Redstart from Sardinia. 



583 



new form, comparing it with R. titys, which appears to be its 

 nearest ally. 



Compared with the last-mentioned species, the general 

 dimensions of R. nigra are decidedly less, as will be seen 

 clearly from the measurements given below. 



In the mate, evidently adult in fall autumn plumage, the 

 general colour of the upper parts is deep black slightly 

 glossed with dark olive on the back ; quills black, the outer 

 webs of the secondaries narrowly margined with dark grey ; 

 wing- coverts black; upper tail- coverts of a dull blackish 

 orange-brown ; tail-feathers of the same colour, especially on 

 the basal portion of their inner webs, becoming of a sooty 

 brownish black towards their extremities, the two central 

 entirely of this colour ; the shafts of all the tail-feathers are, 

 however, orange-brown, brighter on the underside, where the 

 dirty orange-brown of the webs is more widespread and 

 evident. Throat, sides of head and neck, breast, flanks, 

 under wing-coverts, and axillaries deep black with a very 

 slight olivaceous sheen; inner margin of quills greyish; 

 abdomcu and vent grey tinged with black ; under tail-coverts 

 blackish-olive. Bill, legs, feet, aud claws black : inside of 

 mouth orange-yellow ; eyelids black. 



The adult female in full autumn plumage differs very 

 slightly from the male, and this constitutes one of the 

 main features of this extraordinary species, for it is quite 

 exceptional in the genus Ruticilla, in all the other known 

 species of which the plumage is notably different in the adults 

 of either sex. In R. nigra the coloration of the female is 

 the same as that of the adult male, only the black on the 

 upper and on the under parts is slightly duller, and on the 

 latter the grevish tinge and olive gloss arc more marked ; 



