PTERUTHIUS tERALATUS, TUkdL 



Grey-breasted Pterutliius. 



PterutUus aralatus, Tickell, J. A. S. B. 1855, p. 267— Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 32— Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 314 



(1869).— Blyth & Wald., B. Burm. p. 109 (1875). 

 Allotrius ceralatus, Hume, Str. F. 1874, p. 479. 



Four species of true Pterutliius are now known to naturalists; and of these the bird here figured is much 

 the rarest in collections. It is nearly allied to P. erythropterus, but is distinguished at once by the yellow 

 bases of the secondary quills, and by the throat and cheeks being grey as well as the breast. In P. 

 erythropterus the cheeks and throat are pure white like the rest of the under surface, and the inner 

 secondaries are uniform light chestnut. 



The species was first discovered by Colonel Tickell, who met with it in the Tenasserim mountains ; and 

 it has also been obtained in Burmah by Lieutenant Wardlaw Ramsay, in the hills of Karen-nee, from 4000 to 

 5000 ft., as we learn from Lord Walden. A female specimen in Lieutenant Ramsay's collection had the 

 soft parts as follows: — "Iris deep lavender; bill above black, below lavender; legs dull white; claws dark- 

 brown." Dr. Anderson obtained two specimens during the Yunnan expedition in the Kakhyen hills. 



Adult male. — General colour above grey, with concealed spots of white near the base of the feathers ; 

 the upper tail-coverts with a greenish black bar at the tip ; head glossy greenish black ; from above the eye 

 to the sides of the nape a broad white streak ; lores and ear-coverts greyish black ; cheeks and throat grey, 

 becoming paler on the breast and sides of the body ; centre of abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; 

 the sides of the abdomen pale rose-colour; under wing-coverts pure white — except the outermost of the 

 lower series, which are black and form a spot near the edge of the wing ; wing-coverts above grey, inclining 

 to greenish black on their outer webs ; the greater series black, the outer webs greenish black, as also 

 the quills — which are black, externally glossed with greenish black, and distinctly tipped with white at the 

 extremity of the inner web of the primaries ; inner secondaries chestnut, inclining to yellow near their 

 bases, this colour occupying the greater part of the innermost, which are chestnut only on the inner web ; 

 on all of these chestnut secondaries there is a narrow tip or external margin of greenish black, the black 

 secondaries (next following) showing more or less chestnut near the base of the outer web ; all the quills 

 white for the greater part of the inner web. Total length 6*6 inches, culmen 0'65, wing 3-3, tail 2-65, 

 tarsus 1*1. 



The description and figures have been taken from a specimen kindly lent to me by Dr. Anderson ; and 

 the birds are represented in the Plate of the natural size. 





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