136 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The Redstarts form a very natural group of birds, chiefly found 

 in the northern and temperate parts of the Old World, and a few 

 mioratino- to the tropics in winter. Only one species is found in 

 the plains of India, but a considerable number occur in the 

 Himalayas, chiefly as winter visitants perhaps ; and others occur 

 in Western Asia and Africa. 



495. Ruticilla phaenicura, Linn. 



Motacilla, apud Linn^us — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 95— 

 R. tithys, apud Hdtton, J. A. S. XV., 780— Blyth, Cat. 984— 

 Hoksf., Cat. 467. 



The European Redstart. 



J) eS cr. Narrow frontal band black, behind this a broad white 



patch, continued as a line over the eyes ; lores, ear-coverts, throat, 

 and upper part of breast, black ; the rest of the body above brown- 

 ish-ashy ; -wings dark brown ; beneath, the rump, and upper and 

 under tail-coverts, and tail (except the two centre feathers Avhich 

 are dark brown), bright ferruginous, albescent on the middle of 

 the belly. 



The female is olive-brown above, paler below, and with a rufous 

 tino-e on the abdomen ; rump and tail, as in the male, but less 

 bright. She is said, however, sometimes to assume the full male 

 plumage. In the newly-moulted bird the white of the head is 

 more or less concealed by dark terminal edgings to the feathers, 

 and the black of the throat and breast has whitish edgings. 



Bill black ; legs dark brown ; irides brown. Length 5^ inches ; 

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



The European Redstart has been found, but rarely, in the 

 N. W. Provinces and Afghanistan. One was sent from Saha- 

 runpore to the Museum at the India House by Dr. Jameson. It 

 is a summer visitant to Europe, where it breeds in holes of trees 

 and buildings, and its eggs are beautiful verditer-blue ; it retires 

 to Northern Africa in winter. 



496. Ruticilla phaenicuroides, Moore. 



P. Z. S. 1854, pi. 57— Housf., Cat. 468— Blyth, Cat. 984— 

 (in part). 



