Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, Jerdon 1847

ILLUSTRATIONS

INDIAN ORNITHOLOGY,
CONTAINING

iriFiT ifE©wmi
OP

NEW, UNFIGUEED AND INTERESTING SPECIES OP BIEDS,

CHIEFLY FROM THE SOUTH OF INDIA.

BY

T.

C.

JERDON, ESQ.

MADRAS MEDICAL ESTABIISHMEST.

MADRAS:
PRINTED BY

P. R.

HUNT, AMERICAN MISSION PRESS.
1847.

^y

INTRODUCTION.

work

is

with

to

a

conclusion,

Forty-seven

The
either

great

majority

of the

though

or

are

Three

—

all

are

figured

different

drawings.

and one from Ceylon

long

so

of Birds

of them

figures,

that

satisfaction

species

distinct

improved

remainder
layas,

much

It

the

represented

here

of the

of

in

the

are
the

this

obstacles.

fifty

plates.

time,

and

compose

the

first

plumage,

birds

inhabit

various

the

for

brought

has

by

delayed

states

rest

Author

the

from

the

peninsula

of

HimaIndia.

CONTENTS.

Plate

1.

Nisaetus Bonelli.

Plate 26.

Bucco

Viridis.

2.

Leucocirca Albofrontata.

27. Buteo Rufiventer.

3.

Zanclostomus

28. Falco Peregrinator.

Viridirostris,

4. Accipiter Besra.

29. Accipiter Besra.

5.

Picus Hodgsonii.

30. Strix Candidus.

6.

Prinia Cursitans.

31.

7.

Muscipeta Paradisea.

32. Muscicapula Sapphira.

8.

Turdus Wardii.

33. Otis Aurita.

9.

Scolopax Nemoiicola.

34.

10. Pterocles Quadricinctus.

11. Phfenicornis
12.

Flammeus.

Falco Peregrinator.

13. Crateropus Delesserti.
14.

Muscicapa Albicaudata.

15. Oriolus Indicus.
16.

Ardea

Flavicollis.

Brachypus Poioicephalus.

Anas Caryophyllacea.

35. Pycnonotus Xantholasnius.

36. Pterocles Quadricinctus.

37. Brachypus Rubineus.
38. Mirafra Erythroptera.

39. Dicaeum Concolor.
40. Picus Cordatus.
41. Scops Sunia.

17. Lanius Nigriceps.

42. Francolinus Benulasa.

IS. Pateornis

43. Phyllornis Jerdoni.

Columboides.

19. Malacocircus Griseus.

20. Petrocincla

21.

Pandoo.

Vinago Bicincta.

22. Pastor Blythii.

44. Falco Luggur.
45. Anthus Similis.
46. Parus Nuchalis.
47. Picus Ceylonus.

Dendrocygna Major.

48.

Columba

24. Caprimulgus Indicus.

49.

Xiphoramphus

23.

25.

Ceyx

Tridactyla.

Elphinstonii.
Superciliaris.

50. Indicator Xantlionotus.

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
The
at lengtli

was led

fii-st

part of the

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN ORNITHOLOGY

presented to the Public, after a greater delay in the publication than the Author

to expect.

The ground-TTork and branches
Artist,

and the Author here begs leave

very valuable
the work.

aid,

are from the pencil of a highly talented amateur

to

tender his most grateful acknowledgments for his

which has contributed not a

little

to set off the

Several of the plates, however, viz. Nos.,

off before the

1,

2, 3, 4, 5,

Author became acquainted with that gentleman.

those

Officer
first

added a ground-work

The

to these.

printed similar to that of the

colourists

drawings and embellish

6 and 12 were printed

Thirty additional copies of

these plates being afterwards found necessary to meet the increasing

same

is

of Subscribers, the

list

were instructed

additional lithographs

;

but, as

to

paint in to

might have been

expected, they have not executed this part so well as the Author could have wished, and they

were not allowed

to finish

in some than others,

all

wiU be found among

explanation may prove sufficient to those

The 2d No. being
distant interval,

In consequence of

the copies.

the plates mentioned above

who have the

entirely printed

and the nature of

its

this a difference,

and

contents

;

and I

more marked
trust that this

opportunity of comparing the two

partially coloui-ed, will

wiU probably make

it

more

sets.

appear at no very
attractive

than the

present number.

