PACHYGLOSSA VINCENS. 
(LEGGE’S FLOWERPECKER.) 
(Peculiar to Ceylon.) 
PrionocMlus vincens, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 729; Holdsw. t.c. p. 483; Legge, J. A. S. 
(Ceylon Branch) 1873, p. 13; Sclater, Ibis, 1874, p. 2, pi. 1; Legge, t.c. p. 23; 
Holdsw. t. c. p. 126 ; Hume, Str. Peath. 1875, p. 493 (redescription). 
(3 ad. supra plumbeus indigotico nitens, uropygio clariiis plumbescenti-cinereo : teetrieibus alarum secundariisque 
nigris, dorsi colore inargiuatis : remigibus reetricibusque nigris, his (duabus mediis exceptis) albo termiiialiter 
maeulatis, extemis latius : facie laterali tota et colli lateribus piloo concoloribus : gala et prsepectore albis : cor- 
pore rehquo subtus flavo, hypochondriis vix olivaeeo lavatis : tibiis et subcaiidalibus albis, flavo lavatis : subalaribus 
albis : remigibus infra nigris, intus albo marginatis. 
$ ad. mari similis, sed pallidior et supra minus nitens ; dorso olivaeeo lavato : teetrieibus alarum quoque nigri- 
cantibus, olivaeeo vix marginatis. 
Adult male. Length 4'1 to 4-2 inches ; wing 2-3 to 2-4 ; tail 1-2 ; tarsus 0-5 ; middle toe and claw 0'52 ; bill to gape 0-45. 
Iris reddish ; bill black, lower mandible pale at the base ; legs and feet blackish brown. 
Head, hind neck, back, rump, and lesser wing-coverts dull steel-blue, palest on the rump, and with the concealed 
portion of the feathers dark; wings and tail blackish, the coverts and tertials edged with the hue of the back, the 
secondaries edged faintly towards the tips with bluish green ; terminal portion of the three outer tail-feathers 
white, tip of the next pair the same ; throat and chest white, changing into saffron-yellow on the breast and 
lower parts, and p.aling to yellowish on the under taU-coverts ; under wing-coverts and basal portion of the inner 
webs of the quills white. In specimens in abraded plumage the rump assumes a whitish aspect. 
Female. Length 3-9 to 4-1 inches ; wing 2-15 to 2-3 ; bill somewhat lighter than that of the male ; iris not so intense ; 
legs and feet slightly paler. 
Head and hind neck bluish ashen, changing into the olivaceous brown of the back, which is overcome with dark 
olivaceous green on the lower back and rump ; wings paler than in the male, coverts edged with olivaceous ; tail 
brownish black, the terminal spots less deep and confined to the three outer pairs of rectrices ; breast much less 
bright than in the male, with the flanks cinereous. 
Yomig. Males of the year are very similar to adults ; the breast not so yellow. Iris brown or red-brown. Females 
have the iris in nestling plumage olive-brown, changing when older to reddish brown ; bill with the base of 
lower mandible yellowish fleshy. Above dull greenish brown, changing to dull brown on the sides of the neck 
and face, the white of the chin and throat confined to the centre ; sides of chest cinereous, under surface washed 
wdth yellow. 
Ohs. This species was classed by Dr. Sclater as a PnonocMlus, a genus of Strickland’s, instituted for the reception, as 
this gentleman tells us (‘ Ibis,’ 1874, p. 1), of the birds described and figured in the ‘Planches Colorie'es ’ of Temminck 
as Pardalotus percussus, P. iJioradcus, and another Malayan species, P. maculatus. This group is characterized by 
minute serrations on the upper mandible, and hence the name — irpiwv, a saw, and ye'tXos, a lip. They have likewise, 
as Mr. Wiillace states in his note on the genus (‘Ibis,’ 1874, p. 411) and also writes me recently, a minute 1st 
primary. On again examining the Ceylonese bird and carefully comparing it with a closely allied congener from 
'NeTpad, Pacliyglossa melatioxaniha {devdan,^. of lud. i. p. 378), I find that these serrations are not present in 
either, and in addition to this they possess but nine jirhnaries, which at once precludes their being placed with 
the PnonocJiili. This latter genus, according to the system of classification followed in this work, would be located 
in the Sturnoid Passeres, while Pachyglossa, to which the Ceylonese form belongs (it being a congener of the Nepal 
species), must be placed among the Dicseidae in the Tanagroid or nine-primary section of the Passeres. I have 
lately sent my specimens to Mr. Wallace for examination, in order to obtain the benefit of his valuable opinion ; 
and he w'rites me that my bird being a decided Pachyglossa, this genus will now consist of three species— 
P. aureoUmbata (a beautiful species described by himself from Northern Celebes), P. melauoxantha from Nepal, 
and P. vincens from Ceylon. 
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