686 



BIRDS OF SEISTAN, 



BEING A LIST OF THE BIRDS SHOT OR SEEN IN SEISTAN BY MEMBERS 

 OF THE SEISTAN ARBITRATION MISSION, 1903-0). 



By 



J. W. Nicol Gumming, 



Superintendent, Seistan Arbitration Commission. 



1. The Raven. (1) Corvus corax. 



I saw tb.ree specimens of a large Raven at Kubak on the 25th September 

 1904, and a pair near Hurmak on the 18th May 1905, which I believe belonged 

 -to this species. 



2. The Carrion-Crow. (3) Corvus corone. (Persian Kolagh.) 

 This is a common bird in Seistan during the winter and is frequently seen 

 near dwellings. I shot a specimen on the 20th March 1905. 

 3. The Rook. (5) Corvus frugilegus. 

 Is seen in large flocks in fields during the winter. 



4. The Hooded Crow. (6) Corvus comix. 

 This Grey Crow is found mostly in the tamarisk jungles of Seistan in twos 

 and threes ; but at times, during the winter, large flocks are to be seen in the 

 open fields. 



5. The Magpie. (10) Pica rustica, (Persian, Duzd, i.e., a thief.) 

 Not very numerous in Seistan. It is occasionally seen either singly or in 

 pairs in, or near, the tall tamarisk jungles with which the country abounds. 



6. The Common Babbler, (105) Aryya caudata. 

 (Biluchi, Pinkulag ; Persian, Susu.) 



Very common in the tamarisk jungles, where, however, it is extremely shy. 

 A specimen I shot on 25th April 1905, at Kuhak, measured 9 - 25 in length. 

 Breeds in the country. 



7. The White-eared Bdlbul. (285) Molpastes leucotis. 

 (Persian, Bulbul.) 



During my visits to Nasratabad, the capital of Seistan, in January and April 

 1905, 1 saw several birds which appeared to belong to this species ; but I was 

 unfortunately unable to secure a single specimen. 



8. The Wall-Creeper. (348) Tichodroma muraria. 

 I have seen only two of this pretty crimson-winged Wall-Creepers while on 

 the Seistan Arbitration Mission, i.e., at Nad Ali on 7th March 1903, and again 

 at Peshawaran, 12 miles north of Seistan, on the 20th December 1904, when I 

 managed to shoot the latter, a female. 



9. The Grey-backed Warbt^er. (?-59) Aedon familiaris. 

 (Biluchi, Surkhdumak.) 

 Very common. I shot a specimen (length 6*5) at Kuhak, Seistan, on the 

 22nd April 1905, on the banks of the Rud-i-Seistan, while 5 eggs with a live 

 bird (length 6*0) were brought to me on 11th May 1905. 



