PHYLLOENIS MALABAEICITS. 
(THE MALABAE GEEEN BULBUL.) 
Txirdus malaharicus, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 837 (1788). 
Phyllornis malaiaricus, Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 212 (1849); Gould, B. of Asia, 
pt. xiii. (1861); Jerdon, B. of Ind. ii. p. 98 (1863); Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 451; 
Legge, Ibis, 1874, p. 21; Fairbank, Str. Feath. 1876, p. 258. 
Chloropsis malabaricus, Jerdon, Cat. B. S. India, 2nd Suppl. Madr. Journ. 1844-45, p. 124. 
Phyllornis malabarica, Kelaart, Prodromns, Cat. p. 120 (1852) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. 
Hist. 1853, xii. p. 176; Bourdillon, Str. Feath. 1876, p. 400. 
The Golden-fronted Green Bulbul ; The Malabar Honey-eater, Kelaart. 
Giraw-kurulla, Sinhalese (applied to both these species, probably on account of their 
being the colour of a Parrakeet). 
Adult male. Loiigtli 7‘5 inches ; wing 3'o to 3’6 ; tail 2'5 to 2-7 ; tarsus 0-7 ; mid toe and claw (straight) 0‘75 ; bill 
to gape 0-85 to 1-0. The tail o£ this Bulbul is shorter and the under tail-coverts longer than in the preceding 
species, a distinguishing characteristic which is noticeable the moment the bird is handled. 
Iris brown ; bill blackish ; legs and feet slaty bluish. 
Above and beneath a darker green than in the foregoing ; face, chin, and throat similarly enveloped in black, but the 
colour extends lower douni on the neck and encircles the eye ; maxillary stripe larger ; forehead rich golden, 
shading gradually into the green of the head ; the wing-patch deeper in hue, and along the carpal joint there is 
a streak of hyacinth-blue. 
Young. The male of the year appears to have the forehead and throat green, as specimens are often procured with 
golden and black feathers mixed with the green respectively on these two parts ; the maxillary stripe in these 
is small. 
Female. Somewhat smaller than the male. Length 7’1 inches ; wing 3'4 ; tail 2-3. Bill not so black as the male’s. 
Torehead green ; throat-patch and cheek-stripe smaller. 
Ohs. Not having had access to any South-Indian examples of this species I am unable to give data concerning them, 
but it is improbable that they differ in any way from insular specimens. The northern form of Golden-fronted 
Bulbul, P. aiirifrons, erroneously included in the Ceylon list by Kelaart (Prodromus, p. 120), is allied to the present 
species. The male has the forehead more occupied by the golden hue, and the gorge, as well as the sides of the 
throat, are hyacinth-blue ; the black of the fore neck is bordered beneath with golden yellow, and the wing- 
patch is larger than in P, malaharicus. The female, as in the present species, wants the golden forehead. 
In my synonymy of this bird I have omitted Temminck’s reference, PI. Col. 512, as neither the drawing nor the 
description apply to the present species. The whole head, nape, sides of neck, and throat beneath the black 
gorget are yellow, and are described in the text as “ uue jaune jonquille,” which “ couvre la tete, la region des 
oreilles et s’etend en zone autour de la grande et large plaque noire qui couvre toute la gorge.” He concludes his 
notice by saying that a couple of these birds were sent to him from Sumatra. The plate and description are 
perhaps those of Ph. cocliincJmiensis. 
Distribution. — This handsome species has always been considered a rare bird in Ceylon : undoubtedly it 
is far less numerous than the last mentioned ; but it is nevertheless widely distributed, both in the low country 
and in the mountain-regions of the island. Kelaart is said by Layard to have procured it at Nuwara Elliya ; 
and though the latter speaks of it as confined to the upland districts, he only procured one example, which 
was brought to him by his collector “ Muttoo,^^ at Gillymally. There is an example in the British Museum 
collected at Nuwara Elliya by Mr. Boate. The first specimen which came under my notice was one which 
was obtained in Dumbara by Mr. Forbes Laurie, and afterwards noticed, in his catalogue, by Mr. Holdsworth. 
