IBIDORHYNCHA STRUTHERSI, rig .
Red-billed Erolia.
Ibidorhyncha Struthersii, Vig. in Proc. o f Comm, of Sei. and Corr. of Zool. Soc. p a r t i. p. 174.—Gould, Century
o f B irds, pi. lxxix.
Red-billed. Erolia, Hodgs. Jo um . Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. iv. p. 458.
------------------------ or Gorgeted Chlorhynx, Hodgs. Ib. pi. liv. low. fig.
Chlorhynchus Strop hiatus, Hodgs. Joum. Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. iv. p. 701.
Ibidorhynchus Struthersii, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. iii. p. 568.—Blyth, Cat. o f Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc.
Calcutta, p. 265.
T he present curious bird was one o f the novelties I had the good fortune to make known to science in my
“ Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains,” on reference to which it will be found that I therein
remarked, that “ throughout the whole of our new discoveries in the vast district which has furnished the
subject of the present work, it would be difficult to point out a more interesting species than that before
us, or one which has supplied ornithological science with characters more striking and peculiar; as it
forms a union between two groups generally considered as widely separated from each o th e r ; the body,
the general form and the legs of the Ibidorhyncha Struthersii being similar to those of the members of the
genus Hasmatopus, while the bill is strictly that of an Ibis. I was not so fortunate as to receive a specimen
of this bird; and it is to the kindness of Dr. Scouler, of the Andersonian Museum of Glasgow, who received
it from Mr. Struthers, the gentleman who collected it, and whose name forms its specific appellation, that
I was indebted for the opportunity of figuring it. Its habits and manners yet remain to be discovered and
recorded.”
I t is very much to be regretted that even now, after a lapse of five-and-twenty years, no account has been
received of the habits and economy of this singular form. That its habitat is somewhat restricted is
rendered pretty certain from the unfrequent occurrence o f specimens in Indian collections. The southern
slopes of the Himalayas from Nepaul to our western frontier are probably the only parts of the country it
frequents; at least it is from there only that I have received examples.
Mr. Hodgson, writing in August 1835, says, “ The only specimen I have been able to procure was shot
on the banks of a sandy stream in the valley of Nepaul in October la s t ; and it was a mere passenger here,
like the majority o f the grallatorial and natatorial birds which visit us, and which make only a stage of our
valley on their way from the plains o f Tartary to those of India and back again.
“ W eight ten ounces. The intestines are twenty inches long, larger above than below, tough, frequently
semi-convolved or doubled, siplion-wise, and at three inches from the anal end they have two caeca, each nearly
two inches in length. The stomach is small, but very muscular and gizzard-like, and the food of the species
consists chiefly of minute univalve mollusca which it picks up on the sandy margins of rivers and streams.
In such sites it is usually found; nor does it appear to be gregarious.”
Considerable difference is observable in the breadth of the black band which crosses the ch e st; as also in
the colouring of the face, which in some specimens is greyish; the bill too, in certain individuals, is reddish
horn-colour instead of bright coral-red; the examples thus characterized may probably be females or young
male birds which have not yet assumed their full plumage.
Forehead, top o f the head, lores and throat black ; neck pale cinereous, separated from the black of the
head and face by a conspicuous streak o f white ; back and wings ashy g r e y ; across the breast, extending
upwards towards the back, a band of black, between which and the grey of the neck is a narrower band of
white; under surface white ; tail grey, irregularly barred with brownish black; outer feather on each side
white, regularly barred with brownish black ; these feathers and the next two or three are also tipped with
brownish black; bill coral-red; feet red.
The Plate represents the bird of the natural size, with a smaller figure in the distance.