SUB-GENUS LILLIA, (bOIE, 1859.) 255 



patches on the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers, and in about 

 sixty specimens of the three larger species I found similar, still 

 fainter, patches in tico specimens. 



One of our species, viz., 



L. erythropygia, Sykes. P. Z. S., 1832, p. 83, 



May be disposed of at once — its small size, coupled with its 

 generally constant difference in coloration, sufficing to separate 

 it from all the other Indian species, and indeed, I think, from 

 all other species of the group. 



It varies in length from 6 5 to 70, (I speak throughout 

 of adults,) but the usual length is 6*75. 



The wings vary from 41 to 445, but the great majority 

 of specimens have them 4*2 to 43. 



The tail varies from 3-0 to 3'35, but 33 is the normal 

 length in an adult full-plumaged male. 



The fork of the tail, i.e., the distance by which the exterior 

 exceed the median tail-feathers, varies from 1*2 to 1'6, but 

 about 1*35 seems the usual amount of forking. 



The patch on each side of the occiput is bright chestnut. 

 The two patches meet behind aud form a distinct nuchal 

 half collar, about 0'2 to 025 broad, in the fresh bird, or very 

 good specimens. 



It is to be noticed that I speak of adults ; in this sub-group, 

 the difficulties in discriminating species are increased, first 

 by the fact that the general size, the colour of the occipital 

 patches and rump, the striatum of this latter, the extent of the 

 nuchal collar, the size and intensity of striations of the lower 

 surface, all vary more or less with age ; and, secondly, by the 

 extreme rarity of really good specimens, showing collar, ear- 

 coverts, &c, all clearly and well. Out of over 140 specimens 

 before me, not above 20 per cent, are really satisfactory in this 

 respect. 



The ear-coverts are chestnut, like the occipital patches, but 

 duller and sometimes paler, and more or less thinly striated with 

 dusky. This separates them from the other Indian species 

 in which, iu adults even, the ear-coverts are a sort of pale 

 sordid buff, sometimes slightly greyish in the Himalayan bird, 

 densely striated with dusky. 



The rump and greater portion of upper tail-coverts are 

 typically an uniform bright chestnut, without striations, not 

 paling towards the tail. 



There is no exception to this in some 50 adults. In the 

 young, which have not fully donned the glossy blue-black of 

 head and mantle, both occipital patches and rump, &c, are 

 much paler, but even then the rump, and all but the longest 



