent me by M. Verreaux, are very
similar to those of our well-known species. Count
Muhle says the egg is generally darkly spotted, Avhich
is not however mentioned by Temminck, and denied
by Degland. All the specimens sent me by M. Ver-
reaux are deep olive, like that figured; one lighter in
colour, but none of them with any spots.

The plumage is so like that of the Common Night-
ingale, that it is not necessary to give any lengthened
detail. The male and female have the upper parts of
a dull grey brown ; clear grey, tinted with darker on
the chest ; tail less brightly marked with russet than in
the Common Nightingale; throat white, surrounded by
dark grey; feet brown.

t

■f

fe-':.

P-:

1. T l i 14 U S H N I G li T I N G A I, E.

H A i4 14 h W A R B L E R.

3. KUPPELL’3 WARBLE

THRUSH NIGHTINGALE.

21

In the young before the first moult the upper parts
are bright clear russet brown; the head, scapularies,
and wung coverts, thickly mottled with light chesnut.
All the under parts mottled with dark grey and dirty
white, with a shade of yellow; tail rich chesnut brown;
feet and legs light brown; beak rather darker.

The figure is from an adult male sent me by M.
Verreaux. It is also figured by Gould, “B. of E.”

oo

INSECTIVORJi:.

Family SYLVIADJE.

Genus Sylvia, f Latham. J

Section III. — PHILACANTH^. Geasmucken.
Hedge Warblers, {MvMei) SYLVAINS, {Temminch.')

BARRED WARBLER.

Sylvia nisoria.

Sylvia nisoria,

a (f

(C ((

ti c(

Nisoria undata,
Curriica undata ,
JBec-fin raye, or
Fauvette eperviere,
Sperber Grasmucke,
Celega padovana,

Bechstein. Meyer and Wolff.

TeMMINCK. VlEILLOT. COVIEE.

Keyseeling and Blasius.

ScHINZ. ScHLEGEL. DeGLAND.
Bonaparte. Nattmann.

Geebe; Diet., 1848.

Of the French.

German.

Savi.

Specific Characters. — Secondaries fringed with light grey; the
middle tail quills and under coverts broadly bordered with white;
the lateral tail quills with a white spot at the extremities and
inner borders. Length of adult female from M. Verreaux, which
is figured, seven inches; carpus to tip three inches and a half;
tail two inches and a half; tarsus one inch.

This is one of the largest species of European
SylviadcB. It inhabits particularly the north and

BARRED WARBT.E R.

• / 'I

. h

>

1

4?*

I

BARRED WARBLER.

2.3

eastern parts of Europe. It is found on tlie sliores of
the Mediterranean, and thence to Sweden and Norway,
the north of Germany and some parts of Russia, and
in Hungary. It is more rare in Austria, but is found
in Lombardy, Piedmont, Central Italy, and the coast
of Barbary. Count Milhle doubts if it occurs in the
Py renees. According to Temminck, it is found acci-
dentally in Provence, and during its passage in
Tuscany; less rare in the Levant, and common in the
neighbourhood of Vienna.

The Barred Warbler belongs to the same division as
the Whitethroats, and, like them, though of considerable
size and somewhat clumsy appearance, it is swift and
active. It lives generally very much concealed, and is
not, therefore, so often observed as the other members
of the group. It has a particular predilection for
thorny bushes. Avoiding mountainous districts, it is
found in field hedges and young thickets, particularly
where blackthorn and whitethorn abound. In spring it
is observed in woods on high trees about the period
of migration, getting again into the thickets in the
autumn. It is a restless bird, never known to sit
still, hopping about from branch to branch, and gliding
along the fence with considerable rapidity. When met
with suddenly, it raises up the feathers on the top of
its head, like the Common Whitethroat, jerks up its
tail, and utters a harsh cry.

Count Miihle does not give our bird a very high
character. He says it is not only a very restless, but
also a very quarrelsome and jealous fellow, driving away
all other birds out of its hunting district ; and vrhile
the lady bird is performing the duties of incubation,
her lord is assiduously engaged in driving off all
disturbers of the peace.

uarrp:i) wa ruler.

The note of S. Jiisoria is strong and melodious, and
it sings from early morning till late in the evening a
song not inferior to that of the Garden Warbler,
which it somewhat resembles. It sings frequently
while flying, and may often be seen rising up
several yards into the air, and then falling down like
a shot upon another tree or bush, alternately flying
and fluttering.

In autumn the young males may be heard like the
other Hedge Warblers, snapping and croaking to all
comers.

The Barred Warbler, according to Muhle, builds
in the beginning of May in thick thorn bushes, at a
height of two to four feet, a slight half-globular-shaped
nest. It is made very loose, with dry stalks of plants,
small straws interwoven with spiders’ and caterpillars’
webs, and lined inside with horse-hair. It lays four
to six eggs, grey greenish or yellowish grey, with
bright ash grey or pale brown spots. They only breed
once a year, and the male and female sit on the eggs
alternately.

The male has the whole upper part of the body
clear dark grey, usually with a rusty yellowish tint.
The greater and lesser wing coverts and upper tail
coverts edged with white, more feeble and contracted
from the third to the fifth primary; the third primary
longest, the second almost as long; tail dark ash grey,
first feathers Avith outer border Avhitish; the middle
quill and second quill have at the end a broad wedge-
shaped white spot; the third and fourth an oblique
deep edge of AATite. Under parts of body greyish
Avhite, and flanks darker, with dark grey AvaAy lines,
especially well marked on the under tail coverts, taking
there a lanceolate form. In the young birds these wavy

BARRED WARI5LER,

lines are indistinct, but as they increase in age,
especially the males, they become more numerous and
darker. Beak slightly hooked at the tip; iris deep
yellow; feet yellowish grey.

In the female the colour is duller above, and the
chest and flanks tinted with russet; the white spots at
the end of the tail are smaller and not so distinct.

The young before the first moult, according to
Temminck, are of a uniform grey. Vieillot and Miihle
say they are covered with crescentic spots, which are
greyish brown on the neck and throat, chest and flanks.

After the first moult they have the upper parts
grey, with indistinct bands of a russet white; under
parts white, except the flanks, which are very slightly
marked with grey.

The bird figured is an adult female sent to me by
I\r. Ver reaux. The egg also came from the same
gentleman.

This bird has also been figured by Roux, Ornith.
Prov., pi. 222, (male;) Gould, B. of E.; and Naumann,
Taf., 76.

As Gould and Roux have figured males I have
thought it best to give a drawing of the female, though
males are figured in this work as a general rule.

VOL. II.

INSECTIVOR^..
Family SYLVIABjE.
Genus Sylvia. ( Latham.)

Section IV. — DUMETICOL^. Stratjchsangee.

Bush Warblers, (Mulile.) SYLVAINS, (I'emniinclc.)

EUPPELUS WAEBLEE.

Sylcia ruppellii.

Sylvia ruppellii,

ii U

Temminck; Alanual, 1835.
Keyserling and Blasius, 1840.

a

ScHiNZ; Europ. Fauna, 1840.

ft if

ScHLEGEL; Kevue, 1844.

Curruca riippellii,

ft ((

Bonaparte, 1838.

Gerbe; Diet., 1848.

Becfin Riippell,

Of the French.

RuppelVs Sanger or GrasmucJce, Of the Germans.

Specific Character's. — Above ash grey; tail black, the outermost
quill feather clear white; on the two following, the tip and a
wedge-shaped spot on the inner web, white; on the fourth and
fifth also a small white spot on the tip. Length about five
inches and a half. — Muhle.

This Warbler is an Asiatic species, inhabiting especially
the borders of the Red Sea and the Nile. It was
introduced into the European fauna by Temminck in

RU SPELL’S W ARBLE '<•

ruppell’s warbler.

27

the last edition of his “ Manual” in 1835. Its European
locality has hitherto been confined to Greece, where it
was observed, though rarely, by Count Miihle. Accord-
ing to Lindermayer it occurs in the bushy ravines of
the Attic Mountain range, but Count Miihle found it
only in the Morea. The single specimen he captured,
he informs us, was “sitting on the outstretching branch
of a bush in the hollow of a rocky ravine.”

It appears in Greece in May, and leaves in August.
It does not appear to be so sprightly or quick in its
movements as its congener, the Dartford Warbler. It
will sit on the end of a branch Avith “hanging tail”
while guns are fired in the neighbourhood, without
being alarmed. Count Muhle adds nothing about its
song, and says that its nidification and propagation is
one of the points in its natural history still to be
elucidated. Thienemann says the nest is cup-shaped,
somewhat scantily and loosely built of dry stems of
plants, dry leaves, strips of bark and vines loosely lined
inside with softer materials. The ground-colour of the
eggs is milk or yellowish white, with delicate pale
green and grey green spots, which form a narrow ring
near the base.

I take the description from Count Miihle: — The
whole upper part of the body is ash blue grey; the wings
are brownish black; the greater wing coverts, as well
as the hind feathers of the wing are bordered with a
whitish circle ; the primaries are marked externally with
a whitish border; first very short, second and fifth of
same length, the third the longest, very nearly the
same length as the fourth. The slender black tail is
rounded; the outside feathers entirely white, except at
the root, which is blackish; the shafts white. Under
parts white, going off into ash grey in the flanks. Bill

28 kuppell’s warbler.

small, and contracted at the sides, curved from the
middle, and holloAved out at the tip — in colour, horn
black, the lower mandible yellow; iris nut brown;
superciliary feathers white; the naked eyelids deep
cinnamon red; the feet strong and horn yellow.

The male has the crown of the head velvet black,
which extends to the lore and under the eye; auricular
orifice grey; cheeks dark ash, with a white band or
moustache, which, from the angle of the mouth, extends
along the sides of the neck, and encloses the black
of the throat; the white of the under parts is delicately
tinged with rose-colour.

The female has the top of the head, throat, and
breast, dark ash grey, and the white parts are not
tinged with rose.

In the young the grey of the upper part of the
body is without spot, and duller; the throat is whitish.

According to Temminck the black feathers of the
head and throat after moulting appear as white plumage,
which is by degrees rubbed off.

The figures of this bird are by permission taken from
Mr. Gould’s B. of E. The egg is from Thienemann.

Figured also by Temminck and Lang, pi. color, 245,
f. 1, (male.)

mill.

1

.^3‘)

INSECTIV0RJ5.
Famihj SYLVIADJE.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham. J

SUB-ALPINE WARBLER.

Sylvia suh-alpma.

Sylvia suh-alpina,

(C (6

ii (6

16 66

“ passerina,

lencopo'jon,

“ honelli,

“ viystacea,

Curruca passerina,

Fauvette suh-alpine, or
Bec-Jin Passerinette,
IVeisshartiger Strauchsclnger,
Sterjoazzolina,

Passerine Warhler,

Bonellt.

Temminck; Man., 1, p. 214.
Bonapaete; Consp. Gen. Av.
ScHLEGEL, 1844. MuHLE.
Gmelin; Syst., 1, p. 954.
Latham; Ind., 2, p. 508.
Temminck; Man., 1835, p. 131.
Degland, 1844.

Meyer and Wolff; Orn.

Tasch., 3, p. 91.

S.4.VI; Orn. Tosc., vol. 1, p. 257.
ScHiNZ; Fauna Europ.
Keyserling and Blasius.
Menetries; Cat., p. 34.

Z. Gerbe; Diet, un cV Hist.
Hat., 1848.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Of the Italians.

Latham.

VOL. II.

80

SUli-AM’INE WAK15LKH.

Sj)eriJ!r Chavitelers. — 'I'lio inner barb of tlie primaries and
secondaries edged witli white in tlie male, unicolorous olive brown
in the female. Edge of cari)al joint in both sexes white. Length
of an adult male from M. E. Verreaux, 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 about same size.

This bird was described by Tcmminclc in tbe first
edition of tbe “Manual” as a new species. Savi and
Roux, 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
iMiihle have consequently sunk the name of passerina,
and adopted that of suh-alpina, given to it by Bonelli.
To add to the confusion Meyer and M'olff have also
described one of the plumages of this bird as a distinct
species, Sylvia leucopoyon. It will be necessary, there-
fore, to bear in mind that S. passerina of Temminck,
and S. leucopoyon of Meyer and Wolff, are both com-
jnised in the Sylvia suh-alpina of this notice.

The Sub-alpine Warbler has a v,dde 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 ISTew Russia and the Ghouriel. It
also occurs plentifully on the borders of the Caspian
Sea. In the South of Europe it generally appears with
the other migratory IVarblers in the beginning of April.
In Greece Count Miihle informs us it is seen about
the middle of IMarch, 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 Mdiitethroat, and leaves
in September or beginning of October.

S U 15 - A L P I N I '. A II I ! L E R .

81

According to Savi it is not often seen consorting with
Blackcaps or Garden Warblers, although its song is
somewhat of the same character. When the male wishes
to sing he glides out of the bushes, and, perching on
a neighbouring branch, sends forth his clear agreeable
melody. When he has finished, or is disturbed, he
glides again into the fence, and only makes his where-
abouts cognizable by his frequent call-note, similar to
that of the Common Wren. These habits fortunately
render it a very difficult bird to capture.

It builds twice a year; its nest is globe-shaped, placed
in thick bushes from three to five feet from the ground,
formed outwardly of straw and withered grass, and
within of delicate small roots, rarely lined with wool,
and interwoven with the webs of spiders and caterpillars.
It lays four or five eggs, roundish, greenish white,
sprinkled with small brown spots, which are most nu-
merous and large at the broadest end. The male
relieves the female in incubation during the middle of
the day. — Muhle.

According to M. Moquin-Tandon, as quoted by
Degland, INI. M. Webb and Berthelot brought from the
Canary Islands eggs of this species, which Avere exactly
similar to those Avhich he took in the neighbourhood
of Montpellier.

The male in breeding plumage has the head, nape,
and scapularies of a bluish lead-colour; upper parts of
the wing and tail olive broAvn. The throat, crop, and
flanks russet red, more or less strongly marked; middle
of the belly Avhitish, mottled Avith bluish spots; a Avhitc
line or moustache from the gape separates the grey of
the nape from the red of the throat and cro^i. Under
tail coverts Avhite, shaded Avith russet; tAvo outer feathers
of the tail AA’hite on each side above and inside for

3J2

SU15-AL1'INE WAUHI.EH.

three parts of their length, tlie two following only
tipped with white; beak brown, reddish at the base
below; iris yellow; legs and feet flesh-coloured. In
autumn the upper parts arc gi’cy, more or less tinted
with olive or russet; inferior parts of a less bright
red, clearer on the flanks, and the abdomen winter.

The female has the upper parts uniformly olive
brown, with a tinge of bluish grey about the head and
nape; the under parts much less red than in the
male, but in my specimen the colour Avhich is a faintly
reddish white, is more uniformly dispersed.

The young before the first moult have the superior
parts, according to Degland, (whose descriptions are in
general most accurate,) of a reddish ash; the inferior
parts reddisli, or a clear brown, with the middle of the
abdomen white. Wings brown, all the coverts being
broadly bordered with reddish; tail feathers brown,
fringed with reddish ash, the external feather of each
side bordered and terminated with whitish ash. In a
young male bird sent me by M. Verreaux, the colours
are very similar to, but fainter than those of the adult
male; the abdomen is more mottled. In none of the
specimens is the abdomen of a pure white.

Figured by Tennninck and Laugier, pi. col. 251, f.
2 and 3, (male and female;) Foux, Ornith. Prov., pi.
218, f. 1 and 2, (adults;) Gould, B. of E.

My figures of this bird are from specimens sent me
by M. Verreaux.

i

,L’/

c A K D I N I A N

W A R B L K R.

INSECXn'OFt^.
Family S YL 7 "I A DjF.
Genus Sylvia. (Latham.)

SARDINIAN WARBLER

Sylvia m elauoceph ala.

Sylvia melanocepliala,

ii ((

(( ((

ft (6

(( (i

t( it

(( ft

it (i

Motacilla melanocepliala,

Sylvia ruscicola,

Curruca melanocepliala,

ft ii

Pyroplithalma melanocepliala.
Bee fin melanocepliale, or
Fauvette des f rayons,
Schivarzlcdpfiger Slrauch-sanger,
Occhiocotto,

Latuam; 1790.

Temminck; Man., 1820.
Bonapaete; (B. of E.,) 1838.
Keyserling and Blasius;
1840.

ScHiNZ; Europ. Eaun., 1840.
Schlegel; Eevue, 1844.
Degland ; 1844.

MiiHLE; 1856.

Gmelin; Syst., 1788.
VlEILLOT; Diet., 1817.
Lesson; Ornith., 1831.

Z. Gerbe; 1848.
Bonaparte; Consp. Gen. Ay.

Or the French.

Of the Germans.

Of the Italians.

Specific Characters. — Throat white; head black in the male,
greyish black in the female ; the secondary quills fringed with russet
grey; the two external tail quills white on the outer side, with a

lU

SAHJ)l>:iAN WARliLEK.

large spot of the same colour at the extremity of the interual
barb; the other tail feathers white only at the tip.

Length of an adult male sent me by M. E. Verreaux, five inches
and a half; from carpus to tip two inches and three tenths; tail
two inches and a half; tarsus seven tenths of an inch.

The Sardinian Warbler inhabits the south of Europe,
the Canary Islands, Egypt, and, according to Degland,
Asia Minor. It is also included in Captain Loche’s
Catalogue as inhabiting the three provinces of Algeria,
and is mentioned by Mr. Salvin as one of the most
strihing species in Northern Africa. In Europe it is
found along the shores of the Mediterranean, from Spain
to Greece. It occurs especially in Sicily, Sardinia,
Corsica, Tuscany, Dalmatia, and the southern parts of
France and Spain. According to Nordmann, it is found
in Bessarabia; and, according to Temminck, it is very
common in the States of the Church at Castello, Palo,
and Civita-Vecchia, where it breeds. Savi states that
along the shores of the Mediterranean it is not found
further inland than from eight to nine geographical
miles.

Count Miihle informs us that it does not seem to
prefer the neighbourhood of water, but stops preferably
in low woods or sloping hills, where the ground is dry.
It is also found in gardens, especially those which are
enclosed with cactus hedges, in which it builds, and
upon the fruit of which it feeds. Though living ex-
clusively in the south, it appears capable of bearing cold
v."ell, as Count Miihle frequently observed it at Christmas
apparently quite lively in the myrtle and whitethorn
bushes.

Of its habits and nidification. Count Miihle further
observes, that it has not only perhaps the greatest share
of vivacity among the members of its family, but it is

SARDINIAN WARRLER.

by far the most numerous, and hence its manners and
habits are best known. It is a restless and very lively
bird, and hops continually through the low bushes, or
flies from the under branches of low trees to a shrub,
in pursuit of flies. It is not in the least shy of the
neighbourhood of men, and may be observed all the
year in gardens where people are constantly working.
In the spring the male sings, while sitting on the out-
stretched twig of a bush, a feeble and not very melodious
love-song; after ending which it creeps quickly back
into the bush. The female is seldom seen, and conse-
quently much less known than the male; its call is
sharp, and similar to that of the Wagtails, or, according
to Malherbe, during pairing time, like that of the
CicadcB.

The Sardinian Warbler builds twice or even three
times in the year, in a bush or low-hanging bough, not
far from the ground, say from one to three feet. The
nest is tolerably compact, and is ingeniously built of
blades of grass, leaves, with soft woolly plant stems,
spiders’ webs, and cotton woven together; the inside
lined with soft small straws and horse-hair. It lays
four or five eggs in the first, and only three in the
second brood. The egg is greenish grey, tolerably
thickly marked with small spots, darker, and forming a
wreath round the larger end.

I have been favoured by my friend, Mr. Edward J.
Tuck, of AYallington Eectory, Baldock, Herts., with the
following account of this bird, as observed by him in
France: — Sylvia melanocepliala Avas resident about
Cannes, at least I saw it constantly from December to
May. It Avas most common in the pine Avoods on the
hills, Avhich are very dry, and contain underwood of
broom, juniper, etc. I used to see it also in the gardens

SARDINIAN WARRLKR.

3()

nearer the sea, where it fed on the berries of the ar-
butus, which ripen well in that country, the shrub itself
growing wild. I first heard its song on the 27th. of
January, but it did not get into full song till iMarch.
Its manners are just like those of our Whitethroat in
this respect, as the male will sing from a hush, and then
dart off in a jerking flight into the air, still singing.
They have also a rather harsh note, like the chut-chut
of the Blackcap, but louder and repeated more frequently.
I did not find a nest till the 22nd. of April, when I
saw one in a juniper bush, among some pines on broken
ground, and much exposed. It contained three young
birds and a rotten egg. The nest is much like that of
our Common Whitethroat, being made of straw and
dried bents of grass, with a few roots and pine twigs,
lined with fine grass bents. The nest measured three
inches and a half across the top; depth inside two inches.
The egg is nine lines long by six wide; yellowish
green ground, with several darker spots all over it. We
watched the pair of old birds for some time, and saw
both come with food for the young; and on one occa-
sion, on going up to the nest, the female behaved as
our Partridges do, — ran along screaming on the path,
with her wings fluttering as if hurt — the only instance
of this in small birds I have ever seen myself, although
I have heard of it. I should suppose from the occur-
rence of this nest so early, they have two broods in
the year.”

The adult male has the forehead, vertex, and back
of the head as far as the nape, velvet black. This
passes off gradually into the slate-blue grey of the rest
of the upper parts; wings dusky black. The outer tail
feathers bordered and tipped with white. The throat,
belly, and cheeks bluish white, with the flanks darker.

SARDINIAN WARBLER.

37

The first primary is short ; the second, third, and fourtli
longer and equal in size. Eyelashes brick red; the
naked and swollen eyelids cinnabar red. Beak, tolerably
large and strong, is black. Iris nut brown; feet blackish
brown.

The female has the whole upper parts of the body
brownish grey; wing and tail feathers brownish black,
with a somewhat brighter edge ; the white of the external
tail quill is shaded with russet and grey. Throat white,
and rest of under parts of the body whitish, tinted Avith
greyish broAAui; the belly still darker. Eyelids and eye-
lashes yelloAA'ish red.

Degland remarks that specimens he received from
M. A. Malherbe, killed in the neighbourhood of Genes,
were smaller than those received from the south of
France. The colours Avere more pure, approaching to
blue on the back, sides, and upon the silvery Avhite in
front of the neck and middle of the chest and belly.

My figures of this bird and its egg are from specimens
sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

It is also figured by Roux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 21;
Bouteil, Ornith. du Dauph., pi. 24; Gould, in B. of E.,
pi. 129, as Sardinian M^arbler.

38

INSECTIVORiE.

Family S YL VIA DJE.

Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

SPECTACLED WAKBLER

Sylvia conspicillata.

Silvia conspicillata,

(( ((

(C

it a

(C ((

6( (S

i( a

(( ((

Curruca conspicillata,
Fauvette a Lunettes,
JBrillen Strauclisanger,
Sterpazzola di Sardegna,
M’ zizzee.

De la Maemoea; Mem. della
Acad, di Torino, 1819.
Temminck; Man., 1820.
Bonapaete; 1838.

Keyseeling & Blasius; 1840.
ScHiNZ; Eur. Eann., 1840.
ScHLEGEL; Eevue, 1844.
Degland; 1844.

Muhle; 1856.

Z. Geebe; Diet., 1848.

Of the Eeench.

Of the Geemans.

Of Savi.

Aeabic; (Salvin.)

Specific Characters. — The secondaries broadly fringed with red.
The two outer tail feathers almost entirely white; the two next
on each side only white at the point; first primary shorter than
the fifth, but longer than the sixth; the second and third equal
and longest.

Length of an adult male, sent me by M. E. Verreaux, nearly
five inches; carpus to tip two inches and a half; tarsus eight tenths
of an inch.

r

I,

a

SPECTACLFD WARBLER.

SPECTACLED WARBLER.

39

This beautiful little Warbler was stated by Temrainck,
in his first edition, to belong exclusively to Sardinia;
but, although limited in its range, it has been discovered
in Sicily, Spain, in the States of the Church, and by
Count Miihle in Greece. It is also included in Captain
Loche’s Catalogue, by whom it is stated to occur in
the three provinces of Algeria.

M. O. Salvin, in the “ Ibis,” for July, 1859, mentions
its occurrence in the Salt Lake districts of the Eastern
Atlas of Africa, where it is found abundantly in the
low shrubs of the uncultivated portions of that region.
He states that it is very shy, and skulks from bush to
bush as any one approaches. Malherbe remarks that it
only breeds in Sicily, migrating in the winter; but Count
Miihle doubts this statement, as he has frequently seen
it in winter in Greece, in company with S. melanocepliala.
This Warbler was discovered by Marmora, in Sardinia,
in 1819, and named by him S. conspicillata, from a
black ^^spectacle”-looking mark between the eyes of the
male bird.

According to Savi, the Spectacled Warbler dwells in
Italy, among the cistus bushes on the hills, but never
in shady places. In Sardinia it inhabits the bush-covered
hills, from four hundred to six hundred feet above the
sea level. It is a very nimble bird, rivalling the Sar-
dinian Warbler, with which it is frequently found, in
this respect. Count Miihle tells us that it sings perched
on an open branch, with its feathers raised, and that
its song is simple, but loud and agreeable. Its call and
song-note resembles much that of the other species in
the family ; in fact it is so closely allied that it has fre-
quently been confounded with S. suh-alpina, and has
even been considered by some only a southern variety
of S. cinerea. It is however easily distinguished from

40

SPECTACI.KD WARBLER.

the latter by its smaller size, by the lunettes over the
eyes, and by the general greater distinctness and purity
of the colours. I am however at a perfect loss to
imagine upon what grounds it can be separated from
the “Whitethroats,” and formed into a distinct genus.

The Spectacled A\^arblcr builds in March, in low
bushes, about a foot from the ground. The nest is in
the shape of a blunt cone, and tolerably thick and
compact. It is formed of dry grass, stems, coarse plant
stalks, much down of seeds, and sometimes spiders’ webs,
and is lined with small roots and human as well as
horse-hair, (Miihle.) The outside as well as the inside
is constructed with especial care. The delicate eggs are
four, rarely five in number ; ground colour pale greenish
grey, with fine spots, greyish and greenish grey, some-
times thicker towards the base.

In the adult male in breeding season, the vertex and
cheeks are ash grey; the whole upper part of the body
greyish russet, more or less marked; throat white; the
rest of the inferior parts red, tinged with grey, clearer
on the belly; lores and eyebrows black; cheeks white;
wings blackish, with the coverts broadly fringed with
lively red; tail dark brown, with the two internal
barbs of the external quills white; a small and some-
times a large spot of the same colour on the extremity
of the last, and a small spot on the third; beak,
yellow on the borders and the basal half below, the
rest blackish; feet yellowish; iris brown.

The male in autumn has the head of a less pure ash-
colour ; neck and mantle grey, with the feathers bordered
with russet; throat white; lower part of neck bluish ash;
crop and flanks red; middle of stomach whitish.

The adult female has the top of the head dark ash
grey, while the black “spectacle” mark over the eyes

SPECTACLED WARBLEK,

41

is either less distinct or wanting. Scapularies, rump,
and upper tail feathers olive brown; Avings brown, with
the coverts broadly fringed w'itli russet; the uppermost
feathers of the secondaries bright russet, with a con-
spicuous black longitudinal mark in the centre; throat
greyish Avhite; rest of inferior parts of body russet,
lighter in the centre; under tail coverts, Avhite.

The young before the first moult are of a red ash-
colour above, Avith the throat and neck ashy Avhite ; the
body beloAV is of a reddish ash-colour, Avith tints lighter
in the middle of the abdomen; Avings broAvn, Avith the
coverts largely bordered with red; tail equally broAvn,
with the quills fringed and terminated Avith reddish
ash, and the inferior half of the one most external on
each side white.

The figures of this bird and its egg are from specimens
sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

Figured also by Temminck and Laug: pi. col. 6, f. 1,
old male in breeding plumage. Eoux, Ornith. Prov.,
pi. 217, female under the name of Passerinette; Gould,
B. of E.

42

INSECTIVOR^.

Family SYLVIADJE.

Genus Sylvia, f Latham. J

MARMORA’S WARBLER.

Sylvia sarcla.

Sylvia sarda,

it a

(C <(

(( ((

H ((

6< it

i( i(

i( ti

“ sardonia,
Melizophilus sarda,
Pyropthalma sarda,
Fauvette sarde,

Sardiiiischer Strauclisanger,
Occhiocotto sardo.

Marmora; Mem. della
Acad, di Turin, 1819.
Temminck; Man., 1820.
Bonaparte; Birds, 1838.
Keyserling & Blasius, 1840.
ScHINZ; 1840.

ScHLEGEL; Bevue, 1844.
Degland; 1844.

MtinLE; 1856.

ViEILLOT.

Gerbe; Diet. 1848.
Bonaparte; Consp. Gen. Av.
Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Of Savi.

Specific Characters. — Tail wedge-shaped ; the outer feather, half
au inch the shortest, has a fine line upon its outer edge white;
the rest of the tail feathers unicolorous. General colour smoky-
brown.

MARMORA’S WARBLER.

!

.i

1. MARMOilA’S WARBLER.

2. BOiN’LLLl’o WARBLER.

3.

OLIVE TREE WARBLER.

MARMORA S AVARBLER.

48

Length of adult male sent me by M. E. Verrcaux, five inches
and three tenths; from carpus to tip two inches and three tenths.
Tail two inches; tarsus nine tenths of an inch.

This Warbler, tliougli supposed to occur in Africa,
lias at present a known range limited to Sardinia, Sicily,
and the south of France. It is said by Miihle to breed
near Palermo; and Thienemann says that it is always
found in company with S. provincialis , the Dartford
Warbler. It was discovered by Marmora, in 1819, and
is not unlike in plumage S. melanocephala, and has
the same naked ring round the eyes ; it may, however,
be distinguished by the specific characters given above ;
in addition to which the beak is more slender and weak ;
the general colour has a more smoky tinge; the throat
is also ash-grey or darker, instead of white, so that the
two birds can never be confounded. Of its habits ^\e
know very little, and what we do know of them differs
but slightly from those of the Dartford Warbler; its
call-note is said to be a sharper and rougher cry.

According to Thienemann, its nest and eggs are
similar to those of the Dartford Warbler. Degland says
it builds in bushes a short distance from the ground,
making a deep well-constructed nest, in which it de-
posits from four to six eggs, of a dirty white, slightly
yellowish, with spots grey and reddish, thicker about
the greater end; great diameter sixteen, small twelve
millemetres.

An adult male, sent me hy M. E. Verreaux, has all
the upper parts of an uniform smoky brown, darker
about the eyes. Throat dark ash-grey; belly and flanks
pinkish, mottled with grey, approaching to hlack; pri-
maries dark hair brown; tail cuneiform, with the outer
quills finely edged with white; colour of the under parts

44

Marmora’s avarri^er.

of the tail lighter; healc yellow, hlack for one third from
the point; border round the eyes cinnabar red; iris nut
brown; feet yellow.

The female is generally paler in colour than the male,
and the throat and belly more ash-coloured.

Figured by Temminck and liaugier, pi. enl. 24, f. 2,
adult male; Gould, B. of Fj.

BON E L L I ’ S

WARBLE H.

45

INSECTIVOR.E.

Famihj SYLVIABjE.

Genus Sylvia. ( Latham.)

SECTio>r V. — PHTLLOPSEUST^. Latjbsangek.

Wood Warblers, fMiihle.J MPSCIVOPES, fTemminch.)

