of India and portions of Tenasserim. This bird ascends the Himalayas up to 8000 feet, probably 

 in summer only. It is found in the south as far at least as Maddur in Mysore. It is more or 

 less abundant throughout the peninsula, and through Assam and the Burmese provinces to 

 Pegu. In Tenasserim, Mr. Davison observed this bird in the northern and central portions, 

 but not in the extreme south, and Major Wardlaw Eamsay procured it in Karennee. Mr. Oates 

 further states (B. of Brit. Burmah, i. p. 281) that " it is one of the commonest birds of Burmah, 

 being found in every part of the country except forest-land, and is a resident." He also says 

 that it is common everywhere in Pegu in localities suited to its habits. Blyth records it from 

 Arrakan. 



It has been recorded from Macassar (Wallace), the Philippines, Bohol, Zebu, Luzon (Lord 

 Tweeddale), Java (Horsfield and Wallace), Lombock, Timor, and Flores (Lord Tweedclale). 



In its general habits this Stone-Chat is said to be confiding except during the breeding- 

 season, when it is shy and wary, and consequently its nest is not easy to find. Its song is clear 

 and good, and is said by Mr. Brooks to be considerably superior to that of Pratincola maura. 



The breeding-season is from March to June, the eggs being usually deposited in March and 

 April in the plains, and in May in the hill-country. Mr. A. O. Hume, in his 'Nests and Eggs 

 of Indian Birds,' gives detailed accounts of its nidification communicated by naturalists from 

 various parts of India, from which it appears that the nest is placed in a hole in the ground or 

 in the side of a bank, or some way down the side of a well, occasionally, but rarely, in a dense 

 bush or tuft of grass on or close to the ground, and is a shallow, somewhat saucer-shaped pad, 

 composed of soft grass, fine roots, &c, and lined with the same or other soft material, hair, &c. 

 The complement of eggs is four, more rarely five, and occasionally only three, and they are 

 not unlike those of the English Stone-Chat, being delicate pale bluish green finely speckled, 

 mottled, and streaked with brownish red, these markings being always more numerous at the 

 larger end, where they occasionally form a zone. They vary greatly in size, in length from 

 0'6 to 0*77 inch, and in breadth from - 44 to - 64, the average size of 50 eggs being - 67 by 

 0*55 inch. 



The specimens figured are the adult male in spring and the adult female in winter plumage 

 above described, and are in my own collection, as is also the male in autumn also described, but 

 the nestling is in the collection of Mr. H. Seebohm. 



In the preparation of the above article I have, besides the series in the British Museum, 

 examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a,b, 6. Merv, June 14th, 1886 (Dr. G. Radcle). c, 6. Kandahar, March 30th, 1881 (Col. Swinhoe). 



d, 6. Near Simla, August 12th, 1868 (A. O. Hume), e, 6 . Saugor, July 29th, 1869 (A. O. Hume), 



f, d. Saugor, December 15th, 1888 (H. E. Barnes), g, 6. Valley of Grhurror, Kashmir (Whitely). 

 h, ?. Muddapur, November 3rd (A. O. Hume). 



E Mus. H. Seebohm. 

 a, pull. Java (Wallace). 



F2 



