Turdus varius Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso-As. (1811), 1, 449.
Geocichla varia Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 5, 151;
Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 212.
Oreocichla varia Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 136; McGregor and
Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 84.
Luzon (Whitehead); Mindoro (Porter). Japan and Siberia, accidental
in Europe; China and Burma in winter.
"In the adult male in spring plumage the general color of the upper
parts is ochraceous brown, each feather having a transverse terminal
crescent-shaped black band; most of the feathers have pale shafts and
a more or less distinct ochraceous transverse subterminal band, very
conspicuous on the head and neck; lores grayish white; no trace of
eye-stripe; wing-coverts and innermost secondaries shading from dark
olive-brown on the inside webs to ochraceous brown on the outside webs,
but, with the exception of the primary-coverts, wanting the black
terminal bands; quills brown, the outside webs ochraceous brown;
four central and terminal portion on two outside tail-feathers on
each side ochraceous brown, the remaining three on each side very
dark olive-brown; five outside tail-feathers on each side more or
less distinctly tipped with white, and all more or less obscurely
barred; under parts white, with a more or less distinct tinge of
ochraceous on the breast, each feather with a transverse terminal
crescent-shaped black band, nearly obsolete on the chin, center of
belly, and under tail-coverts; axillars, basal half white, terminal
half black; under wing-coverts, basal portion black, terminal portion
white; basal half of inner web of secondaries and basal portion of
many of the primaries pale buff. Bill dark brown above, basal half
of under mandible pale yellowish brown. Wing with the third and
fourth primaries nearly equal and longest, second primary between
the fourth and fifth; bastard primary, 26.6 to 23 mm. Legs, feet,
and claws pale yellowish brown. Length of wing, 162.5 to 150; tail,
114 to 105; culmen, 33 to 28; tarsus, 35.5 to 33.
"It is not known that there is any difference in the color of the
plumage of the sexes, or in consequence of the autumn molt. Birds of
the year and young in first plumage are unknown." (Seebohm.)
Genus PETROPHILA Swainson, 1837.
Rictal bristles weak, less than bill from nostril; first primary
slender, equal to primary-coverts; outer webs of third, fourth, and
fifth primaries sinuate; tarsus little longer than middle toe with
claw; tail three times the tarsus. Males largely blue and chestnut;
females dull gray or brown, barred with blackish brown; under parts
washed with ocherous buff.