62 Major J. Biddulph on the Birds of GiJgit. 



In males of the first year in autumn the black of the back 

 is concealed by ashy brown, instead of grey as in more mature 

 birds. 



These birds go beyond Gilgit to breed as a rule; one female 

 was shot off the nest with young at lOjOOO feet elevation in 

 the Gilgit district. 



83. RuTiciLLA H0DGS0Ni_, Moorc*. 



A single specimen of a female procured in February. Its 

 measurements correspond best with the measurements given 

 by Jerdon for R. Jiodgsoni. In other respects the plumage 

 is most like the description of R. caerukocephala given by 

 Hume in ' Lahore to Yarkund ; ' but the whole tail, except 

 the two outer feathers, is rufous, and there are faint rufous 

 tints on the breast. 



84. RuTiciLLA ERYTHRONOTA (Evcrsmanu) . 



Two male specimens of this handsome Redstart were pro- 

 cured in December and January. It appeared to be common 

 in the upper part of the Chitral valley in November, when 

 I procured several specimens of both sexes. As noted by 

 Mr. Blanford, the amount of rufous on the back and breast 

 differs in different specimens; but a specimen shot in December 

 is almost entirely rufous on the back, showing very little 

 grey. The feathers of the back and breast have margins of 

 grey above and isabelline below, which are decomposed; and 

 the breadths of these margins seem to differ in different spe- 

 cimens, causing a greater or less amount of rufous to be 

 visible; the December bird is also small in all its measure- 

 ments, with a bill of only 0-33 inch in front. 



The white speculum on the primary-coverts is very pro- 

 minent in the December and in one November specimen ; in 

 the other November and in the January specimen it is incon- 

 spicuous, almost wanting in the latter. 



The speculum, w^here prominent, agrees with Eversmann's 



* [This is liardly likely to be R. liodgsoni, as that species has not, I 

 believe, been obtained west of Nepal, and the large tract of country 

 between Nepal and Kashmir has been well explored. It might possibly 

 be J?, mesoleuca. — J. S.] 



