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GEOCICHLA NILGIRIENSIS (Blyth). 
NILGIRI GROUND-THRUSH. 
Turdus varius (nec Pall.), Jerd. Madr. Journ. xiii. p. 168 (1844). 
Oreocincla neilgherriensis, Blyth, J. A. S. Beng. xvi. p. 141 (1847). 
Turdus nilgiriensis, Gray, Hand-1. В. i. p. 254, no. 3692 (1869). 
Geocichla nilgiriensis, Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 157 (1881). 
Oreocincla nilghiriensis, Oates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, ii. p. 153 (1890). 
G. suprà rufescenti-brunnea, nigro lunulata: pileo ochraceo variegato : rectricibus 12, maculis terminalibus albis 
inconspicuis, haud 25 millim.: cauda 94-84 millim. 
Тне present species is an inhabitant of the hills of Southern India. Тһе late Mr. Davison records 
it from the higher ranges of the Nilgiris and the Brahmagherries ; Capt. Horace Terry found it 
nesting on the Palani Hills; and Mr. Bourdillon states that in Travancore it frequents the thick 
jungle from 2000 to 5000 feet above the level of the sea. Its reputed occurrence in Ceylon is 
doubtless based upon error. 
Mr. Davison says that this Thrush is usually seen singly, sometimes in pairs, but is everywhere 
а rare bird. Не describes it as a glorious songster, whose rich and varied song can be heard for 
nearly a mile. Mr. Rhodes Morgan, on the other hand, says that it appears to have no song, but 
utters every now and then a single clear warbling note. Тһе same observer says that it may usually 
be seen on the topmost branch of some large shola-tree late in the evening. According to 
Mr. Morgan, the species breeds from March to June in the Nilgiris, the nest being very like that of 
Merula simillima, usually containing three eggs, of a pale greenish-blue colour, minutely speckled 
with rusty brown. Captain Terry likens the eggs to small examples of the Common Jay's, and the 
nest which he found on the Palanis was built in the fork of a tree about fifteen feet from the ground; 
it was composed of green moss lined with fine roots, with some fern mixed up in its foundation—a 
large shallow cup, compactly put together, 9:75 inches across and 1:75 inch deep inside, 6 inches 
across and 3 inches deep outside. It will be noticed that Mr. Morgan's account of the position of 
the nest differs from that given by Captain Terry, inasmuch as he states that he found the nest 
invariably on some low tree from six to eight feet above the ground. 
Geocichla nilgiriensis very closely resembles G. heinit, but is distinguished from it by several 
good characters. In the general colour of the upper and under parts there is no difference between 
the two species: the brown of the upper parts is of the same shade of russet, the black crescentic 
markings are equally narrow on the rump and upper tail-coverts, the white of the underparts 
is suffused with buff on the breast to the same extent. These two species are the only ones in the 
sub-genus Oreocincla in which the Geocichline markings on the inner webs of the quills are, so far 
as is known, always white ; in all the other species, except in what are probably fully-adult examples, 
they are buff. : 
There is scarcely any difference in the measurements of Geocichla nilgiriensis and Geocichla 
heinii, and the wing-formula is almost precisely the same, except that occasionally examples of the 
Indian species have the second primary slightly shorter than the sixth, and the first primary 
