ee Pe q Ye ey VO oder Pe rahe Eppes Pn a SO TE ULV ria yer h arte aren ere Re Ser are we WOR Be ee TF ce matt BoA Te UQre oh aye cook ah de shea Ge hank ie Mack tre At a i y ee nn ica ge een eitead A GE te eg et bee bp eat ay ash Es iyi eae r YAS Mane Rese CHL Lee i ee ee i Ue A Te eo ee eich Be aa ee es eT ec oa Soe eae ery ' { ewan ty rer We Pique iy tee yas Cee eee ee ela epwet wae Ce iC ea Care ae ee er mt Sie navn \ UL dat 7 ere eee yada Caw tA a ede tom POR Re NJ6 absh oe eathy Ve gg bere bee e ds we Van aL rer ina enn ear CIC MME tC RPTL IRD TEE Wk Pe ae, got eh Pa ee et eae dN YN eed yy Oe ee eA Ferrara he rar ar rere v0 Oe WU We PARA RNR PARAL Hk area as Rie ri ie OOM By a Set ee ee eee Sen eye Aa eh a bd CA ey A VAD ar tee De Pt ee pte hy fad ten hw phy hay Sana rrirarrean erie rile ee Bs Rte TS IC, We re PKC CR PN ec Aw VR ELA EE Bt ee dn BF nt se ba ere ee Oa Pe yan vg ata ee gc ee ; CeCe yi eae ee ey Ce Cc en eee Pe ee apt i cy i eet wae vat Ae wil Sen ote se y ey rin eT Oe seek ge baat ty eres te) a dyna sae ges age ye se kateiwe a4 ow (etait al 1 Wem ve faye tet ere Sasi ieee i . ‘aes ay tat tea Hehehe aA eee gee prise io ’ ’ era . ae : ' ie ew at oe cn Po Ve benee ey ’ CoC rir pa er can ee Vm hide ste, Aw ene eee aren a Vang: as ‘: * RON Rt ML LR a UL ROA 1 : wae te ‘ . very ett, sao v4 "ha PM Werte Ra SEC Ty Pre he Sabie fe ban vi ' ’ Vetee ' oreo wy See caer ok OW Pe ever ee SW | 4 ae E A ar ere PLT tes he Cnet ee rT) Area taomen etre alg dt CUS Gat ere ih UV bwaye ayer ‘ cu sash byw Te NaC Calg Bete ott tenn (ut oor ebay yf ee te Mahe a 4 Pie OTN gl Oe a Lh ed ve eh ea HAIN By Ary wana A File VQ EA AT AKIN ED eee Ryne a Le a th tir WN ah ge bel f ya Rn Bish ea 8 iit coe a eee tad tee ey ee te td de Ne ee rey wie. Qe TVR y t 4 . ‘ oe ‘ ‘ ” v4 oree ' ‘ ‘ ' uh oa ah, DIVAN EdD pe Pant ahi SL ep et akg a aan ee ey Cin wa * vets ee tae Creer as ee ot tire ytd Wale fret ee ye wet om ‘ i HU ee ee OP OL ap eg an ay Win AAS tlt Sari he oe : ae TO rua wt tee Preterm rT Pe Nice eee PoC ere a POL eNO br Moe ’ ‘ rave Aree ' ‘ Ware Aue AURAL ain ateaias PAPI PRE AACE Da eas Pane \ a ' 1 ve we T Veh eae Mb tnd doit e yes tee Nese Rn hr Firat ta AN Cone Hae ian en ae fa edn ghesaty a yee owe : way ya aed ODEO Friar BPA Hac a ae Ger aa OI AY Ra Fir 8 a POR a a ia) . : ‘ yhoo ’ . align PEEL vite aay Aen er Gort Aye bee 4 ‘ oo we rae eae Vetey en date ewe bone peelenn ‘ RCA eae Liv eh de Fea ‘ 4 ‘ . Lac . 7 oo . ‘ ‘ aryl rie ee pen Mae) a wee us vege Mya gayi Feu Se Pe : aera ot ’ ' ML CSO COUR RL a ee , ' 1 ca Raa COE eaCOTCTIN Se We COME SL Ri Ye | Leteleten kh weaeAs Laer by roth, bac th, Beeb LN i Muted 1 iy by ged Wey pW areet aca yte Mia, 8 REMIT Won PTL § wai AAA Me paca ee fo a tay vy une ya ye wy eh ks * Uietg yl asind 8 Neqiea Vana t ‘ Oh ne ea re Vaca pia Pda ee wa ¥ Co Cone an Cae i EEE Ber YA tal dine ay Mee RASH NN SN Vth TE Mat NA leey i oe ki La ede eRe he Aly Beha ey Pav bea Ay TW Teed tl” Meatariey “yin aha ay hee aS sal iy satay 7 > Pian p Wed : yin yi io baa ‘ ? s ne 1 ‘ . . ‘ . 1 wi i it nt oe 1 cia at ae Se PT ° to iy tol sha Da erer arn ett PPL SD Bias satus as re . . ‘ . Cb at oma dap de if id PENYE PE erry , . ' ae RARE ‘ : eS Ni {fut Ante mnie ttt rr oe . q ; LA ala Ordine f ‘ igi, "Sart Raed oH Ud, up _ . 7 Va ' . ‘ ' way ks oy ae ee Yous *) pe ‘ vo Lee raat et ab Beal . ar . ' bye ee oy ’ ‘ : te AG at A we ‘y ray, phe ! . i ios . "eta eae . Le pevedy ati f ead ; ‘ : ee Re ie Ade ag ete ‘ ba ‘ , ‘ ot . ’ . ' , . . . ‘ ‘ . toe ' . wet " ‘ . . ‘i tae . ' * : ‘ in “pa ys hall Prep . ‘ ' : "ener ay ’ \ he thew ‘ ‘ie bret ag patie de Oa - r any aie Oa ie at ¥ Fadealenka igs aah ap 7 oe ' gh aul tet Pion gekiey wee ahi Ke ' Pe a ‘ ‘) ‘ te wt ree i . ‘ ie. fe ich ae ae Rn Pac hee a ad weit ari iewe pe etal ts : 1a one ; pb ae es phates Ta Lhe? Bengal efoto t : an Av, : A Scape terre, ue en oe Tey Agilent dey MGvids Teslqianeb i he F bya bebe Wa kg LA re ees Pe eat % 4 ‘ 7 . mabe bas eode wed heb yah Ha boty i he aa “t ' On ee baddems ree Mas bs - at) , _ ‘ Ph gee eh oy ; ‘ . , eae ‘ : mare tate ta ’ ‘ ; Diet dhebtl Netadwaby lester # ‘ hora 1 be ads wt Pd ties se U ‘ . ’ ‘ 4 Pere riyT) pee 7 4 ‘ J i ie agdaba vob Ce i othe 4 ‘ yial ‘ Le a v4 piace gael LOA ee bee ehaed die begs 0 su Vine eRe ae BN ek ara obey a ee pa Lew ee eet i 1.9, * ieee, oeene Die tave bor ee dg heb OTe a us : ‘ ' wees Swe gt Mer gite ! : : ; Ar Aten Suter hae IER IY FETC Sag re . a ’ " Doky bbe eb he AW tee ye od nee fl ARN ea aE a i eR SPR CR ee ON as agige bent ect ‘ . . crane ee i ie pect dR ie Cra hepa dae bet od PUR te eR Peer aeeauatae Het Gee eT uh . t ' ‘ vie te dade, dighiedoon a hab eat te ws? ha sia De otal : eats Ma. 1hg Sayin ite PD ey votes J AE 8 visk gaia yn eb ie Wage te ‘ ‘ ra , ae whee * We ' a we ve os year ital oh : enue : rie Lee eed wer Pe ve Bab eer’ Ct Is ‘1 en) re ac bey ‘ ee ya Tee ree aniea 4 ws As tyes Re eet 7 Pe ‘ . ‘ pee ie eS i ee 7 Paar Wes PUA re tah eet 4 aquen i ieee Sn eu ne bed hort ee nae nb sit te stew te ; ‘ vane 4 4) vreau whe Rat Fi) . ' oy : ue er rn en e r ‘ik agnariuu gy vtiueds ieee ete idk bidew a 8x : Wags Wanueheccd sR at rN i : lag Ce OR Ramee barr rm ar ame artenes ACRE Ter Fy a . hoe I oo Peleus Seren Wray Narr) Tit caw we seb BY f/ A ee OF =< YX os PR RY ght et A | cake & CALCUTTA: PUBLISHED BY CALCUTTA CENTRAL PRESS COMPANY, LIMITED, 5, COUNCIL HOUSE STREET. COW EENTS GF VOL alt, 1874. —\_0+ G00 — Nos. 1, 2 & 3.—January. In Memortam Epwarp Buryru. Page. Dir PAPaAgEIEN hy ol THe Isnanps oF THE Bay « OF Bevcaes I.—Physical Aspects ae coe ewe §=29 II.—Diary of our Trip p ans Seg ra IIT.—Analysis of the lvteeme, ae Soe LO IV.—Detailed List of Species ae 139 NovELrties ? Micronisus poliopsis eee ce coe 325 Propasser ambiguus — eee eee eee 326 Norres— Corrections by Mr, W. T. Blanford ase 329 Pterocles senegallus in the salt range 33L Myiophoneus Temmincekii in the plains eee ves 20. Mr. J. H. Gurney on Aquila Nevia and A. hastata ... 332 Mr. W. E. Brooks on the Indian White- throats 1b. Letters To THE Eprror-— Mr. J. Ball, on Birds collected at the Nicobars ee the Novara Expedition . 333 Mr. R. P. LeMesurier, Salporni spilonota -- 330 Mr. J. C. Parker, Gallinago stenura and Mergus castor. ab. Mr. J. Davidson, Nidification of Otogyps calvus 336 Nos. 4 & 5.—June. ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE Birps oF THE SaMBHUR LaKE 337 ON THE PLUMAGE AND HABITS OF SYRNIUM INDRANEE... oe 342 ON TWO SPECIES OF BaTRACHOSTOMUS ate: oe O49 On THE Avirauna or Cuota Nagpur— Introduction ae nae eae ea. DOO List of species 376 NoveEurties ? Macropygia assimilis foe 441 Megalaima incognita ‘ 443 Garrulus leucotis ... an see eee 443 Gecinus nigrigenis as Hae wre 444 Gampsorhynchus torquatus ev. -. 