AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 367 
282.—Chaptia nea, Vicil/. Bronzed Drongo. 
Jerdon (B.I1., Vol. I., p. 431) says this species is found up 
to 4,000 feet elevation on the Nilghiris, but it ascends the 
hills to a much greater height, for I have frequently seen 
and shot it in the vicinity of Ootacamund, and also on the 
Bramagherries in Coorg. It is most numerous, however, on 
the lower ranges. It is a forest-loving species, and is not 
usually found in open places like B. atra and B. longicaudata. 
It has much the same habits as these species, however, perch- 
ing on some dead twig in a conspicuous place from which 
it seizes its insect prey on the wing, returning usually to the 
same perch. 
285.—Dissemurus paradiseus, Zin. The Lesser 
Racket-tailed Drongo. 
This fine species is sparingly distributed on the slopes of 
the Nilghiris, through the Wynaad, &., very seldom appa- 
rently ascending toa greater height than about 6,000 feet, 
though on one occasion I shot a specimen on the Kotagherry 
road close to Ootacamund. In April I found a pair in a tall 
Bombax tree close to Manantoddy, but as I saw one of the 
birds carrying materials to build the nest, and as the treef 
was a particularly difficult one to climb, I determined to leave 
the nest for a week to make sure of its containing eggs, 
but unfortunately at the end of the week the nest contained 
three young birds, apparently several days old, so the nest, 
though the birds were still building to it, must have contained 
eggs when I first found it. 
I found this species most numerous in the forests on the 
Peria Ghat; they were at that time generally in parties 
consisting of two or three young and the old birds. 
This species, though usually found in forests or their out- 
skirts, is also not unfrequently found in open spaces, gardens, 
&e., especially where there is bamboo to which they appear 
to be particularly partial. They have a wonderful variety of 
notes, and can imitate the call of almost any of the birds 
found where they usually occur. 
286.—Chibia hottentotta, Z2n. The Hair-Crested 
Drongo. 
I have found the Hair-crested Drongo very rare in Southern 
India, having met with it on only two or three occasions, 
and always feeding on the flowers of the silk cotton tree 
(Bombax malabaricum). 
