24 Mr. Blyth's Commentary 



Dr. A. Leith Adams suggests that it may be the Sylvia textrix 

 of Savigny (Ibis, 1864, p. 17). According to Mr. Tristram, 

 " it builds a very neat domed nest near the ground, with four 

 or five richly coloured pink eggs. It is a very noisy and con- 

 spicuous bird" (P. Z. S. 1861, p. 437). I certainly have no 

 recollection of the Indian bird being noisy; but then I have 

 not observed it in the breeding-season. Skins from India and 

 Egypt are undistinguishable. 



551. Franklinia buchanani. 



Dr. Jerdon has sent a slightly distinguishable race from the 

 district north-west of Delhi by the name F. cleghornice. It 

 merely differs in having the upper parts pale rufescent brown, 

 deepening and becoming more rufescent on the crown. I made 

 over to Mr. Gould the only specimen sent. 



552. Neornis flavolivacea {vide supra sub no. 526). 



553. Phyllopneuste rama; Sylvia rama, Sykes (1832); 

 S. scita, Eversmann; S. caligata, Licht. ; Salicaria elaica (?), 

 Lindermeyer; Ficedula amhigua (?), Schlegel. 



I have compared Indian with Siberian specimens marked 

 S. scita in Mr. Gould's collection, and consider them identical, 

 — the latter being in summer aspect of plumage, with abraded 

 feathers that show greyer and much less olivaceous (as, indeed, 

 I have seen in some Indian examples), agreeing with Dr. Bree's 

 figure of Sylvia elaica^. The range of the latter extends to 

 Egypt and Algeria. I have never obtained P. rama in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhood of Calcutta, upon the mud soil ; but 

 higher up the river Hugli, where sand prevails, it is tolerably 

 common in the cold season, frequenting the bush-jungle. Can 

 Dr. Jerdon be correct regarding the nest ? He remarks, " I 

 have found the nest, on one occasion only, at Jaulna, in the 

 Deccan ; it was cup-shaped, and contained four pure white 

 eggs." (For further particulars of P. rama, consult J. A. S. B. 

 xvi. p. 440.) Sylvia ever smanni, Bonap. (Middend. Sib. Reise, 

 tab. xvi. fig. 1), belongs evidently to the same genus, as also 



* I have not been able to compare a specimen of P. rama with the 

 figure of P. elaica by Des Murs (Icon. Orn. pi. 58. f. 1). But I much 

 suspect the identity, so far as I can judge from that figure. 



