390 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
These birds correspond well with Greek specimens ; they are greyer in tone 
on the upperparts, less brownish in colour, than the typical race from the Nile 
valley ; altogether a “ colder ” looking bird. Wings of males 65-68 mm. and 
the tip of the second primary is nearly always between that of the sixth and 
seventh. The newly hatched young, like those of other Warblers I have seen, 
are perfectly devoid of down. 
One bird obtained at Fao by Cumming in November 1884 and recorded 
(Ibis, 1886) as obsoleta by Sharpe, is considered by Witherby (Ibis, 1903, p. 542) 
to be pallida (p. eleica). Iwas unable to find this specimen. Of Hypolais rama 
there is no certain record. 
86. Upcher’s Tree-Warbler. Hypolais languida.: 
Hypolais languida, Hempr. and Ehr.(Symb. Phys. fol. ce, 1833— 
Syria). 
Two were obtained by Cumming at Fao on August 27th and 28th, presumably 
on passage, as this is a hill breeding species. They are in the British Museum. 
Recorded by Zarudny as a winter visitor and passage migrant in the Karun 
district in small numbers. 
Three half fledged young from Fao registered in the British Museum as belong- 
ing to this species are in reality the young of el@ica. 
87. Barred Warbler. Sylvia nisoria. 
Sylvia nisoria, Bechst. (Gem. Nat. Deutschl. 4, p. 580, 1795— 
Middle Germany). 
The Barred Warbler is a passage migrant in small numbers but perhaps is 
commoner than our records indicate, as it is a very shy and skulking bird. Pit- 
man noted a few at Feluja on spring passage from April 24th to 30th; and Chees- 
man obtained it at Baghdad on the 26th. Weigold records it at Urfa on the 25th 
and Cumming got one at Fao in May. The spring passage would appear to last 
but a short time. There are three records in autumn, Basra, September 8th (L. 
Home) ; Sheik Saad on 11th and Shaiba on the 25th (Cheesman). 
Pitman noted that it made all use of any cover it could and Cheesman found 
it among cotton bushes. 
Seven specimens examined : Feluja, 24-4-17, 30-4-17, 29-4-17 (C. R. P.); ¢, 
Sheik Saad, 11-9-17; Shaiba, 25-9-16; Baghdad, 26-4-19 (P.Z.C. and 
R. E. C.) ; Busra, 8-9-19 (L. Home), Wings 88-90 mm. 
An eastern iace has been described by Schalow as merzbacheri (Orn. Monat., 
1907, p. 3) from Tian Shan ; it is said to have a longer wing and paler head and 
neck than the typical race. Now I have examined 16 adults from Europe and 
16 adults from Central Asia (Afghanistan, E. Turkestan (twelve) including Tian 
Shan, Kashgar, Khargalik) and I cannot see the slightest difference between them. 
The wings of the European birds measured 83-92 mm. and those from Central 
Asia, 85-93 mm. The tone of grey on the head and neck varied in both series— 
some paler, some darker, in both areas, and it so happens the darkest of all was 
a Tian Shan bird ! merzbacheri is evidently not a good race and a pure synonym 
of nisoria. 
it is worth noting that Zarudny records the Eastern Orphean Warbler nesting 
commonly in the Zagros ; he did not meet with it in Mesopotamia nor have we 
any records of it. 
88. Garden Warbler. Sylvia simplex. 
Sylvia simplex, Latham (Gen. Synop. Sup p. 1,p. 287, 1787—England). 
A fairly common passage migrant whose times of passage appear to be late 
and to cover a long period. It arrives about the middle of April and is to be 
found up to the end of May while Buxton obtained one at Amara, as late as June 
