850 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL BLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXTU. 



montanus transcaucasicus). Great Tit (Parus m. major). Blue Tit {Parus cceruhus 

 raddei), Long Tailed Tit {Acredula caudata alpina), Robin (Erithacus ruheculor 

 hyrcanus), Song Thrush, Blackbird {Turdus merula aterrimus), Wren (Troglo- 

 dytes troglodytes sub-sp. ?), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus tnajor 

 poelzami). Black Kite, Sea Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla), Tawny Owl {Strix aluco). 

 Pheasant (Phasiamis colchicus talyschensis). The commonest winter visitors 

 in the forests are the Rook, Starhng (Sturnus vulgaris caucasictls and poltar- 

 atskyi). Goldfinch (Carduelis c. loudoni), Fieldfare [Turdus pilaris), Robin [E.r. 

 caucasicus), and Woodcock [Scolopax rusticola). The following species are 

 summer visitors and breed : — Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). Hobby [Falco s. 

 subbuteo). Roller (Coracias garrulus sub-sp. ?), Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 

 Nightingale {Luscinia megarhynchus africana), Ohvaceous Warbler [Hypolais 

 pallida elceica), and Red-backed Shrike [Lanius collurio). 



In the reed beds around the lagoons the Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax 

 carlo) and the Little Grebe [Podiceps nificollis capensis) are common and resi- 

 dent, also Montague's Harrier, Gallinule (Porphyrio poliocepJialus seistanicus). 

 Common Heron, three or four other Herons in all probability, and the 

 Moustached Sedge Warbler {Lusciniola melanopogon mimica). The Common 

 Kingfisher [Alcedo athis pallasii) is resident and breeds round the margin of the 

 lagoons. In summer the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) comes to the reed beds 

 and no doubt breeds, as also does the Great Reed Warbler {Acrocephalus aruji- 

 dinaceus zarudnyi). Some of the islands in the lagoon have extensive bramble 

 bushes among the rough grass, and in these bushes the Large-billed Reed Bun- 

 ting, {Emheriza pyrrhidoides Icorejewi), and the Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scir- 

 paceus macronyx), and the Black-headed Wagtail (MotacH'a flava feldeggl) make 

 their nests. In winter the lagoon and its surroundings were alive with fowl. 

 On the open water and in the smaller marshes were immense numbers of duck, 

 geese a.nd gulls, the species of which are dealt with in the second part of the paper ; 

 also Coot (Fulica atra). Great Crested Greebe (Podiceps cristatus) and 

 Pygmy Cormorants (Phalacrocorax pygmcEus) ; on the mud banks small waders 

 of various sorts were never very common and never interesting ; in the marshes 

 and paddy fields one found hosts of Common Snipe, and large numbers of Jack 

 Snipe, and in the reed beds the most abundant bird was the Common Reed 

 Bunting (Emheriza s. scliceniclus). The open sea was generally thickly spattered 

 with duck in winter, specially the diving and maritime ducks : the sandy shore 

 was at all seasons disappointing. At any time of year it held Sea Eagles and 

 Common Cormorants, and on migration small numbers of waders, generally 

 common species, rested on it. The Lesser Ringed Plover (Charadrius duhius) 

 bred just above the level of the sea w^ater on sand vnth. a few small pebbles. 



I sha.ll now discuss the species individually. 



Comes corax, L. — The Raven was common round towns and villages from 

 Karind to ManjU in winter. In spring it retreats to the ranges of hills in which 

 it remains common. It was never seen North of Manjil at any season. The 

 specimens I obtained have failed to reach home. 

 Corvus comix comix, L. — Hooded Crow. 



1 J , Qazvin — 31st December 1918. 

 1 $ , Resht— 23rd February 1919. 



The Hooded Crow is no doubt a winter visitor to the S. shore of the Caspian. 

 I also saAv it in mid-winter at Qazvin, and I believe that mixed flocks of this 

 and Sharpe's Crow occurred there at that season. 



Zarudny records the Hooded Crow as resident in the Caspian Provinces . 

 of Persia. I think that this must be an error, for we know that Sharpe's Crow 

 occurs there, but it is exceedingly desirable that some one should obtain a series 

 of breeding birds from the Caspian litoral and the plateau. (Wing 310 mm. 

 6 ; 300 mm. § ; culmen 52 mm. <5 ; 50 mm. 5 ). 



