188 ContnhuUons to the Ornithology of India, 8fe. 



oovertsj grey, greyish white, and greyish brown, blending on the 

 one side into the color of the throat, and on the other into 

 that of the back of the neck. The breast and upper abdomen 

 are a very pale rufescent brown, all the tips of the feathers being 

 paler. The centre of the abdomen and vent, slightly rufescent 

 ■white ; flanks, rufescent fawn ; lower tail coverts, a somewhat 

 pale buffj wing lining and axillaries pure white. 



This species which I first described from a specimen killed at 

 Jodhpoor, and which I subsequently obtained in considerable 

 numbers from the salt range, Murdan, and Peshawur, and also in 

 the summer from the ranges bounding Cashmere on the south, 

 is common throughout Sindh, and the Punjab west of the 

 Jhelum. Comparatively rare where there is any cultivation, I 

 found it alike on earthen cliffs of the Jhelum near Jung, 

 and other similar localities of the Chenab and Indus, and again 

 in precipitous places throughout the hills that divide Kelat 

 from Sindh, and that run along parallel to the Mekran Coast. 

 Occasionally, but rarely, I found it, as near Mooltan, in fallow 

 fields. My original description was from a female ; but both 

 sexes are precisely alike, nor do I think that there is any cons- 

 tant difference in size between them, though individuals of both 

 sexes vary somewhat in dimensions. It is absolutely terrene ; 

 1 never once saw it perch upon any bush or .tree ; when at rest, 

 it is difiicult even with binoculars to distinguish it from isabel- 

 llna, but the moment it flies, its bright rufous, black-tipped tail, 

 betrays its identity. 



This, is I think, without doubt the bird represented in Burners 

 , drawing which Mr. Blyth identified with Cercomela melamira, 

 Biippell. When the wings are closed, and the rump and upper 

 tail coverts hidden by them, and only the black tips of the cen- 

 tral tail feathers shewn, the bird does bear a certain resemblance 

 to Temminck^s figure, PL Col., p. 1 ,fig. 2, though not nearly so 

 blue above, and differently colored below. I do not believe that 

 if the true melmmra was a regular inhabitant of Sindli, it could 

 have altogether escaped our party, and I am half disposed to 

 think that it should be removed from our Indian list. 



492.— Saxicola deserti, B.Hpijell. 



Mr. Gould has accepted no less than three species, all founded 

 on this one. He admits deserti as one, and this I supjwse is the 

 autumn or spring plumage. He takes Blyth^s atrogidaris which is 

 the mid winter plumage, and creates montana out of the breed- 

 ing plumage. I have already in the Ibis, and in " Lahore to 

 Yarkand,''' expressed my conviction of the invalidity of montana, 

 I must now equally record my dissent to atrogidaris, a species 



