462 PERCHING BIRDS 



shaped black spots ; the middle wing-coverts are black with large 

 round buff spots at the tips ; the greater coverts of the primary quills 

 are buff with broad black tips ; the under-parts are white, faintK- 

 barred on the throat, and heaviK- marked on the breast with black 

 spots similar to those on the back ; while the under side of the wing 

 shows a large white patch very characteristic of the species. 



The chief breeding-resorts of this handsome thrush are situated 

 in the south-eastern districts of Siberia, although the adjacent parts 

 of central Siberia and China north of the valle}' of the Vangtsi, as 

 well, probably, as Japan, are likewise comprised within the breeding- 

 area. From these countries the species migrates to the south of 

 China and the Philippines, a certain number of individuals straggling 

 westwards across Europe and occasionally reaching the British Isles. 

 In the Himalaya the species is represented by the very similar but 

 smaller-billed mountain-thrush {Turdiis daiinia), which has, however, 

 only twelve tail-feathers, and is resident throughout the year. 



The first British record of this thrush was a specimen taken in 

 Hampshire in 1828, which was named Tardus wJiitei, on the assump- 

 tion that it indicated a new species. Between that date and 1 900 

 twenty-one examples are stated to have been seen or taken in the 

 British Isles, but the record of at least one of these is doubtful. In 

 all the instances where the time of year is recorded, these occurrences 

 took place between September and the earlj- spring. Ireland claims 

 three and Scotland one out of the twent\--two occurrences referred to 

 above. One was shot in Yorkshire in 1902. 



A specimen of the Siberian dusky thrush 'Tiirdus dubius or 

 T. fuscatiis) is stated to have been picked up at Gunthorpe, Notting- 

 hamshire, in October 1905. 



The rock-thrush {Mouticola saxatilis, sometimes known as Petro- 

 cincla saxatilis) is the t\-pical representative of a group of about a 

 dozen species clearly entitled to generic separation from the thrushes 

 and blackbirds, and at one time placed with the chats. The rock- 

 thrushes are ground-haunting, and frequently mountain-dwelling birds, 

 characterised by the prevalence of blue, or blue and chestnut, on the 

 breast of the cocks. In the case of the present species, which is a 

 native of the mountains of central ajid southern Europe, the head, 

 neck, and uj^per part of the back of the cock are cobalt and blackish 

 blue, the middle of the back is nearly white, the quills are brown, 

 and the under surface and outer tail-feathers chestnut. Onl\- three 

 instances of the occurrence of this bird in the British Isles were 

 recorded during the nineteenth century, namel)', one at Royston in 



