PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 123 



eiitii-ely chestnut ; at the same time the two central tail 

 feathers grow to a length of 12 mches or more. After the 

 third moult the breast grows lighter, and the bird gradually 

 changes into the white plumage, the change being not complete 

 until after the fourth moult, when the whole head, neck, and 

 crest are glossy blue-black with a metallic sheen, and the 

 rest of the body plumage white ; the feathers of the back and 

 rump have black shafts ; the wing quills are black with white 

 margins, which increase in width on the inner quills ; the tail 

 is white, with conspicuous black shafts and black borders on 

 the outer webs of all but the central feathers. 



BUI and eyelids cobalt blue ; iris dark brown ; legs and 

 feet a rather paler blue than the bill. 



Adult males : length 16*5 to 19*5 ; wing 3'75 ; tail 12 to 

 about 15 ; tarsus "7 ; bill from gape 105. Females : length 

 about 9 ; wing 3*55 ; tail 4* 5. 



Distribution. — This Flycatcher is found over the greater 

 part of India proper, and ranges west and north into Af- 

 ghanistan and Turkestan. A closely allied form occurs in the 

 East Himalayas and Burma. In Cej'lon this species is subject 

 to a good deal of seasonal movement, concerning which we 

 have much to learn. In the north-east monsoon both young 

 and old birds are found all over the low-country, but more 

 abundantly in the drier forest tracts. It is not very common 

 above 2,000 feet, but is occasionally seen at quite high ele- 

 vations, and such visits are apparently increasing. About 

 March the birds appear to migrate north and east to the 

 drier forest tracts. Here the younger birds pair and breed 

 freely from April to June or even later. Long-tailed red 

 birds are not often observed during the south-west monsoon, 

 and I have only once at this season seen a male in the full black 

 and white plumage. They are either soon killed off, or else 

 migrate to India. 



Habits. — A fairly familiar bird, which is generally found 

 in forest, or in shady spots not very far from water. It is by 

 no means averse to the neighbourhood of man, and maj' 

 often be seen in village gardens. It takes more extended 

 flights after insects than many Flycatchers, and is less fond 