446 Proparus dubius ... ae eos eon 447 Arboricola Mandellii 449 Messrs. Scuater anp Finscu’s Tadex to the Ornithological Literature of 1872 el ee wee ae i Page. Noris— Distinctness of Drymoipus Jerdoni, Blyth, and D. rufescens, Hume woe 453 The Andamanese Paroquet to stand as P. Tytleri wee 454 Scops malabaricus, Jerd., has precedence of S. Jerdoni, Walden 1b. Podoces humilis, igbvaae, avnnedl on bor jens of Sikhim 1b. Pyrrhula erythaca obtained near Darjeeling -. 455 Ceyx tridactyla at Khandalla .. . ob. Pachyglossa melanoxantha obtained i in Sikhim, aR y of merging Pachyglossa in Prionochilus, questionable ab. Motacilla cashmerensis, Brooks, said by that gentleman to be only the summer plumage of M. personata, Gould 30 wee 456 Paradoxornis flavirostris, like its congeners, normally a reed bird 200 457 Rare birds; Megalaima cyanotis and Alcedo erandis from the. Bhotan Doars; Accentor montanellus and C. pispoletta from Sikhim ... . 458 Pterocles exustus occurring in the Botanical Gardens, Calcutta ane aD. Painted Spur-fowl shot in Orange Valley below Ree gherry ib | Identity of Meithina tiphia, Lin, and zeylonica, Gmel. 459 Lerrers ro THE Eprror— From Dr. Stoliczka from Leh, species observed by the Expedition as . 461 Hromethe came trom Panja, Wakhan, cinta “die . 463 From F. Field, Esq., on the occurrence of Glareola orientalis at Ludhiana : - 465 From R. M. Adam, Esq. Farther ROSE on the bide of the Sambhur Thole Sa enced No. 6.— October. A First List oF THE Birps oF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES ., 467 Nore on CaRcINEUTES AMABILIs, Hume, by R. Bowdler Sharpe, Esq. S08 ae see 484 MEGALAIMA INCOGNITA, Hume se oo: . 486 Lopnornorts Scratert, Jerd. 30 . 488 Nore on Penareopsis INTERMEDIA, Hume, by ‘R. BAwiler Sharpe, Esq. 489 AppITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF THE ANDAMAN “IsLANDS ... . 490 CATALOGUE OF THE Accrrrrres, by R. Bowdler Sharpe, 1s) Ue S.; E.Z.S , &, ooo eee ceo eee 501 lil Page. Novet ries ? . Podoces Biddulphi hee ee eee O03 Phylloscopus Brooksi eee Osc . US Suya obscura aes ois aes -- 507 Orthotomus nitidus ab. Hemixus Hildebrandi une ase .-- 508 Paleornis Fiuschii 860 soe 2 09) Cyornis Mandellii ee O10 Microperdix Blewitti ee coe O12 Stoliczkana, Gen. Nov. eee eve O13 Stoliezkana Stoliczke F oe ear 20) Passer Stoliczke ... ane wos --. 516 Turtur Stoliczke ... He cee oe O19 Cettia Stoliczke ... aoc oe --. 520 Aigithalus Stoliczke eee ace 521 Propasser Stoliczke ... 523 Trichastoma minor . OBO Norrs— A correction aes deg 523 Cypselus subfurcatus, Blyth ... aoe owe O24 Hierax melanoleucos, Blyth w.. sce eco O25 Lord Walden’s proposal to change Blyth’s name of punctatus for our Spotted Wren, to one of his own... 7b. Young of Palzornis fasciatus coe - 526 Saxicola Hendersoni, Hume, quite distinct from 8. melanoleuca, Gild id ses cee 00) Difficulty of distinguishing immature examples of Erythropus vespertinus and amurensis . a O2h Otocoris longirostris and pencillata doubtfully distinct. 529 Podoces Biddulphi; dimensions of a male ab. Falco Sacer and Hendersoni, quite distinct ee 530 Halcyon saturatior, Hume, considered by Mr. Sharpe a good Species eve 531 Passer Stoliczke, supra equals PB. ammodendri, Severtz, 536 LetrEers To THE Eprror— Artificial incubation of eggs of Gallicrex cinereus, J. R. Crrprs... 531 Eurystomus orientalis in Spanner India, BW. Morean Bes way 0 Crows feeding fully-fledged young Coels, F R. Brewrrr. 532 Lord Walden’s attack on Srray FEratumns, W. EL. : Brooks . 583 Viscount WALDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE n Zoonoarear: Socrery, &c., &c., &C., oN THE Eprror or Srray Fraruers 1b. IxpEx— New Genera see he Be Oar! Species described or discriminated Pete 717 Species noticed ... a ae PREFACE. Our second bundle of Stray Featuers has now been safely gathered in, and the Editor’s cordial thanks are again due to _the many friends, both im India and in England, who, during this present year, have so materially aided his work. The successful establishment in any country of a special organ devoted to the promotion of any particular branch of science forms always a more or less important era in its pro- gress. Many doubted, when our first little Srray Featuer flut- tered out into publicity, whether the time had yet arrived in India for a special ornithological Journal, and not a few protest- ed against the step taken, on the grounds that it would in- evitably draw away from the old established and honored JournaL of the Asiatic Soctety a considerable proportion of the papers on ornithology that would otherwise have graced its pages. To the first, the unbroken success and the almost unhoped for support that has attended this Journal during the current year, furnish the best reply that can as yet be afforded. In regard to the second, it may be well to give, once for all, some further explanation. Whien the idea of starting a special Asiatic Journal of Orni- thology first presented itself to me, I at the outset consult- ed my late friend, Dr. Stoliezka, then Editor of the Natural History Section of the Jourwnat of the Asiatic Soctrty of BenGau, as to whether there were any objections, from his point of view, to the project. Cay) He, so far from objecting to it, espoused it most warmly ; he said that as to the advantages of a special organ there could be no doubt; that he wished each science could in like manner obtain a special representative ; that he would himself contribute to it any ornithological papers he wrote in future ; and that the only thing to guard against was a fiasco—the publication of two or three numbers, and then the cessation of the periodical. » He was the first person who heard anything of the scheme. The latest paper he ever wrote was an, alas! unfinished one, on the birds that winter in Kashgar, prepared specially for STRAY Fratuers ; and the satisfaction that I, in common with, I be- lieve, the majority of Indian ornithologists, must feel at the success that has attended this Journal, is altogether damped by the ever-present memory of the loss of that friend, whose unselfish love of science led him to cheer on from the first an undertaking which smaller men, similarly placed, might, with no little show of reason, have discouraged, and who ceased not thenceforth to aid and support it by all the means in his