1839] 



of the Peninsula of India. 



241 



only surpassed by the Gryllivora longicauda. Its food consists of 

 various insects, both hard and soft winged. The name of Musc'ipe- 

 toides, given by Mr, Hodgson (Indian Review No. viii), is pecu- 

 liarly appropriate, as well from the form of the bill, which is weak 

 and highly depressed, as from the similarity of its habits to those of the 

 flycatchers ; and, if there is any dou^t as to its being the ceneus of 

 Vieillot, should be adopted at once. 



Length 9 to 9|- inches; tail <i\ ; wing 4| j tarsus f inch ; irides dark 

 brown ; bill and legs black. 



59. D. retifer. — Lan. Malaharicus, Shaw, — Bherm or Bhring raj 

 H. — Kate-ongal, M'ahr. — Racket tailed Drougo Shrike. 



This splendid bird is tolerably abundant in many of the lofty jungles 

 of the west of India, both above and below the ghauts, it being very plen- 

 tiful in the Wynaud district. It appears to wander more in search of 

 its food than other of the Dicruri, flying from tree to tree at no great 

 elevation, making an occasional swoop at an insect on the wing, or whip- 

 ping one off a branch ; frequently, however, it feeds like its congeners 

 from a fixed station. 



It generally hunts singly or in pairs, occasionally, however,it is seen in 

 small parties. Its food is chiefly large coteopterous insects, also large 

 bees and wasps. It has a very peculiar cry, consisting of two parts, the 

 first a sort of harsh chuckle, ending in a peculiar metallic sound, some- 

 thing like the creaking of a heavy wheel. Mr. Elliot says on this sub- 

 ject " its general note is a deep sonorous cry something like tse-rung, 

 tse-rung, tse-rung" It has many other notes besides this ; all of which 

 however, have more or less clangor or metallic sound. I have seen it 

 pursue a bird of prey {Hamatornis midulatus, Gould) in the same man- 

 ner as the common king-crow. It moults about September. Although it 

 chiefly inhabits lofty jungles, I have seen it in comparatively low jungle, 

 a nd I am informed that it often enters gardens in the cantonment of 

 Cannanore. The Bherm-raj is occasionally taken and tamed : it used to 

 be very frequently in former days, and sold for a very high price at Hy- 

 derabad. It is said to imitate the notes of all other birds, and hence is 

 also called the ( Hu%ar Dustan,' or bird of a thousand tales. 



Length to end of true tail, 14 inches ; length of ordinary tail 6f ; 

 long tail feathers beyond 12, or more, even ; irides dark hazel brown ; 

 wing 6^; tarsus ft 0 or nearly an inch; bill and legs black. 



