508 OEIOLID^E. 



522. Oriolus traillii. The Maroon Oriole. 



Pastor traillii, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 175 ; Gould, Cent. pi. 35. 

 Analcipus traillii ( Vig.}, Wardlaw Ramsai/, Ibis, 1877, p. 467. 

 Psaropholus traillii ( Vig.), Jard. $ Selb. 111. Orn. iv, pi. 26 ; Blyth % 



Wald. Birds Burm. p. 139. 

 Oriolus traillii (Vig.), Blyth, Cat. p. 215; Horsf. fy M. Cat. i, 



p. 272; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 112; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iii, p. 222; 



Hume, Cat. no. 474 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 299 ; Oates, B. B. i, 



p. 216 ; Hume, S. F. xi, p. 188 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. 



i, p. 362. 



Melambok, Lepch. ; Tania-pia, Bhut. 



Coloration. The whole head, neck, chin, and throat black ; the 

 wings and under wing- coverts, with the tips of some of the 

 scapulars, glossy black ; remainder of plumage, with the tail, 

 bright shining maroon-red, the tail not so bright as the other 

 parts. 



The young have the crown and nape dark brown ; back, rump, 

 scapulars, and wing-coverts dark brown, each feather edged with 

 rufous; upper tail-coverts maroon-red, with black shafts; tail 

 maroon-red ; the greater part of the middle pair of feathers and 

 the edges of the outer webs of the others brown ; lower plumage 

 white, streaked with brown ; under tail-coverts pale maroon ; 

 wings brown. As the bird grows older the head becomes black, 

 the upper plumage loses the rufous fringes and turns gradually to 

 maroon, the under plumage becomes tinged with red, the streaks 

 disappear, and the adult plumage is assumed by a series of slow 

 changes. 



Bill pale bluish grey ; irides pale buffy yellow ; feet plumbeous ; 

 c aws blue at base, pale horny at tip (Scully). 



Length 11 ; tail 4*5 ; wing 6 ; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape 1'45. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from the Sutlej valley to Dibru- 

 garh in Assam ; the Khasi hills ; Manipur ; Karennee ; Northern 

 Tenasserim ; Pegu ; Arrakan. This species is rare and very 

 locally distributed. It ascends the Himalayas to 7000 or 8000 

 feet, 



Habits, $c. The nest of this Oriole has been found in Sikhim in 

 April. It is of the usual Oriole type. The eggs resemble those 

 of 0. Icundoo, and measure about 1'13 by '82. 



