658 Dr. C. B. Ticehurst on [Ibis, 



59-5-65, bill (base) 11-] 1-5 mm. ?: wing 72-75-5, 

 tail 57-61, bill (base) 11-11-5 mm. I have seen no Nubian 

 specimens whence came the type, but Sind birds are not 

 separable from birds from the Sudan littoral. 



Meloplius melanicterus (Gm.). 



Murray states (S. F. vii. p. 112) that he obtained 

 a specimen of this Bunting in the hills on the far side of 

 the Manchar Lake. Hume identified the skin, but he also 

 remarked that none of the specimens obtained on this trip 

 bore labels, and we know Murray mixed up some Bushire 

 birds among the fSind ones, so that one cannot say the 

 evidence is quite satisfactory. However, I suppose it is 

 conceivable odd birds may wander into Sind ; it is common 

 at Mt. Aboo, and occurs on the Koochawan hills of 

 Jodhpur. 



Riparia riparia diluta (Sharpe & Wyatt). 



This race is a winter visitor to Sind and is fairly common, 

 t'lough in better watered parts its numbers are swamped by 

 the resident form ; a careful scrutiny will often reveal that 

 there are two sizes of Sand-Martin in the air, the larger 

 being this race. In the south-western corner, however, Sand- 

 Martins arc not very common, and it is only this race which 

 occurs. The earliest I have seen it is 3 October, and in the 

 few places where a little fresh-water or swamps exist, and 

 not very uncommonly even over Karachi Harbour itself, a 

 few may be met with. Most leave early in March, last seen 

 29 March in Upper Sind. 



Eight specimens (and six in Brit. Mus.). These are all 

 larger, greyer, " colder " in colour than chinensis, and have 

 the tarsal tuft present, and correspond well with typical 

 diluta ; they are paler than winter jR. r. riparia and the collar 

 is less defined. They are also larger than indica. (^ $ . Wing 

 97-106-5 mm. A complete moult takes place in January. 



I recognize the following races of R. riparia in north- 

 west India : — 



1. Riparia r. chine?isis. — Browner and " warmer" above ; 

 collar absent. No tarsal tuft. Wins 90-99 mm. 



a1 



