THE REDSTART. 459 



to south Russia and north-west Africa, and passing through northern 

 Sahara on migration, by S. t. maura in Caucasus, and by other forms 

 in various parts of Asia and Africa. 



Genus PHCENICURUS Forst. 



PHCENICURUS Forster, Synopt. Cat. Brit. B., pp. 16, 53 (1817 Type : 

 Sylvia phcenicurus by monotypy and tautonymy). Rulicilla of many authors. 



Bill slender and pointed, nostrils in front of the frontal feather- 

 ing, rictal bristles distinct. Tail slightly rounded, 12 rectrices. 

 Rump and tail chiefly brownish-red. 1st primary longer than 

 primary-coverts, 2nd much shorter than 3rd, 4th and 5th ; 

 secondaries much shorter than primaries. Plumage soft. Sexes 

 different, young spotted. Nests as a rule in holes, eggs blue or 

 white, nearly always unspotted. Palaearctic region to tropical 

 Asia and Africa. 



Key to species of genus PHCENICURUS. 



f2nd primary equal to 7th or shorter, 3rd to 6th 

 attenuated on outer web Ph. ochrurus, p. 463 



I 2nd primary equal to 6th or longer, 3rd to 5th 



attenuated on outer web Ph. phcenicurus, p. 459 



PHCENICURUS PHCENICURUS 



189. Phcenicurus phcenicurus phcenicurus (L.) THE RED- 

 START 



MOTACILLA PHCENICURUS Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 187 (1758 

 " Habitat in Europa." Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 Ruticilla phcenicurus (Linnaeus), Yarrell, i, p. 329 ; Saunders, p. 31. 



The Redstart (Phcenicurus ph. phcenicurus) . Male adult. 1, Winter; 2, Summer. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 16) . Adult male. Winter. Narrow band across 

 fore-head joining lores black, rest of fore-head and fore-part of crown 

 french-grey tipped brown, feathers with white bases mostly con- 



