Fas. XXL
MYOPHONUS TEMMINCKII.

Myoph. ater, azwreo nitens, corporis m fronte plumis in medio metallicé splendentibus ; abdomine

. XX . . ° one 7 e
fusco-atro; capite supra im fronte regioneque carpali alarum lazulines ; tectricibus alarum

parce ccesio-albo maculatis ; rostro flavo.

Statura Myoph. flavirostris (metallicus, Temm.), cui simillimus : differt rostro graciliori, colore

splendidiore corporis caudzque, capitisque vertice lazulino.

Tue present species fully equals in size the well-known Myophonus flavirostris, and is adorned with plumage,
if possible, still more intense and brilliant in colour. The principal characteristics, however, which distinguish
the species before us from the Javanese bird, are its more slender beak, more lengthened tarsi, and a tail
longer in proportion to the dimensions of the body.

The habitat of the two species differs widely :—for while the last-mentioned is distributed equally over the
elevated regions of the Indian continent, the Myophonus flavirostris, on the contrary, is confined to Java,
Sumatra, and the islands in the Eastern Archipelago.

Mr. Shore notices in his MS., that the species is very abundant in the Himalayan mountains, where it is
found equally in the warm regions of the Doon and the colder temperature of the Gurghwall,—that its native
name is Aud/jet,—and that its habits and actions, when on the ground, much resemble those of the English
Blackbird. Further than this no distinct information of its history has hitherto been collected.

The general plumage is black with azure reflections ; the forehead and shoulders bright lazuline blue ; each
feather on the back as well as on the sides of the neck and chest is glazed along its centre, which gives to
those parts of the bird a metallic lustre; the quills are black ; bill yellow with a dark culmen; the tarsi
black.

The bird is figured of the natural size.