Should the publication of the present

series of fifty

bu'ds be, as there

is

every

reason to anticipate, successful enough to repay the Author for the heavy expenses he has
incurred,

it

and the two

wiU, immediately on completion, be followed by a second set of fifty more bhds,
series will

then include a very considerable number of the unfigm-ed species

of Peninsular India.

A classified Index will be given
corrections of nomenclature that

Nelloke

:

may be

with the concluding No. which will notice any

required.

November 3d, 1843.




'Af'j-aeJjM)

^^^je/ru,ot/^

J'.wUtJ- iy

^..':jii-''!^-atM/-

ORB. KAPTORES.
TRIBE— FALCON IBM.
FAM. AQUILINE.

GENUS N I S ^ T U S—Hodgson.
PLATE
NIS^TUS

I.

GRANDIS'-Hodgson.

YOUNG FEMALE.

LARGE HAWK-EAGLE.
Synon.

Niscetus niveus,

Jerdon

—Madras Journal of

Sahua, in Teloogoo

Mhoriinghee, in Hindustani

The group
by Mr. Hodgson,

high

is

tail

there characterized

by compression without

large, vertical, elliptic, angulated

—

and wholly

long, firm and square

digits elongated, nervous, the inner fore

late

—

as

follows

feebleness,

first

separated

:

— " BiU

short,

tarsi elevate,

fifth

but not feeble, wholly feathered

—acropodia

talons

base

strongly festooned, nares

and the hind highly developed

—

at

esposiire— wings short, finn,

lateral in

with three or four scales next each talon

acute

Rajalee, in Tamool.

6th volume of the Journal of the Asiatic

iu a paper published in the

as broad, distinguished

quiU longest

and Science, No. 24.

of rapacious birds to wMcli tUs fine Eagle belongs, was

Society of Bengal, and the genus
as

Literatui-e

reticu-

immense, very unequal, strong and

—head usually crested."—Mr. Blyth, the zealous and able

Curator of the

Museum

of

the Asiatic Society at Calcutta seems to thiak that this genus is not separable fi-om Spizmtus
of authors.

Not having had an opportunity

American Eagles
it

likely there

classed in that genus, I cannot attempt

wQl be found some shades of

peric distinction.

of examining any of the African

This I consider

to

to decide the

point, but I think

difference, warranting at all events

be the more likely as the genus

A

is

and South

a sub-ge-

not one of universal


HUistrations of Indian

Moreover, Swainson

occurrence.

member

of

separated

Falco cristatellus, an undoubted

the

group, from the African crested Eagles, retaining however Spizafiix for

tliis

Indian Bird, and classing the others under the genus Ilarpi/ia.

tlie

me

in a letter to
this,

and

name

as

waiting of the present subject says

Sii'

W.

Jardine too

modified characters will receive both

'

present retaining Hodgson's excellent

being more appropriate to the habits as well as structure of the birds of
SpizcBtus.

a synonjin of Limnatus.

described as having

The
Hodgson

prefer for the

I therefore

cristatellus.'

group than the name
as

has

Ornithology ;

all

—Mr. G. R.

This

is

Gray, in his Genera of Birds has put Kisivfus

of coui'se a grievous

Hawk-Eagle was

first

this latter

described and

volume of the Journal of the Asiatic Society.

Catalogue of Peninsular Bu-ds in the Madras Journal,

and referred

error,

genus being

the claws nearly equal and small.

present species or large

in the 5th

tliis

this bird to the

in the books of reference I

I

When

named
I

])y

Mr.

drew up the

was unawai-e of Hodgson's paper,

Falco niveus of authors, with the meagre descriptions of which

had

access to,

it

indeed sufficiently agrees.

