1849.] in the Asiatic Society s Museum, 813 



coverts: lower-parts uniform rufescent-white, tinged with ferruginous 

 on the flanks and lower tail-coverts. Bill black : and the legs appa- 

 rently have been plumbeous. 



From the vicinity of Darjiling. Capt. Tickell refers a second species 

 to this genus, which is Gampsorhynchus rufulus, nobis (No. 865), and 

 the affinity of which to the Shrikes we immediately recognised on 

 seeing Th. picatus, though not a sufficient approximation of it to the 

 latter to warrant (as we conceive) their being arranged together in the 

 same minimum division. Gampsorhynchus has a weaker and less 

 compressed beak, the upper mandible of which is however more hooked 

 at its extremity ; and the gape is furnished with very conspicuous long 

 and stout vibrissse, whereas those of Thamnocataphus are small and 

 inconspicuous. There are besides various other differences. 



No. 1007. Erythrosterna pusilla, nobis. Differs from the 

 Himalayan E. acornaus, (Hodgson), in having the upper tail-coverts 

 and margins of the tail-feathers constantly of a rufous-brown colour 

 instead of pure ashy. The dimensions assigned to E. acornaus in XVI, 

 127, are those of the present species; viz. Length 4f in., by 6f in. 

 expanse ; wing 2-J- in. ; tail \\ in. ; bill to gape \ in. ; tarse the same. 

 Colour grey-brown above, with a rufescent-tawney tinge on the rump, 

 deepening on the upper tail-coverts and margins of the rectrices ; there 

 is also a rufous tinge about the lores ; lower-parts white, pure on the 

 throat, belly and under tail-coverts, tinged with grey on the breast and 

 flanks. The axillaries also are pure white ; and the greater wing- 

 coverts are tipped with whitish, forming a slender cross-band. Bill 

 black ; and legs dark-coloured. Sexes alike. 



This little unassuming bird is common upon trees about the villages 

 of Central India, and makes its appearance soon after quitting the 

 alluvial soil of the Lower Ganges to the westward ; but we have never 

 met with it upon the alluvium. In habits, as in structure, it much 

 resembles E. leucura, which last has all the manners of the true Robins, 

 and certainly is not more of a Flycatcher than the common British 

 Redstart. The name Erythrosterna, by no means felicitous, was applied 

 by the Prince of Canino to the Muscicapa parva, auct., of S. Europe ; 

 from which our Indian E. leucura would seem only to differ in having 

 the ferruginous colouring which the males assume in spring confined to 

 the chin and throat ; instead of spreading down the breast as in Ery- 



