128 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



secondaries slightly edged with whitish ; beneath white, tinged 

 with earthy rufescent on the breast and abdomen. The female 

 is wholly brown above, passing to ferruginous on the upper tail- 

 coverts, and partially on the tail-feathers ; beneath, paler earthy 

 brown, rufescent on the flanks and lower tail-coverts, and whitish 

 on the throat. 



Bill black ; feet brown-black ; irides brown. Length 5| inches ; 

 wing 2f ; tail 2£ ; bill at front y^; tarsus nearly 1. 



The Grey Bush-chat is found throughout the whole extent of 

 the Himalayas, and is tolerably common about Darjeeling. It 

 frequents the skirts of forests and brushwood, perches on shrubs 

 or low trees, and descends to the ground to pick up insects. It 

 also occasionally takes one from a leaf. It has a very pleasing 

 song ; breeds in holes in banks, making a nest of moss, leaves, or 

 grass and roots ; and lays 3 or 4 eggs, pale blue, with numerous 

 pale brownish spots. 



The next bird is somewhat related in form to Pr. ferrea, but 

 differs in some points, and especially in its mode of coloration, so 

 that I have thought it necessary to give it separate generic rank. 



Gen. Eiiodophila, Jerdon. 



Char. — Much as in Pratincola, but the bill longer, deeper, 

 barely depressed at the base ; nostrils longitudinal, slightly im- 

 pended by some nareal tufts ; rictus strongly bristled; wing mode- 

 rate or rather short, rounded ; 1st quill short, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 

 graduated, 4th longest, 5th and 6th nearly equal to it ; tail 

 moderate, distinctly rounded; tarsus moderate; feet moderately 

 long, toes slender ; hind toe and claw lengthened. 



This form approaches that of Prat, ferrea, but the bill is still 

 less depressed, and the tail more distinctly rounded. The colora- 

 tion, too, is peculiar, as are its thicket-loving habits ; and the 

 sexes, moreover, are presumed to be alike. 



487. Rhodophila melanoleuca, Jerdon. 

 The black and White Bush-cdiat. 



Above, with lores, and cheeks pure glossy black ; beneath pure 

 white. 