I

have however since

be

distinct.*

I shall now give a description of the species represented here

taken partly fi-om

my own

observations, and

ascertained

it

to

partly from the obliging communications of

Mr. Blyth.

Young

bird.

somewhat darker.
deeply stained

—Plumage

above pale broAvn with the shaft and

Beneath, imder wing-coverts and

"ndth ferruginous)

feathers, almost obsolete in

some.

tibial

plumes of

tip

of each feather

a rusty white (in

some

with a very narrow mesial pale brown stripe on the

—Tail

above closely and numerously barred with brown,

on a pale brown ground.

Adult.

—Above deep

aquiline or

wood

bro'ma.

Beneath, pure white with a dark

brown mesial

line to

on the

on which in old birds the brown hue predominates, and takes the form of

bars.

belly,

each feather

;

broader in general in the female, and most developed

Under wing-coverts dark brown

plumes deep brown, freckled whitish

—

—under

tail

tail-coverts

white banded brown

hoary grey with seven

bai-s

—

tibial

and a broad subter-

minal one.

An intermediate

•

The name

state of

plumage

is

marked by

Strenuus, was printed on the Plate before

I

the

pale edging to the feathers

was aware that the specimeD from which

the drawing was taken was identical ia species with grandis.

DSI


Niscettis grandis.

by the

of the back,

development of the mesial markings of the feathers of the lower

less

plumage, and by the paler

At
in some)

all

and their bases are conspicuously white.

27 inches

to

—tail 12i

—

irides bright

—wing from
S^V

digit

flexiu-e

17|

claw

^'^-

gamboge
to

Himalayas

margined with whitish
plumbeous, black

Bill

Dimensions

yellow.

18 inches

—

11

tail

—

to

large

Hawk-Eagle

is

at tip

to

said to be an

and

a male

gape 2

—wing 20^

It is

much on

by

abimdant species, though few

a pair of them.

the wing, sailing at a great height; and
it

It

seated on the siunmit of a lofty tree, or on some overhanging rock.

and mountain

hills

making

same hour.

always about the

frequents

its

appearance at

may

in the bare

Deccan and

drawing was taken was killed in Guindy park
It preys

by preference on

various

and partridges, and even on pea fowl

—

according to the testimony of Sliikarees

J

talus leucocephalus
.

On

hawk.

off a favorite

Most

The

Carnatic.

also

it

at

kuids of game

—hares,

on ducks, herons and other water fowl, and

known

to strike

one occasion on the Neilgherries, I observed

down

it

the douk,

its

ness of the jungle.

A pair were

to resort to a village

at the

f Tan-

having carried

stoop

and pea-fowl, each time unsuccessfully however, owing

Elliot too mentions

though

jungle fowl, spur fowl

at a spiu"-fowl, hare,

Mr.

also

Madras.

has been

wont

;

it

individual fi;om which the present

native Falconers too have stories to relate of

also

often be seen

I have observed

on the Neilgherries, along the range of western and northern ghauts

more sparingly

dis-

It chiefly affects the

and especially the neighboiu-hood of

districts,

certain spots in the district

fowls.

—cere

—Length of

30 inches

brown

dispersed over the whole continent of India from the

Cape Comoriu, but cannot be

more wooded and jungly

chiefly

(or pale

bill straight to

Length of female 29

1-^^,,.

are not occasionally frequented or visited

ranges.

are

plumes.

to 13.

The

tricts

yeUow

3|— centre

tarstis

tarsal

of the nape

ages the feathers

feet pale greenish

26

and

tint of the tibial

liHls

successively
to the

thick-

and carry

off

" that he once saw a pair of them nearly surprise a pea-

cock, pouncing on hiui on the ground."

