NECTARINIA GOALPARIENSIS.
Goulpourah Sun-Bird.

Goulpourah Creeper, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 221. pl. Ixxiv.

Cumnyris miles, Hodgs. Ind. Rev. 1837, p. 273.

labecula, McClell. in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p. 167.

Nectarina Seheria, Tickell, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. ii. Be ode.

Goalpariensis, Royle, Il. Him. Bot., vol. ii. pl. 7. fig. 1.—Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vel. xii:
p- 969.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 98.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc.
Calcutta, p. 223.—Jard. Nat. Lib. Sun-Birds, pp. 230, 267, pl. 27.

 

 

 

 

No one of the beautiful long-tailed Nectarine appears to be more widely dispersed over the northern and
eastern portions of India than the . Goalpariensis, which, as its name implies, and as is stated by Latham,
is to be found at Goulpourah ; it has also been obtained by Captain Tickell near Seheria in Borabhim ; by
Captain Boys at Bumourie; figured by Dr. Royle as an example of a tropical form from Deyra Doon; and
Mr. Blyth states that it inhabits the sub-Himalayan regions generally, Central and Southern India, Sylhet,
Aracan, and the Tenasserim provinces.

Of its habits and economy very little has been recorded; Captain Tickell states that he observed it
flitting about the low willow bushes in the dried bed of a stream, and that it has no song, but a loud chirp.
Captain Boys says its food consists of honey and insects ; and Dr. Royle figures the nest of a pendulous
form, but unfortunately has given no account whatever respecting the bird or its habits.

The male has the forehead and crown dark metallic greenish purple; on the nape a broad band of
dark olive-green; back and wing-coverts very dark blood-red; wings brown margined with olive; across
the rump a fan-shaped mark of pure yellow; upper tail-coverts glossy green; two central tail-feathers
very dark glossy purplish green; lateral tail-feathers brown, glossed with rich purple on the basal three-
fourths of their outer webs; throat and breast fine light blood-red, within which, proceeding from beneath
the lower angle of the bill down either side, is a narrow line of beautiful steel-blue; abdomen pale olive-
ereen, darkest where it meets the scarlet; irides dark brown; upper mandible black; lower mandible
brown ; legs and feet greyish black.

The female has the upper surface olive-green, becoming much paler beneath; under surface of the
shoulder white ; central tail-feathers olive-yellow ; lateral tail-feathers blackish brown, tipped with white and

margined externally with olive-yellow.
The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size, on the Clematis montana.