276 Major J. Biddulph on the Birds of Gilgit. 



more careful examination to be males that had not got rid of 

 female plumage. Whatever may be the explanation of this, 

 I believe that we have here two species. 



The smaller species of Chat, which I have called form B, 

 is evidently the P. indica of Blyth ; but it is more difficult to 

 say which is the P. maura of Pallas. 



74. Saxicola opistholeuca, Strickland. 



I find that I got four specimens of this Chat in Gilgit — 

 three at the beginning of April, and one in December. The 

 young bird previously referred to (Ibis, 1881, p. 55) turns 

 out, on further comparison, to be a young specimen of S. 

 morio. There is no reason to suppose that *S^. opistholeuca 

 breeds in the district. 



75. Saxicola picata, Blyth. 



Dr. Scully and myself have brought away from Gilgit 181 

 specimens of this Chat. Of these there are 102 adult males, 

 46 adult females, the rest being of both sexes in different 

 stages of immaturity. I can add little to what has already 

 been said about this bird. The specimens of the males before 

 me show every gradation, from the creamy-white head to jet- 

 black; but those with pure black heads are the most numerous; 

 next in number come those in different phases, while those 

 that have entirely white heads are the scarcest. 



The adult females are all of the same type, with the excep- 

 tion of a single specimen, which differs in having the lower 

 throat nearly black. Dr. Scully tells me that he has also 

 a precisely similar female specimen. There is no doubt as to 

 the determination of the sexes of these two specimens ; but the 

 wing-formula is the same as in all other specimens of 

 ;S^. picata. Among the immature specimens females are 

 undistinguishable from males. 



77. Saxicola morio, Hempr. & Ehr. 



Dr. Scully and I have brought away from Gilgit alto- 

 gether 153 specimens of this Chat. Dr. Scully^s assertion of 

 the identity of this species with /S. hendersoni must, I think, 

 be accepted. The specimens of adult males show clearly the 

 gradation of plumage from the black, with pure white cap, of 



