MERULA. 305 



Length. \V2$ to 10-5 inches ; wing 5-5; tail 4; culmen 0-9 to n ; 

 tarsus i '25 to 1-4. 



The female is olive brown, and the greyish white margins are brownish white. 



Hub. Throughout the Himalayas from Cashmere to Assam and Sikkim ; 

 breeds in Kumaon and throughout the outer ranges from Darjeeling to Murree 

 from May to August, and descends to the lower valleys during winter. Jerdon 

 says it is found as high as 7,000 feet elevation. It is tolerably common, but 

 rather shy, and does not show itself in the open or in gardens so much as 

 M. simillima. The nest of this species as well as of M. simillima is usually 

 placed on the ground, but in some places ledges of rocks, hollow massive 

 roots, or the fork of a tree is selected ; in the latter case not very far off the 

 ground. Wattle and dab framework, with an external coating of moss and 

 fern and the same soft internal lining, is the composition of the nest. Eggs, 

 normally 4 in number, ground colour, pale dingy green, but thickly mottled, 

 streaked, and clouded with dull brownish red so closely in some as to entirely 

 obscure the ground colour. Size r I to 1-33 inch in length and 0*83 to 0-92 

 inch in breadth. 



373. Merula nigropileus, (Lafresnaye) Delessert, Voy. de llnde, 

 pt. ii. p. 27 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 250. Turdus nigropileus, 

 (Lafr) Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 523. The BLACK-CAPPED OUZEL. 



Head, nape, lores, cheeks and upper part of ear coverts black ; back, rump, 

 wings and tail dark blackish or fuscous ashy, tinged with brown on the inter- 

 scapulars ; chin and upper throat darkish brown, shading into dull vinous brown 

 on the breast and into dull slate grey on the axillaries ; under wing coverts, belly, 

 flanks and under tail coverts shading into nearly white on the centre of the 

 belly ; bill and eyelids orange yellow ; legs brownish yellow ; irides brown. 

 The female has the head, nape and back an almost uniform brown ; the white 

 on the centre of the belly is more developed, and the throat is obscurely 

 streaked with dark brown. 



Length. 9*5 inches ; wing 4*5 to 5 ; tail 3*5 to 4 ; culmen 0-98 to I ; 

 tarsus i '2 to 1*3 . 



Hab. Western, Central and Southern India. Found in Coorg, the Wynaad 

 on the Eastern Ghauts, the higher table-lands of Central India, at Bastar 

 and Jaulnah, also in Nellore in the Carnatic, Tellicherry, Matheran, Madras 

 and the Neilgherries. It feeds on insects and berries. It breeds on the 

 mountains of South India, and descends to the plains a little before winter. 

 Jerdon, says Mr. Ward, obtained the nest in Sirci in North Canara, made of 

 roots, grass, &c., with three eggs, pale blue, spotted with brown. 



374. Merula simillima, (Jerd.) Biyth, Cat. B. A. S. Mus. p. 162 ; 



Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. JWus. v. p. 251 ; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 524, No. 360; 

 Hume, Nests and Eggs, \>. 232. Turdus simillima, Jerd. Madr. Journ* s. 

 p. 253. The NEILGHERRY OUZEL. 



