PARADOXORNIS FLAVIROSTRIS, Gowa.

Paradoxornis.

Paradoxornis flavirostris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. pt. iv. p. 17.—Ib. Mag. of Zool. and Bot. vol. i. p. 62.—Ib.
Icones Avium.—Horsf. and M‘Clell. Proc. of Zool. Soc. part vii. p. 164.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of
Birds, vol. ii. p. 389, Paradowxornis, sp. 1.—Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. xiv. p. 578.—Bonap.
Consp. Gen. Av. p. 500, Paradowxornis, sp. 1.—Moore, Cat. Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp.

Bathyrhynchus brevirostris, M‘Clell. Quart. Journ. Calcutta Med. and Phys. Soc. 1837.—Ib. Ind. Rev. 1838, p. 513,
with a figure.

 

Peruaps there is no one of the smaller Insessorial birds which has excited more interest among ornitholo-
gists than the present very singular species, which I had the pleasure of first making known to science in
the year 1836; nothing was then known respecting its history, and we are still uninformed as to its habits
and economy, or for what purpose its remarkably formed bill is especially adapted. It is a species of great
rarity, so much so, indeed, that I know of no continental collection which is graced by a specimen; our
National Museum, however, as well as those of the Honourable East India Company and the Zoological
Society, all contain examples. The sexes appear to offer little external difference either in size or colour.
Mr. Hodgson has sent specimens to the British Museum from Nepaul, and Mr. M‘Clelland to that of the

. . si trie refor idered to constitute its true
East India Company from Assam ; these countries therefore may be cons

habitat. ; e i d
: ak : . wings and tall San rown 3; face
Crown of the head and back of the neck dull rufous ; upper surface, wilgs é y brown ;
jet-black ; under surface pale sandy brown, with a large

and throat white, mottled with black ; ear-coverts =
he mottled feathers of the throat ; bill rich orange-

blotch of black on the breast immediately below t
yellow ; tarsi and feet olive-green.

The figures are of the natural size.