Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/429

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
MOLPASTES.
385

(399) Molpastes hæmorrhous pallidus.

The Central Indian Red-vented Bulbul.

Molpastes hæmorrhous pallidus Stuart Baker, Bull. B. O. C, xxxvii, p. 15 (1917) (Deesa).

Vernacular names. Bulbul and Bulbuli (Hind.); Tonki-Bulbul (Western Bengal).

Description. This bird only differs from typical hæmorrhous in being paler both above and below and having much broader white or greyish-white edges to the feathers, these greatly increasing the general paleness of the whole plumage.

Colours of soft parts as in the last bird.

Measurements. Much the same as in the Ceylon Red-vented Bulbul: wing about 87 to 97 mm.

Distribution. Continental India roughly North of a line running from 18° on the East to about 20° on the West. It is found as far North as Behar and Western Bengal on the East and through Bundelkhand and the Rewah States to the southern portions oF Rajputana, Cutch and Kathiawar.

Nidification in no way different to that of the last bird except that clutches of four eggs are not uncommon in the north-east of the range, whilst clutches of two are exceptional anywhere but in the south-west. Forty eggs average 22.3 × 16.1 mm., the extremes being practically the same as in the preceding subspecies.

Habits. Those of the genus.


(400) Molpastes hæmorrhous burmanicus.

The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul.

Molpastes burmanicus Sharpe, Cat. B. M., vi, p. 125 (1881) (Pegu); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 269.

Vernacular names. Popin-ni-ta, Bopin-ni (Burmese); Boh-ka-lone (Burmese for all Bulbuls).

Description. Differs from the last two in having the ear-coverts glossy hair-brown. The black of the crown is sharply defined from the brown back as in these birds but the black below extends to well on to the breast.

Colours of soft parts. Those of the genus; the legs are more completely black.

Measurements. Wing about 91 to 106 mm. Birds from the extreme south average a little smaller than those from the north.

Distribution. Manipur, Chin Hills, Arrakan South to Rangoon and East to the Sittang River.

As Oates observes, it is not easy to define the limits of this race but no specimens ever occur North of the Brahmaputra. In