Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 2).djvu/34

20 Distribution. Nepal and Sikhim ; the plains of Bengal, whence I have seen specimens collected by Brooks at Mudhupur and Assensole on the E.I. Bail way in winter ; the Khasi hills, where this species is a constant resident and breeds ; probably Manipur, where Hume procured a specimen which he doubtfully refers to this species, but which specimen I have not been able to discover in his collection ; Karennee, where Wardlaw Bamsay obtained two specimens.

571. Cyornis sapphira. The Sapphire-headed Flycatcher.

Muscieapula sapphira, TicMl, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xii, p. 939 (1843) ; Jerd. III. Ind. Orn. pi. 32 ; Blyth, Cat. p. 173 ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 295 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 471 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iv. p. 203 j Anders. Yunnan Exped., Aoes, p. 619 ; Hume, Cat. no. 312.

Siphia superciliaris P, apud Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xlv, pt. ii, p. 201.

Coloration. Male. Forehead, crown, nape, and upper tail-coverts bright ultramarine-blue ; lores and a band from the eyes to the nostrils black ; sides of the head and neck, upper breast, back, rump, and visible portions of wing-coverts deep purplish blue; quills black, narrowly edged with blue ; tail black, the outer webs suffused with bright blue; chin, throat, and upper breast chestnut; remainder of lower plumage pale bluish white ; under wing-coverts and axil- laries white.

Female. Upper plumage olive-brown tinged with rufous ; the upper tail-coverts ferruginous ; wing-coverts and quills dark brown, edged with rufous ; forehead and sides of the head bright fulvous- brown, with 'a ring of fulvous round the eye; chin, throat, and breast pale orange-chestnut ; remainder of lower plumage whitish, the flanks and sides of the body tinged with fulvous ; under wing- coverts and axillaries white.

The female of this species, with its red throat and breast, cannot be confounded with the females of O. super ciliaris^ C. melanoleucm, or C. astigma.

The nestling is densely spotted above and on the coverts with fulvous, and mottled with brown below.

At the autumn moult young males assume the plumage of the female, but have the wings, tail, rump, and upper tail-coverts like the adult male.

Bill black ; legs ashy brown; iris brown (Cockburn').

Length 4-5 ; tail 1-8 ; wing 2-3 ; tarsus -6 ; bill from gape -55. Distribution. A permanent resident in Sikhim, probably extending into Nepal ; found also in the Graro and Naga hills, and in the hills to the east of Bhamo.

572. Cyornis oatesi. The Rufous-bellied Blue Flycatcher.

Cyornis vivida, Swinh. apud Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 229 ; Hume Cat. no. 309 bis; id. S. F. xi, p. 111.