302 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



Three females. — Length, 5*5 to 5*7 ; expanse, 8'3 to 8*5 ; 

 wing, 2-62 to 2-7 ; tail, 2-5 to 2-7 ; tarsus, 0-85 to 0*9 ; bill 

 from gape, 0*53 to 065 ; bill at front, 0*35 to 0"42. 



The Dark-grey Bush Chat is tolerably common in the valley 

 of Nepal throughout the year. It is always found about the 

 foot of the hills, and ascends to an elevation of about 6,000 feet, 

 but it never seems to visit the central parts of the valley. A 

 nest of this species, taken on the 14th June, contained three 

 eggs, of which one undoubtedly belonged to a Cuckoo. 



498.— Ruticilla hodgsoni, Moore. 



Eight males, October to March. — Length, 6*1 to 6*35 ; expanse? 

 10 to 10-4 ; wing, 3-3 to 3-45 ; tail, 2*6 to S'O ; tarsus, 0-9 to 

 0-96 ; bill from gape, 0*7 to 075 ; bill at front, 0-38 to 0-48 ; 

 closed wings short of tail, I'O to 1*3. 



Five females, November to April. — Length, 5*9 to 6*2; ex- 

 panse, 9'6 to lO'l ; wing, 3*1 to 3*3; tail, 25 to 2*9; tarsus, 

 0-9 ; bill from gape, 0-7 to 0*75 ; bill at front, 0-4 to 0-45 ; 

 closed wings short of tail, 1*0 to 1*3. 



Bill black ; gape fleshy yellow ; irides dark brown ; feet 

 black or brownish black, soles yellow ; claws black. 



The female is earthy brown above, the outer webs of the 

 wing feathers being brown and the inner webs dusky, except 

 the tertiaries which have both webs brown ; under surface dull 

 greyish albescent, without any tinge of rufous ; white on the 

 lower part of the abdomen ; the under tail-coverts are faintly 

 tinged with rusty or pale rufous. In the male the upper surface 

 is a moderately deep bluish grey. 



Hodgson's Redstart is common, in winter, in the valley of 

 Nepal, the Nawakot district, and the Chitlang and Markhu 

 Valleys. In the Great Valley it appeared about the end of 

 September and migrated northwards before the middle of April, 

 It is generally found along the course of the streams, perching 

 on stones or in bushes growing close to the water ; occasionally 

 about bushes at the foot of the hills in nearly dry nullahs, 

 feeding on grassy plots ; and very rarely in gardens in the 

 central part of the valley. It has the habit, common to the 

 genus, of quivering its tail when it perches. 



503.— Ruticilla frontalis, Vig. 



Two males, Sheopuri Ridge, February/. — Length, 5'95 and 6*1 ; 

 expanse, 10*3 and 10'6; wing, 3-4 and 3*5; tail, 2*7 and 2*8 ; 

 tarsus, 0'9 ; bill from gape, 0"69 and 0-7 ; bill at front, 0*37 

 and 0-38; closed wings short of tail, 0*95 and 1*05. 



Two females, ascent of Sheopuri, February. — Length, 5*6 and 

 60 ; expanse, 9*5 and 9-75 ; wing, 3-2 and 3-28 ; tail, 2'6 



