35. rhodoshza. 283 



(I860); Hume, Str. F. 1875, p. 219; Scully, Str. F. 1876, 

 p. 108; Blanf. East. Pers. ii. p. 352, pi. xvii. (1876); Prjev. in 

 Bowfey's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 303 (1877); Gould, B. Asia, v. pi. 29 

 (1877); C. Sicinh. Ibis, 1882, p. 114; Meuzbier, Ibis, 188o, 

 p. 353. 

 Bucanetes obsoletus, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 1G4, uote (1850). 



Adult male. General colour above pale sandy brown, a little 

 lighter towards the rump ; the upper tail-coverts rufous-brown, 

 contrasting with the back ; lesser wing-coverts sandy brown, edged 

 with chestnut : median coverts sandy brown, edged with rosy, before 

 which is a shade of ashy whitish ; greater coverts pale rosy, with 

 black centres and white tips ; bastard-wing brown, edged with 

 whitish ; primary-coverts rosy, internally black ; quills black, 

 edged with whity brown at the ends, the primaries white externally, 

 the secondaries externally rosy, white near the tips, the white more 

 developed on the inner secondaries, the innermost being black, 

 white externally and sandy brown along the inner web : tail-fea- 

 thers black, externally white, brownish at the tips ; crown of head 

 pale sandy brown like the back ; lores, feathers in front of the eye, 

 and a narrow frontal line black ; sides of face, cheeks, and under 

 surface of body pale sandy brown with a slight rosy tinge ; the 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts whiter ; thighs pale sandy brown ; 

 under wing-coverts and axillaries white with ashy bases, the edge 

 of the wing rosy ; quills below blackish, with the inner edge broadly 

 white : " bill black or greyish dusky ; legs and feet brownish fleshy ; 

 claws dusky or black ; iris brown" (J. Scully). Total length 5*7 

 inches, culmen U-5, wing 3*45, tail 2 - 3, tarsus 0*6. 



Adult female. Distinguished from the male by its much paler 

 coloration, the quills and tail being brown with light ashy edges ; 

 the rosy colour on the wings less strongly developed ; the lower 

 rump and upper tail-coverts sandy brown, scarcely paler than the 

 back ; no black in front of the eye : " bill dark horn-colour; legs 

 and feet dark fleshy ; claws dusky " (J. Scully). Total length 5*5 

 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 3*4, tail 2-25, tarsus 0*6. 



In winter plumage the male has a yellowish bill and the upper 

 surface has an ashy shade over the sandy-brown colour, the rufous 

 upper tail-coverts being entirely obscured with this ashy shade. 



Hub. The same as that of the genus. 



a. $ ad. sk. Syria. M. J. Verreaux. 



b. J ad. 9k. Shiraz, Persia, Dec. 1870. Sir O. St. John [C.]. 



c. c? ad. sk. Shiraz, Aug. 1870 {Sir O. Hume Coll. 



St. John). 



d. S juv. sk. Near Abadeh, Julv 18, Sir 0. St. John [C.]. 



1869. 

 e.f. cS ? ad. sk. Khokand (Dr. Secertzoff). Gould Coll. 

 g. 2 ad. sk. Khokand, March 13, I860 Guuld Coll. 



(Dr. Secertzoff). 

 h. <5 ad. sk. Tashkend, March 13, ls60 Goidd Cull. 



(Dr. Secertzoff). 

 i. 2 ad. sk. Yarkaud (J. Biddidph). Plume Coll. 



