16. ARorA. 089 



e'". Base of forehead ashy grey contrasting 

 with the reddish head; ear-coverts 

 chestnut-red ; sides of body deep fawn- 

 colour gularis, p. 396. 



d". Upper surface uniform, without dark central 

 streaks to the feathers, or at least scarcely 

 perceptible ones. 

 f". Head and neck sandy brown, scarcely 

 darker than the rest of the upper sur- 

 face fulva, p. 397. 



g'". I]ead and neck ashy brown, contrasting 



with the rest of the upper surface .... acaciee, p. 397. 

 b. Outer tail-feathers entirely white ; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts pale ashy : ba-se of forehead 

 ashy grey ; throat very pale vinous malcolmi, p. 398. 



1. Argya rufescens. 



Malacocereus rufescens, Blyth, J. A S. Beng. xvi. p. 453 (1847) ; id. 



Cat. B. Mus. As. Soc. p.' 141 (1849) ; Bp. Comp. i. p. 373 (1850) ; 



Kelaart, Prodr. Cat. p. \22 (1852) ; Layard, Ann. ^ Mag. Nat. 



Hist. xii. p. 271 (1853); Gray, Hand-L B. i. p. 279, no. 4122 



(18G9) ; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 497, pi. xxi. fig. 2 (1879). 

 Lavavdia rufescens, Jerd. B. Lid. ii. p. G7 (1863) ; Iloldsiu. P. Z. S. 



1872, p. 449 ; Bhjth, Ibis, 1867, p. 300 ; Legge, op. cit. 1874, p. 18 ; 



id. Str. F. 1875, p. 368 ; Hume, Str. F. 1879, p. 97. 



Adult. General colour above warm earthy brown, the wing- 

 coverts like the back ; quills reddish brown, externally edged with 

 olive-brown, the inner secondaries like the back ; tail-feathers 

 rufous-brown edged with olive, and with indistinct dusky cross 

 bars under certain lights, the feathers olive on their edges ; head 

 and nape light ashy ; lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts rufous, the 

 latter rather darker with paler shaft-streaks ; throat and breast 

 rufous ; sides of body, abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts 

 rufous-brown ; under wing-coverts and axillarios light; tawny ; 

 ([uills pale brown below, light tawny along the inner web ; " bill 

 orange-yellow, deepest on the basal half; legs and feet dull chrome- 

 yellow, claws yellowish horn ; orbital skin and eyelid pale greenish 

 yellow ; iris white, yellowish white, or greenish white " ( W. V. 

 Lec/ge). Total length 10-5 inches, culmen U-9, wing 4-Uo, tail 4-S5, 

 tarsus 1"4. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, and when adult measure as fol- 

 lows:— Length 0-3-10-8 inches, bill to gape I'O-l-l, wing 4-0-4-2, 

 tail 4-2-4-6, tar.sus 1-3-1-4 ( W. V. Legge). 



Young. Birds of the year have the ehin and gorge gre3-er than 

 adults, and the lower parts are pervaded with a brownish hue ; iris 

 as in adults ( IF. V. Lcgge). 



Though Capt. Legge does not state the fact, the species appears to 

 me to have a winter plumage, when the feathers of the upper 

 surface are edged paler. 



Hah. Ceylon, where its range is rather restricted, according to 