Great havoc was connnitted among several pigeon-

houses on the Neilgherries by a pair of these Eagles, and indeed I heard that one or tn^o

were completely devastated by them.
described to

me by

two or

thi'ee

The manner

fi-oni

a vast height on the

rather under the pigeons, than directly at them.

and

carries

it

first

off.

swoop the pigeons

The

which they captured the pigeons was

eye witnesses to be as follows

one of the Eagles pounced down

alarmed by the

in

Its

rise in confusion,

other Eagle having risen again

:

—On the pigeons taking

flock,

but directing

its

flight,

swoop

mate watching the moment wheCj
pounces unerringly on one of them
eilso

makes another stoop which

is


Illustrat'totis

generally

One

fatal.

of these birds shot in the act was presented to

H ho had been a great

sufferer

by them.

the nest of this Hawk-Eaglo, but

inaccessible

cliffs,

The

and

other

it

—

I

have not yet been fortunate enough

by native

said

is

Sliikarcos to build

3rd,

N.

species of this

Kieieriin

;

—and

group are

N.

4th,

has been merely indicated by Hodgson as N. pallidus.
tion of these four species

1st.

Syn.

Tern.

F.

—Above brown, the

developed occipital

meet with

on steep and

1st,

Niseetvs niveus.

A

fifth

—~d,

species

here give a brief descrip-

me by Mr.

Blyth.

I

Hodgson.

Nipalensis,

feathers with broad pale edgings, usually has a slightly

—beneath white, nearly

ed with pale fulvous bands —under taU-coverts

spotless

—

tibial

plumes white, regularly cross-

^^-hite sj)otted ^-ith

with dark mesial

Intermediate age

stripes,

—Above dark

brown with

stripe do^^^l the throat

tibial feathers

pkime

tail

bro^^-n

on the

and 2 lateral ones

—

rest of tlie

plumage be-

feathers barred with dark bro-wTi

young

as in the

bii'd.

dusky black, dashed with ashy on the back

surface of the primaries anterior to theu-

five

blackish.

aquiline brown, with pale edgings, obsolete

bro^\nisli

—Plumage entirely

tail

quills

a

Adidt

—

distinct,

—beneath white with dark mesial
defined—breast with
black drops on each
neath nearly
dark brown —
and under
and white —tad
with an ashy tinge and banded
interscapidars

broMTi

—the tipwhitish—head and nape
extending by age —

barred with

dark bands and a subterminal one broader and more

all

to

sometimes found possessed of a long drooping occipital egret-Hke

crest,

less

—

cristatellus.

— Nis.

Raffles

caligattis,

crest of two long feathers

usiially light fulvous

a gentleman,

SUBCRESTED HaWK-EaGLE.

NIVEUS

NiS-ffiTUS

:

I shall

from copious information afforded

Falco niccus,

Young.

me by

breed in January or February.

to

known Indian

N. pzilcher, Hodgson.

of Indian Ornitltohgy

—the under

emargination and the xmder surface of the

tail

—caudal bands only
—
grey
beneath— cere dark
brown
yoimg—bright yellow
Length of a male about
adidt —
pale wax yellow.
25 inches —expanse of wings 49—wing 15 —
11 —
1| —
Female
3
from 26
29| inches —exi)anse54—wing 15f—
11 —
\l—
alone albescent
in

livid

visible

in

This species has a larger

bill

tail

known

light

feet

tail

to

irides

at

gajje

^bill

tarsus

J.

tarsus 4.

geographical distribution than any other of th«

genus having been found in Bengal, the Himalayas, and Java.


Niscetus grandis.

NlS^TUS

2ud.

Above deep

—

long

feathej's

bro'UTi, blackish

PTJLCHEEj

ou the

Hodgsoii.

and

cro-s^Ti

of the nape pale at base and edges

which

occipital crest

—beneath

is

4 inches

tmged with fulvous

-white,

ones
blackish—breast
and two
broad
—central of
longitudinal streaks —belly and flanks banded and mottled bro-mi and white — under
banded—
plumes
—upper
coverts
plumes
coverts the same —

on a
grey ground. Length
banded—
mth 5 dark broad
and
Female 33—wing 19 —
of mak £9 inches —^wing 18 —
14J.

chin blackish

lateral

tlrroat

line

also

ivith

tail

tarsal

distinctly

tibial

q^uiUs also

tail 13.

tail

3rd.^-NisjETUs Kienieeii, Red-bodied

De

Astur Kiemerii,

Syn.

