THE KA3TURA 189 



bright metallic blue plumage. - A momen- 

 tary glimpse of the Kastura. may easily give 

 an Englishman the impression of an English 

 cock Blackbird, its yellow bill adding to 

 the similarity. It is only when sunshine 

 falls upon it that the glistening blue of its 

 plumage dispels the mistake. 



A close kindred of the Himalayan 

 Whistling: Thrush is the Malabar Whisth'no- 

 Thrush, which is to be met with in the 

 Deccan wherever the oppressive severity 

 of the Ghats is relieved by verdant woods 

 and murmuring rills. It is a cage- 

 favourite in the Deccan. This species is 

 but the southern representative of the 

 Himalayan bird and differs not the least 

 in song and habits, and has obtained from 

 English residents the sobriquet of the 'Idle 

 Schoolboy'. Though the Kastura is a 

 Thrush, Gates, in the first edition of Indian 

 Avifauna, placed it among babblers because 

 its young have emancipated themselves 

 from the mottled plumage of thrushes. 

 But he admits, it retains, in great measures, 