power. I write no separate obituary of FERDINAND STOLICZKA _a name that will survive even themarble memorial the Viceroy is about to erect to him in our magnificent museum—-that has been already worthily done by his confréres in the Geo- logical Survey and by the Government of India in its official Gazettes; but of all who have lost by or grieved over the un- timely eclipse of Stoliczka’s genius, none have lost more than Srray Fratuers or grieved more than its Editor. To return; the notion that Stray Fratuers might possibly interfere in any way with our scientific palladium, the JournaL. of the Astatic Socrsty of BrneaL, is much like that enter- tained in England, when I was a boy, as to the probable effects of Railways on road and canal traffic. As a fact, the Railways have made their own traffic, and in most cases. have increased that also of both roads and canals. The establishment of the Iprs has in no way diminished the. value, even ornithologically considered, of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. On the contrary, the establishment of a special organ gave an enormous impetus to ornithology, . observers were multiplied, and even old-established observers began to put their observations more freely on record than before; and while the Isis for many years continued facile princeps of all periodicals where ornithology was concerned, the proceedings of the Zoological Society also grew richer year by. year in matters of interest to ornithologists. Ca oe) ~ Similar results may reasonably be here expected; and so far from our grand old Journal (hallowed to every scientific man in India: by a hundred honoured memories) being in any degree interfered with by Srray Fearuers, it will assuredly draw fresh vigour from its youthful and humble follower. The missions of the two are as distinct as those of the Mon- soon clouds and the garden engine. Embracing the vast scope it does,—“ whatever is performed by man or produced by nature within the geographical limits of Asia’”—the JourNAL of the Astatic Soctgry can allot but a very small fraction of its pages to any one science. On the other hand, field naturalists cannot drag about with them thousands of pages with which they have no peculiar concern for the sake of fifty germane to their special pursuit. To supply Indian ornithologists with all available information in regard to their favourite science, and that only, and in as compact and portable a form as possible, is the mission of Stray FEATHERS, and the sole source of regret is, not that it can thereby possibly weaken the Journat of the Asiatic Society of Beneat, which on the contrary it will certainly help to strengthen, but thatits special mission is still so imperfectly performed, and that its guidance and continuance seem to depend too absolutely on a single individual. All this, however, was foreseen from the first; it was only from the skull of a Jove that a fully realized conception could spring forth in perfect development. In all things mundane some brief space of immaturity must be accepted. Next year’s Journal, with a slightly enlarged size of page, will afford room for additional matter that this year, though far exceeding our concerted limits, we have been compelled to exclude, and will make one more step in the right direction in the matter of furnishing some few illustrations of new and unfi- gured species. Here, likewise, too much must not be expected, and deficiences must at first be leniently viewed. Here we have yet to find our artists, and to make our lithographists and our colorists. _ Up to this present date no presentable colored plate of any bird has been produced on this side of India, and it will probably be years before we can in this matter claim any sort of equality with our more favored European and American brethren. The difficulty is great, but solvitur eundo, and I have great faith in what the future has in store for Indian ornithology and STRAY FEATHERS. (4 There remains the danger of sudden extinction. Life, in India especially, is so uncertain that no sane man could count much upon any undertaking that hinged upon a single individual. But as a matter of fact, I believe that there are already two other gentlemen able and willing to undertake the Editorship should I fail, and it is hoped that before very long it may be found possible to organize, according to the original design, a perma- nent association of ornithologists, whose property this Journal would then become, and who would thenceforth, whenever necessary, provide for the due discharge of its editorial duties. The chief delay in arranging this depends on the necessity of making the Journal thoroughly self supporting before any Association assumes the responsibility for it. On its present basis Srray Fratuers is now self supporting, but its size (as ~ more than half of Vol. III. already in type sufficiently proves) is too small, and without illustrations it is manifestly incom- plete, and we have yet to learn whether in this coming year it will receive such enhanced support as will be required to cover the heavy additional outlay necessitated by the change of size and the preparation of plates in this country. Until a financial equilibrium on this new basis is arrived at, the Editor, who is responsible for its creation, could not of course allow any one to share the burthen ; but he does ven- ture to hope that many of his zealous contributors and co-ad- jutors will, bearing in mind the object aimed at, do all that lies within their power to render Srray FEATHERS entirely self supporting in its new and improved form. ALO) ERS ERRATA. Page 1, line 12, from top, for peut, read peu. Pe hire DA oer ha, 5 classich, », Classisch. ean Satie DOULOMMS 55. CLUSSICin)... Classische ape tic se > » 9 9 Calthope,,, Calthrope. » 1%, note, last line, » facile, ,, facilis. », 28, line 21, from top, ,, trefes, »» tefem. STRAY FEATHERS. Vol. IL] JANUARY, 1874. [No. 1. “Die Papageien,*” Ships Owine to the eccentricities of my booksellers I have only recently obtained a copy of my friend Dr. Finsch’s great work, the Monograph of the Parrots. It never rains but it, pours, and after waiting more than two years for a single copy, I received two by post, by two successive mails. Postage to India on large books like these comes rather heavy, and after a brief examina- tion of the work, I am bound to confess to a feeling, that I could have dispensed very well with a second post copy of it. I have not yet had time to study this elaborate work as