61 



constructed externally of tamarisk-twigs, the inner portion of finer twigs, bents, and vegetable 

 down, and the lining was of finer bents, vegetable filaments, and in one instance a few horsehairs. 

 In form, position, and materials the nests bore resemblance to those of the Calamoherpidse rather 

 than of the Sylviidge, but in construction are intermediate between the two. The eggs, he 

 says, are rounded, the ground-colour is brilliant white, in one instance with a rose tinge, finely 

 dotted with blackish-grey, black, or dirty-brown spots, the larger end being so closely spotted 

 that the spots are confluent, and in some the black spots and dots are entirely wanting. In size 

 they varied from 1 cent. 5 mill, by 1 cent. 2 mill, to 1 cent. 7 mill, by 1 cent. 3 mill. On the 

 17th June fledged young were first seen near Merv, and specimens killed early in August had 

 almost completed their moult. 



When I wrote the article on Sylvia momus for the ' Birds of Europe,' I had never seen a 

 specimen of this Warbler, and did not believe that it was specifically separable from that species, 

 and Mr. Seebohm also (Cat. B. Brit. Mus. v. p. 21) united these two species ; but directly I had an 

 opportunity of comparing specimens I saw that I was wrong in so doing, and in an article published 

 in 1891 (Ibis, 1891, pp. 360-364) rectified the error I had made, and pointed out that the old 

 male of S. momus has the crown and nape of a very deep black, the division between the black 

 and the grey of the back being very sharp and clear ; the underparts are very white, with the 

 faintest vinous tinge on the abdomen, whereas the old male of the present species has the crown 

 and nape dull black, this colour gradually merging into the grey of the back on the nape ; the 

 chin and a line bordering the black (which extends below the eye as in S. momus) are pure 

 white ; the throat and breast are pale chestnut or dull vinous red, gradually fading on the 

 abdomen to white, the flanks, however, being pale reddish. 



The adult male figured and described is in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, b, S ad. Lenkoran, March 22nd (Dr. G. Radde). c, J. Tedgend, March 20th, 1886 (Dr. Radde). 



E Mus. Brit, 

 a, $,l, ? . Shiraz, S. Persia, June 12th (IF. T. Blanford). c, $. Afghanistan (C. E. Yate). d, <$. Fao, 

 Persian Gulf, e, <?. N. Africa?? 



