SIPIIIA. 225 



258. Siphia rubeculoides, (Vigors), Skrt>,-, Cat. D. fir. Mm. \\. 



p. 445 ; Gales, B. Br. Burm. i. p. 287. Phoenicura rubeculoides, Vig. P. 

 Z. S. 1831, p. 35; Gould., Cent. Him. B. pi. 25, fig. i. Cyornis rubecu- 

 loides, ///;///, J. A. S. B. xii. p. 941 ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 466, No. 304 ; Blylh 

 and Wald., B. Burm. p. 103; Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 2il; 

 id. Sir. F. iii. p. 104; Hume and Dav., Sir. F. vi. p. 227 ; Anders. Yunnan 

 Evp. p. 619; Hume, Sir. F. vii. p. 92. The BLUE-THOATED REDBREAST. 



Male. Forehead and streak over the eye glistening blue; lores and feathers 

 at the base of the bill black ; ear coverts dusky blue ; cheeks, sides of the neck 

 throat and chin dusky Hue black ; whole upper plumage dark blue ; tail black- 

 shafted, the feathers brown on their inner webs ; wing dark brown, the 

 feathers narrowly edged with dark blue ; lesser wing coverts bright blue ; the 

 larger coverts brown, edged with dark blue, breast and abdomen bright ferru- 

 ginous, running up to a point on the throat ; lower abdomen and under 

 tail coverts white ; under wing coverts pale ferruginous ; bill black; iris brown. 



The female has the upper plumage olive brown, tinged with ferruginous, 

 strongly so on the forehead, feathers, round the eye and upper tail coverts ; 

 lores albescent; chin, throat and breas I ruddy ferruginous; abdomen and 

 under tail coverts white. 



Length. $"j inches ; tail 2-4 ; wing 275 ; tarsus 075 ; bill from gape 07. 



Hal. India generally, extending to the N. W. Himalayas, Nepaul, Sikkim, 

 and the Burmese countries. 



The Blue-throated Redbreast visits the plains of India during the winter 

 months. It is rare in the south of India, and occurs both on the Eastern and 

 Western Coasts. In the Punjab, N. W. Provinces, Oudh and Bengal it is 

 tolerably common. At Darjeeling it is found at from 4,000 to 6,000 feet 

 elevation. In British Burmah it is also a winter visitor. It is recorded from 

 Arrakan, and is found both in the hills and plains of the Pegu District from 

 October to April. Mr. Davison says it is common throughout Tenasserim 

 and is a permanent resident. It breeds in holes in banks. Captain Hutton 

 found two nests at Mussoorie : they were made of moss and hair-like fibres. 

 The eggs, four in number, were dull pale olive, or olive green, faintly clouded 

 with clay colour and marked with dull rufous ; size 0^72 x 0*52. 



259. Siphia tickelliae, (Blyth). Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iv. 

 p. 448 ; Gates, B. Burm. i. p. 289. Cyornis tickelliae, Blylh, J. A. S. Jt. 

 xii. p. 491 ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 367, No. 306; Hume, Nesls and Eggs, p, 212 ; 

 id., Sir. F. i. p. 436 ; Ball, Sir. F. ii. p. 405 ; Hume, Sir. F. iii. p. 468 ; 

 Wald. in Bl. B. Burm. p. 103. Cyornis banyumas (nee. Hors/.), Jerd. B. 

 I/id. i. p. 466, No. 305. TICKELL'S BLUE REDBREAST. 



Above light blue ; forehead cobalt ; a narrow frontal line and space in front 

 of the eye blue black ; checks, ear coverts and a narrow line across the chin 

 at the base of the bill dark blue ; the ear coverts washed with lighter blue ; wing 



