50 W. T. Blanford— Zoology of Sikkim. [No. 1, 



migrating. I doubt if this bird breeds on the mountains of Sikkim ; none 

 were observed on the Chdla range. 



386 P. pekbea, Hodgs. — Seen in Northern Sikkim occasionally at about 

 7,000 to 9,000 feet, but less common than about Darijiling. 



497 Buticilla ettpiventeis (Vieil.). Not seen on the Chola range, but 

 abundant in the Lachen and Lachung valleys during the latter parts of our 

 stay in them. The first specimen was shot at Momay Samdong (15,000 feet) 

 on September 21st. In this case there covdd be no question that the birds 

 migrated from beyond the passes, because none were seen before the date 

 mentioned, even in the highest parts of the valleys at 15,000 to 18000 feet, 

 whilst afterwards they were abundant everywhere, and on our return in the 

 middle of October we saw them at 4,000 feet in the Tista va'lley. It is 

 mentioned by Dr. Stoliczka as breeding in Western Tibet. It certainly, I 

 should say, does not breed in Sikkim. 



503 B. frontalis (Vigors). — In contrast to the last species which abounds 

 in the plains of India in winter, but crosses the snows to breed, this redstart, 

 which rarely, if ever, visits the plains, but which Jerdon found abundantly 

 around Darjiling in winter, evidently breeds in the higher hills of Sikkim. I 

 met with it on the Chola range and again abundantly in the Lachung and 

 Lachen valleys at from 12,000 to 14,000 feet, and at Yeomatong on Septem- 

 ber 12th and 14th I shot three birds in spotted plumage. These young 

 birds have the upper parts dark brown with isabelline spots, quills and 

 wing coverts hair brown, the secondaries and coverts with rufous edges, 

 throat and breast feathers dirty white in the centre, with broad brown mar- 

 gins, the white centres pointed at the end, presenting a peculiar scale-like 

 appearance. Abdomen dull rufous or isabelline with some brown edgings 

 which, however, have disappeared in one specimen ; tail precisely as in the adult. 

 The outer tail feathers in all have the outer web, except near the base, 

 black, as well as the tip. 



I several times at high elevations, both on the Chola range and in 

 Northern Sikkim, saw another species of Hioticilla, but I never succeeded 

 in shooting a specimen, nor did my fellow traveller. It was perhaps S. 

 cceruleocephala, (Vigors). 



505 B. [Bhtacoenis] fttligetosa (Vigors). Jerdon's description of the 

 habits of this bird, are, as usual, admirable. It is, however, found at a great- 

 er elevation than stated by him, and on the Chola. range I occasionally saw 

 birds up to 11000 and 12000 feet, but at the same season I saw and shot 

 others below 3000 feet elevation. In Northern Sikkim it did not, in Sep- 

 tember and October, range above 7000 feet. Mr. Blyth, in the Ibis for 1867, 

 p. 16, refers to Dr. A. Leith Adam's second species allied to this, seen in 

 Kashmir (P. Z. S. 1859, p. 179, No. 82 of the birds of Kashmir and Ladak). 

 It is described as " smaller ; colour a leaden ash, whith several white fea- 

 thers in the tail." Surely the female is referred to. 



