SIPHIA. 227 



261. Siphia nigromfa, (Jerd.) Sharpt, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iv. 

 p. 455. Saxicola nigrorufa, Jcrd., Madras Journ. x. p. 266. Ochromela 

 nigrorufa, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 129; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 492, No. 300; 

 Hume, Nests and Eggs, B. Ind. p. 207 ; id, Str. F. 1876, p. 396; Fairbank, 

 Str. F. 1877, p. 401. The BLACK and ORANGE FLY-CATCHER. 



Head, nape and back of neck dusky black ; cheeks and upper surface of 

 body orange-rufous ; wings black, the quills browner, white edged along the 

 inner web ; tail orange, thighs dusky, under wing coverts pale orange ; rest 

 of under surface of body orange-rufous, rather buffy on the middle of the 

 abdomen ; bill black ; legs dirty reddish ; irides hazel brown. 



Length. 47 to 4-9 inches ; wing 2*4 ; tail 1-9; tarsus O-8. 



The female is dusky on the head, also on the wings ; wing coverts washed 

 with orange. 



Hab. Southern India and Ceylon. 



Jerdon says it has only been found on the summit of the Neilgherries and 

 in Ceylon. 



It frequents the dense forests, preferring shady, damp and swampy places. 

 Breeds on the Neilgherries. Eggs, 2 to 3, pale salmon in colour, 07x0-53; 

 nest a large ball of dry sedges placed in a bush. 



262. Siphia Strophiata, Hodgs., Ind. Rev. i. p. 65 1 ; Jerd. B. Ind. 

 i. p. 479, No. 319 ; Godw.- Austen, J.A.S. B. 1870, p. 101 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. 

 Br. Mus. iv p. 455 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. i p. 290 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. 

 p. 92; Scully, Str. F. viii. p. 278. The ORANGE-GORGETED FLY-CATCHER. 



Above olive brown, the back and rump slightly tinged with fulvous, the 

 feathers of the latter long and silky and with a white subterminal bar ; upper 

 tail coverts black ; a narrow frontal line at base of upper mandible ; lores, 

 cheeks, chin, feathers round the eye and throat black ; forehead and a line 

 extending backwards over the fore part of the eye white ; sides of face and 

 ear coverts deep slaty ; a bright chestnut patch on the throat ; breast and 

 sides of the neck slaty ; abdomen, vent and under tail coverts white ; flanks 

 olive brown; thighs slaty grey; lesser wing coverts slaty grey, the other 

 coverts and all the quills brown, edged externally with fulvous ; tail feathers 

 blackish, the two centre feathers entirely blackish, the next feather on each 

 side with a white bar on the outer web, all the others white for the basal 

 half and blackish terminally ; under wing coverts and axillaries light buff ; 

 bill black ; legs brown ; iris dark brown. 



Length. 5 to 5-3 inches; wing 2*9 to 3; tail 2-15 to 2-3; tarsus O'8 ; 

 culmen 0*45. 



The female is similar, but the orange patch on the throat is smaller and 

 much paler chestnut, and the white frontal band is nearly obsolete. The young 



