Letters, Announcements, ^~c. 125 



Much browner, more like the colour of the females; the mark- 

 ings are less distinct; chin, throat, and breast whiter, with 

 blackish-brown streaks. 



5. 2 adult., horn F'dggoo. Length 9-5 in., bill from gape '875, 

 wing 5'125, tail 3'75. In colouring, this bird is very like 

 No. 4; but the marks on the chin, throat, and breast are well 

 defined, and not like the confused markings of a young bird. 

 Again, the white in the centre of the chin and breast is purer, 

 and the breast and flanks clouded with dusky-ash ; the abdomen 

 also is more or less dotted like the breast. 



I think these five specimens are good typical ones of the 

 several phases of plumage in which I have shot this species. 



Merula boulboul (Lath.) ; Jerdon, B. Ind. No, 361. 



1. c? adult., from Simla. Length 10'25 in., bill from gape 

 1-125, wing 6, tail 4*5, tarsus 1*25. Head, neck, back, tail, 

 and primaries jet-black ; rump and upper tail-coverts ashy-black ; 

 scapulars and secondaries with the outer half of their feathers 

 ashy- white, forming a conspicuous wing-band ; throat, chin, and 

 breast black ; abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts ashy- 

 black, with light-coloured margins to the feathers. Bill bright 

 orange. This specimen is a good example of an adult male in 

 perfect plumage. 



2. c? adult., from Mussoorie. In measurements agreeing 

 with No. 1 ; but, from being a younger bird, the fine ash-grey, 

 so conspicuous in the last, is in this of a browner hue, and the 

 black, instead of being so intense, has a visible brown tinge 

 throughout. 



3. (^ juv., from Mussoorie. Length 10 in., bill from gape 

 1, wing 6, tail 4, tarsus 1*375. All the upper surface black, 

 with a brown hue throughout; darkest on the head, tail, and 

 primaries ; the grey wing-band shaded with brown and dark, 

 mixed at the bend with a few dark feathers, which are con- 

 spicuously tipped with light rufous-brown ; chin and middle of 

 the throat pale rufous-brown ; breast black, with pale rufous- 

 brown spots; abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts black 

 shaded with brown. 



4. $ adult., from Dia. Length corresponding with the adult 



