54- 



tj 



further states, found up to an altitude of about 6000 feet. It is a winter visitant to the north- 

 western portion of India, where for long it was confused with Hypolais rama. I possess 

 examples from Etawah, obtained late in September and in December, and have seen many other 

 specimens from India, all obtained in the winter season ; therefore it does not appear to breed in 

 that country. Pallas speaks of it as being found in Dauria ; but apparently there is some mistake 

 in this statement, as the later travellers have not met with it. 



Scarcely any thing is known respecting the habits of this species ; and until quite lately its 

 nest and eggs were quite unknown ; but I am fortunately now in possession of these latter, 

 having secured the first that have been sent over here, and exhibited them at a meeting of the 

 Zoological Society a few weeks ago. They are the more interesting as they prove that this bird 

 is a true Hypolais ; and although it differs from Ilypolais rama in scarcely any other respect than 

 in the smaller size of the bill, yet its eggs and nest are very distinct : for the egg is smaller and 

 more pink in tinge; and whereas the nest of H. rama is loose and carelessly built, that of ' the 

 present species is a neat structure, carefully built of grass bents, fine roots, and neatly finished 

 and lined in the inside with very fine rootlets, hairs, and a little wool ; it is cup-shaped, and 

 most nearly resembles the carefully finished nest of Ilypolais polyglotta of any of this group. 

 In size the nest measures 3*75 inches outside diameter, and 2T5 inside diameter, the depth of 

 the cup being T65. The egg is that of a true Ilypolais, but is much smaller than that of 

 any other of the group, not excepting Hypolais rama, as it measures only f^- by \% inch. It is 

 pale pinky white or salmon-colour, and is marked with blackish spots, which are scattered over 

 the surface of the egg, though rather more abundant near the larger end ; and there are also a 

 few purplish underlying shell-markings showing round the edges of some of these surface-spots. 

 I have no data as to the position of the nest, or the nature of the locality where it was found ; 

 but the nest looks as if it had been placed in the fork of a bush. 



The specimens figured are an adult bird, obtained on the Syr-Darja by Severtzoff, and a 

 young male, obtained by Mr. Meves at Tjubuk, in the South-east Ural, both being in my 

 collection. 



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



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



a, J juv. Tjubuk, South-east Ural, July 23rd, 1872 (Meves) . b, 6 juv. Ekaterinburg district, July 23rd, 1872 

 (Sabandeff). c, 6. Kirghis steppes, June (W. Schluter). d. Syr-Darja, Turkestan, June 25th. e. Syr- 

 Darja, July 28th, 1858 (Severtzoff), f, d . Etawah, India, December 12th, 1868 (W. E. Brooks), g, 2 . 

 Etawah, September 27th. h, 6 . Etawah, October 18th, 1869 (W. E. Brooks). 



E Mus. Berol. 

 a. Type of Sylvia caliyata (Eversmann) . 



