OCHROMELA. 3/ 



Legs and feet pale wax-yellow ; claws brown ; upper mandible 

 blackish brown, yellowish at tip ; lower mandible dull horny-yellow ; 

 iris brown (Hume). 



Length about 5-5; tail 2-1; wing 2-8; tarsus -55; bill from 

 gape •65. 



I have not been able to examine a young bird. 



Distribution. Summers in Sikhini aud probably in other parts of 

 the Himalayas and winters in Travancore and Ceylon. This species 

 occurs at Shillong on the Khasi hills, where it has been obtained in 

 August, September, and October, and in Manipur, where Hume 

 observed it in April. It may probably be a permanent resident, 

 therefore, in Shillong and in Manipur. Brooks observed it at 

 Mudhupur on the E. I. Eailway on passage. Legge notes it from 

 Ceylon in January aud June. Altogether our knowledge of the 

 movements of this Flycatcher is very imperfect. 



Genus OCHROMELA, Blyth, 1S47. 



The genus Ochromela was instituted by Blyth for the reception 

 of a Flycatcher which is remarkable alike for its coloration and its 

 habits. 



In Ochromela the sexes are slightly dissimilar, but both preserve 

 the characteristic black and orange plumage. The bill is blunt 

 and thick, and the rictal bristles are not only very numerous but 

 very long. The wing is blunt, with the first primary longer than 

 half the length of the second, and the tail is considerably rounded. 



In habits this species approaches Pratincola, descending to the 

 ground for an instant to capture its prey, and it differs from all 

 other Flycatchers in constructing a large globular nest. It is 

 described by Jerdou as frequenting dense woods. 



591. Ochromela nigrirufa. The BlacTc-and-0 range Flycatcher-. 



Saxicola nigrorufa, Jerd. Martr. Journ. L. S. x, p. 266 (1839). 

 Ochromela nigrorufa {Jerd.), Bh/th, Cat. p. 173; Horsf. 8c M. Cat. i, 



p 289; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 462; Hume, N. § E. p.' 207; id. tat. 



no. •"»»<» ; Davison, S. F. x, p. 369 ; Oates in Hume's N. Sf E. 2nd 



ed. ii, p. 14. 

 Sipliia nigrorufa (Jerd.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iv, p. 455 ; Legge, Birds 



Ceyl. p. 425. 



Fig. 15. — Bill of 0. nigrirufa. 

 Coloration. Male. Forehead, crown, nape, hind neck, lores, sides 



