HYPOLA.IS. 391 



are alike, and the young are less deeply coloured than is usual in 

 birds of this family. They are all migratory, but their migrations 

 are short and probably on the decline, as some few birds remain 

 in their winter-quarters all the year through. 



Ilypolajis resembles Sylvia very closely, and might perhaps be 

 joined to it, but it has a sensibly larger bill, and on this account 

 it is desirable to keep the two genera distinct. 



In Hypolais the bill from the gape to the tip is longer than the 

 middle toe and claw ; there are three weak rictal bristles, and the 

 supplementary hairs in front of them are obsolete, but still clearly 

 visible with a lens. The first primary is small but not minute, and 

 the third reaches to the tip of the wing. The tail is slightly rounded 

 only. The colour of the plumage is very dull, and there is not a 

 single bright spot or line to relieve it. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Primary-coverts reaching to about the middle 



of the first primary ; upper plumage olive- 

 brown. 

 '. Tail 2-2 or more ; bill from gape to tip '6 or 



more. 



a". Distance from tip of secondaries to tip of 

 wing *4 ; from tip of first primary to tip 

 of wing 1-1 to 1-25 ; wing 23 to 2-5 . . H. rama, p. 391. 

 b" . Distance from tip of secondaries to tip of 

 wing '55 to '65 ; from tip of first primary 

 to tip of wing 1-3 to 1-5 j wing 2-5 to 



27 H. pallida, p. 392. 



b'. Tail under 2 ; bill from gape to tip "55, 



seldom more H. caligata, p. 393. 



b. Primary-coverts extending over two thirds the 



length of the first primary ; upper plumage 



sandy brown* H. obsoleta, p. 393. 



394. Hypolais rama. SylceJs Tree- Warbler. 



Sylvia rama, Sykes, P. Z. 8. 1832, p. 89. 



Phyllopneuste rama (Sykes), Bhjth, Cat. p. 183 ; Horsf. Sf M. Cat. i, 



p. 335 ; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 189 ; Butler | Hume, S. F. iii, p. 486. 

 Iduna caligata (Lichtj, apud Hume, N. fy E. p. 360. 

 Hippolais rama (Sykes), Brooks, S. F, iv, p. 275. 

 1 lypolais rama (Sykes), Hume, Cat. no. 553 ; Doig, S. F. ix, p. 279 ; 



Seebohm, Cut. B. M. v, p. 84 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 224 ; Oates 



in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. i, p. 254. 



Sykes's Warbler, Jerd. ; Koktalyhu, Turki. 



* HYPOLAIS LANGUIDA, Hemp. $ Ehr., is said to occur in Sind, but I can find 

 no specific instance of its having done so. It differs from all the other Indian 

 species of Hypolais in having the primary-coverts and the bastard primary of 

 almost the same length, or, rather, reaching to the same point, and in its larger 

 size, the wing being about 3 in length. It has been obtained in Baluchistan, but 

 in that portion of it under Persian control, and at Chaman in Afghanistan. 



