1874.] MR. H. E. DRESSER ON HYPOLAIS RAMA. 655 



Golden Wolf ; but whether it was a light-coloured specimen of the 

 common Chanko or a different variety I am unable to say"*. 



I propose, therefore, for the future to designate the Black Wolf 

 of Thibet Canis niger, and to restrict the term Canis laniger to the 

 grey form, to which Hodgson originally applied it. 



In the Appendix to the Mammals of Thibet (p. iii.) Dr. Jerdon 

 has referred to the existence of this animal. 



The Black Wolf of Thibet is readily distinguishable from every 

 other species of Canis known to me by its nearly uniform black 

 shaggy fur. The muzzle, feet, and a patch on the breast are white. 

 The height of our specimen is about 2 feet 5 inches ; the length 

 of the body from the nose to the tail 3 feet 4 inches, that of the 

 tail 1 foot 4 inches. The two examples received were alike in every 

 respect ; and the young male which attained full age was also similar. 

 I think, therefore, that this singular form cau hardly be only a 

 variety of the Common Wolf, which, however, may be the case with 

 Hodgson's Lupus lanigerf. 



7. On the Nest and Eggs of Hypolais rama (Sykes). 

 By H. E. Dresser. 



[Eeceived November 3, 1874.] 

 (Plate LXXIX.) 



Though far from believing that eggs alone are of any great use in 

 discriminating birds generally, I think that no one who has at all 

 studied them will deny that they are of great secondary importance, 

 and that, where other characters are but slightly defined, the eggs and 

 nests of tolerably closely allied species or genera frequently differ so 

 widely and constantly as to form a very clear distinctive character. I 

 may, for instance, name Acrocephalus streperus and Acrocephalus pa- 

 lustris, which are so exceedingly difficult to separate from dried skins 

 alone, though in life the colour of the tarsus is said to be invariably 

 different ; but their eggs differ so constantly and greatly that they 

 cannot possibly be mistaken. The various species belonging to the 

 Hypolais group also are clearly distinguishable from the different allied 

 species by their nest and eggs ; and though some of the species belong- 

 ing to that group approach so nearly in form and coloration others 

 of the Arocephalus group, still their eggs alone show that they belong 

 to the former. Mr. Blanford has lately brought from Persia the nest 

 and eggs of Hypolais rama, which clearly show that this bird is a true 

 Hypolais, nearest to Hypolais pallida, Ehr. (H. elaica, auctt.). 



Curiously enough, however, the eggs of this species, which I am 



* It is probably on a skin of this variety that Canis chaneo, Gray, P. Z. S. 1863, 

 p. 94, was established. 



t This species was described by Mr. Hodgson in 1847, in the 7th volume of 

 the ' Calcutta Journ. of Nat. Hist,' (p. 474). Under the same name, in the same 

 year, Mr. Blyth notices (J. A. S.B. xvi. pt. 2, p. 1176) an imperfect skin of a 

 " blackish or melanoid variety of the Thibetan Wolf received from Lieut. Stra- 

 chey by the Calcutta Museum. 



