126 turdim:. 



and eggs resemble those of M. simillima, but the size of the eggs 

 has not been recorded. 



670. Merula erythrotis. Davison's Blackbird. 

 Merula erythrotis, Davison, Ibis, 1886, p. 205. 



Coloration. The type of this species, the only specimen I ha\e 

 seen, is in the British Museum. It appears to be a female, and 

 resembles the only female of M. bourdilloni contained in the same 

 collection in general appearance. It differs, however, in having a 

 supercilium, the lores, the sides of the head, cheeks, and chin 

 rufous-brown. 



Davison discovered this specimen, with another similar to it, in 

 the Museum of Trivandrum in Travancore, and they are thought 

 to have beeu obtained in the Palghat hills in Travancore. Davison 

 remarks on the triangular bare patch of skin behind the eye in this 

 species, but this patch is present, in a more or less distinct form, in 

 all Thrushes, and forms no character of any value. 



Length about 10; tail 4*1; wing 4*8; tarsus 1*2; bill from 

 gape 1-2. 



Distribution. Probably the Palghat hills in Travancore. 



671. Merula nigripileus. The Black-capped Blackbird. 



Turdus (Merula) nigropileus, Lafrcsnaye, Delessert, Toy. de VInde, 

 pt. ii, p. 27 (1843) ; Blyth, Cat. p. 162 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 523 ; 

 Butler, S. F. iii, p. 470 ; Hvme, Cat. no. 359 ; Vidal, S. F. ix, p. 63 ; 

 Seebohm, Cat. B. M. v, p. 250; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 173; Oates 

 in Humes N. 4- E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 91. 



Kasturi, Hind. ; Poda palisa, Tel. 



(Coloration. Male. Forehead, crown, nape, and sides of head 

 black, paling on the lower portion of the ear-coverts ; hind neck, 

 mantle, sides of the neck, and the whole lower plumage brownish 

 grey, infuscated on the throat and suffused with ashy on the 

 flanks ; the under tail-coverts whitish along the shafts ; lower 

 back, scapulars, rump, the wings, and tail dark ashy ; axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts ashy. 



Female. Whole upper plumage brown, tinged with ashy on the 

 rump ; wings and tail with the outer webs of the feathers suffused 

 with ashy ; ear- coverts with pale shafts ; chin and throat dull 

 greyish white, streaked with brown ; breast, upper abdomen, and 

 flanks brownish grey ; lower abdomen dull whitish ; under tail- 

 coverts whitish, broadly edged with ashy brown ; axillaries and 

 under wing-coverts brownish grey like the breast. 



In the male the legs and feet are dirty straw-colour; iris dark 

 brownish red ; bill dirty orange : in the female the legs and feet 

 are dark straw-colour; bill dark orange (Hume). 



Length about 10 - 5; tail 4; wing 51 ; tarsus 1*2; bill from 

 gape 1*2. 



