328 THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 



in the upper part of the Chitral valley in November, when I 

 procured several specimens of both sexes.* As noted by^ Mr. 

 Blanford, the amount of rufous on the back and breast differs 

 in different specimens ; but a specimen shot in December is 

 almost entirely rufous on the back, showing very little grey. 

 The feathers of the back and breast have margins of grey 

 above and isabelline below, which are decomposed ; and the 

 breadths of these margins seem to differ in different specimens, 

 causing a greater or less amount of rufous to be visible ; the 

 December bird is also small in all its measurements, with a bill 

 of only 032 inch in front. 



The white speculum on the primary coverts is very prominent 

 in the December and in one November specimen ; in the other 

 November and in the January specimen it is inconspicuous, 

 almost wanting in the latter. 



The speculum, where prominent, agrees with Eversmann's 

 description. Mr. Blanford's description omits all notice of it 

 (probably accidentally) in the Shiraz specimens; while in 

 Mr. Moore's description of R. rufogularis the speculum is des- 

 cribed as formed by the basal portion of the primaries being 

 white. In other respects the three descriptions coincide well 

 with each other and with the Gilgit and Chitral specimens. 



85.— Ruticilla erythrogastra, Guld. (499). 



Was extremely common during the severe winter of 1877-78 

 dowu to an elevation of 5,000 feet, but in ordinary years 

 does not come much below 6,000 feet. The white of the head 

 and back of neck in the male appears to be a sign of 

 maturity. One specimen, of which the sex is doubtful, has 

 the dull plumage of the female, but has more rufous on the 

 underparts, and is probably a young male of the year. Of 

 the males in adult plumage some specimens have the white 

 of the head and back of the neck thickly dashed with dark 

 slaty grey, being, perhaps, males of the second year. Those 

 in the most perfect plumage have the head and back of neck 

 dull white, extending rather further down the back. 



The female is slightly smaller than the male, the wing 

 measuring from 3| to 4 inches. With the exception of the 

 wincr-feathers being margined with silvery grey instead of 

 rufous, there seems to be no difference except that of size 

 between the females of R. erythrogastra and R. rujlventris.'f 



* TThis species is very common throughout the winter months ahout Attock, in 

 the Kbyber, and generally about the bases of the hills N. W., W. and S. W. of the 

 Peshawar Valley .—A. O. H.] 



f [In rufiventris the abdomen, vent and flanks are light rusty chestnut; in 

 erytkrogaster they are pale fawn colour. Again the grey brown of the upper surface 

 is much paler in erythrogaster.—A. O. H.] 



