276 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL, 



the Nawakot district, and the woods of the lower hills in 

 winter. 



297.— Alseonax latirostris, Raffl, (A. terricolor, 

 Hodgs.) 



(1). Eight specimens, Valley, April to August. — Length, 4*75 

 to 5*4; expanse, 8 5 to 8*8; wings, 2-75 to 2-9 ; tail, 2 to 2"3> 

 tarsus, 0'55 to 06 ; bill from gape, 0'65 to 0*7 ; bill at front, 

 0'4 to 0'5 ; closed wings short of tail, 08 to I'l. 



Upper mandible black ; lower yellowish horny at base, faintly 

 greenish about the middle and dusky at tip ; gape fleshy yellow ; 

 irides dark brown ; feet dusky or brownish black ; claws black ; 

 the margins of the eyelids are satiny white. The colour of 

 the plumage is precisely the same as in specimens from Travan- 

 core and Madras, but the examples from Southern India seem 

 to have the bill shorter and broader at the base than my 

 specimens and others from the Himalayas, e.g., Dharmsala. 



(2.) An immature bird, Valley, 1st August. — Length, 5*2; 

 expanse, 8*7 ; wing, 2"8; tail, 2 2; tarsus, 06; bill from gape, 

 0*67; bill at front, 0"41 ; closed wings short of tail, I'l, 



Bill dusky brown, the base of lower mandible yellowish horny ; 

 gape yellow ; irides brownish black ; feet plumbeous black. The 

 wing-coverts and secondaries have conspicuous pale rufescent 

 margins, and the tail feathers and secondaries are also tipped 

 with the same colour ; numerous pale spots on the nape and 

 head ; the lower surface not spotted. 



(3.) Two young hirds, Valley, 2drd Jidy. — Length, 4'4 ; 

 expanse, 8 and 8*1 ; wing, 2"45 and 2'6 ; tail, 1'65 and 1"7 ; 

 tarsus, 56 and 0*57 ; bill from gape, 0'6 and 0'63 ; bill at 

 front, 0'38 and 0"4; closed wings short of tail, 0'8 and 0"9. 



Bill dusky, the basal part of lower mandible yellowish horny ; 

 gape fleshy j-ellowish j irides black ; feet plumbeous, the soles 

 yellowish fleshy ; claws brown horny, pale at the tips. Profusely 

 spotted, except on the chin and flanks, with tawny or pale 

 rufescent ; the head streaked ; the coverts and secondaries 

 broadly margined with pale rufous, and the quills and tail 

 feathers tipped with the same colour ; the chin white and the 

 flanks greyish white ; the lineated head recalls the parallel 

 stage of Fratincola ferrea and P. indica. These two birds had 

 left the nest, but were unable to fly. 



This Flycatcher is common in the central woods of the 

 Nepal Yalley from the middle of April to September, but mi- 

 grates to lower levels in winter. It is social, except during the 

 breeding season ; frequents the lower branches of trees very 

 commonly, and darts out every now and then to seize an insect, 

 -according to the manner of its tribe ; occasionailly one bird, mjjy 



I 



« 