BONELLI’S

Sylma

Sylvia honelli,

(i (6

i( i6

i6 t6

“ natteri,

(( ((

Tliyllopneuste honelli,

(( ii

it ((

Ficedula bonellii,

Pouillot Honelli, Hec-Jin
N alter er,

Berg- Lauhsdnger,

Fatterers Sanger,

Lui Bianco,

Specific Characters. — Upper ]:
inferior parts white; rump and

WARBLER.

honelli.

ViEiLLOT; Faun, France, pi. 96,
f. 3, ct Tabl. Encycl. Ornith.,
1823.

Keyseeling & Blasius; 1840.
SCHLEGEL; 1844.

Muhle; 1856.

Temminck; Man., 1820.
ScHiNZ; Europ. Faun., 1840.
Bonaparte; 1832.

Z. Geeee; Diet., 1848.
Degland; 1849.

ScHLEGEL; 1844.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Meter and Brehm.

Sati.

arts of the body brownish grey;
upper tail coverts yellow green;

VOL. II.

11

4G

150N E I, I, I ’.S WA 11 15 L E K,

wiugs reach to half the length of tail; first (juill longer than the
sixth, and equal to the fifth; the secoud longest. Tail brownish
grey, with fifteen dark shaded bands crossing it; feet light brown
or grey.

Length of an adult male sent me by M. E. Ycrrcaux, four inches
and a half; carpus to tip two inches and a half. Tail two inches.
Tarsus eight tenths of an inch. Female about same.

This pretty little Warbler, tlic congener of our Willow
Wren and Cliiff Chaff, has a wide range in the south
of Europe. It is found in Spain, in the south of
France being common in Provence, in Italy, Switzerland,
the Tyrol, and Salzbourg. It has occurred in the Crimea,
and a single specimen is stated by Gloger to have been
captured in Central Germany. It is included in Cap-
tain Loche’s Catalogue of the Birds of Algeria, and, as
Count Miihle remarks, would probably be found farther
north, were it not often mistaken for the other Willow
Wrens. It passes the winter in Arabia and Egypt. It
does not appear to have been found in Greece.

The term Laubsanger, given to this group by the
German naturalists, refers to their similarity in colour
to the foliage of large trees, which they affect much more
than bushes or shrubs. Bonelli’s Warbler is found
generally inhabiting wood-covered hills, preferring alders,
larches, and hazels, to all other trees. Like the other
Willow Wrens, it is also found frequently in gardens,
and I have no doubt like them feasts upon the fruit.
It is also often found on the banks of rivers.

It is a very cautious bird, and easily frightened, and
then is very shy; but if unmolested it will approach
dwelling-houses fearlessly.

The song is described by Count Miihle as the most
monotonous of all the Laubsangers. It builds its nest
in more exposed situations than its congeners, and

BONELLl’s WARBLEK.

47

may be easily found in dry grass meadows. It is es-
pecially partial to tall thick ferns, as well as long grass.

Malherbe’s statement that it builds in poplars and
other thickly-foliaged trees, is, I think with good reason,
denied by Count Miihle, as being quite different to the
habits of other Wood Warblers.

Thienemann says the nests are woven and bound
together with dry twigs, intermixed with Acinos vul-
garis, and lined with dry grasses, moss, and oak leaves,
the entrance wide open. It contains four or five eggs,
the ground colour in most of which inclines to brownish ;
they are also a brownish grey and a reddish brown,
delicately spotted, and in many specimens forming a
wreath round the greater end.

Brehm, in Badeker’s magnificent work upon the Eggs
of European Birds, now publishing, says of this species,
“It nests in barren places, which are scattered over
with stones, leaving hollows in the ground, which are
overgrown with plants, by which the nest is concealed,
the stalks and blades of the growing grass being inter-
woven with the nest. The eggs are of a white ground,
with small brown-red spots and dots thickly scattered,
and of light or darker colour, wreathing like that of
S. sihalatrix.”

Temminck’s account differs little from this.

Degland says the “Pouillot Bonelli nests in the
ground in the middle of the grass, or at the bottom of
underwood; its nest is similar to that of S. sibilatrix,
and it contains from four to six eggs — short, white or
reddish white, with reddish brown spots very numerous,
and thickly scattered, especially at the larger end. Long
diameter fifteen, shorter twelve millemetres.”

The adult male has the head, nape, and upper part
of the back bright yellowish olive green; the wing feathers

48

15()KKl,hl’fS WAKIiLEK.

and tail arc black grey; lesser wing coverts bordered
with greyish yellow green; wings brown, with the pri-
maries bordered with bright yellow green ; checks grey ;
from the nostrils a clear white stripe over the eyes.
The Avholc of the under parts of the body clear shining
white, washed with greyish on the crop, and yellow on
the flanks; tail of a lighter brown than the wings, the
upper three fourths of the quills edged with greenish
yellow; beak brownish above, under greyish yelloAv;
feet brownish or dark grey; iris reddish brown.

The female has the white less clear below. Before
the first moult the young birds are reddish ash-colour
above, silky white below, with the sides of the chest,
the flanks, and the under tail coverts, bright russet;
cheeks and sides of neck bright reddish ash-colour;
wing coverts, primaries, and tail quills edged with bright
greenish yellow. — (Degland.)

My figures of this bird and its egg are from specimens
sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

Figured also by Temminck and Laugier, pi. col. 24,
f. 2. Roux, Orinth. du Daph., pi. 226. Gould, B. of
E., pi. lol. Bouteille, Orinth. du Dauph., pi. 26, f. 7.

Another Leaf AEarbler, Sylvia horealis, Blasius, (the
Sylvia eversmanni of Middendorff,) has lately, on the
authority of Professor Blasius, been added to the
European list. (Vide Naumannia, 1858, and Ibis, No.
4, p. 459, 1859.) This interesting Asiatic species, which
has been taken in Heligoland by Herr Giitke, ought to
follow the last species in this work; but in the absence
of authentic specimens from which to take my figure,
I must unwillingly defer a notice of it for the present.

<

1^.

R E

49

INSECTIVOK^L
Family SYLVIADJE.

Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

Section YI. — POLYGLOTT^, {Muhle.) Spotter, or Mockers.
RIVERAINS, {Temminclc.)

OLIVE TKEE WARBLER.

Sylvia olivetorum.

Sylvia olivetorum,

(( ((

(i (6

Calamolierpe olivetorum,
Chloroyeta olivitorum,
Salicaria olivetorum, ?

ii ic

Hijopolais olivetorum,

(6 i(

Fee-fin des oliviers,
Oliven Rolirsdnger,

Steickland in Gould’s
B. of E. p. 109, 1836.
Temminck; Manual, 1840.
Muhle; 1856.

Bonapaete’s List., 1838.
Bonapaete; Gen. Consp. Av.
Keyseeling and Blasius.
1840.

SCHLEGEL; 1844.

Z. Geebe; Revue ZooL,
1844-6, Diet, in Hist.

Nat., 1848.

Degland ; 1849.

Of the Eeench.

Of the Geemans.

Specific Characters. — Plumage above shaded with olive brown;
wings in repose do not quite reach to half the tail; first primary-
equal to the second and fourth, third longest; beak broad and

50

OLIVE TREE \VARRJJiR.

coniprcssccl sideways anteriorly, the tip having a tooth-like or
notched curve.

Length six inches five lines; wings from carpus to tip three
inches and two lines; tail two inches and a half; beak from gape
nine lines and three quarters, breadth of it at angle four lines;
middle toe five lines, claw of the same two lines and a half; hind
toe three lines and a quarter, claw of the same three lines. —
ScHLEGEL.

This elegant species was discovered by our lamented
countryman Strickland, in tlie Island of Zante, in 183G,
and described and figured in Gould’s “Birds of Europe.”

Count Mlilile, in bis monograph of the European
SyhiaclcB, has placed this bird, S. elaica, and S. hy-
polais, (Latham’s Pettychaps,) in a distinct section,
namely, that of Polyglottce, or Mockers, in consequence
of the notes of some other birds being discovered in
their song. Temminck placed S. olivetorum among his
Riverains, and Keyserling and Blasius, and Schlegel,
among the Salicaria. But Count Miihle remarks that
it must be without hesitation placed near S. liypolais,
the Hippolais polyglottm of Selys-Longchamps, Gerbe,
and Degland, (Latham’s Pettychaps,) and consequently
included in this group, forming, with S. icterina, the
genus Hippolais of Gerbe.

Sylvia olivetorum has at present only one European
locality, that of the olive plantations of Greece, where,
however, it appears to be by no means rare. In the second
volume of Naumannia, part I, page 77, it is included
in a list of birds observed in the neighbourhood of
Tangier’s, and is said to breed there. According to
Lindermayer it appears in Greece at the end of April
and the beginning of May, and leaves again early in
August. It has been conjectured by Baldamus, in Nau-
mannia, part II for 1853, page 166, that this bird.

OLIVE TREE WAR15LER.

51

though so long unknown, does actually exist in the whole
of the south of Europe. But Count Miihle remarks
upon this statement that if true, it must have been
discovered, as no country has been so well investigated
by distinguished ornithologists as Italy.

The Olive Tree Warbler is described by Count Miihle
as a brisk lively bird, teasing and pecking its companions
with as much pertinacity as its congener, S. liypolais.
It lives only in olive plantations, is very shy and diffi-
cult, I am happy to say, to kill. Hence specimens are
fortunately scarce, and I have been content to give a
copy of Count Miihle’s excellent figure. When its song
betrays its whereabouts, it can hardly be distinguished
from the shining olive trees, being like them, above
greenish grey, below whitish — a beautiful adaptation, and
one frequently met with, by which nature seems to
protect her living creatures from the ruthless and often
cruel and wanton destroyer.

It moves constantly about among the trees, and care-
fully shuns water-reeds and bushes.

It builds in the olive trees, and fastens its nest to
a branch, having a twig going through it. The nest is
pretty substantial, being formed of grass and lined with
thistle-down, which makes it warmer, while it is even
more elegant than that of most other Warblers.

The eggs are three or four in number, long oval, grey,
with a rosy reddish gloss, which wears out when the
egg is kept, and dark brown large angular spots, be-
tween which are scattered small dots. Count Miihle
supposes they only breed once in the year.

Brehm, in Biidekcr’s work on European eggs, gives
a description in all essential particulars the same as
that above. He says ‘‘The nest is built with dry grass
blades and panicles, with down cf plants woven through-

OLIVK TREE WARHEER.

out, and lined witli spiders’ webs, small rootlets, and
liorse-liair, or thistle-down. The nest is exposed to view
on a small branch of the olive tree; it contains four
eggs, laid in the end of May or beginning of June,
which are of a dull rosy red, on a grey ground, with
black grey spots, and blackish dots and scrolls.”

I take the description from Count IMiihle.

“This bird is, when seen flying, in shape and plumage
like Sylvia orphea, or nisoria, in their spring dress,
from both of which, however, it is distinguished by its
strong beak, broad at the root, having the ujiper man-
dible horn-colour, and the lower orange yellow. The
head, and the whole of the upper parts of the body
are grey, tinted with olive, which especially predominates
on the upper tail coverts. A distinct conspicuous streak
of greyish white from the nostrils to the eyes. The
chin, root of lower mandible, and especially the
upper mandible, between the nostrils and the angle of
the mouth, clothed with bristly hairs. The wings grey
black, with a greyish gloss or polish on them ; the lesser
coverts have broad greyish borders.

The other feathers of the wings edged with white,
which forms a large border on the primaries and great
posterior coverts. The tail is slate grey, underneath
paler; the first quill bordered with white, the second
with a white spot at the end, and white edge on the
inner barb; the third and fourth have only a small
whitish spot at the tip. The whole under part of the
body is white, with a yellowish tint, the sides grejdsh;
under tall coverts whitish; eyebrows white; iris, nut-
brown; feet lead grey, with horn-coloured claws. Tarsi
furnished in front with nine very distinct plates, of which
the third, fourth, and fifth are largest, though the length
of each does not exceed two lines.” — Schlegel.

OLIVE TREE WARBLER.

53

The young before the first moult, which occurs after
they leave Europe, are strikingly like the young of S.
nisoria, and S. orphea, but they may be readily dis-
tinguished— in addition to the already noticed characters
of the formation of the beak — from /S', nisoria, by the
uniform olive grey tint of the upper part of the body,
which in the latter bird is clear grey, and on the back
slate-coloured. The second and third primaries of S.
nisoria are also of almost equal length, but in S. olive-
toriini the third is considerably longer than the second.
From S. orphea they may be distinguished by the
Linder tail coverts and belly in /S', orphea being tinted
with rust yellow, while in the young of S. olivetoruni
the tint is greyish.

This bird has been figured by Gould, B. of E., and
by Count Miihle, in his Monographic der Europaischen
Sylvien.

VOL. II.

INSECT]
Family S Y.
Geniis Sylvia

OLIVACEOUS

Sylvia

Salicaria elaeica,

Ilippolais elaeica.

it <(

Ficedula amhigua,

Sylvia elaica,

Bec-Jin Amhigu,

Oelbaum Spotter, or
Zweidentiger Lauhscinger,

VOHM.
VIADyF.
f Latham.)

WAEBLER.

elaica.

Linderjiater; Isis, 1843,

No. 5, p. 242; Eevue ZooL,
1843, p. 210.

Z. Gerbe; Hevue ZooL, 1844,
p. 440, 1846, p. 434; Diet,
d’ Hist. Nat., 1848, tome xi.,
p. 237.

Degland, 1849.

ScHLEGEL; Eeviie, 1844.

MtiHLE; 1856.

Of THE French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters — Plumage above shaded with greyish; wings
in repose reach scarcely to middle of tail; fii’st primary short,
longer than the upper coverts, second and fifth equal, third and
fourth longest, and equal.

Dimensions of tioo specimens sent me by 3£. F. Yerreaux. — One
from Greece: — from tip of beak to end of tail, five inches; length
of beak seven tenths of an inch; breadth at base three tenths of
an inch; wing, from carpus to tip, two inches and a half; tarsus
four fifths of an inch; tail two inches. One from Algeria: — From

OLIVACEOUS

v: A 11 3

OLIVACEOUS WARBLER.

55

tip of beak to end of tail, five inches and a half; wing from
carpus to tip, two inches and seven tenths; tarsus nine tenths of
an inch; tail two inches and three tenths.

This is the second Warbler peculiar to the olive
groves of classic Greece, that has been made known to
science within the last twenty or twenty-five years.
Strickland’s discovery of the bird last described in 1836
led to that of the present species, by Dr. Lindermayer,
in 1843. Count Miihle remarks that from these events
we may conclude that many birds, especially such as
from their trifling size and colouring of the plumage
so readily escape observation, remain yet to be discov-
ered. During his residence in Greece, though anxiously
examining the birds of that country, this species escaped
his observation.

The Olivaceous Warbler is at first sight very like the
Olive Tree Warbler; but if we examine the dimensions
which afibrd us such valuable means of difierential
diagnosis, we shall find a full inch difference in size.
Its plumage is also altogether more of a yellow tint
than that of its congener. It inhabits, however, the
same localities, the olive plantations of Attica, where it
also arrives late and departs early.

Count Miihle informs us, that, like the Olive Tree
Warbler, it takes up its abode in the tops of the olive
trees, and is never seen elsewhere. As volatile and
restless as its congener, it is yet still more shy, flying,
as if in terror, from one tree to another; but after a
certain time returns quickly to its first resting-place,
and thus it deludes those who design its capture, or
the discovery of its nest.

Its piercing shrill cry may be heard repeatedly from
its retreat; and it is continually engaged, with restless

5G

t) L n' A C EO U S ■NN' A 11 15 L E II.

eagerness, in driving aM’ay every rival or feathered
intruder from the sanctuary of its abode. Its song is
not so nnmelodions as that of the Sijlcia olhetorum,
and is more like that of other memhers of its family,
as S. Idppolais, the IMelodioiis Willow Wren, or
Latham’s Pettychaps, of British naturalists. It is also,
like the Olive Tree Warbler, very difficult to eapture,
keeping constantly at the top of the olive trees, hopping
and gliding among the foliage, which has the same
eolonr as itself.

The Olivaceous Warbler builds in the middle of May,
in the same situations, and a similar nest to the Olive
Tree Warbler. The nest is, however, smaller and less
industriously made, though the materials are the same.
It lays four or five eggs, pale grey green, without any
shining glossy flush, covered with large black or
small greenish black spots.

Brehm, in Biideker’s work, remarks of this species: —
^‘It is an inhabitant of Greece, smaller than the Olive
Tree Warbler, and of a duller plumage. It builds its
nest of strips of inside bark, and fibres of roots, with
thistle down, and lines it with spiders’ web. It lays,
beginning of June, five eggs, smaller, and duller in
colour than those of the Olive Tree M'arbler. Ground
colour grey white, scarcely at all tinted with reddish,
and marked with vdolet spots, and blackish and brownish
points and small dots, sometimes only at the base, but
at other times scattered over the whole egg.”

The adult male and female have the head and all
the upper parts of the body pale greyish brown, with
an olive tint, more indistinct on the lower part of the
back; a yellowish streak from the nostrils over the
eyelids; on the angle of the mouth and chin some
blackish hairs. Wings and tail greyish olive brown;

1. olivaceous warbler.

2. BLACK-THROATED WARBLER.

t

OLIVACEOUS W A K 1 i L E K .

57

the third, fourth, and fifth primaries have the outer web
compressed or narrowed near the tip. All the wing
feathers finely bordered with greyish. Tail, narrow, and
notched centrally, is greyish brown; the outer quill
edged with Avhite, the second and third only on the
inner web. The whole under part of the body is
whitish yellow, darker in front of the chest; flanks
jjale yellow, tinged wuth olive brown; under tail
coverts white. Beak above horn-colour, below pale
orange yellow; feet and claws dark brown.

The bird and egg figured are from European speci-
mens sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

Figured by Count Miihle, in his Monographic der
Europaischen Sylvien, bird, nest, and eggs, the original
of which were taken by Dr. Linder mayer, and are now
in the museum at Batisbon.

The next bird, which, in the natural order would
be described here, is Sylvia hippolais of Latham and
continental writers; Ilippolais polyglotta of Selys-
Longchamps, Gerbe, and Degland; Latham’s Pettychaps,
or Melodious Mhllow Wren of British writers. A
single specimen however of this bird is recorded in the
“Zoologist,” 2228-9, as having been captured by Dr.
F. Plomley, at Eythorne, near Dover, on the 15th. of
June, 1848; and it is figured and described as a
British bird by Mr. INIorris, in the third volume of his
“History of British Birds.” Yarrell, Pennant, Selby,
Jenyns, and Gould unfortunately adopted the specific
name of “hipjjolais” in describing the Chiff-Chaff, which
has caused much confusion in the synonomy of these
birds.

INSECTIVORyE.
Family SYLVIAD^E.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

YIEILLOT’S

WILLOW WARBLER.

Sylvia icterina.

Sylvia icterina,

ViETLLOT; Nouveau Diet. d’Hist.
Nat., tome xi., 1817, Faun.
Frauee, j). 211.

iS it

Temminck; Man., 2nd. Edition,

a a

1835, p. 150.

Degland; Mem. de la Soc. des Sc.
de Lille, 1840.

“ Mppolais,

Temminck; Man., 1820, p. 222,
tome i.

it it

Ficedula icterina,

Ch. Bonapaete; Fauna Italica,
pi. 28, f. 2.

Keyseeling and Blasius; Die
Wirbelt: 1840, p. 56.?

Ilippolais polyglotta.

De Selys-Longcuamps; Faune
Beige, 1842.

“ icterina,

Z. Geebe; Eev. Zool., 1844, p. 440,
et 1846, p. 433, et Diet. d’Hist.

it ((

Nat., 1848, tome xi., p. 237.

Des Mues; Iconographique Ornitli.,
Livr X., 1847.

(( ((

it it

Selys-Longcuamps; Eevue Zoolog.,
1847.

Degland; Ornith. Europ., 1849.

Y I E I L L O T ’ S WILLOW W A R B L E H.

\IETLL()T’s willow WAllllLEK.

59

Fauvette des Foseaux,
Fee-fin Icterine,
Fecca-fin Itterino,

Bdffon; pi. Eu]., 581.
Of the Feench.

Of the Italians.

Specific Characters. — Above, olive grey; primaries and tail quills
brown, bordered with olive grey; below, lore, neck, sides, and
superciliary ridge yellow. Wings in repose reach to middle of
tail; first primary rather longer than the fourth, and nearly equal
to (but still longer than) the third, the second longest.

Dimensions. — Mean of fifteen individuals measured by M, Z.
Gerbe, reduced to English measurements: — Total length, from tip
of beak to end of tail, 5.2 inches; from carpus to tip 3.04 inches.
Tarsus one inch; beak from point to origin 0.44 inches; maximum
depth (hauteur) of beak, 0.16 inches; maximum breadth of same,
0.24 inches.

This bird was first described as a new species by
Yieillot, in 1817, for some time after which it seems
to have undergone, in scientific works, many vicissitudes,
— the usual fate of those subjects in natural history in
which there exists a great family resemblance. It is in
fact so closely allied to Sylvia hippolais, (Latham,) — a
name unfortunately given by British writers to the
Chiff-Chafi* — that M. Temminck’s designation and des-
cription of that bird is really applicable to S. icterina.
M. Temminck also made another mistake in figuring a
large specimen in autumn plumage of Sylvia trochilus,
and describing the same in the second edition of the
‘^Manual” as S. icterina. The Prince of Canino also
figured this bird in the “Fauna Italica” as Sylvia hip-
polais; and the Honourable M. De Selys-Longchamps
made a similar mistake in the “Faune Beige,” in 1842.
It is to M. Z. Gerbe that we are indebted in the
“Revue Zoologique” for 1846, and in the “Dictionary
of Xatural History” for 1848, for restoring this bird
to its proper place among the European species, and

(30

vieillot’s willow wakblei?.

for indicating in the dearest manner, those essential
points of difference which must prevent any confusion
of the species — or perhaps T should rather say race —
in future. In a work of singular beauty and elegance,
the “Iconographique Oimithologique,” M. Des Murs has
collected all the evidence that could be adduced upon
the subject, and has given an excellent figure of the
bird, contrasting it on the same sheet with 8. Mppolais,
(Latham.) I have copied M. Des Murs’ figure for the
following reasons: — First, specimens of the true Sylvia
icier in a are rare and difficult to meet with; and
secondly, as I consider the species stands upon the
testimony collected by M. Des Murs, it is only right
I should give a figure of the bird indicated by him.
Further testimony has been offered to the correctness
of M. Gerbe’s description by the distinguished naturalist,
Blasius, both in Naumannia,” and in Count Miihle’s
‘‘Monograph.” It is better, therefore, that we should
distinctly know which is the bird meant by M. Gerbe
himself, rather than trust to specimens which after all
may not prove to be correct species.

M. Gerbe informs us that it is very difficult to dis-
tinguish Sylvia icterina from Sylvia hiyypolais, the
mppolais polyylotta of continental writers, the Latham’s
Pettychaps, or Melodious Willow Wren which is figured
and described as a British species in Morris’s “British
Birds,” and Yarrell’s supplement, from a specimen re-
corded in the “Zoologist,” 2228, as having been cap-
tured in England. We have the two birds the same
size, colour, and form, but they may be distinguished
by the following characters.

In Sylvia hippolais the wing in repose does not reach
half way to the tail, and the first primary is equal or
nearly equal to the fifth. In S. icterina the wing is

vieillot’s wtllow waebler. 61

ahvays longer by two fifths of an inch or more, than
that of S. hippolais, and it consequently reaches beyond
the middle of the tail, and the first primary is ecjual
in length to the third: and these distinctions are
constant both in male and female.

Sylvia ictcrina is found, according to M. Gcrbe, in
France, Belgium, Austria, Sardinia, Liguria, and pro-
bably in a great part of Italy and Sicily. It has been
captured in the neighbourhood of Genes, and was
found plentifully by M. Gerbe, not only at Nice but
in the valleys on the shores of the Mediterranean. It
has also been captured in breeding plumage by L’ Abbe
Caire, in the neighbourhood of i^.Ioustiers, in the Basses
Alps. In the “Revue Zoologique” for 1847, M. de
Selys-Longchamps says that it is very common in
Belgium, particularly in Liege and Brabant; and he
gives the following dates of its first appearance in that
country for six years: — In 1841, May 4th.; 184.‘2, May
12th.; 1843, May 17th.; 1844, May 15th.; 1845, May
14th.; 1846, May 11th. “It loves,” continues this
writer, “to occupy damp groves and willow plantations
near the water. It is also very common in the dry
hills planted with vines and fruit trees, in the neigh-
bourhood of Liege. Even the smallest garden in Liege
has its annual nest, and during the months of May,
June, and July, the male sings constantly a varied and
powerful song, somewhat like that of Sylvia paliistris,
but livelier and more gay. It also imitates the Green-
finch, the call-notes of the Chimney Swallow, the
Golden Oriole, and the Woodchat Shrike. Its usual
call-note is similar to that of the other Wood Warblers.
It loves warmth, and without doubt passes the winter
in southern countries, for it leaves in August, and
those in captivity appear to suffer much from cold.

VOL. II.

^•IKILI,()T’S Wri.I.OM- WAKULEH.

()2

III short I luivc vcmarhcd wc do not often find it in
the moiintainons distriets between the Meuse and
I’russia, which are doubtless too high and cold. It
docs not exist in England, but is found in Flanders
and Artois.”

M. Sundeval, Curator of the Stockholm IMuscum, also
remarks of this bird: — “It catches insects, like the
Flycatchers. It is a courageous and quarrelsome bird,
perpetually in motion, except Avhen singing, and then
it chooses an elevated branch of a tree. Its nest is
something like the Blackcap’s in form, but contains a
greater number of feathers ; it is most frequently placed
in lilac bushes or rather low fruit trees. The eggs are
four or five, reddish lilac, with black dots thickly
scattered over them.”

Of the habits of S. icteriaa IM. Gerbe says: — “It lives
on the shaded sides of hills in fertile and humid valleys;
it delights to frequent willow oziers, and, it is said,
reeds. I have frequently found it in olive plantations.
Its food differs but little from that of 8. pohjglotta, like
Avhich, it catches insects on the wing. I frequently
found debris of elytrai in the gizzard, mixed with
snails. It often adds to its regime fruits and berries.
It lays four or five eggs, slightly larger than those of
8. polyglotta, but having the same form and distribution
of colours.”

The male and female have the upjier jiart of the
head and neck olive grey; forehead olive, saturated
with yellow; rump bright greenish ash. Inferior parts,
space between beak and eyes, superciliary ridge,
cheeks, and sides of neck, yellow; flanks grey brown,
shaded with yellow; wings brown, the primaries being
bordered with greenish grey; secondaries broadly frin-
ged with yellowish white, and near their origin Avith

vieillot’s willow WAU1U,EK.

G.3

greenish; greater Aving coverts have a green ash-colour
on the edges; tail brown, bordered with yellowish
grey, the external quills darker, the others finely bor-
dered with russet white; iris, dark brown; superior
mandible brown, inferior yellow; tarsi and feet bluish;
claws browui.

The young before and cifter their first moult are not
very different from the adult birds; all the colours are
paler, and the fringes of the wings and tail, instead of
being whitish or greenish, are of a bright yellowish
green.

Figured by Vieillot, in the Faun, Fr,, pi, 96, figs,
2 and 3; by Bufibn, PI, Enl, 581, as Fauvette des
Roseaux; Prince Charles Bonaparte, in Fauna Italica,
pi, 28, fig, 2, under the name of Sylvia hijypolais ; and
by M, des Murs, Iconographie Ornithologique, livraison
X,, 184T, from which my figure is taken.

INSECTIVOR^^.
Family SYLVIADjE.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham. J

BLACK-THROATED WARBLER.

Sylvia virons.

Sylvia vivens, Latham. Wilson.

“ “ Audubon ; Plate 399.

“ “ Gatke; in Naumaunia, 1859,

p. 425.

Sylvicola virens, SwAiNsoN. Bonaparte;

Birds of E. and A., p. 22.

Syeci/ic Characters. — Plumage above yellowish olive green;
throat black, the feathers in winter being edged with yellowish
white; first and fourth pi’imary of equal length, the second and
third a trifle longer. Length five inches.

The lonely rocky island which rears up its bold
red-looking front to the eyes of the traveller, as he
steams near the mouth of the Elbe, on his way to
Hamburg, seems destined to be a rich field of dis-
covery to the European ornithologist. So many new
forms have lately turned up in Heligoland, that the
celebrated Professor of Brunswick — Blasius, has been
induced to make an excursion thither, and examine
for himself the treasures which have been collected

3 L A ’ ; iC -

TH HO ATE II

«V A K B T, E R.

BLACK-TIIKOATED WARBLEK.

65

by tlie resident naturalist, Herr Gatke. The results of
this visit, as well as that of Herr Giitke’s experience,
have been communicated to the ornithological world in
the last number of “Naumannia.”

And now that we have seen the original articles, I
will take the liberty of correcting a slight error which
I made in the note at page 48. Pliyllopneiiste horealis
is, I find, claimed by Blasius as an entirely new species,
and he gives diagnostic descriptions of this bird, as
compared with those of P. javonica and P. icterina,
between which two species it appears to be intermediate.
I shall offer a few remarks upon this and other
SylviadcB, when I come to the end of this interesting
group. With regard to the general result of the
observations of Blasius and Herr Gatke in Heligoland,
they are extremely interesting.

Blasius gives at least four species entirely new to
Europe, of which two are American forms ; while Herr
Giitke mentions no less than twenty-three species which
he considers new to Europe, observed in the island up
to 1858; and he concludes his paper with the very
natural exclamation, what will 1859 bring forth?

The most interesting part of these papers is the
number of American species which the lists contain:
among them is the subject of the present notice. Perhaps
the evidence adduced by these lists may rather remove
the hasty scepticism with which my introduction of the
Bald Eagle into the European fauna was met.

Sylvia virens is an inhabitant of America generally.
The specimen which Herr Gatke records was killed on
Heligoland, on the 19th. of October, 1858, by a small
boy with a pea-shooter; and in order that there may
be no mistake about the determination of the species,
I wdll here give a verbatim translation of Herr Gatke’s

VOL. II.

(56

ni.ACK-TIlllOATED WARRLER.

very clear description. The bird is in its winter
plumage, and thus differs from my figure, which is in
its summer dress.

“The uj^per part of the head, hack, and rump, a
beautiful clear yellowish olive green, more inclining to
yellow towards the rump; forehead, a broad stripe over
the eyes, and sides of the throat, very beautiful clear
yellow; from the beak to the eyes is a blackish stripe,
which is continued on the other side of the eye,
and terminates, or is blended with the colouring of the
ear coverts. Chin, and front of head and neck, are
clear black, the feathers having yellowish white edges,
which from the chin very much conceal the ground
colour. According to Wilson these bright borders wholly
disappear in summer, and leave these parts clear and
shining black, (see figure,) which has given to the bird
its name of “Black-throated Warbler.” Sides of breast,
belly, and under tail coverts are yellowish white, having
on each side two broad black stripes.

Wing and tail feathers are black, with bluish ash
grey borders, which on the back of the wing become
almost white; greater wing coverts have broad white
tips, the smaller entirely white, by which two shining
white bands across the wing are formed. Both the
outer tail feathers are almost entirely white, having on
the outer web only a faint black stripe, which is broader
at the tip, and towards the rump is almost lost in the
black shaft; the third tail feathers also have on the
inner webs a large white spot. Beak, feet, and iris,
brown black.

