PYCNONOTIDAE 50 S 



Most of the Family are characterized by long, fluffy rump-plumage 

 and conspicuous nuchal or dorsal hairs, the latter reaching their 

 highest development in Tricholestes. The feathers hide the 

 nostrils in Irena and Spizixus ; Foliolophus has a yellow circum- 

 ocular wattle, and several species of Pycnonotus possess fleshy 

 eyelids of black, red, or grey. 



The usual coloration is olive-brown, olive-green, or olive-yellow, 

 commonly with wholly or partially yellow, white, greyish, or 

 even orange, rufous, and buff under parts ; Hypsipetes perniger is 

 entirely black, Micropus melanoleucus black with white wing-spots, 

 and many species are mottled with yellowish or white. Trachy- 

 comus has a yellow cap of decomposed bristly feathers ; while 

 elsewhere the head or the throat is often more or less black, brown, 

 chestnut, grey, and rarely yellow or white. The tail and rump may 

 be rufous, yellow, or orange, occasionally barred with black ; and 

 white or yellow markings frequently adorn the wings. Otocompsa 

 shews crimson or scarlet ear-tufts, and crimson or yellow under 

 tail-coverts ; certain species of Pycnonotus have the latter scarlet, 

 orange, or yellow ; Bubigula has loose, stiff, scarlet plumage on 

 the throat, and an orange under surface. Chloropsis is green and 

 yellow, relieved by orange, blue, pm'ple and black, and exhibits a 

 conspicuous blue, purple, or emerald shoulder-patch, except in C. 

 cyanopogon and C. fiavipennis ; Aegithina and Aethorhynchus are 

 green, black, and yellow; while Irena (the Fairy Blue-bird) is either 

 brilliant turquoise, with black wings, tail, and under parts, or 

 purple-blue, varied by cobalt above, with or without a black mantle 

 and under surface. The bill and legs range from brown, black, or 

 plumbeous, to coral red, orange, yeUow, or whitish. The sexes are 

 similar, except in Aegithina, Aethorhynchus, Chloropsis, and Irena. 



From their headquarters in the Indian and Indo- Malay 

 countries, the Pycnonotidae extend to China, Hainan, Formosa, 

 and the Moluccas, Hypsipetes even reaching Japan ; they also 

 occupy the whole Ethiopian Eegion, with Madagascar and the 

 neighbouring islands. To these latter Ixocincla and Tylas (p. 533) 

 are peculiar ; while Pycnonotus, Criniger and Xenocichla inhabit 

 both of the above Eegions, and the first is found from Morocco 

 to the Cyclades, Ehodes, Cyprus, and Palestine. 



Bulbuls are gregarious arboreal birds of feeble flight, rarely 

 seen upon the ground, where they move with awkward shuffles or 

 short hops. The majority are sociable, and frequent gardens. 



