PKRICROCOI 177 



Upper surface of body ashy grey; a narrow frontal band, lores, chin, 

 throat and ear coverts blackish ; wing coverts black, tho lesser Beri 

 with dull grey, and the greater with a narrow orange tip; quills dusky bhuk. 

 duller toward the tips; the bases of the primaries, except the first three, 

 orange red, forming a conspicuous wing patch ; rump and upper tail coverts 

 bright vermilion; tail black, the four outer feathers on each side widely 

 tipped with orange ; the breast vermilion, also the upper abdomen and flanks ; 

 fading on the lower abdomen, vent and under tail coverts to yellowish ; under 

 wing coverts and edge of the wing yellow ; thigh coverts dusky black. Bill 

 and legs black ; irides brown. 



Length. 6 inches ; wing 2-55 ; tail 3 ; bill at front O'4S. 



The female is light grey above, the throat white, also the eye streak ; sides 

 of forehead and lower parts whitish, tinged with yellow on the breast, 

 abdomen, and under tail coverts ; the flanks and under wing coverts brighter 

 yellow ; quills light brown ; the primaries with narrow white edgings ; the 

 wing spot yellow ; rump vermilion ; colour of bill and legs as in the male. 



Length. 6*25 inches; wing 2-75 ; bill 0*45 ; tail 3*1. 



Hab. India, Ceylon, Burmese countries, Andamans and Java. Occurs in 

 the N.-W. Himalayas, South and Central India, Nepaul, the Punjab, N.-\V. 

 Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Rajputana, Deccan, Kutch, Kattiawar, Jodhpore, 

 and N. Guzerat. In Sind it is a winter visitant, arriving in August and 

 remaining till about the end of December. 



The Small Minivet is most abundant wherever it is found, and like the 

 other species of the genus is a restless bird. It is usually found in small 

 parties. Breeds from about the end of April to the end of June. The nest 

 is a very neat cup, made of very fine twigs, and coated thickly with cobwebs, 

 to which are attached dead leaves, &c. The cobwebs are the nests of a 

 species of spider which build on trees an almost circular papery covering ; 

 with these this Minivet lines the outside, making the nest appear as if there 

 were knotty excrescences growing on it. The nest is usually placed high up 

 and in a fork at the end of a bough. Eggs three in number, pale green, 

 marked with reddish brown. 



195. Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vigors. P. Z. S. 1831^.43; 



Jerd. B. Ind. i.p.42l, No. 273 ; S/olickza, J. A. S. B. xxxvii. pt. ii. p. 27; 

 Beavan, Ibis, 1870, p. 314; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 183; Bl. B. Burmah, 

 p. 123 ; Sharpe, S/r. F iv. p. 209 ; Hume, Sir. v. p. 187 ; id. and Dav. S. 

 F. vi. p. 21 1 ; Hume, viii. p. 91 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br.Mus. iv. p. 79; Oa/es, 

 B. Br. Burmah, i. p. 240; Murray^ Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 125. The SHORT- 

 BILLED MINIVET. 



Head, nape, upper back, wings and middle tail feathers glossy blue-black ; 

 the lower back, rump and upper tail coverts deep crimson ; lateral tail 

 feathers crimson, the bases black; wing coverts glossy black; the greater 



