/ Dic^iN^. 377 



highest branches of trees, hopping briskly about, and feeding on 

 small spiders, insects, insects' eggs and larvas, aphides, &c. &c. 

 It has a weak piping note. 



Gen. Myzanthe, Hodgson, 



Char. — Bill as in DiccBum, but shorter; wings long, reaching 

 to the end of the short tail, the first four quills about equal ; feet 

 small. 



This genus, proposed by Hodgson, and founded on a Nepal bird, 

 is found to extend to Australia, the well known DiccBum hirundi- 

 naceum being a typical species. Another occurs in the D. erylhro- 

 thorax, Lesson, from the Island of Borou, N. Guinea, which is 

 D. pectorale of Mliller and Schlegel. 



241. Myzanthe ignipectus, Hodgson. 



J. A. S., XII.,983— BLYTHjCat. 1377— Horsf.— 1093— ^aw^/ie 

 ][jro-pho, Lepch. 



The Fire-breasted Flower-pecker. 



Descr. — Above black, with a mingled purplish and green gloss, 

 or almost glossy dark green ; quills dull black ; beneath buff, with 

 a vermilion patch on the breast. 



Bill blackish; legs dusky-brown; irides brown. 



Length 3^ inches ; wing 1| ; tail 1^ ; bill at front y'g ; tarsus f . 



The female is glossless olive-brown above, buff beneath. 



This little Flower-pecker has only been found in the South- 

 eastern Himalayas, from Nepal to Bootan, and on the Khasia hills. 

 It is common in Sikhim, from 2,000 to 6,000 feet or so, and feeds 

 on small insects and flower-buds. Hodgson says that it makes 

 an ingenious pendulous nest ; and Gould figures the nest of the 

 Australian species, suspended from a slender twig. 

 Gen. Pachyglossa, Hodgson. 



Char. — Bill very short and Swallow-like, but less depressed, 

 thick, nearly conic as viewed laterally ; upper mandible finely 

 denticulated ; nostrils only a narrow slit ; gape unarmed ; wings 

 large ; first three primaries equal ; tarsus short ; inner toe shorter 

 than the outer one ; claws short. 



3 B 



