CYOIINIS. 1 1 



Erythrosterna hyperythra {Cab.), Holdsworth, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 442, 

 pi. 17; Hume, N~. $ E. p. 217; Brooks, S. F. iii, p. 236; Hume, 

 S. F. vii, p. 376 ; id. Cat. no. 323 ter. 



Muscicapa kyperythra {Cab.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. \\, p. 163; Legge, 

 Birds Ceijl. p. 428. 



Coloration. Male. The whole upper plumage dark ashy brown ; 

 the tail -coverts black; wings and coverts dark brown, edged with 

 the colour of the back ; tail black, with the same distribution of 

 white as in S. parva and S. albicilla ; sides of the head dark ashy 

 brown like the crown ; chin, throat, breast, and upper part of the 

 abdomen rich chestnut, separated from the head and neck by a 

 broad black band produced down the sides of the breast; remainder 

 of the lower plumage white, tinged with rufous on the flanks and 

 under tail-coverts. 



Female. Very similar to the females of S. parva and S. albicilla, 

 but darker above. 



Some young males in May are acquiring the black pectoral band 

 and show indications of rufous on the throat and breast. 



Iris hazel-brown ; bill above brown, pale next the forehead ; 

 gape and lower mandible fleshy yellow, with the tip dusky; inside 

 of mouth yellow ; legs and feet deep brown ; soles yellowish 

 {Legge). 



Length about 5 ; tail 2 ; wing 2-7 ; tarsus *75 ; bill from 



s a P e ' 6 - 



Distribution. Summers in Kashmir and winters in Ceylon. This 

 species has not yet been procured in the intervening countries 

 during the periods of migration. 



Habits, Sfc. Brooks remarks that this Flycatcher breeds in 

 Kashmir between 6000 and 7000 feet elevation, but he failed to 

 find the nest. 



Genus CYOIINIS, Blyth, 1843. 



I place in the genus C)/ornis fourteen species of Flycatchers in 

 which the sexes are different, and which appear to be congeneric 

 in structure, habits, and style of coloration. 



The females of some of the species of this genus are amongst 

 the most difficult of birds to discriminate, and they remained in 

 great confusion till Sharpe brought them into order with the aid 

 of Hodgson's types and drawings. 



In Cgomis the bill is about half the length of the head, 

 depressed, and rather broad at the base; the rictal bristles are 

 moderate ; the wing in most of the species is sharply pointed, and 

 the first primary generally small; the tail is square or nearly so. 



In this genus all the males are blue or black on the upper 

 plumage, and the females brown or rufescent. 



All the species are true Flycatchers, catching their prey on the 

 wing or by running along branches. 



