ACTINODURA RAMSAYI.
Ramsay’s Barwing.
Actinura ramsayi, Wald. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, xv. p. 402 (1875).—Hume, Stray Feathers, iii.
p. 404 (1875).—Wardlaw Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, p. 464, pi. xiii.—id. Orn. Works of Marquis of
Tweeddale, p. 415.
Actmodura ramsayi, Hume, Stray Feathers, 1879, p. 97.
R amsay’s Barwing was discovered by the gentleman after whom it is named, in the hills o f Karen-nee, in
Burmah, a t a place called Kyai-pho-gyee. He states that he found it frequenting the jungle-covered
mountain-streams in the open country of Karen-nee, a t an elevation of about 3000 feet, but he did not
subsequently meet with it.
The species is a very distinct one, easily recognizable by its ochraceous coloration; and I add herewith
the original description given by the late Marquis of Tweeddale.
“ Under surface from chin to vent clear oclireous buff, somewhat darker on the chin and th ro a t; upper
surface cinereous olive; forehead almost ferruginous; crown and crest, with the nape, like the back, but
tinned with ferruginous ; most of the dorsal feathers traversed by faint, yet distinct, narrow dark brown
bands or lines, which on the upper tail-coverts are more closely set together and very conspicuous; lores
and cheeks dark brown, almost black; sides of the head behind the eyes and some o f the lateral crest-plumes
ashy, without any ferruginous tin g e ; eyelids white; primaries narrowly barred with black on their outer
webs up to their insertion, also the minor coverts; all the rectrices olive-brown, like the tertiaries, and
distinctly barred with numerous well-defined narrow black bands; all but middle pair broadly tipped with
white; under tail-coverts and flanks somewhat darker than remainder of under surface. Wing 3'5 0 inches,
tarsus 1*12, tail 5 ; bill from forehead 0 -87.”
Captain Wardlaw Ramsay has given the soft parts of the species as follows :— “ Iris light hair-brown, bill
horny brown, legs slaty brown.”
In the Plate I have given a life-sized illustration of the male and female, drawn from the typical pair lent to
me by Captain Wardlaw Ramsay.