The form of this little bird is elegant, though the
beak is rather strong in proportion to the size of the
bird; the feet are somewhat feeble. The tail is almost
evenly notched; the outer pair of feathers arc rather

BLACK-THROATED WARBLER.

67

tlie shortest. AYings are tolerably pointed ; the first and
fourth primaries are of equal length, the second and
third only a trifle longer; the second, third, and fourth
are near the tips of the outer web very strongly
notched.

The whole length of the bird, from the forehead to
the point of the tail, five inches; length of the wing
in repose two inches and six lines; of the tail two
inches; an inch of the tail uncovered by the wings.
Beak five lines; tarsus nine lines; middle toe three
lines; claws two lines; hinder toe three lines, and the
very curved claw of ditto two lines and a half.”

The bird has been preserved in spirits.

Sylvia virens belongs to the group of Leaf Warblers,
but as its existence in Europe was not known by me
sufficiently early to place it in that section, I have
introduced it here, rather than defer a notice of it to
the end of the work. Its habits are so well described
by Audubon, that I take the liberty of transcribing the
following from his large octavo work upon the “'Birds
of America.”

“I have traced this species from Texas to New-
foundland, although at considerable intervals, along our
Atlantic coasts, it being of rare occurrence, or wanting
in some parts, while in others it is abundant: but in
no portion of the United States have I met with it
so plentiful as around Eastport, in Maine, where I saw
it in the month of May. Many remain all summer in
that State, as well as in IMassachusetts and the northern
parts of New York; and some are found at that season
even in the higher portions of Pennsylvania. On the
coast of Labrador it was not observed by me or any of
my party; and it is not mentioned by Dr. Bichardson,
as having been seen in the Fur Countries. Its habits

G8

B L A C K - 1 ' H R 0 A T E D A V A R B I , E R .

are intermediate between tliose of many of our "Wbarblcrs
and the Vireos, tlie notes of which hitter it in a great
measure assumes.

It usually makes its appearance in ^Maryland and
New Jersey about the first week in May, when it is
observed to be actively engaged in searching for food,
regardless, as it iverc, of the presence of man. Its
movements when proceeding northward are rapid, and
it advances through the Avoods solitarily, or nearly so,
it being seldom that more than Uvo or three are found
together at this time, or indeed during the breeding-
season, at which period each pair appropriates to itself
a certain extent of ground. Its retrograde march is
also rapid, and by the middle of October they all seem
to have passed beyond the limits of our most southern
States.

The food of this species consists during the summer
months of various kinds of flies and caterpillars, many
of the former of Avhich it captures by darting after
them from its perch, in the manner of Flycatchers and
Vireos, emitting, like them also, a clicking sound from
its bill. In the autumn it is often seen feeding on
small berries of various sorts, in Avhich respect also it
resembles the birds just mentioned.

I never found the nest of this bird, of which, hoAvever,
Mr. Nuttall has given a minute description, Avhich I
shall here, Avith his permission, place before you: — ‘Last
summer, 1830, on the 8th. of June, I Avas so fortunate
as to find a nest of this species, in a perfectly solitary
situation, on the Blue Hills of Milton. The female was
sitting, and about to hatch. The nest Avas in a Ioav,
thick, and stunted Virginia juniper. When I approached
near to the nest the female stood motionless on its edge,
and peeped doAvn in such a manner that I imagined

B L A CK- Til RO ATE D W A K B B E R.

G9

her to be a young bird; she then darted directly to
the earth and ran, but when deceived I sought her on
the ground she had very expertly disappeared, and I
now found the nest to contain four roundish eggs,
white, inclining to flesh-colour, variegated, more par-
ticularly at the great end, with pale purplish points of
various sizes, interspersed with other large spots of
brown and blackish. The nest was formed of circularly
entwined flne stripes of the inner bark of the juniper,
and the tough white fibrous bark of some other plant,
bedded with soft feathers of the Robin, and lined with
a few horse-hairs and some slender tops of bentgrass,
( Agrostis’ )

My friend describes the notes of this species as
follows: — ‘This simple, rather drawling, and somewhat
plaintive song, uttered at short intervals, resembles the
syllables ‘te de territica,’ sometimes ‘tederisca,’ pro-
nounced pretty loud and slow, and the tones proceeding
from high to low.’ These notes I am well acquainted
with, but none can describe the songs of our different
species like Nuttall.”

My figure is taken from Audubon’s large folio work,
the drawing being kindly executed for me by Mr.
Sinclair, of Glasgow, to whom I shall also on another
occasion have to express my obligations.

Figured also by Wilson and Nuttall.

70

INSECTIVORyE.

Faintly SYLVIADJE.

Genus Sylvia. ( Latham.)

Section VII. — CALAMODYT^. Rohrsangcr, Reed Warblers,
(J\IuMe.) RIVERAINS, {Temminck.)

MAESH WARBLER.

Sylcia palnstris.

Sylvia 2>ctl^stris,

C6 66

66 6 6

“ stripera,

Calamolierpe palustris,
66 66

66 66

Salicaria palnstris.

66 66

Riverain Verclerolle,
Su m pf- Rohrsanger,

Bechstein; Nat. Deut., 1801.
Meter and Wolfe; Tacli. der
Deuts., 1810.

Naumann; Natur. der Vogel Deut.
Temminck; Man., 1820.

ViEiLLOT; Faun. Fran.

ScHiNz; Europ. Faun., 1840.
Muhle, 1856.

ViEiLLOT; Diet., 1817, tome xi.,

p. 182. ?

Boie; Isis, 1826, p. 972.
Bonaparte; Birds, 1838.

Z. Gerbe; Diet., 1848.

Degland; 1849.

Keyserling and Blasius; Die
Wirbelt, 1840.

ScHLEGEL; Revue, 1844.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

M A H. S H W A R B L !■: K.

MARSH WARRLER.

71

Specific Characters. — Upper parts of the plumage shaded with
greenish or olive grey; a white streak over the eyes, and the un-
der parts of the body also white, with an ochreous tint. Tail
coverts yellowish, edged with olive grey; both the outer tail quills
pale whitish at the end; the longest wing primary longer than
the longest secondary. Length of an adult male sent me by M.
E. Verreaux, five inches and a half; carpus to tip, two inches
and a quarter; tail two inches and a quarter; tarsus nine tenths
of an inch.

We have now arrived at Count Miihle’s last section
of the Sylviadce, containing the interesting and large group
of Reed Warblers. The Sedge and Reed Warblers of
our own island are so well known that it is hardly
necessary to say anything about the habits of the
family, which are very similar in all the species. They
may, however, be distinguished by the following char-
acters. The forehead is narrow and flat, the feet
are strong, and the claws long and slender; wings
short, and the tail round or cuneiform. The distinctions
of sex are not strongly marked, and there is generally
a bright whitish or cream-coloured stripe extending over
the eyes. The young moult in the spring for the
first time. They are found principally in northern
climates, and generally near water or marshes, and are
not found among high trees or in mountainous dis-
tricts. They arrive late and migrate early, and there
is a great similarity in their song. They are insectivorous,
and build in reeds or bushes, having always a stalk
or branch passing through the nest, which is so formed
and fixed, that although swayed about by the wind so
as nearly to touch the water, the eggs do not fall out.

The Marsh Warbler, the first which I am called
upon to notice, is very similar in external form and
colour to our Reed Warbler, hut differs considerably

MAIISII WAKULEll.

IVoni it ill its song and nidification. It has a wide
range in Europe, being found in llussia, Germany,
Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, and France. It
does not seem to go farther north than Denmark.
Count Mlihle states that it is found in the whole of
North and South Africa, and in the south-west of
Asia. I cannot, however, find it in either Hodgson’s
Catalogue, or that of Mr. A. Leith Adams, of the birds
of India, published in the “Zoological Transactions”
for November, 1858, and May, 1859 — two exceedingly
interesting and valuable contributions to Indian orni-
thology; neither is it in Mr. Salvin’s list of the “Birds
of the Eastern Atlas of Africa,” or in Captain Loche’s
“Catalogue of the Birds of Algeria;” but there is no
doubt it may have been confounded in the above lists
with Sylvia arundinacea.

In Europe it is found, according to Temminck, plen-
tifully on the banks of the Po and the Danube; and
Degland records its appearance in the department of
Nord. A male was killed in 1843, in the neighbourhood
of Bergnes, and subsequently every year others at the
same place. M. Baillon has procured it from Abbeville,
and M. Gerbe plentifully from the Basses Alps. It is
generally distributed in Germany, appearing in May,
and leaving again in September. It is found, not in
thick reed and sedge clumps, but chiefly on the banks
of rivers, where the brushwood is low and mixed with
reeds, high grass, sedges, etc., closely grown together.

The following is from Count Miihle’s description of
its habits: — “The Marsh Warbler is a very neat merry
bird. Quick in all its movements, it is equally active
in skipping through the bushes as in flight. Bold and
enterprising, it becomes also arrogant and tyrannical in
its combats with other birds dwelling around it. It

MARSH WARBLER.

73

seems never to repose, and hardly does the eye catch
it than its voice is heard perhaps a hundred paces
farther off. Of all the Reed Warblers it has the most
beautiful and varied song, enlivening an otherwise dull
and monotonous part of the country. It is a master
in imitation, and knows quite well how to blend, in a
delightful whole, the different songs of the surrounding
birds. In warm summer it sings all night through,
and so charmingly in the stillness of the time
and scene, that we are tempted to compare it with
the Nightingale. Its call-note is not often heard, but
is similar to that of other Reed Warblers. Its nest is
never placed over water, nor even over marshy ground ;
it is found in shrubs and bushes from one to three
feet above the ground: the inside is deep, like that
of other Reed Warblers’ nests, and formed of delicate
grass blades, straws, nettle fibres, and spiders’ webs. It
is lined with very fine straw and a tolerable quantity
of horse-hair. It lays four or five eggs, which are
bluish white, sparingly spotted with delicate grey dots,
and olive brown and ash grey spots.”

Brehm, in Biideker’s work upon European eggs, says
of this bird: — “It builds in bushes in meadows and
on the banks of ditches, rivers, ponds, and lakes. The
nest is made of dry grass and straws, with panicles,
and interwoven with strips of inner bark and horse-
hair outside. The rim is only very slightly drawm in.
It has a loose substructure, and is by this and its
half-globular form, suspended on dry ground between
the branches of the bushes or nettles, easily distinguished
from the strongly-formed nest of S. arundinacea, which
is moreover built over water. It lays five or six eggs
the beginning of June, which have a bluish white
ground, with pale violet and clear brown spots in the

VOL. II.

M

74

MAKSII WAR15LER.

texture of tlie shell, and delicate dark brown spots on
the surface, mingled with which are a number of black
dots. The ground colour also in many fresh eggs is
green, hut clear and very different from the muddy
tint of the egg of the E,eed Warbler. The female sits
daily for some hours, hut the male takes his turn.
Incubation lasts thirteen days.”

I have been thus particular in quoting the habits
and nidiflcation of this bird, as they are the principal
means by which the species, though undoubted, is dis-
tinguished from the Keed Warbler. Its powers of
imitation are indeed remarkable. M. L’Abbe Caire
writes to M. Gerbe; — “This species sings most admirably,
imitating with exactitude the notes of the Goldfinch,
the Chaffinch, and the Blackbird, as well as all the
other birds which frequent its neighbourhood. Its song
is richer in variation than that of the Nightingale, and
it can be listened to from morniii" to niofft.”

O O

I think it very probable that this bird is an inhabi-
tant of Great Britain, though hitherto confounded with
the Heed Warbler. I think I have myself taken the
nest; and Mr. Sweet’s bird, mentioned by Mr. Yarrell,
was probably this species.

The male and female in breeding plumage are greenish
olive grey, the rump somewhat paler green; inferior
parts of a white russet, lightest on the chin and throat,
having a yellow tint on the sides of the neck and
belly; the lores, and a line above the eyes, reddish
white. Wings brown, bordered with ash; tail same,
bordered with greyish; first primary very short, second
a little shorter than the third, which is the longest, and
which is twenty millemetres longer than the longest
secondary, that of the Heed Warbler being only sixteen.
Beak above, black brown, lower mandible yellow flesh-

1. MAkSH WARBl.hH.

2. BOOTED REED WARBLER.

3. AQL'ATIC WARBLER.

MARSH WARBLER.

75

colour; length five lines and a half, and two lines at
the base, being shorter and broader than that of the
Reed Warbler; the gape, Avhich is orange yellow, is
garnished with three or four strong black hairs; iris
dark browm; feet yellow flesh-eolour; claws darker.

The young birds are above clear olive grey, and
underneath slightly inclining to a rusty yellow.

My figures of this bird and its egg are from speci-
mens sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

It is figured also by Naumann, in his Naturgeschichte
Der Vogel Deutschlands, Taf. 81, fig. 3, (male;) and
by Gould, B. of E. The egg is also figured in Biideker’s
work.

INSECTIVOUyE.
Famihj SYJjVIAFJF.
Gcnns Sylvia. ( Latham.)

BOOTED REED WARBLER.

Sylvia scita.

Motacilla salicaria,
Sylvia call gala,

“ scita,

a

Lusciola caligata,

Salicaria caligata,
Calamorplie caligata,
Hiverain hotte,

Gestiefelter RoJirsanger, and
SclimucTcer Rolirsdnger,

Pallas; Zoograpli. ross. Asiat., i.,

p. 492.

LicnTENSTEiN; ill Eversmanii’s
“Pcise nacli Biicliara,” p. 128.

Eveesmann; Addend., iii') page
12-13; and in Bullel. de la
Societe Imp. de Moscow, 1848,
No. 1, p. 225.

AIuhle; Monograph der Europ.
Sylvien, 1856.

Thienemann; Fortpflanzung,

V., 199.

Keyserling and Blasius, 1840.

ScHLEGEL; Pevue, 1844.

Degland; 1849.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — The tarsi in front furnished with four
scales, occupying two thirds of the whole length; the first and last

B 3 0 X K D i; !■; B 3 W A l{ B L B

BOOTED REED WARBLER.

77

small, tlie third double the length of the first. All the tail
feathers rounded, the middle one somewhat shortened, and edged
with pale grey brown. Length four inches and two fifths; wings
two inches and four lines; tail two inches; tarsi nine lines and a
half; middle toe five lines.

There has been much written about this little bird,
whose history appears to be as follows. — Pallas, in his
‘^Zoography of Asiatic Pussia,” describes a small Peed
"Warbler, under the designation of Motacilla salicaria;
the Warblers in those days being mixed up with the
Wagtails. In the history of Eversmann’s travels to
Bucharest, Lichtenstein, the German naturalist, has
noticed a bird, now in the Berlin Museum, labelled
'^‘Sylvia caligata, Siberia, Eversmann,” in the following
words: — new species, and distinct from all our
European Peed Warblers, which Pallas, under the
mistaken name of Motacilla salicaria, very fully and
correctly described.”

It resembles Sylvia arundinacea , Latham, in its
youthful plumage, but it may be distinguished as follows:
— ‘‘The length from the tip of the beak to the rump
is only two inches and five lines; the tail is about two
inches one line; the beak is much smaller, only five
lines and a half long. The tarsus is nine lines; the
superciliary streak not clearly developed, and it is
booted to the root of the toes with scales. The con-
struction of the wing is also different: the second
primary is of the same length as the sixth, and the
third, fourth, and fifth are the longest, whilst in
arundinacea the fifth is shorter than the second; also
the fourth, fifth, and sixth are contracted in the outer
web. The legs are of a bright colour, and the first
year’s plumage of arundinacea is much paler.”

78

HOOTED REED WARBLER.

Keyseiilng and Blasius also describe the Berlin
specimen minutely, and consider it synonymous with
Pallas’s 3Iotacilla salicaria, which view is also taken
by Schlegel in an elaborate analysis in his ‘‘Bevue
Critique.” Lastly, Count Muhle, after careful exami-
nation of the specimen in the Berlin Museum, identifies
it with a specimen he had killed in Greece. Eversmann,
having in 1842-3 published an addenda to Pallas’s
‘‘Zoography,” described the bird which he had dis-
covered as Sylvia scita. Thus, though the identity
of Motacilla salicaria and S. scita may be still open to
doubt, and is in fact doubted by Count Miihle, it is
quite certain that the latter bird, captured in Greece,
and described and figured in his work, is identical
with the S. scita of Eversmann, thus establishing clearly
its title to the distinction of an European species.

The Booted Warbler has only been found in Siberia,
llussia, and Greece. Eversmann found it on the banks
of the rivers in the Ural Mountains. It is described
by Pallas as inhabiting the banks of rivers, among the
willows. It hangs on the stems of the trees, and is
continually in motion, and singing most agreeably. It
constructs in the forks of the branches a nest composed
of grass, and it lays four or five eggs.

Thienemann figures the egg from specimens sent from
the Volga, but I think this source too doubtful for
reliance. Altogether we want a great deal more infor-
mation about this species.

The upper parts are of a pale and dirty olive-colour;
the inferior whitish, but the throat is of a pure white.
Primaries and tail brownish grey; middle tail feathers
with lighter edges, the external ones edged with whitish
on both sides: the following are only edged with this
colour on the inner barbs and at the tip. Beak black.

BOOTED KEED WARBLER.

79

approaching to white at the base; feet brown.

My figure is taken from the drawing of the original
specimen of this bird by Count Miihle. The egg,
though given wdth doubt, is from Thienemann.

so

INSECTIVOILE.
Family S YL VIA D^.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

AQUATIC WARBLER.

Sylvia aquatica.

Motacilla aquatica,

Sylvia aquatica,

ii (t

6( i(

6( 6(

“ salicaria,

“ paludicola,
Calamodyta sclicenohcenus,
et Cariceti,

Calamodyta aquatica,
Salicaria aquatica,

(( (t

(( te

Riverain aquatique,
Seggen Rolirscmger,

Gmeltn; Syst., vol. i., p. 953.
Latham; Ind,, 1790, vol. ii.,
p. 510.

Temminck; Man., 1820.
ScHiNZ; Europ. Faun., 1840.
Muule, 1856.

Meyee and Wolff, 1810.
ViEILLOT; Diet., 1817.

Bonaparte, 1838. Geebe;

Diet., 1848.

Degland, 1849.

Keyseeling & Blasius, 1840.
ScHLEGEL, 1844.

Gould; B. of E.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — A large band of yellovvisli white or yellow
over the eyes; on the head two large longitudinal black bands,
separated by a reddish yellow band; the under tail coverts and
the rump marked with oblong blackish spots; tarsi flesh-colour.
Length of a male specimen sent me M. E. Verreaux, four
inches and four tenths ; carpus to tip two inches and a half ; tarsus
six tenths of an inch.

AQUATIC W A R B L !■: R.

AQUATIC WARBLER,

81

The Aquatic Warbler has a somewhat limited range.
It is only known with eertainty to breed in Germany
and Holland. Aecording to Temminek it is only an
accidental visitor in the latter country, but Miihle gives
this as one of its breeding places. It is plentiful in
Italy and the south of France during the passage. It
is found in Switzerland and Sardinia, on the banks of
the Var and Ehone, and in the marshes surrounding
Arles. It is also found at Dieppe, and in the marshes
about Lille. It occurs in Algeria, as stated by
Captain Loche; and Mr. Salvin, in his ^Wive Months’
Bird-nesting in the Eastern Atlas,” in the ‘^‘Ibis” for
Jrdy, 1859, says, ‘‘At the head of the little marsh of
Ain Djendeli, I more than onee observed a pair of
this Warbler. We afterwards found it more abundant
at Zana, where it was breeding. ^ In its habits it much
resembles the Common Feed Warbler, f C. arimdinacea ; J
the eggs also are similar.”

“It is really plentiful nowhere,” says Count Miihle,
“and it dwells preferably in large wild swamps. In
summer it need only be sought for where the water
is cooped up almost knee-deep, with ditches and dry
necks of land running into it, and covered with bushes,
high grass, rushes, and reeds. In autumn it may be
found in more cultivated ground.”

“It is a very restless and lively bird, and also crafty
and cunning. It creeps with great agility through the
twigs and stalks of the thick swampy plants, in which
it excels all other Reed Warblers, It may be seen
gliding along near the ground, like a mouse; it never
hops on the ground, but goes along step by step. On
the stalks and perpendicular stems of plants it may be
seen running up and down with such agility that it
seems to slide along without using its feet at all. Its

VOL. II.

N

AQUATIC WAKTILEll.

8^2

call is like the rest of the Keecl Warblers’; its love
song, though loud, is also pleasant, and comes almost
always from the depth of the reed-heds, and seldom
from the summit of the stalks: it is, however, propor-
tionally often heard among trees. It builds its nest in
the swamj^; the exterior is formed of coarse grass tops,
intertwined with delicate straws: it is lined inside with
horse-hair. It is placed between the slender twigs of
small bushes, and always especially found in isolated
marshy places intersected with ditches. It lays in the
beginning of May four or five, rarely six, eggs, grey-
greenish or grey-yellowish ground, with spots more or
less strongly marked, darker than the ground colour.”

Brehm, in Biideker’s “European Eggs,” says of this
species: — “It breeds in Holland, Greece, Germany, and
probably in Switzerland and Italy. At the end of
April we hear its nuptial song in the marshes, among
the bulrushes, reeds, and bog plants which grow there.
Its nest may be found the end of May, containing five or
six eggs, deep under a clump of sedges, in the grass
behind rubbish, or on the bank of a hedge near water,
hanging on the stalks of a plant. It is unlike the
nest of the Sedge Warbler in being smaller, but is
built of the same materials, namely, small rootlets,
mixed with strips of reed and straw, under which is
also some horse-hair. The eggs are smaller, brighter,
smoother, and more shining than those of S. phragmites,
and are often marked with hair-streaks. Very often
the markings are so faint that the egg appears unicolorous.
Onee we found a nest containing eggs washed with
carmine. The male sits but little, the female most
assiduously. Incubation thirteen days.”

M. Moquin-Tandon has kindly sent me the drawing
from which the figure of my egg is taken, with the

A Q U A T I C ^V A R R L E R ,

83

following remarks: — ‘‘This egg comes from the environs
of Angers. I had it from M. de Barace, a distinguished
ornithologist. The nest is in the form of a cone, cleverly
constructed. It contains four or five eggs, of a dirty
greenish grey, with olive spots more or less dark,
generally forming a wreath at the thicker end. I have
seen some specimens of a deeper grey. Great diameter
seventeen to eighteen millemetres, small twelve to
thirteen.”

The male and female in breeding-plumage have the
upper 23ai'ts a pretty ash grey, passing to yellow red
on the rump and upper tail coverts, with black spots,
forming two longitudinal bands on the vertex, small
and less apparent on the neck, deep and large on the
back, narrow on the tail coverts; inferior parts of a
yellow russet, very clear, becoming white on the throat
and on the middle of the belly; a large superciliary
band, the same .colour as the throat; another, brown,
above the ears, larger over the auditory orifice; wing
coverts brown, thickly bordered with ash grey; pri-
maries blackish, bordered with grey; tail quills brown,
bordered with greyish, the most external of each having
an ashy tint. Beak brown above, yellowish below and
on the edges of the mandibles; feet yellowish, with
the bottom of the toes yellow ; iris bright brown ;
first primary short, second and third equal and the
longest.

In autumn the plumage is yellow russet above, with
black spots in the centre of the feathers, as in spring;
below of a clearer russet; all the quills of the wings
and tail bordered with yellowish red or grey.

A'oung after the first moult resemble the old birds,
but have on the neck and flanks brown striee, more or
less numerous. — (Degland.)

84

AQUATIC WARBLER.

My figure is taken from a male in breeding-plumage
sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

Figured by Naumann, Taf. 82, wlio also figures on
the same plate the so-called species cariceti, whicb is,
liowevcr, only a dark variety of aquatica. Gould, B.
of E.

INSECTIVOR^.
Family SYLVIADjE.
Genus Sylvia. ( Latham.)

MOUSTACHED WARBLER.

Sylvia melanopogen.

Sylvia melanopogen,

(( ((

<( ((

Calamodyta melanopogen,
Salicaria melanopogen,

(C ft

Cettia melanopogen,

ft ft

Bee-Jin a Moustaches Noires,
Schwarzhartiger Bohrsdnger,
Torapaglie Castagnolo,

Temminck; Man., 2nd. Ed.,

p. 121, 1835.

ScHiNZ; Europ. Faun., 1840,
Muhle; Monograph, 1856.
Bonaparte, 1838.
Keyserling and Blasitjs,
1840.

ScHLEGEL; Bevue, 1844.

Z, Gerbe; Diet., 1848.
Degland, 1849.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Of Savi.

Specific Characters. — Beak very slender, and drawn inwards;
eyebrows broad and white; the vertex, lore, and a spot behind
the eyes black; twelve quills in the tail; tarsi blackish. Length
four inches and a half; carpus to tip two inches and one fifth ; tail
one inch and a half; tarsus nine tenths of an inch; beak, from
gape, half an inch.

M ( ) i: ST A ( ' m ; 1) w .v ii i i i , i-; r .

S()

T]ie Moustaclicd AVarblcr is a rare bird, for, not-
withstanding the statement of Tcmminck tliat it is
common in the neighbourhood of Rome, near Ragusa,
and in Tuscany, hut few specimens are found in cabinets.
It occurs, however, in Sicily, Italy, the south of France,
Greece, in the swamps of Lentini, and at Syracuse.
Temminck says that it is “tres commune'''^ about the
lake Castiglione, and Ostia. However this may be we
know very little about its habits, more than has been
mentioned by M. Cantraine, who collected specimens for
Temminck in Italy, and who remarks that it always
lives in the swamps, and in the bushes which surround
them. It climbs along the reed-stems like the rest of
its family, and lets its sharp singing notes be heard
clearly enough. Like Sylvia aquatica, it also runs
along the reed-stems and Avater-plants, above the surface
of the water. It is not shy, and frequently sits on the
tops of the reeds. Those which M. Cantraine killed in
the winter were all males.

M. Moquin-Tandon has kindly sent me a beautiful
drawing of the egg, (which I have figured,) with the
following remarks: — “From the neighbourhood of
JMontpellier, from Avhence it was sent me by M. Lebrun.
This Warbler builds among the reeds. Its nest is small,
in the form of a deep cup, and comjDosed of fibrils and
roots and leaves of small grasses, and the interior is
lined Avith horse-hair and avooI. It contains four or
five eggs, having an azure white ground, Avith broAvn spots,
larger and more thickly scattered round the larger end.
Great diameter fourteen millemetres, small eleven.”

A male in breeding j)lumage sent me by M. E.
Verreaux, has the head dark black; nape, back, and
rump rich nut broAvn, Avith longitudinal rays of black
on the middle of the feathers of the back; throat,

B

1. MOUSTACHED ’WARBLER.

3. 4. FANTAIL ’V'.^ARBLER.

CETTl’S WARBLER.

:M O UST A CH E D W A R 15 T, E R .

87

cro]), and nppcr part of the belly pure white, slightly
shaded about the crop with russet; flanks, lower part
of belly, and under tail coverts a lively russet; the
lores and a spot behind the eyes, black; superciliary
ridge white, becoming broader towards the nape. Wings
and tail dark brown, the inner barbs of the primaries
bordered with white; beak and legs brown; iris nut
brown. First primary very short, the second shorter
than the third, wdiich is somewhat shorter than the
fourth, the fourth and fifth almost equally long, the
latter longest: the exterior web of the fourth and fifth
contracted towards the end.

Degland says that in the autumnal plumage the upper
parts are of a tint less dark, with the black lines on
the centre of the feathers of the head, and the borders
of those on the body redder. The white of the neck,
crop, and stomach less pure; the crop and flanks of a
darker reddish brown. The young before the first
moult are of a lighter brown, with more olive-colour
above.

Figured by Temminck and Lang, pi. col., 245; by
Roux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 233; Savi, Ornith. Tosc.;
Miihle, Monogr. der Eur. Sylv.

88

INSECTIVOR.E.
Famihj SYLVIAD^.
Genus Sylvi7\. f Latham.)

FANTAIL WAEBLER.

Sylma cisticola.

Temminck; Mau., 228, 1820.
ViEiLLOT; Faun. Fr., p. 227.
Savi; Ornith. Tosc., 1827.
ScniNZ; Europ. Faun., 1810.
Mohle; Monog., 1856.
Kuppell; Neue Wirb. Vogel,
p. 113.

Bonapakte, 1838.

Durazzo; Ucelli Liguri, 1840.
Z. Gebbe; Diet., 1848.
Degland, 1849.

Keyseeling & Blasids, 1840.
Schlegel; Bevue, 1844.

Op the French.

Of the Germans.

Of Sayi.

Specific Characters. — The fan-shaped tail grey brown, each tail
feather tipped with white, and with a black spot near the extremity
of each; no white band over the eyes; beak curved downwards.
Length of a specimen sent me by M. E. Yerreaux, three inches
and four fifths; from carpus to tip two inches and one fifth; tail
one inch and three quarters; tarsus nine tenths of an inch; beak,
from gape, three fifths of an inch.

Sylvia cisticola,

((

£( 6i

66 66

66 66

“ typus,

Cisticola sclicenicola,
66 66

66 66

66 66

Salicaria cisticola,

66 66

'R.iverain Cisticole,
Cisten Rolirsanger,
Beccamosclie,

P A N TAIL

V/ARBLKH.

FANTAIL WARBLER.

89

This pretty little Warbler, the smallest of the European
Reed Warblers, is at once distinguished from all others
by its curved beak and fan-shaped black and white
tipped tail. It was first described by Temminck, in
the first edition of the ‘‘Manual,” from skins brought
to him from Portugal, by M. M. Link and Hoffmannsegg,
and was subsequently taken by Natterer in some plenty
at Algesiras, in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar. It
belongs to the genus Cysticola of Lesson and Bonaparte,
and is closely allied to the so-called Beutelsingers which
inhabit especially Asia, Africa, and New Holland, bearing
as Count INIiihle observes, the same relation to the other
AVarblers as the Beutel Titmouse does to the other
Titmice.

It is found in Portugal, the marshes near Rome,
Tuscany, Sardinia, and Sicily, where it is very common.
In France it is princqially found on the banks of the
Var, and the marshy country of Camargue. It is found
along the whole shore of the Mediterranean, is plen-
tiful in Greece, and extends even to the south of
Siberia.

Count Miihle remarks, “that it appears always lively
and cheerful, winter or summer. It loves to live among
sedges and rushes in ponds and swamps, and may be
often seen rocking itself with evident pleasure on the
top of the papyrus plants, f Cyperus papyrus.) In
summer it dwells by choice in swampy grounds, and
when these become cold and bare in winter it resorts
to the his^h grass of the meadows and corn-fields. It
does not appear to frequent the cistus tree, and there-
fore the name given to it by the Germans, Cisten-
semger, is misapplied.”

In its habits we perceive a strong similarity to the
rest of its family. “If it hide among the grass, in a

VOL. II.

90

FAXTATL WARBLER.

few minutes it will be perceived coming up to higher
branches of the shrubs, fluttering and hopping after
smaller insects on the leaves of the sedges and reeds,
and, rising suddenly in the air, stop a short time and
then come down to the same spot, from whence it w'ill
again conceal itself among the bushes.”

Its flight is not rectilineal, but takes the form of a
curve, which corresponds to the repeated flapping of
its wings, during which it frequently utters its sharp
shrill call-note. This resembles much that of Antlius
pratensis^ and is its entire song. It is heard loudest
when it thinks its nest is in danger, upon which occa-
sions it wdieels round the intruder’s head in circles,
uttering loud cries.

