196 MUSCICAPIDiE. 



ear coverts greyish brown with paler shafts ; under surface of body sullied 

 with brown on the breast and sides of the body. 



Length. 4*25 to 4*75 inches ; wing 2*4 to 2-5 ; tail i'8 to 1-9 ; tarsus '6 j 

 bill from gape *6. 



Hab. Punjab, N. W. Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Central Provinces, British 

 Burmah and Nepaul. According to Jerdon it is found throughout the Hima- 

 layas, spreading to the plains of India in the cold weather, but is nowhere 

 a common bird. Mr. Brooks reported its occurrence at Assensole ; Ball 

 says it is tolerably abundant in Sumbulpoor and in the adjoining districts on 

 the south, and records it from Midnapoor, Lohardugga, Singhboom, Orissa, 

 Nowagurh, and the Godavery Valley ; and Gates has it from British Burmah, 

 on the strength of two female specimens from Karenne, procured by Captain 

 Wardlaw Ramsay. 



The White-browed Blue Fly-Catcher nests in the Himalayas. The nest is a 

 small cup made of moss, and lined with fine roots and hairs, and is either 

 placed in a hole of a tree or wall. The eggs are 4 to 6 in number, pale 

 green, and entirely covered with brownish red freckles. 



220. MuSCicapula astigma, (Hodgs) Sharpe, Cat. B, Br. Mus. 

 iv. p. 205 ; Jerd, B.Ind. i. p. 471, No. 31! ; Gray, Cat. B. Nepaul ; Hodgs. 

 Coll. app. p. 155 ; Ball, Sir. F. vii. p. 212; Oafes, B. JBr. Burm. i. p. 293. 

 The LITTLE BLUE and WHITE FLY-CATCHER. 



Differs from M. superciliaris in having the whole upper surface blue, the 

 wings and tail black, margined with blue the latter with no white at the base 

 no white supercilium, and in the under surface being pure white. 



Length. 4-25 inches ; wing 2*25 ; tail r8 ; tarsus *5 ; culmen 0-45. 

 Hab. N.-W. Provinces and Bengal to the Himalayas and Nepaul. 



The females of the species of this small group of birds are so alike that they 

 cannot be readily distinguished, especially of M. superciliaris. 



221. Muscicapula maculata, Tick. J. A. S. B. n. p. 574; 



Sharpe t Cat. B. Br. Mus. iv. p. 207; Oates, B, Br. Burm. i. p. 294. 

 Erythrosterna maculata, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 483, No. 326 ; Bl. B. Burm. 

 p. 103 ; Brooks, Str. F. iii. pp. 236, 277 ; viii. p. 470 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. 

 p. 93. Erythrosterna pusilla, Bl. J. A. S. B. sviii. p. 813; Jerd. B. 

 Ind. i. p. 482, No. 324 ; Brooks, Str. F. v. p. 471. The LITTLE-PIED FLY- 

 CATCHER. 



Above, including the lores, cheeks, ear coverts and sides of the neck glossy 

 black; a superciliary streak reaching to the nape white. Whole under surface 

 also white ; wings black ; the later secondaries edged with white on their outer 

 webs, the remaining secondaries and all the primaries with an interior 



