NYCTIORNIS ATHERTONI.
Blue-throated Nyctiornis.

Merops Athertoni, Jard. and Selb. Hl. Orn., vol. ii. pl. 58.

Nyctiornis ceruleus, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 333.

Amherstiana, Royle, Ul. Him. Bot., vol. i. p. Ixxvii.

Bucia Nipalensis, Hodgs., Journ. Asiat. Soc., vol. v. p. 360.

Alcemerops paleazureus, Less.

Merops ? cyanogularis, Jerd. in Madras Journ. Lit. and Sc., vol. ii. p. 229.

—_—— Assamensis, McClell.

Nyctiornis Athertoni, McClell. in Proc. Zool. Soc., Part VII. p. 155.—Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. vi. p. 450.—Gray and
Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. 1. p. 87.—Cat. of Spec. and Draw. of Birds presented to Brit. Mus. by
B. H. Hodgson, Esq., p. 58.

Alcemerops Athertonit, Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 52.

Bucia Athertoni, Blyth in Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. x. p. 922.

 

 

Napophila Athertont, Blyth in Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xi. p. 104.

 

Tur fine bird forming the subject of the present memoir was first described and figured in the ‘“ Ornitho-
logical Illustrations ” of Messrs. Jardine and Selby, who assigned to it the specific appellation of Atherton,
as a tribute justly due to the memory of the late Lieut. J. Atherton, of the 13th Light Dragoons, for his
exertions in the cause of Ornithological science. According to the Notes of this gentleman, it inhabits
the interior of India, and feeds by night, at which time it is very noisy, frequently repeating the
short cry of eurr-curr. These nocturnal habits are, however, somewhat problematical, as neither Mr.
Hodgson, Capt. Boys, nor any other observer with whose notes I am acquainted, make mention of them.
The parts of Asia most frequented by the Mycteornes Atherton, are the warmer and temperate portions of
Northern India, the countries of Deyra Doon, Nepaul, Assam and Aracan: Mr. Blyth states that it is also
found in Tenasserim and Southern India, from which latter country, however, I have never seen examples.
Every account states that it inhabits the dense jungles, and justifies the conclusion that it is very solitary
in its habits, which, moreover, appear to be very similar to those of the Trogons. Mr. Hodgson, in his
Notes on this species in the ‘“ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,” speaking of the bird in the plural,
says they “‘are of rare occurrence, and are solitary woodlanders ;” they “are found in the lower and
central regions of Nepaul, but seldom or never in the northern. The Nepaulese call them Bukay-chera ;
chera being merely a corruption of chiria, or bird.

“These birds feed principally on bees and their congeners, but they likewise consume great quantities of
scarabeei and their like. They are of dull staid manners, and never quit the deepest recesses of the forest.

“In the Raja’s shooting excursions; they are frequently taken alive by the clamorous multitude of sports-
men, some two or more of whom single out a bird and presently make him captive, disconcerted as he is by
the noise.”

« This beautiful bird,” says Capt. Boys, ‘“ has a peculiarly wild note, and is very difficult of approach. I
never obtained but one specimen, and that was procured at considerable risk, as the khud up which I fol-
lowed it was a resort for wild animals of all kinds ; indeed, while engaged in its pursuit, a leopard set up
his hideous snarling from the opposite side of the khud; my servant quietly walked off unperceived, and it
was not until I had brought down the bird that I was conscious of being alone : ae no desire to meet
the leopard, who had been roused by the firing, I walked away as quietly but as quickly as possible. The
khud is an awkward one, N.W. of Bumourie, with a small stream running through it. Many species of
Woodpecker abound in the neighbourhood.” on a

The sexes, when they have attained their fully adult plumage, are so similar that they can only be distin-
guished by the smaller size of the female; the youthful dress, on the contrary, Is charactermed by a uni-
formity of tint on the upper surface, and by the absence of the blue gular plumes, which renders their im-
maturity very conspicuous.

Crown of the head verditer blue; cheeks, sides of the neck, all the upper surface, wings and tail sap
green; down the centre of the throat and neck a number of long pendent feathers, of which those on the
throat are verditer blue, and those on the breast deep bluish green margined with verditer blue ; under
surface of the wings and tail deep buff; under surface buff streaked with dull green; irides reddish brown ;
bill blue-grey ; legs pale green in front, light brown bles 7

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size, on the Déctamnus Himalayanus.