THE CEOW-BILLED DRONGO. 
217 
Bill pale bluish grey ; irides pale buffy yellow ; feet plumbeous ; claws 
blue at base^ pale horny at tip. [Scully.) 
Length 11 inches, tail 4*5, wing Q, tarsus 1, bill from gape 1*45. The 
female is probably smaller than the male. 
The Maroon Oriole is a rare bird in Burmah. Mr. Blyth records it 
from Arrakan, whence I have also received it. Capt. Wardlaw Bamsay 
procured it at Tonghoo and in the Karin hills, as also in Karennee. My 
men got a few specimens near Tonghoo, and Mr. de Wet also sent it me 
thence. Mr. Davison observed it at Kyouknyat, but at no other place in 
Tenasserim. 
It extends throughout the whole range of the Himalayas from Assam 
to the valley of the Sutlej. 
A very lovely allied species (0. ardens) occurs in China. 
Dr. Jerdon states that this Oriole is generally found in small flocks, 
keeping to high trees, and has a fine loud mellow call. Those birds he 
examined had partaken of caterpillars only. 
Family DICRURIDiE. 
Genus DICEURUS, Vieill. 
211. DICRURUS ANNECTENS. 
THE CBOW-BILLED DBONGO. 
Buchanga annectans, Hodgs. Ind. Rev. i. p. 326. Edolius affinis, Bl. J. A. S. B. 
xi. p. 174. Dicrurus balicassius (Limi.), Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 430. Dicrurus 
annectens, Bl. Sj- Wcdd. B. Burm. p. 131 ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. Mus. iii. 
p. 231 ; Tweedd. Ibis, 1878, p. 72. Dicrurus annectans, Hume ^ Dav. S. F. 
vi. pp. 213, 509 ; Hume, 8. F. viii. p. 91 ; Gates, S. F. x. p. 201. 
Description. — Male and female. The whole plumage black, glossed with 
steel-blue, except on the lores, ear-coverts, the inner webs of the quills, 
axillaries and under wing-coverts. 
Birds not quite adult have the axillaries and under wing-coverts tipped 
with white, and birds still younger have the under tail-coverts also tipped 
with white. 
Young birds of the year have the whole lower plumage from the breast 
to the tail barred with white. 
The change from the young to the adult plumage consists entirely in 
the gradual disappearance of the white marks on the lower plumage ; but 
there is a tendency to retain these marks in some degree even in old age. 
Birds entirely black are comparatively seldom met with. 
