PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 135 



terrestrial in its habits, skulking in the undergrowth, and, 

 as might be expected in a ground bird, has a long tarsus, 

 whereas the Flycatchers are arboreal and have a weak, short 

 tarsus. 



The bill is short and slender ; the nostrils are thin ovals, 

 and not overhung with hairs ; the rictal bristles are scanty ; 

 the wing is moderate in length and somewhat pointed ; the 

 tail short ; the feet are delicate, the middle toe is much the 

 longest. The sexes are dissimilar. 



Larvivora brtjnnea. 



The Indian Bine Chat. 



Larvivora brunnea (Oates, Vol. I., p. 182 ; Legge, p. 446). 



Description. — Male : Upper plumage, wing coverts, and 

 tail dull blue ; lores, cheeks, ear coverts, and a band down 

 the sides of the neck dull black ; a white line over the eye 

 to the nape ; wings duskj^-brown, the outer webs bluish ; 

 in some specimens the point of the chin and a narrow line 

 on the cheeks white ; throat, breast, and sides of body bright 

 chestnut paling into white on the abdomen, vent, and lower 

 tail coverts. 



Female : Head, upper plumage, and lesser wing coverts 

 dark olive-brown, tinged with russet on the tail coverts ; 

 greater wing coverts and quills brown, tinged with rufous 

 on the outer webs, the coverts also with rufous tips ; tail 

 brown washed with russet ; forehead, lores, and sides of head 

 rufous with brown mottlings ; centre of chin and throat, 

 abdomen, and under tail coverts pure white ; sides of chin 

 and throat and the breast rusty fulvous, each feather with 

 a brown margin ; sides of body unmarked fulvous. 



Young birds resemble the adult female. 



Bill black above, paler beneath ; iri.s dark brown ; legs and 

 feet flesh colour. 



Length 5- 5 ; wing 3 ; tail 2 ; tarsus 1 '05 ; bill from gape • 72. 



Distribution. — This Chat is with us a north-east monsoon 

 migrant. The flight is weak, and it appears to cross by the 



