162 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



breast band fringed with chestnut ; rest of lower parts pale 

 rufous, deeper on the tail coverts. In females the lower parts 

 are almost pure white. 



The above description applies to the sub-species H. rustica 

 rustica, which breeds in Europe and North-western Asia, 

 and winters in Africa and South-western Asia, The Far 

 Eastern race H. rustica gutturalis, which breeds in Japan and 

 North-eastern Asia, has the lower plumage below the pectoral 

 band pure white, while the chestnut of the throat encroaches 

 on the black band so as nearly to sever it in the centre. It is 

 also slightly smaller and with a shorter tail. Many of our 

 birds are intermediate between these two races, while there is 

 one specimen in the Museum from the Northern Province, 

 which seems almost typical gutturalis. 



Yearling birds, of which our visitors largely consist, on 

 their arrival have the top of the head brownish, the forehead 

 grayish, the throat rufescent-white turning in patches to 

 chestnut, and the pectoral band brown. The long outer taO 

 feathers are not fully grown. Thej/ assume the adult plumage 

 before leaving in spring. 



Bill, legs, and feet black ; iris dark brown. 

 Length up to 7 • 5 ; wing 4*6; tail up to 4 ; tarsus • 4 ; bill 

 from gape '57. Females slightly smaller and with shorter 

 tails. 



Distribution. — Found all over the Island, but rare at high 

 elevations. As noted above, the European race occurs over 

 the west of the Old World, breeding in temperate climates 

 and wintering in Africa and South-western Asia. In Central 

 Asia this race appears to pass gradually into the eastern form. 

 Many of the birds which winter in the east of India are inter- 

 mediate between these two races, typical gutturalis being 

 seldom found west of the Bay of Bengal. 



Habits. — The young birds appear to come first, and arrive, 

 generally via the north of the Island, about the middle of 

 September. The old birds come a little later. All leave 

 about the middle of April. Both at their coming and going 

 they congregate in large flocks, which seem to find telegraph 

 wires their most convenient perch. They scatter during 

 their stay and hawk far and wide after flying insects. 



