Journey in Fars, S. IV. Persia. 



i31 



that the Tits in Persia had very small broods (e. g. Blue Tit, 

 3 incubated eggs; Tom Tit, nest of 5 young; Long-tailed 

 Tit, nest of 7 young). I cannot suggest a reason for this, 

 as food appeared to be very plentiful. All the Tits had 

 fledged young by April 23rd at 4000 ft., and by April 28th 

 at 6700 ft. 



42. Sitta europ.ea persica, subsp. iiov. (type in British 

 Museum). 



Differs from S. e. europcea Linn, in its smaller size, the 

 distinct creamy wash on the breast and abdomen, and the 

 whitish forehead, this whitish colour being continued into a 

 narrow superciliary stripe. 



Differs from S. e. ccesia Wolf in its much paler under 

 surface, its white throat, and its whitish forehead. In the 

 latter character it agrees with S. e. caucasica Rchw. (see 

 Orn. Monatsb. 1901, p. 53), but instead of being darker 

 on the breast than S. ccesia it is much paler. 



Hab. Oak-woods of S.W. Persia. 



Dr. Blanford obtained a single specimen of the Nuthatch 

 in the Elburz M ountaius, in North Persia, but it is probable 

 that his bird would belong to the dark-breasted Caucasian form. 



This Nuthatch appears to be very constant in the coloration 

 of its under surface. In the large series of S. ccesia in the 

 British Museum there is a specimen from Hungary which 

 very nearly matches my bird, but other examples from the 

 same locality are much darker. 



This Nuthatch was confined to the oak-woods where, how- 

 ever, it was very common. In notes and habits it appeared 

 to be identical with S. e. ccesia. I found several nests in 

 old nesting-holes of Dendrocopus sancti-johannis. The nests 

 were of the usual Nuthatch character, but the holes were 

 " mudded " on the inside only, and with horse-dung instead 

 of mud. I suppose the small hole made by this Woodpecker 



