264 BOMBAY DUCKS 
length to the rest of the bird. Next comes the black 
and orange flycatcher (Ochromela nigrirufa), which looks 
for all the world like a robin. Its tail is only two inches 
long, while the body is three. Then there is the grey- 
headed flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis). This, too, is 
a squat-figured little bird. The Nilgiri blue flycatcher 
(Stoparola albicaudata) next demands notice. In shape 
it differs from all the three birds mentioned above. Its 
tail is relatively short, and its body slim and elongated 
by comparison with the grey-headed and black and 
orange species, Moreover, it is sexually dimorphic, 
The male is indigo blue, while the female is brownish. 
There remains Tickell’s blue flycatcher (Cyornis tickellt), 
This is a beautiful little bird, differing in shape from the 
birds already mentioned to such an extent that, quite 
apart from its distinctive plumage, it would be im- 
possible to confound it with any of them. I did not 
see the paradise flycatcher (Zerpsiphone paradisz), but 
the bird is found in the Nilgiris and probably visits the 
wood in question. The male of this species, when he 
comes of age, has a tail sixteen inches long; that 
is to say, four times the length of his body, while the 
tail of the hen bird makes up but half of her total 
length. 
These birds, which display considerable variety as 
regards shape, have very similar habits. They all feed 
on insects, which, to quote Mr. Oates, they either catch 
on the wing, starting from a perch to which they usually 
return several times, or by running with the aid of their 
wings along the limbs of trees. I believe that of those 
the fantail species alone runs along the branches of 
