8 Mr. H. Seebohm on the 



G. atricapillus, subsp. caspius, is still darker . than the 

 preceding, in fact as dark as G. hyrcanus, but differs from 

 that bird in having the feathers of the crown and nape 

 black, with very narrow vinous margins. Only known from 

 Lenkoran. 



Ornithologists who have not yet brought themselves to use 

 the Americo-Linnsean system of nomenclature may fairly 

 admit four spacies of these Jays G. atricapillus, G. anatolia, 

 G. caspius, and G. hyrcanus. 



STUENUS VULGARIS. 



The Common Starling is abundant in the lower valleys. 



?STURNUSPURPURASCENS (Sturnus nitens, Hume apudBogd.). 



In my paper on the Ornithology of Siberia (' Ibis/ 1880, 

 p. 182), I thought I had finally disposed of the Starlings. 

 After examining a series from Moscow, the Caucasus, and 

 Turkestan, I am obliged to modify my views. The bird 

 described by Bogdanoff is certainly not the Sturnus nitens of 

 Hume, since the wing measures 5'1 inches. It is the S. 

 poltaratskii of Finsch, and the S. nobilior of Hume. I have 

 previously looked upon this variety as the Green-backed form 

 of S. purpurascens; but I am now inclined to consider it 

 more nearly allied to S. vulgaris, possibly a cross between 

 that species and S. purpurascens. It was found by Michai- 

 lovsky at Suram, between Kutais and Tiflis. In the Starlings 

 I do not find any two characters that are always constant. 



PASTOR ROSEUS. 



The Rose-coloured Pastor is very common in the plains. 



PASSER DOMESTICUS-TNDICUS. 



The Caucasian Sparrow is said by Bogdanow to be inter- 

 mediate between our Common Sparrow and the Common 

 Sparrow of India ; and he calls it Passer domesticus, subsp. 

 caucasicus. The inference I draw is that Passer domesticus 

 and Passer indicus are conspecific, and that between the two 

 extremes an infinite number of intermediate forms exist. It 

 is said only to be found where cultivation has been intro- 

 duced. 



