RHAMPHOCOCCYX. 235 



a greenish gloss, narrowly streaked with white; rest of upper 

 parts metallic bluish green; quills more blue; tail-feathers with 

 long white tips, longest on the outer rectrices ; chin and cheeks 

 white with black shaft-marks ; throat and fore-neck glossy black ; 

 rest of lower parts white. 



Bill apple-green ; irides brown in males, white in females ; 

 whole sides of face crimson ; legs and feet bluish slate (Legge). 



Length about 18; tail 11; wing 6'25; tarsus 1-4; bill from 

 gape 1-6. 



Distribution. Peculiar to Ceylon, found in the forests of the 

 lower tracts almost throughout the island. 



Habits, fyc. According to Legge this is a shy bird, generally 

 keeping to forests with much undergrowth. It is often seen in 

 small flocks. As a rule it is silent, but at times utters a low 

 monosyllabic call when flying about. It lives chiefly on fruit, but 

 occasionally eats small insects, and its flesh is said to be well- 

 flavoured. 



Genus RHAMPHOCOCCYX, Cabanis, 1862. 



Bill similar to that of Phwnicophaes, the nostrils at the base 

 varying in form. A large naked area round the eye, extending to 

 the base of the bill, but not across the forehead ; small eyelashes 

 present. No white on the plumage. Otherwise this genus closely 

 resembles PTicenicopliaes. 



I do not regard Ithinococcycc, Dryococcyx, and Urococcyx as 

 generically distinct] from Rliamphococcycc, the differences in the 

 shape of the nostrils, on which these genera were founded, not 

 being by themselves of sufficient importance. The genus Rhampho- 

 coccyx, as here understood, comprises five known species, and 

 ranges from Tenasserim to Celebes. One species only occurs in 

 Burma. 



1127. Rhamphococcyx erythrognathus. 



Phcenicophaes erythrognathus, Hartlaub, Syst. Verz. Mus. Brem. 



p. 95 (1844) ; Walden, Tr. Z. S. viii, p. 53, fig. 7 ; Blyth, Birds 



Burm. p. 81 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, pp. 165, 506. 

 Phcenicopnaus curvirostris, apud Blyth, Cat. p. 75 ; id. J. A. S. B. 



xxiv, p. 278 ; Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 687 ; nee Cuculus curvirostris, 



Shaw. 

 Khamphococcyx erythrognathus, Cab. fy Heine, Mus. Hein. iv, 



p. 67 ; Hume, Cat. no. 216 ter ; Oates, B. B. ii. p. 124. 

 Urococcyx erythrognathus, Shelley, Cat. B. M. xix, p. 398. 



Coloration. Upper parts metallic green ; head greyer and less 

 glossy; quills bluish green above, purple beneath ; terminal 3 or 4 

 inches of each tail-feather almost always dark chestnut (very 

 rarely green) ; in some specimens there is a narrow white super- 

 ciliary line above the naked orbital area ; chin and cheeks ashy 

 grey (whitish in some individuals); throat, breast, and lower 



