NYROCA NYROCA BAERI 273 



(41) NYROCA NYROCA BAERI. 

 THE EASTERN WHITE-EYE. 



Anas nyroca, GuhlcnstdiU New. Cumin. Sc. rdropol, xiv. i, p. 40;] (17G9), 



(South Eussia). 

 Fuligula baeri, F,nn,r. A. S. B. 189G, p. fil ; id. J. A. S. Ti. Ixvi.pt- 2, 



p. 525; 111. IikJmii Jiiickf:, .Lsiaii, 1899. 

 Nyroca baeri, Salvaduri, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 344 ; Blanford, Avifauna 



B. I. iv, p. 4G1; Oatcs, Game-B. ii, p. 328; S/;/rt7-i! Baker, 



J. B. N. II. S., xii, p. (ilO (1899) ; id. Indian I>Hck.s. p. 223 (1908) ; 



Hnjnvood, J. B. N. H. S. xxi, p. 1221 (1912) ; Hiciginx, ibid, xxii, 



p. 399 (1914) ; Stevens, ibid, xxiii, p. 735 (1915) ; Higgins, ibid, xxiv, 



p. 606 (1916). 



Description. Adult Male.— A large spot at the angle of the chin pure 

 white ; the remainder of the head and neck black, glossed with green ; breast 

 rufous-chestnut, that colour merging into the black of the head, but sharply 

 defined from tlie white of the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the feathers 

 of the vent brownish at the base ; fianks rufous-brown ; upper parts dark- 

 brown ; the scapulars and interscapulars very finely covered with narrow 

 bars of lighter brown ; vent and upper tail-coverts brownish -l)lack, a few of 

 the feathers at the sides finely vermiculated with white ; tail brown ; wing- 

 coverts dark-brown ; the outer secondaries white with a broad subterminal 

 black band; quills brown, the inner webs of the primaries greyish-brown ; 

 the inner secondaries very dark brown, in good specimens very narrowly 

 margined black on nearly tlie whole of the outer web and glossed with olive- 

 green . 



Colours of soft parts.— " Feet lead-grey, with the joints darker; irides 

 white or pale yellow-." (Salvadori.) 



Bill dull slate-blue, the basal third, tip, and nail black ; irides white ; legs 

 and feet greyish-leaden, joints and webs darker. 



Measurements.— " Length 18 to 20 inches, wing 8'2 to 9'5, bill from 

 point of forehead 1'75, from extreme base 2'2, from gape 2'1, breadth at base 

 '73, and at broadest part '86, tarsus 1'4. 



Adult Female. — Like the male, but the head is blackish-brown unglossed 

 with green, and has the anterior part rufous ; the spot on the chin appears to 

 be smaller, and the throat and lower part of the neck are more rufescent and 

 paler ; the whole tone of the bird is duller, and the definition between the 

 breast and abdomen is blurred and indistinct, while the abdomen itself 

 appears to be a sullied, not pure, white. 



Colours of soft parts. — Irides grey or brown, perhaps white in very old 

 females ; bill and feet as in the male, but still duller. 



18 



