SUTHORA BRUNNEA, Anderson.

Anderson’s Suthora.

Suthora brunnea, Anderson, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 211.—Swinhoe, J. c. p. 373.

 

Tue genus Suthora may be divided into two very distinct sections, in the first of which may be placed all
those whose plumage is particoloured and their chins black ; while the second section would contain those
of more uniform plumage, with the throat and chest of the same colour. I have already in the present
work, figured two species of the genus; and it will be seen that S. npalensis belongs to the first, and
S. webbiana to the second section mentioned above. The bird which I now introduce to my readers is
allied to the last-named species and to S. a/phonsiana of Verreaux ; but it differs from both in the absence
of rufous on the wing, as well as in the vinaceous colouring of the ear-coverts and sides of the neck. In
S. alphonsiana these parts are grey; and in S. webdiana they are pale fulvous brown, like the head. The
home of the present bird is the province of Yun-nan in Western China. Here it was discovered by
Dr. John Anderson, the energetic Director of the India Museum at Calcutta, who has most obligingly lent
me one of the typical examples for the purpose of figuring in this work.

The following is a description of the bird :— .

General colour of upper surface olive-brown; the wings and tail uniform, the primaries externally
margined with fulvous ; the head and neck bright chestnut, including the ear-coverts ; cheeks and throat
pale vinous; the feathers with tiny mesial streaks of rufous; the rest of the under suriace pale fulvous
washed with olive on the flanks; under wing-coverts buffy-white; the edge of ile wing conspicuously
fulvous, the inner lining of the quills pale brown, edged with fulvous alone) the miner web, and oe
inclining to rufous on the secondaries. ‘Total length 5 inches, culmen 0°35, wing 2°0, tail 2°6, tarsus 0 79.
The figures in the Plate are of the size of life.