424 Mr. S. A. Buturlin on Birds 



take as typical C. carduelis the Goldfinch of Eastern Russia, 

 where Mr. Sarudny did splendid work. And even then the 

 colour-differences of the back, cheeks, and under side, being- 

 far from strong, are quite trifling *. But I must confess that 

 I cannot separate my Caucasian Goldfinches from specimens 

 of Western and Central Europe : their back is perhaps a 

 shade duller and the yellow mirror paler, but the difference 

 is so slight that a larger series must be examined before 

 definite conclusions can be reached. The dimensions of the 

 Caucasian birds are: wing 76-82 mm., culm. U'3-ir8 mm. 

 The Goldfinches from Central and Eastern Russia (from 

 Ssuram to the Ural) deserve separation. They differ from 

 typical examples in the purer white of the cheeks, the greater 

 amount of white on the nape and rump, the larger yellow 

 wing-mirror, but chiefly in their larger size and stronger 

 bill. I give some dimensions (in millim.) of my Ssimbirsk 

 specimens (spring and autumn) : — 



^ (Sex c? 6 6 6 S 2 2 2 2 



§"| -hying .... 85-5 84 83 83 82"5 82 81 80 78-3 

 G £ (Culmen.... 13-3 13-8 13-7 13-7 13-5 12'5 12 12 12-5 



This large East-Russian form, which I propose to name 

 C. carduelis volijensis, cannot be confounded with tie 

 Kirghiz Goldfinch : C. major Tacz. is not only larger still 

 (wing ordinarily not under 85 mm. in the male), but its pure 

 white rump and lower hack, sharply contrasting with the upper 

 back, is so characteristic that anyone can identify it without 

 comparison, if once acquainted with the bird. 



125. Emberiza scho?7iiclus L. 



Having no material for comparison, I cannot decide to 

 what form of E. schceniclns my Transcaucasian and Ssimbirsk 

 specimens (they are very much alike) are referable. Their 

 bill is 8'5-9 mm. long, measured from the frontal feathering, 

 and 5 # 3-5"5 mm. high at the nostrils; in form it is very like 

 the figure of E. s. canned in Mr. Hartert's most useful work 

 (Vog. palaark. F. p. 197, fig. 39). 



* To me it seems, for instance, that the dark spots on the sides of the 

 breast are even of a somewhat more intense brown in Caucasian than in 

 East-Kussian birds. 



