ACBEDULA CAUCASICA. 



(CAUCASIAN LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE.) 



Acredula caudata, Radde, Orn. Caucas. p. 143 (1884, partim). 



Mecistura irbyi, subsp. caucasica, Lorenz, Beitr. Orn. Faun. Nords. Kauk. p. 60, Nachtrag 



(1887). 

 Acredula caucasica (Lorenz), Dresser, Ibis, 1893, p. 242. 



Figura nulla. 



S ad. pileo albo, fronte rufescenti-brunneo notata : stria, superciliari supra rufescenti-brunuea et subtus nigra, : 

 dorso pallide schistaceo-griseo, in parte superiore saturatiore : uropygio et supracaudalibus pallide 

 schistaceo-griseis, his vix rosaceo tinctis : cauda, et alis sicut in A. tephronotd coloratis : corpore subtus 

 albo, pectoris lateribus griseo notatis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride fusca. 



Adult Male (Kuban). Crown white, the forehead mai'ked with reddish brown; superciliary stripe reddish 

 brown above and blackish brown below ; back pale slaty grey, darker on the upper portion ; upper 

 tail-coverts grey, faintly tinged with rose; wings blackish, the secondaries narrowly margined with 

 white ; tail as in A. tephronota ; underparts white, faintly marked with grey on the sides of the breast : 

 bill and feet blackish; iris brown. Total length about 5"3 inches, culmen O30, wing 2'5, tail 3 - 35, 

 tarsus 0"64. 



Adult Female (Tiflis). Does not appreciably differ from the male. 



So far as I can ascertain, the present species is confined to the Caucasus ; but it is most difficult 

 to define its precise range, as it has been until quite recently confused with allied species. It 

 was first obtained on the northern slopes of the Caucasus by Mr. Lorenz, who observed that 

 it differed from the Common Long-tailed Titmouse, and described it as a form of Acredula 

 tephronota, from which, however, it is very distinct, as it lacks the blackish patch on the throat, 

 and has the superciliary stripes on the sides of the crown reddish brown on the upper part and 

 blackish brown on the lower part, and the centre of the crown pure white. Dr. Gustav Eadde 

 has obtained it at Lenkoran and at Tiflis, and it is probably to be met with throughout the 

 Caucasus, possibly ranging eastward into Transcaspia. I am indebted to Dr. Gustav Radde for 

 three specimens from the Caucasus, all of which agree closely with the specimen I have figured 

 and described. There appears to be little doubt that Dr. Radde (Orn. Cauc. p. 143) refers to 

 this species under the name of Acredula caudata, as he remarks that in his specimens the 

 superciliary stripe is indistinct and blackish brown, and in two specimens it is dull greyish 

 rufous-brown. He also remarks that in some of his specimens of Acredula tephronota the 

 superciliary stripe, instead of being black was of a light brownish-grey colour washed with reddish 

 white, so that it is possible that his remarks there also may, to some extent, refer to the present 

 species, especially as he adds that the spot on the throat was very indistinct. The measurements 



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