154 TURDIDvE. 



Length about 10-5 ; tail 3*6 ; wing 5-2 ; tarsus 1*2 .; bill from 

 gape 1-5. 



Distribution. The hill-ranges of Southern India, from the Nilgiris 

 to Travancore, above 2000 feet, where this Thrush appears to be a 

 permanent resident. 



Habits, <$c. Represented to be a very fine songster. Breeds 

 from March to June, constructing a nest of green moss in trees, 

 and haying three eggs, which are greenish blue speckled with rusty 

 brown, and measure 1*21 by - 82. 



700. Oreocincla imbricata. The Ceylon Thrush. 



Zoothera imbricata, Layard, A. 31. N. II. (2), xiii, p. 212 (1854). 

 Oreocincla gregoriana, Kevilt, Hume, 8. F. i, p. 437 (1873). 

 Oreocincla imbricata (Layard), Hume, Cat. no. 372 quat. ; Legge, 



Birds Ceyl. p. 455, pi. xix. 

 Geociclila imbricata (Layard), Seehohm, Cat. B. 31. v, p. 159. 



Coloration. Resembles O. dauma in general appearance, but has 

 the upper plumage darker olive-brown, the tips of the feathers 

 blacker, and the subterminal pale bars absent ; tips of wing-coverts 

 inconspicuous ; the whole lower plumage a rich ochiaceous buff, 

 with the bars very black ; the bill is much larger, resembling that 

 of a Zoothera. 



Iris brown ; bill blackish brown, paling at the base of the lower 

 mandible ; legs and feet fleshy brown, some with a bluish tinge ; 

 claws brownish at the tips (L«j<je). 



Length about 9 - 5 ; tail 3'2 ; wing 4*9; tarsus 14 ; bill from 

 gape 1'4. 



Distribution. Confined to Ceylon, above 3000 feet. 



701. Oreocincla mollissima. The Plain-backed Mountain- 

 Thrush. 



Turdus mollissimus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi, p. 188 (1842). 



Oreocincla mollissima (Blyth), Blyth, Cat. p. 1(30 ; Horsf. $ 31. Cat. 

 i, p. 193 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 533 ; Stoliezka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. ii, 

 p. 36; Hume, Cat. no. 370; id. S. I\ xi, p. 132; Oates in Hume's 

 N. fy E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 108. 



Geocichla mollissima (Blyth), Seehohm, Cat. B. 31. v. p. 159. 



Phanaiok-kiok-pho, Lepch. ; Teliahanrim, Bhut. 



Coloration. The whole upper plumage rich olive-brown ; wings 

 dark brown, the feathers all broadly edged with olive-brown, the 

 median and greater coverts very narrowly and indistinctly tipped 

 with fulvous ; the four middle tail-feathers olive-brown, the next 

 three pairs blackish faintly tipped with white, the outermost pair 

 black on the basal two thirds of the inner web, olive-brown else- 

 where and tipped with white ; a ring of fulvous feathers round the 

 eye ; sides of the head mingled black and fulvous ; chin, throat, 

 breast, and sides of the body ochraceous, each feather with a 

 terminal black band ; abdomen white, with similar bands ; under 

 tail-coverts greenish brown streaked with white ; axillaries white 



