178 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



66. Chjemarrhornis leucocephala, Vig. Crasnochvostha belo- 

 golovaya. 



Chcemarrhornis leucocephala, Gould^ Cent, of Birds^ pi. xxvi. fig. 2. 



This beautiful large Redstart was found by us throughout Kan-su, 

 except the alpine regions of the mountains. It usually keeps close to 

 mountain-brooks and rivers, especially if the shores are wooded ; and each 

 pair seems to have a certain district to itself, where it breeds. By its 

 habits it reminds one of the Dippers, with whom it can be very often seen 

 flying from one stone of a brook to another, low over the water, and only 

 in exceptional cases alights on trees. Whether on wing or when sitting, 

 these birds often utter a loud squeaking note ; but I have never heard them 

 sing. 



The first migrants were noticed on the 12th of April ; and in the middle 

 of May they were sitting on eggs. The young birds leave the nest about the 

 end of June or beginning of July, and keep in families untiFthe autumn. In 

 August the old birds were moulting so quickly that some of them could 

 hardly fly ; but after September we did not meet with any of this species. 



The Kan-su mountains form its northern limit of distribution. The 

 female does not differ from the male in plumage. 



Measurements : — 





Length. 



Width. 



Wing. 



Tail. 



Cnlmen. 



Tarsus 





in. 



in. 



in. 



in. 



in. 



in. 



6 . 



. 8 



11-5 



405 



3-3 



0-5 



1-3 



? . 



. 7-4 



11 



3-75 



31 



0-48 



1-2 



67. Larvivora cyanea, Pall. 



Larvivora cyanea, Radde, Reisen im Siiden von Ost-Sibirien^ pi. x. figs. 1-4. 



Inhabits S.E. Mongolia in limited numbers. About the middle of May 

 they kept mostly to the thick bushes, but did not appear to remain to breed 



