MEGALAIMID^. 311 



diminishing, upon the green of the back, whilst each wing-covert and 

 tertiary has a whitish speck on the tip, never seen in lineatus; the fore- 

 neck and breast are ahnost uniform brown, with pale mesial streaks. 



Bill pale orange-brown ; iris red-brown ; bare orbitar skin dull 

 orange ; legs light yellowish-brown. 



Length 10^ inches ; extent 16 ; wing 5; tail 3^; bill at front If; 

 tarsus Ij'q. 



This Green Barbet is found throughout the greater part of the 

 peninsula of India. I have procured it in the Eastern Ghauts, also in 

 Malabar, from Goomsoor, Central India, Nagpore and Chanda, the 

 jungles of the Vindhian range of hills, and Bundelkund. Blyth 

 obtained it in the Midnapore jungles, whence it extends throuoh 

 Chota Nagpore to Central India. It has also been found in the 

 Dehra Dhoon. 



Its loud cry is familiar to every sportsman, wherever its rano-e 

 extends, and is often quite startling. Like the call of the others of 

 this group, it is something like the word kutur, kotur kotur, preceded 

 by a harsh sort of laugh. They continue to call for some minutes at 

 a time, and are heard at all hours, frequently indeed at night, espe- 

 cially when there is moonlight ; hence several of the native names. 

 Its usual food is fruit and berries, occasionally insects, Mr. Elliot, 

 in his remarks, notes " one was shot pecking at the flowers of a 

 tree." He further states, that on each side of the throat there is a 

 naked spot with the skin wrinkled, which the bird probably con- 

 tracts and expands when calling. 



Megalaima zeylanica, Gmelin, from Ceylon, is very closely allied 

 to this, and very possibly may replace it in the extreme south 

 of India. It differs in its somewhat smaller size, the head, neck, 

 and breast, being much browner, the pale central streaks being much 

 reduced, and the light specks, on the extremity of the wing-coveits, 

 are also reduced, and perhaps fewer in number. 



Length 9^ inches ; wing 4|^ ; tail 2| ; bill at front 1;^. 



194. Megalaima viridis, Gmel. 



Bucco, apud Gmelin — Blyth, Cat. 319 — Hoesf., Cat. 926 — 

 Jerdon, Cat. 217 (in part) — Jekdon, 111. Ind. Orn., pi. 26 — ■ 

 Sykes, Cat. 123. 



