Journey in Fars, S.1F. Persia. HIT 



various races of known species and tracing tlieir geographical 

 distribution is of equal interest and importance. Work of 

 this character, will, I believe, prove of great assistance in 

 determining the exact migrations of birds, and it is at all 

 events leading us to a clearer idea of the evolution of species. 

 Could the causes which produce these races be more 

 thoroughly investigated, results of much importance might 

 be obtained. My collection of birds from Persia is of con- 

 siderable interest, for it contains many " intermediate " and 

 more or less local forms. The most striking feature in the 

 collection is the pale coloration of so many of the birds. 

 This feature, which was noticed by Dr. Blanford, is equally 

 apparent in birds inhabiting the woods and in those belonging 

 to the open country. Indeed, of the species I have already 

 enumerated as peculiar to the oak-forests, all are distin- 

 guished from the nearly allied forms by their pale coloration. 

 The birds are in most cases pale, on the under as well 

 as on the upper side, and they tend to become of an ashy 

 line and not of a sandy colour like desert forms. This can 

 only be due, I think, to some physical cause, for I cannot 

 see that a pale coloration is of more advantage to these birds 

 than to those inhabiting, for instance, Southern Europe. 

 Mr. Oldfield Thomas informs me that the few mammals (c. g. 

 Sciurus fulvus, Mus sylvaticus witherbyi) which I brought 

 back are also remarkable for their pale coloration, and I 

 cannot but think that there is some extraordinary bleaching- 

 quality in the atmosphere of this region. 



In the preparation of the list of birds which follows I am 

 greatly indebted for help and advice to Dr. E. Bowdler 

 Sharpe and to Mr. Ernst Hartert. 



No specimens were obtained of the species marked with 

 an asterisk. 



1. *Pvkkiio( oif.vx graculus (Linn.); Blanf. Eastern 

 Persia, vol. ii. (1876) p. 264. 



The Red-legged Chough was seen hopping about on the 

 grass in many of the valleys and living in airy and cheerful 

 fashion about most of the rocky hills at altitudes of from 



