56 Major J, Biddulph oti the Birds of Gilgit. 



75. Saxicola picata, Blyth. 



This was tlie commonest Stonecliat in Gilgit, where it 

 breeds. A very large series was collected in every month 

 from March to September. 



Mr. Hume has for some years past asserted that S. capi- 

 strata of Gould is merely the young male of S. picata : the 

 question is one extremely difficult to decide finally ; but the 

 series now got together for examination bears out, to a very 

 great extent, Mr. Hume's conclusion. The only point sug- 

 gestive of a doubt of the identity of the two supposed species 

 is, that throughout the summer numerous specimens were 

 obtained in every month with pure black heads, showing no 

 trace whatever of white. 



Of eleven specimens collected in March, eight have pure 

 black heads, one has a trace of a pale supercilium, one has 

 the same more pronounced and also a whitish forehead, and 

 one has the sides of the occiput and nape almost pure white, 

 while the whole of the top of the head is more or less streaked 

 with dingy white. 



Of seven obtained in April, three have pure black heads, 

 the wings being quite brown in one specimen and nearly 

 black in the other two ; two have a faint trace of white 

 behind the eye ; and two have the forehead paler, with a well- 

 marked whitish supercilium and frontal band. 



Of five specimens obtained in May two have pure black 

 heads, the wings in one being quite brown ; two have the 

 sides of the occiput and the head streaked, as in the March 

 specimen ; and the fifth has the top of the head slaty white, 

 pure white at the sides of the occiput, and is similar to S. 

 capistrata (Gould), except that the wdiite does not extend on- 

 to the mantle. 



Of three specimens obtained in June, each has the head 

 pure black. 



Of ten birds obtained in July, five are young birds of the 

 year ; the five old birds are moulting and in bad plumage : 

 four of the latter appear to have the head pure black ; and 

 one shows a greyish tinge on the cap. 



