112 HYPO LAIS 



and hunting about the branches for insects, and is less 

 numerous than H. pallida except in the more open and semi- 

 desert country. It frequents gardens, comparatively open bush- 

 covered plains and wooded ravines up to an altitude of 5,500 

 feet. Its call-note is a sharp cry like tschick-tschick unlike that 

 of H. pallida, but I do not find any description of its song. 

 Its nest is placed in a low tree or bush, not more than a yard 

 or two from the ground, is very neat, cup-shaped, constructed 

 of grass-bents, spiders' webs and plant- down, and the eggs, 4 or 

 5 in number, are deposited in June, and are pinkish white, 

 with small scattered spots and irregular streaks of dark 

 chocolate brown and measure about 075 by 0*53. 



162. SYKES'S WARBLER. 

 HYPOLAIS RAMA. 



Hypolais rama, (Sykes), P.Z.S. 1832, p. 89 ; Dresser, P.Z.S. 1874, 

 pi. Ixxix. (nest and eggs) ; id. ix p. 91 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 v. p. 84 ; (Gates), F. Brit. Ind. Birds, i. p. 391 ; H. obsoleta, (Severtz.) 

 Turk. Jevot. pp. 66, 129 (1873); Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. 

 p. 86 ; Gates, torn. cit. p. 393. 



Koktalghu, Turki ; Tchourlentki, Tekki, in Transcaspia. 



ad. (Transcaspia). Differs from H. pallida in being smaller darker 

 in colour both above and below, and has a longer first and a shorter 

 second primary. Culmen 0'57, wing 2'4, tail 2'15, tarsus 0'82 inch ; 

 first primary 0'35 longer than the coverts, the second intermediate between 

 the 7th and 8th or the 8th and 9th. In the autumn the under parts 

 are washed with buffish brown. 



Hob. Transcaspia, Turkestan, south-west Persia, Kashmir, 

 Bind, and south-eastern Mongolia, wintering throughout the 

 whole peninsula of India, south to the Nilgiris and east to 

 Dinapore and Lohardugga. 



In general habits is said to resemble H. caligata but its note 

 differs. It frequents bush-covered localities and tamarisk- 

 thickets, especially in or near damp localities, and is much 

 commoner on the plains than in the hills. Its song is some- 

 what feeble but agreeable, and is generally uttered from the 

 top branch of a bush. It breeds from the latter part of April 

 to the early part of June and places its nest in a low bush near 

 the ground ; constructing it of fine tamarisk- twigs, plant-stems, 

 grass-bents and vegetable down, interwoven with spiders' webs 

 and cocoons, and lined with vegetable down, camels' wool, and 



