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all the feathers being tipped with a 

 brighter blue. 



Distribution. — All China, though rare 

 in the north. Resident in the higher 

 mountains of the Yangtse Valley. 

 Quite common on Ruling. 



Nest and Eggs. — The nests are placed 

 along the rocky banks of mountain 

 streams, usually in some niche near 

 the water. They are built of earth 

 and fine roots, with an inner lining of 

 rootlets and dead leaves, frequently of 

 the bamboo. There are four dull 

 reddish eggs, speckled more or less 

 with other shades of red. 



These birds are said to desert their 

 nests on very slight provocation. 



Notes. — This is a very conspicuous 

 bird, inhabiting the borders of the wild 

 mountain streams, and living a solitary 

 life. It takes aquatic insects and 

 larvae from the water, but does not 

 dive like the Dipper (Cinclus souliei). 

 It has a very sweet song. 



The Siheriaji Ground Thrush 

 (Cichloselys sibiricus) and White's 

 Ground Thrush (Oreociucla varia), 

 occur as migrants in the Yangtse 

 Valley, usually in the hills, but are 

 rarely met with. 



Three species of Rock Thrushes 

 have also been recorded, the Bed- 

 hellied Bock Thrush (Petrophila 

 manilla), a rare resident in the gorges 

 of the upper Yangtse, and on the rocky 

 islands off the coast ; 



The Bed-breasted Bock Thrush 

 (Petrophila solitaria), a stray in the 

 higher hills of the Yangtse Valley ; and 

 the White-throated Bock Thrush 

 (Petrophila gularis), a rare migrant. 



