494 Mr. Tristram on some Old- World 



elaica might also be identical. On comparison, however, I find 

 this to be very distinct. By some oversight the measurement of 

 the length of the tarsus has been exaggerated in Temminck^s 

 description of S. caligata, a mistake exactly followed by all sub- 

 sequent compilers of books on European Birds. I find my own 

 Siberian specimen as well as those in the British Museum agree 

 with my Indian series in their measurements. 



On examining Mr. Gould's collection, which, as is his wont, 

 he kindly and readily allowed me to study at leisure, 1 find that 

 he has possessed for many years, under the name of Sylvia scita, 

 Eversm., Mr. Hume's new species of Calamodyta agricolensis 

 [supra, p. 182). I hope Mr. Hume will forgive me for not adopt- 

 ing his new^ genus, however well marked may be the species 

 which he and Mr. Brooks have discriminated. 



Mr. Brooks has also sent what he considers the common In 

 dian Locustella. The specimen proves the correctness of Mr. 

 Jerdon's conjectui-e that it is distinct from the European species, 

 although his provisional name (B. Ind. ii. p. 160), L. temporalis, 

 must go, since it turns out to be, as Mr. Blyth suggested it 

 possibly might (Ibis, 1867, p. 20), L. hendersoni, Cassin, = L. 

 macropus, Swinhoe, and is identical with the Chinese bird. 



Specimens, received from Siberia and the Amoor, of Accentor 

 montanellus , Temm., confirm the belief expressed by Middendorfi" 

 (Sib. Beise, ii. p. 172) that A. temmincki, Brandt, would prove 

 identical with A. montanellus, Temm. My winter-shot speci- 

 men exactly corresponds with the coloration of Dr. Brandt's 

 bird, having the supercilia and breast whitish instead of buff, 

 while the breeding-plumage of another specimen is exactly that 

 figured by Mr. Gould and described by Temminck. It is at 

 least a consolation to perplexed lovers of the Sylviidte that they 

 need not any longer be harassed by doubts as to which third 

 species of Accentor is entitled to a place in the European list, as 

 the same species ranges from east to west of Northern Asia. 



Mr. Brooks has sent me several skins of Sylvia marked by 

 him S. affinis. He states in his letter that he has never met 

 with but one of the group in India, and doubts the existence of 

 a second species, S. curruca, in India. His specimens are a 

 trifle larger than our S. curruca, but do not reach the dimensions 



