SYLVIA NANA. 



(DESERT- WARBLER.) 



Curruca nana, Hempr. & Ehr. Symb. Phys., Aves, fol. cc (1828). 



Salicaria aralensis, Evei-sm. Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. xxiii. part 2, p. 565, tab. viii. fig. 1 (1850). 



Stoparola deserti, Loche, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1858, p. 394, pi. xi. fig. 1. 



Sylvia delicatula, Hartl. Ibis, 1859, p. 340, pi. x. fig. 1. 



Sylvia dorice, Filippi, Viagg. Persia, p. 348 (1865). 



Sylvia nana (Hempr. & Ehr.), Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 212. no. 3010 (1869). 



Sylvia cliysopUhalma, Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 306 (1869). 



Atraphornis aralensis (Eversm.), Severtzoff, Turk. Jevotn. pp. 65, 124 (1873). 



Sylvia aralensis (Eversm.), Prjev. in Rowley's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 170 (1877). 



Drymosylvia nana (Hempr. & Ehr.), Menzbier, Orn. Geogr. Europ. Rossii, p. 201 (1882). 



Drymosylvia nana, var. albipennis, id. ut supra. 



Bajalysclinitschek, Russ. (Bogd.). 



Figuroe notabiles. 

 Eversmann, ut supra; Loche, ut supra; Hartlaub, ut supra. 



Ad. corpore supra griseo-isabellino, uropygio et supracaudalibus rufescenti - cervinis : remigibus fuscis 

 isabellino marginatis, secundariis iutimis rufescenti-cervinis : rectricibus mediis rufescenti-cervinis, 

 rectrice extima utrinque alba, reliquis saturate fuscis rufescetiti-isabellino marginatis et albido apicatis : 

 corpore subtus albo, hypochondriis cervino lavatis : rostro pallide corneo : pedibus pallide fusco-isabel- 

 linis : iride pallide flava. 



Adult Male (Tolan-chodsha, April). Upper parts greyish isabelline, becoming rufous on the lower rump 

 and upper tail-coverts ; quills brownish buff, margined with isabelline, the inner secondaries washed 

 with rufous buff; median rectrices rufous buff, outer rectrix on each side white, the rest dark 

 brown margined with rufous buff, and some tipped with white ; underparts white, washed with buff on 

 the flanks: bill pale horn ; legs brownish or yellowish isabelline ; iris pale yellow. Total length about 

 45 inches, culmen - 4, wing 2'5, tail 1'95, tarsus 0"75. 



The sexes do not differ in plumage : in the autumn plumage all the colours are brighter, the median tail- 

 feathers are almost rust-red, and the upper parts generally are warm, almost rufescent isabelline. The 

 young bird resembles the adult iu autumnal dress, but is even more rufous in tinge, especially on the 

 head, and the underparts are purer white in tiuge. 



The Desert-Warbler has a tolerably wide range, having been recorded from Algeria, North-east 

 Africa, the Sinaitic Peninsula, Transcaspia, Persia, Turkestan, North-west India, and eastward 

 to the Chinese province of Alaschan, and it has also occurred as a straggler in European Russia 

 and Italy. In the last-named country it has, according to Professor Giglioli, been once obtained 



