422 
SIPHIA TICKELLI^. 
examined from the latter present slight pomts of dissimilarity. Two males from Kattiawar (wings 2-8 and 
2‘9 inches), and another labelled “ India” (wing 2'8), in the British Museum, have the breasts somewhat deeper 
rufous. An example from Yunnan has the lower parts tinged faintly with rufous, like my Opatc bird ; and another, 
a female from the peninsula of India, is paler than insular females on the back, and has the abdomen and vent 
faintly tinged with rufous-huff. These instances tend to show that the Indian and Javan birds almost run into 
one another. In regard to the lattei', C, hanyumas, with w’hich our species was formerly confounded, its only 
distinctive character lies in the belly and under tail-coverts being more or less washed with the rufous hue of the 
breast, instead of being white. I say, more or less, because some examples are much paler in this respect than 
others. A male from Bintulu, W. Borneo (wing 2-75), has the belly and under tail-coverts quite rufous ; while 
two others from Labuan have these parts only slightly tinged with it, being very little deeper-coloured than 
the above-mentioned Southern-Ceylon example. 
Distribution . — This Flycatcher is widely dispersed through the wdiole island, being an inhabitant of all 
forest and tracts of jungle, and is very numerous, being equally at home in the vast jungles of the north and 
east, and in the tall timber-forests of Saffragam and the south-western hill-district. In the Central Province 
it ranges up to 4000 feet, commonly in Uva, and more rarely in the western portions of Dimbulla, Maskeliya, &c. 
In the great forest-distiicts of the island its favourite habitat are the borders of rivers and tanks ; but it is so 
common there, that it may be met with in any part of the jungle, and was in the Trincomalie district even an 
inhabitant of the isolated Ostenburgh woods between the harbour and the sea. In the south-west it is more 
abundant in the timber-forests on the banks of the Gindurah than elsewhere ; but in parts of the Western 
Province (at Kaduwella and other places between Colombo and Safi'ragam, for instance) I have found it 
occupying the compounds and gardens of the natives, as well as the jungles surrounding the villages. 
It is singular that a bird so common was not noticed by Layard during his travels through the 
island. 
On the mainland this species extends from South India to the north-west of the peninsula, where it is 
found in the hilly tracts of Kattiawar, but nowhere else, according to Mr. Hume, in the circumjacent region, 
except at Mount Aboo, where Captain Butler procured it. Mr. Hume records it from Kumaon ; and it doubtless 
occurs further east along the base of the Himalayas, as it has been got near Calcutta. It is not mentioned 
in ‘ Stray Feathers' as inhabiting Burmah or Tenasserim, although the late Marquis of Tweeddale says that it 
was obtained by Lieutenant Ramsay in Karennee. I am also unable to separate the example above cited, in 
Dr. Anderson's “Yunnan” eolleetion, from Indian examples of the species. In Central India it is not 
uneommon; Mr. Ball procured it in the Satpura hills, and remarks that it is rare in Chota Nagpur. 
Mr. Fairbank writes that it is found everywhere in the Khandala district in suitable localities; and 
Messrs. Davidson and Wender record it from Sholapoor, in the Deccan. Jerdon writes that it inhabits the 
Carnatic and the Malabar coast, and Mr. Fairbank procured it in the Palani hills. 
Habits . — This pretty bird frequents a variety of situations in jungle and forest, avoiding, however, 
the thorny scrubs in the dry coast-districts ; it is very partial to tall underwood beneath the gigantic trees 
which line and overhang the river- banks in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, or rear their majestic heads in 
the shade of the lofty precipices which scarp the rocky ranges of the Park country. In such spots, which 
foster the life of myriads of tropical insects, these little birds ply their busy vocation, the male constantly 
piping out its sweet quick little whistle, resembling somewhat the syllables tee-titi-wit-titu-w^, which is 
answered by the female with a monosyllabic “ chit ” note. In the dusk of the evening it is a most restless 
bird, the male resorting to some overshadowed thicket, and flying from branch to branch, repeatedly uttering 
its whistle, which is continued long after the dense surrounding forest has shut out the last rays of departing 
daylight. It is at these times very difficult to catch sight of, its dark blue plumage assimilating with the 
gloomy aspect of the jungle. It is unsociable towards its fellows, the males strictly keeping at a distance from 
one another, even when there are several in the same glen or grove. During most part of the day it does 
not display any great activity, but rests, after the morning meal, on slender horizontal branches, now and then 
making a sally at a passing insect. 
Nidijication . — In the Western Province I have shot the young in nestling-plumage at the end of June, 
