on neiv Species of Central- Asian Birds. 413 



busque ejus rufescentibus. Fronte genisque albis. Ma- 

 cula frontali media, superciliis, loris, mento, gulseque 

 parte superiore nigris. Reliquo gastraeo albo, corporis 

 lateribus rufo tinctis. 

 Dimensions taken from an old male and an old female; 



the remaining five specimens in our collection are either 



young birds or of doubtful sex. 



Length. Expanse. Closed wing. Tail. (Culmen.) Tarsus, 

 d . . 145-150 275-280 93-100 55-60 10-11 18-20 

 5 . . 150 280-290 92-97 56-57 10-11 19-20 



The apex of the wing is formed by three j^rimaries, of 

 which 1=3, 2nd is a little longer, but sometimes 1 = 2. The 

 tail is slightly curved. The bill, which is black, is shorter 

 and much thicker than in P. ruficoUis ; the legs arc also 

 black; the eyes light hazel. 



The upper part of the body is of a brownish sandy colour, 

 becoming rufous-brown in fresh autumn plumage ; this 

 species has none of those dark spots on the back peculiar to 

 others of the genus Pyrgllauda. The nape is pale red ; sides 

 of neck the same colour, but deeper. Forehead, sides of 

 crown, and cheeks white. The streak from the bill along 

 the centre of the forehead to the crown, the straight super- 

 ciliaries parallel with it, and the lores are black, as are also 

 the chin and upper part of the throat, forming a kind of 

 bushy beard. The underparts are white, flanks reddish; 

 lower wing-coverts and rump white ; median upper tail- 

 coverts the same as the tail-feathers and back, but the lateral 

 tail-feathers are white. The primaries are blackish brown, and 

 from the fourth, sometimes also from the third, have a white 

 speck in the centre, increasing on the posterior quills, thus 

 forming an oblique white stripe, hardly observable, however, 

 on the closed wing ; the outer margin of the primaries is 

 white, that of the others (except the inner ones) brownish ; 

 the secondaries are tipped with white. 



The lesser wing-coverts are brownish grey ; the remainder 

 the same colour as the wing, but these, as avcU as the inner 

 primaries, have a wide edge the same colour as the back. 

 The central rectrices are blackish brown, with a wide reddish 



