93 



(Cat. B. Bvit. Mus. v. p. 85) that it breeds in the valley of the Lower Volga. According to 

 Mr. Zarudny it breeds very commonly in Transcaspia ; and he gives a careful description of eight 

 nests he found, all of which were placed low down on a bush, chiefly under a foot from the 

 ground, and were constructed of fine bents and twigs of tamarisk intermixed with vegetable 

 down and wool, and lined with vegetable down, wool, and horsehair, sometimes with a few 

 feathers, and contained from four to seven eggs, one only containing as many as seven. The 

 nests obtained by Messrs. Radde and Walter at Chodsha-kala were placed in tamarisk-bushes 

 low down, and were, they say, somewhat remarkable as having the upper part of the cup oval in 

 shape. They contained only from three to four eggs. 



The eggs resemble those of Hypolais pallida, but are smaller, and have a slight tendency to 

 the eggs of Acrocephalus palustris in appearance, as I remarked (P. Z. S. 1874, p. 656) when I 

 exhibited the nest and eggs of this Warbler obtained in Persia by Mr. Blanford, and figured in 

 the P. Z. S. 1874, pi. lxxix. 



As the present species so closely resembles Hypolais caligata in coloration, I have not 

 deemed it necessary to give a figure of it. 



The specimens described are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H E. Dresser. 



a,b,S- Merv, June 5th and 10th {Dr. G. Radde). c, <$ . Ispahan, Persia, July 10th, 1872 {W. T. Blanford). 

 d. Etawah, N.W. India, September 14th, 1869; e, ? . Etawah, September 25th, 1869 {W. E. Brooks). 



