160 jNIr. W. L. Sclater on [Il)i^ 



Prinia gracilis yemenensis. 



Prinia gracilis yemenensis Hartert, Vug. pal. Faun, i. 

 1909, p. 609 : Scheik Osman, Aden Protect. 



Yerburv, 96, p. 25 ; Hawker, 98, p. 375 ; O. -Grant, 

 1900, p. 255. ; 



u-e. 8 c? , 1 ? , 1 o . Menaklia, 7000 to 7500 ft. 19. xii. 1 2 

 to 23. i. 13. 



/. ? . Wasil. IS.ii. 13. 



//. c? . Hajeilah, 2080 ft. l.iv. 13. 



h. S • Sok-al-Khamis, 7000 ft. Il.vii.l3. 



;,./. cT ? . Sanaa, 7600 ft. 5-11. ix. 13. 



The Aral)ian form of this species is distinguished by 

 Hartert from that of Palestine and Egypt. I cannot see 

 the distinguishing character of the broader blacic spots 

 on the tail-feathers laid stress on by Hartert, but the 

 general tone of the upper parts is somewhat greyer, and the 

 edges of the wing-feathers appear to me to liave a stronger 

 wash of chestnut-brown in the Arabian subspecies, which is 

 much closer to the Egyptian and Syrian P. g. delta 

 than to P. g. gracilis of Nubia, which is much paler than 

 either. 



The bird appears to be common and a rosidcjitin southern 

 Arabia, and the breeding bird has a bhack bill, the lower 

 mandible in winter being quite pale. 



This Grass-Warbler apparently breeds very early, as a 

 male killed January 14 is marked " testes much enlarged." 



Turdiis atrigularis. 



Turdiis atrogularis, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2nd cd. i. 1820, 

 p. 169 : Austria and Silesia. 



Lorenz & Hellraayr, 1901, p. 240, 1907, p. 113. 



a. ? . Menakha,"^ 7000 ft. 24. xii. 12. 



"Bill — upper maudible dark slate, lower yellow-ochre; 

 gape yellow. Length in flesh 245 mm. Note like the 

 ' yaffle' of a Woodpecker." 



This species, breeding in western Siberia and wintering in 

 central Asia and northern India, has only onee been pre- 

 viously obtained in Arabia. This was also a female taken 



