IIODGSONIUS 59 



$ ad. (Himalayas). Entire plumage dull plumbeous blue ; the lores 

 blackish blue ; tail, tail -co verts, and vent bright chestnut ; quills black 

 with bluish margins ; bill black ; legs dark brown ; iris brown. Culmen O'G, 

 wing 2'9, tail 2*1, tarsus 0'9 inch. The female has the upper parts dull 

 bluish brown ; upper and under tail-coverts, and base of tail white, the 

 terminal portion of the last black ; under parts ashy brown barred with 

 white. The nestling resembles the female, but has the upper parts spotted 

 and streaked with dull white or pale fulvous, and the under parts mottled 

 and barred with brown. 



Hob. The Himalayas from Kashmir to Assam, the Khasi Hills, 

 Cachar, Manipur, Arrakan, China, and Mongolia, breeding at 

 altitudes up to 13,000 feet and wintering in the lowlands. 



Inhabits mountain streams being always found near water, 

 especially rapids or cascades, and has a habit of expanding 

 its tail frequently. It breeds throughout its range in May and 

 June, and places its nest on a shelf of rock or in the hollow of 

 a bank by the side of a stream, constructing it of moss, fine 

 roots and fibres, lined with hair and wool. The eggs 4 or 5 

 in number are greenish white thickly mottled with yellowish or 

 reddish brown and measure about 076 by 0'60. 



HODGSONIUS, Bonap. 1850. 



90. HODGSON'S SHOKTWING. 



HODGSONIUS PHCENICUROIDES. 



Hodgsonius phcenicuroides (Hodgs.), in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 83 (1844) ; 

 Hume and Henderson Lah. to Yark., i. p. 187 pi. vi. ; Sharpe Cat. 

 B. Br. Mus. vii. p. 81 ; Gates, F. Brit. Incl. Birds, i. p. 190. 



( ad. (Himalayas). General plumage slaty blue ; quills blackish 

 washed with slaty blue on the outer webs, the tips of the wing white ; 

 tail chestnut at the base and blackish on the terminal portion ; abdomen 

 white ; under tail-coverts slaty blue tipped with white ; bill dusky, 

 reddish at the base ; gape yellow ; legs pale reddish brown ; iris dark brown. 

 Culmen 0*7, wing 2'8, tail 3'15, tarsus 1'15 inch. The female has the 

 upper parts oliveaceous brown, the margins of the quills rufous ; tail 

 rufous brown, deeper on the basal portion ; under parts ochreous grey, 

 the abdomen dull white, the under tail-coverts dark ochreous, with the 

 centres and tips pale ochreous. The young bird resembles the female. 



Hob. The Himalayas from Gulmurg aud Sonamurg in 

 Kashmir to Bhutan, eastward to Kansu and Moupin in China. 



Inhabits the mountains at considerable altitudes, wintering at 

 the foot of the hills and frequents thick underwood in the 



