Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 2).djvu/132

118 throughout Tenasserim these feathers contain more black and less white, and in this respect approach C. musicus of Java. It is not, however, difficult to find birds in Ceylon and parts of India with these feathers almost entirely black, and consequently I do not think that this character can be utilized for the separation of the two species.

With regard to the other point, Indian and Burmese birds have the under wing-coverts and axillaries almost entirely white, but in the southern parts of Tenasserim some birds are found with these parts more black than white ; but still they cannot be considered to be C. musicus, in which these parts are almost entirely black, and consequently I do not admit this latter species into the Indian list.

Distribution. Occurs in almost every part of the Empire and Ceylon, ascending the Himalayas up to about 5000 feet ; rare in the extreme North-west and Sind, and probably absent from the Nicobars.

Habits, fyc. A common and familiar bird wherever it occurs. This species has many of the habits of the common English Robin, being equally confiding and entering verandahs of houses without fear. It is a fairly good songster, feeds on the ground on insects, and has the habit of raising its tail perpendicularly at the end of its run. This bird breeds from March to July, constructing a rough nest in holes of trees, or walls, or in houses, and laying five eggs, which are greenish marked with reddish brown, and measure about -87 by -66.

Genus CITTOCINCLA, Gould, 1836.

The genus Cittocinda contains the Shamas, of which two species inhabit India, one being universally distributed and one confined to the An damans.

This genus differs from Copsyclius in its longer tail, which considerably exceeds the wing in length. The Shamas frequent thick woods and tree-jungle, and feed on the ground. One species at least sings very well, but C. albiventris is said to have no voice.

Key to the Species.

a. Abdomen rufous C. macrura, p. 118. b. Abdomen white C. albiventris, p. 120.

664. Cittocincla macrura. The Sliama.

Turdus macrourus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i, p. 820 (1788). Kittacincla macroura (<7m.), Blyth, Cat. p. 1G5 ; Horsf. fy M. Cat. i, p. 279; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 116 ; Sanies, Birds J5om.'p. 197.

Cittocincla macrura (Gm.), Legge, Birds Ceyl. -p. 437 ; Oates, J3. B. i, p. 22 ; id. in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. ii. p. 86.