518 birds of india. 



The Orange-headed Ground-thrush. 



Descr. — The whole head, neck, and lower plumage, pale brownish- 

 orange ; the chin and throat paling and albescent ; the rest of the 

 upper plumatre blue-grej ; a small white wing-spot on the median 

 Aving-co verts, and the primary coverts tipped black ; lower part of 

 abdomen paling towards the vent, which, with the lower tail- 

 coverts, is white. 



Bill horny-black ; legs fleshy ; irides dark brown. Length 8^ 

 inches ; extent 14| ; wing 4|-; tail 3 ; bill at front | ; tarsus 1;^. 



The female differs slightly, being tinged with olivaceous on the 

 back, wings, and tail. A specimen in the Mus. As. Soc, Calcutta, 

 from Delira Doon, appears to be somewhat intermediate between 

 this and the last species. The ears are mottled white and rusty ; 

 there is more white on the chin, and some on the breast and upper 

 part of the abdomen ; but this color appears to be accidentally 

 present, several of the feathers of the back being also white. 



This Thrush is found throughout the whole range of the Hima- 

 layas, not exceeding an elevation of from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. It 

 is also found in most of the forests and well-wooded districts of 

 Northern and Central India, extending rarely as low as North lati- 

 tude 16°. I procured it from the jungles of the Eastern Ghats, 

 inhabiting the same locality as the last species, though much more 

 rare. It has also been obtained in Goomsoor ; in the neighbourhood 

 of Calcutta, where quite common in the cold season ; and in the 

 forests of Central India. I procured specimens in Sikhim, but only 

 in the warmer valleys. It extends through Assam to Burmah. 



The Orange-headed Thrush keeps to woods and shady gardens ; 

 and, like the last, prefers bamboo-jungle. It feeds on the ground 

 on insects, turning over the leaves to find them ; and, as remarked 

 by Blytli, often having its bill clogged with mud, from feeding in 

 damp spots. It is shy and silent in general ; but, during the 

 breeding season, the male has a pretty song. Hutton found the 

 nest at Mussooree in the forks of high trees, made of grasses, moss, 

 stalks, and roots; and with three or four eggs, pale greenish, 

 freckled with rufous, forming a sort of patch at the upper end. 



Closely allied species are G. innotata, Bl., from the Andamans, 

 Nicobars, and Penang, rather darker, and wanting the white wing- 



