SYLVIA. 237 



Length. 6 inches ; wing 2-5 ; tail 2-25 ; bill at front 0-51. 



Hab. Nearly all India and Ceylon, Sind, Punjab, N. \V. Provinces, Bchar, 

 Deccan, Kutch, Guzerat, Kattiawar, Jodhpore and Sambhur; also Beloochistan, 

 Persia, S. Afghanistan and Turkestan. Seebohm says it breeds throughout 

 Siberia, extending northwards almost to the limit of forest growth. 



278. Sylvia althea, Hume, Sir. F. vii. p. 60 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Dr. 

 Mus. vol. v. p. 20 ; Sylvia aflinis, Blylh apud. Jerd. B. Ind. vol. ii. p. 209; 

 aptid. Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 538; Murray, Vert. ZooL, Sind, p. 162. THE 

 HIMALAYAN LESSER WHITE-THROAT. 



Upper surface darkish grey, slightly tinged with brown on the back. Under 

 surface white ; 2nd primary intermediate in length between, or equal to 6th 

 and 7th, or 7th and 8th; wing 27 to 2-8 ; culmen 0-56 to o'5i ; tarsus 0-8 to 

 075. 



Hab. Sind, Punjab, N. W. Provinces, Oudh, Deesa, Concan and Deccan. 

 A winter visitant. 



279. Sylvia minUSCllla, Hume, Sir. F. i. 198; vii. 58 et seq. ; viii. 

 PP- I0 3 3<38, 498 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. vol. v. p. 20, pi. I ; Murray, 

 Vert. ZooL, Sind, p. 161. HUME'S LESSER WHITE-THROAT. 



PLATE. 



Forehead and crown pale bluish grey ; back, rump and upper tail coverts 

 isabelline fawn, or pale sandy brown; chin, throat and under surface 

 white ; 2nd primary equal to the 7th, in some intermediate between 7th and 

 8th; wing 2-3 to 2*45. 



Hab. Sind, Beloochistan, Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. Provinces, Rajputana, 

 Kutch and Guzerat. 



280. Sylvia nana, Hempr. et Ehr. Symb. Phys. Aves. fol. c. c. ; 

 Gray, Handlist B. p. 212 ; Hcugl. Orn. N. 0. Afr. i. p. 306; Dresser, Ibis, 

 1876, p. 80 ; Blf. East. Pers. ii. p. 187; Sir. F. i. 199; ii. 330; Murray, 

 Hdbk., Zool. fyc., Sind, p. 164; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 26. 

 Sylvia delicatula, Harllaub. Ibis, 1859, p. 340, pi. x. fig. i. j Blylh , Ibis, 

 1867, p. 28; Hume, Ibis, 1869, p. 355 ; Sir. F. i. p. 199; Murray, Vert. 

 Zool-, Sind, p. 163. THE DESERT WARBLER. 



" The lores are greyish white ; from the nostrils to the upper margin of the 

 eye runs a very narrow yellowish streak, whiter and less grey than the lores ; 

 this line ceases to be visible in nine out of ten skins, but is sufficiently 

 apparent in the freshly killed bird. A circle of yellowish white feathers 

 surrounds the eye ; forehead, crown, occiput, nape, back and scapulars pale 

 fawn brown ; rump and upper tail coverts pale rufous ; central tail feathers 

 pale rufous, with dark shafts ; external lateral feathers wholly white ; next 

 32 



