524 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



lono" before sunrise. I also heard it in Bustar In April, when it ' 

 was breeding. It is not nearly so powerful, or so fine, as that of its 

 Neilgherry or Ceylon congener. Mr. Ward obtained the nest in 

 Sirci, in North Canara, made of roots, grass, &c., and with three 

 eggs, pale blue spotted with brown. 



360. Merula simillima, Jerdon. 



Turdus apud Jerdon, Cat. 83 — Blytii Cat. 948 — Horsf. Cat. 657. 



The Neilgherry Blackbird. 



Descr. — Male, entirely black, conspicuously darker on the head 

 and back of neck; somewhat lighter beneath, and tinged with 

 dusky-brownish. 



The female is dusky olive-brown above; the same, but lighter, 

 beneath. 



Bill, eyelids and gape, deep orange; legs dusky -yellow; claws 

 yellow; irides dark brown. Length 10^ inches ; wing 5 ; extent 

 16 ; tail rather more than 4; bill at front nearly 1 ; tarsus 1^^. 



The young bird resembles the female, but, as usual, is spotted. 



This Blackbird is very similar to the European bird, more so 

 perhaps than any other of the Eastern species, except the M. Kinnisu 

 of the loftier elevations of Ceylon. It differs in being rather 

 smaller in size, in being of not quite so deep a black, and in having 

 yellow instead of brown legs. Horsfield, in his Catalogue, gives it 

 as synonymous with nigropileus ; and, under M. mandarina, includes 

 a specimen from Madras. In his Appendix, however, he corrects 

 this, stating that the specimen from Madras was my simillima. 

 Others had, however, at one time considered simillima and nigropi- 

 leus identical ; but they are very distinct, as well in colour and 

 structure, as in habit and distribution. The Neilgherry bird is 

 much the larger of the two, more black, which in nigropileus 

 contrasts very strongly with the rest of the plumage ; the tail Is 

 more rounded, whilst It Is even In nigropileus ; and the females 

 also differ very considerably. 



The Neilgherry Blackbird has hitherto only been found on the 

 summit of the Neilgherry and Pulney hills ; but I have little 

 doubt that it will be found on the other high plateaus of 

 Southern India. It frequents the dense woods on the top of the 



