EURYLAIMUS OCHROMALUS, Raff.
Hooded Eurylaime.
Eurylaimtis ochromalus, Raff. Trans. Linn. Soc., vol. xiii. p. 297.— Vig. App. to Mem. of Sir S. Raffles, p. 653.
■ —Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 195.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i.
p. 65, Eurylaimus, sp. 2.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 168, Eurylaimus, sp. 2.—G. R. Gray, List of
Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., p art ii. sec. 1. p. 36.—Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp.,
p. 116.
-------------- cucullatus, Temm. PI. Coll. 261.
-------------- Rafflesii, Less. Compl. Buff., tom. viii. p. 463
-------------- capistratus ? Mus. Lugd.
Tamplana gilin, Malays.
T h is elegant species, like the Javanicus, is a typical Eurylaime, and moreover inhabits all the countries
mentioned as the native haunts of that bird, namely, Tenasserim, Malacca, Java and Borneo.
As in the E. Javanicus, I find some of the adults of this species with and others without a black pectoral
band: the specimens in the latter state in my own Collection are marked as females, it therefore seems
pretty certain that the black chest-mark is a characteristic of the opposite sex.
The delicate tint which pervades the breast and the contrasted black and yellow of the upper surface
must render this species a most conspicuous object in its native woods. Judging from the form of its bill,
it would appear to feed upon berries and fruits, to which insects and their larvae are doubtless added.
The male has the head and chin, shoulders, collar across the breast, sides of the back, wings and tail
black; around the neck, between the black chin and the black pectoral band, a band, broad in front and
narrow behind, of a very delicate pinky white, the pinky hue increasing on the lower edge; down the centre
of the back a series of sulphur-yellow feathers occasionally streaked with black; upper tail-coverts mingled
black and yellow; scapularies streaked with black and yellow, the latter colour predominating; secondaries
margined externally with yellow; at the bases of the primaries a spot of yellowish white; all the tail-feathers
with a large spot of white on the inner side near the tip; under wing-coverts yellow, with a spot of black
near the insertion of the primaries; breast vinaceous lilac, becoming gradually deeper on the abdomen;
flanks, vent and under tail-coverts yellow; thighs black; upper mandible very dark green, merging into
blue at the base and inclining to dark brown on the edge; under mandible blue; eye very pale yellowish;
legs reddish flesh-colour.
The colouring of the soft parts is taken from a drawing at the East India House, which I believe to be
correct; if so, it appears that the bill changes from green in the living bird to reddish in the preserved
skin.
In the female the black pectoral band is wanting; there is a smaller amount of yellow on the upper surface
; and the spots on the tail-feathers are smaller and of a yellow hue.
The figures are of the size of life.