oriolinje. 109 



2nd, Black-naped Orioles (Broderipus, of Bonaparte), peculiar 

 to the Indian region. 



471. Oriolus indicus, Brisson. 



Jerdon, 111. Ind. Orn., pi. 15 — Blyth, Cat. 1302 — Horsf., 

 Cat. 415 — 0. chinensis, Jerdon, Cat. 99— and of other authors. 



The Black-naped Indian Oriole. 

 Descr. — Bright yellow, greenish on the back and coverts ; a 

 black horse-shoe mark extending from the base of the bill through 

 the eyes to the nape ; tail black, the central feathers barely tipped 

 yellow, the others tipped broadly, the outermost feathers for l^ 

 inches or so ; wings black, the secondaries, broadly margined with 

 pale yellow; the tertiaries with the whole outer web, and part of the 

 inner web, greenish yellow ; primaries also tipped with the same ; 

 a bright yellow wing-spot formed by the tips of the coverts of the 

 primaries. Females only differ in being slightly greenish above, 

 and in the yellow generally being not quite so vivid. 



The young are yellowish green above, with little or no trace 

 of the occipital crescent, whitish beneath, with dark central lines ; 

 bill infuscated. In a further stage the under-parts are weaker 

 yellow, with black shafts to the breast feathers more or less 

 developed. 



Bill of adult pinky-red; feet plumbeous; irides rich blood-red. 

 Length 10 inches ; wing 6 ; tail 3| ; bill at front 1 §• ; tarsus § . 



This species, which I first characterized in my Illustrations as 

 distinct from O. chinensis {acrorhynchus, Vigors), differs from that 

 species and from another nearly allied one from the Nicobars (O. 

 macrourus, Blyth), by its much smaller bill, the smaller black 

 crescent on the nape, and in the much greater extent of the 

 yellow upon the wings, whilst the tail has less yellow. The present 

 species however appears also to be found in China, and, it is possi- 

 ble, may have been the original chinensis, instead of acrorhynchus. 

 This Black-naped Oriole is spread more or less through India, 

 but rare everywhere, and it has not been observed in the Hima- 

 layas. I have procured it from the Malabar jungles ; Mr. Elliot 

 obtained it at Dharwar, and it is found near Calcutta. It appears 

 however to be much more common in the countries to the east of 