Sparre

tail

bro-svnish

bai's

tail

so

less

—Guerin

Mag. de

Hawk-Eagle.

Zoologie, 1835.

Nis.

aliogularis,

Tickell— Jour. As. Society, 1842.

Above black

Avith a

shade of brown

—an

occipital

2 J inches long

crest

ueck, and breast, 'pure white, the sides of the last only with black streaks

under

tail coverts,

—

tail broivii,

eaj'

iu

its

—

^wings.

The spechnen

second or third year

each feather streaked with black

;

fi-oni

which

this description Avas

the younger bird as shoAvn

by De Sparre

as

quoted above.

flanks,

—throat

wliite

— cheeks

—

^irides

dark

feathers

had the

apparently more advanced stage

Pkunage above and

with copper reflections, most apparent on the wings

with clear rufous

belly,

taken was probably

by some unmoulted

An

broAvn of the upper plumage only moderately dark.

described

—

thi-oat,

and tad beneath albescent, with narrow bands—

at base, the rest rufous,

M'ax yellow.

—

under surface of wings deep rufous, streaked with black on flanks

obscurely banded

coverts white

— cere

legs,

,

_

— secondaries

is

occipital crest, fine black,

and ridge of wing edged

mixed with white black and red

—neck and breast

white with longitudinal medial black spots, most numerous and largest on the breast and
these

mixed with rufous

—
—under

spots

and large black medial spots

^belly,

abdomen and

sides rufous,

marked with nuinerous

tad coverts and legs unspotted rufous

above, albescent beneath with black band.

Length 22 inches

—wing 16 —

tail

—

10

tail

black

—biU If

tarsus 3.

A single specimen was
India.
is

procuxed by Lieutenant Tickell

The specimen described by De Sparre was

in the collection of Prince Essling.

B

at

Chyebassa in Central

said to be from the Himalayas and


Illustrations

4th.

—Nis^TUS CRISTATELLUS,

Elliot

Syn.

from

Judging

young

the

ly

analogy

of this

ycUowish

and nape

narrow black

and

Jotunal of Literature and Science, No. 25.

species of this genus

other

witli

bird

margins

pale

by

described

tluH

is

Beneath,

wliite tip.

what

apparent-

is

Above and

Jardine.

occi-

each feather, forehead white, head

to

mixed with amber brown.

browTi,

bars,

—Madias

Falco. cristatellus, Tern.

amber brown with

crest

pital

state

of Indian Ornithology ;

Tidl above bro\m, Avith seven

of

feathers

tarsi,

and

ridge

of

the

wings white.
Apparently the second plumage

Above

bro^A-n tinted

is

with rnfous

thus described by Lesson.

—head

and neck rufous streaked

bro'wn,

•with

beneath wliite streaked with bright rufous, deejiening in the flanks, inferior coverts and
Tail brownish rayed with dark brown.

legs.

A

stUl

more advanced age (Mr.
deep brown, the

occipital crest, fine

nearly black, quills banded with dark b^o^vn.

Beneath white, each feather with a large blackish brown drop, which

Tail with five bands.
occujiies nearly the

latter

specimen) has the plumage above and

Elliot's

whole feather, flanks and lower part of abdomen nearly

all

brown.

Tarsal feathers of a fawn tinge, spotted with brown.

Cere and

—

ll/o

tail

bill to

orbits

dark livid or plumbeous. Length, of male 24 inches

gape Ixo

—

tarsus 4.

The specimen described by Jardine was

M.

England.

Lesson's specimen

foot of the Eastern

In
it is

N.

