554 Mr. H. P. Witherby — Ornithological 



and where the rocks were perpendicular. They were breeding 

 in such a gorge at the Shir River (7000 ft.) on May 20th. 



100. COTILE OBSOLETA Cab. 



Cotyle [Ptyonoprogne) obsoleta Cab.; Blanf. t. c. p. 217. 



75. ? ad.; 443. $ juv. 



The Pale Crag-Mavtin seems rare in this part of Persia. 

 I saw a few at Bushire and in the Kotal-i-Dokhter (about 

 4000 ft.) ; where they appeared to be breeding in the 

 beginning of April, and also near Basht (41O0 ft.). 



101. Dendrocopus syriacus (Herapr. & Ehr.). 

 Picus syria cus Hempr. &, Ehr. ; Blanf. t. c. p. 130. 

 77, 165, 201, 215, 377. Ad. ; 352, 431. Juv. 



From 2600 ft. upwards, wherever there were trees, this 

 Woodpecker was to be found, often very plentifully. Nests 

 contained young on April 20th at 3400 ft., and on May 

 29th at 6500 ft., while I saw some fledged young on 

 May 18th at 6000 ft. As I have frequently noticed with 

 D. major in England, this species often chooses a place in 

 the trunk of a tree under a bough which has recently been 

 broken off" in which to bore its breeding-hole. I suppose 

 that the wood soon becomes softened in such places by the 

 rain. In notes and habits this bird is similar to D. major, 



102. Dendkocopus medius sancti-johannis (Blanf.). 

 Picus sancti-johannis Blanf. ; Blanf. t. c. p. 133. 



80, 81, 160, 313, 397. Ad.; 314, 315, 382, 398,419. Juv. 



The young bird differs from the adult in being much more 

 dully coloured on the head and abdomen, and having the 

 breast speckled with dark brown. 



An infertile egg taken from a nest of young was of a dull 

 white colour, and measured 240 X 180 mm. 



This near ally of D. medius was found only in the oak- 

 woods. I did not observe it below an altitude of 4000 ft., 

 but it was met with as far north as we travelled, viz., about 

 3L° N. lat. It was especially common where the wood was 

 thick, and in some places outnumbered D. syriacus. 



The bird has a call-note somewhat like the cry of a kitten, 

 but its alarm-note is a reiterated " tack," much like that or 



