lesser and median wing-coverts ashy, centred darker and tipped
whitish ; greater coverts dark brown, broadly edged with rufous
and tipped whitish ; quills dark brown, edged with rufous ; chin,
throat, and sides of neck ashy brown with the bases of the
feathers darker, causing a mottled appearance ; breast deep ferru-
ginous ; abdomen whitish or pale fulvous ; sides of the body and
under tail-coverts rufous streaked with brown.
Iris clear pale brown ; bill black ; legs reddish brown (Blanford).
Length about 6'5 ; tail 2'7 ; wing 3'2 ; tarsus -9 ; bill from gape -6.
Distribution. The Himalayas from Eastern Kashmir and Ladak to Sikhim. Blanford found this species above 14,000 feet, and I have seen specimens from Sikhim killed in June and October and in the adjoining parts of Tibet in February, March, and September : it breeds in Tibet, as Mandelli procured quite a young bird in September. Dr. Henderson met with this species at Sukti in July and at Tankse in October.
716. Tharrhaleus atrigularis. The Black-throated Accentor.
Accentor atrigularis, Brandt, JBull. Acad. St. Pctersb. ii, p. 140 (1844) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 131 ; Hume, Cat. no. 6-55 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 75 ; Scully, Ibis, 1881, p. 569 j Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 656.
Accentor huttoni, Moore, P. Z. S. 1854, p. 119 ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 360 ; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 288 ; Stoliczka, J. A. 8. B. xxxvii, pt. ii, p. 53 j Scully, S. F. iv, p. 155.
Coloration. After the autumn moult the forehead, crown, nape, back, and scapulars dark brown, each feather with lateral fulvous margins ; rump and upper tail-coverts ashy brown ; a broad black band on each side of the crown, below which runs a broad buff supercilimn ; lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, and under the eye dark brown or blackish ; a narrow moustachial streak buff, joining the breast and enclosing the chin and throat, which are black with narrow white margins ; the w y hole breast and sides of the throat ochraceous buff, with partially concealed black bases to all the feathers ; middle of the abdomen creamy white ; sides of the body and under tail-coverts buff streaked with rich brown ; tail brown, edged paler ; quills and coverts brown, margined with fulvous or rufous and the coverts more or less tipped paler. In summer the buff tips of the moustachial streaks wear away, as also the whitish margins of the chin and throat, which parts become quite black and are joined to the black of the sides of the head. The front part of the supercilium in a similar manner becomes black and the hinder part bleaches to white.
Iris hazel-brown ; base of upper and lower mandibles at gape, and the gape, legs, and feet brownish fleshy ; rest of bill dull black ; claws horny brown (Hume).
Length about 6 ; tail 2' 6; wing 2-9 ; tarsus '8; bill from gape 55.