it, doubtless, deserves, but I have read carefully all that is stated in regard to one genus (Palgornis) with many of the members of which I am, ¢ant sort peut, familiar, and I can only say that if the rest of the genera are treated as infelicitously as this one, then I shall hope to see the learned author live to produce a second, and most materially revised edition. As an Index of synonymes, and a work of reference in regard to nomenclature, Die Papageien, will always be most valuable. The minute and careful measurements and descriptions of every species, merit our cordial acknowledgments, while the industry and erudition which has characterized Dr. Finsch’s researches into all that has been recorded in regard to this fascinating family, compel our admiration, even if it excite a sadder feeling when we have to consider 4ow he has utilized the materials he has thus accumulated. I have only, as already stated, scrutinized closely his treat- ment of the single well known genus Palgornis, but this discloses an amount of error scarcely credible in such a work. Error too entirely gratuitous, and created by the author him- * Die Papageien, tee tee bearbeitet von Dr. Otto Fimsch. Leiden. E. J. Brill., 1868, 2 DIE PAPAGEIEN. self who never, probably, having seen a single wild bird belone- ing to the genus, chooses on hypothetical, and, as a matter of fact, utterly untenable grounds, to disregard, nay to pooh-pooh contemptuously, the recorded experience of men like Jerdon and Blyth, who for a long series of years observed the free living birds, shot and dissected them, and knew to a certainty beyond all possibility of question, the facts that they stated. . We are all liable to error, but for a cabinet naturalist, on the strength of half a dozen wrongly-sexed skins in some museum, to take upon himself to contradict the definite statements of trustworthy field naturalists like those above referred to, in regard to matters of which he can personally know nothing, appears to me to indicate a tone of thought incompatible with the philosophical investigation of any branch of physical science. Before, however, entering into any details, I wish first to re- cord my humble protest against the presumptuous, and I regret to say, systematic pedantry which characterizes a certain section (chiefly Continental) of naturalists, and leads them to discard the names given, too often by better men than themselves, and which by all rules of priority are entitled to permanent acceptance, for new-fangled appellations of their own, because, forsooth, their vast classical attainments have enabled them to discover that the original name is not a “ classich gebildetes wort 1” Dr. Finsch is a hardened offender in this respect, and cannot possibly be recommended to mercy. , Hodgson’s name schisticeps, becomes Hodgsonz, “ mihi” and Jerdon’s columboides, peristerodes “ mihi,” of Dr. Finsch. Colum- doides we are told is a Latin word, with a Greek termination (a wonderful discovery truly) a thing contrary to all the rules of “ word-building” and grammar. Very true, doubtless (most school boys are aware of the fact), but a name whether of man, or bird, 2s a name; a thing not to be altogether governed by gules, whether of “ word-building or grammar.” Let us treat our author as he treats other people’s species. < Finsch !”? contrary to all rules of orthography! what is that “5” doing there? “ Finch!” Dr. Fringilla, Mint! Classich gebildetes wort! ! IT asked an unsophisticated field naturalist here, what he thought of these Continental naturalists, with their eternal new names, and the everlasting “ mhz” tagged on after them. « Well,” he said “ I guess the beggars can’t discover any new species of their own, so they have dodged up this classical jim, to legalize their stealing other people’s.” DIE PAPAGEIEN. | 3 I fancy that there are a good many simple-hearted English people who hold a very similar opinion, but « Him as prigs vot isn’t his’n Ven he’s cotched “ill go to pris‘n,” and if the learned authors escape the pillory they so richly de- serve, (and it shall be no fault of mine if they do) at any rate we have the consolation of knowing, that posterity if if cannot “quod” them “ will quod” their fine names and consign them to the limbo of synonymes, where......... “‘ Requiescant in pace !” This, however, is not the only form of pedantry against which it behoves us to protest. There is that curious custom of parad- ing brief descriptions in what is sazpposed to be Latin; as prefixes or tags to full, sound, sufficient English or German ones. The motives that lead authors mmto this somewhat mean- ingless practice are doubtless various. Many men I suspect merely follow, without thinking, a long established custom, which, however empty and senseless 2ow, once had its use. To these, I would say go back to your premises and see if the progress of time has not ‘rendered this dark- age custom to which you so fondly cling, wholly obsolete ? has not indeed converted it into a practice calculated to amuse rather than instruct ? When this custom originated, readers were rare ; only a few learned men dived much into books; these few all understood Latin, and were scattered over the length and breadth of Europe. Modern languages were little cultivated, and foolish national jealousies rendered it rather a disgrace than an honour to be proficient in foreign tongues. It followed that every man who in those days desired his writings to be read by others than his fellow countrymen had, of necessity, either to write in Latin, or to append to his work a more or less complete trans- lation in that language. But times have now changed ; every educated man in Europe, I may say in the whole world, knows more or less of English, German, and French. Nine out of every ten men interested in ornithology know these languages better than they do Latin. If a man writing in any of these three is not content with the readers, who will understand that language, let him add a descrip- tion in one of the other two, or in doth, if he is so insatiable for admiring students of his wisdom. There willat any rate be some sense in this, he will add an hundred to his readers for one that his Latin will gain him, and he will probably be able to express what he has to say far more accurately and elegantly. But there is another class with whom I have less patience, who only stick in these Latin tags because they think it looks 4 _ DIE PAPAGEIEN. fine ; who don’t know Latin, who never did and never will, and who with all their