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Lophophorus sclateri, Jerdon, 



Vernacular Names-— [ ? ] 



OTHING is yet known of the habits, or even of the 

 exact habitat, of this striking bird. 



A few live specimens, and a few bad skins have, 

 from time to time, been brought down by, I believe, 

 both Mishmis and Abors, to the fair held an- 

 nually at Sadiya, the most easterly of our stations 

 at the extreme head of the Assam Valley. 

 The bird is said to come from the higher hills, east and south- 

 east of Sadiya. 



The female is as yet unknown. 



As REGARDS dimensions, I can only give what I recorded from 

 the only fine skin I ever saw, with the colours of the soft parts as 

 noted for me from the live bird by Dr. Jerdon, who may be 

 considered the real discoverer of the species. 



Length, 27 ; wing, 12*4 ; tail from vent, 9 ; bill at front, 

 straight, 1*3 ; from gape, 1*95 ; tarsus (feathered in front and at 

 the sides for 1*2), 3*2 ; mid-toe to root of claw, 2*45 ; claw, 075 ; 

 hind-toe to root of claw, 0*8 ; claw, 0*6. 



On one leg a short blunt spur, 0*5 in length, on the other 

 merely a low horny boss. 



The fifth quill is the longest, the sixth sub-equal, the fourth 

 0*3, the third 0*9, the second 2*1, and the first t6 shorter than 

 the longest. 



There is a large bare space all round the eye, which, in the 

 fresh bird, is bright blue, dotted with tiny tufts of black hair- 

 like feathers ; the irides are brown ; the legs and feet brown 

 or yellowish brown ; the bill yellowish horny. 



The Plate, copied, I believe, from one in the P. Z. S., though 

 like that of the common Moonal, failing to do justice to the 

 metallic radiance of the plumage, is, in most other respects, good, 

 but it wrongly exhibits the legs as lead coloured ; represents the 

 facial skin as too pale and dull coloured, and the band on the 

 tail, which is really a deep maroon chestnut, as far too pale and 

 orange. 



