266 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



I found this species tolerably common ia the SM forest be- 

 tween Bichiakoh and Semrabasa in December. It frequented 

 bush trees by the road-side, Was gregarious, and had a rather 

 pleasant note. 



? 2675«s.— Hemipus capitalis, McClelL 



Bhimphedi, December. — Length, 5'5 ; expanse, 7*7 ; wing, 

 2-5 ; tail, 2'6; tarsus, 0-5 ; bill from gape, 072; bill at front, 

 0'45 ; closed wings short of tail, 1'5. 



Bill black; the head is black, glossed green, and very sharply 

 and distinctly marked off from the brown back. 



I found this species only once in Nepal, a little below Bhim- 

 phedi, in December. It was gregarious, and frequented bushes 

 growing near the road. Unfortunately only one specimen of 

 this species was secured, and it could not be sexed. 



269.— Volvocivora melaschista, Hodgs. 



(1.) Female, Immature, May.— Length, 9*5 ; expanse, 146 ; 

 wing, 4*8 ; tail, 4*9 ; tarsus, 0'8 ; bill from gape, 1*0 ; bill at 

 front, 0*65 ; closed wings short of tail, 2*2. 



Bill, feet and claws black. Wings dusky, with a faint greenish 

 gloss on the outer webs of the feathers ; a long white spot on 

 the inner webs of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth quills ; uropy^ 

 gials greyish dusky, blackis h towards the tips ; next pair of rec^ 

 trices blackish throughout, with a faint greenish gloss on the 

 outer webs ; the rest of the tail feathers tipped with white ; 

 lower breast, abdomen, flanks and thighs with faint blackish 

 spots on the feathers, giving the appearance of regular trans- 

 verse bars ; lower taiUcoverts greyish white, strongly barred 

 with black. 



(2.) Male, young, J itlt/. -^Length, 9"3 ; expanse, 14'2 ; 

 wing, 4'65; tail, 4*6 ; tarsus, 0'85 ; bill from gape, 0*95 ; bill at 

 front, 0*65 ; closed wings short of tail, 2"65. 



Bill black ; irides hazel ; feet dull plumbeous black ; claws 

 black. Darker above than (1) ; the quills with conspicuous pale 

 fringes ; white and black bars on the top of the head and slightly 

 on the back ; chin, throat, breast and under wing-coverts barred 

 with white ; no white spot on the quills ; lateral tail feathers 

 white tipped. 



(3.) Male, Adult, Jugust.-^Wmgs and tail imperfect as the 

 bird was moulting ; the wings glossed green like a Drongo, 

 and no pale fringes to the quills ; the lateral tail feathers with a 

 white terminal spot. 



(4.) Female, Immature, AugusL^—hength, 9*5 ; tail, 4*7 ; 

 tarsus, 0*82; bill from gape, 1*0; bill at front, 0*6. 



