212 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



apert ; two or three rigid bristles at the gape ; wings moderate, 

 rounded, with the 1st quill small, the 4th and 5th sub-equal and 

 longest ; tail ('typically) long and forked ; tarsus long and entire ; 

 feet moderate, ambulatory, the middle toe lengthened, the hind toe 

 short; claws moderately curved. 



This genus is a very aberrant one, tending towards the Myiothe- 

 rince, and especially towards Hydrobata, and Grallina ; but also, 

 perhaps, with affinities for Turdulus. It differs from the typical 

 Wagtails by the stronger and more cincline bill, shorter and more 

 rounded vnngs, with the tertials of the usual length, and by the 

 stronger tarsus and feet. Blyth and others class them with Hydro- 

 bata and Eupetes ; but whilst allowing their affinities with those 

 genera, on a comparison of all their characters, their more 

 slender body, long tail, more lengthend wings, colours, mode 

 of flight, and progression on the ground, I agree with Gray and 

 Horsfield that they should be brought, within the limits of this 

 sub-family, as the most aberrant group. 



Their plumage is uniformly black and white, and they all have 

 very pale fleshy-v>:hite legs. They frequent mountain streams in the 

 forests only, and are found, within our limits, in the Himalayas only, 

 extending through the hill ranges of Assam and Burmah to the 

 Malayan Archipelago. 



584. Enicurus maculatus, Vigors. 



Gould, Cent. Him. Birds, pi. 27— Blytu, Cat. 921— Horsf., 

 Cat. 548 — E. fuliginosus, Hodgs. (the young) — Khanjan in the N. 

 W. Himalayas — Oong-sam ching-pho, Lepch. — Chubia leka, Bhot. 

 The Spotted Fork-tail. 



Descr. — Broad frontal band white, the rest of the upper plumage 

 black with white spots ; secondaries and tail black, without spots ; 

 rump white ; the greater wing-coverts white, forming a large 

 oblique white band, and the secondaries and tertials also white at 

 the base, and tipped white ; primaries dusky brown, lateral tail- 

 feathers and the tip of the central ones, white ; neck and breast 

 black ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white. 



Bill black ; feet and legs fleshy white ; irides dark brown. 

 Length 10 inches ; extent 12£ ; wing 4 ; tail 5£ to 6 ; bill at front 



