THE BIRDS OF BANGKOK. 187 



is to be foniul ill the more open paifs of tlie suburbs and in tlie sur- 

 rounding field?, and has a habit of percliing on tlie top of an}- con- 

 venient stalk or tuft of grass, low busli or fence, ^\y e.xperience is 

 that it is a wary little bird, and difficult to ajiproacli. Like nil Chats, 

 it feeds eiitirelj' on insects, which it takes on the ground, and then 

 returns immediately to its post of observation. 



Distriliutioii. This bird is probably to be found in suitable 

 localities, in the cold weather, throughout the country. Resides Bang- 

 kok, where it is fairly common, it has been obtained by Ciyldenstolpe 

 from Eastern, Northern and Peninsular Siam. 



41 (650). Calliope camtschatkensis ((Jmel.) Thp Commoii 

 Ruhj-throat. 



Bescription. Length about 152 mm. (6 in.), ^^llle. Whole 

 upper plumage olive-brown, the head slightly darker; a line from the 

 forehead over the eye white ; lores and partly under the eye black ; a 

 broad nioustachial streak white ; throat and foreneck scarlet — the scarlet 

 patch, in the case of fully adult birds, being bordered by black ; upper 

 breast greyish brown, paler on the lower breast and the sides of the 

 body ; abdomen and under tail-coverts whitish. Feiaule. Differs from 

 the male cliiefly in having the lores dusky brown instead of black : the 

 nioustachial streak olive-brown and not white ; and the throat and 

 foreneck whitish instead of scarlet. 



Iris dark brown. Bill dark horn-colour, e.x'cept the gape and the 

 base of the lower mandible, which are dull whitish. Mouth dusky 

 flesh-colour. Legs and feet dusky flesh-colour, paler on the hinder 

 jiortion of the tarsus and on the soles. Claws horn-colour. 



Ilahits, c&r;. A cold weather visitor, of which I have obtained a 

 few specimens in the monlhs of January to March. The biid is a 

 great skulker and keeps to the ground in the cover of thick biisiies 

 and undergrowth, so is difficult both to observe and obtain. It is, I 

 believe, entirely insectivorous. The brilliai.t red throat of the males is 

 a most distinctive and attractive feature of the colouration of this liird, 

 but owing to its retiring habits it is, unfortunately, never seen unless 

 carefully sought for in its haunts. 



Distribution. I recorded this species in I'.Ht ( Jouni. X. II. S. 

 Siam I, p. 44 ) and have obtained a specimen or two every year since 



VOL. II, .MAY I'.ur. 



