PHYLLORNIS HODGSONTI.
Hodgson’s Phyllornis.

Hurruwa Bee-eater, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 125. pl. 68.
———. Malabaricus, Jard. and Selby, Il. Orn., vol. i. Syn. Spec. Chloropsis, sp. 2, and pl. &.
aurifrons, Jard. and Selby, Il. Orn., vol. ii. Syn. Spec. Chloropsis, in text to pl. 100, sp. 3.—Jerd. Madras
Journ. Lit. and Sci., vol. xiii. part ii. p. 12s.

Phyllornis aurifrons, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xi. p. 458, vol. xii. p. 956, vol. xiv. p. 566.—Ib. Cat.
of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 212.—Gray, Cat. of Spec. and Draw. of Mamm. and Birds
presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., p. 61.—Horsf. and Moore, Cat. of Birds in Mus.
East Ind. Comp., vol. i. p. 258.

Merops Hurryba, Dr. F. B. Hamilton, MS. i. Dp. G6.

Hurryba (various voices), Hamilton.

Sulz Hariwa of the Nepaulese, Hodgson.

Nget-tsin of the Aracanese, Blyth.

 

Mr. G. R. Gray is inclined to believe that the present bird, which is a native of Upper India, is quite distinct
from that figured by Temminck in his ‘ Planches Coloriées’ under the name of Phyllornis aurifrons, and
which he states is a native of Pallambang, in the island of Sumatra. Now, although I have not had an
opportunity of examining the original of M. Temminck’s figure and description, I am inclined to coincide
with Mr. Gray’s opinion, and have therefore adopted the specific name of Hodge soni suggested by him.

Should our joint opinion prove to be correct, then three of the finest members of the genus Phyllornis,
inhabiting the continent of India, will be respectively named after three persons who have paid particular
attention to the investigation of the ornithology of that interesting region, namely, Hardwicke, Hodgson,
and Jerdon. I have already spoken of two of these gentlemen when writing on the species bearing their
names, and now for a word respecting Mr. Hodgson, to whom the present beautiful species is dedicated.
For him no eulogy from me is necessary, since his fame is amply secured by his numerous valuable papers
on the natural history of India, and by the vast collections, both of specimens and drawings, he has so
liberally presented to that great national repository, the British Museum. These invaluable stores form
abundant materials for the illustration of the fauna of one of our greatest and richest possessions. The
term Hodgson, then, is in this instance especially appropriate, and I trust that the bird here represented
will always be recognized by it by every ornithologist. The bird itself has long been familiarly known to
us as the Hurruwa Bee eater of Latham whose figure of the male, in the fourth volume of his ‘General
History of Birds,’ must always leave a lasting impression upon the mind of every young ornithologist.

The native habitat of the Phyllornis Hodgsoni is Northern India, the Himalayas, Sylhet, and Aracan.
Latham says “it is the Hurrial or Hurryba of the Hindostanese, pronounced Hurruwa ; it is said to sing
very prettily, from whence the name Flurry, various, and Ba, voice.”

Mr. Blyth tells us that “ it is no despicable songster, and lives and sings well in confinement.”

I cannot close my remarks on this species without offering my thanks to Edward Vernon Harcourt, Esq.,
for the specimens from which my figures were taken. This gentleman has devoted much time and attention
to natural history, and I have much pleasure in recording my obligations to him, not only for examples of
this, but for other species of birds inhabiting the great Himalaya range of mountains.

The usual difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes, the female, as will be seen on reference to the
opposite Plate, being destitute of the black throat.

Forehead rich reddish orange , lores and throat-gorget deep velvety black, bordered externally with
yellow; chin deep blue; plumage of the body, wings, and tail grass-green, lighter beneath ; inner webs of
the primaries and secondaries blackish brown, on each shoulder a patch of verditer blue ; bill black ; irides
yellowish hazel ; legs olive-grey.

The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Hevacentris Mysorensis.