1843.] Mr. BIytlis Report for December Meeting, 1842. 973 



wings, which, with the scapularies, are glossless green, as in JY. Nipa- 

 lensis ; from the latter it differs, and resembles N. Gouldii, in the 

 crimson of the back extending up the hind-neck to the occiput ; there 

 is a yellow band, as in most of the allied species, across the rump ; the 

 lores and ear-coverts are glossless black, mixed with green on the latter ; 

 and the greater wing-feathers, and their larger coverts, dusky, edged 

 with greenish, passing into rufous on one of the secondaries on each 

 side; the outer tail-feathers have their inner webs dusky, the outer 

 red, and tips a little greenish: under-parts bright yellow, passing into 

 greenish on the flanks, vent, and lower tail-coverts, and deeply tinged 

 with gorgeous flame-colour on the centre of the breast. Bill black, 

 and but very little curved ; legs brown. Length six inches and one- 

 eighth, of which the bill measures three-quarters of an inch to fore- 

 head, and middle tail-feathers three inches and one-eighth ;* the latter 

 do not taper at the end : wing two inches and a quarter ; and tarse 

 nine-sixteenths of an inch. On the neck are two or three unmoulted 

 feathers, which are greenish like the scapularies. 



Mr. Hodgson's female is wholly olive-green, paler and yellowish 

 beneath ; upper tail-coverts and central pectoral spot igneous-red ; and 

 tail slightly tinged with the same, its form graduated, but the middle 

 pair of feathers scarcely passing the next. 



Sir W. Jardine's N. phoenicura, from Sylhet, would seem to be 

 identical, except that the chin and centre of the throat and neck are 

 described to be deep velvet-black, with two broad maxillary stripes 

 steel-blue with violet reflections : unfortunately, I have not a specimen 

 wherewith to compare his description. + What this naturalist, however, 

 considers to be the female, is evidently the male in corresponding 

 plumage to that described by Mr. Hodgson. J It would appear to be a 

 rare species in Nepal, and is also rare in the vicinity of Darjeeling. 



3. N. labecula ; C. labecula, McClelland and Horsfield. P. Z. S. 

 1839, p. 167. " Punicea, gula, pectoreque nitidissimis ; capite, plumis 



* These middle tail-feathers could not have been full grown : vide in following note. 



f In a beautiful collection of Darjeeling specimens just arrived, from which 1 am 

 kindly permitted to make a selection, there are three beautiful males of this species, 

 which quite agree with my description, and are also evidently identical with Sir W. 

 Jardine's N. phoenicura. In ail of these the middle tail-feathers are growing. 



J 1 perceive that this was subsequently remarked by Sir William in his Synopsis; 

 or at least that he considered it to be a young male. 



6 N 