“It breeds three times in the year: the first time in
April, when the nest is built negligently, for want of
materials, and it generally chooses a sedge or rush
clump for its home. It is always one foot distant from
the ground. The perfect nest is a very beautiful and
wonderful construction; the stalks of the plants which
form the outside are entwined together with a perfect
needle-work, not merely strung one to another. In the
sides of every leaf the little bird reaches with its beak,
it makes a small opening, and passes through plant
fibre threads, formed from the Asclepiadm, Epilohice,
and the pappous of Sijngenesia. Those threads are not
very long, and reach only twice or thrice from one
leaf to another, and it is astonishing how these little
birds so elegantly and solidly accomplish the troublesome
work. The inside of the nest is merely spread over
with the down of plants. The eggs, in number from
four to six, are more or less a lively greenish grey;
and, according to Savi, some are flesh-coloured.”

Brehm, in Biideker’s European eggs, calls this bird

FANTAIL WAKliLEK.

91

the “European Tailor Bird/’ from the manner in which
it sews up the materials of its nest: he declares also
that a knot was found by Herr V. Koenig at the be-
ginning of the thread! The narrow entrance is either
on the side or in the top, so that the nest has the
form of a bag. In the inside he says it is lined with
long grass leaves, and the eggs are live or six, in size
between our Common Wren and Goldcrest; they have
a very soft shining shell, and are either blue green,
like the Bedstart, or paler, like those of the Pied
Flycatcher; or they are sometimes of a shining white
only.

M. Moquin-Tandon has kindly sent me drawings of
three varieties of the egg, from which my figures are
taken: they were aecompanied by the following remarks:
— “Sylvia cisticola, Savi, from the south of France.
This bird’s very remarkable nest is now well known,
and has been drawn many times, — those of Schinz
and Boux are sufficiently exact. I have lately given
a detailed description of this charming bird. It is well
known that the bird sews its nest to a tuft of carices
or grasses. Its form is that of an oblong purse, which
opens obliquely towards the top. It lays four or five,
and sometimes six, whitish eggs, which sometimes ap-
proach to very clear blue, (A,) and sometimes a rosy
tint, (B.) INI. Le Brun sent me one variety much
darker.”

The male and female specimens sent me by M. E.
Verreaux, have the upper parts strongly marked with
black in the centre of the feathers, with a shade of
russet and grey on the borders; head and neck
varied with the same colours, and the rump red; throat
and middle of the belly white; the croji, sides of neck,
flanks, and under tail coverts russet yellow. AFings

V2

l ANTAl L WAI115LEU.

like the back; the primaries 'vvith less black in the
centre of the feathers; tail brownish black, the ends of
the quills tipped with ash-colour; beak, (which is
curved,) feet, and iris brown.

According to Savi the interior of the beak of the
female during breeding time is yellow, that of the male
violet black.

The young before the first moult resemble the old
birds, only the spots on the upper part of the plumage
are less, and not so dark.

My figure is from a specimen sent me by M. E.
Verreaux. Figured also by Temminck and Lang, pi.
col. 6, f. o; Eoux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 232; Gould, B.
of E.; Miihle, Monograph, in two plumages, one the
normal type described above, the other having no spots
or stripes on the vertex. The sjDecimen was brought
from Greece by Count Miihle, and is exactly the same
as those described by Temminck from Japan.

93

INSECTIV0RJ5.
Family SYLVIAD^.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham.)

CETTrS WAEBLER.

Sylvia cetti.

Sylvia cetti,

(g

(( ((

6C ((

“ sericea,

Cettia altisonans et sericea,

(( i(

“ cetti,

Salicaria cetti,

({ C6

Bec-fin Bouscarle,

Bec-fin Cetti,

Cetti’ s Bohr sang er,
Usignuolo di Fiume,

Maemoea; Mem. della Acad, di
Torino, vol. xxv., p. 254.
Temminck; Man., 1820.

ScHiNZ; Europ. Faun., 1840.

Z. Geebe; Mag. de ZooL, 1840.
Muhle; Monog., 1856.
Natteeee.

Ch. Bonapaete, 1838.

Z. Geebe ; Diet., 1848.
Degland, 1849.

Keyseeling and Blasius; Der
Wirbelthiere, 1840.

Schlegel; Eevue, 1844.

Of the Feench.

Of the Geemans.

Of Cetti; in Dec. di Sardegna.

Specific Characters. — Upper parts of the body unicolorous rich
dark chesnut brown; superciliary ridge whitish, long, and narrow;
the tail rounded, consisting of only ten quills; tarsi clear brown.
First primary of medium length, second equal to ninth, the third
shorter than the fourth, fourth and fifth longest.

94

CETTl’s WAHEEEU.

Dimensions of specimens sent me hy 31. E. Verreanx. — Male: —
Length from tip of beak to end of tail five inches; carpus to tip
tv\'o inches and a half; tail two inches; beak three fifths of an
inch; tarsi nme tenths of an inch. Female: — From tip of beak to
end of tail four inches and a half; carpus to tip two inches; tail
one inch and three quarters; beak throe fifths of au inch; tarsi
eight tenths of an inch.

Cetti’s Warbler, distinguislied from all other Syhiadee
by having only ten quills instead of twelve in the tail,
is found in the whole of Southern Europe, from Spain
to the Caucasus. It has been said to have been killed,
but erroneously, in England, and Count Miihle, in
expressing his surprise at this, attempts to account for
it by attributing it to a deficiency in the development
of the wings, — a reason which I think can hardly be
maintained, when we hear of much weaker birds fiying
an infinitely greater distance. It occurs in Sicily,
Corsica, Sardinia, Spain, and France, being especially
common in winter in the southern provinces of the
latter country. M. Gerbe reports its appearance in the
department of the Var, and M. Crespon indicates many
localities in which it is found in Provence; and Count
Miihle found it in Greece. It occurs in Egypt, and,
according to Captain Loche, in the three provinces of
Algeria. Mr. Salvin says, in the ‘Mbis,” for July,
1859: — “On one or two occasions, among the tamarisk
trees on the banks of the Chemore, I caught a mo-
mentary glimpse of a bird of this species — not more
than was sufficient to recognise it. It appears to be
shy and not common in the Eastern Atlas of Africa.”

It is only found in the thickest and most impene-
trable coverts of grassy plants, and thick hedges and
ditches. It is very shy, more so than any other Peed
Warbler: should it chance to climb up on a branch or

CETTl’s WARBLER.

95

reed-stem, it is down again tlie moment it is observed.
Its song is rather agreeable, but is heard only from
its concealment. The poor bird seems to have a more
than usual instinctive knowledge that reasoning man is
its enemy. Its call of two syllables resounds continually.
AVhen it is pursued, and it thinks the enemy has been
led away far enough, it will turn quickly back again
to its first place.

It builds its nest in a bush not far from water, and
near the ground. It is constructed of dry grass and
half-decayed plant stems: it lines it with horse-hair
and sometimes wfith feathers. It lays four or five eggs,
w'hich are brown red, without spots, and as large as
those of the Whitethroat.

My figure of the egg is from a drawing sent me by
iM. Moquin-Tandon, who remarks about its nidification:
— ‘‘S. cetti, from the neighbourhood of Montpellier,
where the bird is rather rare. This egg w^as given me
by M. Devilliers. S. cetti makes its nest in bushes or
large aquatic plants, at a short distance from the ground:
the nest, skilfully made, is composed of stalks of grasses,
and also of feathers. It contains four or five eggs of
an uniform red brick-colour, without spots. It is
sometimes darker than the drawing. I saw lately at a
Paris merchant’s ten eggs of this bird: six of them like
the drawing, three darker, and one lighter. Great
diameter nineteen to twenty-one millemetres, small
diameter fourteen or fifteen.”

The male bird sent me by M. E. Verreaux has all
the upper parts of the body a rich chesnut brown,
darkest on the wing primaries and the tail. The throat
is white, shading off to ash grey on the belly and to
olive brown on the flanks and under tail coverts, the
latter being tipped with white. The wings are short.

CKTl'l’.S WAUnLEl{.

9()

only just covering tlie rump. Beak and feet light
brown; iris nut brown.

The female has the colours slightly paler than the
male, but they are difficult to distinguish, except by
size. Young before the first moult are, according to
Degland, of a darker brown than the adult.

My figure is from specimens sent me by M. E.
Verreaux. Figured also by Buffbn, pi. cnl. 655, under
the name of Bouscarle de Provence,' M. Boux, Ornith.
Prov., pi. 212; Z. Gerbe, Mag. de Zooh, 1840, pi. 21;
Gould, B. of E.

1

/

K, 1 V K R WARBLER.

97

IXSECTIVOll.E.
Famihj SYLVIADJE.
Genus Sylvia. (Latham.)

EIYER WARBLER

Sylvia Jluviatilis.

Sjjloia JliiviatiUs,

(6

((

((

Locustella jluviatilis,

a 66

66 66
Salicaria Jluviatilis,

Riverain Fluviatile,
Fluss Ruhrsdnger,

Meyer and Wolff; Tasch.
des Deuts, ( 1810,)
tome i., p. 229.

Nadmann, tome iii., 649.
Temminck; Man., (1820.)
ViEILLOT; Diet., 1817.

ScHiNZ; Europ. Eauu., (1840.)
Muhle, 1856.

Gould; B. of E., 1836.
Bonaparte, 1838.

Z. Gerbe; Diet., 1848.
Degland, 1849.

Ketserling and Blasius,
1840.

ScHLEGEL; Eeviie, 1844.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — Above unicolorous olive brown, darker on
the wings; under tail coverts light rust grey, with white at the
end; first primary the longest; wings reach to half the length of
the tail.

VOL. n.

RIVER AVA RULER.

{)8

Lengtli of a male sent me by M. E. Verreaux, six inches; carpus
to tip three inches; tail two inches and one fifth; tarsus nine
tenths of an inch; beak seven tenths of an inch.

The lliver Warbler, which is one of the finest species
in the family, is found principally in Europe on the
shores of the Danube. It has also been found, but
isolated and rarely, in Saxony, Siberia, Lithuania, and
France. It also occurs in Hungary and in Egypt.
Its home is in moist and swampy places, where reeds,
high grasses, and water-plants afford it concealment. It
is migratory, appearing in its breeding places on the
banks of the Danube in May, and disappears the end
of August. Of its habits. Count Miihle says, —

‘‘By day it keeps in the deepest concealment, and
flies away when disturbed with the greatest stillness and
velocity, or it hastens from one bough to another, close
over the ground. In early morning, hoAvever, in the
still gloomy twilight, it will remain quite unconcerned,
singing on an open branch or twig, and even by day
it may sometimes be heard during thunder-storms.
While singing, it likes to sit upon a slanting branch,
swells out its throat, lets its wings droop somewhat, and
with a measured movement sings its remarkable song in
quick railroad time, repeated quite tAventy times in a
breath. This song resembles the chirping of grasshop-
pers. Upon the very obscure history of its propagation
some light has been thrown by Thienemann and
Ileckel. Its breeding-places are the closely-Avooded parts
of the banks of the Danube. The nest is ahvays in
thick bushes, Avhich have groAving amongst them high
grasses and reeds. It is formed of Avithered leaves,
mostly of grass, and dry straAVS, thickly Avoven over Avith
the young shoots of grasses, so as to conceal it completely

RIVER

1

{

i

RIVER WARBLER.

99

from observation. The inside of the nest is cup-shaped,
and neatly and solidly lined with small soft grass stems,
without any mixture of other materials. The four eggs
which Heckel found in one such nest, (Naumannia, p.
IT, 1853,) have a conspicuous greyish white ground,
with reddish brown spots, some light, others dark, and
slight stains scattered over.”

Brehm, in Badeker’s work upon European eggs,
gives a still later account of its nidification, which I
will quote entire, as everything about this bird is in-
teresting to the naturalist: —

‘Tt dwells, but not numerously, in the high-lying
meadows of the Elbe, by Magdebourg and Breslau,
and it is plentiful on the shores of the Don, the Bug,
and many rivers in Gallicia. It lives in the woods and
thick bushes on the banks of the rivers. It breeds, ac-
cording to Count Wodyecki, in Gallicia, and to others
in jMoldavia, not far from Prague, and on the Elbe.
Herr Zelcbor shot a female with an egg just ready to
lay, iMay 22nd., 185.2, and found the nest on the Don
not far from Vienna. It builds in bushes which are
thickly grown through with reed-grass and Parietaria
officinalis. The nest is formed of dry reeds and grass
leaves, tender twigs, strong grass stems, strips of reed,
etc., interwoven with dry meadow grass. It is lined
with soft grass. The eggs are four or five, which are
greyish, inclining to reddish ground-colour, upon which
are indistinct pale violet-grey and darker or lighter spots
and streaks of reddish brown, thicker at the base. They
are unequally shaped, gently declining from the base to
the top.”

The Biver AVarbler feeds on insects and flies.

The male in breeding plumage has all the upper parts
of the body olive green, shaded with brown; the throat

100

KlVEll

wliite; under wing and tall coverts, and all tlie under
parts of the belly Avhitisli, shaded with light olive green;
the anterior part of the neck mottled with olive green
and ash-colour. Primaries rich brown; first the longest,
and the others gradually a little less down to the ninth,
giving the wing a long pointed character. This gradu-
ated position of the primaries is shewn when the wing
is in repose. The beak is dark brown above, light
below. Tarsi light yellow; iris, dark brown.

The female has the upper parts like the male; the
throat, neck, and crop dirty ■white, feebly marked with
long spots of ashy brown. In autumn- the feathers are
bordered with ash.

My figures of this bird and its egg are from speci-
mens sent me by M. E. Verreaux.

Figured also by Naumann, Taf. 13; Gould, B. of E.

w

or?

<

<

t.

LOCUSTELL

101

INSECTIVOE.E.
Family SYLVIADJE.
Genus Sylvia, f Latham. )

PALLAS’S LOCUSTELLE.

Sylvia certhiola.

Motacilla certhiola,

Syloia certhiola,
Calamoherpe certhiola,
Bec-Jin Trapu,

Pallas; Zoog. i., p. 509,
No. 141.

Temminck; Man. i, p. 187.
Blasius; Naumannia, 1858.
Of the French.

Specific Characters. — Beak strong; superior mandible black; the
plumage of the upper parts varied with numerous spots; all the
quills of the tail are terminated below by a large ashy blotch;
posterior claw much curved, and longer than the toe. Length five
inches.

This bird, closely allied to tbe Grasshojiper Warbler,
so well known to tbe naturalists of Great Britain, was
introduced into tbe European Fauna by Pallas, in his
‘Wanna Eossica,” as Turclus certhiola, and was described
by him afterwards under tbe name of Motacilla certhiola.
It was subsequently introduced into tbe Manual by
Temminck as Sylvia certhiola, who has given a very
clear description of tbe bird, and a careful comparative
diagnosis between it and locustella.

102

TAI.LAS’S LOCUSTELl.E.

It was however erased from the European list by
Schleg’el, upon very much the same kind of evidence
which induced that distinguished ornithologist to deal in
like manner with Falco leucocephalus , and it is left out
by Degland upon this authority.

It has however recently come to light in that singular
island Heligoland, where so many new birds, especially
American forms, have been added to the European list.
It was found by Herr Gatke, and has been introduced
into the list of Birds new to Europe, described by Pro-
fessor Blasius, in Naumannia, for 1858, p. 311, in the
following words; — “ Calamoherpe certhiola is a perfect
gem in its new plumage; and here for the first time
found in Europe. There are two specimens mentioned
by Middendorf, as having been killed on the shores of
the Sea of Ochotzk. Before these specimens were found,
the original from Pallas, in the Berlin Museum, was the
only one known.”

Of this rare bird then there are it appears only four
specimens in existence, a fact which is perhaps sufficiently
accounted for by its similarity to the Grasshopper War-
bler, whose well-known retiring habits fortunately pro-
tect it from wholesale destruction, and make it even a
rare bird. S. certhiola is no doubt closely allied to
locustella, both in organization and habit. It is only
distinguished by its stronger beak, by the posterior claw
being in certhiola longer than the toe, and more curved,
while in locustella the claw is shorter than the toe.
Further, the tail of the latter is unicolorous; while
in the former, as seen by the specific characters at the
head of this notice, each tail quill is terminated below
by a large ashy blotch. In all other respects the dis-
position of colours in the plumage of the two birds is
the same.

Pallas’s locustelle.

108

S. certhiola has, according to Temininck, whose des-
cription I follow, all the upper parts of a uniform olive,
shaded with brown and varied by ovoid spots of blackish
brown; these spots occupy the middle of each feather;
the throat, front of neck, and middle of the belly pure
white; under the throat is a zone of very small ovoid
spots of dark brown; flanks, abdomen, and inferior tail
coverts of a bright russet, the last-named tipped by pure
white; tail long, wide, and much sloped. The quills are
blackish below, and all terminated by a large mark of
whitish ash-colour; but above there is only a small point
of the quills in which this ashy mark is perceptible.

The female has the colours less marked and pure.

Figured by Gould, pi. 105, from wTich ray drawing
is by permission taken.

With this bird I close my list of the European species
of the genus Sylvia of Latham. The progress of orni-
thological discovery in modern days, however, renders
it probable that the number will be considerably in-
creased, as every single well-authenticated case of the
capture of a bird within the European limits is held
sufficient to constitute it a European speeies by modern
writers. I hope to see this system some day altered by
the multiplication of such excellent memoirs as those of
Tristram and Salvin in the Ibis, by which our knowledge
of geographical oinithology will be much increased, and
our boundary species plaeed in their respective habitats.
It must at the same time be borne in mind as our
geographical divisions are entirely arbitrary, so is it
impossible to draw a distinct line between the species
of one quarter of the globe and another, and yet the
faunae are sufficiently distinct to aflbrd a remarkable

104

TALLAS’S LOCUSTELLE.

illustration of tlio adaj)tation of sj^ecies to climate and
country, and liencc a confirmation of tlie doctrine of
special creation, and permanence and immutability of
species — a great truth Avhich has lately been assailed in
a work which contains more sophistry and unsound
deduction than any book that has ever been printed.

Of the species of Sylciadee omitted in the present
work, I will make one or two remarks: —

1. Sylvia lanceolata, of Temminck. — This was said to
have been discovered in the neighbourhood of Mayence.
This however has been denied by Bruch, who gives the
South of Russia as the locality of the only two specimens
said to have been taken in Europe. Brehm considers Tem-
minck’s specimens were those of locustella; Miihle that
there is no sure foundation for the identity of the species.
Malherbe considers it has been prematurely admitted
into the European list. Degland and Schlegel recognise
a specimen killed at Genes, by the Marquis Durazzo,
as evidence of its claim. On the whole I have thought
it better to omit this bird.

2. S. fainiliaris, Menetries. — Considered by Naumann
as identical with S. galactodes, which opinion is denied
by Schlegel. Count Miihle, who had many opportunities
for examining this so-called species in Greece, says that
they are undoubtedly different in the colouring of the
upper part of the body. Temminck and Keyserling and
Blasius think them identical. Degland, in a note to
S. galactodes, merely draws attention to Schlegel’s state-
ment.

The Rev. H. B. Tristram, who has had many oppor-
tunities of observing this bird, both in Western Africa
and in the Levant, considers the species identical, and
states that he has found greater difference in the
colouring of the back part of the body, between in-

sylviad.t:.

10 j

dividual Algerian specimens, than between the ordinary
African and Greek types.

o. S. borealis, ( Pliijllopncuste borealis, Blasius,) is a
new species, intermediate between the P. jamnica of
Horsfield, and S. icterina of Vieillot. The following is
Professor Blasius’ account of this bird, from Naumannia,
1858. I had intended to have deferred any account of
the species until the end of the work, but as it may
by that time lose its present claim to specific distinction,
I will give a short abstract of Professor Blasius’ des-
cription. The bird was killed in Heligoland; —

This bird forms with P. jacanica a natural group
under the Foliage Warblers. Upper joart of the body
and the edges of the wing and tail feathers yellowish
grass green; vertex gradually darker coloured, grey
green. The tail feathers slender, and have their greatest
breadth a fourth from base; the inner web here turns
in a disproportionate manner towards the shaft. The
Avhitish tips of the first tail feathers are broadest near
the point of the shaft on the inner web. In the above
characters it differs entirely from P. javanica. The
under part of both species is white along the middle,
with a faint brimstone yellow flush. Feathers of the
sides of the head and the front part of the neck are on
the tips and edges clouded with grey, while in P. ja-
vanica these parts are clear yellowish white. The flanks
shade off into the colours of the back, with greenish
grey. The small first primary is only a little longer
than the upper wing coverts, third and fourth form point
of wing, fifth larger than sixth, smaller than second.
Tail tolerably straight, two middle feathers somewhat
lengthened; beak dark horn blue colour, with yellow
flesh-coloured edges. Feet bright-coloured in javanica,
brown grey; in borealis bluish green.

Q

VOU II.

lOG

SYLVIAD.’E.

S. javanica. S. borealis. S. icterina.

DIMENSIONS. Inch. Lines.

Length of wing 2 3.2.

Length of tail 1 7.8.

Head with beak 1 1.3.

Beak from nasal orifice. .0 3.4.

Inch. Lines.

2 5.4.

1 8.8.

1 2.2.
0 3.6.

0 9.0.

Inch. Lines.

2 6.0.
1 11.5.
1 0.5.

0 2.6.
0 8.8.

Tarsi (

1st. wing feathers longer

0 9.0.

than the upper coverts 0 3.0.

0 1.0.

0 4.0.

4. S. pinetorum,^xe\\m-, 5. S.arhustorum,J^re\im.;

6. S. hydropliilos , are considered by Brelini to differ
from the Reed and Sedge Warblers, to which they are
respectively closely allied.

7. S. moussieri has been stated to have occurred in
Europe by Herr L. Alph Galliard, but this is discredited
by Mllhle; it has however been introduced by Dubois.
Mr. Salvin states (Ibis, vol. i., p. 307,) that it is ex-
clusively a North African species.

Mr. Tristram remarks that this species is a very local
one in Africa, never, in Algeria, crossing the Atlas, and
in Tunis only approaching the coast at the south-west
corner of the Gulf of Gabes. It is chiefly an inhabitant
of the Oases, where it is a constant resident.

8. S. ochrogenion, Lindermayer, (Isis, 1843,) is the
female of S. melanocephala ; the yellow colouring observed
on the throat is considered by Count Miihle to be pro-
duced by the fruit of the Cactus opuntia.

9. S. sylvestris, Naumann, (App. xiii., p. 429, table
369.) — Under this head Count Miihle enlarges upon the
difficulty of separating many forms of the Willow Wrens,
and hints at the possibility of this proving a fifth species.

10. S. horticola, Brehm, (Naumann, xiii., p. 444.) —
Once more, says Count Miihle, we have to deal here
with a bird out of the great Brehm sub-species manu-
factory.

SYLVIAD.E.

107

11. S. fruticola, Naumanii, (xiii., p. 453.) — Supposed
to be the young of S. nigrifons, itself a not established
species. It is with the last evidently a variety of S.
arunclinacea or S. palustris.

12. S. ruhricapilla, Landbeck, S. naumanni, Miiller.
— Has been determined as a species by Muller, Avho
refers it to the above figure in Nauinann’s work, xiii.,
p. 411. It is distinguished from atricapilla by the male
having a red head like the female. The species has
not been satisfactorily determined.

13. S. ohscurocapilla — Calamoherpe ohsci(,rocapilla,T)\x-
bois. — Is a species figured, with its nest and eggs, and
described as new by Dubois, in his beautiful work,
which he has kindly sent to me, the “Birds of Belgium.”
It is quite possible that this species will prove distinct,
though in the absence of specimens for examination I
do not feel competent to give a stronger opinion. It
appears to have been first discovered by M. le Vicomte
de Spoelberg, in 1854. It is, says M. Dubois, closely
allied to the Marsh Warbler, f S. palustris,) with which
in fact it has long been confounded. From this however
it differs in the male having a dark head, which is never
observed in palustris. It appears to be a great mimic.
The nest is similar to that of the Garden Warbler in
form, and of the Grasshopper Warbler in construction.

14. S. arigonis. Hypolais arigonis, A. Brehm, fils.
Algemeinen deutsclien naturliistoriscJien Zeitung, No.
161, p. 467, tome 3. — This is said to be a good species
by M. Dubois. If it maintains this character I shall
endeavour to give a notice of it in the Supplement.

The above include all, I believe, of the real or sup-
posed and doubtful species, which have been thought
by various authors to have had more or less claim to
admission into the European list of birds.

108

INSECTlVORyE.

Fa in ily S YL VIA
Genus Regulhs. (Ray.)

Generic Characters. — Eealv very slender, short, straight,
dilated at the base, and compressed towards the point; edge
of the mandible slightly turned in; nostrils oval, covered by
two small, stiff, arched feathers, with slightly disunited webs.
Wings of moderate length, the first quill very short, the
second and eighth equal, the fourth and fifth the longest in
the wing. Legs slender; the middle toe united at its base
with the external, the posterior the strongest of all; tail
sloping, and composed of ten feathers.

EUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

Ileyiilus calendula.

Mot a cilia calendula,
Regulus calendula,

U tt

Sylvia calendula,

Le Roitelet rubric.

LiNNiEUS.

Lichtenstein. Audubon.
Wilson. Bonauaete.
Nuttall; Man., vol. i., p. 4.15.
Bueeon, 373.

Specific Characters. — General plumage like that of the other
Goldcrests. The silky feathers of the crown of the head vermilion;
under parts greyish white. Length four inches and a quarter;
wing six inches; beak one third of an inch; tarsus three fourths
of an inch.

R U B Y - C R O ’V N E D K I N ' L E T.

1

i

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

109

The introduction of tins beautiful and very distinct
species of one of the smallest birds of the new world
into the European and British fauna, may perhaps
excite a smile of incredulity in some of my readers.
But the facts connected with its capture in the Scotch
Highlands are conclusive, and cannot admit of doubt.

During my residence in Edinburgh, in 1859, I received
a letter from Mr. Eobert Gray, of Glasgow, informing
me that the ‘‘Euby-crested Wren” had been shot on
the banks of Loch Lomond, by Dr. Dewar. The
original specimen had been presented to Mr. Gould,
but IMr. Gray kindly sent me an accurate and beautiful
drawing of the bird, made by Mr. Sinclair, which I
have much pleasure in introducing into my work. A
notice of its capture I had the pleasure of giving at one
of the meetings of the Physical Society.

Having quite satisfied myself by repeated correspon-
dence, that there could have been no mistake about
the matter, I shall content myself by introducing here
part of Dr. Dewar’s letter. There may, I think, be
some truth in Dr. Dewar’s suggestion, that these small
birds get a lift en route in the numerous vessels which
are constantly passing between the two countries. But
after all there is nothing very extraordinary in such a
migration. The little creature is in America a miyratory
bird, and flies, according to Audubon, from Louisiana
and other southern states to Newfoundland and Labrador,
where it breeds. It leaves the south in March, and
has young in the far north in June. Our friend had
evidently mistaken its way back again to the south, and
come to the Scotch Highlands instead.

The following is an abstract from Dr. Dewar’s letter,
dated Glasgow, December 6th., 1859: — “The specimen
of Begulus calendula, regarding which you write, I

110

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

shot in Kcnmore Wood, Loch Lomondside, in the
summer of 1852. Living in its vicinity, I went to the
wood for the purpose of shooting some specimens of
Goldcrests, which are always there in abundance. After
procuring upwards of a dozen, I found, on looking
them over, what I took to be the Firecrest; this I
safely deposited among my other skins, where it lay
till last year, when, on examining it carefully, with the
view of exhibiting it at the Natural History Society
here, to my surprise my sjiecimen turned out to be,
not llegulus icjnicapillus, as I had supposed, but Hegulus
calendula of North America. I forwarded it to Mr.
Gould for examination, to whom I afterwards presented
the specimen. Although I look upon the occurrence
of llegulus calendula in this country as a subject of
extreme interest, still it has no claim to a place among
our birds, farther than as one of ‘the many stragglers
which from time to time find their way to our shores.
How this little creature, the most diminutive of all the
American species which have visited Britain, found its
way across the Atlantic is almost inconceivable. My
belief is that most of the American species which are
met with in this country, are aided in their passage
by vessels crossing the Atlantic, and I think it utterly
impossible for such a tiny bird as this to find its way
across without some such assistance. Two or three
instances have occurred to my own observation, in
which birds were conveyed in this way.”

Audubon’s account of this bird is so interesting that
I will take the liberty of making from it a very long
extract. His writing is always welcome to the real
lover of nature. — “The history of this diminutive bird
is yet in a great measure unknown, and although I
have met with it in places where it undoubtedly breeds.

R I J B Y - C K O W N E D K T N G L E T .

Ill

I have not succeeded in finding its nest. On the 2Tth.
of June, 1833, while some of my party and myself
were rambling over the deserts of Labrador, the notes
of a Warbler came on my ear, and I listened with
delight to the harmonious sounds Avhich filled the air
around, and which I judged to belong to a species
not yet known to me. The next instant I observed a
small bird perched on the top of a fir tree, and on
approaching it, recognised it as the vocalist that had
so suddenly charmed my ear and raised my expectation.
We all followed its quick movements as it flew from
the tree backwards and forwards, without quitting the
spot, to which it seemed attached. At last my son
John raised his gun, and on firing brought down the
bird, which fell among the brushwood, where we in
vain searched for it.

The next day we chanced to pass along the same
patch of dwarf wood in search of the nests of certain
species of ducks, of which I intend to speak on another
occasion. TLe were separated from the woods by a
deep narrow creek; but the recollection of the loss of
the bird, which I was sure had been killed, prompted
me to desire my young friends to dash across and
again search for it. In an instant six of us were on
the opposite shore, and dispersed among the woods,
hly son was so fortunate as to find the little Regulus
among the moss near the tree from which it had fallen,
and brought it to me greatly disappointed. Not so
was I, for I had never heard the full song of the
E.uby-crowned Wren, and as I looked at it in my
hand I could not refrain from exclaiming, ‘And so this
is the tiny body of the songster from which came the
loud notes heard yesterday.’ When I tell you that its
song is fully as sonorous as that of the Canary bird.

112

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

and inucli richer^ I do not come up to tlie truth, for
it is not only as powerful and clear, but much more
varied and pleasing to the ear. We looked for its
mate and nest, but all around was as silent as death,
or only filled with the hum of myriads of insects. I
made a drawing of it in its full spring plumage. A
month later the young of this species were seen feeding
among the bushes.

The E,uby-crowned Wren is found in Louisiana and
other southern states from November to March. Near
Charlestown they are sometimes very abundant. The
old birds are easily distinguished from the young
without shooting them, on account of the curious dif-
ference in their habits, for while the latter keep together
among the lowest bushes, the former are generally seen
on the top branches of high trees. I have not observed
a similar difference in Hegulus tricolor. The rich
vermilion spot on the head in the parent species was
wanting in the young, that part being of the same plain
colour as the back.

I have found this bird in Kentucky also during
winter, but generally in southern exposures, and usually
in company with the Brown Creeper and Titmouse.

The little bird of which I speak appears to feed
entirely on insects and their larvte, and I have often
thought it wonderful that there should seem to be no

O

lack of food for it even during weather sometimes too
cold for the birds themselves. It seems to migrate
during the day only, and merely by passing from bush
to bush, or hopping among the twigs, until a large
piece of water happens to come in its way, when it
rises obliquely to the height of above twenty yards,
and then proceeds horizontally in short undulations.
It emits a feeble chirp at almost every motion. So

RUBY-CROWJfED KINGLET.

