1920.] Birds of Quetta. 161 



Tiirdus ruficollis. 



2\ r. atvogularis Teinni. 



C/omiiion winter visitors to the Quetta Plains and more 

 sheltered valleys. They arrive in small parties dnrinn- the 

 first or second week of November and remain till the first 

 week of April. 



Monticola saxatilis (L.). 



A scarce summer visitor^ only one hreedino- pair located. 

 The nest was at 10,000 feet on Takatn, and on 10. v. contained 

 two eggs. I was, however, unable to handle them owing to 

 the inaccessible nature of the cleft in which the nest was 

 placed, but I was able to examine them from above and about 

 ten feet away. The spotless blue of the eggs and the obvious 

 distress of the very conspicuous and noisy parents, left no 

 doubt in my mind as to their identification. On 19. v. I again 

 visited the nest, which now contained five eggs, but the cock 

 bird gave his mate the alarm and I was unable actually to 

 see the hen bird on the nest. 



A bird of passage in small numbers during April and 

 early May, and again in October. Occasional in winter. 



It is probable these birds breed on most of the higher and 

 wilder hills, as I saw a family party of young and parents 

 near Ziarat on 19. vii. at 8000 feet, from which I obtained a 

 young cock. 



Monticola solitarius. 



M. s. jjundoo (Sykes). ( = Petrophila cyanus Oates, 

 F.B.I.) 



A regular summer visitor to the higher hills, passing 

 through Quetta from late March together with a number 

 of Ijirds which mean to travel further. They begin to move 

 south from the end of August. None observed in winter. 



Two nests were found with eggs. One at 9o00 feet on 

 Zarghun with three eggs on ;>. v., and another at 8500 feet on 

 Takatu with four eggs on 23. v. In each case the eggs had 

 snudl red freckles, mostly at the larger end. On 2d>. vii. 

 I found three young in the nest at 7000 feet near Ziarat. 



SEU. XI. VOL. IJ. M 



