208 RUTICILLIN^E. 



by ashy, rufous-ashy, or brownish-rufous, tips to the feathers. 

 Black of breast more or less ditto. 



II. Early spring stage. Tippings of the feathers disappear- 

 ing first from the breast, next from back, and lastly from the 

 head. 



III. Ante-nuptial stage. Whole head, neck, breast and upper 

 breast pure black. 



IV. Nuptial stage. Black duller; a greyish- white band 

 across the forehead (dividing off the black of the base of the 

 forehead as a black frontal band), with a grey shade extending 

 backwards on to the crown. 



V. Early autumn stage. Broad conspicuous black frontal 

 band ; throat, breast, sides of neck, pure black. 



Front of head pale blue-grey, growing duller on occiput. Back 

 more or less veiled with grey or rufous-ash tippings. 



VI. Late autumn stage. Frontal band not showing out con- 

 spicuously ; crown and back unicolorous. 



Black of breast, &c., more or less veiled with grey or rufous- 

 ashy tippings. 



The Indian Redstart is a very common winter visitant to all 

 parts of the district, appearing about the end of September, 

 and leaving towards the end of March, or commencement of 

 April. 



GENUS, Larvivora, Ilodgs. 



Bill rather slender, straight, more or less compressed, very 

 feebly notched at the tip, slightly deflected, with the ridge of the 

 upper mandible very slightly elevated between the nostrils, and 

 the gape very feebly bristled ; wings moderate, strong ; first quill 

 short ; third, fourth and fifth quills about equal and longest ; tail 

 rather short, and the feathers slightly mucronate at the tip, even, 

 or nearly so ; tarsus long, slender, nearly smooth ; toes long, slender ; 

 claws long, moderately curved, much compressed. 



Larvivora superciliaris, Jerd. 



507. Larvivora cyana, Hodgs. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 145 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 405. 



THE BLUE WOODCHAT. 



Length, 6.; expanse, 10; wing, 3; tail, 2; tarsus, 116; bill at 

 front, 0'5. 



Bill dusky ; irides brown ; legs pale fleshy. 



Above dusky indigo-blue, with a white superciliary streak ; 

 lores and ears black ; beneath bright rufous (the feathers all 

 dusky-blue at their bases), albescent towards the vent and under 

 tail-coverts ; thigh-coverts cross barred with blue and white. 



The female is brown above, white beneath; cheeks, .breast 

 and flanks rusty. 



The Blue Woodchat is a cold weather visitant to several parts 

 of the Deccan. It is nowhere common. 



