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PSARISOMUS DALHOUSIjE. 



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Dalhousie's Eurvlaime. 



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Eurylaimus Dalhousia, Jameson in Edinb. New Phil. Journ., vol. xviii. p. 389.— Wils. Zool. 111., pi. 7 .— Royle, 111. 



Bot. &c. of Himalaya Mountains, vol. i. p. 76, vol. ii. pi. 7. fig. 2.— Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, 



vol. i. p. 65, Eurylaimus, sp. 5.— Horsf. in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part VII. p. 156. 

 Psarisomus Dalhousia, Swains. Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 261.— Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 169.— Blyth, Cat. of 



Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 195.— G. R. Gray, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., Part II. 



sec. i. p. 37. — List of Spec, and Draw, of Mamm. and Birds presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, 



Esq., p. 55. 

 Eurylaimus (Crossodera) Dalhousue, Gould, Icones Avium, vol. i. 

 Eurylaimus psitt acinus, Mull. — Temm. PI. Col., 598. 

 Ray a Nipalensis, Hodgs. 



Simornis (Ray a) sericeogula, Hodgs. — Gray, Zool. Misc. 1844, p. 82. 

 Raya sericeogula, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. viii. p. 36. 



Eurylaimus psarisomus dalhousice, Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp., p. 117. 

 Rai, Nepaulese. 



In nearly every group of birds there is one species rendered conspicuously different from its fellows, either 

 by an excessive development of some part of its plumage, or by the beauty of its colour and markings : 

 among the Eurylaimince the present species is the one thus distinguished, and certainly bears the palm both 

 for beauty and elegance from all its congeners. This charming bird is, I believe, confined to the continent of 

 Asia, where it enjoys the temperate and intertropical climates of Upper India, and those countries which 

 stretch along the base of the Himalayas from Nepaul to Afghanistan. Dr. Royle procured specimens at 

 Mussoree at an elevation of 6500 feet, while numerous others have been sent to the National Collection by 

 Mr. Hodgson from Nepaul. 



The first specimen that arrived in this country was brought home by the Countess of Dalhousie, to whom 

 it was soon after dedicated by Professor Jameson. It is unquestionably the most splendid species of the 

 family, and differs from all its congeners, not only in the more brilliant colouring of its plumage and greater 

 elegance of form, but in its lengthened and graduated tail, in the beautiful frill of silky feathers which 

 nearly surrounds the neck, and in the tuft, which springing from above each eye, gives the bird the appearance 

 of having horns : these differences induced me to regard it as the type of a new genus, and, unaware that 

 Mr. Swainson had assigned to it the name of Psarisomus, to propose for it the generic appellation of 

 Crossodera : Mr. Swainson's name, however, having the priority, my own sinks into a synonym. 



We look in vain for any difference in the colouring of the sexes; but the young are very different, having 

 none of the contrasted markings of the adult, and only presenting indications of the rich colouring of 

 maturity. 



A large patch on the crown of the head, and a smaller one at the nape glossy light blue ; the remainder 

 of the head black, with the exception of a lengthened tuft on each side of the occiput of a yellowish green ; 

 throat and projecting frill of feathers on the sides of the neck beautiful yellow, edged with white below, and 

 with a wash of green on the chin ; upper surface fine deep grass-green ; primaries black, margined with 

 metallic blue at the base of the external web, opposite to which on the inner web is a spot of pure white ; 

 beyond the blue base of the external web the primaries are margined with bluish green ; tail greenish blue ; 

 under surface lively verditer-green, tinged in some specimens with blue ; bill green above inclining to vinous 

 below with lighter edges ; forepart of the tarsi and toes pea-green, their hinder and under parts fleshy, 

 brown ; irides reddish brown, with a yellowish lash. 



The Plate represents two adults and two young birds of the natural size. 







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