Lot Essay
Gould compared this forktail of the eastern Himalayas to the species in the previous illustration, Asia, IV, pl.68. It differed in having a shorter tail, round instead of crescent shaped spots, and a larger white mark on the forehead.
T.C. Jerdon described the forktail in the Himalayan scenery as like a beautiful wagtail. 'If you come suddenly on a mountain stream crossing the road or path, you are sure to see one of these birds... it will at times fly before you to the next stream that crosses the path, and repeat the movement for a dozen times in succession.'
The birds are depicted lifesize. The plant is one of the varieties of the fern Pteris quadriaurita.
T.C. Jerdon, Birds of India, 1862-64, II, part 1, p.212
DISTRIBUTION: Southern Asia: northern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan east through northern and eastern India to southeastern Tibet, western, northern and eastern Burma, southern China and northern and central Vietnam. In Gould's time this bird was considered to be a separate species but it is now thought to be merely the subspecies Enicurus maculatus guttatus
T.C. Jerdon described the forktail in the Himalayan scenery as like a beautiful wagtail. 'If you come suddenly on a mountain stream crossing the road or path, you are sure to see one of these birds... it will at times fly before you to the next stream that crosses the path, and repeat the movement for a dozen times in succession.'
The birds are depicted lifesize. The plant is one of the varieties of the fern Pteris quadriaurita.
T.C. Jerdon, Birds of India, 1862-64, II, part 1, p.212
DISTRIBUTION: Southern Asia: northern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan east through northern and eastern India to southeastern Tibet, western, northern and eastern Burma, southern China and northern and central Vietnam. In Gould's time this bird was considered to be a separate species but it is now thought to be merely the subspecies Enicurus maculatus guttatus