392 BIRDS OCCURRING IN INDIA NOT DESCRIBED 



Second. — With a white satin-like spot in the middle of the hlue. 

 This is the form to which Brehm. gave the name of leucocyanea. 



It is generally assumed, (though denied by Newton, Yar. B. 

 324) that these two forms are one species, and on this assump- 

 tion the name wolfii has precedence. 



Third. — With a red spot in the middle of the blue. This is 

 Linne's suecica. 



The white spot form is excessively rare in the plains of 

 India, I possess now only one single specimen, a male in full 

 breeding plumage, shot by Mr. Adam in Tirhoot, on the 9th 

 April; and I have seen altogether perhaps half a dozen from 

 various parts of India. In the interior of the Himalayas, north 

 of Ley and the Indus, many specimens have been met with. I 

 am by no means sure that wolfii and leucocyanea are one and the 

 same, but I have no sufficient series of specimens, or personal 

 knowledge of the two forms to enable me to come to any con- 

 clusion on the subject, and by way of calling attention to it 

 reproduce Dresser's description and remarks : — 



" Adidt Male. — (Barcelona, May.) Resembles the adult male 

 of Cyanecula suecica, except that the spot in the centre of the 

 blue throat is pure white instead of bay. 



" Adult Female. — (Spain.) Upper parts as in the adult male ; 

 throat and foreneck white, on the sides of the throat marked 

 with black so closely as to appear to have a continuous broad 

 line of that colour ; across the upper part of the breast there 

 is also a band of black markings, but less clearly defined thau 

 those on the sides of the throat ; rest of the underparts whit- 

 ish, washed with grey, especially on the flanks ; and this grey 

 tinge is also present on the pectoral bands and the sides of the 

 throat ; under tail and wing-coverts washed with pale orange. 



" Young Male in first Autumn. — (Soiling, Hartz). Upper parts 

 as in the adult bird, but rather duller, and more uniform in 

 colour, and here and there a few of the nestling feathers re- 

 main ; secondaries and wing-coverts margined with rufous ; 

 from the base of the bill over the eye pale rufous ; chin and 

 throat white, washed with yellowish, on each side bordered 

 with black, and to some extent dull blue ; below this white 

 patch a broad pectoral band of blackish, and here and there 

 a blue feather intermixed with some of the feathers of the nest- 

 ling plumage ; and below this the breast is washed with rufous ; 

 rest of the underparts dull white. 



" Adult Male in Winter. — (Malaga, February) . Resembles the 

 male in spring plumage ; but instead of the brilliant blue 

 throat, with a central white spot, the chin and upper parts of 

 the throat are white, only on the sides (which are otherwise 

 blackish) slightly marked with blue ; lower part of the throat 



