AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. - 477 



the 5th ahout 0*25 shorter ; tail somewhat rounded ; outer tail 

 feathers about 0*35 shorter than those next the central pair, 

 which latter are shorter than those next them by about 0* 15. 

 The frontal feathers are prolonged over the base of the bill 

 extending laterally quite to the nostrils. 



Legs and feet dusky or livid fleshy ; irides dark brown ; bill, 

 upper mandible and tip of lower a somewhat fleshy but dusky 

 brown ; rest of lower mandible and base, yellowish fleshy. 



A broad superciliary stripe, from the nostrils, over the eyes 

 and some little distance behind the eyes, dull white or yellow- 

 ish white ; a brown stripe from the nostrils to the anterior 

 angle of the eye, continued backwards, though not conspicuous 

 for some distance from the posterior angle ; forehead, crown 

 occiput, sides of neck, entire back and wings dull earthy brown 

 paler and moredrabby in some ; quills and coverts margined and 

 narrowly tipped with dull yellowish or brownish white, with 

 usually a slight rufescent tinge on the margins of the primaries. 

 Rump brownish chestnut ; upper tail-coverts and tail chestnut • 

 central tail feathers more or less brown on one or both webs • 

 all the other tail feathers, with a conspicuous subterminal dark 

 brown band (which in the outer feather runs some distance 

 down the outer web), and tipped, the two pairs next the centre 

 narrowly with rufescent, and the other three successively more 

 and more broadly with pure white. Chin and throat sordid 

 white, with an indication of a darker line at the ano-le of the 

 gape. Ear coverts and the rest of the lower parts, similar 

 but tinged with a faint brownish shade usually. Wino-lini^o- 

 and axillaries with a very faint yellowish salmon tint ; inner 

 margins of inner webs of quills, on the lower surface, with a 

 decided buffy salmon tinge. — A. 0. H.] 



494.— Cercomela fusca, Blyth. 



The Brown Rockchat is very common at Mount Aboo, but I 

 have never seen it in the plains. It breeds in the hot weather 

 commencing about March. The nest is here usually built in 

 holes of rocks, buildings or stone walls, and when in the former 

 is often supported (vide Nests & Eggs, Rough Draft, p. 321) 

 by a heap of small stones and pellets of dry earth, forming an 

 embankment that extends from 6 to 10 inches bevond the°side 

 of the nest, and is evidently intended to make the nest rest 

 horizontally. I have noticed it in so many cases that I look 

 upon it now rather as the rule than as an exception. 



During the period of incubation both birds are extremely 

 pugnacious and vigorously attack any small birds, squirrels, rats 

 lizards, &c, that venture to approach the nest. The eo-o-s 

 varying in number from three to four, are pale blue, with small 

 dark reddish brown spots thinly scattered over the whole shell 



