Gray-headed Bulbul

SCI Name:  Brachypodius priocephalus
Protonym:  B[rachypus]. priocephalus MadrasJ.Lit.Sci. 10 p.246
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pycnonotidae / Brachypodius
Taxonomy Code:  gyhbul1
Type Locality:  near the foot of the Perya Pass, Malabar District, Madras.
Author:  Jerdon
Publish Year:  1839
IUCN Status:  Near Threatened

DEFINITIONS

BRACHYPODIUS
(Pycnonotidae; Ϯ Black-headed Bulbul B. atriceps) Gr. βραχυς brakhus  short; ποδιον podion  little foot  < dim. πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "the species has a good deal the character of an Alcippe  ...  excepting in its very small tarsi and toes" (Blyth 1845); "there remains that of Lanius melanocephalus, Gm., and its congeners, for which I can find no appellation, and shall therefore designate Brachypodius.  ...   Brachypodius, nobis.    1. Br. entilotus [sic], (Jardine and Selby), Ill. Orn., 2nd series. (Non vidi.) Hab. Malacca.   2. Br. poiocephalus, (Jerdon). Southern India.   3. Br. melanocephalus, (Gmelin): Turdoides atriceps, Temminck. Malay countries, extending northwards to Arracan and Tipperah.   4. Br. cinereoventris, Nobis.  ...  Inhabits Tipperah.   5. Br. tristis, nobis.  ...  inhabits Penang.  ...  6? Br.? criniger, A. Hay.  ...  Inhabits Malacca." (Blyth 1845); "Brachypodius Blyth, 1845, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 14, p. 576. Type, by original designation, Lanius melanocephalos Gmelin [1788, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 1, p. 309 ( not Lanius melanocephalos Gmelin 1788, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 1, p. 301) = Turdus atriceps Temminck 1822]." (Deignan in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 227).
Synon. Brachypus, Micropus, Prosecusa.

priocephalus
Gr. πολιος polios  grey; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head. In a paper full of printing errors Jerdon 1839, described the Grey-headed Bulbul with, “Crown of head, occiput and throat bluish grey.” The specific name has since been variously amended (e.g. poiocephalus) (Brachypodius).