346 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Lengtli 23 inches; wing 6| ; tail 16| ; bill at front 1| ; tarsus 

 nearly H. 



The nostrils are pierced at the end of a red membrane, Avhicli 

 is continuous with the orbitar skin ; the bill is comparatively small. 



This handsome bird is found in Lower Bengal, Central India, 

 and the Northern Circars, also in the warmer valleys of the Hima- 

 layas. It extends to Assam, Burmah and Malacca, where very 

 abvmdant. 



I have usually seen it solitary, wandering about in the forests, 

 and eating large insects, mantides, crickets, grasshoppers, and 

 also large caterpillars. In Sikim it is only found in the warmer 

 valleys up to 3,000 feet or so. The eggs were brought to me at 

 Darjeeling, two in number, pure Avhite, and of a long oval form. 

 I did not see the nest, which was said to be a large mass of sticks 

 and roots. I took another and similar egg from the oviduct of a 

 female Avhich I shot. Mr. Blyth remarks that its presence is often 

 betrayed by its voice, which is a low monosyllabic chuck, often 

 repeated, and delivered commonly when perched on the bough 

 of a tree, 



216. Zanclostomus viridirostris, Jerdon. 



Jerdon, Cat. 229—111. Ind. Orn.. PL 3— Blyth, Cat. 375— 

 HoESF., Cat. 1010 — PhiTsnicophaus Jerdoni, Blyth — Kappra- 

 2iopi/i(, H. — IVamana Jcakl, Tel. i. e. Dwarf Crow. 



The Small Green-billed Malkoha. 



Descr. — Above, dusky cinereous, with a tinge of glossy green ; 

 wings and tail glossy green-black, the latter tipped with white ; 

 beneath light greyish, with a tinge of fawn colour, mixed with 

 blackish, on the chin and throat. 



Bill bright apple-green ; naked skin around eyes cobalt blue ; 

 irides blood-red ; legs blackish-green. 



Length 15 inches ; Aviug 5^ ; tail 10 ; bill at front I ; tarsus ly^^ ; 

 weight 2 1 oz. 



This species is a dwarf representative of the last, differing 

 slightly in color, in the ferruginous tinge of tlie lower parts, the 



