ACANTHOPTILA. 385 



Coloration. In summer, the lores and a short indistinct super- 

 cilium whitish ; chin, throat, and middle of abdomen pure white ; 

 remainder of the lower plumage rich ochraeeous brown ; the under 

 tail-coverts dark brown, tipped with dull white ; the whole upper 

 plumage, sides of the head, and neck rich brown tinged with rufous, 

 brighter on the edges of the quills and coverts ; the back, rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tertiaries indistinctly cross-rayed ; tail 

 brown, distinctly cross-barred, darker and obsoletely tipped pale. 



In winter, the lores and a rather indistinct supercilium, cheeks, 

 and the whole lower plumage soft ochraeeous white, more pro- 

 nounced across the breast and on the flanks ; un'der tail-coverts 

 dark ochraeeous, tipped with dull white ; sides of the head and 

 neck and the whole upper plumage fulvous-brown, the edges of the 



Fig. 123. Head of S. platyura. 



quills and coverts brighter ; the back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and 

 tertiaries cross-rayed when viewed in a good light ; tail brown, dis- 

 tinctly cross-barred darker, and all the feathers tipped with dull 

 white. 



Iris olive-brown ; legs and feet brown in front, pale whitish 

 flesh-colour behind and on the soles ; bill black above, pale horny 

 blue below ; gape black. In the female the legs and feet are fleshy 

 brown and paler than in the male ; the bill is brown above, fleshy 

 below, and the mouth is not black inside (Butler, August and 

 September). 



Iris pale clay-brown ; bill above plumbeous, below pale horny 

 white ; legs, feet, and claws pale brownish (Bourdillon, April). 



In winter the length is about 7 ; tail 2*8 ; wing 2'7 ; tarsus '85 ; 

 bill from gape *65. In summer plumage the tail is slightly shorter 

 than in winter plumage, and measures about 2-5. 



Distribution. The western coast of India from Belgaum to Tra- 

 vancore, and Ceylon. This bird is a permanent resident, and in- 

 habits both the hills and the lower levels. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds near Belgaum in September. The nest, 

 which is a mere ball of grass with an entrance on one side, is built 

 in a tussock of grass close to the ground. The eggs, four in num- 

 ber, are white spotted with brownish red, and one egg measured 

 73 by -6. 



Genus ACANTHOPTILA, Blyth, 1855. 



The genus Acanthopttta was instituted by Blyth for a remarkable 

 bird discovered by Hodgson many years previously, and which is 

 VOL. i. 2 c 



