1839] 



of the Peni?isula of India. 



243 



Irides reddish dark brown; length about 7k inches; of wing 4; tail 3; 

 tarsus about x V ns « 



62 — C. Canus. 



I have not hitherto been fortunate enough to meet with this species of 

 spine rump, and there is such a contrariety of description in the published 

 accounts I have met with, that I wish Colonel Sykes had given a de- 

 scription of his species, which I suspect after all only to be the adult male 

 of the last. 



Genus PHCENICORNIS, Sw.—lled bird. 



63. — Ph. princeps, Vig. — Gould Cent. — Large red bird. 



I shot one specimen of this splendid bird inadense and lofty jungle in 

 Goomsoor, hopping about the upper branches of high trees, and only 

 once again observed it. At this time, which was just before the com- 

 mencement of the hot season, and when insects were least abundant, it 

 descended to the ground to pickup an insect, and returned immediately. 

 This habit, I, on several occasions about the same time, saw resorted to 

 by other birds, from whose usual manners it was equally foreign, viz. 

 true flycatchers (M. Banyumas and M. Melanops) ; on the same tree was 

 a grey and yellow bird of the same size, which, judging from analogy, 

 was the female. In the stomach of the one I killed were the remains of 

 various insects chiefly coleopterous. 



Length of my specimen 9 inches; of wing 4 T \-ths ; tail 4; tarsus 

 nearly T 8 Q-t ns » 



This splendid species differs from P.flammeus, which sometimes 

 nearly approaches it in size, in the length of the wing and tarsus, as 

 well as in the infinitely richer hue of the red. 



64. P. Brevirostris, "Vig. — Gould's Cent. — Short billed red bird. 



I was also fortunate enough to meet with this well marked and dis- 

 tinct species in Goomsoor, and procured three individuals, an adult, male, 

 a young male and a female. It had the same manners as the last, fre- 

 quenting the tops of high trees — on one occasion, however, I observed 

 a flock of the females hunting together over a thick hedge. In the 

 stomach of those I killed fragments of coleopterous insects only were 

 observed. 



