The Common Birds of the Nilgiris 



ralis). The latter has all the habits of the 

 former. Both make the same melody, and 

 each has the habit of spreading out and erect- 

 ing the tail whenever it settles on a perch after 

 a flight. The white-spotted is distinguishable 

 from the white-browed species by the white 

 eyebrow being much narrower and less con- 

 spicuous. It is a black bird with a white 

 abdomen, some white in the wings and tail, 

 a few white spots on the chin, and the white 

 eyebrow mentioned above. 



The most beautiful of all the flycatchers is 

 Terpsiphone paradisi — the paradise-flycatcher, 

 or ribbon-bird, as it is often called. This is 

 fairly abundant on the Nilgiris. The cock 

 in the full glory of his adult plumage is a 

 truly magnificent object. His crested head 

 is metallic blue-black. This stands out in 

 sharp contrast to the remainder of the plumage, 

 which is as white as snow. Two of his tail 

 feathers, being 12 inches longer than the 

 others, hang down like satin streamers. Young 

 cocks are chestnut instead of white. Birds in 

 both phases of plumage breed. The hen has 

 the metallic blue-black crested head, but she 

 lacks the elongated tail feathers. Her plumage 



is chestnut, like that of the young cock. In 

 203 



