354. Geocichla cyanotus, J. and S.

Turdus apud Jardine and Selby, III. Orn., pi. 46 - Sykes, Cat. 63 - Jerdon, Cat. 84 - Blyth. Cat. 957 - Horsf., Cat. 260 - Tin rang ka Kasturi, H., i. e., the Three-coloured Thrush.  -  Yerra poninki, Tel., i. e. the Red Thrush.

The White-winged Ground-thrush.

Descr. - Head, nape, hind-neck, and sides of neck, ferruginous; the rest of the plumage above dull cyaneous or leaden ; wings and tail dusky, the former with a white spot on the median wing- coverts, and the outer feather of the tail also tipped with white ; lores white ; ear-coverts white in the centre, continued down the sides of the neck, and with a brown spot above and below the latter, passing into ferruginous, and bordering the white of the ears; beneath, the chin, throat, and neck, white; the breast, abdomen and flanks, bright ferruginous, and the vent and under tail-coverts, white.

The female differs from the male only in the colours being less pure.

Bill blackish; legs fleshy-brown; irides dark brown. Length 8 1/2 inches ; extent 14 ; wing 4 1/2; tail 3 ; bill at front 7/10 ; tarsus 1 3/10.

The White-winged Ground-thrush is peculiar to the jungles of Southern India, extending as far as Goomsoor on the east coast, and to Bombay on the west side of India. It is most abundant in the forests of Malabar and Wynaad, but is not rare in the jungles of the Eastern ghats. It prefers bamboo-jungles, feeds on the ground, and generally perches low. Its food is chiefly insects, such as ants, cockroaches, and beetles; but, not unfrequently, also stony fruit. It has rather a sweet song, not often heard, however. Mr. Ward procured the nest in N. Canara, made of roots and grass, placed at no great height from the ground ; and the eggs, three in number, were pale bluish, speckled with brown.