THE REDSTARTS. 285 



THE REDSTARTS GENUS RUTICILLA. 



Ruticilla, C. L. Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1280. 



Type, R phcenicurus (Linn.). 



The members of this genus have spotted young like that of 

 a Redbreast, and are otherwise like that bird in form, but the 

 sexes are different in colour, and much more variegated, with 

 chestnut tails. The legs are always black like those of Chats, 

 the eggs are blue like those of the latter birds, and the tarsus is 

 smooth and not scutellated. The bill is slender, and rictal 

 bristles are present. 



The largest number of species of Redstarts occur in the 

 Himalayas, but species are also distributed over the mountains 

 of the Mediterraneo-Persic Sub-region, these mountain forms 

 being mostly residents, whereas our two European species are 

 both migratory. 



THE REDSTART. RUTICILLA PHCENICURUS. 



Motatiila phctnicurus, Linn., Syst. Nat., p. 335 (1766). 



Ruticilla ph&nicuruS) Macg., Br. B., ii., p. 305 (1839), Newt. 

 ed. Yarr., i., p. 339 (1873) ; Dresser, B. Eur., ii., p. 277, 

 pi. 41 (1874); Seeb., Cat. B. Brit. Mus., v., p. 336 (1881); 

 id. Br. B., i., p. 287 (1883) ; B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 8 

 (1883) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. i. (1885); Saunders, 

 Man., p. 35 (1889). 



Adult Male. General colour above slaty-grey; the rump and 

 upper tail-coverts orange-chestnut; lesser and median wing- 

 coverts grey like the back ; greater coverts and quills dusky 

 brown ; tail-feathers orange-chestnut, darker on the outer webs, 

 the two centre feathers dark brown ; forehead white, extending 

 in a line over the ear-coverts ; a narrow line at the base of 

 the forehead, feathers above the eye, ear-coverts, sides of face, 

 throat, and fore-neck, black ; breast and sides of body orange- 

 chestnut ; the abdomen whitish, washed with orange ; under 

 tail-coverts pale orange-buff; under wing-coverts and axillaries 

 orange-chestnut ; bill and feet black ; iris dark-brown. Total 

 length, 5*4 inches; culmen, 0*5; wing, 3*05; tail, 2*1; tarsus, 

 0-8. 