exertions never turn out anything but Dog- Latin, bristling with words used, not in their old classical signi- fications, but, in those which their modern European derivatives bear. If these, doubtless estimable, du¢ misguided beings could ~ only realize how thoroughly their “ Latin” (save the mark !) tells its own and ¢hez tale, they would, I think, wash their hands of the whole business, and write what they have to say in their own vigorous mother tongues, English or German, without any idle pretence to a learning they never possessed, and which even did they possess it, would be of no real use now-a-days for the purpose to which they seek to apply it. I do not suppose that this protest of mine will have the slightest effect, but the pseudo-classicists,* may rest assured that 100 years hence, when English is spoken, as it then will be, by 500 millions of people, any of their writings that survive, will do so only in expurgated editions from which all the < Latin” has been carefully expunged. Probably, however, they wisely do not look so far a-head, but content themselves with the present; and, if so, it is just as well that they should realize, that instead of earning a reputation as scholars they are for the most part, however admired for their real scientific attainments, laughed at for their affectation of classicality. And now to return to Dr. Fringilla, I mean Finsch, and the genus Palgornis. On the very threshold, at page 2, I stumble on this astound- ing statement. “ Sexes generally not to be distinguished, on the other hand, the young always.” . To one who has with his own hands ascertained by dissection the sexes of several hundred individuals belonging to ten species of this genus, this assertion of the similarity of the sexes, is as startling as it would be if made in regard to the Phaszanide. And for the author of a Monograph of the family to assert it, is as though a man who had not learnt his alphabet should set up as a teacher of reading and writing to others ! One is at first tempted to throw the book into the fire, under the impression that such utter ignorance on such a cardinal point, must imvolve the entire worthlessness of the work; a more extended perusal of it however shows, that Dr. Finsch brought to his undertaking, learning, patience, industry, a vast amount of reading and intelligence of an high order, and it * T use this expression for the special benefit of people who are shocked at “ columboides” and the like. DIE PAPAGEIEN. 5 becomes therefore essential to ascertain how he could have been led into such an error on such a point. The 84 pages devoted to this genus make the matter clear enough. Dr. Finsch, a cabinet naturalist, on the strength, mainly, of some mis-sexed specimens in museums, takes on himself to disregard and disbelieve the positive statements of working field naturalists. Most pathetically does he lament our ignorance, (he should have spoken for himself, I think, not others!) He says (p. 26). “ Unfortunately, we lack almost entirely a thorough observa- tion of the parrots. And it must be a long time still before we are enlightened in regard to them, even approximately in the same measure as we have been, by Naumann, in regard to Euro- pean, and Audubon in regard to North American birds. Only the investigator who like these men lives the day through in the forests, observes the process of development of the young from the egg to the out-flight, kills mnumerable specimens, and examines closely the sex, will be in a position to inform us thoroughly on such moot points.” uxt, and this is the gravamen of his offence, when such a trustworthy naturalist, who as lived half his life in the woods, who as watched the bird from its nest, who as shot innumerable specimens, and with his own hands /as ascertained the sexes by dissection, comes forward and records the results, Dr. Finsch rejects them with a calm affecta- tion of superiority and the bland remark that he “has noticed from the writings on the subject, that the investigations have not always been sufficiently exact ! ” Whatever the late Dr. Jerdon’s merits as an ornithologist (and TZ think that owing to his ill-health in later years, and his dis- regard for the literary side of his work, these have been greatly underrated) he was in his younger days, as in his prime, emi- nently a field naturalist. He lived out in the jungles, gun in hand, and every fact that he recorded on his own observation is as absolutely to be relied on as any thing in this world caz be. T admit that his book embodies many grave errors, but on close examination it will be found that these were not his own, but those of other people whom he quoted, but (looking on his work as a mere text book), without specific acknowledgment in each case. Most of what he says about the distinctions of the sexes in the paroquets, he says on his own authority, the result of those very processes of observation, that Dr. Finsch so much deside- rates. Unlike Dr. Finsch, he could in this matter say with Newton “hypotheses non fingo”; he did not persuade himself of 6 DIE PAPAGEIEN. the truth of a foregone conclusion,* by examining the tickets of a few specimens in a museum, but he went to the woods and the wild living birds, and there acquired the truths he has be- queathed to us. But passing by my late friend and master (for it was from him that I first imbibed a taste for ornithology when eyes over-taxed with desk work, could no longer bear the extra strain of the microscope), are Blyth, Hodgson, Hutton, and half a dozen others who all went over the same ground and arrived at the same results, to be equally set aside in favour of Dr. Finsch’s preconceived theories ? At any rate Dr. Finsch is an honest and simple-hearted man, or he would not have prefaced his new revelation as to the similarity of the sexes in the Paroquets with the naive admission that before investigating the matter, he had long anticipated that the facts would prove to be just as he has now stated them. It is only fair to Dr. Finsch to quote in full what he says on the question generally, before proceeding to take up in detail his statements in regard to the ten species which I have myself dissected. He says, after lamenting owr general ignorance about this genus : “Tn the mean time we must content ourselves” (and it would perhaps have been well for him had he done so) “ with what Blyth, Jerdon, and other Indian ornithologists impart. Accord- ing to these observers, there occurs in most species a difference between the sexes, especially noticeable in the colouration of the bills which are red in the male, but remain black in the female. “‘ My investigations, however, have led me to wholly different results, and haveconfirmed the view which I had long antici- pated, viz., that the plumage which had been attributed to the female, in most cases indubitably pertained to the young bird. “However much this view may be opposed to that of the above-named Indian enquirers, who were doubtless in the best positiont to give us information on the subject, I still venture to maintain it. On the one hand I have noticed from the writings on this subject, that the investigations have not always been sufficiently exact, on the other hand I will in tke following * Dr. Finsch p. 4.