420 Mr. H. E. Dresser on a new 



stratioii, although strong evidence is given in favour of the 

 former. We have quite failed in persuading a red Eclectus 

 in the Zoological Society^s Gardens to agree to live with a 

 green one, although it must be allowed that this is sometimes 

 the case with legitimate man and wife. 



XLII. — On a neio Species of Marsh-TVarbler. 

 By H. E. Dresser, F.Z.S. &c. 



A SHORT time ago Dr. Otto Finsch, of Bremen, forwarded to 

 me two birds from the collection of Count Ercole Turati, of 

 Milan, for determination, one of which was labelled "Sylvia 

 magnirostris, Kokand, ^, Xo. 9625." I compared this 

 specimen carefully with Acrocephahis magnirostris, Lilje- 

 borg (which species I may here remark is identical with A. 

 dumetorum, Blyth, from India) , and also made a critical com- 

 parison with other allied forms, and came to the conclusion 

 that it is a distinct and probably hitherto undescribed species. 

 I informed Dr. Finsch of the result of my investigations, and 

 proposed to return the specimen to him, in order that he 

 might describe it ; but he wrote in reply stating that, if I 

 felt convinced that it is distinct, he would prefer me to do 

 this; and I therefore propose to call it Acrocephalus sogdia- 

 nensis, the countrj- where it was obtained being the Sogdiana 

 of the ancients. 



This bii'd is more nearly allied to Acrocephalus palustris 

 (Bechst.) than to A. dumetorum, but differs in having a louger 

 wing, a very much larger first primary, and being much 

 greyer in tinge. Upper parts dull olive- brown, with a greyish 

 tinge, rather darker on the head ; rump and upper tail-coverts 

 a trifle less grey ; wings and tail dull brown, the quills and 

 wing-coverts narrowly margined with dirty whitish or pale 

 whity brown, the tail-feathers (excepting the central rectrices) 

 indistinctly margined with pale brownish white; the outermost 

 rectrix, however, has this light border extending almost over 

 the entire outer web, and this and the next featliei*s have tole- 

 rably broad whitish tips, the next in order having this white 



