PSARISOMUS DALHOUSIA.
Dalhousie’s EKurylaime.

iim Pi Ime i Enh ew Pr i HW as Rah
alaya } ains, vol. 1. p. 76, vol. il. pl. 7. fig. 2.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds,
} vol.-i. p. 65, Eurylaimus, sp. 5.—Horsf. in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIL. p. 156,

Psarisomus ae Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 261.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 169.—Blyth, Cat. of
Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 195.—G. R. Gray, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., Part II.
sec. 1. p. 37.—List of Spec. and Draw. of Mamm. and Birds presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson,
Eisq., p. 55.

Eurylaimus (Crossodera) Dalhousia, Gould, Icones Avium, vol. i.

Eurylaimus psittacinus, Mull—Temm. PI. Col., 598.

Raya Nipalensis, Hodgs.

Simornis (Raya) sericeogula, Hodgs.—Gray, Zool. Misc. 1844, p. 82.

Raya sericeogula, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. vill. p. 36.

Eurylaimus psarisomus dalhousie, Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp., p. 117.

Rai, Nepaulese.

 

Iv nearlv every group of birds there is one species rendered conspicuously different from its fellows, either
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by an excessive development of some part of its plumage, or by the beauty of its colour and markings :

among the urylaimine the present species is the one thus distinguished, and certainly bears the palm both

for beauty and elegance from all its congeners. This charming bird is, I believe, confined to the continent of
Asia, where it enjoys the temperate and intertropical climates of Upper India, and those countries which
stretch along the base of the Himalayas from Nepaul to Affghanistan. Dr. Royle procured specimens at
Mussoree at an elevation of 6500 feet, while numerous others have been sent to the National Collection by
Mr. Hodgson from Nepaul.

The first specimen that arrived in this country was brought home by the Countess of Dalhousie, to whom
it was soon after dedicated by Professor Jameson. It is unquestionably the most splendid species of the
family, and differs from all its congeners, not only in the more brilliant colouring of its plumage and greater
elegance of form, but in its lengthened and graduated tail, in the beautiful frill of silky feathers which
nearly surrounds the neck, and in the tuft, which springing from above each eye, gives the bird the appearance
of having horns: these differences induced me to regard it as the type of a new wenus, and, unaware that
Mr. Swainson had assigned to it the name of Psarisomus, to propose for it the
Crossodera: Mr. Sey eanis name, however, having the priority, my own sinks into a synonym. |
louring of the sexes; but the young are very different, having

generic appellation of

We look in vain for any difference 1n the co , sie oo
i ; -esenting indicé » rich colouring 0
none of the contrasted markings of the adult, and only presenting indications of the rich colo
maturity.
A large patch on the crown of the head, and a smaller one

of the head black, with the exception of a lengthened tuft on each side | sae .
sides of the neck beautiful yellow, edged with white below, an¢

primaries black, margined with

at the nape glossy light blue; the remainder

of the occiput of a yellowish green 3

throat and projecting frill of feathers on the
surface fine deep grass-green ;

with a wash of green on the chin; upper . —
‘i to which on the inner web is a spot of pure white ;

metallic blue at the base of the external web, opposite

beyond the blue base of the external web the primaries are ma ae 2 ore ee
inged 1 “mens with blue; bill green é g
tinged in some specimens

arsi and toes pea-green, their hinder and under parts fleshy
Cc Ss Cc eC $

roined with bluish green ; tail greenish blue ;
eine

under surface lively verditer-green,
below with lighter edges; forepart of the t
OO . : 2 E Jee ash.
brown ; irides reddish brown, with a yellowish lash ten
~ birds > natural SIZe.
The Plate represents two adults and two young birds of the natt

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HEETETUTN ATTN

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