113

swiftly, however, does it perform its migrations from
Louisiana to Newfoundland and Labrador, that although
it sometimes remains in the first of these countries

until late in ]\Iarch, it has young in the latter by

the end of June, and the brood is able to accompany
the old birds back to the south in the beginning

of August.

The adidt male in summer plumage has the bill
short, straight, subulate, very slender, and compressed,
with inflated edges; upper mandible nearly straight

in its dorsal outline, the edges scarcely notched close
upon the slightly declinate acute tip; lower mandible
straight and acute. Nostrils basal, elliptical, half closed
above by a membrane covered over by feathers.
The whole form is slender, although the bird looks
somewhat bulky, on account of the loose texture of
the feathers. Legs rather long; tarsus slender, longer
than the middle toe, much compressed, and covered
anteriorly with a few indistinct scutella; toes scutellate
above, the lateral ones nearly equal and. free, hind toe
stouter; claws weak, compressed, arched, and acute.

Plumage very loose and tufty. Short bristles at the
base of the bill. Feathers of the head elonoated and

O

silky. Wings of ordinary length, third and fourth
primaries longest. Tail of twelve feathers, emarginate,
and of ordinary length; bill black, yellow at the base
of the lower, and on the edges of the upper mandible.
Iris light brown; feet yellowish browm, the under
parts yellow. The general colour of the upper parts
is dull olivaceous, lighter behind. The eye is encircled
with greyish white, of which colour also are the tips
of the wing coverts; quills and tail dusky, edged
with greenish yellow; the silky feathers of the crown
of the head vermilion. The under parts greyish white.

\

VOL. II.

K

114

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

Length four inches and a quarter; extent of wings six
inches; hill one third of an inch; tarsus three fourths
of an inch.

The adult female in summer plumage resembles the
male, but the tints are in general duller, especially
the greenish yellow of the wings.

Figured by Audubon and Wilson.

Since the above Avas in type I have been informed
by the Rev. H. B. Tristram, that he has a specimen of
this bird which he had in the flesh, and Avhich Avas
killed by a Durham pitman in 1852, in Branspeth
Woods.

i

115

INSECTIVOEJB.

Famihj SYLVIADJE.

Genus Accentor, f Bechstem.)

Generic Characters. — Beak of medium length, robust, straight,
conical, and pointed. Edges of each mandible compressed, upper
one notched near the point. Nostrils basal, naked, pierced in
a membrane of considerable size. Eeet robust, three toes in
front and one behind, the exterior joined at its base to the
middle toe; the claw of the hind toe by much the longest
and the most curved. First wing primary nearly obsolete, the
second nearly as long as the third, which is the longest in
the wing.

MOUNTAIN ACCENTOE.

Accentor montanellus.

iMotacilla montanellus,

Accentor motanellus,

«( ((

(C ((

a (C

Accenteur Montagnard,
Berg Flulivogel,

Pallas; Voyage, table 8,
French Edition, Appen-
dix, p. 71, 1776.
Temminck; Man., 1820.
Bonaparte, Schinz.
Keysekling and Blasius.
ScuLEGEL. Degland.

Of the French.

Of the GtERmans.

Specific Characters. — A double row of transverse yellow spots
on the wing. Head above deep black; shafts of the tail quill
feathers russet. Length about six inches. — Degland.

116

MOUNTAIN ACCENTOll.

This rare and interesting bird is an inliabitant of the
soutli-cast of Europe, being found iirincipally in Siberia,
Russia, and the Crimea. It occurs, but accidentally, in
tlie soutli of Hungary, in the Neapolitan States, and
Dalmatia. Its range in Asia is along the same latitude
as in Europe. Mr. Tristram informs me that the only
specimen he ever saw was in the Museum at Palermo,
and he at the same time directed my attention to
Middendorf’s account of his capture of this bird. I
copy the following from his ^‘Sibirischc Reise,” vol. ii.,
p. 172:—

“One specimen only of this bird was shot in the
StanoAvoj chain of mountains. It perfectly agrees with
Pallas’s description and Gould’s painting, and conse-
quently entirely removes the doubt which Brandt
expressed relating to the identity of the Siberian and
European Birds, as well as to that which received the
name of Accentor temminckii. The specimen mentioned
by Brandt is in the winter plumage; therefore being in
a transition state, it is fainter in colour, and greyish.
The stripe over the eyes is white; the throat dirty
white; breast and belly bright rust yellow. On the
back of the bird the colours are an admixture of rust
brown and ash grey, which latter predominates, especially
about the head and nape. The spots have the same
colour as in the summer plumage, but in the latter
they extend more towards the wings. The Accentor,
Atro-gularis of Brandt, differs from A. montanellus
essentially in the black throat.”

The following is Tcmminck’s description of this bird :
— “The adult male has a hood of deep black, covering
the head and occiput; a large equally black band
passes below the eyes, and covers the orifices of the
ears; a large yellow eyebrow takes its origin at the

117*

EGG OF ACCENTOR MONTANELLUS.

I HAVE iimcli pleasure in giving here a figure of
the egg of Accentor montanellus , kindly sent me by
Professor ISIoquin-Tandon, with the following remarks:
— ‘‘My two eggs of this bird are exactly alike in shape
and colour; they are twenty-three millimetres in long
diameter, and sixteen in the short. The colour pale
and uniform azure blue. They were taken in the south
of Hungary, and sent to me by my friend M. Raoul
de Barace D’Angers.”

MOUNTAIN ACCENTOK.

117

base of the beak, and is continued to the nape; the
upper parts of the body and the scapularies are of an
ashy russet, marked with large longitudinal spots of a
brick red. ^Vings of an ashy brown, bordered with
grey russet; two rows of small yellow points form on
the wing a double band; tail of a unicolorous brown,
but the feather shafts of a russet brown. All the in-
ferior parts are of an isabel yellow, varied on the crop
Avith broAvn spots, and on the flanks Avith longitudinal
spots of a grey russet; base of the beak yelloAV, point
broAvn; feet yellowish. Length flve inches three or
four lines. The female is of a blackish broAvn on the
head, on the occiput, and on the auditory oriflces. It
does not othei'Avise differ from the male.”

The Mountain Accentor is stated to feed in the spring
upon the same kind of food as its congener, our Avell-
knoAvn old friend the Hedge SparroAV. In Avinter
Temminck thinks it may be guilty of feeding upon
seeds. Of its propagation I find authors are silent.

My figure is taken by permission from Mr. Gould’s
B. of E.

US

INSECTIVOR^.

Famihj SAXICOLIN^.
Genus Saxicola. f Beclisteht.J

Generic Characters. — Beak slender, straight, and rather broader
than deep at the base, where it is surrounded by a few
hairs; upper mandible slightly obtuse, sloped, and curved only
at the point; nostrils oval, half-closed by a membrane; tarsus
long, slender, and compressed; outer toe connected by a
membrane to the middle. Wings of medium length, reaching
to the middle of the tail when closed; first quill about half
as long as the second, the second shorter than the third or
fourth, which are the longest; the greater wing coverts much
shorter than the quills. Tail medium length, slightly rounded
or square, consists of twelve quills.

BLACK WHEATEAE.

Saxicola leucura.

JEnantJie leacura,

Saxico la ca cch in a ns,

Tardus leucarus,

leucura,

Gmelin ; Syst., 820, 1788.
Latham; Ind., 1790.

ViEiLLOT; Diet, et Fauu. Fr., 1818.
Temminck; Manual, 1820.

ScHiNZ. Schlegel.

Iaeysekling and Blasius; Die

Yittijlora leucura,
Dromolcca leucura,

Traciuet Bicur,

Wirbelt, 1840. Muhle.
Bonapakte, 1838.

Cabanis. Bonaparte.
Tristram; (Ibis.) Loche.
Oe the French.

L A C K W H E A T B A R.

BLACK WHEATEAB,

119

ScJiwarzer Steinsehmdtzer, Of Metee.

Culhianco Ahhrunato, Of Savi and Maemoea.

Specific Characters. — Plumage black, or blackisb, with tbe upper
and lower tail coverts white; tail white, with half of the two
middle quills and the posterior fourth of the laterals black. Length
of male sent me by thePev. H. B. Tristram, seven inches; female
sis inches and a quarter.

Cabanis has separated this bird, with some others,
from the genus Saxicola, and included it under that of
Dromol<xa, in consequence of its habits being different
from those of the typical Wheatears. He has been
followed by Bonaparte and others, who, by adopting,
have acquiesced in the propriety of the arrangement.
I have not space here to do more than account for
my own reasons for preferring the retention of this
species in the genus Saxicola. I do not for a moment
question the grounds upon which this separation is
made, as being contrary to the scientific rules observed
by modern ornithological classifiers; but I doubt very
much whether any greater degree of precision in definition
is obtained, while the evil of a multiplicity of generic
names, and a consequent complexity of ornithology as
a science, is effected. I therefore prefer the retention
of the original generic term of Bechstein, though I
admit that it does not give a general idea of the
structure and habits of the whole class, and therefore
was perhaps originally ill-chosen. But just Siflviadex,
or, as we are told it ought to be, Sylviidcs, is sufficient
for all useful purposes as indicating a great group of
birds, all of which have not sylvan habits, so I think
we may accept Saxicola as a good generic term though
all the species do not affect rocks and stones.

No better illustration could be given of the truth of

120

BLACK WIIEATEAR.

tliese remarks than the fact of a good and practical
ornithologist like the Rev. Mr. Tristram, who adopts
Cabanis’s division of the genus, having the greatest
possible difficulty in deciding on which side to place
the Bushchat, ( Saxicola philotliamna,) which he dis-
covered in Northern Africa, and which he has described
and figured in the “Ibis,” vol. i., p. 299.

The Black Wheatear is an inhabitant of the warm
and southern parts of Europe, especially, being found
in Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, South of France,
the Pyrenees, the Hautes and Basse Alps, the Appe-
nines, (accidentally,) the neighbourhood of Gibraltar,
and Greece. It is included in Captain Loche’s list of
Algerian birds. It does not appear in Mr. Carte’s
interesting list of the birds of the Crimea, kindly sent
to me by Dr. Leith Adams.

The Rev. H. B. Tristram’s account of this bird, as
observed by him in Northern Africa, is so interesting
that I shall transcribe his notice of it from the “Ibis,”
vol. i., p. 296.

“The Chats are the tribe of all others the most uni-
versally-distributed in the Desert, yet having specifically
very narrow limits. They are, too, the only class of
birds there which have any distinctive or conspicuous
colouring. The Larks, of various species, or the Sand
Grouse, may be on all sides, yet only a practised eye
can detect a sign of life in the waste. But the lively
Chat is seen afar; his clear bright colouring gleams in
contrast with the universal brown around him. Conscious
of his attractions he attempts no concealment, but relies
for safety on his watchful eye and rapid movements,
and, above all, on the snug retreat which he always
has open before him — his hole in the rocks, or his
burrow in the sand.

2. HUS S ST

ii

1. BLACK W li in A T E A H.

WHEATEAR. 3. BLACK-EARED

BLACK WHEATEAR.

121

I think that those who are familiar with the habits
of this class, will at once admit the propriety of
Cabanis’s separation of the genns Dromolcea from the
old one of Saxicola. Strong as are the structural affin-
ities throughout the whole, the manners of the living-
birds are in marked contrast. Wlierever there are
savage ravines, bare cliffs, reflecting a burning glare on
the hungry valley, rent chasms, fearful in the unspeak-
able stillness which pervades the transparent atmosphere
around, gorges which strike the intruder with awe, as
though life, vegetable or animal, had never dared to
intrude there before, — even here may a pair of Hock
Chats of some species or other be detected. If a snap
shot has been successful, the victim generally contrives
to escape into some deep fissure to die, and frequently
it is impossible to recover the spoil.

D. leucura is found only in the north of the Desert.
El’ Aghouat may be considered its southern limit; and
it alone of the class comes up to the foot of the” Atlas,
on the southern slopes of which it is tolerably abundant,
from Morocco to Tunis, breeding among the rocks,
building a compact nest of moss and hair, and laying
ordinarily four eggs, somewhat larger than those of the
Wheatear, of a rich deep greenish blue, covered towards
the larger end with rust-red blotches and spots. Its
song is monotonous, consisting of but three notes; but
the call-note is clear, loud, and musical.”

The adult male has all the upper parts, except the
rump, and all the lower parts, except the greater part
of the ta,il, sooty black. Wings hair brown. Hump,
upper tail coverts, and three fourths of tail below, pure
white; two middle tail feathers black, the rest white,
broadly barred with dark brown at the ends. Sides
and beak black; tarsi glossy black.

VOL, ir.

s

122

lil.ACK WllEATEAll.

The female only differs from the male in being
smaller, and having those parts which are blaek in the
male, of a more uniform brown, like the wings, and it
is darker on the back.

The young of the year, according to Degland, re-
semble the female, but the brown of the middle of the
abdomen is shaded with red; the wing feathers slightly
fringed with grey, the primaries being terminated by a
grey border, and the tail feathers with white.

My figures of this bird and its egg are taken from
specimens kindly sent me by the E-ev. H. B. Tristram,
obtained by him during his travels in Africa.

It is also figured by Eoux, Orinth. Prov., p. 197,
(male;) Gould, B. of E., p. 88; Bouteille, Orinth. du
Dauph, pi. 22, f. 1.

I

12S

INSECTIVOR.E.

Family SAXICOLIN^F.
Genus Sax i cola, f Beckstcm.J

RUSSET WHEATEAR.

Saxicola stapazina.

Motacilla siapazina,

Yitijlora rufa,

“ stapazina,
Sylvia stapazina,

a

Saxicola stapazina.

Linn^us; Syst., 12th. Edit., vol. i.,
p. 332, 1760.

Gmelin, 1788.

Brisson; Orn., 1760.

Bonaparte, 1838.

Latham; Ind., 1760.

Temminck; Man., 1st. Edit., 1815.
Temminck; Man , 2nd. Edit , vol. i.,
p. 239, 1820.

JEnanthe stapazina,
Muscicapa melanoleuca,

Le cut Blanc-roux,

Le Moteux Stapazin,

Traquet Stapazin,
Schwarzlcehliger Stein-
schmdter,

Munachella con la Gala Neva,

Cuvier. Lesson. Scheegel.
Keyserling & Blasius.

Degland. Schinz.

ViEILLOT; Diet., 1818.
Guldenstadt; Nov. Com. Petr., 19,
p. 468.

Buffon; Ois., vol. V., p. 246.
ViEILLOT; Faun. Fran., p. 189.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Of Savi.

Specific Characters. — Throat more or less black; first primary
shorter than the third; the two middle tail quiUs black, with

RUSSET AY HE AT EAR.

llie base wliitc; the others white, with their extremities blaelf.
Length five inches seven lines to five inches nine lines. Lcngtli
of specimen sent me by Mr. Tristram, five inches and three
quarters.

The Russet Wheatear is principally found among the
rocky mountains of the south of Europe; is very com-
mon in the southern parts of Italy, in Dalmatia, in
the Archipelago, and the south of France. It is also
common on the rocky shores of the Mediterranean,
but, according to Temminck, it is very rare in the
north of Italy; seldom found in the Pyrenees, and
never in the centre of Europe. It is noticed by
the Hon. T. L. Powys, among the birds observed by
him in the Ionian Islands. It is mentioned by Mr.
Taylor among the birds found by him on the Nile;
by the Rev. H. B. Tristram in Northern Africa; by
Mr. Salvin in the Eastern Atlas; by Dr. Heuglin
among the birds of the Red Sea, “Ibis,” vol. i.; and
by Mr. Carte among the birds of passage in the
southern parts of the Crimea. It is also stated by
Captain Loche to be found in the three provinces of
Algeria. It does not occur in Mr. Hodgson’s “Cata-
logue of Indian Birds,” though the family is well
represented. Neither is it included in Dr. Adams’s
“Birds of Cashmere.” In North America the Saxico-
lincB are represented by the genus Sialia of Swainson,
containing howmver only three species.

The habits of the Russet AYheatear are very similar
to those of the other members of the family, between
some of which there is a very strong affinity — quite
sufficient, according to Mr. Tristram’s observations, to
justify the inference that they may be considered as
races or permanent varieties of the same species.
Between S. stapazma and S. homochroa, says this gen-

RUSSET WHEATEAR.

125

tleman, widely as they appear separated, a well-chosen
series of the numerous African species of the class,
‘^will exhibit a range of transitions so imperceptible,
that it will be found very difficult without careful
comparison to draw a line between one species and
another.” — “Ibis,” vol. i., p. 432.

This bird, says Mr. Salvin, at page 30T of the same
work, is found in similar situations, and appears equally
distributed with S. aurita, whose favourite resort is
among stony ground at the foot of hills or old ruins.
“Xo difference is noticeable between the eggs of these
species.”

In general distribution of colour Mr. Tristram says
there is much resemblance to the Desert Chat, but
the bill and tarsi are one third less in length; the
black of the throat does not extend so far, and in the
latter, the head and back are of a more sombre Isabel
colour. Mr. Tristram says “that without exception the
upper plumage of every bird, whether Lark, Chat
Sylvian, or Sand Grouse, and also the fur of all the
small mammals, and the skins of all the snakes and
lizards, are of one uniform isabelline or sand-colour.” —
“Ibis,” vol. i., p. 430.

This beautiful adaptation of colour, so important as
a protection against their enemies, is, in my opinion,
produced in these animals principally by means of the
food. When colour is owing to the deposit of pigment,
it is clear that this pigment must exist in the organic
productions by which the animals are surrounded, for
it produces the same colour in them. In the humming
bird which feeds on the nectar of flowers, which being
hidden, requires no colour-pigment, the hue of the
plumage is owing to a peculiar sculpturing of the
ultimate ramule of the colourless feather.

If

1;2() KUSSET WHEATKAR.

About Marcli, says Count Mlihle, after every fre^li
storm, bands of new arrivals of S. stapazina may be
observed in Greece. They soon scatter themselves
among the rocky hills, where they move about restlessly
among Emheriza ccesia, Surma noctua, and Turdus
cyanus. They always seem angry without there being
any cause of alarm, and are constantly snapping and
pecking one another, although they live at peace with
other birds.

They are very 'shy and circumspect, and build their
nests in the holes of rocks, singly. The nest is made
of blades of grass and the down of grass flowers, and
generally contains five eggs, sea-green, sprinkled spa-
ringly with pale-coloured spots.

Of twenty-seven eggs examined by Moquin-Tandon,
from the neighbourhood of Gignac, twenty were of a
uniform blue, rather darker than the eggs of the
Common Wheatear ; six had points, almost imperceptible,
of brownish, particularly at the larger end; one had a
deeper colour, with flve or six spots of brown black on
the greater end.

The adult male in breeding-plumage has the top of
the head, nape, and upper part of back, rich buff*;
lower part of the back white, mottled with black;
rump, upper tail coverts, and three parts of the tail
beneath, white; throat, and underneath eyes and ears,
upper wing coverts, and two medium tail feathers,
glossy black. Wings blackish brown; secondaries fringed
with grey, and the primaries underneath blackish brown;
chest, abdomen, flanks, and under tail coverts, light
buff, more or less deep on the chest; forehead, and a
line between the black of the throat and the neck,
creamy white. Beak and feet, black; iris dark brown.

In autumn, according to Degland, the top of the

RUSSKT WIIEATEAR.

head and neck, and upper part of back, are russet,
shaded off into grey on the head ; the chest is a
brighter russet, passing into whitish on the abdomen;
below the eyes, throat, and wings, black, with the
feathers bordered more or less Avith russet, particularly
the wing coverts; rump and tail as in breeding season,
but with a slight border of greyish or russet at the
extremity of the primaries.

The female in the breeding plumage has the head
russet brown; nape and back dirty russet; throat
blackish; abdomen, and a large band over the eye,
whitish; scapularies black, terminated with russet; wings
blackish brown, the quills bordered Avith russet; tail
as in the male, but Avith the black more extended.

My figures of this bird and its egg are from speci-
mens kindly sent to me by Mr. Tristram.

Figured by EdAvards, plate 31; Guldenstadt, Nov.
Comm., petr. xix., p. 468, tab. xae; Naumann, taf. 90,
figs. 1 and 2; Konx. Ornith. Prov., pi. 199, (male,)
fig. 1, (female,) fig. 2; Bouteille, Ornith. du Dauph., pi.
22, fig. 2; Gould, B. of E., pi. 91.

INSECTIVORiE.

Family SAXICOLINJE.

Genus Saxicola, f Bechstein.J

BLACK-EAEED WHEATEAR.

Saxicola aiirita.

Vitijiora ruhescens,

“ aririta,

Motacilla staiJazina, (var. B.,)

Sylvia stapazina, (var. B.,)
Saxicola aurita,

Ci i6

jEnantlie albicollis,

Le Moteux Hegnauhy,

Traquet Oreillard,
Schwarzbhriger Sleinsclimdtzer ,
Monachella,

Bkisson; Orn., 17G0.

Bonapaete, 1838.

Gjielin; Syst., vol. i., p. 966,
1788.

Latham; Ind., p. 531, 1790.
Temminck; Man., 2ud. Edit.,
vol. i., p. 241, 1820.

ScniNZ, 1840. Schlegel, 1844.
ViEiLLOT; Faun. Fr., p. 190.

ViEILLOT.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Of Savi and Store.

Specific Characters. — Throat always white or whitish; rest as
in Stapazina. Length five inches seven to nine lines. — Temminck.
Length of specimen sent me by Mr. Tristram, six inches.

The Black-eared Wheatear is an inliabitant of the
middle-sized mountains of the south of Europe, and, ac-
cording to Temminck, is more common in the north of
Italy than the preceding species. It is frequently found

BLACK -KAKED

W HEATEAH.

•>

B T , A C K - E A K F, D W H R A T E A R .

129

on the shores of the Mediterranean, in the Appenincs,
in the Illyrian Provinces, in Sardinia, and Neapolitan
States, but, like the preceding species, never in the
centre of Europe. It appears in the south of France
in spring, but never in great numbers. It is mentioned
by Count Miihle as being found in Greece. The Hon.
T. L. Powys, in his very interesting description of the
birds of the Ionian Islands, (“Ibis,” April, 1860, page
140,) says that this bird is the least common of the
three species observed there. It arrives with the
Common and Pusset AYheatear, in March. It is in-
cluded in Captain Loche’s list of Algerian birds; in
that of Mr. Tristram in Northern Africa; and Mr.
Salvin in the Eastern Atlas. Schlegel gives Arabia
and Egypt as localities. It does not appear to occur
in India or the New "World.

The habits of the Eared AVheatear are very similar
to those of S. stapazina. It is found in nearly the
same localities, and was long confounded with it. They
are found in the most retired and arid regions, and
together imitate the songs of other birds. The two
species, according to Degland, are to be distinguished
by the throat being at all times white in aiirita, and
always more or less black in stapazina. The tarsi
also are shorter, and the colour of the eyes more
lively than those of the latter bird. On this subject
we have also the high testimony of Count Miihle,
who remarks, that although the identity of the two
species has been advocated by Bonelli, Calvi, and
Bitter Yon IMarinora, he has had abundant opportunity
in Greece of satisfying himself that they are distinct.
In the specimens which are now before me the buff
colour is much lighter in aurita than stapazina, and
the tarsi are slightly shorter; the curve at the end

VOL. II.

1-30

li r.ACK-EAIlF.l) WITEATEAK.

of the upper mandible is also shorter. Altogctlier
it is very difficult to come to any other conclusion
than that they are races of the same bird. On the
whole, hoAvcver, it appears to have the rccpiisites of
modern ornithology to constitute a species.

The Rev. H. B. Tristram, whose knowledge of these
birds is very considerable, and derived from that sure
source, practical acquaintance in their own homes, writes
me word — “S. stapazina and S. aurita differ from the
youngest to the oldest stage constantly. They are both
very common on the sides of the Atlas, esjDecially the
southern. I have taken many nests, hut never knew
the two cross. There is not the slightest difference in
the sexes. The nests are alike. In the eggs, to judge
from a small induction, stapazina has more spots col-
lected in a zone at the broad end; in aurita they
are more generally diffused over the surface. They
build in niches in rocks and ruins, and on the ground
or steep banks, or among the stum23s of old trees.
They differ among themselves, I should say, as Whin-
chat and Stonechat, and yet it is very curious how
close, and yet how distinct they are. I have got a
nest of each, taken from the same ruins.”

On the other hand, Moquin-Tandon (‘‘Revue et
Mag. de Zoologie,” July, 1858,) says, — “I for a long
time thought the eggs of S. stapazina w'ere unicolorous,
and those of S. aurita marked by brownish spots on
the greater end. Fresh observations have shewn me
that the eggs of the two s]3ecies are exactly alike,
which has given additional weight to the o^^inions of
Bonelli and Prince Charles Bona^Jarte, that these two
SaxicolcB are one and the same species.”

“The favourite resort of the Eared IFheatear,” says
Mr. Salvin, (“Ibis,” vol. i., jEage 307,) “is among stony

B L A C K - E A K E D '\V II E A T E A K .

131

ground at tlie foot of the hills; and in such places it
may be looked for and generally found. Koman ruins
also are much frequented. We obtained two nests from
the Madracen, where they were placed in the inter-
stices of the stone of that building. Usually the nests
were close by or under a large fragment of rock.”

Like stapazina, the Eared Wheatear builds its nest
among rocks and stones near the ground. The nest is
deep and wide, and is not made with much care. It
is formed of dry grasses, wool, hair, etc., in which is
deposited five or six eggs, of a greenish blue, generally
deeper coloured than those of stapazina, and with the
spots thicker, and more coloured with brown or rust
red.

The male in breeding plumage has the head, nape
and back, of a light buff. Hump, throat, and two-
thirds of tail below, white; abdomen and under tail
coverts, creamy white, more or less shaded with light buff;
scapularies a mixture of buff and black feathers ; greater
wing coverts, two upper tail feathers, lower third of
tail underneath, and a band extending from the gape
along the entire cheek and side of head, glossy black.
Wing primaries hair brown, secondaries darker; beak
and legs, black; iris, dark brown.

The female, according to Degland, differs sensibly
from the male during the breeding season; the side of
the head is brown, mixed with russet; the throat is
dirty white; the wings less black, and that of the tail
quills less extended. In autumn the changes of both
sexes are similar: more russet on the upper and lower
parts, and the feathers of the wings deeply bordered
with russet.

The young before the first moult resemble the young
of the Hock Thrush; an ashy russet, darker below.

132

L A C K - E A K E D AY 1 1 E A T E A K ,

with each feather bordered with brown, and marked
in the centre with a yellowish spot; middle of the
abdomen and under tail coverts, of this tint; middle
and greater wing coverts broadly bordered with russet.
After the first moult the young only differ from the
female in autumn, by the wing having no trace of
broAvn on the side of the head, and by the throat
being russet.

My figures of this bird and its egg are from speci-
mens with which I have been obligingly favoured by
the Kev. H. B. Tristram.

Figured by Brisson, Orn., vol. iii., pi. 25, fig. 4;
Edwards, pi. 31, (a good figure, but given as the female
of S. stapazina i) Vieillot, Faun. Fr., pi. 85, figs. 1, 2,
and 3; Boux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 200, (adult male;)
Bouteille, Ornith. du Dauph., pi. 22, fig. 4; Gould, B.
of E., pi. 92.

133

INSECTIVOR.E.

Family SAl^ICOLIN^L
Genus Saxicola. ( Bechstein.J

PIED WHEATEAE.

Saxicola leucomela.

Motacilla leucomela,

Saxicola leucomela,

ii

(S

(( (6
“ lugens,

YUifiora leucomela,

Traquet leucomele, Motteux
leucomele, Motteux pleschanka,
Elster Stein schmdtzer.

Pallas; Nov. Comm. Petrop.,
xiv., p. 584.

Temminck ; Man., 2nd. Edit.,
vol. iii., p. 166.

Ketseeling and Blasius.

SCHINZ. SCHLEGEL.

Degland.

Lichtenstein; Cat. des
doubles du Mus de Berlin,
p. 33.

Bonapaete.

Of the Eeench.

Of the Geemans.

Specific Characters. — First primary shorter than the third;
basal half of two middle tail quills white, the other half black;
upper tail coverts, white; under tail coverts slightly tinged with
russet. Length of male specimen sent me by Mr. Tristram, six
inches; carpus to tip three inches and a half; tarsus one inch.

134

riEl) AVHEATEAU.

This bird is an inhabitant of the north of Europe,
especially the southern parts of llussia, the Daouria,
the Altai Mountains, and Lapland. There is a species
found in India, Avhich only differs from the present in
having the under tail coverts white instead of pale
russet. This is, however, thought sufficient, by Gray
and others, to separate it from the leucomela of
Temminch; the consequence of which is, we have two
leucomelas, that of Latham in India, and that of
Temminck in Europe.

Dr. Leith Adams informs me that the bird mentioned
in Mr. Carte’s “ Observations on the Climate and
Zoology of the Crimea,” as being observed there during
the passage in April, is the Indian species, with the
white under tail coverts. This makes it extremely
probable that there is only one species. Temminck
mentions the Levant and Crimea as localities for his
species. The European bird also differs in the more
or less deep shade of the russet colour of the under
tail coverts. One variety has been called and described
as a different species under the name of S. lugens by
Lichtenstein. This has also been found in Greece by
Count Miihle. It inhabits the Levant, Egypt, and
Nubia; while Temminck’s typical species is found more
especially in the Ural and Siberia. All modern authors,
however, agree in considering that the darker under
tail coverts of S. lugens do not entitle it to specific
distinction from S. leucomela. Why then should a lighter
colouring of the same feathers, and part of the shafts
of primaries, be adduced as evidence of a specific dif-
ference between the Indian and European leucomela?

Mr. Tristram writes me word that he doubts the
identity of the African and Indian leucomela with
lugens; but he adds, “^Take an Egyptian or Arabian

■(

1. PIED WHEATEAR.

2. GREY-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL.

3. BLACK-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL.

PIED AVHEATEAE.

135

birdj and you will find an intermediate gradation. Arc
they not all races of the same species?”

The Pied Wheatear has habits very similar to its
congeners. It builds in the clefts of rocks, sometimes
among heaps of stones. Temminclc says it also builds
in the banks of rivers, in the holes made by wasps.
It lays four or five eggs, having the general character
of those of the family. Its food is beetles and other
insects.

The adult male in breeding plumage has the summit
of the head, nape, rump, lower part of chest, and
abdomen, jmre white; side of the head, throat, front
of neck, space between the eyes and beak, and greater
wing coverts, sooty black. Wings brown, the secon-
daries slightly bordered with white. Tail white for
two thirds of its length, the end and two middle tail
feathers black; under tail coverts light russet; beak,
feet, and iris, black.

The female is ashy brown above, with a paler tint
on the head; ashy below, with the eyebrows and throat
white.

Birds of the year, according to Degland, have the
head varied with white and brown ; feathers of the
back and wing coverts bordered with russet; throat
and front of neck barred with russet and black; abdo-
men dirty white. The young males have the flanks
ashy grey.

Figured also by Pallas, Nov. Comm. Petr., 14, pi.
22, fig. 3; Temminck, pi. color. 257, f. 3, adult male;
Guldenstadt, Nov. Comm. Petrop., vol. xix., p. 468,
pi. 15.

INSECTIVOR^.

Family SAXICOLINu^.
Genus Saxicola. fBechstein.J

MENETEIES’ WHEATEAE.

Saxicola saltatrix.

