THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA. 
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30. Grey-necked Bunting. Emberiza buchanani. 
Emberiza buchanant, Biyth (J. A. 8. B, xiii, p. 957—Indian Peninsula). 
Recorded only by Zarudny who says it is a passage migrant in the Karun 
district. It nests in small numbers in the Zagros Mountains. 
31. Rustic Bunting. Emberiza rustica. 
Emberiza rustica, Pall. (Reise, Reichs. iii, p. 698, 1776—Daruria). 
Recorded by Zarudny as a winter visitor to his district. 
32. House Bunting. Emberiza striolata. 
Emberiza striolata striolata (Licht.) (Verz. Doubl. Zool. Mus., Berlin, 
p. 24, 1823—Ambukol in Nubia). 
Zarudny records this Bunting also in winter in the Karun District and thinks 
it may nest there—presumaoly in the low hills. 
33. Reed Bunting. Emberiza scheeniclus. 
Emberiza scheniclus pallidior, Hart. (Vog. Pal. F., p. 197—Aiderli 
in Turkestan), 
The Reed Bunting appears to be uncommon, or very local as a winter visiter. 
Pitman states that he found a large flock near Kut frequenting some scrub of 
Sueda bushes by the Tigris in January, they were very noisy and shy ; otherwise 
he only met with a single bird at Samarra on December 18th. Cheesman got a 
specimen at Sheik Saad on December 6th, the bird’s head was sc covered with 
ticks that it could hardiy fly ; Magrath records it at Basra where I saw a singe 
bird in reed beds on November 20th. Zarudny records this race as a winter 
visitor to the Karun, as also the typical form. 
Four specimens examined: Sheik Saad, 6-12-16; Amara, 2-2-18 (P. Z. C. 
and R. E. C.) ; Samarra, 13-12-17; Kut, 13-1-17 (C. R. P.)} 
These ali belong to the pale eastern race. 
34. Black-crowned Finch Lark. Pyrrhulauda frontalis. 
This Finch Lark was met with near the oasis of Shaiba on August 12th by 
Buxton and Cheesman. Logan Hume informs me he saw it in the same district 
(Rumailah) in June in pairs. It is evidently resident on this edge of the Syrio- 
Arabian desert and is not recorded from anywhere else in Mesopotamia. 
Two skins were obtained, both males, wings 85 and 86:5 mm. and not quite 
fully grown. These two birds do not match any race of frontalis which I have 
seen, and although I think that the birds, inhabiting Shaiba will prove to be a new 
race yet I at present hesitate to separate them on only two specimens, as 
there is in all races a certain amount of individual variation. 
This Finch Lark has a very wide distribution, various races ranging from 
N. EK. Africa through Arabia to Baluchistax east to Sind and Punjab. 
The foliowing races have been recognized :-— 
(1) P. f. fronialis, Bp. (Consp. Avium, 1850, p. 5)2—Nubia), Our birds 
differ considerably from this in having a more finch like, stumpier, 
higher bill; a black nuchal spot; greyer rump and upper tail 
coverts and longer wing. 
(2) P. f. melanauchen Cab. (Mus. Hein. i, 1851, p. 124—Abyssinan coast, 
Somaliland, etc.). 
(3) P. f. syncipitalis, Blyth (Ibis, 1867, p. 185—S. Arabia). Rather near this 
race but Arabian examples [ have seen measure in wing 79-82 mm. 
(4) P. #. affinis, Blyth (Ibis, 1867, p. 185, Type Madras (in error!) I designate 
Karachi in Sind) Differs from Sind birds in the upper parts being 
more isabelline washed with grey and with no obsolete dark centres, 
while the black of the crown and under parts is more intense ; the 
wing is as long or longer. I have however been unable to see any 
Indian specimens in exactly the same plumage as these Shaiba birds, 
