PERICROCOTUS ROSEUS. 



Rosy Pericrocotus. 



Muscicapa rosea, Vieill. 2nde edit, du Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. xxi. p. 486.— lb. Ency. Meth. Orn., part ii. 



p. 820. 

 Phcenicornis affinis, M'Clell. in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part vii. p. 157. 

 Pericrocotus roseus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 282, Pericrocotus, sp. 9.— Blyth, Cat. of Birds in 



Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 193.— Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 356, Pericrocotus, sp. 3. 

 Nget-meng-tha-mee (' Princess Bird ') of the Arakanese, Blyth. 

 Phcenicornis rubricinctus, Blyth (G. R. Gray). 



In size this bird corresponds very closely with P.flammeus, but as no other species yet discovered has a 

 similar style of colouring, it will be readily distinguished from all its congeners. It will be seen, that whilst 

 most of the males in the other Pericrocoti have the head shining jet-black, that part in the present bird 

 is dull brown ; that the throat is of a rosy-white, passing into pure rose-colour on the breast and under 

 surface, and that with these distinctions it retains the red at the base of the primaries and secondaries 

 common to the other species, and also the red on the terminal half of the tail-feathers : the sexes, too, 

 although differing less than usual from each other, are easily distinguishable ; for while the same uniform 

 brown pervades the upper surface of both, the female has all the parts yellow which are rosy in the male. 

 The young males assume an intermediate tint, as shown in the accompanying drawing, where adults of both 

 sexes and an immature male are depicted. 



In form this species is precisely similar to the other members of the group, and it doubtless as closely 

 assimilates to them in habits and economy. Mr. Blyth states that it is found near Calcutta, and that it 

 inhabits India generally ; and, as far as my experience extends, I may confirm his statement as regards 

 the country from the base of the Himalayas throughout the Peninsula. I have never seen it from any other 

 country ; Mr. Jerdon states that he had obtained it in Goomsoor, and had seen specimens from Malabar ; 

 but I am induced to question its being found in the latter locality. 



The late Hon. F. J. Shore, who obtained specimens near Pokree, in Nagpoor, June 2, and at Urkoon, 

 June 19, 1832, states that it is called ' Powe,' and that it builds, among the branches of trees, a nest 

 of moss (simald or siwala), and is only seen during the six summer months. 



The male has a line across the forehead at the base of the bill, and cheeks whitish ; throat greyish-white, 

 tinged with rosy; head and nape grey; scapularies and back brown, washed with a rosy hue on the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts ; wings dark blackish-brown, with a large V-shaped mark of rich deep scarlet at the 

 base of the primaries and secondaries ; tail dull black, the three outer feathers on each side largely tipped 

 with scarlet, and the apical half of the next feather on eaeh side of the same hue, the outer webs richer 

 than the inner, and shafts nearly white ; breast and under surfaee rieh rosy-red ; under surface of the 

 shoulder scarlet ; bill and feet black ; irides blackish-brown. 



The female is similar but paler, and has those parts of the wings and tail which are rosy in the male of 

 a fine yellow ; the throat grey ; chest and hinder surface very light yellow. 



The Plate represents a male, a female, and a young male of the natural size. The plant is the 

 Menispermum coccuhis of Linnaeus. 