—‘* My investigations however have led me to wholly dif- ferent results, and have confirmed the view which I had long anticipated, 4c.” + Admitting this and knowing as all the scientifie world who dabble in orni- thology do know how accurate Blyth and Jerdon usually are, how does Dr. Finsch justify his contradicting them, point blank, on a point like this which is not one of opinion, but of fact, without himself doing as they did, véz., dissecting numerous specimens of numerous species. DIE PAPAGEIEN. 7 aceount bring forward evidence which must in part strongly shake the statements of the Indian ornithologists; since I can bring forward irrefragable proof* that in eight species (torquatus, cyanocephalus, Hodgsont, Alexandri, peristerodes, erythrogenys, longi- caudatus, and caniceps) the male and female are precisely similarly colored, we are certainly entitled to presume that the same is the case in the remaining species in regard to which I have not as yet been able to place the matter beyond doubt. Thus it appears to me tolerably certain that, for instance, in P. eupatrius and eques, as in torquatus, the old females likewise exhibit a neck ring. “Otherwise is 16 with the young, which have generally been given out as females. These exhibit notable variations from the full adult plumage, partly in the absence of the neck ring, of the red breast, or lively coloured head, and partly also in respect to the colouring of the bill. The first plumage of the young may be said to be in all species, an almost uniform green. Very soon, however, the lively coloring of particular parts, which charac- terizes the adult, begins to make its appearance, and then we meet with every possible transitional stage of plumage. These have as yet been far too little observed. « Another point which is infinitely more difficult to clear up than that of the coloring of the plumage is that of the bill, and here we encounter many obstacles. Namely in somes species the young exhibit no, or scarcely any, difference in the colour of the bill from the old, as I was able to convince myself in the cases of eupatrius, torquatus, eques, cyanocephalus,t HHodgsont,t Alex- andri, and melanorhynchus. On the other hand the young of Calthope,§ Luciani, peristerodes,|| longicaudatus, erythrogenys,§ and caniceps have always a black bill, while in the adult, it, or at any rate, its upper mandible is red. * Absolutely xo proof at all, as I shall show in the case of six out of these eight species, of which I have personal knowledge. t+ Thisis wrong, in both the species confounded, as I consider, under this name (of which more hereafter) the nestlings have 6o¢h mandibles pale yellow, while the adults have the lower mandible black, or blackish. { This also is wrong, the nestlings have both mandibles pale yellowish horny, brownish towards the base of the upper mandible, while the adults have the basal half, two-thirds, or three-fourths, (it varies according to individuals) bright red. § I delzeve this to be wrong, the upper mhandible in oth sexes in the young is ved. I have not dissected this bird myself, but my specimens of nestlings and birds just able to fly were sexed by Vincent Legge, and other reliable ornitholo- gists. : || This is certainly incorrect. All the quite young birds I have examined or received, had the upper mandibles a somewhat brownish red. | Two species are here, in my opinion, confounded ; in both, all the very young birds either Davison or I met with, and he saw at least 30, and I at least 20, had both mandibles red. 8 DIE PAPAGEIEN, “We see therefore that in regard to the coloring of the bill ‘in Palgornis no distinct rule prevails, which can be equally ap- plied to all species. These manifold differences of eolor have in the earlier stages of our knowledge of this genus, specially amongst the earlier authors, given birth to a truly chaotic confu- sion of ideas in regard to species, and have led to the heaping up of synonymes in a veritably appalling manner. “In consequence, I can with full conviction assert, that the working out of the genus Palgornis, has been unquestionably the most difficult part of my work.” This latter we may fully accept, for starting with a foregone conclusion opposed to facts, it is not surprising that Dr. Finsch found it difficult to demonstrate, or even to persuade himself that he 4ad demonstrated what he desired to arrive at. As regards these general remarks, my foot-notes contain all that it seems particularly necessary to remark, but before taking up details connected with each species, I wish to make a few general observations in regard to his list of admitted species. This of course is a different kind of question to that we have been discussing ; as to the distinctions of the sexes, the colours of the bill in the young, having myself shot and sexed hundreds of these birds, having taken the young from the nest at almost all ages and reared them, I contradict Dr. Finsch, and would contradict any one else who had not done the same as I have done, without the smallest hesitation. These are matters of fact, which I have seen not once but fifty times with my own eyes, and of which my museum contains overwhelming proofs, and therefore in regard to these I give in to no one, who does not examine the matter as thoroughly as I have done. But when it comes to what species should and should not be accepted, this is quite a matter of opinion, and I merely state my views for what they are worth, fully admitting that on this pomt Dr. Finsch is (hely to be (though J don’t think that he zs) as correct, or more so, than myself. . The species he admits are as follows: (1) eupatrius, Lin. (2) torquatus, Bodd. (3) eques, Bodd. (4) cyanocephalus, Lin. (5) Hodgsonz, “ mihi,” 2. ¢., schisticeps, Hodgs. (6) Calthropa, Layard. (7) Luciani, Verr. (8) Alewandri, Lin., (from Java and Borneo.) (9) Lathamz, mihi. (10) melanorrhyn- chus, Wagl. (11) peristerodes, “mihi,” 7. e., colwmbordes, Jerd. (12) longicaudatus, Bodd. (13) erythrogenys, Blyth. (14) cancceps, Blyth. OF numbers (3), (7), (8), and (12), I have no personal know- ledge; though judging from the analogy of the species I do know, DIE PAPAGEIEN. 