GEOCICHLA. 295 



Hab. The Himalayas from Kumaon to Assam, descending to the plain 

 Central and Southern India during winter, also in British Burmah. 



The Himalayan or Small-billed Mountain-Thrush is said not to be uncommon 

 in Lower Bengal also. It has been obtained in the N. W. Himalayas, at 

 Almorah, Kumaon, Darjeeling, Kamptee, Nepaul, Cashmere, the Khasia Hills, 

 Wynaad, the jungles south of Cuttack, on the Chilka Lake and in Saugor. It 

 is not uncommon on the Pegu Hills, and also in the plains at Kyakpadein. 

 Captain Ramsay got it at Tounghoo and Mr. Davison in Tenasserim. 

 According to Jerdon it is very partial to bamboo jungles. It feeds on the 

 ground ; fruit and seeds, and also insects, being its food. It breeds in 

 Cashmere during June and July. The eggs are broad ovals, somewhat 

 compressed and pointed towards the small end. The ground colour is a pale 

 greenish white, minutely and densely freckled with and mottled with pale 

 brownish or reddish purple. Size from 1*2 to 1-26 in length, and in breadth 

 0*9 to 0*93. 



359- GeOCichla nilgiriensis, (Blyth) Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 v. p. 157. Oreocincla Neilgherriensis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 141 ; Jerd. 

 B. Ind. i. p. 534, No. 372 ; Hume, Sir. F. 1876, p. 399. Turdus Neilgher- 

 riensis, (Blyth) Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 254. The NEILGHERRY GROUND THRUSH. 



Intermediate between G. dauma and G. heinii. Upper parts russet brown ; 

 head with subterminal chestnut brown spots ; base of inside webs of secon- 

 daries and primaries white ; abdomen and flanks as in G. dauma ; 3rd, 4th 

 and 5th primaries nearly equal and longest ; 2nd primary between 5th and 6th. 



Length. 1075 inches; wing 5 '5; tail 3-75 ; tarsus 1-2; bill at front i'i. 



Hab. Neilgherries (South India). Occurs in the higher wooded tracts, 

 and has a rich, charming song. In Travancore Mr. Bourdillon says it 

 is rather scarce and solitary, and is found in thick jungle from the summit of 

 the hills down to 2,000 feet elevation. 



360. GeOCichla molliSSima, (Blyth) Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. 

 p. 159. Turdus mollissimus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi. p. 188 ; Gray, Cat. 

 Mam., fyc. Nepaul Coll. Hodgs. p. 80. Oreocincla rostrata, Hodgs. Ann. Nat. 

 Hist. xv. p. 326. Oreocincla mollisima, Blyth, J. A. S- B. xvi. p. 141 ; 

 Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 533, No. 370 ; Godw.-Austen, J. A. S. B. xxix. p. 103 ; 

 Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. 256. The SHORT-TAILED or PLAIN-BACKED 

 OREOCINCLOID GROUND-THRUSH. 



Upper parts brownish olive ; inside web and tip of primary coverts black ; 

 lores buff; quills brown, margined exteriorly with ochraceous brown; four 

 central tail feathers olive brown ; three next on each side dark brown, the outer 

 ones dark brown at base, fading to pale brown, with an obscurely defined 

 white wedge-shaped terminal mark ; ear coverts and lower surface generally 

 white, with an ochraceous tinge on the breast and flanks ; each feather with a 



