50 RUTICILLA 



76. EHRENBERG'S REDSTART. 

 RUTICILLA MESOLEUCA. 



Ruticilla mesoleuca, Ehr. Symb. Phys. Aves. fol. e e (1829) ; Dresser, ii. 

 p. 285, pi. 42 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 338. 



# ad. (Taurus). Differs from the Common Redstart in having a con- 

 spicuous white alar patch ; the upper parts are darker, and the under parts 

 of a deeper orange red. Culmen 0'5, wing 3'1, tail 2*45, tarsus 0'82 inch. 

 The female resembles that of R. phcenicurus, but is darker and greyer in 

 tinge of colour. 



Hob. Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and North Africa, wintering 

 in Arabia, Abyssinia, and Senegal; has on several occasions 

 been obtained in Europe proper. 



In general habits it assimilates more closely with R. 

 than with R. phcenicurus, but is much shyer than either of 

 these. Its nest which it places in a hollow tree is loosely con- 

 structed of strips of the inner bark of the juniper and hair or 

 wool, and lined with hair and feathers; the eggs from 3 to 

 6 in number closely resemble those of R. phcenicurus. 



77. INDIAN REDSTART. 

 RUTICILLA RUFIVENTRIS. 



Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. xxi. p. 431 (1818) ; Dresser, 

 ii. p. 289, pi. 43 ; Seebohm, Cat, B. Br. Mus. v. p. 342 ; Gates. F. Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, ii. p. 95, R. indica, Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. As. Soc. p. 168 

 (1849), R. phcenicuroides and nipalensis ; Moore, P. Z. S. 1854. pp. 25, 

 26, pi. Ivii. 



Thir-thira, Thirtir-kampa, Hindu ; Phir-ira, Lal-girdi, 

 Beng. ; Nuni-ludi-gadu, Tel. v 



ad. (Lebanon). Differs from R. phcenicurus in having the upper 

 parts blackish grey, the black line on the forehead broader, the white patch 

 scarcely visible and frequently wanting, the black on the throat extending to 

 the breast, the under parts chestnut red, paler on the centre of the abdomen. 

 Culmen 0'58, wing 3*15, tail 2'7, tarsus 0'95 inch. The female is much 

 darker than that of R. phcenicurus, and the under tail-coverts more rufous. 

 In the winter both sexes have the feathers tipped with brown, as in R 

 phcenicurus. 



Hob. Turkestan, Persia, Afghanistan, the higher parts of the 

 Himalayas and Mongolia, ranging east to China, and winters in 

 India from the Himalayas to Bangalore and the Nilgiris, and 

 from Sind to Assam and Manipur. 



