246 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



Iris gamboge yellow ; orbital ring orange ; bill coral red ; tarsus reddish 

 plumbeous, claws horny. 



78. Dicrurus annectans (Hodgs.) [326].— The Crow-billed Drongo. 



Two records only, evidently overlooked. Dejoo, 14-4-04, S ; 21-7-04, $ . 



79. Dicmrus atm (Herm.) [327] .—The Black Drougo. 



Plentiful along the base of the hills on the North frontier, several 

 collected around Dejoo, Gogaldhubie. Its distribution is probably through- 

 out the plains but requires to be worked out more thoroughly with speci- 

 mens from dated localities. 



Run<^agora — From the windows of my bungalow overlooking the tea 

 I saw a King Crow give chase to a butterfly, Stichopthalma camadeva, West, 

 apparently without success, The Drongo made several darts which 

 the butterfly evaded by dodging amongst the bushes ; this large and showy 

 insect measures from 5|" to 6i" across the wings and is restricted to heavy 

 forest. This particular insect had evidently lost its bearings and was making 

 its way towards the forest on the opposite side of the Dibru when my 

 attention was attracted by the mancBuvres of the Drongo. If these occur- 

 rences did take place as frequently as some naturalists would have us 

 believe to fit their theories. Is it not likely that those who have the 

 advantage of actual observations every day of their life would be able to 

 report many such incidents ? My experience is that instances of birds 

 attacking butterflies are few and far between. 



Dejoo, 9-6-10. This morning whilst watching a pair of King Crows 

 molest a Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela rutherfordi, I saw one of them actually 

 settle on the Eagle's back during its flight and force it to take refuge on 

 the branch of a dwarf tree amongst some scrub jungle of a " hoolah. ' 

 Here the Eagle was subject to repeated bufi'e tings of this pair. Every 

 assault caused it to duck ..' shift its head from aide to side in a ludicrous 

 fashion as it evidently was in fear with their persistent harassing. 



80. Dicrurus cineraceus nigreacens, Gates. [329]. — The Tenasserim Ashy 



Drongo. 



Dicrurus nigrescens, Gates, F. B. I., Vol. i., p. 315. 

 Throughout the plains in the Dibrugarh district. 



81. Chai)tia ceneus (YieiW.) [334].— The Bronzed Drongo. 



Plentifully distributed throughout the whole area, frequently] found on 

 vegetation in the vicinity of water. This Drongo is a particularly fine 

 songster. 



82. Dicrurus hottentottus hottentottus (L.) [335].— The Hair-crested Drongo. 



Chibia hottentotta, Gates, F. B. I., Vol. i., p. 320. 

 Throughout the whole area, partial to the outskirts of forest and grass 

 land interspersed with Simal trees {Bombax malabaiicum) . These trees 

 when ia flowers prove a happy hunting ground for Drongos of all species _ 



83. Dissemurus paradiseus grandis (Gould.) [340 part.\—T\xQ Northern 



large Racket-tailed Drongo. 



Dissemurus paradiseus, Gates, F. B. I., Vol. i, p. 325. 

 Similar distribution to B. remifer. Rungagora, 5 miles below, on Dibru, 

 14-3-03. I saw and heard this bird mimicking the calls of the two Cuckoos, 

 Cuculus micropterus and Eudynamis honor atus in a perfect manner. 

 Iris red in adults, brown in immatures. 



84. Tichodroma muraria (L.) [348]. — The Wall-creeper. 



Descends the gorges of the hills on the North frontier at the cold seasons, 

 occurs sparingly, equally suited foraging on the face of a ^landslip or 

 amongst boulders. 



Subansiri Gorge, 25-1-05, $ (Pobha Mukh) ; Runganuddie Gorge, 10-11- 



