CATALOaUB. 
153 
Dicrurus cineraceus, apud O. B. Qray. Hodgs.^ Cat. B. 
Nep. p. 98. 
The Long-tailed Shrike. 
Nil Phinga and Dhouh, Beng., Blyth. 
A. b. Calcutta. Presented by the Asiatic Society of 
Bengal. 
c. d. e.f. Nepal. Presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., 
July, 1853. 
g. Bengal. From Bax's Collection. 
h. Kumaon. From Captain R. Strachey's Collection. 
" This is the rarest of all the Indian Dicruri," observes Mr. 
Jerdon. " 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 reseating itself on 
some other tree. Several birds were thus engaged together, though 
at some distance from each other, and returning separately each to 
its own perch. In this respect it makes a nearer approach than any 
other Indian species, to the manner of the African Drongo shrikes, 
as described by Le Vaillant, hunting in flocks like swallows, and 
mentioned by Swainson as being the general habits of the genus. 
Flight of this species similar to that of maerocercus, but more rapid 
and elegant."— (Madr. Journ. L. S. X. p. 240.) 
Captain Hutton remarks : " This species, the only one that visits 
Mussooree, arrives from the Doon about the middle of March, and 
retires again about September. It is abundant during the summer 
months, and breeds from the latter end of April till the middle of 
June, making a very neat nest, which is placed in the bifurcation of 
a horizontal branch of some tall tree, usually oak trees ; it is 
constructed of grey lichens gathered from the trees, and fine seed- 
stalks of grasses, firmly and neatly interwoven ; with the latter it is 
also usually lined, although sometimes a black fibrous lichen is used ; 
externally the materials are kept compactly together, by being 
plastered over with spiders' webs. It is altogether a light and 
elegant nest. The shape is circular, somewhat shallow, and diameter 
within three inches. The eggs are three to four, generally the latter 
number, and so variable in colour and distribution of spots, that 
until I had shot several specimens and compared them narrowly. 
