Cyornis pallipes, Jerd.
309. :- Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 469 ; Butler, Deccan; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 397.
THE WHITE-BELLIED BLUE FLY-CATCHER.
Length, 6.5; expanse, 10 ; wing, 3 ; tail, 2.5 ; bill at front, from edge of feathers, 0.5 ; tarsus, 0.73.
Bill black; irides brown ; feet and claws vary from pale whity-brown to pale leaden-grey.
Entirely of a deep indigo-blue, except on the belly and under tail-coverts which are white ; wings and tail dusky on their inner webs.
The above is Dr. Jerdon's description which is very brief and not altogether satisfactory. I therefore subjoin Mr. Hume's description: :-
The lores and an excessively narrow line across the forehead at the base of the bill black ; above this the forehead and two long superciliary stripes are of a perceptibly paler and brighter blue than the rest of the plumage ; the belly, abdomen, vent, and lower tail-coverts, and greater portion of wing-lining, pure white ; sides and flanks greyish ; chin blackish ; inner webs of the quills, greater-coverts, and tail-feathers, hair-brown ; the rest of the plumage dull blue, indigo in some specimens.
The White-bellied Blue Fly-catcher is probably a rare cold weather visitant to the Ghat range only. It has been obtained on the Goa frontier and on the Ghats west of Belgaum.
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