556 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



1. Crown of head blue-black. 2. 

 — No black on crown. 3. 



2. A cheek patch of black ; tail-feathers white, with black 



shafts to centre ones. ... ... ... biddulphi, 



No black on cheeks, which are like the throat and 



fore-neck ; tail-feathers entirely blue-black. ... hendersoni. 



3. Size larger ; wing 4*8 — 5 # ; no white on tail ; wings blue- 

 black, with broad white tips to wing-coverts and 

 secondaries. 4. 



— Size smaller ; wing 3*5 ; outer tail-feathers mostly 



white ; central feathers brown ; wings brown. ... humilib 



4. Upper parts lavender-grey ; a broad black patch on 



lower throat ; underneath light pinkish panderi. 



Upper parts pale cinnamon ; small triangular patch 



of black on the lower throat ; under parts pale 

 cinnamon like the back... ... ... ... ... pleskei. 



Podoces pleskei holds an intermediate position between the black- 

 headed species of the genus, P. biddulphi and P. hendersoni, being 

 of a similar cinnamon colour, but it is distinguished by the black patch 

 on the lower throat. This patch is smaller than in P. panderi, and 

 appears to be more longitudinal and triangular, whereas in P. panderi 

 it is broader and reaches across the top of the fore-neck. Iu colour, 

 however, P. panderi is quite different from P. pleskei, being a light 

 lavender- orey above and pink below, whereas P. pleskei is cinnamon 

 above and below. 



The specimen examined by me was procured by Captain J. W. 

 Watson, I.M.S , at Kain, in Eastern Persia, in December 1903. 



[Regarding the habits of this specimen Capt. J. W. Watson, I. M. S., 

 has supplied the following notes : — 



