SYLVIA HINT7SCULA. 



(LEAST WHITETHROAT.) 



Sylvia minula, Hume, Stray Feath. i. p. 198 (1873). 

 "Sylvia minima, Hume," Dresser, B. of Eur. i. p. 386 (1876). 

 Sylvia minuscula, Hume, Stray Feath. viii. p. 103 (1879). 



Tint-Konu, Tuntu, in Yarkand. 



Figurce notabiles. 

 Seebohm, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. v. pi. i.; Pleske, Orn. Ross. pi. i. figs. 5, 6, 7. 



Ad. S. curruca similis, sed minor : nucha et corpore supra pallide fusco-isabellinis. 



Adult Male (Baluchistan, February 23rd). Crown pale bluish grey, becoming pale brownish isabelline on 

 the nape; upper parts generally pale brownish isabelline, otherwise closely resembling S. curruca. 

 Total length about 5 inches, culmen 0'5, wing 24, tail 2*15, tarsus 0-8; second primary intermediate 

 in length between the seventh and eighth. 



Adult Female (Sehwan). Undistinguishable from the male in coloration. 



Obs. I find that the wing varies from 2'35 to 2"4 inches in length, and the tail from 2 - to 2 - 15. In some 

 specimens the second primary is equal in length to the seventh, but most have it intermediate between 

 the seventh and eighth. 



When in 1876 I wrote the article, in the ' Birds of Europe,' on Sylvia curruca, I deemed it 

 expedient to recognize only one species of Lesser Whitethroat as inhabiting Europe and Asia, 

 ranging as far east as China and Dauria. Since then, however, further research has shown that 

 it may be subdivided into four fairly separable geographical forms or species, which have been 

 recognized by all our present leading authorities. These species may be diagnosed as follows : — 



1. Sylvia curruca. Head bluish grey, back bluish grey tinged with brown; second primary intermediate 



between the fifth and sixth. Wing 2 - 5 to 2 - 6 inches. — Hob. Europe, North Africa, ranging east to 

 Asia Minor and Syria. 



2. Sylvia affinis. Resembles Sylvia curruca, but has the second primary intermediate between the sixth 



and seventh ; upper parts browner than in S. curruca. Wing 2 - 45 to 2 - 65 inches. — Hob. Siberia in the 

 summer, southward to India and Ceylon in the winter. 



3. Sylvia althcea. Upper parts greyish brown, rather darker on the head ; outer tail-feathers almost entirely 



white ; second primary intermediate between the sixth and seventh, or equal to the seventh. Wing 

 2"6 to 2'8 inches. — Hab. Transcaspia and Cashmere in the summer, wintering in North-west India 

 and Afghanistan. 



4. Sylvia minuscula. Crown bluish grey; back sandy brown, much paler than in S. curruca; second 



