217 
the Birds of the Lower Petchora. 
song is more that of a Hypolais, a genus which the bird also 
resembles in the lffi’ge size and width of the bill. This species 
is a very distinct one. In size and colour it resembles P. tro- 
chilus, but has a distinct pale bar across the wings, caused 
by the wing-coverts being pale at the tips. The wing-for¬ 
mula is the same, except that the bastard primary is very 
much less, in fact as small as that of P. sibilatrix . It further 
resembles P. sibilatrix in having a comparatively shorter tail. 
We only met with this one specimen of P. borealis , and 
are consequently unable to give any further information re¬ 
specting it. 
Phylloscopus tristis (Blyth). 
On 22nd May we shot a small Warbler uttering a plaintive 
call-note (a single note repeated at intervals) that we were 
unfamiliar with. The bird resembled a Chiffchaff in size, 
length of wing and tail, and wing-formula, but differed from 
that bird in having no yellow on the belly and under tail- 
coverts, and also in having black legs, instead of dark brown. 
On the following day we heard a loud call-note, reminding 
us of that of the Chiffchaff, but somewhat different; and shortly 
afterwards we watched the bird singing on a spruce-fir. The 
song was a repetition of its call-note with a few more musical 
notes introduced. This bird proved to be the same as that 
we had shot on the previous day. We met with it repeatedly 
in the same valley near Ust Zylma, but found it very difficult 
to shoot. It was still more abundant on the willow-covered 
islands of the delta, and we obtained several more specimens 
and one nest and seven eggs. Upon our return home we 
submitted our skins to our friend Mr. Dresser, who pro¬ 
nounced the bird to be P. tristis of Blyth. We are fortunate 
in being able to add this species to the fauna of the Western 
Palsearctic region, and have ventured to give it the English 
name of the Siberian Chiffchaff. This bird has hitherto been 
known as a winter visitor to India, though Mr. Brooks states, 
but without naming his authority, that it breeds in Ladak, 
mentioning the eggs, however, as being still amongst the 
desiderata in collections (vide Ibis, 1872, p. 31). 
ser. hi.—VOL. VI. 
Q 
