HYPSIPETES. 19 



winter, frequenting the tops of trees, searching for fruit and insects from flower- 

 laden trees. The nest is a large cup-shaped structure of grass and leaves, 

 and is generally placed in the fork of a branch of a tree. Eggs usually four, 

 pinkish white or purplish white, or rosy sprinkled with claret red, or purple 

 specks and spots. April to July is the breeding season. 



427. HypsipeteS COnCOlor, Blyth. J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 816 ; Blylh 

 and Wald., B. Burm. p. 132 ; Hume and Dav. y vi. p. 295 ; Hume, Str. F. viir. 

 p. 98 ; Bingham, Sir. F. ix. p. 181 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. vi. p. 38 ; 

 Oates, B. Br. Burm., i. p. 174. Hypsipetes yunnanensis, Anders. P. Z. S., 

 1871, p. 213. Hypsipetes subniger, Hume, Str. F. v. p. 109. The BURMESE 

 BLACK BULBUL. 



Like H. psaroides, but darker, the whole back between the scapulars, the 

 lesser coverts, the cheeks and sides of the neck being black. Legs,, bill, and 

 feet from bright to deep coral red ; irides dull crimson. 



Length. 10 inches ; tail 4*5 ; wing 5 ; tarsus 0*7. 



Hal. According to Davison, the Burmese Black Bulbul is found in 

 Tenasserim, from the extreme north down to Meetan at the foot of the 

 Mooleyit Mountain, but it does not ascend to the summit of the highest hills. 

 Captain Ramsay found it atTounghoo, and also in the Karin Hills, and Captain 

 Bingham in the Thoungyeen Valley. Out of British Burmah, Oates says, it 

 has only been found in the east of Bhamo and in the Khasia Hills. Like 

 other species of the genus it goes about in small flocks. 



Sharpe says "it is not easy to draw the line between H. psaroides and this 

 species, and although Assam specimens are referable to H. psaroides rather 

 than this species, there can be no doubt that they are slightly intermediate 

 between the two. Mr. Hume at one time considered this species as distinct, 

 and named it H. subniger, but he has now retracted his decision. To me 

 it appears that H. concolor and H. ganeesa are only provincial or local races 

 or varieties of H. psaroides, and can scarcely be distinct species. H. psaroidts 

 may be said to be the Himalayan form, H. concolor the Burman form, and H. 

 ganeesa the more southern form extending into Ceylon, and all three should 

 be placed under one specific name ; shades of colouring and slightly variable 

 dimensions can hardly be allowed as characters for making specific differences, 

 though there is more than these to speak for ganeesa than for concolor. 



428. Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 86; yard, and 



Selb., III. Orn. 2nd Ser. iv. pi. 2 ; Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiv. p. 574 ; Jerd. B. 

 2nd. ii. p. 78; Fairbank, Str. F. 1876, p. 258; Hume, t. c. p. 400; id., Str. 

 F. 1879, 59^ Hypsipetes nilgherriensis, Jerd. Madr. Journ. 1839, p. 245 ; 

 Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 78, No. 446; Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 280; 

 id., Str. F. 1873, p. 438; Fairbank, Str. F. 1877, p. 405. SYKES' BLACK 

 BULBUL. 



