MYZORNIS PYRRHOURA, Hodgs.
Red-tailed Myzornis.
Myzornis pyrrhoura, Hodgs. Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. xii. p. 984, and vol. xiv. p. 561.—Gray, Cat. of
Spec, and Draw, of Mamm. and Birds presented to the Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., p. 74.—
Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 101.—Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind.
Comp. vol. i. p. 263.
Yuhina pyrrhoura, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 199. pi. 53, Yuhina, sp. 5.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av-
397, Yuhina, sp. 3.
T h a t so beautiful a bird as the one here represented will become a general favourite with collectors there
can be but little doubt, and one would fain hope that the time may, arrive when some native Nepaulese,
inspired with a love for ornithology, may give to the world a description of the habits and economy of this
and the many other rare species which adorn his luxuriant country, o r that some European may be favourably
located for obtaining this desirable information: at present all that has been recorded respecting it is
comprised in a line by Mr. Hodgson, who states that “ this bird inhabits the northern and central hills
of Nepaul.”
I believe that the accompanying Plate represents both sexes ; if so, it will be seen that they very nearly
resemble each o th e r; the only difference being in the smaller amount of red on the throat of the female and
the lesser brilliancy of the red of her outer tail-feathers.
In the male the feathers of the crown are black, broadly margined with g reen ; all the upper surface and
wing-coverts dark green, becoming paler on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; spurious wing orange-yellow;
quills black, the apical half o f the primaries margined with grey and tipped with white; the basal half of
the secondaries margined with red, passing into greyish white on the apical portion and largely tipped with
white; two central tail-feathers dark green tipped with black, the remainder fine crimson-red tipped with
black ; lores black; under surface green with a patch of dull red on the b rea s t; vent and under tail-coverts
paler r e d ; bill black ; feet fleshy.
The female is similar in colour, but the hues are not so bright, and she has merely an indication of the
red on the breast and under tail-coverts.
The figures are of the natural size, and the plant is the Cirrhiopetalum cornutum.