88 Mr. W. T. Blanford on new 



Hab. in montibus Persicis praesertim in Elburz saxa sco- 

 pulosque frequentans. 



Upper parts slaty grey, the inner and basal portions of all 

 the rectrices, except the centre and outer pairs, blackish ; a 

 narrow black stripe from the base of the bill on each side 

 through the lores and above the ear-coverts to the side of the 

 nape, varying somewhat in breadth and length, but less 

 developed than in S. syriaca ; chin and throat white, the 

 same but less pure on the breast ; abdomen and lower tail- 

 coverts dull pale rufous, the colour becoming gradually darker 

 towards the vent ; iris dark brown ; bill blackish, except 

 below near the base, where it is pale grey, almost white ; 

 legs horny grey, soles pale and slightly yellowish. 



Of this small Rock-Nuthatch four specimens were collected 

 by me in the Elburz mountains, north of Tehran, where this 

 species was common, and one at Kohrud, north of Ispahan ; a 

 sixth specimen was obtained by Major St. John, R.E., near 

 Shiraz, in Southern Persia, where the large pale race of 

 S. syriaca, named *S. tephronota by Mr. Sharpe, is common. 

 The specimens of &. rupicola from Kohrud and Shiraz are 

 much paler in colour than those from the Elburz mountains. 



3. Parus phjEonotus, sp. nov. 

 P. atro affinis, sed major, capite toto, prseter nucham albam ma- 

 culasque laterales pallide tiavas (? interdum albas) , nitente 

 nigro ; dorso olivascenti-brunneo, uropygium versus pal- 

 lescente; alis caudaque umbrinis, pennarum marginibus 

 dorso concoloribus ; tectricibus alarum majoribus atque 

 intermediis ad apices albo punctatis ; gula nigra ; pectore 

 sordide albo, postice et ad latera fulvescente ; abdomine 

 hypochondriisque fulvis. 

 Long ake 2*7, caudse 1*85, tarsi 0*77, rostri a fronte 0*4. 

 Hab. in quercetis haud procul ab urbe persica Shiraz (St. 

 John) . 



W hole head and neck glossy black, except the white nuchal 

 spot and the usual lateral patches occupying the cheeks, ear- 

 coverts, and sides of the neck, which are yellowish white or 

 pale yellow, perhaps becoming pure white in old birds ; back 

 olive- brown, becoming paler and more rufous upon the rump; 

 wings and tail hair-brown, the leathers with paler margins, 



