RUTICILLA. 325 



and upper tail coverts deep rich chestnut, their bases black ; scapulars black, 

 the teiminal half rich chestnut ; lesser wing coverts black, also the greater and 

 primary coverts ; median coverts white ; innermost secondaries nearly black, 

 their outer edges margined with white ; tail black, chestnut at base, the two 

 centre feathers entirely black ; sides of the neck, cheeks, chin, throat, ear 

 coverts and foreneck black ; a large white spot on the lower throat j under 

 surface deep rich chestnut ; axillaries and Under wing coverts black, tipped 

 with white ; thighs black ; bill, feet, and claws black. 



Length .6 inches; wing 3-1 to 3'2 ; tail 2'8 ; [tarsus 0*25. 



The Adult female is rich sooty brown above the forehead, tinged with cobalt, 

 and the scapulars with pale chestnut ; rump and upper tail coverts chestnut ; 

 under surface duller sooty brown; base of outer tail feathers chestnut, greater 

 wing coverts white. 



Hab. Nepaul. Seebohm says it breeds in the wooded valleys of Kansu, 

 and winters in Nepaul and Sikkim. 



404. Ruticilla csernleocephala, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 35; 



Gould. Cent. Him. B. pl.xxv.; Blyth, Cat. J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 134; Bp. Consp. 

 i. p. 296; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 141 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 353. 

 The BLUE- HEADED REDSTART. 



Adult Male in full autumn plumage. A narrow line at base of the upper 

 mandible, lores, feathers round the eye, chin and ear coverts black ; head and 

 nape greyish brown ; throat, breast, under wing coverts and scapulars black, 

 margined with brown ; wings and wing coverts black ; median coverts and 

 outer margins of the innermost secondaries white ; axillaries, belly and under 

 tail coverts white ; bill, legs and feet black. 



Length. b to 6-25 inches; wing 3 to 3*2 ; tail 2*3 to 27; oilmen 0*55; 

 tarsus 0-8 to 0*9. 



The female is greyish brown above and below, darker on the wings and tail, 

 and paler on the belly, under tail coverts and axillaries ; upper tail coverts 

 dull chestnut ; greater and median coverts suffused with chestnut and with 

 white tips. 



Hab. Afghanistan, N.-W. Provinces and Nepaul, also Bhootan and the 



Himalayas generally. 

 ' 



