100 Mr. H. F. Witherby on Birds from 
unlike the Goldfinches that inhabit the plateau of Persia, 
which commences a few miles to the east of the place where 
this example was obtaimed. 
The Goldfinch of the Persian plateau was originally 
separated by M. Sarudny under the denomination Carduelis 
elegans brevirostris or C. elegans minor (Bull. Soc. Imp. 
Nat. Moscou, 1889, p. 1383), while recently (Orn. Monatsb. 
xiv. p. 47) he has given a long description of it under the 
name Carduyelis carduelis minor. I referred my specimens 
to C. c. major Tacz. (ef. ‘ Ibis,’ 1903, p. 521); but I had 
not at that time been able to compare them with many 
Siberian birds. I have now done so, and consider that 
M. Sarudny is justified in his separation, owing to the 
smalier size of the wing in the Persian bird, the greyer tone 
of the mantle, and the grey of the rump, which is usually 
white in C. c. major. As to M. Sarudny’s C. c. loudont 
(Orn. Monatsb. xiv. p. 48) I can say nothing, except that if 
it is distinct its distribution in connection with C. c. brevi- 
rostris is an anomaly. In any case, it can have nothing to 
do with the present specimen, which differs from C. c. brevi- 
rostris of the Persian plateau in its larger size of wing, in its 
shorter and stouter bill, and in the colouring of the mantle, 
back, and breast-patches being of a rich reddish brown 
instead of a greyish brown. From C, ¢. major it differs in 
the same way, except that the wing measures about the same, 
and the rump is grey instead of white. The present specimen, 
in fact, differs from all other Goldfinches with which I am 
acquainted. It is perhaps nearest to the typical continental 
form, but is considerably larger and more richly coloured, 
especially as regards the red-brown of the upper side. It 
may be that the Goldfinch inhabiting this part of Meso- 
potamia is distinct, and itis unfortunate that Mr. Woosnam 
obtained only one specimen. 
On the other hand, it is possible that this specimen was a 
migrant, and that it belongs to the form lately described 
(‘ Ibis,’ 1906, p. 424) by Mr. Buturlin under the name of 
C. c. volgensis from Central and Eastern Russia. 
