10 
HISTORY OF 
of its capture. The specimen we allude to, is one killed by 
Mr. T. Embledon, on the town moor at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 
and recorded by G. T. Fox, Esq. in his “ Synopsis of the 
Newcastle Museum.” 
The male bird of this splendid species is about the size of our 
Redbreast ; the upper parts are greenish brown ; over the eye 
is a pale whitish streak ; the throat and fore part of the neck 
are of a bright azure blue, beneath which is a border of black, 
then a reddish one, and, occasionally, there is a spot of silvery 
white in the centre of the blue patch ; the under parts and thighs 
are dusky white ; two middle tail feathers, brown ; the remaining 
ones, with the terminal half, of the same colour, the basal half 
being of a reddish chesnut. The female has, on the throat, a 
band of blue mixed with black ; in other respects she much 
resembles the male. 
This bird, together with the bird described immediately be- 
fore, and our common Redstart, now form the sub genus Phaeni- 
cura, of Mr. Swainson, as far as found in the British Isles ; 
the name of Ficedula, however, having been given to them, by 
Bechstein, prior to that of Phaenicura by Mr. Swainson, we have 
retained it in preference. 
A figure of this fine Redstart is given by Edwards, which 
appears to be that of a female. He received the specimen from 
which his plate is taken from Gibraltar. 
