294 BULLETIN 186, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Chaptia aenea aenea [partim], Riley, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 172, 1938, p. 284 (Doi 

 Langka [partim], Khun Tan). 



The bronzed drongo is very common in evergreen jungle through- 

 out our area, on the western hills ranging from 3,000 to 5,500 feet but, 

 in the more eastern districts, occurring also in similar forest on the 

 plains. 



Our smallest drongo, which is a conspicuous bird along the trails 

 and at clearings and even in upland pine-forest, does not seem to 

 differ in habits from others of its family. It has the usual medley of 

 harsh and melodious notes and, like Bhringa, is often heard singing 

 on moonlight nights. 



Specimens with the gonads greatly enlarged were taken on April 

 17 and 18 and examples in postnuptial molt between August 26 and 

 November 21. 



A breeding male had the irides brownish red; the bill, feet, toes, 

 and claws black. 



This species has the entire plumage black, everywhere (except on 

 the more grayish abdomen and under tail coverts) highly glossed with 

 steel blue, which, in certain lights, shows reflections of green, bronze, 

 and purple. During molt, while the flaring outermost rectrices are 

 only partly grown, the tail loses its normal, forked appearance and 

 takes on a curious shape. 



Northern birds, with wing length ranging from 119 to 126 mm., 

 are really intermediate between aenea and mulayensis and might 

 equally well be called by either name. 



BHRINGA REMIFER TECTRIOSTRIS Hodgson 



Indian Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo 



[Bhringa] tectirostris Hodgson, India Rev., vol. 1, 1837 [=1836], pp. 325-326 



(Nepal). 

 Bhringa remifer, Gyldenstolpe, Kungl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1916, p. 22 



(Doi Pha Sakaeng, Khun Tan) ; Ibis, 1920, p. 450 (Doi Pha Sakeng, Khun 



Tan). 

 Bhringa remifer latispatula de Schauensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 



vol. 81, 1929, pp. 475-476 (Doi Suthep, North Thailand) ; p. 553 (Doi Suthep, 



Chiang Saen) ; 1934, p. 227 (Doi Suthep, Doi Chiang Dao).— Deignan, 



Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1931, p. 148 (Doi Suthep) ; 1936, p. 101 



(Doi Suthep).— Riley, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 172, 1938, p. 287 (Khun Tan, Sop 



Phung, Doi Langka, Doi Hua Mot). 

 Bhringa remifer tectirostris, Chaben and Boden Kloss, Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. 



Hist. Suppl., 1932, p. 247 (Doi Suthep). 

 Chaptia aenea aenea [partim], Riley, TJ. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 172, 1938, p. 284 (Doi 



Langka [partim]). 



This fine species is very common in the evergreen of the western 

 mountains (east to and including the Khun Tan range) and also on 

 Phu Kha, from 2,700 to 8,000 feet (more numerous above 3,300 feet) . 



