98 SOME NOTES ON BIRDS IN SARAWAK.-BY R. B. WILLIAMS. 
flies like a Swallow. A very plucky and pugnacious bird 
like the other Drongo. Feet and tarsus black. Probably 
most of its food is caught on the wing. Its flight is typical 
of a Flycatcher, uneven and darting; it will sit on a 
branch and make short excursions after flying insects, 
returning again to the same perch. Oil-gland bare and 
rounded ; iris dark brown. 
Dissemurus paradiseus, Linn. 
(The Racquet-tailed Drongo .) 
Fairly common, but not nearly so plentiful as it is in 
Java. When excited, the feathers on the forehead are 
erected. The flight is like that of a Flycatcher, and 
probably most of its food (insects) is captured on the 
wing. The feet are black, with strong, sharp claws, and 
altogether it is a formidable bird for its size. The Malays 
call it “ Burong brani.” The elongated tail feathers are 
the underneath pair. I have shot one in which these 
feathers were quite perfect, and had not the bare shafts 
usually seen; either this was a young one or the feathers 
were not full grown after the moult. The long tail feathers 
of the above measured 10| inches, with bare shafts after 
the tail proper was ended and before the racquet-like ends 
were reached. These racquets are finely scrolled, and the 
bare shafts have the appearance of being worn to that bare 
state. Iris black. 
May 2 5th, 1918.—I saw three of these birds sitting on 
a low branch, two young ones and one full-grown ; I shot 
the old bird, a male, and one young one; the iris of the 
old bird was dark red, while that of the younger was dull 
brown. The two racquet-tail feathers of the young speci¬ 
men had not grown beyond the length of the other tail- 
feathers, but had just started to curl at the tips. While I 
gathered these two birds, another old bird, probably a 
female, came and sat on the same branch, with quite a 
large Lizard in its bill. About a year before this I shot 
one of these birds which must also have been young, as its 
iris was brown and the elongated tail-feathers, though 
nearly as long as in the mature specimen, had not the bare 
shafts, so that these shafts are probably worn bare by use. 
