A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAU 26 L 



241.— Myzanthe ignipectus, Eodgs. 



Three adult males, July and August. — Lencrtli, 3'2 to 3*3 ; 

 expanse, 5'7 to 6*2 ; wing, 1*8 to 1*9 ; tail, 0*9 to 1'03 ; tarsus, 

 0-5 to 0-55 ; bill from gape, 0'4 to 0-42; bill at front, 3 to 

 0*32 ; closed wing-s short of end of tail, 0'45 to 0"5. 



Bill black ; irides brown or blackish brown ; feet and claws 

 dull or brownish black ; the black stripe down the middle of the 

 abdomen is very well marked ; the wing-s do not reach to the 

 end of the tail, as stated by Jerdon. 



Female, February. — Length, 2*9 ; expanse, 5'1 ; wing, 1*8 ; 

 tail, 0*95 ; tarsus, 0*43; bill at front, 0'3 ; closed wings short 

 of tail, 0-35. 



Bill black ; base of lower mandible plumbeous ; feet and 

 claws blackish ; above olive green, brightest on the rump 

 and the head greyish ; chin whitish ; lower surface a faintly 

 buff yellow, greenish on the sides ; axillaries and lower wing- 

 coverts pure white. 



Male, immature.) ^ih August. — Length, 3'2 ; wing, 1"9; tail, 

 0-95; tarsus, 0*49; bill from gape, 42; bill at front, 0*33 ; 

 closed wings short of tail, 0*35. 



Bill horny black ; base of lower mandible greyish ; irides 

 dark ; feet and claws dull black ; glossy dark green on mid- 

 back and shoulders ; a small red spot appearing on the breast ; 

 otherwise as in the female. 



Male, young, \st August. — Length, 3'3 ; expanse, 6*2 ; wing, 

 1'9 ; tail, 1*0; tarsus, 0'5; bill from gape, 0*4; bill at front, 

 0*3; closed wings short of tail, 0'4. 



Bill black, grey at base of lower mandible ; gape orange ; 

 irides blackish ; feet and claws dull slaty ; the head partially 

 glossy dark green ; breast pale orange ; otherwise as in the 

 female. 



Male, ^rd July, Valley. — Length, 3'1 ; expanse, 5 5; wing, 

 1'8 ; tail, 0*9; tarsus, 0*5; closed wings short of tail, 0"55. 



Bill plumbeous dusky ; tarsi plumbeous ; toes blackish plum- 

 beous ; claws black. I am very doubtful about the identifica- 

 tion of this specimen. It closely resembles Myzanthe ignipectus, 

 female, but I sexed the bird myself, and found the testes so 

 large as to show that it was breeding. The bill is imperfect, 

 but the base, which remains, is dusky leaden. I failed to 

 identify it with any species of Bicaum in Mr. Hume's collec- 

 tion. 



The Fire-breasted Flower-pecker is tolerably common in the 

 valley of Nepal, and apparently is a permanent resident. It 

 frequents gardens, groves, and tree bushes on the hill sides, 

 and is social in winter. 



