GrEOCICHLA ANDROMEDA ( Temm.).
SHOUT-BILLED BBOWN GBOTTND-THBUSH.
Myiothera andromeda, Temm. PL Col. ii. no. 392 (1826).
Myiophaga andromeda, Lesson, Traite d’Orn. p. 395 (1831). _
Zoothera andromedce, HaxtL Syst. Verz. nat. Samml. Ges. Mus. Bremen, p. 41 (1844).
Zoothera andromeda, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 218 (1847).’
Zoothera andromedon, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 261. no. 3813 (1869).
Geocichla andromedoe, Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 163 (1881).
G. supra schistaceo^brunnea, fasciis nigris obscure notata: supercilio palMo n u llo : pectore cmerascente vix
nigro maculato : hypochondriis albis, nigro squamatim notatis.
The present species was described by Temminck from specimens in. tbe Museums of Leyden
Paris, ¡and the habitat was given as the islands of Java and Sumatra. As regards- its existence
in the latter island, no evidence has since been forthcoming, and the species does not occur in
Dr Vorderman’s list of the birds of Sumatra, nor was it found by Dr. Beccan m that island. It has
also been recorded by Schlegel from Timor, hut the evidence of its .occurrence m that island
lias not been supported by exact-details. .. .. .
This Ground-Tbrush has, however, been obtained in the island of Engano by Dr. Modigliani,
who procured specimens at Bua-Bua in May and June, 1891 (Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. ( )
xii. p. 134, 1S92), and it was met with in Lombok by Dr. A. B. Wallace (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 485), and
more recently it has been procured in the same island by Mr. W. Doherty, who met with it at
heights varying between 2000 and 3000 feet. It evidently breeds in Lombok, as Mr. Doherty
procured young individuals of the species. Mr. Alfred Everett has likewise sent home several young
birds from the same island,, mostly from an altitude of 1500-4000 feet (Hartert, Nbvit. Zool. in. p. 593).
Nothing has apparently been published on the habits of this Ground-Thrush.
The adult male and female may be described as follows:
General colour of the upper parts slaty-brown, the smaller feathers margined with black; lores
white, each feather narrowly margined with dark brown; eye-stripe obsolete; lesser wmg-coverts
brown; median and greater wing-coverts brown; primary-coverts brown, margined on the outer webs
with slaty-brown; tertials brown; secondaries and primaries brown, slightly greyer on the outer webs;
tail-feathers dark brown, the central and lateral pairs brown ; ear-coverts dark slaty-brown, mottled
with white, crossed by an obscure dark hand ; chin and upper throat nearly white, divided from the
cheeks by obscure malar stripes, mottled with nearly black, and shading into slaty-grey on the breast,
and into white on the belly; flank-feathers black, with diamond-shaped white centres; thighs
brown; under tail-coverts white, edged laterally with grey; axillaries black, with white bases ; lower
primary-coverts black; lower secondary-coverts white, with black, bases.
Geocichline markings on inner webs of quills, white.
Second primary about equal to the sixth. Outer tail-feathers 0*25 inch shorter than the longest.
“ Bill black; feet blackish ; iris deep brown ” (W. Doherty).