438 Capt. 11. C. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 



scription (B. Ind. vol. ii. pp. 54, 55), has omitted all mention of 

 the wing : there is a white spot or bar across the bases of 

 the primaries and secondaries ; the scapulars are reddish-brown, 

 with a tinge of ashy along the edges of their outer webs ; the 

 outer webs of the first four primaries are also edged with ashy, 

 and the ends of all the quills the same ; the outer webs of the 

 rest shiny black. In the specimen before me the basal halves 

 of only the two middle tail-feathers are rufous, the rest are all 

 black, tipped with dark ashy. Head black and crested ; and 

 below the black or, rather, dark brown ear-coverts is a small 

 and short white cheek-stripe. At Fagoo I was one day watching 

 a large flock of Loplwphanes melanolophus busily feeding in a 

 high pine, when suddenly a Sihia darted out at the nearest and 

 viciously drove it off. I fired and killed both birds. The spe- 

 cies frequents thick trees, skulking a good deal amongst the 

 foliage, and, although not shy, is a difficult bird to get at. One 

 frequently has to fire where the leaves move, in the hopes of 

 getting a specimen previously invisible. I have frequently seen 

 them in the lofty silver-firs {Pinus excelsa). I got a young bird 

 of the year fully fledged on September 29. It is like the adult, 

 but has fleshy-white legs ; the black crest is undeveloped, and 

 the colour generally duller. 



432. Malacocercus terricolor. Bengal Babbler. 



Very common in the neighbourhood of Barrackpore. Com- 

 mon also in Maunbhoom, where it breeds, making a neat nest 

 of sticks, somewhat like that of Turdus merula, and laying four 

 or five dark greenish-blue eggs. It is the " Pollycherra " of the 

 natives in Maunbhoom. Abundant about Umballah. 



436. Malacocercus malcolmt. Large Grey Babbler. 

 First procured in the neighbourhood of Umballah, October 

 1866, where it is not uncommon. 



438. Chatorhea caudata. The Striated Bush-Babbler. 



Abundant about Umballah. I give the dimensions of a spe- 

 cimen killed on 26th October, 1866. Length 9 ; wing 30625 ; 

 tail 4*5; tarsus 1*0625; spread of foot underneath 1*5 ; bill 

 from front -5625, from gape "875 ; extent 9'25. This agrees 

 fairly with Dr. Jerdon's description. 



