>W fV /V 



feeding on insects ; and in general, he adds, its habits are similar to those of the Black 

 Redstart. 



This Redstart does not breed on the plains of India; and but little is known about its 

 breeding-habits beyond what is cited above from Canon Tristram's notes. Mr. A. O. Hume, in 

 his ' Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,' p. 321, writes as follows : — " Dr. Stoliczka tells me that he 

 saw four eggs of this species at the camping-ground of Lama Yuroo, in the valley of the Ysarap, 

 in Rupshu, at an elevation of about 13,000 feet. They were a little larger, and their uniform 

 sky-blue colour was a little paler than that of the eggs of the common European Redstart." 

 He further adds that Colonel Sykes, who spoke of a pair as having nested in an outhouse on the 

 plains of India (P. Z. S. 1832, p. 92), must have made a mistake, as the present species is abso- 

 lutely a winter and spring visitant, never breeding there. 



I quite agree with Mr. Blanford (E. Pers. ii. p. 164) that Buticilla phcenicuroides of Moore 

 is referable to the present species, and that Buticilla erythroprocta, Gould (P. Z. S. 1855, p. 78), 

 should be treated as distinct ; but I cannot agree with him in separating Buticilla semirufa ; for 

 since I have examined a large series I have convinced myself that the difference in size is not a 

 character that holds good, and that all that can be said is that Palestine examples are, on the 

 average, a trifle smaller in size than most of those from India. 



The specimens figured are an adult male, in spring dress, from Maunbhoom, and a female 

 from Palestine. 



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



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



a, s • Lahore, November (Marshall), b, ? ad. Karakash valley (Biddulpk) . c, ? juv. Dras Ladak, August 

 1873 (Biddulph) . d, 6 ad. Maunbhoom, April 1864. 



E Mus. Lord Tweeddale. 



«,<?,*,?. Deyrah (Biddulph). c, ?. Ladakh, September 1867 (Jerdon). c, $. Maunbhoom, April 1864 

 (Beavan). d, e,f, 2 , g, 6 juv. Umballah, November 1866 (Beavan). 



E Mus. Berol. 



a, 6 . Egypt, b, <S . Lebanon, c, <J , d, ?. Syria (Hempr. If Ehr.). 



E Mus. Lid. Beg. 



a, <5 . Karachi, Sindh. b, d . Ghistigau, Baluchistan, c, 2 . Pishin, Baluchistan, d, d . Near Ram, South- 

 east Persia (TV. T. Blanford). 



E Mus. II. B. Tristram. 



a, 3. Lebanon, June 16th, 1864. b, $. With nest aud three eggs, Lebanon, June 20th, 1864. c, d,juv. 

 Lebanon, June 15th, 1864 (H. B. T.). 



