50 MUSCICAI'iD.E. 



young. The sixth bird has a small nape-patch and traces of a 

 throat-bar. This last specimen, therefore, clearly shows that the 

 Ceylon bird does sometimes at least exhibit a throat-patch, and this 

 being the case there is no character by which the two sup- 

 posed races can be separated. 



Distribution. The whole Empire east of a line drawn approxi- 

 mately from Mussoorie in the Himalayas to Khandala on the 

 Western Ghats. This species does not ascend the Himalayas above 

 3000 feet or thereabouts. It occurs in Ceylon and the Nicobar 

 Islands, but is absent from the Andamans, where it is replaced by 

 the next species. 



Habits, Sfc. Breeds generally from May to August, constructing 

 a beautiful cup of fine grass coated exteriorly with cobwebs and 

 cocoons in the fork of a branch not far from the ground. The 

 eggs, three to five in number, are white or pinkish marked with 

 reddish, and occasionally some purple spots and specks, and 

 measure about -69 by "53. 



602. Hypothyinis tytleri. The Andaman Black-naped Flycatcher. 



Myiagra tytleri, Beavan, Ibis, 1807, p. 324 ; Ball, S. F. i, p. 68 ; 



'Hume, 8. F. ii, p. 217 ; id. N. £ E. p. 199. 

 Hypothymis occipitalis ( Vig.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iv, p. 275 (part.). 

 Hypothymis tytleri (Beavan), Hume, Cat. no. 290 ; Oates in Hume's 



"N. k E - 2nd ed. ii ; p. 30. 



Coloration. Eesembles //. azurea. The male differs from the 

 male of that species in having the abdomen, vent, and under tail- 

 coverts of the same blue as the breast ; the female similarly in 

 having those parts dingy lilac-grey. 



The differences pointed out above hold good in a considerable 

 series of the Andamanese bird, and I think that it forms a species 

 easily recognizable from the Continental and Nicobarese form. A 

 richly-coloured Indian bird and a dull Andamanese bird may be 

 difficult to separate, but such pairs of birds are not often met with 

 and do not in my opinion affect the question. Hume recognizes 

 the two species in his Catalogue. 



In retaining the Andamanese form under Beavan's name I do 

 so because I am not satisfied that any prior name applies to it 

 with certainty. The forms from the Malay peninsula and the 

 islands do not seem identical with the Andamanese bird, but rather 

 to be referable to if. azurea. 



Distribution. The Andaman Islands and the Great and Little 

 Cocos. 



Habits, 4'c. Davison found the nest of this species on 23rd April 

 at Aberdeen, South Andaman, with three eggs. Both nest and 

 eggs resembled those of H. azurea. 



