364. Planesticus ruficollis, Pallas.

Turdus apud Pallas, Zool. Ross. As., pl. - Blyth, Cat. 940 -  Horsf. Cat. 371 - Gould, Birds of Asia, pl. 67 - T. erythrurus, Hodgson.

The Red-tailed Thrush.

Descr.' - Male, above, and the ear-eoverts, pale cinereous-brown; lores dark brown ; eye-streak, fore-neek and breast, under wing- coverts, and tail, deep ferruginous, the tip of the latter and the outer webs of a few of the central feathers, brown ; under-parts, from the breast, white, slightly sullied with pale brown.

The female has the throat albescent, with rufous lines, and a row of dusky spots on each side ; the eye-streak is whitish; the ferruginous hue of the breast is lighter, and there is more dusky and less rufous on the tail.

Bill dusky, more or less yellow at the base and gape; legs pale brown; irides brown. Length 10 inches; wing 5 1/2 ; tail 4; tarsus 1 1/4.

This Thrush has, by some, been considered to be a variety of the next, P. atrogularis ; but it is generally regarded as distinct. It has   been found in various  arts of the Himalayas, Nepal, and Bootan ; but I did not procure it at Darjeeling, and it is probably found more in the interior of the hills. It is chiefly a bird of Siberia
and Northern Asia, migrating to the south in winter. They are said by Pallas to live in forests, to associate in flocks, except when breeding, and to have a fine song.