THE REDSTARTS. 
285 
THE REDSTARTS GENUS RUTICILLA. 
Ruticilla, C. L. Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1280. 
Type, li phanicurus (Linn.). 
The members of this genus have spotted young like that of 
a Redbreast, and are otherwise like that bird in form, but the 
sexes are different in colour, and much more variegated, with 
chestnut tails. The legs are always black like those of Chats, 
the eggs are blue like those of the latter birds, and the tarsus is 
smooth and not scutellated. The bill is slender, and rictal 
bristles are present. 
The largest number of species of Redstarts occur in the 
Himalayas, but species are also distributed over the mountains 
of the Mediterraneo-Persic Sub-region, these mountain forms 
being mostly residents, whereas our two European species are 
both migratory. 
THE REDSTART. RUTICILLA PHCENICURUS. 
Motaciila phcenicurus, Linn., Syst. Nat., p. 335 (1766). 
Ruticilla pkanicur us, Macg., Br. B., ii., p. 3°5 ( I ^ 39 )! Newt 
ed. Yarr., i., p. 339 (1873) ; Dresser, B. Eur., ii., p. 277, 
pi. 41 (1874); Seeb., Cat. B. Brit. Mus.,v., p. 336 (1881); 
id. Br. B., i., p. 287 (1883) ; B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 8 
(18S3) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. i. (1885) ; Saunders, 
Man., p. 35 (1889). 
Adult Male. — General colour above slaty-grey ; the rump and 
upper tail-coverts orange-chestnut ; lesser and median wing- 
coverts grey like the back ; greater coverts and quills dusky 
brown ; tail-feathers orange-chestnut, darker on the outer webs, 
the two centre feathers dark brown ; forehead white, extending 
in a line over the ear-coverts ; a narrow line at the base of 
the forehead, feathers above the eye, ear-coverts, sides of tace, 
throat, and fore-neck, black ; breast and sides of body orange- 
chestnut ; the abdomen whitish, washed with orange ; under 
tail-coverts pale orange-buff; under wing-coverts and axillanes 
orange-chestnut ; bill and feet black ; iris dark-brown. Total 
length, 5'4 inches; culmeii, o'5 ; wing, 3'o5 ; tail, 2'i; tarsus, 
o’8. 
