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1. MOXACILLA. 509 



Brooks thinks that M. citreoloides has a longer tarsus and longer 

 hind claw, but this is not always the case even in fully adult males. 

 In breeding-dress there is always more white on the wing, espe- 

 cially on the inner greater coverts and secondaries, in ill. citreo- 

 loides ; and this character appears to run through the other phases 

 of plumage in the species, but when once the edges of the feathers 

 are worn, there is no more reliance to be placed on this point. 



The British Museum does not possess an authenticated specimen 

 in winter plumage, but it is evident from some of the black-backed 

 birds which have not finished their spring moult that the winter 

 dress (remains of which are still seen) is browner than in M. citreola. 

 Mr. Seebohm has in his collection a male killed on the 11th of 

 November, and marked by Mr. Brooks as the winter plumage of 

 the present species, which is apparently correctly identified, and 

 which may be described as follows : — 



Winter jilumage of adult male. General colour above olive-brown, 

 a trifle greyer towards the rump ; the lower part of the latter and 

 the upper tad-coverts black ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; 

 median and greater coverts blackish, edged with ashy brown and 

 broadly tipped, the former with whity brown, the latter with 

 yellowish white ; bastard-wing blackish ; primary-coverts and quUls 

 blackish brown, edged with hoary white, broader and purer white 

 on the inner secondaries ; tail-feathers black with narrow hoary 

 margins, the two outer feathers white, with a broad oblique mark 

 of blackish brown on the inner web, more extended on the penulti- 

 mate feather ; head a trifle more olive-yellow than the back, with a 

 very broad and distinct eyebrow of bright yellow ; cheeks and ear- 

 coverts bright yellow, with greenish black on the upper and under 

 margin ; entire under surface of body bright yellow, whiter on the 

 under tail-coverts ; the sides of the body ashy brown, darker on 

 the sides of the upper breast, and with a few spots of black on the 

 sides of the lower throat ; under wing-coverts and axUlaries white, 

 washed with yellow, with dull ashy bases. Total length 6*3 inches, 

 culmen 0-6, wing 3'3, tail 2-9, tarsus 1-05. 



Hah. Prom the Altai to Afghanistan and Turkestan, Cashmere 

 and the Himalayas, to Nepal, wintering in the plains of India. 



Candahar, March. Col. C. Swinhoe [P.]. 



Thibet. Earl of Giflbrd [P.]. 



Gilgit, March. Col. J. Biddulph [C." 



C4ilgit, May. Col. J. Biddulph [C; 



Gilgit, June. Col. J. Biddulph [C 



Gilgit, August. Col. J. Biddulph [C 



Gilgit, August. Col. J. Biddulph fc. 



Deosai Plain, Jrdy. Col. J. Biddulph "C. 



Astor Valley, Cash- Col. J. Biddulph [C; 



mere, May. 



Cashmere {Brooks). Canon Tristram [P.]. 



N.W. Himalayas. Capt. Stackhouse Pin- 

 will [P.]. 



q. Ad.sk. N.W. India. Gould Collection. 



