OREICOLA. — CERCOMELA. 1 G3 



Genus OREICOLA, Bonap. 



Oreicola ferrea (Hodgs.). 



(Plate VII. figs. 18 & 19.) 



Oreicola ferrea, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. iv. p. 266 (1879) ; Oates, 

 Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, ii. p. 66 (1S90); id. ed. Hume, Nests § 

 Eggs Ind. Birds, ii. p. 50 (1890) ; La Touche, Ibis, 1899, p. 201 ; 

 Nehrk. Kat. Eiersamml. p. 27 (1899); Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 173 

 (1903). 



The eggs of the Dark-grey Bush-Chat are of two very distinct 

 types. Those taken on the Himalayas resemble the eggs of Pra- 

 tincola maura, being of various shades of pale bluish green, speckled, 

 more or less densely, with chestnut and pale rufous. Eggs taken 

 in China, of which there is a considerable series in the Collection, 

 are of a plain, decidedly greenish-blue colour, resembling those of 

 Tharrhaleus modularis. They measure from - 65 to *77 in length, 

 and from *53 to *6 in breadth. 



2. Simla, 8th May (B. C. Beavan : Crowley Bequest. 



Tristram Coll.). 



6. Kotegarh, Himalayas, May. Hume Coll. 



1. Kotegarh, 21st May. Hume Coll. 



2. Kotegarh, 28th May. Hume Coll. 



3. Kotegarh, 21st June. Hume Coll. 

 2, DarjiliDg, 17th April. Hume Coll. 



4. Rishap, Darjiling, 23rd May Hume Coll. 



(J. Gammie). 



11. Mongphoo, Darjiling {J. G.). Hume Coll. 



2. Mongphoo, 11th April (J. G.). Hume Coll. 



2. Darjiling, 19th May. Crowley Bequest. 



9. Kuatun, Fohkien, China, May C. B. Rickett, Esq. [P.]. 

 {J. D. La Touche). 



3. Kuatun, 4th May {J. D. La T.). C. B. Rickett, Esq. [P.]. 



5. Kuatun, 9th May (J. D. La T). C. B. Rickett, Esq. [P.], 

 5. Kuatun, 9th May (J. D. La T.). C. B. Rickett, Esq. [P.]. 



Genus CEECOMELA, Bonap. 



Cercomela fusca (Blyth). 



Myrmecocichla fusca, Seebohm, Cat. Bh-ds B. M. v. p. 360 (1881) ; 



Nehrk. Kat. Eiersamml. p. 41 (1899). 

 Cercomela fusca, Oates, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, ii. p. 80 (1890) ; id. ed. 



Hume, Nests 8f Eggs Ind. Birds, ii. p. 54 (1890) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. 



iv. p. 174 (1903), 



The series of eggs of the Indian Chat-Robin in the Museum are 

 mostly of a broad oval form and of a light greenish-blue colour, 

 speckled and spotted with pale brown or rufous-brown of varying 

 degrees of intensity, chiefly at the broad end, where the markings 

 form an imperfect cap or zone. Occasionally the markings are 



m2 



