36 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 



476.— Cercotrichas macrourus, Gmel. 



a I have only observed the Sbama during the cold weather. 

 It is rather rare, and very timid ; it frequents only quiet shady 

 jungles. — J. 1." 



483 — Pratincola indica, Blyth. 



u Very common. — J. I." 



486— Pratincola ferrea, Bodgs. 



" Although not so plentiful as the former, this Stone Chat is 

 quite common. — J. I." 



497.— Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieill. 



" This species is common along the hill streams. I have not 

 observed it on the plains. — J. I." 



The specimen sent, although not dated, was clearly killed late 

 in March or early in April. It is in what I call the ante- 

 nuptial stage ; the whole head, neck, breast, and upper back, 

 black ; the only remnant of the early spring plumage, being 

 a dull grey line on either side of the crown, forming an 

 inconspicuous superciliary line. 



I have carefully studied a really enormous series of this 

 species killed at different seasons of the year in a vast number 

 of localities, and I make out six tolerably distinct stages of 

 plumage, viz : — 



I — Winter plumage. Black of upper surface entirely veiled 

 by ashy, rufous ashy, or brownish rufous, tips to the feathers. 

 Black of breast more or less ditto. 



II. — Early spring stage. Tippings of the feathers disppear- 

 ing first from breast, next from back, and lastly from the 

 head. 



III. — Ante-nuptial stage. Whole head, neck, breast, and 

 upper breast pure black. 



IV. — Nuptial or erythroprocta stage. Black duller ; a grey- 

 ish white band across the forehead (dividing off the black of the 

 base of the forehead as a black frontal band), with a grey shade 

 extending backwards on to the crown. 



V. — Early autumn, or phcenicuroides stage. Broad conspicuous 

 black frontal band ; throat, breast, sides of neck, pure black. 

 Front of head pale blue grey, growing duller on occiput. 

 Back more or less veiled with grey or rufous ashy tippings. 



VI. — -Late autumn stage. Frontal band not showing out 

 conspicuously ; crown and back unicolorous. Black of breast, 

 &c, more or less veiled with grey or rufous ashy tippings. 



In the early spring stage, especially towards its close, some 

 specimens very closely resemble the early autumn or phoenicu- 



