PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 65 



DiCRURUS CCERULESCENS. 



The White-bellied Drongo. 

 Dicrurus carulescens (Gates, Vol. I., p. 316; vide Legge, p. 394), 



Description. — Upper surface black, strongly glossed with 

 blue ; throat and breast gray ; abdomen, flanks, vent, and 

 under tail coverts white. 



Bill, legs, and feet black ; iris red. 



Length about 9*5 ; wing 4*75 ; tail about 4*5 ; tarsus 'lb ; 

 bill from gape 1 '05. 



Distribution. — Found over practically the whole of India 

 proper. Birds from South India appear to be darker and 

 smaller than those from the North. 



Birds from the extreme north of Ceylon, perhaps migrants 

 from South India, are apparentlj' nearer to typical D. 

 coer2ilesce7is than to D. lev copy gialis, which is the form usually 

 met with in Ceylon. 



Habits. — Those of the next species. The nest and eggs, 

 too, would be almost indistinguishable. 



Dicrurus leucopygialis. 

 The White-vented Drongo. 



Dicrurus leucopygialis (Gates, Vol. I., p. 316); Buchangaleuco- 

 pygialis (Legge, p. 392). 



Description. — Specimens vary considerably. In true D. 

 leucopygialis from the south of the Island the upper plumage 

 is black, glossed with steel blue ; wings and tail brownish 

 with a greenish-blue gloss ; chin, fore-neck, and breast rusty- 

 black ; the lower abdomen often mixed with white ; vent 

 and under tail coverts white. Birds from up-countrj^ and the 

 northern forest tract are paler ; the throat and breast are a 

 more grayish -brown, and the white of the vent extends 

 feather up the abdomen. 



Bill, legs, and feet black ; iris red. 



Length about 9*5 ; wing 4'75 ; tail variable, about 4*50 ; 

 tarsus '75 ; bill from gape 1*05. 



9 6(17)21 



