183f) ] of the Peninsula of India. 237 



spied on a branch at a short distance. Seen singly, or in small flocks, 

 when they generally keep up a noisy and harsh chattering. 



Descr.— Above, slaty cinereous— an eyeband, extending from nostrils 

 to half an inch behind the eye, black-rump and beneath white, the 

 breast with a tinge of reddish cinereous-wings and tail dusky brown 

 Length 8* inches ; tail 3£ ; wing 4f ; tarsus A th. ; bill (to gape) 

 l T yhs;irides greenish or wax yellow. 



53. T. superciliosus, Sw.—Lan. muscicapoides, Pnnkl.— £ Kercula 



Gray-Gray and Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. (bad figure).- Cammed 

 wood shriLe. 



This species has been lately accurately described by Swainson,* but 

 without the synonymes, of whichhewasprobablvunaware. Ft is ffenerally 



spread. hroughout Southern India, but in no place abundant, though it is 

 far from being rare in some parts of the country. 1 have seen if most nu- 

 merous in Goomsoor, and in theWul liar jungle (in the gap of Coimbatore). 

 Colonel Sykes says it is rare in the Decean-this is to be expected, from 

 the bareness of the country. Though never found in dense jungle like 

 the preceding one, .he wood shrike is found in open jungle, in open 

 spaces on the borders of thick forests, woody nullahs, topes, avenues, 

 and even thick hedges occasionally. It has similar habits with the last ; 

 slowly traversing the branches of the trees it frequents in search of in- 

 sects, chiefly coleoptera. Like it n' so it, hunts i n small flocks, or singly 

 Length 6i inches; wing 3* ; tail 2|.-Irides greenish wax yellow%s 

 in the last). 



Gen. OCYPTERUS, Cuv.— Swallow Shrike. 

 54. O. leucorhynchos.— Ash-coloured Swallow Shrike. 



Appears to be universally spread over India ; but is by no means com- 

 mon, and I have had very few opportunities of observing it. It prefers a 

 wooded country, and alwajsl believe tak.g its f.,«d, which consists chief, 

 fy of soft winged insects, in the air. r saw a flock once flvingover an open 

 space in the Wulliar jungle like swallows; again rear Palamcottah, in a 

 palmyra tope, a small flock of them, one every now and then darting 



• TwoCentenaries and a Quarter oj Birds, either new, or hitherto imperfectly described -Ani- 

 mail in Menageries, Part 3, No. 9 -.-Lanlner's Cabinet Cycl. 



