208 RUTICILLIN &. 
by ashy, rufous-ashy, or brownish-rufous, tips to the feathers. 
Black of breast more or less ditto. 
II. Early spring stage-—Tippings of the feathers disappear- 
ing first from the breast, next from back, and lastly from the 
head. 
III. Ante-nwptial stage—Whole head, neck, breast and upper 
breast pure black. 
IV. Nuptial stage—Black duller; a greyish-white band 
across the forehead (dividing off the black of the base of the 
forehead as a black frontal band), with a grey shade extending 
backwards on to the crown. 
V. Early autumn stage-—Broad conspicuous black frontal 
band; throat, breast, sides of neck, pure black. 
Front of head pale blue-grey, growing duller on occiput. Back 
more or less veiled with grey or rufous-ash tippings. 
VI. Late autumn stage-—Frontal band not showing out con- 
spicuously ; crown and back unicolorous. 
Black of breast, &c., more or less veiled with grey or rufous- 
ashy tippings. 
The Indian Redstart is a very common winter visitant to all 
parts of the district, appearing about the end of September, 
and leaving towards the end of March, or commencement of 
April. 
Genus, Larvivora, Hodgs. 
_. Bill rather slender, straight, more or less compressed, very 
feebly notched at the tip, slightly deflected, with the ridge of the 
upper mandible very slightly elevated between the nostrils, and 
the gape very feebly bristled; wings moderate, strong ; first quill 
short ; third, fourth and fifth quills about equal and longest ; tail 
rather short, and the feathers slightly mucronate at the tip, even, 
or nearly so ; tarsus long, slender, nearly smooth ; toes long, slender ; 
claws long, moderately curved, much compressed. 
Larvivora superciliaris, Jerd. 
507.—Larvivora cyana, Hodgs.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. II, 
p. 145 ; Butler, Deccan; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 405. 
THE BLUE WoopcHat. 
Length, 6; expanse, 10; wing, 3; tail, 2; tarsus, 1:16; bill at 
front, 0°5. 
Bill dusky ; irides brown; legs pale fleshy. 
Above dusky indigo-blue, with a white superciliary streak ; 
lores and ears black; beneath bright rufous (the feathers all 
dusky-blue at their bases), albescent towards the vent and under 
tail-coverts ; thigh-coverts cross barred with blue and white. 
The female is brown above, white beneath; cheeks, breast 
and flanks rusty. 
The Blue Woodchat is a cold weather visitant to several parts 
of the Deccan. It is nowhere common. 
