3. MEROLA. 259 



82. Merula albiceps. 



Tiirdus albiceps, Swinh. Ihis, 18G4, p. 303 ; id. Ibis, 18G6, pp. 135, 

 315, pi. V. ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 200. uo. 3797 (1869) ; liioinh. 

 1\ Z. S. 1871, p. 307 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. '150 (1877). 



In the adidt male in spring plumage the entire head, neck, and 

 throat are pure white, the rest of the upper parts dark brown, nearly- 

 black, slightly paler on the margins of the quills. Breast, axillaries, 

 under wing-coverts, and flanks dark brown, shading into chestnut 

 on the belly. Under tail-coverts brown, with very pale chestnut- 

 brown tips and shafts. BiE orange. Wings with the third, fourth, 

 and fifth primaries nearly equal and longest, second primary inter- 

 mediate in length between the sixth and seventh, bastard primary 

 1"0 to 0'8 inch. Legs, feet, and claws yellowish brown. Length 

 of wing 4-5 to 4-25 inches, tail 3-26 to 2-9, culmen 0-9 to 0-8, 

 tarsus 1*28 to 1-14. 



The female differs from the male in having the crown of the head 

 and the general colour of the upper parts dark olive-brown. The 

 forehead, an indistinct stripe over each eye, the sides of the throat 

 and nape are mixed white and brown ; and the general colour of the 

 underparts is lighter ; the axillaries and under wing-coverts are in- 

 distinctly margined with chestnut. Birds of the gear resemble the 

 female, but have pale chestnut-brown shaft-lines on the feathers of 

 the upper parts, and dark-brown terminal transverse bars to those 

 of the underi)arts. Young in first plunvige are unknown. 



Tiie Formosan Ouzel appears to be confined to the island of For- 

 mosa. 



a. Ad. sk. Formosa. R. Swinhoe, Esq. [C.]. 



33. Merula castanea. 



Merida castanea, Gould, P. Z. S. ]8;}."), p. 185 ; Blyfli, J. A. S. Beng. 



xvi. p. 149(1847); id. Cat. B.Mus. As. Soc. p. 162 (1849); Ilor'sf. 



^- Moore, Cat. B. Mus. E.I. Co. i. p. 197 (1854) ; Gould, B. Asia, 



ii. pi. 75 (1859) ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 526 (1862) ; Gray, Cat. 



Mamm. S,-c. Nepal Coll. Hodgs. p. 42 (1863); Godw.-Aust. 



J. A. S. B. xxxix. pt. ii. p. 268 (187U) ; Hume, Nests &■ Eyas Ind. 



B. p. 235 (1873). 

 Turdus rubrocanus, Hodgs. 3IS. Drawings {in the Bnt. Mus.) of 



Birds of Nepal, Passercs, pi. 154. no. 57o, undh Hodgs. Grai/a 



Zool. Misc. p. 83 (1844). 

 Turdus castaneus (Gould), Grai/, Cat. Mamm. 8,-c. Nepal Coll. 



Hodgs. p. 81 (1846) ; id. Gen. B. i. p. 219 (1847) ; id. Hand-l. B. 



i. p. 255. no. 3702 (1869). 

 Geocichla castanea {Gould), Bp. Consp. i. p. 208 (1850). 



In the adult male in spring pluinage the entire head, neck, and 

 throat are very pale grey, darker on the lores and ear-coverts, and 

 becoming greyish white on the chin and throat ; no trace of eye- 

 stripe ; back and scapulars deep rich chestnut, suffused with dark 

 brown on the upper l)ack and with olive-brown on the longest 

 upper tail- coverts. Wings, wing-coverts, and tail dark brown ; 



s2 



