428 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL MIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



and divides the crown posteriorly from the bright, deep ochre of 

 the collar on the neck ; lores and next the anterior black of the chin 

 and throat, white merging into the yellow ochre of the side of the 

 face, throat and neck. Rest of the iipper parts is abelline, the 

 feathers of the inter-scapulary region and the lower back and upper 

 rump with pale centres giving a faintly mottled appearance to these 

 parts ; scapulars the same but with a bar of grey below the pale 

 spot produced on either side towards the tip. Primary coverts and 

 bastard wing brown, primaries brown, the fifth edged pale buff on 

 the tip of the inner web, this buff tip increasing in width on each 

 succeeding f'iather and forming a broad buff band obliquely across 

 the inner primaries, secondary coverts buff, median coverts rufous 

 bufi or vinous buff, with pale centres and oblique grey patches on 

 the outer visible webs ; small shoulder coverts vinous buff gradually 

 changing into the same as the median coverts, as these are approach- 

 ed. Lesser and median underwing coverts and axilliaries white ; 

 under-primary coverts brown. Body below buff, greyish on the upper 

 breast next the head and more ruddy buff on the abdomen. Feathers 

 round vent diill chestnut brown, undertail coverts white, the bases 

 chestnut brown ; feathers of thigh and tarsus buff, the latter often 

 marked with chestnut brown. Tail isabelline, the central rectrices 

 faintly tipper paler, the other feathers rufous-buff broadly tipped 

 white and sub-tipped dark-brown. 



The principal variation in the colour of the upper parts of the 

 male bird is in the extent of the pale markings to the scapulars and 

 dorsal plumage ; in some birds these are very large and make the 

 upper part appear paler and brighter in tone. The general tint 

 of Asiatic specimens varies a good deal in depth but there are 

 none so pale as the same bird beomes in North Africa and Spain. 

 There are but three males in British Museum Collection other than 

 those from India or adjacent countries, but these can be separated 

 at a glance from the rest by their very pale vinous isabelline of their 

 upper parts. 



The colour of the forehead between the two black patches varies 

 from pure white, which is rare, to the same colour as the crown. 



Below the birds vary in purity of colour and extent of white on 

 the abdomen, but Asiatic and other specimens vary equally inter se 

 in this respect. 



Asiatic birds in the British Museum Collection average ; wing 

 7-30" (=185-4 mm.); tarsus -89" (= 22-6 mm.) and bill -43" 

 (= 10-9 mm.) and the three African birds, wing 7-81" (= 198-3 

 mm.J); tarsus 1-00" (= 25-4 mm.) and bill -50" (= 12-7 mm.). 

 Weight 8^ ozs. (Lean). 



" In the immature male the tips of the primaries, centre pair of 

 tail-feathers and some of the secondary coverts and scapulars are buff 

 vermiculated with black." (Ogilvie Grant). 



