26 



14. Sylvia nana. 



Curruca nana, Hempr. et Ehr. Si/mb. Phys. Aves, fol. cc (1833). 

 Salicaria aralensis, EDcrsm. Bull. Sue. Nat. Mosc. xxiii. pt. 2, p. 565, 



pi. viii. fig. 1 (1850) ; Ecersm. Journ. Orn. 18-5.3, p. 286. 

 Stoparola deserti, Loche, Itev. et Mog. Zuol. 1858, p. 394, pi. xi. fig. 1 ; 



Loche. Expl. Sci. Al//er., Ois. p. 245 (1867). 

 Sylvia delicatula, Harttaub, Ibis, 1859, p. 340, pi. x. fig. 1 ; Bli/th, 



Ibis, 1867, p. 28 ; Salvad. Atti Ji. Avcad. Sci. Toriiii), iii. p. 291 



(1868); Hume, Ibis, 1869, p. 355; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 212. 



uo. 3008 (1869) ; Ihime, Stray Feath. i. p. 199 (1873). 

 Sylvia doriaj, Filippi, Viayg. Pcrs. p. 348 (1865). 

 Sylvia nana (Hempr. et Ehr.), Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 212.no. 3010 

 '(1869) ; Heuc/l. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. ;!06 (1869); Dresser, Ibis, 1876, 



p. 83; Blanf. East. Pers. ii."p. 178 (1876). 

 Sylvia chrysophtliahna, Heuyl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 306 (1869). 

 Alrapliornis aralensis (Eversm.), Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. pp. 65, 124 



(1873). 

 Sylvia aralensis (Erersm.), Prjev. Hotcleij's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 170 



(1877); David et Oust. Ois. Chine, t^. 241 (1877). 



In the adult male in spring plumage the general colour of the 

 upper parts is buff, shading into bright giraffe-colour on the upper 

 tail-coverts ; the quills are huffish brown, with more or less distinct 

 pale tips ; the innermost secondaries are buff, shading to pale giraffe on 

 the edges, and with a central streak of huffish brown along the shaft ; 

 the two central tail-feathers are bright giraffe, with a central streak 

 of huffish brown along the shaft ; the outside tail-feathers on each 

 side white, second dark brown, broadly tipped and narrowly mar- 

 gined with white, remainder dark brown, margined with bright 

 giraflfe. Underparts huffish white, very slightly darker on the breast 

 and flanks ; a buffish-white patch on the edge of the wing, just 

 below the carpal joint ; axillaries and under wing-coverts huffish 

 white ; inner margin of (|uills pale buff. Bill of typical shape, brown 

 above, pale below, slightly darker at the tip ; rictal bristles few 

 and slender. Wing with the third, fourth, and fifth primaries 

 nearly equal and longest ; second primary intermediate in length 

 between the fifth and sixth, or sixth and seventh ; bastard primary 

 occasionally equal in length to the primary-coverts, but generally 

 extending beyond them from 0"1 to 0'15 inch. Tail shorter than 

 the wing, outside feathers about 0'15 inch shorter than the longest. 

 Legs, fei.-t, and claws very pale brown. Length of wing 2-35 to 2-0 

 inches, tail 2-1 to 1-85, culmen 0-46 to 0-4, tarsus 0-71. 



The female does not appear to differ from the male, nor is there 

 any appreciable difference between spring and autumn plumage, nor 

 is it known that birds of the year differ from adults. 



The Desert-Warbler, as its name implies, is confined to dry and 

 arid wastes in Algiers, the Sinaitic peninsula, and Southern Persia, 

 It breeds in Turkestan, and winters in Ealuchistan and Scinde. 



a. c?, 6. 2 ad.sk. Kokand. Dr. Severtzoff [C.]. 



c. cJ ad. sk. Baluchistan, Jan. 25. W. T. Blauford, Esq. [C.]. 



