ORIOLUS XANTHONOTUS. . 



Chinensis of Linne, and the Couliavan of Buffon ; and, while this is common in most 

 parts of India and the Indian Islands, the Oriolus xanthonotus is found solitary in a 

 few circumscribed situations in the Island of Java. 



The entire length of our bird is seven inches. In the male, the head and part of 

 the neck, the wings and the tail-feathers, excepting a small portion of the inner vane, 

 are black, with a slight tint of sooty brown. The posterior part of the neck above, 

 the back, rump, vent, scapulars, and the extremity of the inner vanes of the tail-fea- 

 thers, are bright yellow. Two of the intermediate tail-feathers are also black ; on 

 the others the yellow colour constitutes a band, which is narrow on the feathers next 

 the intermediate ones, and gradually increases in breadth, so as on the outer feathers 

 to occupy more than half the vane. A little yellow also shews itself in a narrow 

 margin along the outer vane of the quill-feathers : and the plumes of the shoulders, 

 the axillse, and the thighs are shghtly tinctured with yellow. The lower part of the 

 neck, the breast, and abdomen are white, and marked with longitudinal black hues, 

 which are formed by a regularly defined black streak occupying the middle of each 

 plume, in the direction of the shaft. The bill is red or reddish brown, the irides are 

 yeUow, and the feet dark blue inclining to black. 



In the female, those parts which are black in the male, have a grayish-broAvn tint, 

 inchning to yellow ; the quiU. and tail feathers are brown, and the latter have the 

 extreme portion of the inner vane yellow, and defined as in the male. The rump 

 only has a bright yellow colour ; the back and adjoining parts are pale, and partake 

 of the grayish-brown tint of the upper parts. The head and neck have the general 

 tint of the wings, but not separated from the yellow plumes of the back by a defined 

 line, as in the male. The throat and the neck underneath are whitish, and varie- 

 gated with gray ; the breast and abdomen are likewise marked with regular black 

 lines. In the addition to the Article Ornithology, of the Encyclopedic, which is 

 now pubhshed in Paris, the female of our bird is described as Le Loriot Grivele — 

 Oriolus maculatus — with the following character : — Oriolus dilute flavus : gula pec- 

 toreque maculatis ; rostro fiisco, remigibus rectricibusque nigricante fuscis, his apice 

 flavis. The specimen was from the Island of Java, and the author proposes the 

 query, whether it be not the female of an unknown species ? 



I found this bird in Bhtar, in a district covered with extensive forests : as far as 

 I have observed, it never quits the closest shades. Two males only, and one female, 

 are contained in the Museum at the India House. 



^ 



