HEMICHELIDON. 183 



back of the head and interscapulary region are iron grey, the breast is regularly 

 and narrowly barred with darker grey. 



Length. 675 to 7-25 ; wing 3-4 to 3-6; tail from vent 2-75 to 3-12 ; 



tarsus o % 65 to 0-82; bill from gape o'8. 



Hab. Camorta Island (Nicobars), also in Acheen, the Malay Peninsula, 

 Java, Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippine Islands. 



Mr. Davison says it is not uncommon at Camorta, frequenting in small 

 parties, of five or six or in pairs, the low scrubby under-growth and gardens, 

 and feeding close to the ground. Nothing is known of its nidification. 



Family MUSCICAPID^:. 



Passerine birds of very varied form, embracing a large number of Genera, 

 connecting the woodshrikes with the thrushes, with ample rictal bristles, wide, 

 depressed or shallow-bills. They are all chiefly insectivorous. Their wings 

 are moderate and not adapted for long and speedy flight, but are capable of 

 rapid and powerful sallies. 



Gen. Hemichelidon Hodgs. 



Bill much depressed and shallow, wide at base, slender and narrowed at tip, 

 which is faintly hooked ; gape wide ; rictal bristles moderate ; wings long ; 

 3rd and 4th quills sub-equal and longest 4 ist quill minute j tarsus feeble, 

 lateral toes unequaL 



.Head of Hemichelidon ferruginea. 



205. Hemichelidon sibirica, Gm. Syst. Nat. \. p. 936 ; Hume, 



Nests and Eggs, p. 206; id. Str. F. Hi. p. 104; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, 

 p. 122 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 92; Sharpe, Cat. Birds, B. Mus. iv. p. 120. 

 Hemichelidon fuliginosa, Hodgs. P. Z. S. 1845, p. 32; Hume and H enters. 

 Lah. to FarJcand, p. 184, pi. iv. ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 458, No. 296; Oa/es, 

 B. Br. Burm. i. p. 275. Butalis sibiricus, Bl. B. Burm. p. 104. The SOOTY 

 FLY-CATCHER. 



Above brown, the feathers of the head with darker centres, the wings 

 slightly edged pale rufous, broader after the autumnal moult; feathers 

 round the orbits white ,; lores mixed whitish and brown ; sides of the face 

 brown ; chin, throat, breast, sides of the body fuliginous or smoky brown, in 

 some an indistinct whitish patch on the lower throat ; abdomen, vent and 

 under tail coverts white, the latter mixed with brown ; tail brown. 



