FAM. BRACHYPODIN^. 



GEN. CHLOROPSIS. 



PLATE XLIII. 



CHLOROPSIS JERDONI. 



COMMON GREEN BULBUL. 



Synon. — C. cochinsinensis, apud Jerclon, Cat. No. 72. Phyllornis Jerdoni, Blyth Jour. As. 

 Bengal 1844, page 392, and 1845, page 564. 



It is somewhat remarkable that a species so extensively distributed, and by 

 no means uncommon, and of which specimens must have been frequently taken home, 

 should only within the last three years have been discriminated from its congeners. 

 The cause of this is to be found partly in the great similarity of plumage of the 

 birds of this very natural genus, and partly in the carelessness (till of late years) of 

 Naturalists in unravelling synonyms. As Dr. Roxburgh received from some Critic 

 on his magnificent work on Indian Plants most unmerited censure for figuring the 

 Roxburghia gloriosoides, which name the ignorant writer attributed to Roxburgh himself, 

 I beg to observe that I am indebted to Mr. Blyth for the honor of having this bird 

 named after myself. 



The genus was first defined (in England) and the known species recorded 

 in Jardine and Selby's Illustrations of Ornithology. It appears, however, that Phyllornis 

 of Miiller has the priority, and must therefore hereafter be adopted. 



The genus is peculiar to India and the Malayan provinces, and has been the 

 cause of some discussion as to its place in the natural system. Mr. Blyth, among 

 others, places it, along with Jora, as a particular sub-family of Melipkagidce, peculiar 

 to Southern Asia and its Islands, and Mr. Gray places it in his Meliphagince. Mr. 

 Blyth, however, allows that it conducts to the Bulbuls, Brachypodmce, in which family 

 it is placed by Swainson ; and it will be seen from the heading of this article, that I 

 adopt this view, to which I am led partly by the habits of the bird, and partly by 

 the geographical distribution. Its possession of a pencilled or brushed tongue, of 



