Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 2).djvu/65

Rh Genus CHELIDORHYNX, Hodgs., 1844.

The genus Chelidorhynx contains only one species of Flycatcher remarkable for the shape of its bill, which is short and pointed, and hen viewed from above forms a perfect equilateral triangle.

Fig. 21. Bill of C. hypoxanthum,

The rictal bristles are extremely numerous and long. The tail is of about the same length as the wing, rounded, and with the shafts thickened and white. The sexes are quite alike.

603. Chelidorhynx hypoxanthum. The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.

Rhipidura liypoxanllia, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xii, p. 936 (1843); id. Cat. p. 205.

Chelidorhynx hypoxantlia (Bl.~), Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 147 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 455; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 47; Hume, N. $ E. p. 204 ; Hume, Cat. no. 294 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 275 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iv, p. 279/Oates, B. B. i, p. 269; id. in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 30.

The Yellow-bellied I 1 ant ail, Jerd. ; Sitte kleotn, Lepch.

Coloration. A broad band on the forehead, continued back as a broad supercilium, and the whole lower plumage bright yellow ; lores, feathers round the eye, cheeks, and ear-coverts dark brown, tinged with green, the shafts of the latter part whitish ; tail brown, with conspicuous white shafts and all the feathers except the middle pair tipped white ; upper plumage and wing-coverts olive-brown, the greater coverts tipped with white; wings brown, edged with the colour of the back.

I have not been able to examine a young bird.

Bill black above, the lower mandible yellow; iris brown; gape orange; feet brownish (Scull 11).

Length about 4-7; tail 2-3; wing 2*1; tarsus *6; bill from gape -4.

Distribution. The Himalayas from Simla to Assam up to 12,000 feet; the Khasi hills; Manipur; the hills east of Toungngoo in IVini. This species appears to be a permanent resident wherever it is found.

Habits, &c. According to Blanford this Flycatcher is usually seen in small flocks hunting about trees. The nest appears to be a deep cup made of moss, hair, wool, &c., built on the branch of a trt.v, and the eggs white without spots.