66 PET BIRDS OF BENGAL 



In the Northern species, sides of the 

 head, neck, chin, throat, breast, the upper 

 part of the abdomen, and sides of the body 

 are deep glossy black. This black portion 

 appears bluish in sunlight. The whole of 

 the upper plumage is sandy brown except 

 a white band, as in the Dhayal and 

 the Piddah, on the wings. The white 

 of the Piddah in the lower part of the 

 body is replaced by chestnut in the Tham- 

 nobia. The Southern bird is wholly glossy 

 black in the upper part and has the same 

 white wing-patch and the same chestnut 

 vent. The males of the two species are not 

 difficult to distinguish but the females are 

 very close to each other. The female is 

 a sandy-brown bird with the vental portions 

 chestnut like the male. The young look 

 like their mother except for reddish edges 

 to the wino^s. The chestnut in the under- 

 parts is pale. 



