Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, 



tions that he found this bird numerous on the coast from Vingorla to Cambay, frequenting 

 the neighbourhood of villages and houses, and even so tame as to enter verandahs. It is in 

 general a very shy and wary bird, usually concealing itself on some rock or stone, perhaps 

 just showing its head, and taking flight if approached. I have often in open ground followed 

 it long in vain, its rapid and undulating flights becoming more extended as its suspicions 

 become roused. It feeds on the ground on coleopterous insects cliiefly. 



Its name in Hindustani is Shama, and it is said to be sometimes caged by Faqueers 

 and others for its song, which is highly prized in the north of India, but its musical qualities 

 appear unknown in the south, and the Copsychus macrourus appears known as the Shama 

 or Shahmour in Bengal. 



Description. Male- Of a dusky blue tint throughout, many of the feathers 

 dusky-tipped. Wings and tail dusky brown. Female, of a greyish brown tinge above, 

 beneath paler, mottled with whiteish, and under tail coverts barred with dusky. Bill and 

 legs black. Irides deep brown. Length 8 J to 9 inches. Extent 14, Wing 4r„ Tail 3 to 

 SJ, Bill (at front) '^ ths.— Tarsus 1,^ th.— Weighs nearly 2 ounces. 



The P. Manillensis differs in the Male having the under parts from the breast, the 

 axillaries, and under wing covcrt6,bright ferruginous,and in the female ( T. eremita of Gmelin) 

 being much paler beneath. The tail is perfectly squared. It is found in Lu^onia and 

 China, &c. 



P. affinis Blyth difi^crs from this last in having much less ferruginous, and in the 

 shape of the tail, which has its outermost feathers nearly half an inch shorter than the 

 middle ones. 

 In P. Pandoo the tail is intermediate in shape to these two. 



