1839.] 



of the Peninsula of India. 



251 



living in small flocks of five or six, and continually hopping about the 

 low thick bushes and underwood, with an incessant low twittering note, 

 and has much of the general habits of the ThimalicB. In its stomach I 

 found small mantides, grasshoppers and other insects. 



Descr. — Head and cheeks black ; back, wings, tail, and under tail co- 

 verts brownish olive, darkest on tail and wings j below whi e with a 

 tinge of olive, brown on the sides, and towards the vent; feathers of 

 back and rump much discomposed. Length nearly 5£ inches; of tail 2; 

 of wing 2 T 3 oths ; tarsus T V ns « Irides pale orange buff. 



Genus MYOPHONUS, Horsf.— Fowl Thrush, Swainson. 



79. -— M. Horsfieldii, Vigors. —Large blue Thrush. 



I have hitherto only seen this bird twice :once in the Trichoor jungle, 

 hopping on the ground like a black bird ; and again in the Segoor pass 

 of the Neilgherries, flying before me from tree to tree near the ground. 

 I have also seen a specimen shot in the Pulney hills, and several pro- 

 cured in the neighbourhood of Cannanore. Length 12 inches ; of wing 

 6£; of tail 5; of tarsus 1 T \ths of an inch. Bill and legs black; hides 

 dark brown. 



Genus PITTA, Temm.— Ant Thrush. 



80. — P. Brachyura.—Nou-rung, H. (i. e. nine coloured bird). 



Though by no means common, this bird is occasionally met with in 

 gardens and topes in the Carnatic, as at Madras and Trichinopoly, dur- 

 ing the cold weather only, I believe. It however generally frequents 

 high jungle, and is therefore more common on the West Coast than in 

 other parts of the peninsula ; I have also seen it in Goomsoor. It feeds 

 on the ground in small flocks, generally, but not unfrequently singly, 

 and readily perches on being disturbed. 



In the few instances when I have obtained specimens of the Nou-rimgt 

 I have not found their food to consist of ants, but of other insects, chief- 

 ly coleopterous. Length 6| inches; of wing4| ; tail 1£; tarsus 1 ,yhs . 

 Irides, hazel brown j bill black; legs yellowish pink, 