9 I think I might show that Dr. Finsch is not improbably in error in regard to three of these also ; but in regard to the rest I would remark , first, that in my opinion (1) includes at least three distinct species, which I will call for the present, (1) a. eupatrius, Lin. (1) b. sevatlensis, Hutton. (1) ¢. magnirostris, Ball. Any or all of these may be entitled to bear some prior designa- tion. I leave Dr. Finsch to work out the synonymy, which he ean do fifty times better than I ever could. All I am concerned with is that there are three different species, the characteristics of each of which I shall point out, when dealing separately with the several species. Second, that (4) includes two species (which as before, leaving the correct synonymy to Dr. Finsch) I will call (4) a. purpureus, Mill, and (4) b. Zengalensis, Gmel., of which likewise I will later indicate the distinctions. Third, that (9) and (10) are both the same species, the former being the male, the latter the female and young. Fourth, that Derbyanus, Fraser, given as a synonym of (10), and which has, if I remember right (it is eleven years since I saw the type) a wing of 8°5,isa good and distinct species, the wing of neither (9) or (10) ever in my experience exceeding seven inches. Fifth, that under (13) two species ae ee are included viz., (13), a. erythrogenys, Blyth, and (18) b. affines, Tytler, which latter name must stand, although ytler never recognized the real distinctive characters of the Andaman bird, and merely named a black-billed female “ afinzs,” because erythrogenys was described with a red bill, whereas, as we now well know after dissecting some fifty specimens of each species, the adult males, in both species, or if you will, races, have the upper mandibles red, while the adult females have these black. According to my views, therefore, the species of this genus would stand as follows: (1) ewpatrius, Lin. (2) sivalensis, Hutton. (3) maguzrostris, Ball. (4) torquatus, Bodd. (5) eques, Bodd. (6) purpureus, Mull. (7) ben- galensis, Gmel. (8) schisticeps, Hodes. (9) Calthrope, Layard. (10) Luezant, Verr.. (11) Alewandri, Lin. (12) fascratus, Mull, which possibly = melanorrhynchus, Wagl. (18) Derbyanus, Fraser. (14) columboides, Jerd. (15) longicaudatus, Bodd. (16) erythro- genys, Blyth. (17) affinas, Tytler, (18) caniceps, Blyth. First, to take my numbers (1), (2), and (3) which are so nearly allied, that they may well be considered together. These three species consist. of the smaller bird from Ceylon and two larger species, the one from the whole of the northern B 10 DIE PAPAGEIEN. and Continental portion of India (I cannot speak with certainty as to what species inhabits the Peninsular) and the other from Burmah and the Andamans. / The following brief particulars will, perhaps, suffice to show how the males of these three species may be distinguished : Side of heaa Fase of throat below curve of mandi- GIES) BEG OIESS bular stripes. Black mandi- Neck band. Localities. pular stripe. Ceylon? Southern Comparatively Narrow, dullpink, Green,moreor A slightly yeliowish India. narrow and not surmounted less dingy. green. ill-defined. by a conspicuous blue band. Raipoor, Kaladoon- Very broad Broad, pale rose Green,moreor Dingy yellowish. gee, Kumaon, and strong- pink, surmount- less suffused Dehra Dhoon, ly defined. ed by a broad with glau- Jheelum, and? glaucous blue cous blue. Sikhim, band. Andamans, Cocos Narrow, well Narrow; bright Bright green. Bright yellow. ? Thyetmyo. defined. almost crimson pink, surmount- ed by a narrow sky-blue band. Besides these distinctions, the bills in the two latter species are nearly half as big again as in the first, and the wing-spot in magnirostris is altogether a brighter red than in the two former. When we come to the females, the Ceylon birdis altogether so mugh smaller, that it cannot be confounded with those of the other species. In the Ceylon females, the wings do not appear to exceed 7°8, in the other two species, they vary from 8:1 to 8-4. Comparing the females of magnirostris and szvalensis (or what- ever name the race may ultimately have to bear) the colcr of the wing-spot of magnirostris is so much brighter, that the birds can be separated by this alone at once. Mcreover, the sides of the head in the female szva/ensis are duller, and greyer than in magnirostris. As to sivalensis, I am not quite sure whether the bird from Sikhim, which is Hodeson’s zzpalensis, ought to be included with the birds from the other localities above enumerated. The bill is very large, the mandibular black stripe is also very strongly defined, but the pink of the neck is rather brighter than in true sivalensis, the blue band is reduced to a mere trace, and there is scarcely even a trace of the glaucous tinge on the cheeks and sides of the head which so conspicuously distinguishes sivalensis, Hutton. If, however, the two are considered to be- long to the same species, Hodgson’s name nipatensis would have priority, but there still remains Gmelin’s name sonnerat, which may possibly be considered to apply to this species. From Southern India I have unfortunately no specimens, but from DIE PAPAGEIEN, 11 Raipoor, Sumbulpore, and the Tributary Mahals, from the Terai, and the low valleys at the base of the Kumaon hills, from the Dhoon and the valley below Mussori, and from the north-west Punjab, I have large series, and all these birds are identical. From Sikhim I have only a pair, and these present the differences already noticed; but this pair agrees exactly with Mr. Hodgson’s original drawings of his uzpalensis, and it seems therefore probable that the slight differences alluded to are con- stant. From Burmah my only birds are from Thyetmyo, but these agree very nearly (I hesitate to say entirely) with the Andaman and Cocos birds, of which we have a fair series of eight males and eight females. The Ceylon birds stand by them- selves distinguishable, it appears to me, at a glance from all those from the localities above indicated. Of course good specimens of full plumaged adults must be compared, no one probably could separate with certainty, dirty