( 86 ) 
fine melodious song in spring, so frequently heard in those genial 
sunny mornings. This ouzel is shy and prefers to remain on the 
trees, except when it descends, to low bushes where it is occasionally 
seen searching for insects and berries. These birds are made out 
without much difticulty chietly by the silvery ashy-grey patch on the 
wings (greater coverts) and edgings of some of the quills, which 
show out against the black prevailing colour of this species; the 
lower parts of the body are pale black and ashy coloured. This 
Merula is 104 inches; bill is yellow and readily made out. The 
female has the same wing patch, a little less conspicuous; plumage 
is brownish-ash with a rufescent tinge. This Blackbird is often 
kept in confinement and becomes tame and friendly. In this state 
it often indulges in a clear loud whistle, running down the scale of 
four notes or so, when a sudden break, which becomes irksome to 
the listeners, when one would prefer to hear the scale though it 
be,—completed. It often mimics other birds to perfection. This 
Primadona among birds reserves its rich mellow voice, only for a 
state of freedom, in its own selected leafy bower. Like most of 
the Merulide these birds repair with marked regularity for a bath 
in jhoras, as soon as the sun is fairly warm. One sometimes comes 
across this Merula in Sikkim, and the district, near solitary Lepcha 
homesteads, where it seems to have become fairly tame and_ social. 
They are usually seen singly. On more than one occasion I saw 
this species take up its abode, where two or three solitary hill shan- 
ties stood within a few patches of cultivated ground. The Black- 
bird was tame and social, perhaps more so towards its rural 
neighbours, and appeared to take an interest in the crofters’ routine 
of home life. Its song from among the few trees, which were 
about the place, sounded sweet and melodious, and gave a striking, 
finishing touch to some of those peeps of simple home-life, one 
often meets with on these hill slopes in Sikkim and around. 
(362) MERULA ALBOCINCTA, JV hite-collared Ouzcl, is seen in Dar- 
jecling only during winter, especially when snow storms are raging 
on the Singalillas. In spring when the weather becomes more con- 
genial on the wintery hights, these birds can always be seen on the: 
road to Tongloo and Sandakphu; and higher ranges in Sikkim, 
above 10,000 feet they are fairly plentiful. They feed much in 
bamboo jungles or near by. Albocincta is 104 inches. It is easily 
distinguished by the wide, white, collar round the nape and neck ; 
rest of the plumage is black, with a little gloss. The female is 
dusky brown, with a greyish collar. bill, legs and orbits yellow. 
GENUS PLANESTICUS 
Is a typical group of Mountain Therushes, ‘inhabiting, for the 
