72 SECOND YAEKAND MISSION. 



Turkestan, unless it be in captivity. The Tarkandis have an absurd legend about this bird 

 being the grandsire of the common Hoopoe! A Tarkandi bird-catcher told me that its 

 name was 'Tagh hiipiipi/ the 'Mountain Hoopoe;' but this designation was no doubt 

 evolved out of his inner consciousness." 



Eamilv SYLVIIDiS. 



Genus AC RO CEPH ALUS. 



142. ACROCEPHALUS TUEDOIDES. 



Acrocephalus turdoides (Meyer) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. v. p. 95 (1881) ; Homeyer & Tancre, 



MT. orn. Ver. Wien, 1883, p. 84; Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. (2) Zool. v. p. 71 (1889). 

 Acrocephalus arundinaceus, L.; Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 146 (1876); Blanf. East. Persia, ii. p. 195 (1876). 



I have examined the specimen procured by Dr. Scully at Tarkand on the 23rd of June, 

 and there is no question of its being the true A. turdoides. The Yarkandi shikaris gave him 

 the following information about this Reed- Warbler : — '' The Turki name for the bird is 

 ' Kanaichi.' It is a seasonal visitant, arriving about March, and leaving at the beginning of 

 winter, when the water begins to freeze. It breeds in Yarkand, making its nest in the 

 yekan (reeds), where it lives, and laying four eggs about the beginning of June. It does not 

 migrate to Hindustan, but westwards to Mazendaran (an extensive forest-region in Persia 

 near the borders of the Caspian)." Eggs were brought to Dr. Scully, who says that the 

 species was often heard in reeds and marshy ground near Yarkand, but he could only procure 

 one specimen. 



143. Acrocephalus stentohius. 



Acrocephalus stentorius (H. & E.); Blanf. East. Persia, ii. p. 194 (1876) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 



V. p. 98 (1881) ; C. Swinh. Ibis, 1882, p. 108; Zarudn. Gis. Transcasp. p. 42 (1885); Scully, J. A. 



S. Beng. Ivi. p. 81 (1887) ; Gates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 356 (1889). 

 Acrocephalus brunnescens (Jerd.) ; Hume & Renders. Lahore to Yark. p. 214, pi. xvi. (1873). 



Nos. 200, 202, 206, 216, 220, 228, 227. Srinagar, July 29-31, 1873. 



No. 217. Srinagar, August 3, 1873.— Length 7*35 inches, wing 3*38, tail 2*75, tarsus I'l ; 

 expanse 10 ; bill from front 0-75, from gape 1*1 ; length of foot 1-4. Iris brown, with 

 lighter round the pupil ; bill blackish horny, pale below ; feet bluish horny. 



Very common in Kashmir, according to Dr. Henderson, breeding in that country. Dr. 

 Stoliczka mentions that he found young birds near Srinagar in July. 



144. Acrocephalus aghicola. 



Acrocephalus agricola, Jerd. ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. v. p. 105 (1881) ; Severtz. Ibis, 1883, p. 65 ; 



Zarudn. Ois. Transcasp. p. 42 (1885) ; Gates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 359 (1889). 

 Salicaria capistrata, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. pp. m, 127 (1873) ; id. Str. F. iii. p. 425 (1875) ; Dresser, 



Ibis, 1876, p. 84. 

 Salicaria modesta, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. QQ. 

 Salicaria gracilisj Severtz. t. c. p. QQ, 



