MERULA. 127 



The male of this species cannot be confounded with any other 

 Blackbird, but the female resembles the females of the other 

 species somewhat in colour and M. simillima in size. From this 

 hitler she may generally be recognized by the whitish abdomen. 



Distribution. The western parts of India from the Nilgiris and 

 Mysore up to Mount Abu. This species extends into the interior 

 of the peninsula, and has been recorded from Chikalda, Raipur, 

 and Sambalpur. It appears to be a summer visitor only to the 

 extreme northern portions of its range, but to be resident else- 

 where. 



Habits, 4'c Breeds throughout its limits from May to July, con- 

 structing a nest of twigs and grass mixed with earth and moss, 

 and laying three eggs, which are greenish marked with brownish 

 red and purple, and measure about T08 by *82. 



672. Merula albicincta. The White-collared Ouzel. 



Turdus albocinctus, Boyle, El. Bot. Himal. fyc. pp. Ixxvii, lxxviii 



(1839). 

 Turdus albicollis, op. cit. pi. viii, tig. 3. 

 Merula nivicollis, Hodgs. Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 83 (1844). 

 Merula albocincta (Iloyle), Blyth, Cat. p. 162 ; Horsf. Sf M. Cat. i, 



p. 197 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 526 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. ii, 



p. 35 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 49; Hume, Cat. no. 362 ; 



Scully, S. F. viii, p. 285 ; Seehohm, Cat. B. M. v, p. 245 ; Oates in 



Humes N. fy E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 92. 



Kundoo kastura, Hind. 



Coloration. Male. Entire plumage black, except the hind neck, 

 upper back, sides of neck, chin, throat, and upper breast, which 

 are white and form a broad collar ; the chin and throat frequently 

 streaked with brown ; under tail-coverts with white shafts. 



Female. Forehead, crown, nape, and sides of the head rufous- 

 brown ; the white parts in the male replaced by dull ashy ; lesser 

 wing-coverts, scapulars, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts rufous- 

 brown ; wings and tail dark brown tinged with olivaceous ; breast, 

 under wing-coverts, and axillaries rufous, gradually becoming darker 

 and blacker on the remainder of the lower plumage, many of the 

 feathers of which are fringed with light rufous ; under tail-coverts 

 with white shafts. 



The nestling exhibits no indication of the white collar till the 

 autumn moult. 



Bill yellow, dusky at extreme tip ; iris deep brown ; tarsi and 

 toes buffy yellow ; claws brown-horny (Scully). 



Length about 11; tail 4'4 ; wing 5*5 j tarsus 1*3; bill from 

 gape 1*3. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Eastern Kashmir to Sikhim. 

 In the summer this species is found up to 13,000 feet, and in 

 winter down to 7000 feet. Godwin-Austen procured this Ouzel 

 at Remta in Manipur. 



Habits, Sfc. Found singly or in pairs. Breeds in May. The 



