B L A C K - T H B f t A f E l T E B I T S H . '
Tacdns atr'ogulans; fTimsrb)
B J j \ ? • K - T H I t 0 .4. T E D T l i U U S H .
:: ; Twte&u« »Jtroguihiriij;,.
t,a Merle si. gorge noire.
This fine bird is one of the ornithological rarities of the Fauna of Ewtojk-.. it is, however, a species of common
occurrence in the Kpaalava mountaios, whence we have received numerous examples, differing in n$ respect
from those taken in Europe. Although M. Teniminck states that it is a native of Hungary and Russia but
rare in Austria and Silesia, we have only seen two native-killed specimens, which are in the collection a£
Vienna, and one of them was, we believe, killed in the neighbourhood of that city-; young birds are also said
to have been taken in Germany. From the circumstance of most collections from the Himalaya mountains
containing examples of this bird, the feet is clearly established that the northern and higher regions of Asia
constitute its native habitat- Our knowledge of this species is so limited that we are unable to state with
certainty whether the black gorget is characteristic of the summer plumage, or whether when once acquired
St i# permanent: we raapcct the Utter ‘to be the case, as « t have received specimens in various stages <;t
plumage, some of which ■* >-;■. totally devoid of the black throat, while others had it partially developed in
all probability these last were fe Biale« or immatare hinls.
Tlie whole of the upper surface is brown with u slight tinge of csd, the outer «nlge« of the. wing-fcather*
being somewhat lighter; throat and ctaa* d»if! Muck, each fe«tW.hmg ¿kgbm apugincd wedt white; belly
white'under tail-covert« rufous brown ; 'fork •’.! the point ftfld yellow dt ^vwise ;• feet brown.
l yotU’g * i female of the natural sire.