MERULA. 3Q7 



apud. Gould B.Eur. ii. pi. Ixxix. Turdus dubius, Beckst. apud Jaub. et Earth. 

 Lfipom. Rich. Orn. p. 213. Planesticus fuscatus, (Pall.) Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 

 530; BlytK. Ibis, 1866, p. 366. The DUSKY THRUSH. 



Upper parts brown, the feathers centred darker and frequently intermixed 

 with chestnut ; lores and ear coverts dark brown ; supercilium buffish white 

 reaching to the nape ; wings dark brown, the secondaries and wing coverts 

 edged on their outer web with chestnut ; tail dark brown, shading into chestnut 

 on the margin of the inner web; chin, cheeks and throat buffish white, in 

 some with traces of a moustachial stripe ; breast and flanks dark brown, each 

 feather narrowly edged with buffish white, except on the sides of the breast, 

 which are uniform black ; belly and under tail coverts buffish white ; axillaries 

 and under wing coverts pale chestnut with obscure white margins ; bill dark 

 brown, paler at the base of the lower mandible. 



The female is greyish brown in colour, and the feathers of the lower throat 

 and breast have dark brown fan-shaped terminal spots. 



Length. 8-5 inches ; wing 4-8 to 5*3 ; tail 3*25 to 4 j oilmen 0-84 to 0-9 ; 

 tarsus 1*2 to 1*3. 



Hal. Northern and Central Asia, extending into Japan and China. A rare 

 winter visitor to the Himalayas. Seebohm says it breeds in Siberia, in the 

 valley of the Yenasay, eastward among the willow bushes in the sheltered gorges 

 of the tundra above the limit of forest growth, and in a similar climate on the 

 mountain regions near Lake Baical. On migration it strays westward through 

 north China and winters in Japan, straying as far as Assam and 'even N.-\V. 

 India. It is recorded from Nepaul and Assam. 



378. Merula protomomelsBna, Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. \. p. 



265. Turdus dissimilis, Blyth, J . A. S. B. xvi. p. 144. Geocichla dis- 

 similis, (Blyth) Bly. Cat. B. Mus. As. Soc. p. 163 ; Hume, Nests and 

 Eggs, Ind. B. p. 231; Hume, Sir. F. ix. p. 103. Turdulus cardis, Tern, 

 apud Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 521. Turdus protomomelas, Cab. Journ. Orn. 1867, 

 p. 286. CABANIS'S OUZEL. 



Entire head, nape, and throat black, also the breast and upper parts ; beneath 

 from the breast brilliant orange chestnut, shading into white on the centre of 

 the belly ; under tail coverts white, with slate grey sides ; bill yellow ; legs 

 yellowish ; irides brown. 



1\& female is uniform olive brown above ; throat nearly white in the centre ; 

 the feathers of the sides of the throat and chest with dark brown fan-shaped 

 terminal spots ; rest of under surface as in the male. 



Length. *$ inches; wing 4'5 tail 3 j tarsus rx ; oilmen O'S6 to 0-97. 



