49G Mr. IT. F. Witherby on Birds from the 



Lanius minor Gm. [B. 137. W. 1903, P . 534 ; 1907, 

 p. 80.] 



? . May 6, Elburz Mts. (alt. 6500 ft.). 

 £ . May 18, S. coast, Caspian Sea (Kesht). 



Lanius collurio L. [*B. 137. W. 1903, p. 534 ; 1907, 

 p. 80.J 



? . May 6, Elburz Mts. (near Tehran, alt. 6000 ft.). 



? . May 15, Elburz Mts. (near Resht, alt. 500 ft.). 



£ . May 20, S. coast, Caspian Sea (Resht). 



" On our return to Resht, Red-backed Shrikes were otten 

 met with among the patches of bush and scrub near the 

 coast. A few were seen at Tehran." — R. B. W. 



The Red-backed Shrike is rare in Southern Persia. 



Muscicapa atricapilla L. [B. 143. W. 1903, p. 552; 

 1907, p. 81.] 



S ? . April L5, Tehran (alt. 4600 ft.). 



" A single pair in a garden, where they were evidently 

 going to breed. None were seen on the north side of the 

 mountains."— R. B. W. 



These birds perhaps belong to the form M. a. semitorquata, 

 but the skins are indifferent and they bear none of the 

 characters of M. a. semitorquata distinctly. The outer pair of 

 tail-feathers of the male have the outer webs white, but there 

 is only a very narrow edging of white on their inner webs. 

 The second pair are white on the outer webs except for half 

 an inch at the tip. The white " collar " does not appear to 

 come further round the back of the neck than in many 

 examples of typical M. atricapilla, but the white spot on the 

 primaries is rather distinct. 



The example obtained by me at Bushire, which I called 

 M. atricapilla ('Ibis/ 1903, p. 552), is an undoubted specimen 

 of M. a. semitorquata. 



Muscicapa parva (Bechst.). [B. 144.] 

 ? . May 16, S. coast, Caspian Sea (Resht). 

 " The only one seen ; shot in a dense part of the forest." — 



R". b. w. 



