41 



those of Ruticilla titys, but were not pure white, ony very faint blue, and the one specimen I 

 have remaining has now faded until it is nearly white. 



This does not, however, agree with Mr. Lorenz's description of the nest and eggs of this 

 bird, for he writes {op. cit. p. 27) as follows: — "On the 10th May, 1885, a nest was found in 

 a cleft in the rocks in the Alikanovka ravine, containing four strongly incubated eggs, which 

 in colour resemble those of R. phoenicurus but are somewhat darker. The nest is flat and 

 constructed of moss, fine grass-bents, and many feathers, most of which are those of Merula 

 torquata and Columha livia. The interior of the nest is well lined with feathers, sheep's wool, 

 and horse-hair. The bird has a somewhat short but very agreeable song." 



Mr. Lorenz remarks that the specimens he obtained varied considerably inter se, and that of 

 the twenty-two males only five were typical R. ochrura, four others are typical except that they 

 have more or less white on the forehead, and the rest represent stages up to the almost typical 

 R. titys ; and he further says : — " Many German naturalists would unite this species and R. titys ; 

 but I do not endorse this view, as the typical R. titys does not occur in the Caucasus, and I believe 

 that the grey-bellied form of R. ochrura is the original progenitor both of typical R. ochrura and 

 R. titys, but is dying out." I am indebted to Mr. Seebohm for the loan of five specimens from 

 the Caucasus, three males and two females, obtained through Mr. Hoist, but collected, I believe, 

 by Mr. Lorenz. 



Compared with my specimens these males have the abdomen rather more rufous, nearly 

 as much so as in R. rufiventris, and the black scarcely so far extended ; and in specimen b 

 the axillaries and under wing-coverts are slightly marked with rufous buff, not black as in 

 my examples. Dr. Radde also remarks that the specimens he examined are subject to some 

 variation, and that one male from Kiis-jurdi exhibits a tendency towards Ruticilla titys. 



The present species may best be compared with Ruticilla titys, from which the male differs 

 in having the black extended much further down the breast to the abdomen, which latter is 

 chestnut-red and not grey. The upper and under wing-coverts and axillaries are black in the 

 present species, and grey in R. titys, and the back is black, whereas in R. titys it is slate-grey, 

 very seldom being tinged with black. The female most nearly resembles the female of R. titys, 

 but has the lower abdomen tinged with chestnut-red. Compared with the female of R. rufi- 

 ventris it is of a darker grey colour, and the upper parts are of a purer grey, for in R. rufiventris 

 the grey is slightly tinged with buff. 



The specimens figured and described are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, tf ad. Biridjeli, Euphrates Valley, February 15th, 1879 (C. G. Danford). b, <$ ad. Anascha Taurus, 

 March 30th, 1876 (C. G. Danford). c, 6 , d, $. Erzeroom (J. Zohrab). e, <s ad. Kislovodsk, N. Cau- 

 casus, Sept. (Dr. Menzbier). f, $ ad. Beresovaya, N. Caucasus, June 5th (Dr. Menzbier). 



