Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/416

372 (388) Microscelis psaroides concolor.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Differs from M. p. psaroides in having the grey very dark, darker even than in nigrescens and in having the black of the head merge into the slightly paler back without any definition between the two.

Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the Himalayan form.

Distribution. Eastern Burma, Shan States, Yunnan, Siam and South Burma to Muleyit Mountain. Anderson's yunnanensis cannot be separated from this form.

Nidification. Similar to that of the other birds of this genus. Twelve eggs average 27.2 × 19.4 mm., these few varying very little either in size or shape.

Habits. This is a forest bird, according to Davison keeping more to the outskirts of jungle, clearings and more open forest than the other races do. It is found from the level of the plains in winter to at least 7,000 feet in the Kachin Hills in summer.

(389) Microscelis psaroides ganeesa.

Vernacular names. Kele Kondiya (Ceylon).

Description. Differs from all the other races in having no black line round the ear-coverts; the grey is darker than in the Himalayan form but the head is sharply defined from the back. There is little or no white on the abdomen.

Colours of soft parts. "Iris hazel dyed with lake-red; bill orange-vermilion; feet orange-yellow" (Fairbank).

Measurements. This is the smallest of all the races except for some specimens from the extreme South of Burma. Wing 112 to 120 mm., tail about 100 to 105 mm.

Distribution. India South from Matheran and Ceylon. McMaster obtained it at Chikaldar on the Garwilgurgh Hills in Berar.

Nidification. The Southern Black Bulbul seems normally to frequent higher elevations for breeding purposes than do the other races and will not often be found breeding below 4,000 feet. It builds a nest similar to those of its relations elsewhere but makes a greater use of dead leaves in its construction. It is often placed at very great heights and seldom on saplings or bushes. The eggs are almost invariably two only and differ from those of the