394 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. [June 9, 
base of the upper mandible pale grey; ear-coverts black; cheeks 
white; throat white, somewhat tinged with grey on the upper part 
of the breast; middle of the belly white; flanks olive-brown ; under 
tail-coverts white, broadly edged with olive-brown. Total length 6 
inches ; of bill from front 0°8, from gape 1; wing 2°9; tail 2°7; 
tarsus 0°9. 
“© a, 6b. Male and female. Nossi Vola, Oct. 28th, and Nov. 12th, 
1869. Native name Surat ala. Eyes black. 
“¢e, Saralalan, Nov. 16th, 1869.” 
16. PRATINCOLA SIBYLLA. 
Pratincola sybilla (Linn.); Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 38; Roch 
& E. Newt. Ibis, 1862, p. 272. 
Pratincola sibylla, E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 345; Sel. P. ZS. 
1863, p. 163; A. Newt. P. Z.S. 1865, p. 836. 
Pratincola pastor, Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 359. 
Saxicola torquata, Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p. 93. 
**Vodirat, 25 miles N.W. of the capital. Native name Fittat. 
Male and female.” 
I must confess that it is with some little surprise that I have found 
the Stonechat of Madagascar united without a question to the Stone- 
chat of Europe, Asia, and Africa ; for Professor Schlegel unites under 
the heading of Sazicola torquata, the following birds, which most of 
us are accustomed to regard as distinct species :—Pratincola rubicola 
(Linn.), P. stbylla (Linn.), P. indica, Blyth, P. hemprichi (K. & 
B.), P. pastor (Voigt), P. albofasciata (Riipp.), P. borbonica 
(Bory). It seems to me that, of these, there can be little question 
that P. hemprichi, of which I have seeu several specimens, P. albo- 
JSasciata, and P. borbonica are all certainly distinct: and I do not 
wish to go into the question in the present inquiry; but having a 
goodly series of all the others, I think that a few remarks on them may 
be of some service to ornithologists. Now, as regards the distinct- 
ness of P. indica from our P. rubicola, | would state that I do not 
wish to separate these two species, although in the breeding males 
of the latter the red of the breast is more deep and extends further 
on to the abdomen than in Indian birds. For the absolute settle- 
ment of this question it will be necessary to compare a series of 
males and females shot in Europe and in India at precisely the same 
period of the year; and especial attention would have to be directed 
to the birds shot in the Punjab and North-western Provinces, 
where the Desert Region, which carries with it so many of our Euro- 
pean forms to be included in the “ Birds of India,’ ends, and the 
true Indian fauna commences. [ would call the attention of Mr. 
Hume and the various other ornithologists who are now doing good 
work in that country to the probable existence of a small race of 
Pratincola indica inhabiting the hills near Simla. A pair in my col- 
lection from that locality are decidedly smaller than ordinary P. in- 
dica. 
Next, as regards Pratincola torquata (Pr. pastor, auct.), Profes- 
sor Schlegel states that specimens from the Cape, Southern Siberia, 
