40 Mr. H. Seebohni on Messrs. Blakiston and Pryer's 



Emberiza alieonis, J, Viaii, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 18G9, 

 p. 97. 



264. SCHCENICOLA PYRRHULINA, Swiulioe. 



Two skins sent (Nos. 1835 and 2246) are respectively an 

 adult male in breeding-plumage and an example in winter 

 plumage oi Emberiza schoeniclus, Linn., subspecies jog/z^^Mj?, 

 Savi. This form of tlie common European black-headed 

 Reed-Bunting is the Emberiza palustris of Savi^ the E. in- 

 termedia of Michahelles apud Bonaparte, and the Schoenicola 

 pyrrhulina of Swinhoe. It differs from the normal form 

 of E. schceniclus , Linn., solely in having a thicker bill. 

 The following table of measurements of the height of the 

 bill will show how impossible it is to draw a line between the 

 two alleged species. 



inch. 



In the basin of the Caspian at Astrakan, in Turkestan, &c. 

 a nearly allied form occurs, which probably may claim specific 

 rank, Emberiza pyrrhuloides, Pall. This is a larger bird, 

 measuring 3"5 to 3"25 in length of wing, and '35 to '3 in 

 height of bill. The upper parts are paler in colour, especially 

 the central rectrices and the edges of the wings and wing- 

 coverts. The rump and upper tail-coverts are also much 

 paler in colour, and without the dark streaks in the centre 

 of each feather. 



The peculiarity of the geographical distribution of these 

 birds is that E. schoeniclus extends eastwards only as far as 

 the valley of the Yenesay, where a smaller and grey-shouldered 



