BETWEEN MUSSOORI AND GANGAOTRI IN MAY 1874. 247 



liave the eye set in the same small diamond-shaped patch of white ; 

 in size they are the same, but we have the one alleged constant 

 difference of colour of the back as the characteristic distinction. 

 I am speaking of the males only, for mature female Hodgsoni 

 has often a grey back, but rather darker than the grey of perso- 

 nata. Mr. Gould's examples of M. personata were from the 

 plains of India ; consequently they may not have been in full 

 breeding plumage, as these birds leave the plains rather early in 

 the spring. I procured many black-backed examples of Mot. 

 hizoniensis at and near Dinapore and Patna, but I never saw the 

 other species, even those procured the latest in the season with 

 the diamond-shajyed white eye patch (M. personata), with even a 

 spot of black on the back, nor have I yet seen an autumnal 

 plains example of M. personata with even a spot of black on 

 the back. Old examples of M. luzoniensis are very subject to 

 parti-coloured backs ; and it is late in the spring before the back 

 becomes wholly pure black. I have now before me Sikhim 

 and Bhotan Dooars examples of M. Hodgsoni, obtained in Nov- 

 ember, December, and January, with black backs. In autumn 

 and winter plumage old examples of Al. Hodgsoni retain much 

 more black on the breast than those of M. luzoniensis do. To 

 show clearly the decided distinctness of the two species, a few 

 very brief descriptions of birds, now before me, will be useful. 



1. 31. luzoniensis $, Dinapore, 16th December. From cen- 

 tre of crown of head to tail-coverts, including the whole back, 

 pure black : forehead, for more than half an inch, cheeks, ear- 

 coverts, chin, throat, and upper breast, all pure white. A f in. 

 gorget or crescent of black on the breast; wirig-coverts and 

 rest of lower surface pure white. 



2. M. Hodgsoni <$ , Sikhim, December. Eye set in a 

 diamond-shaped patch of white ; a narrow black streak under 

 the eye, bounding one of the lower sides of this diamond- 

 shaped eye patch ; chin white ; throat white, speckled with 

 black ; from half an inch below the base of lower mandible to 

 a distance of two inches from the same point, pure black ; the 

 sides of this black breast portion being in communication with the 

 black of the head and back ; in luzoniensis, this lower black is 

 at the same season* severed from the upper black. 



3. ill. Hodgsoni, Sikhim, November, precisely resembles the 

 December bird, and has the same black line from the corner of 

 the mouth passing beneath the eye; this black line, bounding 

 one side of the white diamond-shaped eye patch, as above stated. 



4. M. Hodgsoni, Bhootan Dooars ; precisely resembles the 

 November and December birds. 



* But some birds of the same species change from the summer to the winter plu- 

 mage, and vice versa, much earlier and much later than others, and I am unable to 

 discover any constant structural difference between luzoniensis from China, Tenas- 

 serim and Lower Bengal, and the supposed Hodgsoni from Sikhim to Cashmere.— Ed. 



