Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris

Species Index

16 October 2013

Possible regional races (polytypic)

-P. c. nipalensis; Blyth, E, 1843, J.A.S.B. 12 p.958

Original citation of Prunella collaris whymperi

The two-hundred-and-first Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani's Restaurant, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W., on Wednesday, the 10th of February, 1915.

Chairman: Hon. Waltek. Rothschild, Ph.D., F.R.S.

Members present : - E. C. Stuakt Baker,...etc.

Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker exhibited specimens of a new subspecies of Laiscopus obtained in Garhwal by Mr. S. L. Whymper in 1910, and made the following comments:

This new subspecies is most nearly allied to Laiscopus collaris nepalensis, but can be distinguished at a glance from that bird by the general tone of its plumage being more rufous.

Above it is darker than L. c. nepalensis and has a strong wash of rufous from the head to the neck, this colour being most conspicuous on the nape. The ear-coverts are rufous instead of grey, and the whole of the underparts are rufous, merely washed with grey on the breast and middle of the abdomen, with the usual white markings on the chin and throat.

It is also a smaller bird than L. c. nepalensis, the wings of the three specimens exhibited varying between 85 and 92 mm,, as against 92 and 102 mm, in the true L. c. nepalensis.

The three birds were all captured on their nests, containing 3, 3, and 2 eggs respectively, hard set, on the 27th of June and 4th of July, 1910.

It appears to be a local resident form of Accentor, inhabiting the higher ranges of Garhwal, where there is a comparatively heavy rainfall. It was found breeding at an elevation of about 15,000 feet.

I name the bird after the collector - Mr. S. L. Whymper -