553 



AEDON FAMILIAEIS. 



(GREY-BACKED WARBLER.) 



Curruca galactodes, var. syriaca, Ehr. Symb. Phys. Aves, fol. bb (1829). 



Sylvia familiaris, Menetr. Cat. Rais. p. 32 (1832). 



Erythropygia familiaris (Menetr.), Bp. Comp. List, p. 12. no. 86 (1838). 



Salicaria familiaris (Menetr.), Schlegel, Rev. Crit. pp. xxxix et 58 (1844). 



Salicaria galactodes,Von der Miihle, Beitr. Orn. Griechenl. p. 66 (1844, nee Temm.). 



JEdon familiaris (Menetr.), Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 286 (1850). 



Aedon bruchii, L. Brehm, J. f. O. 1856, p. 442. 



Aedon bruchii brachyrhynchos, L. Brehm, ut supra. 



Aedon bruchii macrorhynchos, L. Brehm, ut supra. 



Calamoherpe familiaris (Menetr.), Schlegel, Vog. Nederl. p. 141 (1858). 



Salicaria galactodes, Lindermayer, Vog. Griechenl. p. 93 (1860, nee Temm.). 



Figura unica. 

 Naumann, Vog. Deutschl. taf. 367. fig. 1. 



c? ad. A. galactodi similis, sed corpore supra brunnesceute vix griseo adumbrato nee rufescente, uropygio et 

 supracaudalibus rufescentibus, rectricibus duabus centralibus saturate brunneis, remigibus albicante 

 cervino nee rufescente niarginatis facile distinguendus. 



? mari sirnilis. 



Adult Male (Karatau, Turkestan). Differs from Aedon galactodes in baving the upper parts very much 

 greyer, being greyish brown instead of rufous-brown; the rump and upper tail-coverts alone boing 

 rufous; quills margined with dull whitish buff, not pale rufous; central rectrices dark dull brown 

 almost to the extreme base, and the white on the remaining rectrices covers a much smaller area than 

 in Aedon galactodes. Total length about 6| inches, culmen 0*75, wing 3 - 4, tail 2S, tarsus 1-0. 

 Arrangement of primaries similar to Aedon galactodes, except that the second quill is only 0*1 less 

 than the primary coverts, and 0'9 less than the second, and the second - 05 less than the third. 



Female. Similar to the male. 



Obs. In the series of specimens I have before me I find that the central rectrices vary greatly in colour, 

 some having those feathers plain dark brown, whereas in others one web only and the terminal portion, 

 or the terminal two thirds, are brown, the remainder of the feathers being rufous. As a rule the first 

 primary in Aedon familiaris is shorter than in Aedon galactodes, being only very slightly longer than 

 the wing-coverts ; and the second primary is a trifle longer in Aedon familiaris than in Aedon galac- 

 todes; but these differences, though constant, are, comparatively speaking, but slight. The dark 

 coloration of the upper parts is also very constant, even in the young birds and nestlings. Taking the 

 entire series, I find that the measurements of Aedon familiaris vary as follows — culmen 0' 73-0- 75, 



