NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXV. 1918. 335 



The breeding area of 8. v. porphyronotns extends evidently from Eastern 

 Turkestan (Kashgar, Yarkand) across the Tian-Shan to Lake Issik Kul and 

 Semiretshensk ; it breeds commonly in the Naryn Valley. In winter and on 

 migration through Kashmir to north-western India and Afghanistan. In the 

 British Museum is an October specimen from Kuldja, collected by Sewertzoif. 

 " S. p. loudoni " is doubtless a synonym. 



Stumus vulgaris dresseri But. 



Sturnus purpurascens dresseri Buturlin. Orn. Jahrb. 1904. pp. 208. 209 (Askabad to the Kara-tau in 

 the north-eastern part of Russian Turkestan). 



Sturnus purpurascens johanseni id., ibid. (Buchara. While at first the author described .S'. ;;. 

 dresseri witli the distribution as above, on p. 209 he says that the subspecies is again separable 

 into two " Unterformen," an eastern one which is to inhabit Aksu, Karnak, and the Kara-tau, 

 and a western which lives from Askabad, Artj'k, Buchara to Kara-Kum and Kenderlik. To 

 this latter he gives the name S. p. johanseni, but at the end of the paragraph he says that he 

 examined 9 specimens of the latter from Buchara and two intermediate ones !). 



Sturnus tauricus harlerli id., t.c. p. 210 (" Merw bis Ferghana "). 



This pecuUar form inhabits evidently a long stretch to the north and north- 

 west of the range of porphyronotns, apparently from Askabad and Merv to 

 Ferghana, and, according to Buturhn, east as far as the Kara-tau. It closely 

 resembles 8. v. porphyronotus, but differs as follows : 



The top of the head is nearly always more purplish, often quite, though 

 somewhat dull, purphsh. Back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are not uniform 

 purple, but have, especially on the interscapular region, violet to steel-blue, 

 and even dark green colours, in fact the back is very variable and occasionally 

 quite deep metallic green. The upper wing-coverts have, as a rule, more 

 purple. Tlie throat nearly always more purplish, also the abdomen. As a 

 rule smaller. Wings of 11 specimens 125-131 mm. Differs from S. v. nobilior 

 by the back being, as a rule, more purple, the head less purple, and smaller size. 



I think that I cannot make a mistake in placing " 8. tauricus harterti " 

 as a synonym of dresseri. The author compared it in his description merely 

 with tauricus, which is nothing but a slightly larger form of purpurascens wliich 

 requires further confirmation. 



I have examined of 8. v. dresseri ten skins taken 50 miles south-west of 

 Buchara, and at Samarkand by Mr. Carruthers, 2 from Samarkand collectetl 

 by Russow, 2 from Margelan, and 1 from Merv. In the British INIuseum arc 

 also skins from Murdan and Sind. In \\inter not rare at Kandahar, where 

 nohilior nests, and also poltaratskyi winters. 



Sturnus vulgaris nobilior Hume. 



Sturnus nobilior Hume, Stray Feathers, 1879. p. 175 (Kandahar). 



As I have said before, Sharpe united this form with poltaratskyi, from which, 

 however, it differs by the darker, more blackish, almost black, under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries, which in adult specimens have narrow white, or almost 

 white, instead of broad bug edges. Younger birds in the first winter plumage 

 only have buff edges to the under wing-coverts and some purple on the back, 

 so that they are difficult to distinguish from dresseri. Distinguished from jnir- 

 purascens and porphyronotus by pure dark green back and purple head. 



Afghanistan and East Persia, in winter in small numbers in N.W. India. 

 A specimen from Merv (February) in the British Museum. 



