94 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA, 



Philippines and Malay Peninsula. It occurs in the extreme 

 South of Burma and in the Andamans, where it appears to be 

 an occasional resident. 



Habits. — Very much the same as those of the last species. 



Hemipus picatus picatus. 

 The Black-bached Pied Shrike. 



Hemipus 2ylcatus (Oates, Vol. I., p. 471 ; Legge, p. 375). 



Description. — Crown, sides of head to a line a little below 

 the eye, and most of upper plumage deep black, slightly glossed 

 with green ; a more or less incomplete white collar across the 

 back of the neck ; the feathers of the lower back and rump 

 long and fluffy, the former mixed with and the latter broadly 

 tipped with white ; wing coverts black with a white bar 

 across the median coverts and the inner greater coverts ; 

 wing quUls black with white edges on some of the secondaries ; 

 tail black, all save the middle feathers tipped with white, on 

 the outer feathers the white extends to a large portion of the 

 outer webs ; chin, cheeks, sides of neck, vent, and under tail 

 coverts white ; rest of lower parts pinkish -ash colour. 



In Ceylon specimens the females appear similar to the males. 



Bill black ; iris reddish -brown ; legs and feet blacldsh. 



Length 5*3; wing 2*3; tail 2*25; tarsus "45; bill from 

 gape -7. 



Distribution. — This small Shrike ranges over a large part 

 of India and Burma, and extends east and south-east to Siam 

 and Cochin-China. The sub-species found in Ceylon also 

 occurs in the Indian Peninsula. It is widely distributed over 

 most of the Island wherever there is forest or heavy jungle, 

 but is commonest in the hills. 



Habits. — Generally found in pairs in tall trees near the edge 

 of forest or high jungle. It is plentiful about many up-country 

 estates, where it is commonly mistermed the Black and White 

 Flycatcher owing to its habit of darting out from its perch 

 and catching its food, which consists entirely of insects, on the 

 wing, much in the manner of the true Flycatchers. It is 

 really far from shy, but owing to its fondness for the top 

 branches of tall trees it frequently escapes notice. The con- 

 stantly uttered little call is likened by Legge to the sj'^llables 



