MELIZOPHILUS DESERTICOLA. 



(TRISTRAM'S WARBLER.) 



Sylvia deserticola, Tristram, Ibis, 1859, p. 58. 



Sylvia nana, Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 307 (1869) (partim). 



Figura unica. 

 Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. pi. iii. 



cJ ad. ptil. eest. Pileo, capitis lateribus, collo, nucha et corpore supra plumbeo-cinereis, uropygio cerviuo- 

 fusco lavato : alis nigricantibus, plumis rufescenti-cervino marginatis : rectricibus externis albis ad 

 basin nigro-fuscis, reliquis nigro-fuscis, fusco-cervino marginatis : mento, gula, et corpore subtiis pallide 

 ferrugineo-castaneis, abdomine medio albido, linea indistincta mystacali et parte ad basin mandibular 

 albis : ciliis oculorum albis : mandibuli, superiore pallide f usca, inferiore citrina : pedibus pallide 

 citrinis : iride flavissima. 



? ad. ptil. (Est. Mari similis, sed coloribus pallidioribus et sordidioribus. 



<J ad. ptil. Mem. Pileo, capitis lateribus, collo et corpore supra plumbeis, rufescenti-fusco lavatis : corpore 

 subtiis cinnamomescenti-albo : mento, gula. et hypochondriis rufescenti lavatis : alis magis rufescenti- 

 cervino marginatis. 



$ ad. ptil. Mem. Omnino pallidior, corpore subtiis magis albo. 



Adult Male (near Batna, May 15th) . Crown, sides of the head and neck, nape, and upper parts generally 

 ashy plumbeous, the rump washed with sandy buff; wings blackish, the quills and coverts broadly 

 margined with rufous buff; external tail-feathers blackish brown at the base, but otherwise white, the 

 remaining tail-feathers blackish brown with brown margins to the feathers ; underparts pale chestnut, 

 the middle of the abdomen whitish, and a somewhat indistinct white line crosses the chin and 

 borders the plumbeous ash on the sides of the head : iris bright yellow ; upper mandible light brown, 

 lower mandible bright yellow; legs pale lemon-yellow. Total length about 4'5 inches, culmen 045, 

 wing 2T0, tail 2-20, tarsus 0-75. 



Adult Female (Lambessa, Algeria, April 30th). Differs from the male above described only in being paler 

 in coloration, especially on the underparts. 



Adult Male in winter (Wed Nca, December loth: type). Differs from the male in summer dress in having 

 the upper parts washed with sandy buff, the rufous margins on the quills and wing-coverts are broader, 

 and the underparts are much paler, being cinuamon-white tinged with rufous on the chin, throat, 

 and flanks. 



Adult Female in ivinter (Algeria, December 23rd) . Differs but slightly from the male, being, if anything, 

 slightly paler in coloration. 



Obs. The specimen in the British Museum is the palest I have examined, and may very possibly be a bird 

 of the year ; in the plate, in the British Museum ' Catalogue/ of this bird the iris is given as blackish 



