Mr. H. Seebohm on tlte Ornithology of Siberia. 



jcct to the same variations as in the preceding species. Tin* 

 upper parts, from the hind neck downwards, are entirely green 

 in skins . from Beluchistan, South Persia, Behar, and from 

 Europe to India ; but usually the upper back is more or less 

 reddish purple in skins from Europe, and Asia Minor ; and in 

 some European skins the upper parts, from the hind neck 

 downwards, are entirely reddish purple. In this case the 

 intermediate forms are S. vulgaris, Linn. ; the green form is 

 S. humii, Gould nee Brooks, and consequently nameless, 

 whilst the reddish-purple form is fortunate enough to have 

 hitherto escaped the infliction of a name. In this case, as 

 in that of S. purpurascens, Gould, since differences of geo- 

 graphical distribution do not coincide with differences of 

 plumage, we may fairly refer the latter to age or individual 

 variation. In the Faroe Islands a form occurs with a longer 

 bill than usual (S. faroensis, Feilden), which may be worthy 

 of record as a subspecies. A slightly smaller form from the 

 Azores is worthy of honourable mention, but scarcely of the 

 bronze medal of subspecific rank. 



Sturnus indicus, Hodgs., appears to me to be a fair species. 

 I take it to be Sturnus unicolor, Marmora, apud Jerdon, S. 

 nit ens, Hume nee Brehm, S. ambiguus, Hume, S. humii, 

 Brooks, /S. humii, Gould, letterpress nee figure, and S. minor, 

 Hume. It is found in Scinde, Cashmere, and Nepal. It 

 appears to be a small race of S. vulgaris, Linn., having 

 the general colour of that bird, and subject to nearly 

 the same variations. The length of wing measures from 

 4*3 inches to 4*75. The lower back and rump are often 

 green; but I have not yet met with a skin in which the 

 upper back was green. The flanks, however, appear to be 

 always green, whereas they seem to be always purple in the 

 common species. 



The breast appears also to be always purple, whilst in S. 

 vulgaris the purple does not extend below the lower throat. 

 I take it to be a good species. 



ORIOLUS GALBULA, Linn. 



Mr. Kibort has sent me a male of this species from Kras- 



