CUCKOO-SHRIKES — PARADISE-FL YCA TCHER — PITTAS 



187 



The widely spread cuckoo-shrikes represent another afroup, char- 

 Cuckoo-Shrikes. . . . © r> 



acterised by the fairly wide beak, which is not distinctly flattened but 

 slightly bent and notched, and seldom very strong. Their plumage is glossy black 



SMALL RACKET-TAILED 

 DRONGO. 



or grey, that of the females being often reddish brown 

 or whitish with black cross-bands. The pale grey 

 cuckoo-shrike (Campojrfiaga melanoptera) inhabits 

 many parts of the Malay province, extending from 

 Tenasserim to Siam and China. It is a pale grey bird 

 with black wings and tail. 



Paradise- In no genus are the characteristics of 



Flycatcher, the flycatchers more strongly developed 

 than in the paradise-flycatchers of the Oriental region, 

 among which the Burmese Terjjsiphone affinis ranges 

 from Sikhim to Tenasserim. In colour it is black and 

 grey, with a chestnut back and white under-parts. 

 As in the other species, the two middle tail feathers 

 are of great length. 



Very characteristic of the area under 

 consideration are the pittas, which differ 

 from all the other Oriental perching-birds by the large 

 size of the first primary quill of the wing. Pittas are 

 birds of the size of thrushes, but with a shorter and 

 stouter body, longer legs, and a short tail. They 



Pittas. 



