264 BOMBAY DUCKS 



length to the rest of the bird. Next comes the black 

 and orange flycatcher (Ochromela nigrirufa], which looks 

 for all the world like a robin. Its tail is only two inches 

 long, while the body is three. Then there is the grey- 

 headed flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis). This, too, is 

 a squat-figured little bird. The Nilgiri blue flycatcher 

 (Stoparola albicaudata) next demands notice. In shape 

 it differs from all the three birds mentioned above. Its 

 tail is relatively short, and its body slim and elongated 

 by comparison with the grey-headed and black and 

 orange species. Moreover, it is sexually dimorphic. 

 The male is indigo blue, while the female is brownish. 

 There remains Tickell's blue flycatcher (Cyornis tickelli). 

 This is a beautiful little bird, differing in shape from the 

 birds already mentioned to such an extent that, quite 

 apart from its distinctive plumage, it would be im- 

 possible to confound it with any of them. I did not 

 see the paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi), but 

 the bird is found in the Nilgiris and probably visits the 

 wood in question. The male of this species, when he 

 comes of age, has a tail sixteen inches long ; that 

 is to say, four times the length of his body, while the 

 tail of the hen bird makes up but half of her total 

 length. 



These birds, which display considerable variety as 

 regards shape, have very similar habits. They all feed 

 on insects, which, to quote Mr. Gates, they either catch 

 on the wing, starting from a perch to which they usually 

 return several times, or by running with the aid of their 

 wings along the limbs of trees. I believe that of those 

 the fantail species alone runs along the branches of 



