LEPTOPQCILE SOPHIA, Severts.

Yarkand Tit.

Leptopecile sophie, Severtz., Turkest. Jevotn. pp. 66-135,
mp i7 i
Stoliczkana stoliczke, Hume, S. F. ii. p. 513 (1874),

pl. viii. figs. 8, 9 (1873).—Dresser, Ibis, 1876,

 

Tuts very curious little bird appears to be the representative of a genus peculiar to Central Asia, as it is at
present known to occur only in Turkestan and Yarkand. In the former country it was discovered by
Dr. Severtzoff, whose original essay having been for the most part translated into English by Mr. Dresser,
to the great advantage of students, I do not think I can do better than reproduce the remarks of the
celebrated Russian traveller, especially as full details of the species are given therein. For a more
elaborate description I must refer my readers to Mr. Hume’s paper (4.c.). In naming it after Dr.
Stoliczka, who lost his life during the last expedition to Yarkand, Mr. Hume endeavoured to perpetuate the
name of this indefatigable worker in the field of science; but, as will be seen, he had been anticipated
: by Severtzoff. He writes :—**The form, the coloration, and the loose fluffy plumage, together with the
comparatively elongated and much-rounded or graduated tail, recall Ovites; but the bill is slenderer than
in any known Tit; it is, however, entire at the tip, and very hard and very sharp-pointed. I think that ~
we must accept this as a sort of link between the Warblers and the Long-tailed Tits.”

Dr. Severtzoff’s notes are are as follows :—* In form this bird approaches the Tits, but in habits and in
the form of the bill, as well as in the sexes being different, it differs from these; and I have therefore
deemed it best to separate it generically. The characteristics are as follows: bill slender, broader than
high, compressed towards the end ; nostrils narrow ; bill half covered with a membrane; at the base of the
upper mandible are a few feathers, which are downy at the base and hairy towards the point; legs stout ;
tarsus long, coarsely scutellated ; hind toe large, with a long arched claw, other toes also long, but the
claws are short; wings short and broad; tail long and much graduated, composed of twelve feathers ;
tarsus with three long and then four short broad scales ; fourth and fifth rectrices longest, the two central
ones 1" shorter, and the outer ones 3” to 32" shorter; first primary short, twice as long as the coverts ;
second quill shorter than the tenth, 3=9, 4=10, 5=6, the last two the longest. dale. Crown bright
brownish chestnut, glossed with violet; a broad yellowish white stripe passes over the eyes ; back greyish
brown, washed with bluish ; rump rich violet-blue ; cheeks, sides of the neck and of the body, and throat
bright blue, with a violet or greenish gloss; centre of the abdomen brownish yellow ; under tail-coverts
short and downy, brownish, tipped with violet; wings blackish brown, with light a Sus to the
feathers; rectrices nearly black, with bluish green edges, outer web of outer rectrix Whate:; iris dark
brown; beak and legs black. emale. Greyish, the lower flanks and rump violet bie ; nape light He,
the superciliary stripe narrower than in the male ; cheeks and shoulders greyish ped oe oe
and belly light brownish yellow ; sides light brown, the feathers near the vent ee a es cae
brownish ; wings blackish brown, with greyish brown margins to the feathers ; se ac , ue i i
brown, the outer feathers externally margined with white. a ee ae , wee 2 ou ‘i
tail-feathers 1 83”, culmen 33”. Female—total length 4" 8", extent 6" 1", wing 2’, tail 2" 1", outer tail-

feathers 1" 8”. This bird was met with in the pine-woods near Issik-kul, where it was seen amongst the
branches of the trees.”

I have only to add my acknowledgments to Captain Biddulph for lending me the male specimen from

which the figures in the Plate are drawn, these being of the size of life.