1922.] Birds of Jhang Distrirt. 303 



throughout the district, but only here and there is the 

 Whinchat found. Its stronghokl appears to be in the wildest 

 part about Khiwa and Mukhiana, but it was noted also at 

 Mochiwala, Bhowana, Ludhamani, and Winoka. A few pairs 

 also inhabit the somewhat different area of the Nurpur Canal 

 escape, where the running-off of volumes of waste canal-water 

 has produced great reed-beds, surrounded by jungles of 

 " Pampas grass." Curiously enough, the Whinchat was not 

 found on the wide Shorkot plain, which would seem to be 

 eminently suitable to it. One or two individuals were seen 

 actually in cultivation, but always in the vicinity of waste 

 ground. 



It has long been a question where this Whinchat bred, 

 though Hume surmised that it was a resident species, breeding 

 on the desert-plains, where it Avas found in winter. This 

 surmise was correct. I had not the pleasure of finding the 

 nest and eggs, but met with the birds paired in April and 

 July, and obtained young birds in the first or juvenile plumage 

 in August and September. So there can be no doubt tbat the 

 bird is strictly resident. 



In habits Stoliczka^s Whinchat resembles the other mem- 

 bers of the genus, perching on the tops of bushes or stems, 

 at times fairly tame, at others surprisingly wild. (J^nanf/ie 

 desert'i is the common bird of the same ground, and with it 

 the Whinchat is on good terms, neither shy nor ])ugnacious 

 in its presence. I never heard any call-note uttered. In the 

 field it is easily distinguished from other Chats by the longer, 

 slimmer build, the long tail, and the conspicuous long black 

 bill. The white of the throat shows up at a distance. The 

 whitish tail, with its dark centrals and ends, shows clearly in 

 flight and resembles that of a Wheatear ; in fact, there is 

 more danger in the field of overlooking the species from its 

 resemblance to some of the female Whtatears than from any 

 resembhmce to S. t. {ndira. 



Nine specimens were collected, and there were previously 

 two in my collection from Sirsa. I have also exann'ned the 

 small series in the British Museum. The account of the 

 plumages given in the ' Fauna of British India ' by Gates is 



