PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 143 



Bill blackish-brown, paler at base of lower mandible ; iris 

 brown ; legs and feet fleshy-brown, at times with a bluish 

 tinge. 



Length about 9*5 ; wing 4*9 ; tail 3 ; tarsus 1*1 ; bill from 

 gape 1'4. 



Distribution. — Peculiar to Ceylon and confined to the hills 

 over 3,000 feet. Closely allied species are found on the 

 Nilgiris, Eastern Himalaj^as, and Burma. 



Habits. — An uncommon and shy bkd, which may be found 

 in open but secluded spots in wooded country, or in thick 

 scrub. It keeps almost wholly to the ground, turning over 

 fallen leaves for the insects on which it feeds. Xothing is 

 known of the nidification. 



Oreocincla spiloptera. 



The Spotted-wing Thrush. 



Oreocincla spiloptera (Oates, Vol. II., p. 155) ; Tiirdtis 

 spiloptera (Legge, p. 451). 



Description. — Upper plumage and lesser wing coverts rich 

 olive-brown with a tinge of russet ; median and greater wdng 

 coverts blackish-brown mth a clear white spot on the tip ; 

 wing quills dark brown, the outer webs with paler edges ; 

 tail rusty olive-brown \vith very faint cross-rays ; lores whitish ; 

 ear coverts and cheeks mixed black and white ; lower parts 

 white, the sides of the breast and body tinged with graj- ; the 

 feathers of the fore-neck, breast, and upper half of the 

 abdomen tipped with more or less fan-shaped black spots ; 

 axillaries white tipped with dark brown ; wing-lining dark 

 brown tipped with white. 



In birds from the wet zone the upper plumage is darker 

 than in specimens from drier districts. 



In nestlings the feathers of the upper plumage have pale 

 shaft -streaks, while the spots on the wing coverts and the 

 ground colour of the lower parts are buff. 



BiU blackish, paler near the gape ; iris brown ; eye-lid lead- 

 gray ; legs and feet dusky bluish -gray, or fleshy-gray. 



Length about 8*4 ; wing 4 ; tail S'l ; tarsus 1-4 ; bill from 

 gape 1-1. 



