332 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXV. 1918. 



Sturnus vulgaris tauricus But. 



Styrnus tauricus Buturlin, Orn. Jahrh. 1904. p. 209 (Crimea to the Lower Dnieper). 



Bianchi and Braiincr thought the Crimean Starling was S. v. porphyrovohis, 

 while Lorenz and Nikolsky united it not so inconcctly with purpiirascens. 

 Butuilin's knowledge of the latter was apparently not clear, or he would not 

 have separated his tauricus as a different species. In fact it is of exactly the 

 same coloration as purpurciscens, but the wings of two specimens from Enikale 

 (YenikaU) measure 141 and 142 mm. This suggests that the Crimean race has 

 longer wings than purpiirascens. This is all the more probable as it is separated 

 from the home of purpiirascens by the Black Sea, while cmicasiciis inhabits the 

 Caucasus, and more likely than that an isolated colony of purpiirascens exists 

 in the Crimea. Of course the distinctness of tauricus from purpurascens must 

 be confirmed by larger series. Buturlin gave no measurements. 



Stumus vulgaris oppenheimi Neuni. 



Sturnus vulgaris oppenheimi Xeumami, Jouni. f. Orn. 1915. p. \1\ (Nortlicrn Mesopotamia, nesting. 

 Type : Tel Halaf). 



Starlings nest evidently in Mesopotamia, at least in its northern portion. 

 The Starling described by Neumann appears to be nearest to S. v. purpurascens 

 and nobilior, but there are some differences. The nape is steel-blue, the back 

 blue-green, the throat glossy green, the upper wing-coverts, lower back, and 

 rump have a purple gloss. The colour of the head is described as glossy 

 green with a purple base, outer webs of the secondaries and their coverts with 

 a bronzy gloss, vmderside black with more or less purple gloss. Wings 134, 135, 

 135, 131, 139 mm. The colour of the under wing-coverts is not mentioned. It 

 would thus seem as if this form stands somewhat between S. v. purpurascens 

 and nobilior. I have examined a winter specimen from southern Mesopotamia 

 which agreed with Neumann's description. 



In winter huge flocks of Starhngs are met with in Mesopotamia. Meinertz- 

 hagen (Ibis, 1914) thought they were purpurascens. I think that they maj' 

 possibly consist of S. v. purpurascens, oppenheimi, and (?) poUaratslcyi. 



It will be interesting to know if the various forms of Starlings live in com- 

 pany in winter quarters. I doubt this very much, though it has been said to 

 be the case in Talysh, Cyprus, and Rumania. It is, however, doubtful if these 

 observations were all correct. For example, Loudon, who collected 152 speci- 

 mens, assures us that five different forms of three species occurred in the same 

 flocks in the Talysh lowlands, and that Buturhn (the " starling specialist ") had 

 named them as follows : 



55 St. poltoratzkii intermeditis. 



26 8t. Caucasians satunini. 



22 St. caucasicus caucasiciis. 



10 St. vulgaris jitkowi. 



4 St. poUonilzkii menzbieri. 



11 St. poltoratzkii intermedius x jitkoivi (!) 



2 St. poltoratzkii 7nenzbieri with too much green on head. 

 1 >. ,, ,, with abnormallj' violet abdomen. 



11 St. i-ntermedius X jitkowi with regard to colour of back (!). 



