314 A Contribution to Malayan Ornithology. [No. 4, 



and it would be very difficult to define genera upon such subordinate 

 characters. In coloration the two last noted species of Phyllornis so 

 thoroughly agree with their Indian allies, that it strikes one as very 

 unnatural to separate them generically. The bill is in all species of 

 Phyllornis which I saw more compressed and higher towards the 

 tip, than in lora, in which it is more uniformly attenuated towards 

 the tip ; and this difference is equally well ajiparent in a comparison 

 of these two species, as of other typical forms, with lora. 



60. Phyllornis Cochinchinensis, Lath. 



Ph. icterocephalus, T e m m., PL Col. 112 ; B 1 y t h, Ibis, 1867, 

 III, p. 8. 



Common in Malacca and the Wellesley Province and Penang, 

 though not equally so as Ph. Javensis. 



Mr. B 1 y t h (1. cit.) suspects that in Phyllornis both sexes are 

 similar, or very nearly so, in coloration. So they are, but I tliink 

 the differences usually pointed out between $ $ and $ ? are mostly 

 correct, though like in all similar birds there is great difficulty in 

 distinguishing between 2 and young birds. As an example I give 

 a short description of a pair of the present species shot together on 

 the coast just opposite Penang, and examined by myself. 



$ . Head yellow, changing to golden 3 r ellow on top of head and 

 neck ; above deep grass green, all external wing coverts and outer 

 webs of primaries, and secondaries bright blue, the latter tipped with 

 greenish, which color extends on the edges of the outer webs, and 

 gradually increases,till the last tertiaries become wholly green; inner 

 webs of all feathers dark brown, gradually decreasing on to the last 

 tertiaries ; a large shoulder tuft verditer blue, scapulars and all upper 

 coverts green ; two central tail feathers mostly green, the others pre- 

 valent blue. Chin and throat black, laterally extending from the 

 base of the bill to half the length of the eye, with a very small deep 

 blue spot at the base of the lower mandible ; the black is bordered 

 below by yellow, to which follows a narrow gorget of bluish green, 

 and the rest including lower tail-coverts is of a soft yellowish green. 

 Bill black, legs leaden brown ; wing 3^", tail 2f " ; bill at front 

 T V, from gape \f ; tarsus J." 



$ . Above, grass green with a slight golden yellow tinge on the 



