CENTROrODINiE 353 



shafts, black and glistening- ; upper tail-coverts long ; lateral tail- 

 feathers dark-brown, broadly tipped with white. 



Bill cherry-red, yellowish at the tip; feet plumbeous; irides 

 reddish-brown. 



Length 15 to 15^ inches ; wing 5^ to 5| ; tail 8. 



This species is only found in Southern India. I have procured 

 it on the eastern Ghauts, in the Deccan, also on the Neilgherries, in 

 grassy slopes near jungle, at from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. of elevation. 

 It frequents hilly and bushy tracts, feeds mostly on the ground, 

 is frequently seen about white-ants' nests, whence a Telugu name 

 for it, the appellation of Parrot being given from its red bill. 



220. Taccocua sirkee, Gray. 



Centropus, apud Gray — Hardw., 111. Ind. pi. 28 — Cent, cucu- 

 loides. Smith, J. A. S., X., 658. — Coccyzus chrysogaster, Royle, 

 List of Birds— Blyth, Cat. 380— Horsf ,, Cat. 1003. 



The Bengal Sirkeer. 



Descr. — Above pale satin-brown ; beneath ashy-brown on the 

 fore-neck and breast, tinged with ferruginous, and passing gradually 

 into the ferruginous of the belly, flanks, and the tibial plumes ; 

 this hue is darker here than in the last, and browner about the 

 vent and under tail-coverts ; feathers of the head and neck also 

 black-shafted. 



Length 17 inches ; wing 6 ; tail i)^. 



This species is found in the North -Western Provinces, and up to 

 Dehra Dhoon ; also in Goruckpore and other parts of Bengal. 



221. Taccocua infuscata, Blytii. 



J. A. S. XIV., 200— Blyth, Cat. 378— Hoksf., Cat. 1004— 

 Zand, sirkee, apud Hodgson. 



Tfie Northern Sirkeer. 



Descr. — Above dusky-brown, washed with green ; the feathers 

 black shafted; beneath paler, slightly ferruginous on neck and 

 breast ; belly and lower tibial plumes deep ferruginous. 



Bill and feet as in the others. 



Length 10 inches ; wing 6|- ; tail 10 ; tardus If. 



2 Y 



