PYCNOJfOTUS. 419 



(434) Pyciionotus plumosus plumosus. 



TuE Lakue Olive Bulbul. 



Pycnonotus plumosus Blvtli, J. A. S. B., xiv, p. o67 (1845) (Siiiga- 

 pore) ; Blanf. & Gates,' i, p. 292. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Forehead and crown dark greyish brown, each 

 feather margined with olive-green; wings and tail darlv brown, 

 tlie outer webs of the feathers washed with bright ohve-green ; 

 lores dark brown ; cheeks and chin dull whity-brown ; ear-coverts 

 dark brown with silvery-vvliite shafts ; lower plumage ashy- 

 brown, slightly mottled and streaked with dull ochraeeous : 

 under wing- and tail-coverts and edge of wing brighter ochra- 

 eeous. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris burnt sienna-brown to dark cinnabar- 

 red ; bill almost black ; legs and feet reddisb brown, darker ii) 

 sojne, paler in others {Hume). 



Measurements. Length about I'JO to 200 mm. : wing 7S to 

 89 mm. ; tail about 84 mm.; tarsus about 19 to 20 mm. ; culuien 

 about 15 to 16 mm. 



Distribution. It is extremely difllcult to define the boundaries 

 between this bird and tlie next, P. j^. robinsoni. It appears that 

 the present bird is found in the South of the Malay Peninsula in 

 Johore, Pahang, Perak, Keda and thence up the West coast of 

 Teuasseriui as farXorth as Tenasserim Town and also in Sumatra 

 and Borneo, whilst liobinson's Bulbul works North from Pataui 

 up the East coast. 



Nidification. Nests taken by Davison, Kellow and Waterstradt 

 wei'e of the ordinary Bulbul type built low down in bushes generally 

 in thin forest, sometimes in fairly dense forest but not, apparently, 

 in cultivated and A'iliage areas. The eggs are two or three in 

 number, most often the former, and one clutch in the Waterstradt 

 collection was a live, but this must be quite exceptional. The 

 eggs are like those of the rest of the geuus and it is doubtful if 

 any of tliese can be distinguished from one another except, 

 perhaps, by size. Ten eggs average about 22-0xl7'7 mm. but 

 Davison's eggs seeui to be abnormally big. Six of my own only 

 measure 21 -8 x 161 mm. 



This speci-s breeds in February, March and April. 



Habits. This Bulbul is a bird of forests rather than of open 

 country and Mr. Kellow informed me that he took the nests in 

 almost impenetrable cane-brakes along streams in virgin forest. 

 They are quite unobtrusive birds, keeping to the lower trees and 

 bushes and having a chirping chatter, according to Davison, like 

 that of Cfiniyer. They feed chiefly on berries. 



2 K 2 



