Tabs. VIII.
PHAENICORNIS BREVIROSTRIS.

Mase. Phen. capite, collo, nucha, dorso superiori, als, rectricibusque meds splendenti-nigris ;
corpore infra, dorso imo, pteromatum apicrbus, fascia remigum, rectricibusque lateralibus
splendidé cocciners ; rostro brevi, subdebilt.

Foem.? fronte, corpore infra, dorso amo, fascia alarum, rectricibusque lateralibus flavis ; capite,

A e ° ° . . ° e . oe . .
nucha, scapulartbus, dorsoque superiori grisess ; alis rectricibusque meds nigris.

Longitudo corporis, 81 unc.; ale, 3+; rostri,ve; tarst, ?; caudee, 4.
S$ P ’ ? ’ 9 ’ 9 85

Tus beautiful example of the genus Phenicornis, to which we have given the name of drevirostris, agrees very
closely in many respects with the P. fammeus. It possesses, however, characters sufficiently well marked to
separate it from that species ; the first of which consists in the abbreviated size of the beak, while the general
size of the body in both is the same ; the tail of P. brevirostris is also considerably longer, producing a more
slender and graceful contour of figure; and the brilliant crimson of the male is much more intense. As is
usual with its allied congeners, the female of this species presents a fine orange yellow where in the male it
's a brilliant scarlet ; the black is also supplied by a grey with more or less of an olive tinge.

As far as researches have hitherto extended, we may venture to say that the P. drevirostris is, like the
P. princeps, peculiar to the range of the Himalaya mountains, as in all the various ornithological collections
from the other parts of India, which we have had an opportunity of inspecting, no example has been detected.
Mr. Shore informs us that it is found very generally spread over the hills, especially in the warmer places,
where it is sometimes seen in flocks. We have abundant testimony, on the other hand, that the P. flammeus
is not only extensively spread over continental India, but is equally common in the adjacent islands.

The colour of the male is like that of P. prnceps ; the scarlet, however, is much more intense, and the
edges of the secondaries want the slight scarlet margination where it is found in the former bird.

The Plate represents the male and female of the natural size.