98 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



has the parts that are black in the male light bluish green, surround- 

 ed by the yellowish band, and the maxillary streak li^iht azure. 



Bill dusky ; legs plumbeous ; irides light brown. Length 7^ 

 inches ; wing 3^ ; tail 2| ; bill at front barely y^ ; tarsus not 

 quite -j^y. 



P. cochinchinensis, with which this species was for long con- 

 founded, differs in being a smaller bird; in having more yellow 

 on the forehead and breast ; in the maxillary streak being still 

 shorter, &c., &c. 



This Green Bulbul, is spread over great part of the continent 

 of India, not extending however to Lower Bengal, or to the sub- 

 llimalayan forests. It is extremely common in all the Western 

 provinces, and in the jungles of the Eastern Ghats ; but is more 

 rare in the open country of the Carnatic, Mysore, and Hydrabad. 

 It is found in Central India at Mhow, Saugor. &c., and through 

 the vast jungles of Chota Nagpore up to Midnapore. It is usually 

 met with in pairs, sometimes in small parties, flitting about the 

 extreme branches of trees, examining the leaves for various insects, 

 in pursuit of which it occasionally takes a short flight of a foot or 

 two, or searching for some suitable fruit. It has various notes ; 

 its usual call being, as Mr. Blyth remarks, not unlike that of the 

 King-crow {Dicrurus "inacrocercus), though softened down and 

 mellowed ; and, at times, it has a very pretty song. Tickell says 

 " it is an excellent mocker, and imitates the notes of almost 

 every small bird of the country." I have seen the nest only once. 

 It was neatly but slightly made, cup-shaped, composed chiefly 

 of fine grass, Avith some hairs, and was placed near the extremity 

 of a branch, one or two of the nearest leaves being brought- down, 

 and loosely fixed to it. It contained two eggs, white, with a few 

 claret-coloured blotches. Layard also found the nest in Ceylon 

 *' with four eggs, white, thickly mottled at the obtuse end with 

 purplish spots." 



464. Phyllornis Malabaricus, Latham. 



Turdus, apud Latham — Blytii, Cat. 1286 — Chi. aurifrons, 

 apud Sykes, Cat. 131 — Jerdon, Cat. 71— Chlor. Malabaricus, 

 Jerdon, 2nd Suppl. Cat., page 124. 



