MICJiOSC'ELIS. 369 



pointed, the secondaries falling short of the tip by a considerable 

 distance. The tail is distinctly forked and the outer feathers 

 curved outwards. The tarsus is smooth and very short (see fig. 70, 

 p. o60), being between a sixth and a seventh of the length of the 

 wing. There is only one species found within our limits but that 

 is represented by numerous geographical races. The genus 

 extends from India to Japan. 



Microscelis psaroides. 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. Crown of head blade, contrasting with paler 



grey of back and clearlj' defined from it. 



a. A black streak behind and under the ear- 



coverts, [p. ,869. 



a'. Paler grey both above and below. . . . M. jysaroides psaroides, 



b'. Darker bluish grey above and below . M.p. niyrescens, p. 371. 



b. No black streak behind or under the ear- 



coverts M. p. ganeesa, p. 372. 



B. Crown of bead black, gradually merging 



into the blackish grey of back and upper 



parts M. 2). concolor, p. 372. 



Fig. 73. — Tail of M. p. psaroides. 



(386) Microscelis psaroides psaroides. 

 The Himalata>- Black Bulbul. 



Hypsipetes psaroides Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831, p. 43 (Himalayas, Simla) j 

 Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 260. 



Vernacular names. Ban Bah-a (at Mussoorie) ; Phaki-plio 

 (Lepcha); Diirl-al (Cliamba). 



Description. Crown from forehead to nape, lores, a' spot at 

 the ba>e of the lower mandible, another at the angle of the chin 

 and a broad stripe round the ear-coverts black ; a spot above the 

 lores grey ; upper plumage and wing-coverts dark grey ; remainder 



VOL. I. 2 b 



