DICRURUS. 



The young have the crown and nape dark brown ; the back, rump, scapu- 

 lars and wing coverts also dark brown, each feather edged with rufous. Upper 

 tail coverts maroon-red, with black shafts ; the tail maroon-red, the greater 

 part of the central feathers and the edges of the outer webs of the other 

 feathers brown ; under surface white, streaked with brown. Bill pale bluish- 

 grey ; irides pale buffy-yellow ; feet plumbeous ; claws blue at base, pale 

 horny at tip. (Scully.) 



Length. n inches ; tail 4-5 ; wing 6 ; tarsus I ; bill from gape 1-45. 



Hal). The Himalayas, extending to Nepaul, Sikkim, Assam, Arrakan, 

 Burmah and Tennaserim. Occurs in Darjeeling, Nynee Tal, Bhootan, and 

 Kumaon. Rare in Burmah. Obtained by Capt. Wardlaw-Ramsay, at 

 Tounghoo, Karenne and on the Karin Hills. 



The Maroon Oriole is said to be found in small flocks, keeping to high 

 trees. It has a fine loud mellow call. Feeds on insects, as caterpillars. 



Family DICRURID/EDRONGO SHRIKES. 



Bill rather large, wide at base, thick, culmen curved and keeled, tip notched ; 

 rictal bristles moderately developed ; nostrils basal, concealed by short plumes ; 

 tail usually long and furcate; outer feathers generally much lengthened. 

 Plumage generally black or steel blue. 



Gen. Dicrurus. Viefri. 



Characters same as that of the family. Tail nearly square, more or less forked, 

 the outer feathers not ending in a racket, nor curved upwards. 



157- DicrurUS annectens, Hodgs. Ind. Rev. i. p. 326 ; Sharpe. Cat. 

 B t Br. Mus. iii. p. 231. Eclolius annectens, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi. p. 173. 

 Dicrurus balicassius (nee Lin.}, Blyth^J. A. S. B. xi. p. 175 ; id. xv. p. 298 ; 

 Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 430, No. 279 ; Hume, Str. F. 1874, pp. 209, 474; Ely. 

 and Walden, B> Burm. p. 131 ; Tweedd. Ibis., 1878, p. 72. Dicrurus annectens, 

 Hume and Davison, Str. F. vi. pp. 213, 509 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 91 ; 

 Oates, Str. F. x. p. 20 1 ; id. B. Br. Burm. \. p. 217 The CROW-BILLED 

 DRONGO. 



Black, glossed with steel blue, except the lores, ear coverts, inner webs of 

 quills, axillaries and under wing coverts. Young and adolescent birds have 

 the under wing coverts and under surface tipped with greyish white. Bill and 

 legs black ; iris red. 



Length. 10 to 1 1 inches ; wing 5-45 to 6 ; tail 4'l ; to tip of outer feather 

 5 1 5 to 6 ; culmen r I ; tarsus 075 to o 82. 



Hah. The Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Cochin-China. Found also in 

 Nepaul, where Jerdon says it is rare. Extends thence eastward through Lower 

 Bengal and Dacca to Assam, Burmah and Malacca. Found also in the Oudh 



