PSAROPHOLUS TRAILLI.

Maroon Oriole.

Pastor Traillu, Vig. in Proc. of Comm. of Sci. and Corr. of Zool. Soc., part i. p. 176.—Gould, Cent. of Birds,
ple xemxy.

Oriolus Traillii, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. v. p. 772.—G. R. Gray, Cat. of Spec. and Draw. of Birds pres.
by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., to Brit. Mus., p. 87.—M ‘Clell. in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part vii. 1839, p. 160.—
Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xi. pp. 192 and 797, vol. xv. p. 45; Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc.
Calcutta, p. 215 ; Ibis, 1867, p. 11.—G. R. Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p-. 232, Oriolus, sp. 16.
—Horsf. and Moore, Cat. of Birds in Mus. East- Ind. Comp., vol. i. p. 272.—Jerd. Birds of India, vol. ii.
p: 112.

Psaropholus Traillii, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., 3rd ser. pl. xxvi—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. p. 345.

Analeipus Trailli, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2d edit. p. 38, and Hand-list of Birds, part i. p. 290.

 

Tus, one of the finest and most attractive of the Insessorial birds of the Himalayan region, is to all intents
and purposes a true Oriole ; yet it has been generically separated by some of our best ornithologists from the
other members of the genus Oriolus ; and in following in their wake I must admit that I am acting incon-
sistently with my conviction. The late Mr. Vigors regarded it as a Pastor, and so described it in the first
part of the ‘ Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society ;’ and
as such it also appeared in my ‘ Century of Birds.’ Sir William Jardine and Mr. Selby made it the type of
their genus Psaropholus; by Mr. Hodgson it was placed in that of Ovzolus, rightly in my opinion; while
Mr. G. R. Gray includes it in the genus Analeipus, of which A. sanguinolentus is the type, a Javan form, of
which, I believe, no other species is known ; if, however, as is generally admitted, Mimeta is separable from
Oriolus, then, of course, Psaropholus is also. The solitary Analcipus, I consider, differs sufficiently to render
a separate generic designation necessary.

It is somewhat surprising that very little has been recorded respecting the habits and economy of this bird,
since it must have come under the observation of many naturalists and travellers who have visited the
Himalayas ; yet the following brief note by Dr. Jerdon is all I can find respecting it.

“This curiously plumaged Oriole,” says this gentleman, ‘is found in the eastern part of the Himalayas,
Nepaul, and Sikhim, extending into Assam, Arrakan, and Tenasserim. It is met with at about 2000 to at
least 7000 feet of elevation, generally in small flocks, keeping to high trees, and has a fine loud mellow call.
Those I examined had fed upon caterpillars only.”

It has not yet been ascertained whether the females assume a similar but less brilliant colouring than that
of the males, or whether the birds with striated breasts are young individuals or fully adult females ; in all
probability the latter is the case, and my Plate represents an old bird of each sex. ,

The male has the head, neck, and wings of a fine glossy black ; plumage of the body, both above and
dark glistening maroon-red, the basal portion of the feathers white and occasionally appearing
| tail of a similar but very much lighter tint, the shafts yellowish white

beneath,
between the maroon-coloured tips ;
for two thirds of their length from the base ; bill lively leaden blue; irides pale yellow ; legs and feet lead-

colour.

The female has the he
the male, but less bright ;
nally with brown ; the two central ones brown, with a streak of red 7
ipe of dark brown down the centre of each feather, and a slight wash of
bill and feet as in the male, but not quite so clear.
kest on the head, has the tail red, is of a sullied white beneath, with

ad and upper surface brown, darkest on the former ; upper tail-coverts red, as in
wings brownish black ; tail red, the external feathers broadly margined exter-
down the middle of the basal portion ;

under surface dull white, with a str
maroon-red on the throat and breast ;

«The young bird is brown above, dar :
numerous longitudinal brown streaks ; and the iris yellowish brown.”—Jerdon.

The figures are of the size of life.