MALACONOTIN.E. 147 



Tephrodornis sylvicola, Jerdon. 



264.- Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 409 ; Butler, Deccan 

 and South Mahratta country ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 392. 



THE MALABAR WOOD SHRIKE. 



Length, 8*5 ; expanse, 14 ; wing, 4*5 ; tail, 3*25 ; tarsus, 0'9 ; bill 

 at front, 07. 



Bill blackish ; irides wax-yellow ; legs plumbeous. 



Above slaty-cinereous ; rump white ; wings, tail, and some of the 

 upper-coverts, dusky-brown ; a broad eye streak from the nostrils, 

 through the eye, to beyond the ear-coverts, black ; beneath white, 

 reddish-cinereous on the neck, breast, and flanks. 



The Malabar Wood Shrike is not common, and has only been 

 recorded from the jungles west of Belgaum. 



Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Gm. 



265. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p, 410 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 464 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, 

 p. 392 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 123 ; Swinhoe 

 and Barnes, Central India; Ibis, 1885, p. 65. 



THE COMMON WOOD SHRIKE. 



Length, 6'5 to 7 ; expanse, 10 ; wing, 3'5 ; tail, 275 ; tarsus, 

 075 ; bill at front, 0'62. 



Bill dusky-horny ; irides greenish-yellow ; legs plumbeous-brown. 



Above ashy-brownish ; the feathers of the rump edged with 

 white, and the upper tail-coverts deep brown ; beneath, chin and 

 throat white, the rest whitish, with a tinge of reddish grey ; under 

 tail-coverts white ; superciliary streak reddish-white ; wings and 

 tail dusky-brown, and with the two outer feathers on each side 

 white at the base and also at the tip ; a dark brown band from the 

 nostrils through the eye to the ear-coverts. 



The Common Wood Shrike is found in all the principal portions 

 of our limits, but is much more numerous in some places than in 

 others. It is a permanent resident, breeding generally in March 

 and April. The nest, composed of fine roots and grass, and lined 

 with wool and vegetable fibres, is a neat, well made, compact, 

 shallow cup, coated on the exterior with cobwebs, and is built in 

 the fork of a tree. The eggs, three in number, are broadish oval 

 in shape, delicate greenish-white in color, spotted and blotched 

 with different shades of yellowish and reddish-brown. They 

 measure 075 in length by 0'61 in breadth. 



GENUS, Hemipus, Hodgson. 



Much as in Tephrodornis, but the bill more flat, depressed 

 and wider at the base ; rictal bristles small ; nostrils concealed ; 

 wing moderate, third quill almost equal to fourth ; tail narrow, 

 graduated ; logs and feet small 



