162 



14 



Summary. 



J laving taken some pains to analyze, though it is to he feared at the risk of wearying the reader, 

 undoubtedly the hest series of Blue Rock-Thrushes yet brought together, it ouly remains to add a few words 

 in explanation of the results attained by the study of the birds in question. They may be briefly stated under 

 the following heads, which seem to us to embody the conclusious at which we have arrived, and to set forth 

 the points on which further investigation is necessary: — 



1. There are apparently two species of Blue Rock -Thrushes, viz. P. cyanus, ranging along the south of 

 Europe to Central Asia and into Western India iu winter, and P. solitarius of Eastern Asia, extending from 

 Japan in the north to China and Formosa, visiting in winter Burmali, Eastern India, the Malayan peninsula, 

 extending to the Philippines and the Malayan region as far as Celebes and Gilolo. 



2. There is a possibility of the existence of a third species, the summer habitat of which is unknown, but 

 which visits India in the winter. It is smaller than P. cyanus, and may possibly be P. solitarius extending 

 as far westward as Etawah, though we are unaware of any specimen being met with in that locality exhibiting 

 a trace of rufous on tin' abdomen. This smaller race is probably the P.pandoo of authors. 



3. P. cyanus never has any rufous on the belly at any period of its existence, but emerges gradually from 

 a spotted dress to an entirely blue one, the female being much longer in attaining this than the male. 



4. P. solitarius resembles /'. cyanus generally in the spotted stage of the young, but proceeds next to don 

 a bright blue plumage, with a rufous belly, the latter gradually merging into blue. Whether the female always 

 remains in her spotted plumage, as has been stated, or ultimately gains a blue dress, remains a subject for 

 further investigation. 



5. /'. solitarius, when in full blue plumage, is almost indistinguishable from P. cyanus. It seems to be a 

 trifle smaller ; but the following measurements show that there is no great difference in size : — 



(1) /\ cyanus: Long. tot. 8-0-90 inches, culmen 0-9-D1, wing 4 - 5-5'l, tail 3-2-3-G, tarsus T1-1T5. 



(2) /'. solitarius -. Long. tot. 7-2-9-0 inches, culmen 10-F1, wing 4-7-F95, tail 3-.2-37, tarsus 1-0-1-2. 

 \\itii these measurements may be compared the small Etawah and Umballah specimens (which we think 



may perhaps be referable to a distinct species, or subspecies, as 



P.pandoo: Total Length 7-9 8-2 inches, culmen 0-95-1-0, wing 4-G-4-8, tail 3-2-3-1, tarsus 1-05) and 

 those of the Japanese specimens given above. 



In tin- preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens: — 



/•; Mi/s. Lord It a I ilea, 

 a. Candeish. b, 6 . Umballah, November 1866 {R. C.Beavan). c. Darjeeling. d,e. Assam. /, g. Burmah. 

 h. Moulmein, October lsc,.-, [R. C. Beavan). i. j, Ton-boo. k, I. Malacca (Maingay), Malacca, 

 December 5th, 1 si;;, Maingay . m,n, Tientsin, China. o,p,6 . Amoy, China, springof 1861 (R. Swinhoe). 

 q. S.-W. Formosa, 1861 (li. Swinhoe). r, s, t, 6 . Hakodadi, Japan, April 17th, 1865 {H. TT'hitely). 

 a. Nagasaki, February L870 />'. Bergman). v,S. Negros, Philippines, March 1871 [L. Layard). 



E Mus. R. Swinhoe. 

 a,b,r.il. Burmah [E. Blyth). e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o. Amoy, China, from the 29th of October, 1857, to 

 January 1867 /.'. S.). /;. Takow, Formosa, October 18G5 {R. S.). q. Colosban, Formosa, November 

 1N<;."> A'. >. '. /-. Formosa, March 1866 {R. S.). 



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



■' Etawah, December 28th, 1868, December 3rd, 1869, January 1870 {W. E. Brooks), b, 6. Amoy, May 

 1860(7?. Swinhoe). 



