Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 2).djvu/41

Rh Genus NITIDULA, Jerdon & Blyth, 1861.

The single species of this genus differs from the members of Cyornis in having a very narrow slender bill. It has been observed very little, and I cannot find a single note about its habits. In structure this bird is a true Flycatcher, having well-developed hairs over the nostrils.

578. Nitidula hodgsoni. The Pigmy Blue Fit/catcher.

Neraura hodjrsoni, Moore, P. Z. S. 1854, p. 70, pi. 62 : Horsf. 8f M. Cat.i t p. 300.

Nitidula campbelli, Jerdon $ Bhftli, P. Z. S. 1861, 201.

Nitidula hodgsoni (Moore), Jerd. B. I., p. 472 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 159 ; Gmlw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xlvii, pt. ii, p. 15; Hume, Cat. no. 313 ; id. S. F. xi, p. lli>. Tarsiger hodgaoui (Moore), Sharps, ('<i/. Ii. M. iv, p. 258.

Coloration. Male. Lores and a frontal band black ; sides of the head black, with a bluish tinge ; the whole upper plumage bright

Fig. 9. Bill of N. hodgsoni.

blue, the anterior half of the crown ultramarine ; wings and tail black, the outer webs edged with blue ; the whole lower plumage pale orange-yellow ; under wing-coverts and axillaries white.

Female. The whole upper plumage, the exterior margins of the wing- and tail-feathers, and the ear-coverts olive-brown, slightly rufescent on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; lores and cheeks fulvous yellow, slightly mottled with brown; the whole lower plumage saffron-yellow, paling on the abdomen and under tail- covorts.

I have not been able to examine a nestling bird ; but after the autumn moult the young of both sexes resemble the adult female, and the male begins to assume the adult plumage about March.

Bill black ; legs pale reddish ; iris dark brown (Jerdon).

Length nearly 4; tail 1*4; wing 1*9; tarsus *6 ; bill from gape *5.

Distribution. A resident species in Sikhim up to 7000 feet or higher ; Sadiya and Dibrugarh in Assam ; the Naga hills.

Genus STOPAROLA, Blyth, 1847.

The genus Stoparola is hardly worthy of separation from. All the members of the g< MI us, however, are green' or blue throughout in both scxrs, ami the tvpe of the genus has a