372 Capt. R. C. Tytler on the Fauna of Barrackpoore. 



of the D. coTulescens. The D. macrocercus is a larger and blacker 

 bird than D. longicaudatus, which latter is of a more ashy hue, 

 and is in size only a little larger than D. ccerulescens : all the 

 birds of this group are called King Crows. 



The elegant Tchitrea paradisi is common ; the young males 

 are brown hke the females, with black heads and with the 

 two centre tail-feathers elongated like the adult male; they 

 gradually change their plumage, become mottled with white, 

 and by degrees assume the pure white of the adult male, 

 but retaining the fine glossy black head, crest and neck : 

 the females do not seem to change from brown to white, 

 though old barren females are said to do so. I obtained the 

 nest of this species; it was elongated and built in the fork 

 of a branch like the nest of the JDicrurce, but more elegant in 

 its formation : this species has been kept alive on shrimps, 

 but it is very delicate and difficult to preserve. Myiagra 

 ccerulea is common ; the delicate blue of the male is veiy 

 beautiful ; the female is of a brown hue, preserving in a slight 

 degree the blue of the male, on the head in particular ; they 

 are found amongst the thick foliage of trees : I observed a 

 singular peculiarity of this bird, which was, darting off a branch 

 into water and catching small aquatic insects. There is another 

 common cold-weather bird which appeal's about the same time 

 as the last, the Cryptolopha cinereocapilla ; they are of a delicate 

 yellowish hue, with an ash-coloured crest, and are similar in 

 their habits to the Myiagra ccerulea. But one of the most elegant 

 birds of this group is the Leucocerca fuscoventris ; this little black - 

 coloured Fan-tail is found in every grove of trees hopping about, 

 with its long fan -shaped tail spread, and every now and then 

 turning round in a soi't of self-pride and vanity. 



With this bird ends my list of the Flycatchers of Barrackpoore, 

 and I shall now proceed to the well-known Bulbuls, or as 

 many Europeans call them, the Nightingales of India : the first 

 and most common species is the large Pycnonotus bengalensis ; it 

 has a scarlet vent, is very common and a well-known species ; 

 natives keep them for fighting. The only other species found 

 here is the small red-cheeked elegant P. jocosus ; these birds 

 have a very sprightly gay appearance : Bulbuls frequent 

 gardens and orchards, keeping in small flocks. Another very 

 common bird is the pretty lora typhia ; the males are blacker 

 than the females ; I have shot some males so very black about 

 the head as to induce me to the belief that they were hybrids. 

 Few birds attract the eye of strangers more than the gay 

 colours of the very common Oriolus melanocephalus ; their ex- 

 cessive gaudy colour and musical flute-toned note render them 

 objects of great attraction. The little Sun-bird, as the charm- 