Saxicola saltator,

“ saltatrix,

6i (C

t6 H

Yil'ijlora saltatrix,
Traquet Oriental,
Ostlicher Stei nscli in dtzer.

Menetries; Cat. Cauc., 1836.
Keyseeling and Blasids; Die
Wirbelt, 1840.

Schlegel; Eevue, 1844.
Degland, 1849.

Bonaparte, 1838.

Of the Drench.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — The first primary equal in length to the
fourth feather of the greater wing coverts; the second a little
longer than the fifth, the second and fourth about equal, but
shorter than the third, which is the longest in the wing.
Length of a specimen sent me by Mr. Ti'istram, and which is
figured, si.Y inches and three quarters; carpus to tip of wing
four inches; tail two inches.

This bird is an inhabitant of Egypt, jSiubia, the
Ural Mountains, Greece, and borders of the Caspian
Sea. It is mentioned by Mr. Tristram, in his list of
the Birds of Palestine, and by Dr. Hueglin, among
those collected by him during a voyage in the Bed
Sea, (“^Tbis,” vol. i., pages 29 and 341.) Dr. Hueglin

MENETRIES’ WHEATEAR.

M K N ET R 1 E s’ ’vN' H E A T E A K .

1.‘37

found it in the' Danakil country, between the Peninsula
of Buri and the Gulf of Tadjura, on the Somali coast,
and in Southern Arabia. •

There is nothing to add about the habits of this
bird, which Mr. Tristram says are precisely similar to
those of the Common Wheatear.

Head, nape, and back down to the rump, and wing
coverts, a mixture of buff with olivaceous green; rump
and basal half of tail pure white. Wings brown, the
primaries after the fourth lightly, and the secondaries
more deeply bordered with the same colour as the back,
but brighter, the same tint as the fringe being shewn
where the colour of the back passes into the white
of the rump. As usual in all the Wheatear s I have
described, the two middle tail feathers are black after
the first third from base. Throat, neck, and lower part
of abdomen, dirty white; the chest and upper part of
the abdomen, under wing and tail coverts, light buff.

The colours above described of the feathers of the
body, are produced by tints at the extremities of the
feathers only. The real colour of all the feathers below
the surface is black, like that of leueomela, a point well
worthy of attention in looking at the affinities of these
birds, and estimating how far the variations in colour
may be owing to climatic causes and mode of living.

The feathers covering the ears are a darker buff,
with a light line extending over them from the angle
of the eye. Feet black, the hinder claw more strongly
curved than the anterior ones; beak horn-coloured.

I am indebted for the bird from which my drawing is
taken, as well as those of bird and egg of the last species,
to the kindness of the Rev. H. B. Tristram. My figure
of the bird is from a male specimen, killed in Egypt,
February 5th., 1852.

VOL. II.

u

138

INSECTIVORil^l.

Family MO TA CILLIBML
Genus Motacilla. ( Latham.)

Generic Characters. — Beak slender, straight, awl-shaped,
cylindrical, and angnlated between the nostrils; the edge of
the inferior mandible compressed inwards. Tv^ostrils basal,
lateral-ovoid, partly closed by a naked membrane. Tarsi as
long again as the middle toe; three toes in front and one
behind, the outer toe of the three joined to the middle toe
at its base; the claw of the hinder toe longer than those in
front, which are very small. Tail very long and nearly even
at the end, having twelve feathers. Wings of moderate size,
first quill the longest, second and third equal, and nearly
as long as the first. The tertials very long.

YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL.

Motacilla citreola.

Motacilla citreola, Pallas; Voy., vol. iii., p. 696, 1776.

“ “ Gmeltn; Sy.st., p. 962, 1788.

“ “ Latham; Ind., 1790.

“ “ Temminck; Man., p. 259, 1820.

“ “ Keyseeling and Blasilts; Dio

Wirbelt, 1840.

“ “ ScHiNZ; Europ. Faun., 1840.

“ “ Schlegel, 1844. Degland, 1849.

Mtddendoeff; SIbirische Ileise,
ii., p. 163.

Bonaparte, ISSS-.

Hinlylcs citreola,

YELLOW - Li EADED WAGTAIL.

YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL.

139

Bergeronnette citrine,
Citrotiengelhe Schafstelze,
Yelloio-headed Wagtail,

Of the French.

Of the Germans.
Pennant; Arct. Zoology.

Specific Characters. — Beak and scapularies bluish grey; head,
neck, throat, and all inferior parts of the body, citron yellow;
the lateral tail feathers pure white. In the female top of the
head and cheeks ashy grey. Length six and a half to seven
inches.

The Wagtails form a group of birds always in-
teresting to the naturalist. They are among the most
beautiful and elegant of the feathered tribes, and there
are few people who have not watched their graceful
movements among our rocky streams without pleasure.

They are also interesting studies to the philosophic
naturalist — for they present him with some pleasing
problems as to the distinction between species and variety
and race. “Natural selection” has been busy with the
group, and without however shewing any tendency to
develop a Pelican or a Balcsniceps rex out of the
delicate Wagtail, it has given to one a darker head,
and to another a gayer coat, which I doubt not will,
in that extensive future which we are told to expect,
have their due influence over the deluded eyes of the
weaker Wagtail sex.

There are eight European Wagtails described by
authors, five of which are observed in England. Degland
however has reduced this eight to four. He leaves
out M. luguhris, Pallas, as of uncertain occurrence in
Europe, and he considers 31. yarrelli, with which it is
thought identical by authors, as a variety of our White
Wagtail, the 3Iotacilla alba of Limifeus.

31. cinereo-capilla of Savi, 31. melanocephala and

140

YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL.

M. Jlavcola, (Ray’s Wagtail,) are considered Ly both
Degland and Schlegel, to bo races or varieties of M. jiata,
(our Grey-headed AVagtail.)

Mr. Tristram writes me word that ho cannot satisfy
himself of the specific distinction of M. jlaca from M.
cinereoceplinla, and that he can shew every intermediate
gradation between M. Jlateola and M. melanocejjJiala.

This subject is very well treated by Dr. Zander in
“Naumannia,” 1858, Part 3, p. 239. Dr. Zander con-
siders that all European Wagtails are varieties of M.
alba, M. hoarula, M. citreola, and 31. Jlava, Linnteus.
He says he considers much of the difficulty arises
from the fact that the intermediate varieties are not
so frequently seen as the so-called species. He de-
scribes how perplexing are the changes produced by
a substitution of black or yellow for grey, or by the
passing of grey into grey yellow. “The grey goes
through all shades till it comes to the clearest black,
and the eye stripe becomes less, until hardly seen.” He
also thinks that the various colours in the females and
young are not good specific indications. The clear
black head predominates in warm, and the black-grey
head in temperate climates, the grey-yellow head being
peculiar to England.

Under these circumstances, and after consulting various
specimens, and leaving the English species for others
to discuss, I shall introduce into this work the subject
of the present notice as distinct; and M. Jlava-cinereo-
cepliala, and 31. jiata-melanocepliala, as probable per-
manent varieties or races. And I do this the more
willingly because I think the more doubtful a species,
the greater the necessity for making it thoroughly
well known.

The Yellow-headed Wagtail is an inhabitant of

YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL.

141

Eastern Russia, Siberia, and Bokhara. It is rarely
found more south, though Calvi has introduced it among
the birds of Liguria, and Temminck has given the
Crimea, Hungary, and the Archipelago, as probable
localities. It is therefore not much known to naturalists,
and we must accompany Pennant, Pallas, or Middendorff,
into the far cold arctic regions, to gain a glimpse of
its whereabouts.

“This species,” says Middendorff, “breeds very rarely in
Boganida, (71° N., Br.) In the S. E. I missed it en-
tirely. Gould falls into the same mistake as Pallas in
stating that the European A^ellow Wagtail exceeds M.
citreola in size. It is just the contrary. The colour of
the back of my ‘Siberian species is also blackish, with
a lead-coloured tint, and not greenish, as it is rep-
resented by Gould. The summer dress of the old female
seems hitherto to have escaped observation; what Pallas
says respecting it is indefiinte, and Gould’s drawing
does not agree with the Siberian form. The female
in summer dress has the top of the head lead-grey,
with a greenish tint, and the yellow of the throat is
separated from the yellow stripe over the eyes by a
grey band.”

Of its habits and propagation nothing is known, as
IMiddendorff does not mention the subject further than
in the passage quoted.

The adult male has the top of the head, cheeks, and
inferior parts generally vivid and pure citron yellow;
on the occiput is a large black band, in the form of a
cross; nape, back, crop, and flanks, lead-colour; middle
and great wing coverts bordered and terminated with
pure white; primaries and rectrices, blackish, except the
two lateral tail feathers, which are pure white; feet and
legs brown; posterior claw longer than the toe. The

142

YELLOW-HEADED WAGTAIL.

males and females have no black cross on the occiput
after the autumn moult.

The distinctive characters of the female have been
already noticed, and will be further observed in my
figure, which is an adult female in summer plumage,
after Middendorff.

Figured by Gould, pi. 144; Middendorff, Sibirische
Reise, ii., pi. 14, fig. 4.

« •

V

:

I

%

I

i

• <

143

INSECTIVOR.E.

Family MOTACILLID2F.
Genus Motacilla. f Latham. J

GREY-HEADED A'ELLOW WAGTAIL.

Motacilla Jlava, ( Lin. nec llay.) Var, cinereo-capilla.

2IutacitJa cinereo-capilla,

if

i( it if

it if if

a f( it

“ jlava cinereo-capilla,

“ feJdegffi,

“ dalmatica,
Tdergeronnette de printems a tele
Graukopfige gelhe Schafutelze,

Savi; Orn. Tosc. iii, p. 216.
Bonaparte; Icon. d. Faun.

Ital., pi. 31, f. 2.
Degland. Dpbots.
Cabanis.

Selys-Longchamps.
ScHLEGEL; Eevue.
Michaellis.

Bruch.

ise. Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specijic Characters. — Feathers of the back and rump olive fijreen;
throat white. No white or yellow stripe over the eye. All the
rest as in M. jlava. Length about six inches.

j'soTHi>"G can better illustrate the difficulties which at
tend the determination of species w'hen slight alterations
in colour are taken as sufficiently distinctive, than this and
the following bird. As Dr. Zander has well remarked,
we find the two ends of the series of varieties, and

144

GREY-IIEADKD YELLOW WAGTAIL.

constitute them species. The intermediate forms do not
come under our observation so frequently, and we
therefore lose the significance of the serial affinities.
Believing, as I do, that much of the system of determining
species in Natural History in modern days is deficient
in sound scientific principle, I have no occasion to seek
for a solution of the difficulty in the theory of trans-
mutation. I think that differences of climate and food
are all-sufficient to produce a great majority of the va-
riations we meet with: and as it is more than probable
that the world contains a vast number of special cases
wherein these influences of food and climate operate
distinctly, I have no difficulty in accounting for the
variation of species, or of satisfying myself that the
difference of a feather here or there is not sufficient to
justify the splitting up of our naturally defined genera
and families into an interminable long list of Greek
derivatives, quite sufficient to frighten away nine tenths
of the students of nature from the most beautiful and
instructive of all pursuits.

The Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail is a common bird
during the summer in Italy and other hot parts of
Europe, as Dalmatia, Tuscany, Sicily, Sardinia, and the
south of France and Spain. This is its area, but it is
also occasionally found in Belgium, and it has been
taken by M. De Selys-Longchamps in the neighbourhood
of Liege. It has also been found in Nubia and Egypt.

Of its habits we have the following in the ‘^Oiseaux
de la Belgique,” of M. Ch. F. Dubois: —

‘‘The extensive plains, meadows, and marshes are the
places which these birds more especially frequent; they
like a moist soil among osiers and reeds, and other
aquatic plants, especially the male, who in the breeding
season will remain for hours in these retreats appealing

GREY-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL. 145

to his mate with his soft and tender notes. There is
much agility in all their movements, but they are ex-
cessively timid, and are driven away by the least noise.
Notwithstanding they are taken in numbers in Italy,
where the pleasures of the table supersede any regard
for the utility of these birds. The next is placed at a
slight elevation on the ground, either among the grass
or corn, and is formed of roots, blades of grass, and
moss ; the interior is made soft and warm by wool. The
eggs are four or five in number, and do not sensibly
differ from those of the Yellow Wagtail.”

The ‘^specific characters” by which this notice is
headed, are those by which this variety may generally
be distinguished, but they are by no means constant.
Mr. Tristram has sent me two specimens of M. Jiava of
Linnseus, (known to British naturalists by the name 31.
neglecta, adopted by Gould and Yarrell,) shot in Algeria,
one in May, 1856, the other in May, 1857. In the
former the head is grey; the white mark extends from
the posterior angle of the eye for five lines and a half,
but not over it at all, and the throat is pure white. In
the latter, a male, the white stripe extends as usual over
the eye, but the throat, like the rest of the body, is
yellow, with this exception, that the feathers at the hase
of the under mandible, and a line separating the grey
of the head from the yelloio of the throat, are white.
These are evidently transitional varieties, and did they
point to real structural changes, would be valuable
supports of the natural selection theory.

Of the adult male the top of the head, the nape, and
cheeks are of a grey lead-colour; the back and rump
bright olive green; throat, sides, and front of the neck
pure white; rest of the under parts bright and deep
yellow, having the flanks more or less olive green; wing

VOL, II.

X

146

GREY-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL.

coverts bordered with olive green. Wings and tail as
ill the Yellow Wagtail; beak, iris, and feet, brown.

In the female the olive green of the upper parts has
a tinge of russet on the head and back.

In the young the upper parts, according to Degland,
are ashy green, with the head olive-coloured, yellow
below, with the throat white, and a yellow superciliary
edge.

It is figured by Bonaparte in ‘‘Fauna Italica,” pi.
31, f. 2, and by Dubois, “Oiseaux de la Belgique,”
part 77, pi. 93, male and female.

I

t. .

li

147

INSECTIVOR^.

Famihj MOTACILLIBM.
Genus Motacilla. ( Latham.)

BLACK-HEADED YELLOW
WAGTAIL.

Motacilla jiava, (Lin.,) Var. melanocephala.

Motacilla melanocephala.

“ Jlava-melanocephala,

“ viridis,

Tjudytes melanocephala,
Bergeronette, or Hochqueue
a tete Noire,

Schicarzkopfige gelhe schafstelze.

Bonaparte; Icon. cl. Faun, Ital.
pi. 31, fig. 3.

Degland. Lichtenstein.
Dubois.

Schlegel; Bevue.

Gmelin. Scopoli. Hodgson.
Meneteies.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — Top of the head and cheeks a deep
black; beak black; throat Mhite. Length about sis inches.

This so-called species was described and figured by
Prince diaries Bonaparte, in the ^‘Fauna Italica,” pi.
31. Its claims to specific distinction have, however,
been doubted by Temininck and others. Mr. Tristram
writes me word that he has seen every gradation of

148

BLACK-HEADED A'ELLOW WAGTAIL.

colour from M. fiaveola, (our Yellow Y'agtail,) up to
the present bird, and he has sent me specimens which
bear out this opinion. It is, in fact, very probable
that all the European Yellow Y^agtails are permanent
varieties or races of the same type. Mr. Tristram
writes, “I have obtained M. fiaveola, (Ray’s AYagtail,)
in Morocco, where it is certainly the general, if not
the only variety. In Spain and Portugal I have got
it, and not J/. fiava, and I presume that on the
Atlantic coast 31. fiaveola is the commonest form. In
Algeria 31. fiava is almost universal, but I have twice
shot 31. fiaveola in its passage in the Bay of Algiers.
At Tunis, and further east, I have only found 31. fiava
and ’J/. cinereo-cajnlla. At Pyles (Navarino,) I got
31. melanocepliala, which is also very common at Athens,
where I saw no other. In Palestine I got 31. melano-
cephala only, but I saw at Jerusalem, in Dr. Rotte’s
room, a skin of 31. fiava. Thus it aj^pears to me that
the varieties glide into one another, the hlacJc on the
head increasing in intensity as roe go eastwards^

These are very interesting remarks, and clearly lean
towards the very strong inference that these birds have
a common origin. Count Mlihle has taken the opposite
view, and gives the following as his reasons. He says
in the first place, that in Greece the plumage of 31.
fiava is the same as with us, that it never mixes witli
melanocephala, and that, while the former is found in
the districts of Lavadien, Malo, and Lamia, the latter
occurs in the Morea; and that, where 31. fiava is
found, there also shall we meet with 31. alba, but never
31. melanocephala. He further remarks that 31. melano-
cephala goes away early Avith 3Ierops apiaster and
Enihcriza ccesia, Avhile 31. fi.ava may be found in
Avinter, and that among hundreds of specimens of

BLACK-HEADED A'ELLOW WAGTAIL.

149

M. melanocephala, which he had seen, none were in a
transition state. M. Dubois endorses Count Miihle’s
views, and gives figures and description of the bird.

Dr. Leith Adams informs me that this bird is iden-
tical Avith the M. viridis of Scopoli, and that consequently
this name ought to have priority. Dr. Adams remarks:
— “B. viridis and melanocejihala are identical, and I
have Mr. Blyth’s authority for this opinion, (Cat. Mus.
As. Soc., No. 775-776, and Append., p. 325,) who
remarks, ^the birds acquire the blue-grey feathers on the
head at the vernal moult, Avhich change oftentimes to
black.’ It is found in the Punjaub, Scinde, and India
generally, as well as in North Africa.”

With regard to the priority of name, as I have only
noticed this bird as a variety of M. Jlava, any alteration
would be unnecessary. The above remarks and quo-
tation by Dr. Adams, give further strength to the view
I have taken of the want of specific distinction in this
bird.

The Black-headed Aiello av Wagtail, or, as it is called
by Dubois, the Blackcap Wagtail, is found generally,
as it has appeared from the above remarks, in Algeria,
Egypt, Nubia, Arabia, Syria, Persia, and in Bokhara.
According to Miihle it is common in the Morea. It
occurs in Dalmatia, Sicily, and the Caucasus. In
Germany, France, and Belgium it is accidental, and
rare in Italy. Taken by W. H. Simpson, Esq., at
Missolonghi, in Greece, June, 1859.

In its habits it varies but little from the A^ariety last
described. It is fond of pastures, plains, and marshes.
Dubois says that it is constantly on the ground; but
that it also is frequently found perching on the branches
of bushes, and on the stems of aauUoaa's and osiers;
that they are very lively in their movements, but he

150

BLACK-HEADED YELLOW WAGTAIL.

deprives tliem of tlieir usual gentle cliaracter Ly declaring
that they are “farouches et sauvages.”

The same author tells us they feed on flies, gnats,
moths, and beetles, both in the perfect and larva state;
that they nest on the ground, or in a hush on the
borders of flelds and plains. The nest is made of blades
of dry grass, small roots, and moss, lined inside with
fine grass or wmol. They lay from four to six eggs.

The adult in breeding plumage has the cheeks, top
of the head, nape, and upper tail feathers deep black;
back olive green, but not so dark as in the preceding
variety; a beautiful yellow, or, as Degland has well
expressed it, d’un heau jaune jonquille, below; the crop
and part of the flanks more or less shaded with olive
green. Wing coverts olive green, bordered with grey;
primaries and secondaries hair brown, the latter broadly
bordered with grey, outer tail feathers white, the inner
web black at basal half; beak, feet, and iris, brown.

In the young, according to Degland, the upper parts
are olive grey, with the nape ashy and the head
blackish, darker in front, and above the eyes and ears;
yellowish below, with the throat whitish.

31. feldeggii is a transitional variety between this
and the last noticed.

My figures of the bird and its egg are taken from
specimens kindly sent me by the Rev. H. B. Tristram.

It is also figured by Bonaparte, in Fauna Italica,
pi. 31, fig. 2; Gould, B. of E.; Rlippell, Atlas Reise
Afric, pi. 33; Dubois, Oiseaux de la Belgique, pt. 48,
pi. 94, male and female.

lol

INSECTIVOR.^.

Familij MO TA CILLIDJE.
Genus Motacilla. f Latham.)

SOMBRE WAGTAIL.

Motacilla lugubris.

Motacilla luguhris,
((

“ leucoptera,

“ lugens,

a it

“ alba, var. lugens,

Schicarze Bachsielze,

Pallas; Fauna Possica.
Siebald; Fauna Japan.,

Tab. XXV.

Kittlitz; Taf. 21, f. i.
Bonaparte; Compar. list, 1838.
Gould; B. of E., pi. 142.
Temminck; Orn. Man., 1836,
(but not of 1820.)

Vigors.

Illiger.

Bonaparte; Conspectus,
p. 250, 1850.

Midden DORFF; Tbeil. ii.,

p. 166.

Meyer; Orn. Tasch.

Specific Characters. — Head, nape, beak, scapularies, tertials,
upper tail coverts, and upper tail feathers sooty black in winter
plumage. Bump ash grey; basal half of primaries, except first,
and the secondaries pnre white at all seasons.

Length of male sent me by Mr. Tristram, seven inches and two
fifths; of female six inches and seven tenths. From carpal joint
to tip three inches and a half; tail three inches and three fifths;
beak from gape seven tenths of an inch. Breadth of lower man-
dible at gape one fifth of an inch; tarsus one inch.

VOL. II.

Y

15:2

S():\1I}RK WAGTAIL.

This very distinct and striking species was excluded
by Sclilegel and BonapaVte from the European list, the
former stating we had no proof of its existence in Europe.
The Rev. H. B. Tristram has however been kind enough
to draw my attention to some recent captures in Turkey
and the Crimea, which have confirmed the original notice
of this bird by Pallas, on the borders of the Black
Sea.

This bird is very distinct from either 31. yarrellii or
31. alba, and may probably be considered typical of the
pied races.

I have been favoured with the following notes upon this
species, by Mr. Tristram: — “The bird figdred by Roux,
Orn. Prov., under this name, and also that described by
Temminck, in 1820, is merely the 3Iotacilla yarrellii
of Gould. Though Temminck corrected this error in
his edition of 1836, and suppressed all that he had for-
merly written on the subject, yet these authors have
been implicitly followed in their mistakes by almost all
subsequent writers. So much easier is it to perpetuate
error than to correct it.

Bonaparte, who had in his catalogue included 31.
luyuhris among the Birds of Europe, in his later work,
the “Conspectus,” while acknowledging the specific
value of 31. Ivyuhris, excludes it from the Birds of
Europe, having only seen Japanese specimens. Pallas,
however, found it on the shores of the Black Sea,
and it has since been frequently obtained in Turkey.
Several specimens were sent home by officers engaged
in the Crimean war, which had been obtained near
Sebastopol, some of Avhich I have had the pleasure of
examining. It winters regularly in Egypt and Nubia,
winch appear to be its western limits, and where it meets
the J/. alba of Europe. Thus we find one form, 31.

SOMBRE ^yAGTAIL.

loS

alba, with its western variety, 31. yarrellii, extending
over the whole of Europe and North Africa, and another,
31. lugiibris, occupying the vast continent of Asia, and
in its western limits disputing its territory with 31. alba.
It would also appear from the remarks of Middendorff,
that as 31. alba varies in its western habitat from the
typical form, so does 31. lugiibris in the extreme east
become more marked in its coloration.

In all stages however it may at once be distinguished
from any variety of 31. alba, by the wing primaries,
more than half of the upper portion of which are pure
white, while a white fringe, broader in summer than in
winter, runs along the outer edge of the secondaries.
The middle wing coverts are also pure white.”

The adult male in 'winter plumage has the whole of
the ujDper parts, except the rump, black, owing to the
ends of the feathers being of that colour; the basal half
of the feather is ash grey. Upper tail feathers, black;
rump ash grey, mingled more or less w’ith dusky feathers.
Throat, lore, ear coverts, belly, under tail and wing
coverts, and two outer tail feathers on each side, '\vhite.
The white of the belly rather tinged with cream-colour,
and the second tail feathers on each side having a slight
border of blackish brown. First four Aving primaries of
nearly equal length, the second longest, the fifth, sixth,
and seventh each one third of an inch shorter than the
preceding feather; seventh and eighth of equal length.
First primary entirely black, all the rest and the second-
aries having the basal half of each feather pure Avhite;
tips of the inner five primaries, and a border on the
inner Aveb of the secondaries, Avhite. Lesser wing coverts
and distal half of primaries black; distal half of second-
aries black, except the outer border; middle Aving coverts
Avith the inner web black, and the outer Avhite, the

154

SOMBRE WAGTAIL.

black prevailing more as they approach the entirely
black lesser coverts. Beak, feet, and tarsi black.

The female only differs from the male in being half
an inch less, in having less white about the wings, and
that of the belly and throat more decidedly cream-colour.

The specimen figured is a male sent me by Mr.
Tristram, and marked “Assouan, Feb. 2, 1860, W. C. B.
Medlycott.”

It has also been figured by Gould, pi. 142.

HED-THHOATED PlPIi'.

155

INSECTIVOPviE.

Fam ily M 0 TA CIL L I DAE.

Genus Anthus. f Bechstem.J

Generic Characters. — Beak slraiglit, slender, cylindrical, and
compressed towards the point, with the edges bent inwards
near the middle; base of the upper mandible rather elevated,
and the tips slightly hollowed out. Nostrils basal, lateral,
partly covered wdth a membrane; tarsi elongated; middle and
external toes united at their base; posterior toe very long,
and the claw more or less curved; the longest wing tertial as
long, or longer than the longest primary. Tail composed of
twelve quills, and emarginated.

KED-THROATED PIPIT.

Anthus cercinus.

Motacilla cervina,

Anthus rufvyularis,

a a

<< (C

it tc

“ cervinus,

“ pratensis rufigularis.
“ cecilii,

“ rosaceus.

Pipit a gorge Pousse,
Praunkeh tiger Wiesenpieper,

Pallas; Zoog., vol. i., p. 511,
(1811.)

Bkehji; Vogel Deut, (1831,)
p. 320.

Temminck; Man., (1835.)

Ch. Boxapaete; (1838.)
ScHiNz. Dubois. Naumann.
Keysekling and Blasius,
(1840.)

Schlegel; Revue, 1844.
Audouin.

Hodgson.

Of the Peench.

Of the Geemans.

15G

] i E I ) - T 1 1 R () A T 1-; I) r 1 1 ’ 1 r .

Specific Characters. — Featliera of upper ])arts blade, distinctly
bordered with prey, so as to j^ive a splendid appearance to the
plumage. Cheeks, throat, and breast of the male, and throat of
the female, russet red, with longitudinal dark spots. Hind toe of
equal length with the claw; the latter as much or more curved
than that of the Eock Pipit.

Length of male six inches and a half; from carpus to tip throe
inches and a half; beak from gape three quarters of an inch; beak
along ridge of upper mandible half an inch; tarsus nine tenths of
an inch; hind toe two fifths of an inch; claw two fifths of an inch;
middle toe seven tenths of an inch, and its claw a quarter of an
inch. Length of female six inches ; carpus to tip three inches and
one tenth; beak from gape seven tenths of an inch; beak on upper
ridge two fifths of an inch; rest as male.

The Pipits are a very natural but distinct family,
closely allied to the Wagtails on the one side, and to
the true Larks on the other. They are also very similar
to each other, differing principally in colour, and in the
shape of the hind claw. Each species is in fact adapted
to the circumstances of its existence. Our own British
species illustrates this very well. The Tree Pipit living
principally on trees or hushes, has the hind claw short
and curved; the Meadow Pipit, which lives more on
the ground, has the hind claw double the length of the
former, but nearly straight; while the Pock Pipit, which
lives upon insects and seeds found on the mud of rivers,
has the hind claw considerably curved, which enables it
to secure a firm footing on the mud. This bird is
tolerably plentiful in the neighbourhood of Colchester,
and my friend Dr. Maclean, who has studied the habits
of birds for many years with great care, assures me
that when disturbed on the banks of the river, it never
lights upon the turf, but always upon the mud by the
river side. I have myself verified this statement.

The Ped-throated Pipit belongs to the Pock Pipit

KKD-TIIROATED PIPIT.

157

branch, of the family; its claAV being much curved.
There has been much confusion about the bird in con-
sequence of this fact being overlooked. Schlegel, Deg-
land, and others have considered it a local variety of
A. pratensis. But if it is a local variety or race of
anything, it must be of A. ohsciirus, (Bock Pipit,) and
not of the INIeadow.

The Bed-throated Pipit is an inhabitant of Northern
Europe and Northern Africa. MiddendorlF, (“Sibirische
reise,” vol. ii., p. 165,) remarks, “It is generally AntJius
rupestris, (Bock Lark,) that is considered the northern
representative of the genus. I have not met with one
in North Siberia for years, and only exceptionally on
the European coast of the Bussian or Northern Ocean.
There is in the extreme north of the old world the A.
cervimis, Pallas, in great multitudes.”

It is found plentifully in Egypt, Nubia, Greece,
Turkey, and Barbary, during the winter. I have been
favoured. Avith the following very interesting account of
the discovery of this bird in East Finmark, by Alfred
Newton, Esq., of Elvedon, Avho has also most obligingly
sent me the skins, from which my figures are taken : —

“On the 22nd. of June, 1855, a few days after our
arrival at AVadso, in East Finmark, Mr. W. PI. Simpson
and I, in the course of a birds’-nesting Avalk to the
north-east of the toAvn, to the distance perhaps of a
couple of English miles, came upon a bog, Avhose ap-
pearance held out greater promise to our ornithological
appetites than we had hitherto met with in Norway.
AVe had crossed the meadoAvs near the houses, where
Temminck’s Stint and the Shore Lark Avere thrilling out
their glad notes, and traversed a Ioav ridge of barren
moor, Avhen the solicitude of a pair of Golden Plovers
plainly told us that they had eggs or young near us.

158

KKD-THROATEI) PIPIT.

A Dunlin’s nest was speedily found, and the bird pro-
cured to identify it, for we had hopes of all sorts of
waders in that remote district. A little while after, as
I was cautiously picking my way over the treacherous
ground, I saw a Pipit dart out from beneath my feet,
and alight again close by, in a manner which I was
sure could only be that of a sitting hen. I had but to
step off the grass-grown hillock on which I was standing,
to see the nest ensconced in a little nook, half-covered
by herbage. But the appearance of the eggs took me
by surprise, they were unlike any I knew, of a brown
colour indeed, but of a brown so warm, that I could
only liken it to that of old mahogany wood, and com-
pare them in my mind with those of the Lapland
Bunting. However there was the bird running about
so close to me, that with my glass I could see her almost
as well as if she had been in my hand. That she was
a Pipit was undeniable, and thoughts of a species till
then unseen by me began to dawn upon my imagina-
tion. I replaced the eggs without disturbing the nest,
and carefully marking the spot, we retired. In half an
hour or so we returned, going softly to the place, and
]\Ir. Simpson reaching his arm over the protecting has-
sock of grass, dexterously secured the bird in his hand
as she was taking flight. I then at once knew, from
her pale fawn-coloured throat, that the nest we had found
belonged to a species which up to that time I believed
had been known in Europe only as an accidental visi-
tant,— the Motacilla cervina of Pallas, the A. rufogularis
of Brehm.

A day or two later Mr. John Wolley returned from
a Swan-upping expedition he had been making in the
territories of our then imperial enemy. He told us that
previous to his starting he had shot, somewhere in the

KF.D-TIIROATET) riPIT.

159

neighbourhood of Wadso, an example of a Pipit, which
had puzzled him a good deal. The bird, which, during
his absence, had been kept in a cellar, was produced,
unskinned and still fresh, but unfortunately half eaten
by mice. A very short inspection served to shew that
it was a male of the same species as the hen we had,
as above-mentioned, taken from the nest. Being too
much injured to be preserved, it was reluctantly thrown
away.

