DICRURUS. 313 



Edolius forficatus, Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 144 (1821). 

 Buchanga albirictus, Hodgs. 2nd. Rev. i, p. 326 (1837) j Hume, N. fy 



E. p. 186. 



Dicrurus minor, Blyth, Layard, A. M. N.H. (2) xiii, p. 129 (1854). 

 Dicrourus longus, Temm., Bonap. Consp. Av. i, p. 352 (1850) ; Horsf. 



fy M. Cat. i, p. 152; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. ii, p. 99. 

 " Dicrurus cathcecus, Swinh. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 377. 

 Dicrurus albirictus (Hodgs.}, Hume, S. F. iii, p. 97. 

 Buchanga atra (HermS), Blyth fy Wald. Birds Burm. p. 129 ; Sfaarpe, 



Cat. B. M. iii, p. 246; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, p. 213; Anders. 



Yunnan Exped., Aves, p. 653 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 386 ; Hume, 



Cat. no. 278 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 270 ; Gates, B. B. i, p. 218 ; 



Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 1 54 ; Hume, S. F. xi, p. 98. 

 Dicrurus ater (Herm.}, Oates in Hume's N. 8f E. 2nd ed. i, p. 198. 



The Common Drongo- Shrike, Jerd. ; Kolsa, Bojanga, Buchanga, Hind, 

 in the Scuth ; Finga, Beng. ; Japal Kalchit, Punj . ; Kunich, Kakolachi, 

 Sind ; Thampal'm. the N. W. P. ; Kotival in the Deccan ; Yeti-inta, Bara- 

 du'a-/am,Passala-poIi-ffadu,Te\. ; Kurri-Kurrumah, Tarn. ; Kari-Kuruvi, 

 Tarn, in Ceylon. 



Fig. 95. Head of D. ater. 



Coloration. The whole plumage deep black, everywhere glossed 

 with steel-blue ; a small white spot sometimes present close to the 

 angle of the gape. 



The young have the wings and the lower plumage brownish, and 

 all the feathers of the lower plumage and under wing-coverts tipped 

 with white. 



It is only when very old that this species is entirely black. Few 

 birds are without white tips to the under tail-coverts. 



Bill black ; iris red ; feet and claws black. 



Length about 12-5 ; tail 6 to 7; wing up to 6 ; tarsus -85 ; bill 

 from gape 1*15. 



The causes which govern the presence or absence of the white 

 rictal spot are not yet known. This white spot is occasionally 

 present in Chinese specimens, contrary to what is usually asserted. 



The Black Drongo has been regarded by many ornithologists as 

 separable into several races. In my opinion the differences of size 

 and minor details of structure which exist in birds from various 

 localities are not greater than might be expected from a species of 

 this size the length of tail, one of the points frequently insisted 

 upon, ranging from 6 to 7 inches only, and the length of wing 

 varying still less. 



