498 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Bill dusky, reddish at the gape ; legs pale red-brown ; irides dark 

 brown. Length 7^ inches ; extent 9^ ; wing 3 ; tail 3| ; bill at 

 front i^i ; tarsus 1|-. 



The female is wholly brown above, paler brown below, passing 

 to albescent on the middle of the belly and with a slight rufous 

 tinse on the base of the caudal feathers. 



This bird has considerable affinities for the Redstart group, and 

 particularly, I think, to the Shama ( Copsychus macrourus) ; and 

 it appears to be one of the numerous links that bind together the 

 Thrushes and the Sylviada. Blyth, indeed, places it with the 

 Copsychus group ; but, taking all its characters, and its near rela- 

 tionship to Callene, I prefer retaining it here, as does also Moore.* 



It is a rare bird, and has only as yet been found in Sikhim. I 

 did not myself observe it, but it was described to me as haunting 

 thick underwood. 



Whistling Thrushes. 



It is generally agreed that these fine birds show more affinity 

 to Pitta than to the true Thrushes or Blackbirds. Temminck, 

 indeed, described one as a Pitta. They are birds of rather large 

 size, black plumage, glossed with blue ; some have black, others 

 yellow bills ; and they have been divided into Arrenga, Lesson, for 

 the black-billed, and Myiophonus for the yellow-billed species. 

 The blue shoulder-spot has been already seen, in a slight degree, 

 in Callene, and is repeated through many of the Ground Thrushes. 

 Their flight is tolerably vigorous. 



Gen. Myiophonus, Temm. 



Syn. Myiophaga and Arrenga, Less. 



Char. — Bill large, strong, compressed, of moderate length, nearly 

 straight, strongly hooked at the tip, and slightly notched ; rictal 

 bristles almost wanting ; nares round, with some frontal plumes and 

 hairs at their base ; wings long, rather pointed ; 4th and 5th quills 

 nearly equal, 5th longest ; tail moderate, even or slightly rounded ; 

 tarsus long, stout, entire ; feet strong, middle toe long ; laterals 

 short, nearly equal ; claws strong, well curved. 



» Note— P. Z S. 1854. 



