Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/462

 416 PYCNONOTIDiE.

Description. Forehead, crown, nape, sides of head and extreme point of chin hlack; throat ruby-red, the feathers long and rather bristly; upper plumage yellowish green; wings brown, the outer webs of the feathers yellowish green; tail the same; lower plumage bright yellow; under wing-coverts and edge of wing yellow.

Colours of soft parts. Iris pale cream to bright yellow; bill black; legs and feet dark plumbeous to almost black, claws black.

Measurements. Length about 180 mm.; wing 71 to 78 mm.; tail about 66 mm.; tarsus about 15 mm.; culmen about 11"5 to 120 mm.

Distribution. Western India from Kauara to South Travancore.

Nidification. Nests taken by Mr. J. Davidson are described as " small cups, outwardly composed of a mass of large, red dead leaves, slightly bound with one or two roots and spiders' web, and lined inside with a few roots and grass steins of a coarse description.'" The nests were taken from low bushes, only a foot or two above the ground, higher bushes and small saplings as high as 10 feet up. The nests are all placed in forest, generally dense, sometimes thinner but never in open country. "The eggs are two in number, very small for the size of the bird; they are quite devoid of gloss and of a pink colour, mottled thickly all over with the smallest possible dark reddish-brown and purple spots.'*' Eggs sent me by Messrs. J. Davidson and T. R. Bell measure about 20'9 x 15*2 mm. They are very like those of the last bird.

Habits. This is said to be a shy Bulbul, keeping to forested areas in the plains, sometimes going about in small flocks and sometimes in pairs or singly. Davidson sa_ s that it is common in Siddapur and in the wooded parts of Honwar and Kumta and to a less extent in the denser forests of Karawar, Aukola and Tellapur.


 * Pycnonotns cyaniventris Blyth, J. A. S. B., xi, ji. 792 (1841) (Malay Peninsula); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 290.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. The whole head and lower plumage deep slaty- blue; lores black; forehead and a streak over the lores paler blue; upper plumage and wing-coverts bright greenish yellow; tail dark brown, the outer webs greenish yellow nearly up to the tips; wing-quills dark brown, all but the first two primaries edged with greenish yellow; under wing-coverts and edge of wing pale yellow; under tail-coverts bright yellow.