112 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



name of Xanthonotus ; and 0. Philippensis, Gray : and there are 

 several similarly colored Orioles in Africa. 



4th, Marroon Orioles, Psarolophus, J. and S. 



The only bird of this division is a remarkably plumaged species, 

 and has been considered to belong to a different type, but it is 

 essentially an Oriole. The glistening maronne color recals that of 

 some of the American A mpelidce {Cotivga pompadoura) ; and this 

 remarkable variation of color, from the usual yellow tints of most of 

 the group, serves, in some manner, to show us that the glistening 

 blue of the Irena is not an unique anomaly in the coloration of this 

 family. 



474. Oriolus Traillii, Vigors. 



Pastor, apud Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831— Gould, Cent. Him. 

 Birds, pi. 35— Blyth., Cat. 1296— HoRSF., Cat. 419— Psarolophus 

 Traillii, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn. 2nd Ser., pi. 26 — Melambok, 

 Lepch. — Tania-pia, Bhot. 



The Maronne Oriole. 



Descr. — Whole head, neck, and wings, glossy black ; the rest 

 of the plumage, both above and below, glistening maroon red ; tail 

 dull Indian red. 



The young bird is brown above, darker on the head, and the tail 

 red ; beneath sullied white, with numerous longitudinal brownstreaks. 



Bill bluish ; legs dark plumbeous ; irides pale yellow. Length 

 11^ inches; wing 6; tail 4^; bill at front 1 ; tarsus ly 1 ,,. 



This curiously plumaged Oriole is found in the eastern part of 

 the Himalayas, Nepal, and Sikhim, extending into Assam, Arrakan, 

 and Tenasserim. It is found from 2,000 feet, or so, to at least 

 7,000 feet, generally in small flock.-, keeping to high trees, and has 

 a fine loud mellow call. I found those-I-examined to have partaken 

 of caterpillars only. In the young bird the iris is yellow-brown. 



Other genera placed in this sub-family are Mimeta and Sphr- 

 cotheres, from Australia, and the Oceanic region. Some species, 

 formerly ranked under the former genus, are now considered to be 

 true Orioles. Sericulus is classed by some among the Orioles, but 

 is more generally considered to belong to the Birds of Paradise. 



