

POMATORHINUS ERYTHROCNEMIS, Gould. 



Red-kneed Pomatorhinus. 



Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 281. — Swinh. in Ibis, 1863, p. 286. 



Although the members of the genus Pomatorhinus extend from the Himalayas and China, through the 

 Indian Islands, to Australia, India is the country in which the greatest number of species has been 

 discovered. All those inhabiting Australia I observed to be somewhat gregarious in their habits, moving 

 about in little troops of from six to sixteen in number. They are noisy, active, and inquisitive birds, and 

 display many curious actions when among the branches of the trees. I believe there is little or no marked 

 difference in the colouring of the sexes of any of the species known. The new member of the genus 

 discovered by Mr. Swinhoe, and to which I have given the name of erythrocnemis from the red colouring of 

 its knees, is a mountain bird, and is confined to the primeval forests of the Island of Formosa. But I had 

 better give Mr. Swinhoe's own remarks on the subject. 



"This species replaces in the central mountain forests the Pomatorhinus musicus of the lower country. 

 It rarely, if ever, descends to the ranges below an altitude of 2000 feet, and certainly never leaves the 

 gloom of the virgin forest for the partially wooded level of the plains. It enters upon its nidificatory duties 

 much earlier than its congener; for in April I procured a couple of full-fledged young birds. I have never 

 taken its nest, but had the good fortune to procure an egg which a female dropped as it fell wounded to the 

 ground. This egg is white, and quite in character with those I possess of the other species, but larger, 

 measuring 1*2 in. by '81. From its inaccessible haunts, I have not had many opportunities of watching the 

 habits of this bird ; but, as far as I can gather, they resemble those of its ally. Its notes are, however, 

 harsher and less musical. Both species are entirely insectivorous, having no partiality, so far as I could 

 ascertain, for fruit or berries. " 



A narrow bar across the forehead, knees, and under tail-coverts rusty red; lores and ear-coverts grey; 

 crown of the head and back of the neck brownish grey, passing into the deep rusty chestnut of the back, 

 shoulders, and external margins of the wing-feathers ; inner margins of the wing-feathers blackish brown ; 

 tail blackish brown, with rusty margins ; a streak of black, commencing at the base of the under mandible, 

 passes downward to the chest, which is conspicuously spotted or rather blotched with black ; throat and 

 centre of the abdomen white ; flanks and upper part of the thighs rusty olive-brown ; bill much curved, and 

 of a blackish grey, with pale edges ; legs leaden-grey; claws brownish ; irides light reddish brown. 



" In the young bird the bill is much shorter and less curved, the head is browner, and the back and 

 upper parts more rufous ; but the under parts are dingier, and the colours generally not so bright as in the 

 adult." (Swinhoe.) 



The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Plocostemma lasianthum. 



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