LAEVIVOEA BEFNNEA. 
447 
Ohs. This interesting genus appears to form a link between the Saxicoline birds and the true Thrushes. It only 
differs from Turdus in its small si/.e, slightly straighter and less notched bill, and shorter tail. Its habits are 
essentially those of a forest-loving Thrush, resembling such in its mode of feeding and progression, its flight, and 
At the time that Hodgson named this bird L. cyana, he perhaps did not know that Pallas had already applied a term 
of similar meaning (cyane) to the Siberian and Chinese species, or he would not sure y ai e emp ojq a i e w ue 
sounded so much like a previously bestowed one. It has been in vogue up to t e presen ^ y . n lau u ri ei s , ut 
I propose here to discard it, as it is, in my opinion, inexpedient to use a specific name o simi ai sense o, aiu o y 
differing in its terminal letter from, an already existing one; and I will take the ^ ° 
Mr. Sharpe approves of my decision. The specific name, it is true, is not very app ica o o e ® ® 
present species ; but there are, I think, precedents for such a departure from strictly app ica e immenc ^ ^ • 
Mr. Swinhoe procured the true L. cyane in China, and named it L. gracilis (‘ Ibis, 1861, p. 262), as . y > 
whom he sent his specimen, pronounced it to be distinct from Hodgson’s bird ; and it was not unti our j sar* 
later that he recognized in Pallas’s figure of Lusciola cyane (pi. x. ‘ Travels in Eastern Siberia ) his C uitse iiri . 
The male of Larvivora cyane has the upper surface dark blue, the forehead and above the eye brighter than t e eac , 
wings and tail brown, edged with dull blue ; chin, fore neck, and under surface pure white, separated ^ 
blue of the head and hind neck by a broad black border, which starts from the lores, covering the cheeks, face, 
and ear-coverts, and descending the sides of the neck to the flanks. Length 4'6 inches, wing (in seven exainp i s) 
varying from 2-8 to 3-0. An immature male (September) has the head and hind neck brown ; back and rump 
dull blue ; beneath whitish, washed with rufous-buff on the sides of the throat and chest ; the cheeks barred v ith 
dusky grey: a female (May) is olive-brown; under surface whitish, washed with buff ; the feathers of the sides 
of the throat and across the chest tipped with dusky grey; wing 2-75. These examples are in the ‘ Swinhoe 
collection,” forming part of Mr. Seebohm’s museum. It is found in Tenasserim, as well as in China and Eastern 
Siberia. 
Distribution . — This handsome Chat is a migrant to our hills, arriving in the island about the middle of 
October and departing again in April. Being a bird of weak flight its migration to the Kandyan Province 
takes place by a gradual movement through the jungle from the extreme north, where it first appears. There 
Layard procured specimens in October 1851, and in the same month in 1873 I obtained a male example 
in the jungles surrounding Trincomalie. It is chiefly located in the upper hills or main range, being very 
common in the Horton Plains and throughout all the Nuwara-Elliya district ; lowmr down it is found in all 
the surrounding coftee-districts, including the Knuckles or trans-Kandyan hills as low as 3000 feet. In the 
eastern parts of Uva it is not common, the great expanse of patnas below the plateau and the deep valley of 
Badulla probably proving a barrier to its progress. In the southern hills I never met with it ; but it was 
probably overlooked by me, as there is no reason to suppose that some individuals do not cross the Safii again 
valley to the Morowak and Koloiina Korales. It is worthy of remark that it comes to us largely in the young 
stage ; and I have likewise observed that females predominate. 
Concerning its distribution in India, Jerdon remarks that it is found in the Himalayas from Cashmere to 
Sikhim, and in the cold weather extends in small numbers to the plains, for it is procured near Calcutta. 
It is also an inhabitant of the Nilghiris. He met with it in a mango-grove at Nellore in the month of Maich, 
at which time, as he suggests, it must have been migrating northwards. It appears to be resident in the 
Nilghiris, as it breeds there. Dr. Pairbank mentions it as being found in Mahabaleshwar, which has an altitu e 
above the sea of 4700 feet, and on the Goa frontier ; but he does not say at what season of the yeai he met 
with it. 
Habits . — ^This retiring little bird is almost wholly terrestrial in its habits, dwelling in nilloo 
dense undergrowth of the hill-forests, and now and then coming out into hedges and thice cove ^ i, ^ 
which are m proximity to the jungle; it even then covets the shelter which i edge of 
affords it, only showing itself for a moment or two, and then retreating, it ^ i ^ „i m 
+lii/^lrpf’S Oil. tilO IG^lSt ctlcLriTl* .L!lC 
forest-path searching for insects ; but it quickly disappears ^,.,eath the choice conifers and 
Hakgala Gardens are suitable to its habits ; here it finds a welcome sbclte ,i i * -i ti- i 
handsome shrubs with which the enclosure abounds, and searches for its food in t le we ^ .+vi.- 
along the ground or over prostrate dead wood with quick hops, and darts active y a jou , a ig i in^ on 
