смала 
| MERULA GOULDI, Verr. 
GOULD’S CHESTNUT OUZEL. 
Merula gouldi, Verr. N. Arch. Mus. vi., Bull. p. 34 (1870); David & Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 148, 
pl. xxxix. (1877); Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 260 (1881). 
M. castanea: rostro et pedibus flavis : pileo et collo undique grisescenti-fumosis, pileo vix saturatiore. 
Tuis fine species of Ouzel differs from М. castanea in its slightly larger size. It is altogether of a 
brighter and less vinous-chestnut colour, and thus both the grey of the head and neck and the chestnut 
colour of the body are of a different tint. 
The species was discovered by Abbé David in Western Szechuen and Moupin in N.W. China. 
Here it was common enough and was generally observed in the mountain forests, descending in 
winter to the lower valleys. At this time of year it frequented the neighbourhood of houses to feed 
on the berries, as well as the clearings in search of fruit and small worms, breaking up the latter in 
the manner of our common European Song-Thrush. The song is good, and like that of our Blackbird, 
but is somewhat harsher and less silvery in tone (David & Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 148). The species 
was also obtained at Ta-tsien-lu by the expedition of M. Bonvalot and Prince Henri d'Orléans 
(Oustalet, N. Arch. Mus. (4) v. p. 144). 
The late General Prjewalski found this Ouzel in the mountains of Kan-su, where it was also 
met with by Berezowski (cf. Berez. & Bianchi, Aves Exped. Potan. Gansu, p. 100, 1891). Prjewalski 
observes (Orn. Misc. ii. p. 198, 1877) :—“ We met with this beautiful Thrush in the Kan-su 
mountains, where it inhabits the wooded localities. Неге it chooses the mountain-slopes covered 
with larch trees for its habitat and nidification. It is very cautious in its habits, although it never 
gets disturbed by man. In spring its song is beautiful, particularly early in the morning and at 
sunset, from the branches of trees. 'The young begin to fly about the end of June, and keep in 
families im those woods where plenty of berries are found, and usually in the vicinity of mountain- 
creeks. We did not notice the time of their autumnal migration from Kan-su, where they are rather 
common, and which, I find, is their northern limit." 
Dr. Pleske, in his work on the results of Prjewalski's expeditions, gives some interesting notes 
on the plumage of the sexes of this bird and the nestlings. According to Prjewalski, during the 
rearing of the young, the old birds utter a cry not unlike that of the Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius 
tephronotus). On the 25th of July a nestling was obtained which was not yet fully feathered, but 
had already left the nest. At the end of J uly the old birds begin to moult and many of them show 
already fresh feathers at that date. Тһе species does not winter in Kan-su. 
Adult male. General colour above bright chestnut, slightly paler towards the lower back, rump, 
and upper tail-coverts, the longer coverts being reddish-brown; wings and tail black; crown of 
head dark slaty-brown, as well as the lores, cheeks, feathers below the eye, and ear-coverts, the dark 
colour of the head not forming a cap but shading off into the smoky-brown of the hind-neck and 
sides of neck; base of chin ashy-white; rest of throat and fore-neck smoky-brown ; remainder of 
under surface of body bright chestnut; vent white; thighs and under tail-coverts black, broadly 
centred and tipped with white; under wing-coverts and axillaries bright chestnut; quills dusky brown 
VOL. 11. S 
