144 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



upper and lower tail-coverts, and more than two-thirds of the tail, 

 deep rich chesnut ; crown of head and nape, pure white. 



Bill black; legs vinaceous brown; irides dark brown. Length 

 7£ inches ; extent 12 ; wing 4 ; tail 3 ; bill at front £ ; tar- 

 sus lj. 



This very handsome Redstart is found throughout the Hima- 

 layas, from the extreme N. W., Affghanistan and Kaffiristan, to 

 the Khasia Hills in the south east ; and, according to Griffiths, 

 still further towards Burmah. In Sikhim it occurs from a level 

 of 1,000 feet, to 5,000 feet, but it is only a winter resident, going 

 northwards to breed. It is found on the banks of rivers and 

 streams, hut does not affect the rapids of torrents so much as the last 

 bird, preferring the more level and shingly rivers, and picking up 

 insects at the brink of the water. I did not observe it flirting or 

 spreading its tail so much as Hutton represents it to do. Its 

 flight is moderately strong, but more wavy than that of the 

 last. 



Among other recorded species of Redstart are R. tithys, of 

 Europe; R. erythroprocta, Gould, from Western Asia, and R. rufo- 

 yularis, Moore, figd. in P. Z. S., 1854, pi. 59, found in Affghanis- 

 tan, and which, perhaps, may occur in our North-western limits. 



The following birds differ somewhat from the Redstarts both in 

 coloration and structure, but are too intimately connected with 

 them to be separable, some of the group, viz, the Blue-breasts, 

 (Cyanecula) having the tail of Ruticilla. The group comprises 

 several distinct forms, some of them peculiar, or nearly so, to the 

 Himalayas and adjoining parts of Asia ; others spread over Europe, 

 Asia, and Northern Africa. The Robin belongs to this group, 

 aud is the best known European form. They agree among them- 

 selves in having a rather slender, straight bill, of mean length, 

 more or less compressed, very feebly notched at the tip, and slightly 

 deflected, with the ridge of the upper mandible very slightly 

 elevated between the nostrils, and the gape very feebly bristled. The 

 legs and feet are lengthened, and rather slender, and the claws are 

 elongated and very slightly curved. The wings vary somewhat 

 in structure, some having these organs more rounded than others, 

 and the tail is either square or very slightly rounded. 



