528 



the whole upper plumage dark grey, tinged with ferruginous on 

 the ruinp aud upper tail-coverts ; the shafts of the feathers of the 

 head and neck whitish ; winglet, primary-coverts, and all the 

 primaries black, the latter tipped with grey ; remainder of the 

 wing blackish ; all the feathers tipped and edged on the outer web 

 with grey, this edging becoming broader as the feathers approach 

 the body ; the middle pair of tail-feathers grey, the others brown 

 at the base and tipped with dark ferruginous, the tippiugs increasing 

 in extent exteriorly ; cheeks aud ear-coverts pale rufous grey ; 

 chin, throat, and upper breast rufous grey, the feathers with white 

 shafts ; remainder of the lower plumage deep ferruginous, darkest 

 on the under tail-coverts. 



The above description applies to the bird when in new plumage ; 

 some time after the moult the feathers get worn down and the 

 colours fade, the grey of the upper parts becoming brownish, and 

 the deep rufous of the lower plumage fading to pale rufous. 



Bill blue at base, green in the middle, and yellow at the tip ; 

 legs brownish yellow, claws greenish ; iris light blue. 



Length 8 ; tail 2*7 ; wing 4-1 ; tarsus -9 ; bill from gape 1. 



Distribution. The whole Indian Empire east of a line drawn 

 approximately from Dehra to Mount Abu. This species does not 

 appear to be found universally distributed over the country, but 

 to be local and confined to certain favourable tracts. It ascends the 

 Himalayas in summer up to 4000 or 5000 feet. It is absent from 

 Ceylon and the Audamans and Nicobars. It extends into Cochin 

 China. 



Habits, $*c. Breeds in May and June in holes of forest trees. 

 The eggs, from three to five, measure about '93 by '7. 



539. Sturnia nemoricola. The White-winy ed My no. 



Sturnia nemoricola, Jerd. Ibis, 1862, p. 22 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi, 

 p. .390 ; Ootes, S. F. vii, p. 48 ; Hume, Cat. no. 688 bis ; Gates, 

 B. B. i, p. 389 ; id. in Humes N. $ E. 2nd ed. i. p. 373. 



Temenuchus iiemorieolus (Jerd.}, Hume, S. F. iii, p. 151. 



Poliopsar nemoricolus (Jerd.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 52. 



Coloration. Very similar to S. malabarica in general appearance, 

 but after the moult, when the plumage is fresh, the forehead and 

 the crown as far back as the eyes, the chin, throat, and breast are a 

 clear pearly grey ; the remainder of the lower plumage a beautiful 

 rosy buff. In adults the winglet, primary-coverts, and the first 

 or bastard-primary are white. 



When the plumage gets worn, the feathers of the head and neck 

 become reduced in many cases to mere shafts, and the beautiful 

 rosy tinge of the lower parts gives place to a dull dirty buff. Not- 

 withstanding the similarity which then exists between S. nemoricola 

 and S. malabarica, the former may always be recognized by the 

 presence of some white on the wing. 



Birds which are not adult have only parts of the wiuglet and 

 primary-coverts white ; but, from the very first, one or more 