In a week’s time w'e were quartered at Nyborg, a
small settlement at the head of the Waranger Fjord.
Here willows and birches grew with far greater luxu-
riance, even at the water’s edge, than lower down the
inlet. Some even attained to nearly twice the height
of a man, and formed thickets, which, the intervening
spaces being exceedingly boggy, were not easily explored.
In this secluded spot we found our Ked-throated friend
not unplentiful. We could scarcely go out of the house
without seeing one, and in the immediate neighbourhood
we procured several more identified nests, making a total
of five, and a fine series of nine birds, all, of course,
in their breeding plumage. We had also abundant
opportunities of watching their habits, and, above all, of
contrasting them with those of the Titlark, f A.pratensis,)
which was not iincommon in the district, and to which
this species has been so unjustly annexed as a variety.
The two birds had, according to our observation, an
entirely different range; A.pratensis haunting a station
less wooded (saving the expression) than that of A.
cermnus, which latter we found at times feeding on the
sea-shore — a habit we did not there notice the former
to indulge in. No one with ears either could for a
moment be in doubt about their respective notes. It
is true that the full song of A. cercinus did not differ

VOL. II.

160

RED-TIIROATED PIT’IT.

SO strikingly from tlio more fccklc performance of A.
])rate7isis as does, for instance, the joyous hurst of A.
arhoreus, hut it had an nnmistakahlc rescnihlance to
the louder and perhaps harsher strain of A. oh&cui'us ;
and in all cases was sufficiently characteristic for one to
he quite certain as to the nature of the performer, even
when the individual was not in sight. In a word, none
of our party had any hesitation as to regarding A. cer-
vinus as a perfectly good species.

I do not take upon myself a description of the spe-
cimens which I have had the pleasure of sending to Dr.
Bree. A young bird, obtained at Mortensnajs, (between
Wadso and Nyborg,) July 16th., and as it was attended
by its parents, (both of which were xoell seexi by Mr.
Wolley and myself,) could only have just left the nest,
seems to differ only from the young of the Titlark in
being of a ruddier complexion: a coloured drawing of
it, made only a few hours after its death, is now before
me. I have already mentioned what the eggs looked
like, and it would be difficult in words to convey a
better idea of them. All the nests I saw were simply
built of dry bents, without any lining of feathers or
hair.

I may however add that it was only in this restricted
locality in East Finmark — between Wadso and Nyborg
— that we saw this bird, and I believe Mr. AVolley
never met with it elsewhere, though a nest of uniden-
tified eggs, brought to him, in 1854, from Nyimakka,
{“y. p. 1066,”) a settlement on the upper part of the
Muonio river, may possibly belong to this species. At
Stockholm I saw in the posscssioia of Conservator Meres,
the ingenious discoverer of the cause of the bleating
noise made by the Common Snipe, a living Eed-throated
Pipit, which had been taken in a garden near that town.

RED-THROATED PIPIT.

101

where, I believe, it not unfrcqucntly occurs in its autumnal
migration.”

^liddendorff expressly statcs^that the bird he describes
is the same as that of Keyserling and Blasius ; and INIr.
Newton’s species is evidently that described by Midden-
dorlf, as M. cervimis. The male bird figured by the
latter is less spotted on the breast, and the chechs are
more covered with russet.

IMiddendorff remarks, “This bird was found in both
north and south Siberia. I shot a female in the Stonowoj
Mountains, on the 26th. of May, consequently not on
the passage. The rust-yellow of the Siberian specimen
has a somewhat violet tint, (very similar to the colour
on the breast of the Turtle Dove;) it covers the cheeks
near the eyes, the throat, flank, neck, and upper part
of the breast. It is only found in this plumage from
May to July. These colours are on the upper part of
the breast, sharply bordered with whitish yellow ; on
the belly, pencilled blackish spots. The back is very
dark, without reddish or yellowish tints, but the narrow
border of the feathers is whitish or greenish grey. The
four first wing primaries are of almost equal length,
and nearly as long as the longest tertial, as pointed out
by Keyserling and Blasius. The inner half of the white
outermost tail feather brownish, and there is a pointed
three-cornered while patch on the tip of the inner web
of the second feather; the rest of the tail feathers are
black brown. IVhen fresh the upper part of the beak
w’as dark horn-colour ; the under mandible at the point
the same, but at its root light yellow; iris, dark chesnut
brown; tarsus and toes brighter than iris, but the soles
of the feet orange yellow.”

The adult male sent to mo by Mr. Newton, and
marked “Nyborg, July 3-4, 1865, J. W. & N.,” agrees

162

R E D-TII RO AT E D 1> I PIT.

in the main with the above description. It has however
partly lost the rust-red on the checks, and the crop
and flanks are more spotted. The feathers of the back,
head, and nape are dark blackish brown, bordered with
g'reenish grey, lighter on the head and nape ; upper part
of tail dark brown; underneath the throat and part of
the cheeks and crop russet red, with a circlet of longi-
tudinal dark spots on the crop. The abdomen, flanks,
and under tail coverts creamy white, with a tinge of
russet, the flanks being thickly covered with long lon-
gitudinal brown spots. Wings and tail underneath glossy
mud-brown; tarsi and toes yellowish brown. The four
first primaries of nearly equal length, the fourth shortest ;
tertials very long, the longest going beyond the end of
primaries. Upper and lower wing coverts, as well as
tertials, broadly bordered with light yellowish or creamy
white. The tail is emarginate, dark brown above, and
earthy brown below ; first lateral quill white, with a
dusky patch on lower half of inner web; second quill
brown, with a triangular white patch at the tip, exactly
like the drawing of these two feathers given by Mid-
dendorff.

The female is half an inch less in length, and has
the upper plumage precisely the same as the male; below
the russet is confined to the throat and cheeks, wUile
the front of the neck and crop are thickly covered with
rich brown longitudinal patches and spots, contrasting
with the rich cream-coloured ground of the under j)arts ;
the under tail coverts have the light yellow russet or
cream-colour more pronounced than the abdomen; upper
mandible and anterior half of lower dark brown; basal
half of lower mandible yellowish; tarsi yellowish; feet
darker.

My figures of this bird are taken from specimens

KED-THH.0 ATED

PIPIT.

WATEK PIPIT.

RED-TiniOATED PIPIT.

163

kindly sent me by Mr. Alfred Newton; the female is
the bird taken on the nest, described in Mr. Newton’s
notes. The egg is from a specimen sent me by the
same gentleman.

Figured also by INIiddendorfF, Sibirische reise, vol. 2;
Gould, B. of E., pi. 140; Dubois, Ois. de la Belgique
Liv., 51, pi. 97 — a; Naumann, vol, 3, pl. 85, fig. 4.

1G4

INSECTIVOIU-.
Family MOTACILLID.F.
Genus Antiius. ( Bcchsleiti.J

WATER PIPIT.

Antlius spinoletta.

A laiida spinoletta,

LiNNJiUS; S. N., 1766, vol. i., p. 288.
Gmelin, 1788. Latham; lud., vol.

Antlius aquaticus,

(( ((

ii («

ii., p. 495, 1790.

Bechstein; Nat. Dent., 1802, vol. i.,
p. 258.

Temminck; Man., 1820 and 1810.
Vieillot; Diet., 1818, tome xxvi.,
p. 495, Faun. Fr., p. 180.

Lesson; Ornith, 1831.

Bonaparte, 1838.

Keyserlino and Blasius, 1840.
ScHiNZ; Faun., Europ., vol. i., p. 203.
ScHLEGEL; Eevue, p. 35, 1844.
Bichardson and Swainson; Faun.

“ spinoietia.

Bor. Amer., ii., 231, pi. 44.
Degland, 1819.

Badeker and Brehm, 1859.

Pipit spioncelle,
TFasser pieper,
Alouette pipi.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Bgffon.

Pispolada spioncella, Stor.

Pipit spipolette, Vieillot, Faun. Fr., p. 180.

Ph

WATER

WATER PIPIT.

1G5

Specific Characters. — Hind claw one tenth of an inch longer
than the toe, and curved like the Tree Pipit; outer tail feather
white below, with a dusky patch on the greater part of inner
web; the superciliary ridge broadly white towards the occiput;
top of the head and nape greyish olive; beak and feet black,
the former strong. Length six inches and one fifth; carpus to
tip three inches and a half; beak from gape three fifths of an
inch, along ridge half an inch; hind toe three tenths of an inch;
claw of hind toe two fifths of an inch; middle toe four fifths of
an inch; claw of middle toe barely one fifth of an inch.

Owing to the term “aquaticns^'’ having been applied
to onr Rock Lark, this bird has been confounded with
it. It is, however, a very different species. It has
also been confounded with Anthus luclovicianus, from
which, however, it is said to be distinct by Zander,
Brehm, and others. Mr. Morris, in his work upon
British birds, has given the figure of “a Red-breasted
Pipit,” said to have been killed in Scotland, under the
designation of Anthus montanus, Koch, which he states
is synonymous with Anthus spinoletta, Bonaparte,
Anthus aquaticus, Bechstein, Anthus ludocicianus,
Lichenst, and Alauda rufa, of Wilson.

The bird which I now figure is not, however, the
one given by Mr. Morris. It is the real Anthus
aquaticus of Bechstein well and clearly described by
Temminck in the last edition of the “Manual,” and by
Degland in his “Ornithology,” in 1849. I should
have preferred to have retained the term aquaticus,
had it not been sometimes but eiToneously applied to our
Rock Lark, A. ohscurus.

With regard to the distinction of the "\Later Pipit
from the American “Red Lark,” Anthus ludomcianus,
w'e have the following diagnosis from Dr. Zander,
(Cabanis’ “Journal fur Orn.,” 1853 and 1854,) and
quoted by Baird in his “Birds of North America,” to

166

WATKR nPIT.

which my attention has hern drawn hy Mr. A. Xewton.
“Anthiis pcnnsijlvanica , ( A. ludovlcianiis. ) Specific
characters, — Bill and feet blackish; longest tertial one
line shorter than the longest primary. The light
marking on the outer tail feathers shining white, and
on the outermost one involving the half of the feather,
— its shaft for the most part white. Body above olive
green, the superciliary strij)e yellowish.”

Brehm (Badeker’s eggs,) describes the two birds
separately, and he refers to the original description by
Linnaeus, as Alauda spinoletta, who pointed out as
habitats the residence of this bird and not the Ameri-
can European straggler.

Assuming, then, the two birds to be distinct, and yet
as closely-allied as the representatives of the two species
of the Old and Xew Worlds so frequently are, the ques-
tion arises, which of them is the bird wdiich has been
introduced into the British lists? Mr. Morris has given
a figure of neither. His bird is evidently a specimen
of Anthus cervinus. But Mr, Macgillivray distinctly
describes with much clearness and at great length the
American species, and he concludes by saying that the
two birds shot near Edinburgh, are perfectly identical
with the description taken by him from American
specimens in Audubon’s “Synopsis.”

The “Water Pipit” or “Mountain Pipit,” or as it
was called by Latham, “Meadow Lark,” is an inhabi-
tant during the breeding-season and summer of the
Swiss Alps, the Tyrol, the Pyrenees, and other high
mountainous districts. In the autumn and winter it
descends to the plains, and then gains its title to a
“Water Pipit,” by living along the course of rivers.
It is found in Sweden, and in the mountains of
Bavaria and Italy, and has occasionally, but rarely,

WATEll PIPIT.

IGT

been captured in Bulgaria. It does not occur in tbe
north of Europe, keeping, according to Temminck, in
the south and east.

•‘During their autumnal migration,” according to
Dubois, “they arrive in small flocks in the plains,
moist meadows, and pastures, as well as on the banks
of streams and ponds. They are very wild, and will
only fly around any intruder while hatching their
young. The male assiduously utters its rather simple
song, during which it rises into the air, singing at
first very slowly, and gradually increasing in intensity,
‘tuigh, tuigh, tuigh,’ and finishes when it comes down
with a long ‘si-si-si-si-si,’ having its wings extended,
and settling upon a shrub or stone always in an
oblique line: it rarely sings Avhen perched.”

It feeds upon gnats, flies, and aquatic insects and
their larvpe. From Biideker’s “European Eggs” I take
the following: — “The Water Pipit builds its nest in
moss, or under some overhanging stone. It is made
of stalks, grass blades, and moss interwoven together,
is well rounded in shape, and lined with grass and
hairs. At the end of May it lays five or six eggs,
which are tender-shelled, having a ground-colour har-
monizing with the very soft and thickly-scattered spots
and dots which cover the egg. Some appear brown,
others grey, while others incline to a green. Many have
a circlet of s])ots and hair-streaks at the larger end.
One specimen has a bright grey ground, and is entirely
covered with olive brown spots and dark grey dots;
while in another the ground-colour is inclined to reddish,
and has a few dark grey spots or dots on it.

The female watches clamorously, and sits constantly
on the eggs. The young are hatched in fourteen days,
and in their first plumage resemble the old birds in

2 A

VGL. U.

168

WATER PIPIT.

autumn. In autumn both young and old forsake tlieir
nesting-places, and betake themselves to brooks and
rivers in mountain valleys. It is seldom found in Ger-
many in winter,”

The egg, from which my figure was taken, is one of
two sent me by Mr. A. Newton, who received them
from M. Nager Donazain. There is something incom-
plete in their history, but the character of the egg
drawn corresponds with those in Biideker’s plate. The
skin, from which my figure is taken, v/as also kindly
sent me by the same gentleman.

In breeding-plumage the male has the top of the head
and nape bluish grey, more or less mottled with the
olive green tint of the back and rump. "Wings and
tail rich hair brown, the greater and lesser coverts of
the former bordered with yellowish, which forms two
bands across the wing. The superciliary ridge is white;
cheeks grey ; throat, sides of the neck, and crop, fawn-
coloured, more or less mottled with bluish grey; the
lower parts of the abdomen shaded off from this colour
to dirty white; under tail coverts white. First four
primaries of nearly equal length, but the third slightly
the longest, and the first the shortest. The longest
tertial does not reach the end of the longest primary
by at least six lines. Beak, tarsi, and feet black; iris
brown. In winter the fawn-colour of the lower parts
is replaced by dirty white, with longitudinal spots more
or less on the abdomen and flanks; the superciliary ridge
is whiter, and the wing coverts are more broadly bor-
dered with whitish grey. This applies to both male
and female.

The female in breeding-plumage does not differ much
from the male, except in having the fawn-colour more
russet, and the superciliary ridge whiter.

WATER PTPIT.

169

The young of the year in their passage, according to
Degland, resemble the adults in autumn, but the spots
are more numerous and confluent below; the upper
parts are of a darker brown; the tail is more emar-
ginate, the two most external quills of each side are
w'hiter, and the third has a small spot at its point; the
beak and feet are of a clearer brown.

This bird is figured by BufFon, pi. enl. 661, f. 2, as
L’’ Alouette Tipi. Nauraann, pi. 85. Richardson and
Swainson, in Faun. Bor. Amer., ii., 231, pi. 44. Roux,
Ornith. Prov., pi. 192, in autumn plumage. Bouteille,
Ornith. du Dauph., pi. 28, f. 5. Dubois, Oiseaux de
la Belgique, part 65, pi. 95, in winter and breeding-
plumage. The egg is also figured by Thienemann
and Badeker.

170

INSECTlVOll.E.
lamihj MO TA CILLIDjE.

Genus Axtiius. ( BecJistcin.J

Pl^^NNSYLYANlAN THAT.

A ntltus LiuIoKicidn us.

uinilius Judoviciaiius,

Aland a ruhra,

“ ludoviciana,

“ rnfa,

“ pennsylvanira,
“ cawpestri.'i,
Antlius spinoletla,

Alouelie aux jouea hruiies de
Pennsylvanie,

Pipi Farluzanne,

Polar- P'ieper,

Red Parle,

Protun Parle,

Field Parle ^ P^ouisana Parle,

Bonapakte.

Wilson; American Ornith.,
vol. ii, p. 184.

Audubon; Synopsis, 94.
Badekek; Die Eier der
Enrop. Voegel. Description
of plate 35, fig. 6.

Gmelin. Latham.

Gmelin. Latham.

AVilson.

Brisson.

Latham.

Bonaparte; Sinop., p. 90.
Macgillivray; Man. Brit.
Birds, p. 169.

Audubon ; Oru. Biog., pi. 10.
Buefon.

Of the French.

Brehm.

Edwards. Pennant. Latham.
AViLSON and iNuTTALL.

Latham; Syn. ii, 376,

PJiiNNSYLVANIAN PIPIT.

rEXNSYrVAXIAX I’lriT.

171

Specific Characters. — Superciliary ricl^e rufous yellow. Bill
broad at the base, and the upper mandible has its dorsal line
slightly declinated at the end. Hind claw one tenth of an inch
longer than toe, and more curved than in A. 2^ralensis. but less so
than in A. ohscurus. Upper plumage olive grey, and but slightly
mottled; lower plumage tinged with rufous, and thickly spotted
on the breast and flanks.

Length, six inches; from carpal joint to tip, three inches and
three tenths; tarsus nine tenths of an inch; hind toe seven twen-
tieths of an inch; claw of hind toe four tenths of an inch. Beak
along ridge half an inch, from gape three fifths of an inch. Tail
two inches and seven tenths.

There lias been so much confusion among the Pipits
in consequence of the close affinities of several nearly
allied species, and the usual misapplication of names
whicli attend the designation of such families, that I
have thought it best to give a figure and notice of this
bird, although it has occurred in the British Isles.

I am the more induced to do this in the absence of
any very correct figure of the bird, except that of Ed-
wards, in the histories of our ornifauna; and also because
it enables me to separate the synonymes, and to restore
something like order in the diagnoses of the different
species.

The Pennsylvanian Pipit, as I prefer calling it, in
order to perpetuate the original description and notice
of it by Brisson and Edwards, is, as its name expresses,
an inhabitant of the New World, occurring accidentally
in ITeligoland and the British Islands. In the former
it has been captured by Her Giitke, and is included in
the list of birds published by him and Professor Blasius,
in “Naumannia” for 1858. In the British Islands it has
been taken frequently. Edwards says that in his time
it was often taken about London, where it may probably
still be found, mixed with arhoreiis, or

172

r Ei\ XSY I, VA N 1 A N 1’ I P IT,

ohscurus, among whom it passes unnoticed and unknown.
More recently it was captured near Edinburgh by
Professor Macgillivray, who has given a lengthened and
very accurate description of the bird in his “Manual of
Ornithology,” as Anthus spinoletta. lie records two spe-
cimens shot near Edinburgh on the 2nd. of June, 1824.

More recently still, Mr. Eobert Gray, of Glasgow,
has published an account of the occurrence of three
specimens near that city. Mr. Morris has mentioned
these captures in his work on “British Birds,” vol. ii,
p. 158, but the figure given was not taken from Mr.
Gray’s specimens which that gentleman informs me were
unfortunately not preserved; hut they corresponded in
every particular with the description given by Mr.
Macgillivray, clearly proving them to have belonged to
the present species.

In America, the Pennsylvanian Pipit arrives in the
Eastern and Central states from its breeding place in
the north, about the middle of October.

In its habits, it is, as might have been inferred from
its hind claw, intermediate between the Meadow and
Bock Pipits of this country. It affects jjloughed fields,
running rapidly on the ground, but is also frequently
found in the neighbourhood of rivers and marshes, and,
as Nuttall has remarked, is especially fond of rocky
coasts. “They utter a feeble note like Tweet, tweet,’
Avith the final tone often plaintively prolonged, and when
in flocks they Avheel about and fly pretty high, and to
a considerable distance before they alight.

“It makes its nest in mountainous countries, even upon
the sterile plains of those which are most elevated;
more rarely in salt marshes, or in tufts of grass, on
shelving rocks near the sea.” — (Nuttall, Man. of Or-
nithology, vol. i. p. 452.)

PENNSYLVANIAN PIPIT.

173

Brehni remarks, in liis notice of the egg in Biicleker’s
v’ork, that it dv/ells in North America, in the inner
half of the Polar circle, especially Greenland, travelling
southward in the autumn, and sometimes wandering
into Europe. It breeds in the high latitude above
mentioned, forming a nest of moss, hair, and straw,
lined with dry grass, stalks, or hair. It lays five or
six eggs, which are very similar to those of the Meadow
Pipit, though the spots are generally so indistinct, that
they appear to be unicolorous grey, brown, or brownish
red. They are sometimes found of a lighter colour,
with markings displayed at wide intervals singly, and
shining through a grey or bluish white ground. Some
are marked with blackish brown hair streaks. The
Polar Pipit has, like the Water and Bock Pipit, a
double moult, but wfith the latter, it does not always
put on the breeding plumage, retaining through the
breeding season its autumnal dress.

The male and female have the upper parts of the body
olive browm, the head, nape, and back, having a slightly
mottled appearance; primaries brown; the secondaries
and long tertials darker, and edged with light grey,
forming two bands across the wing. Tail slightly emar-
ginate, the two upper feathers olive brown, the others
dark black brown, except the outer ones on each side,
which arc white, with half of the inner web dark browm;
the second feather on each side slightly tipped wdth
wdiite on the outer web. The chin and superciliary
ridge pale yellowfish white, tinged wdth rufous; neck,
crop, and flanks thickly covered wfith longitudinal brown
spots, on a rusty white ground; abdomen and under
tail coverts yellowish white, having a rusty tinge. Upper
mandible, tarsi, and feet purplish browm; the lower

174

PENNSYLVANIAN PIPIT.

mandibles yellowish browii;, darker at the tip. The
iris is said by Wilson to be a dark hazel.

AVhen placed beside A. pratensis, there is a general
resemblance between the two birds in size, colour, and
markings. It differs, however, from A. pratensis in the
following points: — The wing is half an inch longer, the
hind claw shorter and more curved, the beak is stouter
and broader at the base. Plumage of back is more
uniform olive grey, and is less mottled, and on the
lower part of the body there is a rufous tint more or
less pronounced.

The above description is taken from a female speci-
men apparently in autumn plumage, and which is figured.
It was kindly .'sent me 'by Mr. Sclater, the Secretary to
the Zoological Society, to whom I have much pleasure
in tendering my thanks for the assistance which he
willingly affords me in the prosecution of this work.
It is marked “Petaluma Car. Authy. Baird e. mus P.
L. Sclater, No. 5415.”

It has been figured as A. aquaticus by Audubon, pi.
10, Orn. Biog., i, p. 49; Wilson, p. 89, pi. 42, fig. 4,
(young.) The colours are much too bright in this figure
— Edward’s Gleanings, ii, 185, pi. 297.

I am sorry I have not an egg to figure. Brehm’s
very clear description renders it, however, unnecessary
for me to copy any of the three figures he has given
in plate 35, fig. G. They are there represented as rather
larger than those of A. pratensis, but thickly spotted
with the same coloured dots on a similar ground.

‘

I

175

INSECTIV0RJ5.
Family MOTACILLIDjF.
Genus Anthus. ( Bechstein.J

TAWNY PIPIT.

Anthus rufescens.

Alauda campestris,

(i a

Anthus campestris,

(( (C

(i if

<< ff

“ rufescens,

“ rufus.

Pipit rousseline,

Brachpieper,

Specific Characters. — The claw of the hind toe shorter than the
toe, and but slightly curved. The two most lateral tail quills
white, the inner barbs smoky brown for three quarters of their
length. Slight appearance of a moustache. Length six inches six
lines; carpus to tip three inches; tail three inches.

The Tawny Pipit inhabits the southern and temperate
parts of Europe, although, as we are informed by Du-
bois, it is sometimes found in Sweden and Finland. It

2 B ,

Beisson; Orn., v. iii, p. 349,
1760.

Gmelin; Syst., 1788.
Bechstein; Vog. Deut.,

1807, vol. iii, p. 722.

Meyer and Wolff ; Tasch der
Deuts, 1810, vol. i, p. 257.
Keyseeling and Blasius.
Schlegel. Degland. Dubois.
Temminck. Schinz.

ViEILLOT.

Of the Feench.

Of the Gteemans.

VOL. II.

176

TAWNY PIPIT.

is found during its passage also in the north of France.

It is a connnon bird in Lorraine, Sicily, and Provence,
especially in the department of the Var and the Basses
Alpes, where it stays from April to September. It is
found in the temperate parts of Asia, Nubia, and
Egypt, and is included in Mr. Tristram’s list of birds,
observed by him in Palestine, and on the Hants Pla-
teaux of Northern Africa.

The following account of the habits of the Tawny
Pipit is from M. Dubois’ “Birds of Belgium,” a work
which has the merit of giving in the short notice of
each bird, a coirsiderable amount of information of its
mode of life: —

“The ‘Pipit des Champs’ lives by preference on ex-
tensive dry plains, where hardly a plant or a tree is
to be found; it loves much to live in large flocks,
shunning the high grass and bushes. It is almost always
on the ground, sometimes perched upon a hillock, a ^
stone, or a bush ; rarely it is found on trees. It is very
shy, lively, and coy in its movemeirts. The male has a
singular song, composed of short, uniform, and melan-
choly tones, which it utters while flyiirg; in autumn it
congregates in small flocks in fallow flelds.

It feeds upon small coleoptera, spiders, and many
other insects and their larvae. Its nest is found on the
ground, in slight hollows sheltered by a bush; it is
composed of blades of grass and moss, the interior being
lined with hair and rootlets, and it contains four or flve
eggs. The young quit the nest before they can fly,
for they can always run sufficiently well to hide them-
selves in the grass, corn, or brushwood.”

According to Degland, “it builds in sand-beds, in flelds
on the ground, under the cover of a stone, or a clod,
or a small bush; sometimes on the mountains, in the

1. TAWNY PIPIT ' ,';j

3. BIFASCIATED LARK.'

TAWNY PIPIT.

ITT

crevices of rocks. It lays four to six eggs, wliich. are
dirty white, greyish, or greenish, covered with small
spots more or less abundant, greyish russet brown, or
russet green, and sometimes finely spotted with greenish
or brown red. It prefers to live in uncultivated and
stony or dry hilly places, covered with heath and thyme.
It runs quickly, and with grace, and very rarely perches
upon large trees. Its cry is very like that of the Short-
toed Lark. It lives principally on neuropterous insects.”

The male in breeding plumage has all the upper parts
of a light russet brown; wings and two upper tail
feathers darker; the edge of till the upper feathers more
or less bordered with light grey; six middle tail feathers
deep brown, the two lateral quills on each side white,
with a longitudinal patch of black brown on the inner
webs; a few dusky feathers form a small moustache
beneath the eyes and auditory orifices. All the lower
parts of the body bluish white, lighter at the lower
part of abdomen and under tail coverts; beak blackish
brown above, yellowish below; tarsi and feet yellow;
iris brown.

The females are like the males in all seasons, but
the colour is lighter, and they are somewhat mottled
about the crop.

The young before the first moult are, according to
Degland, of a browner plumage above, with the feathers
bordered with clear russet; crop and flanks marked
with a greater number of more elongated spots.

My figure is a male in the breeding plumage, shot
by Mr. Tristram, at Kif Laki, April 22nd., 185T, The
egg from Avhich my figure is taken was also kindly
sent me by the same gentleman, who remarks, “This
egg is very variable, though not so much so as that of
B. arhoreus. Some of my specimens approach those of

178

TAAVNY riPIT.

tlie Pied Wagtail; in others the russet spots are as large,
thick, and bright, as in Sylvia galactodes, ■which egg
this variety exactly resembles.”

Also figured by Bufibn, pi. El. 661, f. 1, as La rous-
seline: Pennant, British Zoology, p. 95, pi. Q, fig. 4, as
“Willow Lark;” Frisch. Brachlerche, pi. 15, 2 A; Nau-
inann, pi. 84, fig. 1, Nat. Neue. Ausg.; Vieillot, Faun.
Franc, pi. 78, fig. 2 and 3; Boux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 191,
f. 1, adult, fig. 2, head of young; Bouteille, Ornith. du
Dauph., pi. 29, f. 1; Gould, B. of E., pi. 139; Dubois,
Ois de la Belgique; Livr, 61, pi. 96 A.

I g

i79

Order IV. — GRANIVOR^.
Family ALAUDID^. ( Fonaj^arte.)
Genus Alauda. ( Limiceus.)

Generic Characters. — Beak sub-conic, mandibles of equal
length, the upper one convex, and more or less curved or
straight. Nostrils basal ovoid, covered by small feathers directly
forwards. Feet. — Three toes in front, one behind, the middle
joined at its base, with exterior claw of hinder toe straight,
or nearly so, and generally longer than the toe. Wings. — First
quill obsolete, or nearly so, the second shorter than the third,
which is the longest; two of the secondaries as long as the
primaries. Feathers of the head more or less elongated, and
capable of erection.

Section I. — Larks with arched beaks.

Genus Certhilauda. f Sioamson. J
Beak as long or longer than head, slightly arched.

BIFASCIA TED LARK.

Alauda hifasciata.

Alauda hifasciata, Lichstenstein; Cat. 1823,

p. 27.

“ “ Temmtnck; Man., 1835.

“ “ SCHINZ. SCHLEGEL.

“ “ Degland.

180

lUFASCIATKI) I, ARK.

Cerlldlauda hifasciaia,
Alcp.mon dcxertoriim.

BoNArARTE; 1838.
Stanley.

Keysekltng & Blastt!?; 1810.

Alouetie douhle-handc,
Zweihindige Ler(dir.,

Of tite French.
Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — The false primary about onc-tliirtl the
length of the first, -which is shorter than the fourtli. The two
longest of the greater -wing coverts very nearly as long as the
fifth primary. Tail long, vrith the outer web of the most lateral
quills -white; posterior claw as long as the toe. A broad black
band across the white secondaries. Length eight inches six' lines.
— Temmtnck, which is exactly the length of the female specimen
sent me by Mr. Tristram, and which is figured.

The English naturalist who confines his attention
to his own fauna, a habit, the breach of which will
afford him great pleasure and instruction, will be
struck with the difference between the Bifasciated Lark
and one or two others which I shall have to hrinsr

O

before his notice, and the well-known graceful forms
of our Skylark or Woodlark. But the family is well
linked together by similarity of structure and habit,
which Ave shall see as we proceed.

The Bifasciated Lark is an inhabitant of Andalusia
and Candia, and has been seen occasionally in Sicily
and the south of France. Dr. Leith Adams informs me
that this bird is also found in the deserts of Western
Asia and Scinde. Its real home, however, is in the
north of Africa, where its habits have been observed

by Mr. Tristram, and by Avhom the bird Avhich I

have figured was shot. I extract the folloAving from

one of Mr. Tristram’s papers on the ornithology of

Northern Africa, in that excellent and useful work,
the ‘This,” vol. i, p. 426: — ^‘The Bifasciated Lark is

BIFASCIATKD LARK.

181

Liniversally distributed throughout the whole of the
true desert. Unlike its congeners it seems to be a
most solitary bird, and seldom, except in the breeding-
season, have I seen two together. But a day rarely
occurred when we did not obtain a few specimens on
the march; and indeed this game formed our principal
and favourite animal food. Although its uniform of
inconspicuous drab renders it most difficult of detection
on the ground, its restless habits soon attract attention.
The moment it extends its wings the broad black bar
across the snow-white secondaries attracts the eye, and
renders it an easy mark. At first sight it reminded
me much of a Plover, in the manner in Avhich it rose
and scudded away. Indeed there is nothing of the
Lark in its flight, except in early morning, Avhen I
have watched it rise perpendicularly to some elevation,
and then drop suddenly, repeating these gambols unin-
terruptedly, over exactly the same spot for nearly an
hour, accompanying itself by a loud whistling song. It
runs with great rapidity, and it requires no little spread
of foot to capture a broken-winged victim. In the
stomach of those I opened I found small coleoptera,
sand-flies, and hard seeds.

