130 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



considered the type ; and the Wheat-ears. Some of the first 

 group are placed by Bonaparte under Dromolcea of Cabanis. 



488. Saxicola leucuroides, Guerin. 



Mag. de Zool. 1843— S. opistholeuca, Strickland— S. leucura, 

 apud Blytii, J. A. S. XVI.. 137— Blytii, Cat. 974— figd., 

 Jardine, Contrib. to Ornithology. 



The Indian White-tailed Stone-chat. 



Descr. — Sooty black ; the thigh coverts, lower abdomen, vent, 

 and under tail-coverts, white; the upper tail -coverts and the 

 greater part of the tail also white, the lateral feathers tipped 

 with black for not quite half an inch, the middle feathers for 

 about \ inch. The female is said to be of a duller and browner hue. 



An immature bird described by Blyth formerly as the supposed 

 female, has the head, neck, breast, wings, and two centre tail- 

 feathers, dusky brownish black ; a patch of deep black on each 

 jaw ; breast, belly, rump, and tail-coverts white, except for about 

 half an inch at the end. 



Bill and legs black ; hides dark brown. Length 6£ inches ; 

 wing 3| ; tail 2£ ; bill at front \ ; tarsus 1. 



This species differs from true S. leucura (S. cachinnans, 

 Temm.), with which it was at first confounded, in being 

 less robust, and the bill and feet smaller ; in the lateral 

 tail-feathers being all black tipped, and in the white being less 

 pure. 



This fine Stone-chat is not uncommon about Mhow in Central 

 India, in the cold weather, and I have seen it on the banks 

 of the Nerbudda, near Mundleysur, but nowhere else. It frequents 

 bushes on the plains, but also comes into Cantonments, and may 

 be seen seated on the hedges or on the low trees bordering the 

 roads. It descends to the ground to feed on insects, returning to 

 its perch. I saw a plain brown-plumaged bird in company with 

 it, on more than one occasion, but I did not procure it. 



This species probably extends throughout the North-West Pro- 

 vinces, having been killed near Agra, and in Sindh. In summer 

 it doubtless migrates to Tibet and Central Asia. 



