Major J. Biddulph on the Birds of Gilgit. 55 



the white patch formed by the upper tertials and tertiary- 

 coverts next the body^ and from P. rubetroides by having 

 the axillaries black and not white. — G. F. L. M.] 



73. Pratincola robusta, Tristram. 



[Out of twenty specimens brought down, five apparently 

 belong to the type separated as P. robusta by Canon Tristram. 

 Mr. Hume points out (S. F. v. 243) that no constant specific 

 difference has as yet been shown between this form and the 

 smaller P. indica, and retains them both under one name. 



After looking into this question Avith Mr. Brooks, and com- 

 paring a number of specimens, we concluded that P. robusta 

 is a good species. It is not only a larger but a slenderer 

 bird, with a tail much longer in proportion to its length of 

 wing than P. indica. In specimens of P. indica and F. 

 robusta, each with the wing 3 inches in length, the tail of 

 the latter exceeds the tail of the former by a full quarter of 

 an inch. The females also are more rufous altogether ; and 

 the males, in breeding-plumage, are less black above on the 

 back.— G. F. L. M.] 



74. Saxicola opistholeuca, Strickl. 



Never very common ; appears about 1st May. I shot one 

 in December ; but this was in immature plumage, and its ap- 

 pearance was quite accidental, I fancy. I never saw another 

 in winter. Two of the specimens have a greyish tinge on the 

 head and nape, forming a distinct cap, which appears to be 

 a mark of nonage, as a young bird has the whole upper 

 plumage suffused with this colour ; in a still younger bird, 

 the back and breast are rufescent-buff, edged with brown, 

 the wings brown, each feather edged with fulvous, and the 

 tail as in the adult. 



The young appear to differ widely from those of 8. leucura 

 as«figured by Dresser in the ' Birds of Europe.' 



The adult female is similar to the male, except that the 

 whole of the upper plumage is less black and presents a rusty 

 appearance. The head also has a faint cap of dark brown 

 extending to the neck, as in the young males ; and the chin 

 is light brown instead of black. 



