58 THE BIRDS OF A DROUGHT. 



tail feathers at most (in some less) and more than one-half of 

 the median ones, being- black in kingi. 



Of course chrysopygia is some bird of this type, but in the 

 absence of any types, the description agrees so ill with kingi that 

 I see no fair grounds whatsoever for the identification, and, were 

 the species not my own, should reject De Filippi's name unhesi- 

 tatingly. 



492. — Saxicola deserti. 



494. — Cercomela fusca. 497. — Ruti cilia rufiventris, rare. 

 550. — Burnesia gracilis. 551. — Franklinia buchanani ; both 

 these last very common. 581. — Sylvia jerdoni, rare. 



582. — Sylvia affinis. This was excessively common, as was 

 also the very small form that I designated (S. F., L, 198.) 



583 for.— Sylvia minula. 



At the time I conferred this name I was disposed to consider 

 it a mere race, but this year, observing it closely, I noticed that 

 its habits were those of S. nana rather than of 8. affinis ; that 

 it kept much to the ground, running in and out of the roots of 

 the bushes, like a small sand rat, just as nana does. Indeed I 

 was continually shooting it for nana, whereas I never shot a sin- 

 gle affinis by mistake. 



Further, close inspection has led me to suspect that it may 

 perhaps be a good species, and in this view Mr. Brooks, who -is 

 well known, has paid special atteution to this group, and to 

 whom I sent several specimens entirely concurs. He says in 

 epist : — 



" Your Little White Throat is neither affinis nor garrula, but a 

 really good species. Its wing is rounder than either, 2 = 7 or 7/8, 

 ao-ainst 2 = 5 and 2 = 6. It is much smaller too, and almost as 

 brown on the back as delicatula (?iana)." 



In another letter : 



" The Little White Throat is a very good thing, no race, but a 

 clearly distinct species. Little bill, pale sandy color, much 

 smaller size and much rounder wing, are differences sufficient 

 to separate any birds of this group." 



To this I must add difference of habits, in which it coincides 

 with nana and not with affinis, and a difference in distribution, 

 it being, I believe, entirely confined to the desert country — 

 Sindh, Bhawulpur, and Western Rajpootana. 



But it is not to be disputed that great practical difficulties 

 exist in separating in the cabinet, specimens of the different 

 races or species of White Throats that occur in India. When a 

 really large series, such as our Museum contains, is got together 

 and carefully compared, one generally comes to the conclusion 

 that it is impossible to separate these races. This was the 



