fil FIUUCK. 



Euplocamus vieilloti, G. R. Gray, 



Vernacular Names.— [Knock-wah (Siamese), Bankasoon ; Mooah-Mooah (Malay) 

 Malacca. ] 



T is only in the southernmost portions of Tenasserim 

 viz., south of the Town of Tenasserim (and not so 

 high up as Mergui as has been asserted), that the 

 Fireback occurs within our limits. 



Further south we found it throughout the western 



half (the eastern we have not explored) of the Malay 



Peninsula, from Renong to Johore. 



It is also said to occur in Sumatra, but it seems to me 



possible that when more Sumatran specimens are compared 



they will prove to belong to a distinguishable race. 



Very little is known of this species ; indeed, Mr. Davison, the 

 chief of my collecting establishments, is the only European, 

 I believe, who has observed or shot it in a wild state, and I 

 shall, therefore, quote his remarks on it, from our account of the 

 " Birds of Tenasserim." He says : — 



M These birds frequent the thick evergreen forests in small 

 parties of five or six ; usually there is only one male in the 

 party, the rest being females, but on one or two occasions I 

 have seen two males together ; sometimes the males are found 

 quite alone. I have never heard the males crow, nor do I think 

 that they ever do so ; when alarmed, both males and females 

 have a peculiar sharp note, exceedingly like that of the large 

 Black-backed Squirrel (Sciimis bicolor). The males also continu- 

 ally make a whirring sound with their wings, which can be very 

 well imitated by twirling rapidly between the hands a small 

 stick, in a cleft of which a piece of stiff cloth has been trans- 

 versely placed. I have often discovered the whereabouts of a 

 flock by hearing this noise. They never come into the open, 

 but confine themselves to the forests, feeding on berries, tender 

 leaves, and insects and grubs of all kinds, and they are very 

 fond of scratching about after the manner of domestic poultry, 

 and dusting themselves. When disturbed, they run rapidly 

 away, not in different directions, but all keeping much together ; 



