NATUEALIST IN INDIA. 115 



wings -he snaps Ms bill, or hissing defiance makes straight off 

 to the nearest cover, pursued by crested bulbuls, jays, etc. 

 This species is not often seen, as its mid-day haunts are in im- 

 passable parts of the jungle. 



The hill-blackbird or blue water-thrush {Myiophonus tem- 

 mincMi) is one of the most beautiful and common tenants of 

 the Himalayan streams. It builds its nest on the cliff over 

 the mountain torrent ; during incubation the male may 

 be seen sallying forth, sporting from cliff to cliff, his melodi- 

 ous note sounding sweetly among the roaring of the troubled 

 waters. The song of this species has a resemblance to that of 

 the blackbird, but is softer. The blue of the body is more 

 intense on the breast, and forms a gaudy halo across the fore- 

 head. Another fair denizen of the mountain stream is the 

 white-capped redstart (Buticilla leucoc&phald) which must 

 not be confounded with the chestnut-bellied or Guldenstadt's 

 redstart {B. erythrogastra) a native of the more Alpine re- 

 gions. The first is distinguished from the other by having 

 the basal portion of the wing quills black. 



Associated with the white-capped redstart is frequently 

 observed aiiother and smaller species, the plumbeous or sooty 

 redstart {Buticilla fuliginosa), a diminutive little creature 

 seen hopping around the waterfall, vibrating its tail, which it 

 spreads out like a fan. It is not more than five inches in 

 length. On bare situations and sheepfolds the sober-coloured 

 mountain lark-finch (Leueostide nemorieola, Blyth) is common. 

 Like the British " snow-flake" they may be seen in compact 

 flocks flying from place to place. They congregate often to 

 the number of 300 or 400 on the lesser ranges during 

 winter, and ascend even to the limits of forest in summer. 

 Its call resembles that of the linnet. 



The brown water-ousel {Ginclus asiatictis) is very generally 



