THE THRUSHES. 71 



THE PERSIAN NIGHTINGALE (Daulias golzii) has only 

 twice been known to occur wild in India, in both instances 

 in Oudh. It is, however, well known as a cage-bird 

 among the natives, under the name of Bulbul bostha, 

 and very possibly the two unfortunate specimens who 

 were " recorded " were merely "escapes." The proper 

 range of this species, which differs very slightly in 

 appearance, but more in song, from the famous Night- 

 ingale of Europe, is from Turkestan and the Caucasus 

 through Persia, and it is the bird called Bulbul in oriental 

 poetry and legend, the lover of the rose. The name 

 Bulbul, however, must have been early transferred to 

 the birds which now bear it, inasmuch as it is the recog- 

 nized term for them among all natives. 



In Yarkand the Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria) is 

 called Bulbul, it being the finest songster in that 

 district ; and it must be remembered that the Persian 

 Bulbul (Molpastes leucotis) is a good singer, as also is a 

 Bulbul found in Palestine and there called by that name 

 among the Arabs. This Palestine Bulbul (Pycnonotus 

 xanihopygus) is a bird of about the size of the common 

 Bengal Bulbul, dark brown in colour, with a yellow patch 

 under the tail ; it may sometimes be seen in captivity in 

 Port Said. Canon Tristrom, who has heard it in its 

 native haunts, considers that it is a very fine melodist 

 indeed, and closely approaches the true Nightingale in 

 the quality of its notes. 



To return to the genuine Nightingale ; the figure 

 (Fig. 4) on Plate III, which wan drawn from a living bird, 

 kindly lent me by Mr. D. Ezra for the purpose, gives a 



