RUTICILLA. 319 



394. Sialia C8eliCOlor, (Ifodgson), Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mas. v. 



p. 328. Grandala caelicolor, Hodgs. J. A. S. B. xii. p. 447. Blyth, 

 J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 132 ; Gould. B. Asia. pt. xi. (1862); Jerd. B. Ind. ii'. 

 p. 119. Grandala schistacea, Hodgs. J. A. S. B. xii. p. 447. The HIMA- 

 LAYAN LONG-WINGED BLUE-CHAT. 



Upper and under surface deep indigo blue, shading into brilliant indigo 

 blue with metallic gloss on the rump and upper tail coverts ; lores black ; 

 wing coverts, quills, and tail black, margined obscurely with greenish blue ; 

 axillaries and under wing coverts dull black, margined with indigo blue. 



The female is. an almost uniform earthy brown above and below ; the 

 feathers of the rump, and upper tail coverts broadly tipped with dull brownish 

 blue ; secondaries and the primaries next ihem with a subterminal white bar. 

 (Seebohm.) 



Length. 9 to 9-3 inches; wing 5*6 to 5:7; (females 5-2); tail 3-45 to 

 to 375 ; bill 07 to 0-8 ; tarsus 1-15. 



Hab. The Himalayas, breeding at high elevations ; eastwards throughout 

 the mountains separating China from Thibet. Jerdon says it inhabits the 

 northern region of Nepaul or Cachar and near the snowy region. According 

 to Hodgson it is solitary in its habits. Insects and gravel were found in the 

 stomach of a specimen examined. JL*. *7tr J 



W* / 

 Gen. Ruticilla-C. L. Brehm. 



Bill shorter than in Sialia, straight, slender, and black ; rictal bristles fairly 

 developed ; legs black or nearly always so ; tarsus not so long* as in 

 Sialia, not scutellatec! ; tail of 12 feathers even or slightly rounded ; wings 

 moderately long and pointed ; ist primary about one-third the length of the 

 4th ; the 5th and 6th generally equal and longest. Rump and tail (except 

 the two centre, feathers chestnut in most species the upper plumage 

 generally grey. They have a pleasing song and perch freely on trees, but 

 build in holes of walls, rocks, or tree trunks. 



395. Ruticilla phcenicurus, Linn, Syst. Nat.i. 335- s )' lvia phoem- 



curus (Linn.} Lath. Gen. Syn. SuppL, i. p. 287 ; id. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 1 1. Phceni- 

 cura muraria, Sws. and Rich, Faun. Bor. Am. ii. p. 489. Phcenicura ruticillfc, 

 (Ey.lori) Gould. B. Eur. ii. pi. 95. Ruticilla phcenicura, (Linn.} Jerd. B. 

 Ind. ii. p. 136, No. 495; Dresser, B. Eur. pt. xxvi. (1874) ; Blanford, E. 

 Pers. ii. p. 163 ; Seebohm, Ibis, 1880, p. 191. The EUROPEAN REDSTART. 



A narrow frontal band ; lores, cheeks, ear coverts, chin, throat, and upper 

 breast black ; a band behind the black frontal band white ; upper surface of 

 body brownish ash or slate-grey ; rump and upper tail coverts rich chestnut ; 

 wings and their coverts dark brown, margined with chestnut exteriorly ;. lower 



