SAXICOLIN^E. 199 



olive-brown ; the wings and tail black ; the lores, ear-coverts, 

 and lower plumage also black ; a white wing-spot, as in the 

 last ; the vent and centre of belly deep chesnut. 



The female is sooty-brown throughout, except the chesnut 

 beneath. 



The Brown-backed or Northern Indian Robin is a common 

 permanent resident throughout the district, excepting the Deccan, 

 where it is replaced by Thamnobia fulicata. 



Its breeding habits are much like the last, but the eggs are 

 larger, averaging 079 in length by 0*59 in breadth. 



GENUS, Pratincola, Koch. 



Bill short, straight, somewhat wide at base, strongly curving 

 at tip, which is faintly notched ; nostrils concealed by tufts of 

 hairs and plumes ; strong rictal bristles ; wings moderate ; fourth, 

 fifth and sixth quills nearly equal and longest ; tail moderate, 

 nearly even ; tarsus moderate, longish ; feet moderate ; claws 

 slightly curved, slender. 



Pratincola caprata, Linn. 



481. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 123; Butler, Guzerat; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 474 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, 

 Vol. IX, p. 404 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 141 ; 

 Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; Ibis, p. 124. 



THE WHITE-WINGED BLACK ROBIN. 



Length, 5 ; wing, 275 ; tail, 2'2 ; tarsus, 075 ; bill at front, 0'38. 



Bill black ; irides deep-brown ; legs brown-black. 



Male, black ; a longitudinal band on the wings, the rump 

 and the upper tail-coverts, and the middle of the lower part of 

 the abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts, white. When 

 newly moulted, the black is fringed with brown edgings, which 

 gradually get worn away. 



Female, dusky-brown, the feathers edged paler with a rufous 

 rump and upper tail-coverts ; beneath pale reddish-brown, albes- 

 cent on the throat and vent ; abdomen slightly streaked ; vent 

 and under tail-coverts tinged with rufous. 



The White-winged Black Robin is a common permanent 

 resident throughout the district ; it, however, almost disappears 

 from some parts during the breeding season, which is from 

 March to May. They build flat saucer-shaped or pad-like nests 

 in holes in the sides of wells or banks, occasionally in a bush, 

 but even then the nest rests actually on the ground. The nest 

 is composed of grass, fine roots, vegetable fibres, &c., and usually 

 contains four eggs, but three incubated ones are often found 

 and at times as many as five. 



They are moderately broad ovals in shape, of a greenish-white 

 or greenish-blue color, densely but finely speckled with brownish- 

 red. They differ greatly in size, but average 0'67 inches ip. 

 length by about 0'55 in breadth. 



