PTERUTHIUS ERYTHROPTERUS.
Himalayan Pteruthius.
Lanius erythropterus, Vigors in Proc. of Comm, of Sci. and Corr. of Zool. Soc. part i. p. 22.—Gould, Century of
Birds, pi. 11.
Pteruthius erythropterus, Swains. Faun. Bor. Amer. App. p. 491.—lb. Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 249.—Blyth, Journ.
Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. pp. 106 and 183.—lb. Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 99.—
Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 270, Pteruthius, sp. 1.—Gray, List of Spec, and Draw, of
Mamm. and Birds presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., p. 95.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av.
p. 362, Pteruthius, sp. 1.—Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp. vol. i. p. 172.
S in c e the first introduction of this bird into Europe in 1830, so many examples have been transmitted in
collections from the Himalayas, that I presume there are few museums of natural history in which one
or more are not to he seen. The long interval, however, which has elapsed between our first knowledge o f
the species and the present time has not, I regret to say, produced any account of its habits and economy,
which is the more to be regretted, inasmuch as its structure would lead us to believe that they are somewhat
peculiar. That its food is partly insectivorous and partly frugivorous may be fairly inferred from the formation
of the b ill; in all probability berries and the softer kinds of insects constitute its principal subsistence.
The Pteruthius erythropterus appears to enjoy an extensive range over the southern slopes of the great
Himalayan range, as it is from thence that I have received numerous examples; and I observe that the
Honourable East India Company’s Museum contains specimens from Bootan, Kumaon, and Assam.
The male has the head black, with a lengthened patch o f white posterior to the ey e; back and upper
surface g re y ; wing-coverts, primaries and secondaries b lack ; the primaries tipped with wh ite; tertiaries fine
chestnut-red; tail black; all the under surface greyish white with a vinaceous tinge, especially on the flanks
and the lower p art of the abdomen; under tail-coverts w h ite ; upper mandible black; lower mandible leaden
g rey ; legs and feet flesh-colour.
The female has the head dark grey, gradually blending with the olive-brown of the upper surface of the
body; lores and ear-coverts brown ; all the under surface dull white, with a brownish tinge on the flanks;
lesser wing-coverts black, fringed with g rey ; greater coverts olive-yellow on their outer webs, black on the
in n er; primaries and secondaries black, margined externally for nearly their entire length with olive-yellow,
and the former tipped with wh ite; tertiaries chestnut-red; tail olive-yellow, deepening into black, and the
lateral feathers largely tipped with yellow; bill and feet as in the male.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life.