370 Capt. R. C. Tytler on the Fauna of Barrackpoore, 



great numbers amongst the long grass ; the latter is so very mi- 

 nute that it frequently escapes all observation. 



That wonderful little bird the Orthotomus longicauda^ or 

 Tailor-bird of India^ is very common, and builds its nest in 

 gardens and other suitable places ; the nests are very peculiar, 

 composed outwardly of from one to four leaves stitched 

 together, enclosing a nest of the finest construction and ma- 

 terials within it : the eggs not only differ in number, but very 

 much in colour and shape; I have some white and speckled 

 with brown, others pure white, and so on ; a bluish gray and 

 speckled are the most common. The Indian variety of Lanius 

 superciliosus is very common, but the L. nigriceps is rather un- 

 common and only met with at some little distance from canton- 

 ments. Occasionally great numbers of Tephrodornis pondiceriana 

 make their appearance ; and I have obtained a fine specimen of 

 that beautiful bird Pitta triostegus, found amongst dry leaves 

 under mango-trees ; they are here very rare ; so is the Oreocincla 

 dauma, of which I obtained several good specimens. The Turdus 

 atrogularis and merula^ houl houl, sometimes make their appear- 

 ance, but this is very rarely the case ; I only saw one of each spe- 

 cies. Of the genus Geocichla I obtained three species : G. urn- 

 color, very rare ; G. citrina, very common ; and G. dissimilis, often 

 found in groves of trees; it is very singular that, out of the 

 numbers of Geocichla dissimilis shot, a male is seldom or never 

 procured; this latter, when in fine adult plumage, is distin- 

 guished from the sombre colour of the female by the bright red- 

 dish streaks on its flanks. I procured two fine specimens of 

 Kittacincla macrourus, the Shama of India ; they were shot in 

 rather thick jungle, and are very rare, whereas the Copsychus 

 saularis, the Dhial of the natives, is very common ; both these 

 species are good songsters, particularly the first, but at all times 

 are delicate birds unless well fed with worms, &c. A good singing 

 Shama is a vahiable bird, and not easily purchased ; the natives 

 are very partial to them and keep a great many ; their cages are 

 covered over with a white cloth to prevent their being disturbed, 

 for they are very timid, besides which they sing better and oftener 

 when covered over. The little Cyanecula suecica is a regular 

 cold- weather visitor, as also the Ruticilla indica ; this latter is not 

 very common, which is rather singular, considering how plen- 

 tiful they are in Bengal, whereas the beautiful red-throated 

 Calliope kamtschatkensis are not uncommon; they occur in 

 jungle near grass and water. The Pratincola indica is also found 

 seated on hedges and bushes, and during the cold season in 

 groves of trees. The Erythrosterna leucura is often met with;' the 

 males, though small, have a slight resemblance to the English 

 Robin : the two most beautiful of this group found near Bar- 



