the former species it is shy and seldom exposes itself. It is solitary 
in its habits. Its sweet, clear, song cannot be mistaken. It is one 
of our finest songsters, and I owe not a little to this Chat-Thrush, 
which was together with Sibia and Poliscephalus (201) among the first 
friends I made in Darjeeling. Frequently when one has been listening 
to its sweet carol, proceeding from a tall shady olive tree, it may be, 
above you and out of sight, you will presently see it fly out with 
wings outspread hover in midair, at a passing moth or butterfly, 
which appears like a speck in the sky. The insect once secured the 
Chat-Thrush drops like a feather lightly down again, with ease and 
grace into its safe retreat among the green leaves, where its song 
is continued. These birds feed also on berries which are still found 
plentiful in Darjeeling. Small bluish berries of the Jhinginee, Kha- 
rani, ete., evergreen trees, in winter, and other seasons of the year, 
are a favourite among most birds. Their presence is generally 
observed by the dark stains left on the ground. Colour of the 
Chat-Thrush is similar to Erythrogastra, above the plumage is pale 
blue on the head and shoulders ; black on the back and wings with 
traces of blue; a conspicuous white patch on the wings, about the 
secondaries; lower back and upper tail-coverts ferruginous; tail 
black with a bluish tinge; breast and underparts ferruginous ; bill 
brownish black ; irides hazel. 
(355) GHOCICHLA CITRINA, Orange-headed Ground-Thrush, is vare 
in the district. At times they are found on warmer slopes of the 
hill, but more frequently in Sikkim, near Jugdum, at about 4,000 
feet elevation one would have a chance of finding it. Cifrina feeds 
eon the land beside scrub jungle in the outskirts of a forest. On 
being approached it usually hides in dense thickets near at hand. 
It seems distnclined to show itself. Cétrina is 83 inches in leneth. 
It is readily distinguished by its bluish grey or plumbeous coloured 
plumage, which marks out the back half of the bird; brownish 
orange on the head, and lower parts of the body. This peculiar 
distribution of colour, which two colours one would scarcely have 
expected to have blended so well, make it an easy species to recog- 
nize. In spring Cifrime has a shrill plaintive song. The sexes 
differ but slightly in colour. 
GENUS MERULA 
True Blackbirds, have longer bills, compressed and notched at 
the tip; short and strong rictal bristles ; feet strong; wings strong ; 
tail square ; bill orange coloured. All these birds are fine songsters. 
(361) MeruLA BULBUL, Grey-winged Blackbird, or kalchachar 
as it is called here, is a favorite among hill folk on account of its 
