240 Catalogue of the Birds [Oct, 



song, not to be compared, however, to that of one of the genus hereafter 

 mentioned. Iride? blood-red. 



Length tail nearly 5; wing 4|; tarsus nearly T \, much 



w eaker than that of balicassius. 



57- D. Macrocercus, Vieili. ? ' 



This is the rarest of all the Indian Dicruri. I have hitherto only seen 

 it in the Segour pass, and on the summit of the Neilgherries, in both 

 places on lofty and tolerably dense jungle. I observed it in the former 

 place sally from its perch near the summit of a lofty tree, and make a 

 considerable circuit, apparently capturing several insects, and then re- 

 seating itself on some other tree. Several birds were thus engaged 

 together, though at some distance from each other, and returning sepa- 

 rately each to its own perch. In this respect it makes a nearer ap- 

 proach than any other Indian species to the manner of the African 

 Drougo shrikes, as described by Le Vaillant, hunting in flocks like swal- 

 lows, and mentioned by Swainson as being the general habits of the 

 genus. Flight of this species similar to that of balicassius, but more 

 rapid and elegant. 



As I cannot be certain of this being the species indicated by Vieillot, 

 I add a description. Above, glossy bluish black — beneath, dusky, black- 

 ish, with a" faint gloss of bluish ; wings and tail brownish black, with a 

 faint gloss of bluish also — under tail coverts (in my specimen) edged 

 with white — bill and feet black— bill more depressed than in balicassius, 

 somewhat similar to that of D. ccerulescens, but differs also from that. 



Length nearly 11 inches ; tail very nearly 5^ ; wing 5; tarsus about 

 half an inch; tail feathers more slender than in either balicassius or 

 ccerulescens. The chief peculiarity of this species is its short and 

 feeble tarsus and foot. 



58. D. oeneus, Vieili. — D. muscipetoides, Hodgs. — Bronzed Drougo 

 Shrike. 



This species is always found in the most dense and lofty jungle. I 

 have only seen it in the forests of the Western Coast, and have met it at 

 an elevation of 4000 feet. It is generally found in small parties — sta- 

 tions itself near the top of some lofty tree, whence it makes frequent 

 short sallies after insects, exactly like the flycatchers, and returns gene- 

 rally to the same branch. It sings most charmingly, being perhaps 



