346 BIKDS OF INDIA. 



Length 23 inches ; wing 6| ; tail 16| ; bill at front 1^ ; tarsus 

 nearly H. 



The nostrils are pierced at the end of a red membrane, which 

 is continuous with the orbitar skin ; the bill is comparatively small. 



This handsome bird is found in Lower Bengal, Central India, 

 and the Northern Circars, also in the warmer valleys of the Hima- 

 layas. It extends to Assam, Burmah and Malacca, where very 

 abundant. 



I have usually seen it solitary, wandering about in the forests, 

 and eating large insects, mantides, crickets, grasshoppers, and 

 also large caterpillars. In Sikim it is only found in -the warmer 

 valleys up to 3,000 feet or so. The eggs were brought to me at 

 Darjeeling, two in number, pure white, and of a long oval form. 

 I did not see the nest, which was said to be a large mass of sticks 

 and roots. I took another and similar egg from the oviduct of a 

 female which I shot. Mr. Blyth remarks that its presence is often 

 betrayed by its voice, which is a low monosyllabic chuok^ often 

 repeated, and delivered commonly when perched on the bough 

 of a tree. 



216. Zanclostomus viridirostris, Jerdon. 



Jerdon, Cat. 229—111. Ind. Orn.. PL 3— Blyth, Cat. 375— 

 HoESF., Cat. 1010 — Fhsenicophaus Jerdoni, Blyth — Kappra- 

 jjopya, H. — JVamana kaki, Tel. i. e. Dwarf Crow. 



The Small Green-billed Malkoha. 



Descr. — Above, dusky cinereous, Avitli a tinge of glossy green ; 

 wings and tail glossy green-black, the latter tipped with white ; 

 beneath light greyish, Avith a tinge of fawn colour, mixed with 

 blackish, on the chin and throat. 



Bill bright apple-green ; naked skin around eyes cobalt blue ; 

 irides blood-red ; legs blackish-green. 



Length 15 inches ; wdng 5;^ ; tail 10 ; bill at front 1 ; tarsus ly% ; 

 weight 2h oz. 



This species is a dwarf representative of the last, differing 

 slightly in color, in the ferruginous tinge of the lower parts, the 



