234 TIMELIIBJ!. 



1. Graminicola bengalensis. 



Mesalurus verreairsi, TyUer, Ann. ^Mag. Nat. Hist. (2) xiv. p. 176 

 (l8o4) {descr. nulla). 



Graminicola bengalensis, Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 177 (1863) ; Godwin- 

 Austen, J. A. S. Beng. xliii. p. 1G7 (1874) ; Hume, Str. F. 1879, 

 p. 101, 1880, p. 255. 



Drjmoica bengalensis, Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 201, no. 2826 (1869). 



Drjmoeca bengalensis, Hume, Nests i§- Bggs Ind. B. p. 345 (1873). 



Adult. General colour above streaked, the feathers black in the 

 centre, with bright tawny margins, the rump iiuiform tawny buff ; 

 the lesser, median, and greater wing-coyerts tawny buff, with cen- 

 tral streaks of blackish, less distinct on the greater series ; bastard 

 wing and primaiy-coverts dusky brown, edged with tawny ; quills 

 dusky brown with tawny rufous edgings ; upper tail-coverts streaked, 

 black in the centre, edged with tawny rufous : tail-feathers blackish, 

 washed with ashy olive on the margins, which are tawnj- on the 

 extreme edge, all tipped with wliite, increasing on the outer feathers ; 

 crown of the head, occiput, and nape streaked ; feathers black, with 

 tawny fulvous edgings ; huid neck much paler, the edges being huffy 

 whitish, hoary white on the sides of the neck ; lores and eyebrow 

 white, narrowlj' streaked with black ; feathers round the eye, ear- 

 coverts, and cheeks whitish ; upper margin of the ear-coverts washed 

 with tawny, the feathers tipped narrowly with black ; under surface 

 of the body dull white, purer white on the abdomen ; sides of the 

 body, flanks, thighs, and under taU-coverts tawny buff, the sides of 

 the breast with narrow black shaft -lines ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries pale tawny, the former whiter ; quills below ashy ; inner 

 edge of quills paler ; " bill reddish horny ; tarsus fleshy yellow ; iris 

 yellow brown" (.lerdon). Total length 5-8 inches, culmen 0-5, 

 wing 2-25, tail 3, tarsus 0-9. 



Young. More fluffy in plumage than the adult and much more 

 yellow, the hind neck like the rest of the upper surface, instead of 

 showing the greyish appearance so consjiicuous in the adult speci- 

 mens ; " upper mandible light black, the lower one hght pink ; legs 

 light yellow ; iris brown " (L. G. Layard). 

 Bab. Eastern Bengal, extending into Assam. 



a,b. Ad. et juv. sk. Khasia hills (Dr. Jerdnn). Gould Collection. 

 c. Ad. sk. Sengmai, Munipur. Col. H. H. God-s\in- 



Austen [P.]. 



