580. Stoparola sordida.
The Dusky-blue Flycatcher.
Glaucomyias sordida, Wald. A. M. N. H. (4) v, p. 218 (1870);. Hume, S. F. iii, p. 401. Stoparola sordida (Wald.), Sharpe, Cat. 13. M. iv, p. 440; Hume, Cat. no. 302 bis; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 419, pl. xviii; Oates in Hume's N. & E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 11.
Coloration. Male. Forehead and a short eyebrow bright cobalt-blue ; lores and region of the nostrils black; the whole body-plumage ashy grey tinged with blue, brightest on the crown; abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts albescent; wing-coverts, wings, and tail dark brown, very narrowly margined with ashy blue.
The young are dark brown above, each feather with a streak or oval drop of fulvous in the centre ; lower plumage fulvous white, each feather margined with blackish ; abdomen albescent.
Iris reddish brown to brown; bill black; legs and feet dark plumbeous, the feet sometimes blackish, much darker than tarsus ; claws black (Legge).
Length about 6; tail 2.5; wing 3; tarsus .75; bill from gape .7.
It is very probable that the female of this species will be found to be slightly duller in colour than the male, but I have seen no sexed female. All the birds in the small series of this species in the British Museum appear to be males, but only one is so sexed.
Distribution. A resident in Ceylon up to 2000 feet.
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