There is something very graceful in all its movements,
and the distinct markings of its wings, and the expansion
of its long black tail, render it really a beautiful bird
when flying.

The egg is very large — twelve lines by eight; the
ground colour like that of C. duponti, but the brown
blotches smaller, and far more closely distributed, es-
pecially towards the broader end. It would not be
easy to select it out of a series of some varieties of
Lanius excuhitor.’’’

Mr. Tristram has described in the same paper another

182

BIFASCIATED LARK.

Certhilauda closely allied to this, under the name C.
salvini. The sterna drawings of which are given, are
certainly very different, even in important osteological cha-
racters. This bird is shorter by one-fifth of an inch, more
slender, and has a broader white band on the secondaries
than C. hifasciata. Mr. Tristram suggests, however, it
may he only a local race, although this idea is rather
negatived by the fact that both he and Captain Loche
had independently arrived at the conclusion, that these
were two species, and that the smaller one, though con-
fined to the southern and south-eastern districts, never
being found in the central or western, yet did not
supplant the common bird in the districts where it
occurred.

These observations lead Mr. Tristram into a very in-
teresting discussion of the now exciting question of the
variation in species. Though tempting, I have not room
in this work to follow him in his remarks, but I must
refer the reader to the first volume of the ‘This,” p.
429, et seq.

I may remark, however, that while Mr. Tristram thinks
that observations he made on the Larks and Chats of
North Africa, illustrate the views of Mr. Darwin and
Mr. Wallace upon this subject, he distinctly repudiates
the possibility of such a law acting beyond the sphere of
species and race. “I do not,” he says, “for a moment
mean to imply that such birds as Hhamplioceris clot-hey
have been developed out of any knoAvn European form,
or that we are to presume so far to limit Creative
Power, as to endeavour to explain the growth of desert
species universally by the development of individual
peculiarities.”

It will be well for science and themselves, if all
naturalists will stop at the boundary line thus drawn

BIFASCIATEI) LARK.

183

by Mr. Tristram. That species do vary, no naturalist
denies. That they do this beyond the peculiarities by
which the species is recognised, no o?ie has ever yet proved.
^^Naturam expelles furca, tanicn usque recurret.”

The adult male and female of the Bifasciated Lark
do not differ in their plumage. The upper parts are
of a light chesnut, or isabelle colour, tending more to
grey on the top of the head and nape, and the upper
tail feathers being darker chesnut, with lighter borders.
The auriculars are mixed chesnut and black, aud there
is a slight white superciliary ridge. Throat white;
neck, abdomen, and under tail coverts, light creamy
chesnut, with a row of dark spots where the white of
the throat joins the crop. The primaries dark brown,
having a white band coinmencing slightly on the second.
The secondaries are white, with the dark brown of
the primaries extended across in the form of a band,
occupying their middle third. Tail same colour as pri-
maries, except the two upper and two or three lateral
ones, which are as stated in the specific diagnosis.
Beak and feet yellowish; iris brown.

The young, according to Degland, have the head and
neck greyish, with each plume marked with brown the
length of the shaft; auricular region almost entirely
white; crop more marked with black spots, and the
colours of the plumage more strongly marked above
and below.

My figures of the bird and its egg are from specimens
kindly sent me by iMr. Tristram. The bird, which is
a female, was shot at MTdnea, December 10th., 1856.
It is also figured by Temminck et Laug. pi. col. 393.
Gould, pi. 168; Cretschm, voy. de Riippell, pi. 5.

Vol,. II.

JS4

gkanivom:.

Famlhj ALA UDIDJE.
Genus AnArDA. {Linjiceus.)

DUPONT’S LAKK.

Alauda diqjontii.

Alauda dupontii,

ti 66

“ ferruginea,

CerlliUauda dvponti,
66 6 6

Alouette Dupont,
Dupont’s Lerche,

ViEiLLOT; raun. Fr.,
p. 173; 1828.

Temminck; Man., 1835.

Lesson. Schinz.

ScHLEGEL. Degland.

Muhle (?) Orn, Griecli,
p. 35.

Bonaparte; Consp. Av ,
p. 246.

Tristram; Ibis, vol. i,
p. 427.

Loche; Cat., p. 85.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — Beak as Ions; as tlie head, and distinctly
curved. Two outer tail feathers white, with a dusky band on the
inner web; the second brown black, with the outer web white.
Hinder claw shorter than the toe, and distinctly curved.

Length of male sent me by Mr. Tristram, which is figured, six
inches and three quarters; from carpus to tip four inches; tail
two inches and a half; beak seven eighths of an inch; tarsus one
inch; hinder claw three eighths of an inch; hinder toe half an
inch.

DUPONT'S LARK.

DUrONT’s LARK.

185

This bird has been considered by many ornithologists
as a variety of the Skylark, and Keyserling and Bla-
sins have even described it as a monstrosity. Homcycr,
in Cabanis, Journal, Heft. 3, 1859, p. 204, speaks of it
doubtfully as a species, and gives in the same article
some excellent advice about the too prevalent habit of
species making. In “Naumannia,” part 3, 1858, Pro-
fessor Blasius, however, after giving the various opinions
which have been held about this species by authors,
states that he has at length received a specimen from
Algeria, which he admits is that described by Temminck,
and must be considered as distinct.

With the birds before me, I cannot help expressing
surprise that A duponiii should ever have been con-
founded either with the bird last described, or with the
Skylark. It is perfectly distinct from each, as the
specific characters above will shew, and I have much
pleasure iii being able to add something to its natural
history, not only by giving a figure of the bird shot
by Mr. Tristram, but also a drawing of the egg, which
I believe has never before been figured, and which rare
and precious specimen that gentleman vras kind enough
to trust to me for illustration.

Dupont’s Lark is found in Syria, some parts of Bar-
bary, and in the south of Spain. Its occurrence in the
centre of Europe is, however, only accidental. Degland
says it is frequently found exposed for sale in the
markets of ^Marseilles. The real home of this interesting
species is, however, among the sandy deserts of Northern
Africa, where its habits have been observed by the Bev.
H. B. Tristram and Captain Loche. From the descrip-
tion of the former in the ‘This,” vol. i., p. 437, I quote
the following: —

^‘This elegant and delicately-marked bird, a link be-

186

BUrONx’s LARJv.

tween Galerkla and Certhilauda, beautifully illustrative
of the gentler gradations by which Nature glides from
one type to another, is, I believe, the very rarest of
all the Larks of the Sahara. I found it only in the
far south, in the Wed Noa, at which place it 'was also
obtained by Captain Loche a few months afterwards.
Neither of us ever saw more than two or three pairs.
The white outer tail feathers give it the appearance at
first sight of our common Skylark, for which indeed it
passed with my companion, who was the first to shoot
it. Captain Loche obtained a nest of four eggs, one of
which he kindly presented to me. As might have been
expected, the eggs difier much from the typical charac-
teristics of the Lark. They are very round, nine lines
and a half by eight, of a soiled white colour, with pale
brown blotches sparingly scattered over the surface,
bearing a strong resemblance to small varieties of Lanius
excuhitor, but with an ivory-polished surface.”

It is quite clear that all the doubts raised as to the
specific distinctness of this bird, have arisen from an
imperfect acquaintance either with its skins or habits.

The adult male in winter plumage (Mr. Tristram’s
specimen is marked December, 1856,) has all the upper
parts of the body a rich brown, of lighter and dark
shades, variegated with greyish on the edges of the
feathers; top of the head darker, with a greyish longi-
tudinal band across the vertex, and a similar one mottled
grey and black, forming a kind of collar at the nape
and round the neck; ear coverts clear brown, with a
light grey patch above the eyes, and laterally on each
side of the base of the upper mandibles; primaries and
secondaries dark brown, with light chesnut edges; two
upper tail feathers and upper tail coverts light chesnut
brown, darkest in the centre; the first lateral tail

. * * ^ ^

1. DUPONT’S LARK.

2. bESBRT LARK.

3. B L A CK L A R K.

Dupont’s dark.

187

featlier wliite, with black brown internal edge; the
second black brown, with a white external edge; the
six central feathers dark blackish brown. The under
parts are of a dirty white, thickly spotted on the throat
with dark brown longitudinal marks, and on the cross
and flanks with the same shaped spots of russet brown;
feet, beak, and iris brown.

Temminck says that the young differ from the adult
by the large borders of clear isabelle colour, which mark
all the feathers of the upper parts of the body; the
black spots of the inferior parts are larger than in the
adult. It is only seven inches long.

My figure of this bird is from a specimen sent me
by Mr. Tristram, marked “Waregla, Dec., 1856,

The egg is the one alluded to in the quotation I have
made from that gentleman’s paper in the “Ibis.”

The bird has also been figured by Vieillot, Faun.
Franc., p. 173, pi. 76, fig. 2; Foux, Ornith. Prov., vol. i,
p. 285, pi. 186; M^erner, Atlas du Manuel.

188

GRANIVORyE.

Family ALAUBIBJE.

Genus Alauda. ( Limiceus.)

Section II. — Laiiks properly so called.
Beak rather slender, and nearlj^ straight and conical.

DESERT lark.

Alauda isahellma.

Aland a lusitania,

a ((

“ isahellma,

Annornanes isahellina,

a ((

Alouette isahelle,
Isahellfarhige Lerclie,

Gsielin ; Syst., vol. i, p. 79S.
Latham; lud., vol. ii, p. 500.
Degland.

Temminck; Man., 4th. part, 1840,
p. G37.

SCHLEGEL, 1844.

Bonaparte; Consp. Avium, p. 241.
Tristram; Ibis, vol. i, p. 422.
Loche; Cat., p. 83, No. 159.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — False primary, one third the length of the
- first true one, which is shorter than the next four, and about equal
in length with the sixth. Plumage beautiful isabelle or rich
almond-colour. Hind claw slightly arched, and about the same
length as the toe. Length of male specimen sent me by Mr.
Tristram, six inches and a half; carpus to tip four inches; tail
three inches; tarsus four fifths of an inch; toe three tenths of ah
inch; claw three tenths of an inch; beak seven tenths of an
inch.

DESERT LAR K.

JJKSEKT I, A UK.

189

There is likely to be some confusion among the
Desert Larks, in consequence of the aclojDtion of similar
names to designate, different birds. Thus the present
bird is called the Desert Lark, but Mr. Tristram gives
the names of “Pale Desert Lark” and “Little Desert
Lark” to two other North African species, while we
have C. desertorum applied to the Bifasciated Lark.
Then again, while Schlegel, Degland, and others refer
the present bird to the Alauda deserti of Lichtenstein,
Captain Loche, in his “Catalogue of Algerian Birds,”
following Bonaparte, makes the latter a distinct species,
under the name of Annomanes deserti. Then again we
have the name Annomanes isahellina applied to the
subject of the present notice by Prince Ch. Bonaparte,
which he gives to a closely-allied species the name of
Galerida isahellina. Temminck describes our bird as
Alauda isahellina, while Blippell gave the same desig-
nation to the Galerida isahellina of Bonaparte. It
must therefore be strictly borne in mind that the
species found in Europe is the Alauda isahellina of
Temminck, and the Desert Lark of Tristram.

This beautiful and elegant species was first described
as European by Temminck, in the last edition of his
“Manual,” in 1840. Its European localities are Greece,
south of Spain, and Portugal. It inhabits also Egypt,
Arabia, and the north of Africa.

For a knowledge of its habits, hitherto recorded as
unknown, we are indebted to Mr. Tristram, (“Ibis,”
vol. i, p. 422,) who writes: — A. isahellina, T'emminck,
occurs first on leaving the Hants Plateaux in small
numbers, but is more plentiful further south, inhabit-
ing the open plains, where it is difficult to conceive
how it finds subsistence. Its lateral range is wide. I
have obtained it from the frontiers of Morocco to

100

DESERT LARK.

Arabia Petra?a. It is sedentary, and breeds both in
the Algerian Sahara and in the wilderness of Judaea,
in both which localities I have taken the nest, neatly
formed of grass, in a depression under a tuft of
weeds, and with four eggs, in size nearly equal to
those of Alaucla cristata, but never so elongated;
measuring eleven lines by eight, of a rich cream-colour,
blotched especially towards the large end with brown
and red spots. In its habits this very distinct species
exhibits, so far as I am aware, no distinctive peculi-
arities, living in small flocks, and poising itself in the
air like its congeners. Its notes are few, though not
unmelodious; but its song will bear no comparison
either in volume or sweetness with that of the Skylark.
It varies considerably in size, but its average length
is about six inches and a half.”

Dr. Leith Adams considers this bird as probably
identical with M. phmiicur aides , Blythe, “I. A. S.
Beng.,” xxii, p. 583. It is found in Scinde and
Cashmere. Dr. Adams gives the following measurements
of the Indian species: — “Length about six inches; wing
three inches and one-sixth; first primary one inch and
one-eighth, being an inch and five-eighths shorter than
the second ; the second is a quarter of an inch less
than the next three, which are equal; tail two inches
and three-quarters. Bill to gape five-eighths of an
inch; tarsus seven-eighths of an inch; hind claw five-
sixteenths of an inch. Legs broAvn.”

The male and female have the upper parts of a
beautiful glossy dark fawn-colour, very much like that
of our Almond Tumblers. The feathers shine and
decompose the light like shot silk. Primaries and tail
feathers brown, but bordered more or less deeply with
the prevailing isabelle tint; below, the colour, though

DESERT LARK.

191

the same, is lighter, and the throat is whitish, mottled
with dusky spots. Under wing coverts and part of the
inner webs of wing feathers below, rich silky dark
fawn; ends of primaries brown. There is the usual
tendency to form a crest of the head feathers. Beak
yellowish horn-colour; feet, legs, and iris, clear brown.

The young before the first moult, according to
Degland, have the colours brighter, with the feathers
of the upper parts of the wings and tail bordered with
grey.

My figure of this bird is from a female specimen shot
by Mr. Tristram, in the Northern Sahara, December
2nd., 1856. The egg is also from a specimen taken by
the same gentleman in that locality.

The bird has been figured by Temminck and Laugier,
pi. color. 24T, fig. 2, from an Arabian specimen.

192

GRANIVOR^.

Family ALA U DID AIL
Genus Alauda. flinncBus.)

Section III. — Larks with thick rears.

BLACK LARK.

Alauda tartarica.

Alauda tartarica,
66 66

66 66

66 66

“ mutahilis,

“ nigra,

MelanocorypJia tartarica,
66 66

Calandra nigra,

Alouette negre,
Steppenlercher,

Pallas; Voy, 1776.

Gmelin; Syst., 1788.
Latham; Ind., 1790.
Temminck; Man., 1820.
ViEiLLOT. Cuvier. Lesson.
ScniNZ. SCIILEGEL.
Degland.

Gmelin ; Syst., 1788.

Falk; p. 796.

Ch. Bonaparte; List, 1838.
Keyserling and Blasids,
1840.

Dubois; Ois. de la Belg.

Liv. 73, p. 102 a.

Op the French.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — No false primary; the three first true ones
nearly equal; the fourth eight tenths, and the fifth seven tenths,
of an inch shorter than the third; claw one fifth longer than toe.

B L A C y L A K

BLACK LARK.

193

Beak one tenth of an inch longer than broad. Plumage black in
spring, yellow grey in the autumn, with the wings and tail black.

Length of male specimen sent me by Mr. Tristram, seven inches
and three quarters; carpus to tip five inches and a quarter.

The Black Lark is an inhabitant of northern climes.
In Euroj)e it is found in the precincts of the Wolga
and Istych Bivers in Bussia. It has been captured
rarely and accidentally in Germany, and still more rarely
in Belgium. On the authority of Dubois we have the
record of one being trapped in the neighbourhood of
Brussels, in 1850, and which he found in the market
for sale. The person who caught it assured M. Dubois
that there was a large flock, but he was only able to
get one. M. Croegaert is also quoted by IM. Dubois as
having taken one in the neighbourhood of Anvers, in
1852, and kept it alive during several weeks. According
to Pallas it is found in the wild and barren wastes of
Tartary, between the Volga and la’ik Bivers, whence it
emigrates during the winter. It occurs also in the
Steppes of Asia, and in the south of Africa.

“This bird,” says M. Dubois, “inhabits during the
summer in large flocks, the most extensive and infertile
plains, where they may be seen from time to time on
the sand-hills. They emigrate in autumn, and arrive
during the rigorous winter at the villages and tovrns
on their route, whence they penetrate to the interior.
They return to the Steppes during the earliest days of
spring. Their flight is to short distances, not very quick,
and rather low. It is in general a careless bird; its song
is not very good, and it generally sings seated upon a
hillock; its call-note is heard (very rarely) when it rises
into the air. Its nourishment is insects and their larvse,
worms, and seeds; it makes its nest upon the ground
in a little excavation, and know's very well how to hide

194

BLACK LAKK.

it, in spite of the great aridity of the soil. The nest
is made without art or skill; it is composed of blades
of grass, roots, and moss; in the interior small rootlets,
and sometimes feathers. It contains from four to five
eggs.”

The bird differs much in plumage at different seasons
and ages. In summer the entire plumage of the male
is black; beak yellow, with the point brown, and in
the breeding dress in spring it is, as represented in my
figure, black, with the feathers of the back, rump, and
flanks more or less bordered with white. In the autumn
it is yellow grey, with scale-like spots, (according
to Degland,) on the crop; stomach, wings, and tail
black, the quills of both wing and tail bordered with
grey white.

4'he female has, according to Temminck, all the
])lumage of a paler black, with the forehead gi’eyish,
and all the feathers of the neck, of the throat, and crop
finely bordered with grey.

The young resemble the female, bnt the plumage has
more of a brown shade, the brown of the feathers
In'oader and more yellowish, the tail and wing quills
being bordered with the same colour.

My figure is taken from a male specimen, from the
Volga, sent me by Mr. Tristram. The egg is from
Thienemann.

The bird is also figured by Buffon, pi. enl. 650, f. i.;
Could, B. of E., pi. 161; Vieillot, Galerie des Oiseaux,
vol. i, p. 259, pi. 160, adult male; Gmclin, Nov. Comm.
Betrop. XV., p. 479, pi. 23, fig. 2; Werner, Atlas du
iNIanuel, pi. lith. of the young of the year.

C A L A N B R A LARK.

VXi

GRANIVOllyE.
Family ALAUDID^.
Genus Alai'da.. f Finneeus. )

CALANDRA LARK.

Alauda calandra.

Alttnda calandra.

Mela noco rijpli a calandra.

Calandra himacalata,
Ahjuette calandre,
Kalander Lerche,

VOL. ir.

Brisson ; Ornitli., vol. iii, p. 352,
1760.

Linnaeus; S. N. 12th. edit.

1766, vol. i, p. 226.

G.melin; Syst , 1788.

Latham ; Ind., vol. ii, p. 496.
1790.

Meyer and Wolff; Tascli der
Dents, p. 261, 1810.

ViETLLOT; Diet et Faun. Franc.,
1816.

Temminck; Man., 1820.

Lesson; 1831.

ScHiNZ; Eur. Faun., 1820.
ScuLEGEL ; Bevue, 1844.
Degland; 1849.

Cn. Bonaparte; List, 1838.
Keyserling & Blasius; 1840.
MiiHLE; 1844.

Salvin & Tristram; Ibis, 1859.
Loche; 1858.

Dubois.

Of the French.

Of the Germans.

2 F.

190

CALANDRA LARK.

Specific Characters. — Beak compressed, and the upper mandible
curved and overlap])ing the under one, so as to form a sharp
point — as long again as broad. First primary the longest, tlie
second nearly as long, and about the same difference in size between
that and the third ; fourth an inch shorter than the third, and about
the same difference in size between the fourth and fifth and the
fifth and sixth. All the tail feathers except the two upper onc.s
tipped with white, and the two laterals almost entirely of that
colour.

Length eight inches; carpus to tip five inches and three tenths;
beak three-quarters of an inch; hind claw thi’ee fifths of an inch;
hind toe two fifths of an inch.

The Calandra Lark, one of the most conspicuous
species of tlie genus, is also, perhaps, the best known
of this section, being very common in many parts of
the south of Europe. It is found in Italy, Portugal,
and Spain, Roman States and Sicily, Sardinia, south of
France, Greece, the Crimea, and the Steppes generally
of the south of Russia. It is observed rarely in Germany,
and, according to Temminck, never in Holland, but it
is included, figured, and described by Dubois among
the birds of Belgium.

In the north of Africa it is mentioned by Mr. Tris-
tram as swarming on the coasts, but scarcer in the
interior, so as hardly to lay claim to the Sahara as a
locality. It is also included by that gentleman among
the birds of Palestine, (Ibis, vol. i.) It is plentiful in
Turkey, and in the Steppes of Southern Asia.

Like most of its tribe, except our Skylark, the Ca-
landra seems to prefer wild and desolate plains to
cultivated ground for its residence. Iii other respects,
however, its habits are very similar. Dubois remarks,
‘‘They often fly together in flocks, and have a clear,
beautiful, and varied song, which is heard as often when
flying as in repose ; notv/ithstanding the perfection of

CALANDKA LAllK.

197

tlieir song, it is impossible for amateurs to keep them
in their homes, their voice is too loud. When taken
young they may he taught to imitate the voices of all
kinds of birds. They often mix together the notes of
Thrushes, Finches, Tits, Quails, Linnets, etc., and will
even imitate the croakint^ of the frogf.” t

Captain Blakiston, in his description of the Birds
found by him in the Crimea, (“Zoologist,” 1857, p. 5509,)
gives an amusing account of his first meeting with this
bird, which will bear quoting: —

“I ask any naturalist, is there any pleasure in observ-
ing a new species for the first time? Surely you have
a peculiar feeling within you; you eagerly wish for a
specimen; and I will answer for it that you do not
rest till you have obtained one. Suppose that you are
a field ornithologist, you take the first opportunity, and
although the weather is cold and windy, with snow
covering the ground, you trudge off with your fowling-
piece to where you observed the birds. I did this on
the 2nd. of January, and found the bird I was in search
of on the Karani hill, within sight of Sebastopol. I soon
procured a couple, and after waiting in the snow behind
an old bit of a Avail for some time, knocked over six
more at a shot; they were Larks, but the largest I had
ever seen. I had studied Yarrell well when making-
out the Short-toed Lark. What could they be? To
make sure, however, I turned over the leaves again
that evening in my hut, but they Avere not there. I
Avas at a loss. ‘HoAvever,’ I said to myself, ‘they are
Larks, but someAvhat approaching to Buntings.’ So I
marked them in my journal as specimens of ‘large Lark,’
and noted the measurements and other points. This Avas
the Calandra Lark, Alauda calandra,) as I afterAvards
learned from England.”

198

CALAXDRA LARK.

The Calaiidra Lark nests on the ground among lu-
cerne or corn. Its nest, accoi'ding to Dubois, resembles
much that of the Crested Lark; it is made of blades of
grass and roots, lined with moss and root- fibres, some-
times with wool and feathers.

It builds twice a year, in April and June, and lays
from four to six eggs, of a dirty white, covered with
numerous spots of olive green, thickest generally at the
larger end, though sometimes equally diffused. Long
diameter one inch or nearly, short, three-quarters of an
inch.

The adult male in breeding plumage has the upper
parts rich brown, with the feathers bordered with russet.
Inferior parts bluish white, with two lai’ge black spots
on each side of the neck, forming a kind of half-collar,
and separating the white throat from the russet and
brown spots, with which the crop is mottled. Wing
primaries blackish brown, the outer Aveb very lightly
bordered with white; the secondaries broadly tipped with
that colour; under wing coverts and under part of pri-
maries uniform blackish brown, relieved by the white
shaft of the first quill, and the white tips of the second-
aries. Two upper tail feathers brown, bordered with
lighter, the two laterals white, the rest rich dark brown,
tipped slightly with white; beak yellowish below and
on _ the rides, dark brown along the upper ridge; feet
yellowish brown; iris grey.

According to Degland, in the male after moult, or in
autumn, the feathers above are darker in the centre,
and their borders more russet. The plumage of the
female resembles that of the male in autumn, but the
head and beak are smaller, and the demi-collar in the
neck is narrower.

The young after the first moult have the plumage

r

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1

CALANDRA LARK.

199

darker than adults, the upper feathers and those of the
crop bordered with whitish; beak and feet yellowish.

Accidental varieties have been found white, spotted
with white, grey or black, and others of an Isabel
colour.

!My figure of this bird is from a male specimen sent
me by Mr. Tristram, shot at Berronghina, May 28th.,
1856. I have also selected for illustration two eggs
from a series sent me by the same gentleman.

This bird has also been figured by Buffon, pi. enl.
363, f. 2; P. Boux, Ornith. Prov., pi. 185, f. 1, adult f.
2, head of young; Gould, B. of E., pi. 161; Bouteille,
Ornith. du Dauph., pi. 30, f. 3; Vieillot, Faun. Franc.,
pi. 76, f. 1; Xaumann, Naturg. Neue. Ausg., pi. 98, f.
1; Edwards, pi. 268; Dubois, Ois. de la Belg., part 61,
pi. 102.

200

GRANIVOP.^.

Famihj ALAUBIDFE.
Genus Alauda. f Linnmis.)

SIBERIAN LARK.

Alauda sibirica.

Alauda sihinca,

ii a

(( 6e

“ calandva affinis,

(( a

“ leucoptera,

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I

Phileremos siberica.

Melanocoryplia leucoptera,
Alouetie de Siherie,

Sihirisclie Lerclie,

Gmelin; Syst., 1788.
ScHLEGEL; 1844.

Degland; 1849.

Pallas; Iter. App., No. 15.
Latham; Ind.

Pallas; Zoog., i, p. 518,
No. 147, pi. 33. f. 2.
Blakiston, in “Zoologist,”
vol. sv, p. 5509.
Keysekling and Blasids;

Die Wirbelt, p. 37, 1840.
Bonapakte.

Of the Fkench.

Of the Germans.

Specific Characters. — First primary longest, but nearly equal to
second; third about as much shorter than the second as the fifth
is less than the fourth; the fourth seven tenths of an inch shorter
than the third. Tail very narrow, the outer feathers white; hinder
claw one fifth longer than the toe.

Length eight inches and one fifth ; carpus to tip four inches and
seven tenths; beak three fifths of an inch long by three tenths
broad; hind claw half an inch to two fifths of an inch long.

S I B E K I A N T, A R K.

SI15ERTAX LAlUv.

201

This bird was thought by Pallas and Latham to be
a variety of A . calandra. It is however a very distinct
species, and the rounder form of the beak, the much
slighter figure, the more pointed wing, and the difference
in comparative length of the fourth primary, remove it
altogether from that hird.

The Siberian Lark is an inhabitant of Siberia, Tar-
tary, and Southern Pussia, and rarely of Poland. It is
also included by Captain Blakiston among the birds
shot by him in the Crimea. — “Zoologist,” 1857, p. 5509.

Its habits are described as similar to those of the
rest of the family. By the kindness of Mr. Tristram,
I am able to give a figure not only of the bird but
its egg, both of which that gentleman received from
Dr. Middendorff.

The bird has at first sight much the appearance of
a Bunting'. Captain Blakiston thus describes his meeting
with it. — “Zoologist,” 5509: —

‘'A few days after the 5th. of January I was again
on the qiii vive, as a friend told me he had seen some
Buntings white below and rusty coloured above; with
this hint I made for a camp, where he said some had
been shot, the ground being covered Avith snow, and
sure enough, on looking over a heap of small birds, I
found the Calandra Lark, Common Bunting, and another
new to me, which I put down for distinction as ‘Lark
Bunting, No. 20,’ the skin as Avell as the sternum of
which I preserved. The same officer a day or two
afterwards kindly sent me a specimen of the same bird,
the M'hite-winged Lark, f Alauda Icucoptera,) a male.”
This Avas determined afterwards by Mr. Gould, and
Captain Blakiston gives a long and accurate description
of it in its Avinter dress.

M. Ch. F. Dubois has an excellent figure of the
bird, both in its young and adult plumage, with the

sti{t<:kiax lark.

following remarks: — “Though this bird is so rare in
Europe, M. le Baron Selys-Longchamps possesses one,
which was taken in the environs of Liege, in December,
1855. Having had it preserved, he kindly brouglit it
to me to add to the supplementary list, before the family
of Larks was concluded. The habits and propagation
of this bird are very little known; its voice is not so
agreeable as that of the Skylark, though its movements
are equally elegant. It nests like it on the ground, in
a slight excavation. It is not very timid, and allows
people to approach it rather closely without fear.”

A male specimen, sent me by Mr. Tristram from the
Volga, without date, but from the freshness and bright-
ness of the plumage, evidently in its nuptial robes, has
the upper parts rich brown, bordered with russet, lighter
on the nape; the top of the head, lesser wing coverts, and
upper tail coverts, a brilliant red russet, which gives
the bird a marked and distinctive character. The in-
ferior parts are of a bluish white, wdth here and there a
russet feather; the throat, crop, and sides of the neck
spotted vdth brown and russet, the latter colour per-
vading the ear coverts. Under wing coverts and second-
aries pure white, and the primaries blackish brown
below; above, the primaries and secondaries are dark
brown, the latter at first white on the inner web, be-
coming nearly entirely so in the middle. Tail feathers
brown, with more or less white on their inner webs;
the laterals quite of that colour. Beak livid, the upper
mandible darkest; tarsi russet; feet dark brown.

]My illustrations of the bird and its egg are from
specimens sent me by Mr. Tristram; the former is a
male. They were obtained from the keeper of the Im-
perial Museum of St. Petersburg, and arc stated to be
from Dr. Middendorff.

It has been also figured by Pallas, as Alauda leucop-

SIIJEIIIAN I.AHK.

203

tcra, and by Dubois, in liis “Oiscaux dc la Ilclgiquc,”
j^art 74, pi. 102 — b, a very good figure of the adult
male and the young.

This is the last of the Larks which I intend to in-
troduce into this work, but there are one or two which
merit a few words.

1. — Alauda canturella, llonapartc. — INI. Dubois has
given a good figure of this bird, the first if not the
only one. It is smaller than the Skylark, and differs
from it in some parts of its plumage. It was described
by Bonaparte as distinct in Faun. Ital. Dubois says it
is found in Italy in considerable numbers, and his doubts
about it are completely removed. It is probably a race
of the Skylark. I must, however, refer to M. Dubois’
work for further remarks. Schlegel ( Revue, 75.) says
its specific distinction is not perfectly made out.

2. — A penicillata, Gould; rhileremos scriha, Brehni.
— Of this bird, said to have been captured in the
soutli-east of Europe, I cannot speak of my own
knowledge.

3. — A. bimaciila, Menctries; Pliileremos moreatica,
Mlihle. — Is described by Keyserling and Blasius as a
variety of the Short-toed Lark.

4. — A. liolhji, Tcmminck, pi. col. 305, f. i, and INIan.,
3, p. 202, is stated by Schlegel to be a doubtful species,
allied to 4. hracliydactyla ; and he is of the same opinion
about —

5. — A. pispoletta, Pallas, Zoog. i, p. 52G, No. 154.

6. — A. deserti, Mclanocoryplia deserti, Brchm, and
Annomancs deserti, of Bonaparte and Lichtenstein, is
said by M Dubois to have occurred accidentally in
Europe.

END OF VOL, II.

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