THE BIRDS OF A DROUGHT. 57 



488. — Saxicola opistholeuca. 



489. — Saxicola picata. Not one single specimen of what Blan- 

 ford and Dresser call morio, and what I believe to be a different 

 form, the old adult, of this species. The case is clear, the old 

 birds were not to be caught with chaff; Jodhpoor this year 

 was much too dry and husky for them, though in other years, 

 when such a drought does not prevail, they are not uncommon 

 here. 



491. — Saxicola isabellina. 



491 6w.— Saxicola chrysopygia, De Fil. f 



S. kingi, Hume. Ibis, 1871, 29.— S. E., I., 187. 

 Descr. 



I have already fully described this species, loo. cit. 



I very much doubt the correctness of Messrs. Stanford's and 

 Dresser*s identification of my bird with De Filippi's. 



The latter preserved no specimens, (or these have been lost), 

 and we have only his description to go by, and the fact that 

 kingi has been procured in Beloochistan and in Persia, but not 

 as yet in the locality (not since explored), " the highest and most 

 stony parts of the Hills that encircle Demavend," whence De 

 Filippi obtained his chrysopygia, is certainly not conclusive as to 

 the identity of the two species. 



The following is De Filippi's original description (Arch. ZooL 

 Genov. II., 381, 1863). 



Dromol^a chrysopygia, De Fil. 



" Capite, collo, dorso supremo cinereo plumbeis ; dorso infimo 

 fusceseente ; uropygis tectricibusque caudcs (elongatis) albescenti 

 flavidis, sensim in rubiginoso vertentibus ; collo infimo, pectoreque 

 supremo cinerascentibus ; cceterum infra sordide alba ; crisso Icsvis- 

 sime rubiginoso tincto, remigibus fusco-cinereis, secundariis extus 

 rubiginoso marginatis ; rectricibus fuho-rubiginosis, versus apieem 

 nigris, limbo extremo denus rubiginoso. 



" II nero sub fondo rossa della coda e esteso per la terza parte 

 delle timoniere lateral! , ma nelle due mediane per la meta." 



Now to my idea the very first sentence is fatal to the identi- 

 fication. I have a large series, and in not one is there a trace of 

 leaden ashy on the upper surface, which is a pale earthy brown ; 

 then the rump and upper tail-coverts cannot possibly be desig- 

 nated " whitish yellow gently inclining to ruddy" as they are 

 invariably a bright rufous fawn. Nor are the quills brownish 

 ashy, but deep hair brown, nor are the secondaries ever mar- 

 gined with rufous, nor are the proportions of the black and red 

 of the tail as stated by De Filippi ; only about £ of the lateral 



