36 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



MOLPASTES H^MORRHOUS HiEMORRHOUS. 



The Madras Eed-vented Bulhul. 



Molpastes hsemorrhous (Gates, Vol. I., p, 268) ; Pycnonotus 

 hsemorrhous (Legge, p. 482). 



Description. — Head, chin, and throat deep black, inehning 

 to brown on the ear coverts ; there are generally one or two 

 longish hairs on the nape ; feathers of neck, back, wing 

 coverts, scapulars, and breast brown with pale edges ; rump 

 plain brown ; upper tail coverts white ; wing quills brown 

 with narrow paler edges ; tail broAvn at the base, deepening 

 to black at the end and tipped with white ; flanks light brown ; 

 abdomen whitish ; under tail coverts crimson. In some speci- 

 mens the tail coverts and tip of the tail are pale cinnamon. 

 Birds from the hills are paler than low-country specimens. 



Bill black ; iris deep brown ; legs and feet dark brown. 



Length 7*8; wing 3*75; tail 3-2; tarsus '85; bill from 

 gape "8. 



Distribution. — Extremely common over the whole of the 

 low-country and at medium elevations. It is only occasionally 

 met with in the higher hills. This species is found in one 

 form or another over most of India and Burma and extends 

 to China. 



Habits. — Familiar in gardens and near civilization over the 

 whole of its usual range. It frequents bushes, low trees, 

 hedges, &c. It is not nearly so common far from cultivation. 

 The cry is a cheerful little chirruping warble. It breeds fairly 

 steadily from November till May, or even later if the weather 

 be favourable, rearing several broods. The nest is a small, 

 rather coarsely woven cwp of grass, lined almost invariably 

 with fine red root fibres. On occasions the nest is made of 

 fine small-leaved tender shoots. It is generally placed in a 

 bush or hedge, but the birds occasionally build in verandahs, 

 &c. There are usually three eggs ; they are in most cases 

 rather dumpy and slightly pointed at the small end. The 

 ground colour varies from china-white to pinkish, thicldy 

 spread with blotchy specks of reddish-brown and purplish- 

 gray. Average size '85 by '63. 



