8Q BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 



237 bis.— Calyptomena viridis, Baffl. (31). 



Amherst ; Laynuh ; Palaw-ton-ton ; Bankasoon ; Mnlewoon. 



Confined to the southern and lower central portions of 

 the province ; rare in the latter ; common enough in the 

 former. 



[This lovely bird occurs in Tenasserim from Amherst south- 

 wards. It keeps to the forest, perferring moderately thin 

 tree jungle, and frequents the tops of the trees, singly, in pairs, 

 or in small parties; feeding, so far as I have observed, and I 

 have dissected mumbers, enthely on fruit. The note is a soft 

 sort of whistle. 



It is only in the morning or evening that they seem at 

 all active. During the day they remain seated quietly about 

 the tops of the trees, and are excessively difficult to detect. 

 They are not at all shy, but at the same time not stupid, like 

 the Broadbills, with which I may remark that they have no- 

 thing in common, neither habits, food nor note. 



When feeding they hop about on the branches, picking off 

 berries and figs, just like other fruit-eating birds, or like many 

 of the omnivorous species, like Irena, Calomis, when feeding on 

 fruits, which they generally do when they can. — W. D.] 



The following are the dimensions, &c, recorded in the flesh of 

 this species : — 



Males. — Length, 7*25 to 7 - 82 ; expanse, 1375 to 14* 5 ; tail, 

 1-82 to 212; wing, 412 to 43 ; tarsus, 075 to 0'82; bill 

 from gape, l'O to 1*12 ; weight, 2 to nearly 3 ozs. 



Females. — Length, 8 to 8*12 ; expanse, 14*5 to 14*62 ; tail, 2 to 

 2*12; wing, 4-37 to 445 ; tarsus, 0'82 ; bill from gape, 105 to 

 1*1 ; weight, 2*8 to 32 ozs. 



The legs and feet vary, but are generally pale dirty 

 or horny green, sometimes with a bluish tinge, sometimes a 

 pinkish grey tinge ; the irides are very dark bi'own, appear- 

 ing black at times ; the gape is always more or less orange; 

 the tip of the upper mandible and the lower mandible are 

 light reddish horny, or brownish orange, or fleshy, shaded 

 with orange towards the gape ; the upper mandible, except 

 the tips, varies from pale horny to brown, dark horny brown, 

 and black, or almost black. 



had not the bill a bit more compressed than some of my Himalayan specimens. I have 

 myself no doubt that lugubris is not a good species. 



I take this opportunity of pointing out, as I have not, I think, before done so in 

 Sxbat Feathers, that contrary to what has been said (Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. et auct.) 

 the sexes are not alike. In the adult male the under wiDg-coverts axe always white; 

 in the female, the greater portion of these are pale cinnamon. Besides this, many 

 males have a great deal of rusty cinnamon patching or blotching about the sides of the 

 throat and breast, whereas it is very rare to meet with a trace even of this, in the 

 females. The colour of the under wing-coverts is an absolute sexual diagnosis in 

 adults. 



