122 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Length 24 inches, tail 16, wing 6*5, tarsus 1/3, bill from gape 1'6. The 

 female is rather larger than the male. 



The Large Green-billed Malkoha is a common bird all over Pegu, both 

 in the hills and plains. It extends in Tenasserim, according to Mr. Davi- 

 son, as far as Mergui and the Tenasserim river ; Capt. Bingham says it is 

 common in the Thoungyeen valley, and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay procured 

 it in Karennee. It is probably common in Arrakan. 



Out of Burmah it has been found, according to Mr. Blyth, at Penang 

 and Malacca. Mr. Swinhoe got it in Hainan, and Dr. Tiraud states that 

 it occurs in Cochin China. North of Burmah it ranges through the Indo- 

 Burmese countries into India, being found from the foot of the Himalayas 

 down to Central India. 



This species frequents all sorts of jungle, and is as common in orchards 

 and spare bush-jungle as in deep forests. It goes about solitary or in 

 pairs, gliding among the branches of trees and shrubs in a quiet manner, 

 seldom displaying itself, notwithstanding its long tail. Its food appears to 

 be caterpillars arid grasshoppers, and probably insects of all sorts, as well as 

 small reptiles. It has a low chuckling note. 



I have frequently found the nest of this Malkoha in Pegu from June to 

 August. It is a slight structure constructed of a few dead twigs and leaves, 

 and placed in a bush or on a leafy bamboo. The eggs are white, very chalky 

 in texture, and two in number. 



505. RHOPODYTES DIARDI. 



DIARDI GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA. 



Melias diardi, Less. Tr. d'Orn. p. 132. Zanclostoxnus diardi, El. B. Burm. 

 p. 81. Rhopodytes diardi, Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. p. 163 j Hume, S. F. viii. 

 p. 89. 



Description. Male and female. Forehead, crown, nape, upper back, 

 sides of the head and neck ashy grey ; remainder of upper plumage 

 metallic green tinged with blue ; tail tipped with white ; chin, throat and 

 breast of the same colour as the head but paler, becoming dusky on the 

 abdomen and sides of the body and smoky brown on the vent and under 

 tail- co verts. 



Legs and feet dark plumbeous green; bill pale green; irides dark 

 brown ; the bare orbital space crimson ; edges of eyelids black. (Davison.) 



Length 14 inches, tail 9, wing 5, tarsus 1*2, bill from gape 1*4. The 

 female is of the same size. 



Diard's Green-billed Malkoha has been found in Tenasserim from 



