HYDROCICHLA. 73 



504. Henicurus maculatus, Vigors, P. z. s. 1830-31, p. 9; 



Gould. Cent. B. Him. Mis. pi. xxvii. ; Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 212, No. 584; 

 Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 374. Enicurus fuliginosus, Hodgs., 

 Asiat. Res. xix. p. 190. Henicurus maculatus, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 29 ; 

 Beavan, Ibis, 1868^.75; Brooks, Ibis, 1869, p. 57- Hu?ne, Str. F. 1879, 

 p. 103 ; Scully, t. c. p. 1 10. The WESTERN SPOTTED FORK-TAIL. 



Above black, with distinct white tips to all the feathers, producing a barred 

 appearance on the back and scapulars ; median and greater wing coverts 

 black, the latter very broadly tipped with white, forming a broad wing bar ; 

 primary coverts and quills black, the primaries with white bases to the shafts 

 and the secondaries white at base and tipped white on the outer web ; lower 

 back, rump and upper tail coverts pure white ; tail feathers black, bordered 

 with white along the tips and extending further along the inner web ; two outer 

 feathers white, the next black with white tips ; crown of the head black, the 

 centre browner with black tips to the feathers ; forehead entirely white ; nape 

 and hind neck black with very large ovate spots of white, those on the sides 

 of the neck white, fringed with black; lores, eyebrow, sides of face, ear 

 coverts, foreneck and chest black ; breast, abdomen, sides of the body, flanks, 

 thighs and under tail coverts white ; lower chest feathers and sides of breast 

 black fringed with white ; under wing coverts black with a white patch 

 formed of the outer greater coverts ; axillaries black. Bill black ; feet and 

 claws fleshy white ; irides dark brown. (Sharpe.) 



The young is earthy brown, the feathers with whitish shaft lines. 



Length. ii inches; wing 4- 15; tail 5'S ; culmen o'9 ; tarsus ri. 



Hab. The Western Himalayan mountains, not extending eastwards 

 beyond NepauL Recorded from Cashmere and Murree ; also from the 

 Dhoon, Almorah, Dhurmsala and Kumaon. It breeds west of Nepaul, south 

 of the first snowy range, along the banks of almost every streamlet. The 

 season extends from April to June. Nest and eggs similar to those of 

 H. schistaceus. 



Gen. HydrOCichla. Sharpe. 



General characters of Henicurus ; tail and wing equal, or the latter slightly 

 exceeding the tail in length ; tail forked. 



505. Hydrocichla ruficapilla (Tern.), Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 



vii. p. 319; Oates, B. Br. Burm. i. p. 28. Enicurus ruficapillus, Tern., 

 PI. Col. iii. pi. 534; Blyth., J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 155 ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 251. 

 Henicurus ruficapillus, Elwes, Ibis, 1872, p. 257; Stol., J, A. S. B. xxxix. 

 p. 304; Hume and Dav., Sir. F. 1878, pp. 361, 518; Hume, Str.F. 1879, 

 p. 65. The CHESTNUT-BACKED FORK-TAIL. 



Base of forehead, lores, eyelids, ear coverts, cheeks, chin and throat black ; 

 forehead white, followed by a narrow black line separating the white frontal 

 band from the rufous crown and hind neck ; foreneck with a triangular patch 

 10 



