ASSAM, SYLHET AND CACHAR. 41 



occurred as far north and west as Darjeeling, there can be no 

 doubt that it will turn up in other suitable localities in Assam. 



[This chastely coloured species is far from rare inDibrugarh, 

 but as it flies very high and is migratory has escaped observa- 

 tion. I got two specimens, and on several occasions saw it 

 flying overhead, its long tail and heavy flight being parti- 

 cularly striking. On one occasion I noticed five individuals 

 going west high overhead about half an hour before dusk. A 

 male measured : — Length, 15'0 ; expanse, 34-75 ; tail, 8-20 ; 

 wing, 11-75 ; tarsus, OTO ; bill from gape, 1*55 ; weight, 5-70. 

 The Assamese call it " Din-Jcoo-nah." — J. R. C] 



It is widely distributed throughout British Burmah^ occur- 

 ring, however, only in well-wooded country, with evergreen 

 forests. 



116. — Harpactes erythrocephalus, Gould, 



This species (more generally heretofore known as H. hodg^ 

 soni) is very common in the forest between Jhiri Ghat and 

 Noongzai-ban, and by no means rare in suitable localities further 

 east in these Western hills ; but I never saw it anywhere 

 in the basin nor anywhere in the Eastern hills, though it 

 may possibly occur there. 



The following are the dimensions of several specimens mea- 

 sured in the flesh : — 



Length. Expanse. Tail, Wing. Tarsus, Bill from Weight, 



gape. 



$ ... 13-3 17'0 7-3 5-7 058 105 3-4lozs. 



„ ... 12-6 16-3 7-3 5-65 07 10 3-21ozs. 



,, ... 130 18 7-5 5-9 07 I'DS 3 425ozsv 



? ... 130 16-8 7-0 5-4 0-67 1-03 3-75ozs. 



„ ... 13-1 175 7-5 5-7 065 1-05 3-34ozs. 



In the males the legs and feet purplish fleshy ; claws pale 

 brown ; soles hoary yellow ; bill blackish at tips and on culmen ;; 

 rest of bill, gape and orbital skin varpng from a lovely violet 

 to a rich mauve blue ; irides brown. In the female the legs 

 and feet are rather paler, in some fleshy pink ; the orbital skin 

 and gape deep lavender ; basal portions of both mandibles 

 pale blue ; culmen and terminal portions of both mandibles 

 blackish ; irides crimson. 



But the shades of colour vary slightly in every specimen of 

 both sexes and change vert/ rapidly after death. This species 

 occurs in suitable localities all over Assam. I have it from 

 near Gauhati, from Khowang and JoonkotoUee (Dibrugarh),* 

 Dollah, Tippook, &c., near Sadiya, the Garo and Khasi hills and 



* [116. — Harpactes erythrocephalus, Gould.— Common in the Dibrugarh district, 

 in the forests where it is generally found in dark shady places, and on trees over- 

 hanging roads leading through deep forest. Although I have seen scores in this 

 and other districts, its note haa never been heard by me, — J. R, C] 



6 



