RUT 1C ILL A 51 



In habits it resembles R. phcenicurus except that it affects 

 rocky and mountainous localities. But little is known of its 

 breeding habits except that it nests in hollow trees or in rocks, 

 and its eggs resemble those of R. phcenicurus, but are rather 

 larger and paler. The nest is loosely constructed of dried grasses 

 and lined with wool, hair, and feathers. 



78. SUBSP. RUTICILLA SEMIRUFA. 



Ruticilla semirufa (Ehr.), Symb. Phys. Aves. fol. b b (1829) ; Seebohm 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 344. 



The present sub-species is barely separable from R. rufiventris, of which it 

 is merely a western form differing in being a trifle smaller in size and in 

 having the under wing-coverts marked with black. Culmen in $ 

 0'52 to 0-6, wing 2'9 to 3*1, tail 1-8 to 2'2, tarsus 0'9 to 0'91 inch. 



Hob. Palestine and Syria, and has been obtained in Egypt 



It nests in the Lebanon and the nest is placed in a cleft in 

 the rocks. The eggs resemble those of R phcenicurus, but are 

 of a more delicate and paler blue. 



79. HODGSON'S REDSTART. 

 RUTICILLA HODGSONI. 



Ruticilla fiodgsoni, Moore, P. Z. S. 1854, p. 26, pi. Iviii. ; Seebohm, Cat. 

 B. Br. Mus. v. p. 344 ; Gates, F. B. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 95. 



Thar-capni, Nepal. 



<$ ad. (India). Differs from R. phcenicurus in being larger, in having 

 the upper parts of a deeper slate-grey, shading to white on the fore- 

 head, and on the wing there is a small white speculum ; on the under parts 

 the black extends further down, and the breast and abdomen are darker 

 chestnut-red. Culmen 0'62, wing 3'4, tail 2*7, tarsus TO inch. The female 

 resembles that of R. rufiventris, but is larger. In the winter the male has 

 grey fringes on the feathers of the throat and breast. 



Hob. Western China and Central Asia; winters in Nepal, 

 Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, the Naga Hills, and Manipur. 



I find nothing on record respecting its general habits, and its 

 nest and eggs are unknown. 



E 2 



