HYPOLAIS. 393 



visitant, but on what authority I do not know, unless it be that of 

 Murray, who calls it a winter visitor to Sind. 



Its summer-quarters extend to Turkestan, South-western Asia, 

 Europe, and North-eastern Africa. 



396. Hypolais caligata. The Booted Tree- Warbler. 



Sylvia caligata, Licht., Eversm. Eeise Buchara, p. 128 (1823). 

 Jerdonia agricolensis, Hume, Ibis, 1870, p. 182 ; Blanf. S. F. \\, 



p. 330. 

 Hypolais caligata (Licht.), Hume, S. F. vii, p. 396; id. Cat. 



'uo. o53bis; Seebohm, Cat. B. M. \, p. 85; Barnes, Birds Bom. 



p. 224. 



Coloration. Resembles H. ramci, from which the present species 

 differs only in size, being smaller, and in having a longer second 

 primary, the tip of this primary being between the sixth and seventh. 

 The best character by which to separate this species from H. ranm 

 is the shorter tail, which never reaches a length of 2. 



Lower mandible and edges of upper reddish fleshy ; rest of bill 

 dark brown ; legs, feet, and claws pale brown ; iris dark brown 

 (Davison). 



Length about 5; tail 1 '9; wing 2'4; tarsus '75 ; bill from gape -55. 



Distribution. A winter visitor to the whole of Northern and 

 Central India. I have traced it southwards to Eelgaum, and on 

 the east to Mudhupur on the E.I. Railway. It is found on the 

 west as far as Karachi and Hydrabad. It is doubtful, I think, 

 whether this bird remains to breed in any portion of the Hima- 

 layas, but Seebohm asserts that it does so in Kashmir. Biddulph, 

 however, found it in Gilgit only in August and September, when 

 it was probably migrating southwards. It is known to summer 

 in Turkestan and Southern Siberia. 



397. Hypolais ofosoleta. The Desert Tree- Warbler. 



Salicaria obsoleta, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. pp. 66, 129 (1873) ; id. 



S. F. iii, p. 426. 

 Hypolais obsoleta (Sev.), Seebohm, Cat. B. M. v, p. 86. 



Coloration. Resembles //. rama, but the whole upper plumage is 

 a pale sandy brown. 



Length about 5 ; tail 2 ; wing 2-4 to 2-6 ; tarsus 75; bill from 

 gape '65. The eecond primary terminates between the sixth and 

 seventh ; the distance from the tip of the first primary to the tip 

 of the wing is 1-3 to 1*5; the secondaries fall short* of the tip 

 of the wing by *45 to '6. 



Distribution. Seebohm possesses a skin which was obtained in 

 Sind, but this I have not been able to examine, owing to its having 

 been sent to Russia. We can, however, have no better authority 

 than Seebohm for the identification of this bird. It is a rare 

 species. It is supposed to summer in the desert portions of Tur- 

 kestan, and to winter in Sind. It has occurred at Fao in the 

 Persian Gulf. 



