MERULA UNICOLOR, Gould. 



Aflfgiian Thrush. 



Tut Am unicolor, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part V. p. 136. 



? Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 220, Turdus, no. 113. 



The Merula unicolor is evidently a rare species in those districts of India which have been visited by the 

 collector, for Mr. Blyth does not include it in his "List of the Birds in the Museum of the Asiatic Society 

 at Calcutta," and there is no example '>f it in the Museum of the Honourable East India Company ; it was 

 also absent from the British Museum until the Trustees obtained the original of my description on the dis- 

 persion of the Zoological Society's mounted collection. The preservation of this typical specimen has enabled 

 me to verify the species by comparison with two other examples now before me, one of which I obtained 

 from the late Captain Boys, and another which forms part of the collection made by Dr. A. Leith Adams, of 

 the 22nd Regiment, and who procured it in Cashmere ; here, then, we have a positively ascertained locality 

 in which the bird is to be found ; a point of importance, since neither Captain Boys' nor the original type 

 is labelled with the name of the place in which it was killed. 



It seems that, forgetful of having named this species unicolor twenty-one years ago, I have more recently 

 proposed another name for it, that of schistacem ; I believe and hope, however, that it has not appeared in 

 print. The term unicolor originally applied to it is not an inappropriate one when the wings of the bird are 

 closed, or when it is viewed from above ; but if the wings are raised, the axiilaries will be found to be strongly 

 tinted with orange, as shown in the smaller figure, which is given in order that the species may be more 

 readily recognized. In one of the specimens there is also some white on the lower part of the abdomen and 

 on the under tail-coverts. The following brief note has been furnished by Dr. Adams, and, I regret to say, 

 is all that is known respecting the species. 



" This bird appears to be confined to the Cashmerian and surrounding ranges ; it is very plentiful in the 

 valley. Its habits very much resemble those of the Turdus musicus. Its song, which is composed of a 

 few but little-varied notes, is often repeated. Considerable variety occurs in the colouring of the plumage, 

 some individuals being darker than others. The sexes differ in the male being destitute of spots on the 

 neck and throat." 



General plumage ash-grey, lighter beneath ; middle of the abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts white ; 

 axiilaries and under wing-coverts orange-red. 



Dr. Adams states that "the female has the bill and the margins of the eyelids pale yellow; the throat 

 obscurely spotted with black ; the breast and under surface ashy white ; and the legs pale yellow." 



The Plate represents the bird the size of life. 



