26 MUSCTCAPIDJE. 



Distribution. The whole peninsula of India, except Sincl and the 

 extreme north-west portion. This species is absent from the 

 Himalayas. It appears to be a resident wherever found, but may 

 be locally migratory according to season and place. To the east 

 it has occurred in Manipur, the hills east of Bhamo, the Karen 

 hills east of Toungngoo, Karennee, Thoungyah in Tenasserim, 

 extending to Kossoom in the Malay peninsula in a modified form 

 as above noticed. This Flycatcher occurs in Ceylon up to 4000 

 feet. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds in May, June, and July, constructing a nest 

 of dead leaves and grass in a hole of a bank or tree, and laying 

 three eggs, which are so thickly speckled as to appear to be of an 

 olive-colour or brownish rufous throughout, and measure about '76 

 by -56. 



577. Cyornis niagnirostris. The Large-billed Blue Flycatcher. 



Cyornis magnirostris, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xviii, p. 814 (1849); Jerd. 



B. I. i, p. 469 ; Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. ii, p. 100 ; 



Blanf. J, A. 8. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 158 ; Hume, Cat. no. 308. 

 Siphia niaofnirostris (Bl.}. Sharpe. Cat. B. M. iv. p. 45.13 : Oates, B. 



3. i, p. 290. 



Coloration. Male. Upper plumage, cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of 

 the neck, and wing-coverts deep blue, brilliant on the forehead and 

 over the lores and eyes ; feathers at the base of the upper man- 

 dible and lores black ; chin, throat, and breast chestnut ; sides of 

 the breast blue ; sides of the abdomen fulvous ; middle of the ab- 

 domen and the under tail-coverts white ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries clear buff ; tail-feathers dark brown, suffused with blue 

 on the outer webs; greater wing-coverts and quills dark brown, 

 with dull blue margins. 



Female. Upper plumage olive-brown, tinged with rufous on the 

 upper tail-coverts ; tail brown, suffused with ferruginous ; coverts 

 and quills brown, edged with rufous-olive ; lores and a ring round 

 the eye fulvous ; chin, throat, and breast orange-rufous, paler on 

 the chin and throat ; flanks suffused with ochraceous ; abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts white. 



The young are similar to those of C. rubeculoides. 



Iris dark brown ; legs pale flesh-colour (Godwin-Austen}. 



Length about 6 ; tail 2-5 ; wing 3'2 ; tarsus -7 ; bill from 

 gape -9. 



Distribution. Sikhim; Cachar ; the Khasi hills; the extreme 

 south of Tenasserim. The distribution of this species as known 

 is very incomplete, and it will probably be found spread over the 

 greater part of Assam and Burma. It is a resident in Sikhim ; 

 occurs in Cachar in May, and in Tenasserim from December to 

 March. 



There are some specimens of this bird in the Hodgson collection, 

 but nothing to show that they came from Nepal. They were 

 probably obtained in Sikhim. 



