RHIPIDURA. 209 



The female has the lower plumage from the breast downwards tinged with 

 buff ; tail dark brown with reddish shafts, all but the two centre feathers tipped 

 with white ; supercilium as in the male. 



Length. 7-2 ; wing 2'8$ ; tail 3' 5 ; tarsus O 75, oilmen 0*6. 



Hab. Indo-Chinese countries, Tenasserim and Cochin-China, ranging 

 down the Malayan Peninsula to the Sunda Islands. (Sharpe.) The British 

 Museum possesses specimens from East and West Java, Sumatra, Labuan, 

 Sarawak, Penang, Malacca, Tenasserim and Saigon (Cochin-China). Gates 

 says it was recorded from Mergui by Blyth. Davison met with it in Tenasserim 

 in the neighbourhood of the sea coast from Tavoy southwards. It extends 

 also to Siam. 



236. Rhipidura pectoralis, Jtrd. III. Ind. Om. (text to pi. ii.) ; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iv. p. 335. Leucocerca pectoralis (Jerd.), Blyth, 

 J. A. S. B. xii. p. 935 ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 453, No. 293; Butler \ Str. F. 

 1875, p. 466; Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 203 ; id. Str. F. 1876, 

 pp. 415-42 1. Rhipidura fuscoventris, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 85. Leucocerca 

 leucogaster, Blyth, Ibis, 1866, p. 371; Fairbank, Str. F. t 1876, p. 257. The 

 WHITE-SPOTTED FANTAIL. 



Whole head, sides of the face and ear coverts, also chin and collar 

 across the lower throat, black ; sides of the breast blackish, the lower part 

 barred with half concealed ovate spots of white ; supercilium from the base of 

 the bill white ; quills ashy brown on their edges, tail the same, but paler to- 

 wards the tips of the feathers, which are buffy white ; under surface, except the 

 black collar, creamy buff, deeper on the under tail coverts ; thighs brown, also 

 the axillaries, which are ochraceous externally ; bill and feet black ; iris dark 

 brown. 



Length. 7 inches; wing 2*85; tail 3*85 ; tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0*45. 



Hab. South India and Guzerat, also the Deccan (Fairbank), Egutpoora. 

 Mr. Blanford notes it from the Godaveri Valley, and Jerdon from the Neilgher- 

 ries. It has the usual habits of the genus, and utters a feeble warbling song. 

 Captain Butler says it is very common at Mount Aboo. It breeds in March and 

 April, during which months he took many nests. The nest is described as a very 

 neat cup, made of fine dry grass stems, thickly coated exteriorly with cobwebs, 

 many of which are fastened to neighbouring twigs to support the nest. The 

 lower part often terminates in a fine tapering point. The nest is usually placed 

 in the fork of one of the small branches of some low thick bush, about three 

 feet from the ground (sometimes 6 or 7 feet), often overhanging a small stream 

 or dry nulla. The eggs, usually three in number, are rather round ovals of a 

 buffy white color, surrounded at the large end with a zone of lavender and olive 

 brown spots and blotches. When the nest is being robbed the parents evince 

 the greatest possible anxiety, and fly in great excitement about the nest, near 

 enough to be caught by the hand. 



