268 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



rusty smears ou any part; darker above than (1), the pale rump 

 contrasting" more, and the lorial streak more marked. 



(3.) Male, Bichiakoh, December. — Length, 12'8 ; expanse, 

 22'1; wing", 7*35; tail, 6"0; tarsus, 1"0 ; bill from gape, 1*5 | 

 bill at front, 93 ; closed wings short of tail, 2"25. 



Bill black ; irides red-brown ; feet and claws dusky. Rather 

 darker above than (3) ; no bars whatever on lower surface, ex- 

 cept some faint ones on the under tail-coverts ; chin, throat, 

 and abdomen uniform grey, paling on the middle of the belly, 

 and vent white ; nostrils and lores black; the tail faintly barred, 

 a character hardly indicated in (1) and (2). 



The Large Cuckoo Sin-ike is common in winter in the Nawa- 

 kot District, and about Hetoura and Bichiakoh. To the Nepal 

 Valley it appears to be a mere straggler, as it was only observed 

 there from about the end of October to the middle of Novem- 

 ber, and those birds were, I imagi ne, taking a short cut from the 

 Nawakot district to the plains, instead of following the course 

 of the Trisul Ganga River. Jerdon^s account of its habits is 

 very accurate; but the only notes I heard it utter were sweet 

 and musical. 



271.— Pericrocotus speciosus, Lath. 



Three young males. Valley, August and November. — Length, 

 8'3 to 8* 6 ; expanse, 11*6 to 12-3 ; wing, 4 ; tail, 4* 15 to 4'85 ; 

 tarsus, 65 to 0*8 ; bill from gape, 0'97 to 1*0 ; bill at front, 

 0*56 to 0*6; closed wings short of tail, 2*2 to 2'95 ; weight 1 

 to 1*35 ozs. 



Bill, feet, and claws black ; irides dark brown. All in female 

 garb, but the lateral tail feathers are distinctly flame coloured ; in 

 two specimens (August) the head is undulated — each feather hav- 

 ing a narrow dark subterminal bar followed by a whitish fringe. 



Two females, August and November. — Length, 8*5 and 8*6; 

 expanse, ir65 and 12-3 ; wing, 3-8 and 4*0 ; tail, 4-2 and 4-3; 

 tarsus, 0-7 and 0-76 ; bill from gape, 1*0 ; bill at front, 0*5 and 

 0'6 ; closed wings short of tail, 2-4 and 2'6. 



Bill, feet and claws black ; irides dark brown. In all these 

 five specimens there is no yellow on the outer web of the three 

 first primaries. 



The Large Mini vet is not common in the Valley of Nepal, but 

 certainly breeds there. It was found in the central woods in 

 flocks, and frequented high trees. I also obtained it on the hills 

 round the Nawakot district, high up in November. 



273.— Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vig, 



Ten adult males. — Length, 7*1 to 8'1 ; expanse, 10'2 to 11 ; 

 wing, 3-4 to 3-75 ; tail, 3*9 to 4-65; tarsus, 0*55 to 0-65; bill 