71

comparmg

impossible
the same

about

each

Ghauts inland from Nellore.

had taken of

that gentleman

is

and

to

only

differ

Elliot's

may add

was procured

that the description

at the

of this

and partly from a drawing which

Elliot's,

bird

of this

with those

of Nistctus

avoid the sujiposition that they are identical.
relative:

The

dimensions.

from that of

should expect in a bird of one
It is represented very short in

and

have been taken on the coast of

specimen.

the descriptions

I think
size

liis

I

nearly identical, and the more advanced

i feus

Ulceus,

said to

was from Ceylon, and Mr.

specimen has lieon taken partly from ^Ir.

latter

—wing IG —

less

Mr.

Mr.

Elliot's

moult.
Elliot's

The

description of the

state

as

specimen

described by
in

cere of both

is

such a

They

young
l\Ir.

nioeus,

state of

Blyth

degree,

arc

as

described as being

of

we

livid.

drawing thus further corresponding with

lastly the geographical distribution of niveus

being comparatively so extensive.


Niscetus grandis.

we have

every reason to expect

its

occTu-rence in Soutliem India.

I

may

here state that

I observed a bird apparently of this species in higli jungle at the foot of the Neilgherries.

It

was seated on the summit of a high

tunately unable to procure

tree

and had

its

crest raised.

I was xmfor-

it.

In a future part of

plumage of Niscetus grandis.

this publication I

hope

to

be able

to give a figure of

the adult




n

^,^cfccc^zcu

M^/^-a^^^^

Bu*^*W^y

-t^^^iS^MGn^ij^oic-


ORB. INSESSORES,
TRIBE— DENTIROSTRES.
FAIL

31

US CI C API D^.

GEN. LEUCOCIRCA.

PLATE

11.

LE UCO cm CA ALB OFR ONTA TA.

WHITE- BROWED FANTAIL.

—Proc.

Blnpidura albofrontata, Franklin

Synon.

Zool. Soc. 1831^ page 116.

Mucliurrea, Hindustani.

In

tlie

genus was

Library, tbis

distinctions being the

towards the
loped.

tip,

its

The

bill

the

It appears

India and

volxune

excellent

first

on Flycatchers by

proposed

to

be separated
broader

more lengthened,

bristles

not

restricted to

quite

the

Swainson,

so

long,

tropics

from Rhipidura

at the base,

and

and the legs and

of the

the Naturalist's

in

more

feet

cbief

compressed

less

world, more

old

the

;

deve-

especially to

Islands.

subject of our present plate was

usefid Catalogue of Birds procured by

him on

first

described

by Major Franklin,

in his

the banks of the Ganges and the Vindhiau

range of mountaius, which was published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for
1831.

It

pubhshed

was

also

in the

iacluded by Colonel Sykes ia his Catalogue of the Birds of the Diikhun,

same work, and I gave a brief account of

its

habits in

my

Catalogue of

Birds of the Peninsula of India, published in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science.
It

would accordingly appear

of India, though

it

to

have a tolerably extensive distribution over the continent

has not been found in Bengal,

its

place there being

taken by the

Rhipidura fuscoventris of Franklin, which I have not yet observed in the

Peninsula,


Illustrations

though

it

is

included in Colonel Sykes'

ITliite-browed Fantail

and

only found at

is

aware, in the

dcjitlis

Towards the South of the Peninsula, the

list.

common

all

of frequent occurrence all along the

it is

the

of Indian Ornithology ;

in those

Western

districts

In the bare Carnatic,

some of the patches of low jungle found in the more

clump of

it is

Itself

N. Lat. 20°,

it is

more sparingly

in

Towards

had an opportunity of observing

as I

much more common and

still

diffused,

and may be seen

in every

trees or garden.

its

habits

flitting

now and

am

now and

only met with

portions of this district.

liilly

Northern part of the Peninsula however,

In

tmually

wood,

though not found, that I

coast,

then in large topes or groves of trees, and extensive gardens, and

at Jaulnah,

in

of the forests, preferring chiefly avenues of large trees, gardens, and

more open portions of the jungle.

the more

abounding

it

appears to be the most active and restless of the whole family, con-

about from branch to branch, snapping up an insect on the wing every

then, and raising

on a twig.

