ORD. UVSESSOMES. 



TRIBE TENUIROSTBES. 



GEN. DICTUM. 



PLATE XXXIX. 



DICJEUM CONGO LOR. 



OLIVE FLOWER PECKER. 



This plain coloured little bird is found in great abundance on the Neilglierries, 

 frequenting mostly high trees in small flocks, and feeding chiefly on the minute insects, 

 that infest flowers, occasionally receiving a portion of honey along with the insects. 

 I have also found it not uncommon in the more open parts of the forests of Malabar, 

 and also occasionally in jungles in the Carnatic, when a little more high and dense 

 than usual. It keeps up an incessant feeble twittering, whilst feeding. It appears to 

 be replaced towards the North of India by another species, Dicceum erythrorhynchum, 

 the Nectarinia Minima of Tickell, and DiccBum Tickellice olim of Blyth; of which, 

 however, I have recently obtained specimens from Canara. My Shikarees call this little 

 bird chitloo jitta, a name which they also apply to that curious bird the Parisoma 

 Vireoides of my Cat. No. 133; the Fringilla Agilis of Tickell, and Pipra Squalida of 

 Burton, now made into a new genus, Piprisoma,* by Mr. Blyth, and placed in the 

 Dicceum group by him; thus confirming the view of its afiinities held by my Shikarees, 

 which I confess it was some time before I could recognise. 



I add a description of the Dicceum Concolor. Above brownish olive, wings 

 and tail darker, beneath greenish white, irides brown. Bill dark plumbeous, legs and 

 feet brown. Length about 4 inches — wing 2f g — tail 1-jV — tarsus i — bill (front) -rV ths, at 

 gape ^ths. 



The bird is figured on the branch of a tree well known on the Neilgherries 

 under the name of the pink arbutus, which is I believe a species of Thibaudia. 



* Journ. Ae. Soc. 1844, page 394. 



