56 



TIlIELIID^j. 



Arachnotliera melasoma, Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 113, no. 

 (1869). 



1400 



Male. General colour above earthy-brown, darker on the lower 

 back and rump ; lesser, median, and greater wing-coverts white, 

 forming a large wiug-pateh ; tlie outer coverts of all three series 

 black, edged with blue-black, and the white inner and greater 

 coverts tipped with blue-black ; ba.stard wing, primary-coverts, and 

 quills brown, edged with lighter brown, and with an obscure blue 

 shade on the secondaries ; upper tail-coverts glossy blue-black ; 

 lores bhie-black, as well as the feathers just above the eye ; sides 

 of face, ear-coverts, and under surface of body glossy blue-black, a 

 slight hoary shade above the lores forming a narrow pale line which 

 is scarcely perceptible ; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts bright 

 chestnut ; thighs brown ; under wing-coverts and asillaries like the 

 breast ; quills brown below, with the inner edges ashy. Total 

 length 5'2 inches, culmen 0'6, wing 2-75, tail 2*5, tarsus 1. 



Female. General colour above light earthy-brown, a little lighter 

 on the head and back ; lesser, median, greater, and primarj' wing- 

 coverts and bastard wing more ashy than the back and with dusky 

 shaft-streaks ; quills brown, externally lighter brown ; secondaries 

 much darker ; upper tail-coverts more dusky brown than the back ; 

 tail-feathers blackish brown, with somewhat of a greenish shade ; 

 lores and feathers round the eye buffy whitish ; ear-coverts pale 

 rufous-brown, with whitish shaft-lines ; cheeks and under surface 

 of the body pale ashy brown, the throat being paler and more fiil- 

 vescent ; under tail-coverts chestnut ; under wing-coverts and axil- 

 laries ashy brown ; quills light ashy below, inner edges pale rufes- 

 cent. Total length 5'8 inches, culmen 0"6, wing 2-55, tail 2*5, 

 tarsus 1. 



Hah. Prom Central India, northwards throughout the plains of 

 India and the Lower Himalayas. 



a. (5' ad. sk. 



h, c. c? 2 ad. sk. 



d. 2 ad. sk. 



Afghanistan (Griffith). 

 N.W. Himalayas. 



Kano-ra. 



e. S ad. sk. 



/. J ad. sk. 



g. c? ad. sk. 



h. 2 ad. sk. 



i, k. <S 1 1-9- ad. sk. Behar 



m, n. S ad. sk. Nepal. 



0. 2 ad. sk. Himalayas. 



Lucknow. 

 Saugor (Hooper). 

 Kamptee. 

 Maimbhoom (Beava7i). 



India Museum. 



Capt. Stackhouse Pinwill 



[P.]. 

 Capt. Stackhouse Pinwill 



[P.]. 

 Colonel Way [P.]. 

 India Museum. 

 Dr. B. Hinde [P.]. 

 Gould Collection. 

 B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.l. 

 B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.]. 

 Gould Collection. 