It

its

outspread

hardly ever

tail,

and lowering

beyond a few

flies

wings, whenever

its

it

reseats

an insect, and seldom

feet after

re-

turns to the same perch, traversing in succession most of the branches of the tree, and not
resting during even the heat of the day.

or three in company.
occasions observed

perch.
its

Its

I have usually seen

I have several times seen

it

it

solitary,

on the ground, and on one or two

alight

seated on the back of a cow, and pursuing insects from this unusual

it

whence

chief food consists of mosquitoes and other small dipterous insects,

Hindustani name.
It has

a pleasing little song,

which

it

warbles forth every

now and

of several notes following each other in a regiilarly descending scale.

ing togetherof this bird, and L. fuscoventris, says, "
spreads and raises his

name

in

Teloogoo

is

tail

of the Hindoos

The male

Dasharee

pitta, a

name

adorn their foreheads.

I

time I believe.

I shall

bough."

for the white stripe,

was inibrmed that

in this coimtry raising their clothes high above their heads
its

Colonel Sykes speak-

He

Its

popular

wliich refers to the conspicuous white forehead

its

Manatee, or Washertnan, given from the continual upraising of

ignorant of any facts as to

then, consisting

has a very sweet note.

over his head in hopping from bough to

and eyebrows, Dasharee being the Teloogoo name

am

occasionally two

nidification.

The

it,

name
its tail,

in

Malayalum

the

is

and

figured here for
a synopsis

is

washermen

and beating them on a

species

add a brief description of

with which certain

stone.

the

of the

I

first

other

Indian species.

Description.

—Plumage above

and neck in

front,

dusky black, darkest on head and


Leucocirca albofrontata.
neck, and palest on the

wing

a few spots on the

white

^length

T°o

—

at

and Sykes

other ascertamed Indian species of

—

at

—

throat white
tail

—

irides

gape

-^-a

dark bro^ni

group are

tlais

as follows

:

of Franklin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831,

all,

Description

species.

—band across the

-

iinder tail

—

^length

—

my

Catalogue of Birds previoiisly referred

had observed

that species

—

bill

tarsus t\

and legs

— bill at

front

on the Neilgherries, though I had not pro-

I have accordingly characterized

valleys at the edges of woods,

the same as those of
3.

otV

—

its

mention under the head of L.

to, I

Since that time I obtained this bird and found

it.

tail

chin

tinged with fulvous-

whitish,

ones, tipped lighter

6J inches—whig 3

cheeks black

breast black white spotted,

coverts

except the centre

—head and

—weight 6^ drachms.

undescribed, so

much

—New

—^abdomen and

light dusky,

fuscoventris, that I

warmer

legs

bill

jRhipidiira fuscoventris

plumage above dusky black

In

cured

—

L. pectoralis, Jerdon

feathers of the

jV

(except the two centre ones)

—mentioned above.

2.

blackish

tips of the tail feathers

plumage beneath,

tail

^tarsusr^o

L. fuscoventris

1.

blackish

and the

to the nape,

at

The

—rest of

coverts,

eyebrows extending

throat white mottled with black

firont

.

forelieadj

—hides dark brown— and blackish
gape
about 7 inches or 7 J — extent of wiags 10 —wiag from flexure Sto — hiU
about tV —
— S/o —^weight 6| drachms.

—chin and

—

—

tail

it as

it

to

be

above.

and occasionally hedges and

distinct

and apparently

It fi-equents

thickets.

cMefly the

Its habits are

congeners.

L. liypoxantlia, Blyth,

Description.

brihiant-yellow

—Above of the usual dusky

—

coloru*

—eyestreak, and

enthe under parts

conspicuously white shafted with white iaterior edges to the feathers

^taH

—length 4J inches.

for their terminal half

Hab. DarjeeHng.