THE BIRDS OF KOHAT AND THE KURRAM VALLEY. 189 



229. $ ad. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 29th April, 1906. 



551. 9 ad. Thall, 2,500 ft., 15th May 1907. 



Passes through in fair number in April and May, returning in August. 

 Usually found in dry scrub. J n appearance very like PhyUosco/,us tristis, but 

 •not quite so active. This species probably breeds within our limits. 



[Major Magrath procured an example of the rare Hypolaia obsoleta at Bannu 

 on the 8th September 1907. It was creeping about in grass with others.] 



[398.] Sylvia cineeea. The Common Whitethroat. 



Ward, J. B. N. H. S. xvii. p. 112. 



357. 9 ad. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 30th August. 



358. $ ad. 



Not common. Only a few observed during the autumn migration at the 

 «nd of August and beginning of September 1906. 



[399.] Sylvia jeedoxi. The Eastern Orphean Warbler. 



Marshall, J. B. N. H. S. xiv. p. 602 (common in April and May : Quetta) : 

 Gumming, op. cit. xvi. p. 687 (common in the Tamarisks: Seistan) ; Betham. 

 -t. c. p. 831 (nests freely in April and May above 7,000 ft.: Quetta); Ward, 

 op. cit. xvii. p. 112 (recorded at Gilgit on migration). 



491. $. ad. Thall, 2,500 ft., 14th April. 



A summer visitor, and not common. Has a very fine song. We found 

 several pairs in the scrub round Thall in April. On picking up the above- 

 example, I noticed some cobwebs in the bill, and on looking round found a nest 

 in a thick bush close by. It was composed of roots, bits of green plants, and a 

 lot of cobwebs, and had not been completed. 



[400.] Sylvia nana. The Desert-Warbler. 



Watson, J. B. X. H. S. xv. p. 145 (occurs near Chaman). 



452. Sex ? ad. Lachi, 1,500 ft., 24th February. 



This example was shot creeping about in a thorn-bush in the desert. Only 

 one other was seen, and that was in a similar spot, the following year. 



[401.] Sylvia althaea. Hume's Lesser Whitethroat. 



Marshall, J. B. X. H. S. xiv. p. 602 (believes that this sp. is fairly commor. 

 ■at 8,000 ft. in May) ; Fulton, op. cit xvi. p. 48 (shot three in May between 

 5,000 and 7,000 ft.) ; Ward, op. cit. xvii. p. 112, and xviii. p. 461 (eggs taken in 

 May and July at 8,000 ft.) 



232. 9 ad. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 29th April. 



Passes through Kohat and the Kurram Valley in spring and autumn, but 

 is not common. la spring I have generally observed it in Shisham trees 

 (Dalbergia sissco) in company with the next species. These trees are then in 

 flower and attract much insect-life. Birds shot in them generally have their 

 heads covered with pollen. A beautiful songster. 



[4U2.] Sylvia affixes. The Indian Lesser Whitethroat. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 338 (winter visitor, not common: Thall); 

 Betham, op. cit. xvi. p. 831 (a few pairs nest round Quetta) ; Ward, op. cit. 

 xvii. p. 112 (common in summer in Kashmir). 



