ORPHEUS WARBLER.

Curruca Orphea, Mehv.
Bec-fin Orphée.

Arruouen the present species differs in a trifling degree from the more typical examples of the genus
Curruca, especially in having a stouter form of beak, which is more deep than wide, we do not feel ourselves
at liberty to separate it on such slender grounds, as its general habits and form overbalance the minutize
alluded to.

The Orpheus Warbler is an inhabitant of the southern provinces of Europe, and we have more than once
received it in collections from India. According to M. T emminck, it is very abundant in Italy, particularly
in Piedmont and Lombardy, and the southern departments of France. It is accidentally met with in
Switzerland and the adjacent districts, but never occurs in more northern latitudes. On referring to the
valuable little work of Professor Savi on the Ornithology of Tuscany, we learn that it is there a migratory
bird, and much resembles in habits and manners the Common Whitethroat (Curruca cinerea, Bechst.). _ Its
food consists of insects and berries, and it builds in bushes often in company with others of the same species.
M. Temminck states, that in addition to bushes it also selects holes in ruins, old walls, or under the eaves of
isolated buildings, as a site for incubation. The eggs are four or five in number, nearly white, irregularly
marked with yellowish blotches and small brown dots.

The male has the top of the head and ear-coverts brownish black ; the whole of the upper surface is of a
cinereous brown, with a tinge of olive, the quills and tail being rather darker ; the outer feathers on each
side of the latter are white, tinged with reddish brown, which prevails more decidedly on the flanks and
under tail-coverts.

The female resembles the male, except that the head is of the same colour as the rest of the plumage.

Our Plate represents a male and female of the natural size.