ill-plumaged immature specimens of szvalensis and magnirostris ; but the Ceylon birds, I think, could always or nearly always be separated at once by their inferior size. Dr. Finsch did not discriminate these three species and per- haps may not admit them now, but this signifies little, for in regard to the points at issue, all three are alike, and Dr. Finsch is equally mistaken in regard to all of them.. He says: “ According to Blyth and Jerdon, the specimens without neck- rings are females. What the young birds are like, is unfor- tunately nowhere said, and consequently there still remain great _ gaps which might easily have been filled by Indian ornitholo- gists. As I can prove satisfactorily that in the allied species, lorquatus, cyanocephalus, &c., there is a perfect conformity in the colour of both sexes, it appears to me very probable that the same is the case in eupatrius, and that the pretended females, without the neck-ring, are not yet fully plumaged birds. Unfor- tunately, | could find in none of the specimens which I examined, any signs of transition, so that it was not possible to make certain of this.” Please note the modesty and courtesy of this passage! Dr. Jerdon and Blyth (who have examined the fresh birds) state so and so, but Dr. Finsch thinks it very probable that it is guzte the contrary. Like the Psalmist of old, Dr. Finsch seems to have “said in his heart that all men are liars.” Some of us however venture to hope that he and his authority are mistaken. For my part I have dissected, at the very least, fifty specimens of P. szvalensis, and Davison and I have recently sexed eighteen of maguirostris. My, Oates and Capt. Fielden LZ, DIE PAPAGEIEN. have sent. me numerous carefully sexed specimens of the Thayet- myo birds, and Messrs. Legge and G. Nevill, of Ceylon birds; Capt. Hutton is quite a paroquet fancier, and always has a lot of all ages alive about his house, and we are all, I fancy, ready to aver, that the female in this group of species, or sub-species, never has the rose colored neck-rmg, and zever has the broad black mandibular bands which are continued in the males, as black lines on the sides of the neck. “ What the young birds are like is unfortunately never said.” Well, let Dr. Finsch hear what Capt. Hutton says: “The nestling bird at two months old has the bill large, powerful, and massive, especially in the male, and of a coral red, inclining to dusky at the base above; there is an incipient dusky, somewhat bristly narrow line from the eye to the nostril, but by no means approaching to black, while in some, there is no trace of it at all. A large elongated purplish red patch near the bend of the wing in both sexes even from the nest ; in some, but not in all, there is a dusky indication of what at a later period will become the black demi-collar on the side of the neck; these are males. The sexes can be distinguished by a practised eye by the size and shape of the head; in the male, the forehead from the base of the bill backward to just behind the eyes, is well arched, but thence passes back to the nape, flattened and straight, giving the head an elongated appearance; whereas in the female the head is both smaller, and well arched, from the base of the bill to the nape. There is likewise a marked difference in the form and massiveness of the beak ; in the male it is wider along the cul- men, and well rounded out on the sides; in the female it is flat- ter on the sides, that is to say, more compressed, and the culmen is consequently sharper; the lower mandible is punt shaped in both sexes. At first the pupil of the eye is entirely black with- out any iris, but when about two months old, a pale ashy white iris begins to appear. Gradually from this time the white iris becomes more and more apparent, and is encircled by a faint narrow bluish outer border, and the edge of the eyelids becomes granular and reddish. The feet are of a dull greyish leaden hue.” I can confirm the greater portion of this from personal obser- vation. As for what Dr. Finsch can prove, about torquatus and cyanocephalus, we shall see hereafter, in the meantime in regard to the present group of species, I would remark, that if Leith Adams really says he found any one of them common in the “ Forest districts of Ladakh,” I will not contradict him, dv¢ I can only say I have been all over Ladakh, twice, without being so fortunate as to meet with any Forest district, and that I never myself met DIE PAPAGBHIEN. 15 with the large rose ringed paroquet in Ladakh, nor have I seen it in any of the twenty odd collections (made there by natives and Europeans) that I have examined. Dr. Finsech says, that eupatrius never frequents gardens or towns, but I may mention that the last time (November 9th, 1867), I was up the minars of the Juma or Badishaiee Musjid at Lahore, a huge flock of szvalensis were wheeling and scream- ing round me, several from time to time perching within a few feet of our party. Let us turn now to (4) ¢orguatus, and first hear what our learned Dr. has to say. He remarks, “If we may then consider the question ‘ whether more than one species is included under the name of torquatus, as tolerably cleared up, we have yet to discuss a point which has been no less insufficiently demonstrated. This relates to the pre- tended green colour of the female which has been asserted by Blyth, Layard, and Jerdon. ‘The last remarks in his well known work “The Birds of India,’ that the female wants the rose- colored neck ring, in place ot whichit has a clear emeraid green one. In regard to the colouring of the young birds, unfortunately nothing is stated. “It had for a long time seemed to me very doubtful whether these green birds were really only females, for not only was I able to examine several specimens in which the red neck-band very clearly made its appearance, but I also saw in the Zoological Gardens at Antwerp as many as thirty uniformly green birds which had been brought direct from West Africa, and which could by no possibility have been all females. “ A complete solution of the question however I first obtained in the beautiful collection of Major Kirchhoff, at Schaferhof, in which I found a female which had been killed by Brehm on the Blue River, and dissected with his own hand, which was colored exactly like the male, that is to say, with the black mandibular stripes and red neck band. Later, Dr. Brehm (whose observa- tions of nature no one could question) verbally assured me of the fact. Likewise I ascertained from Herr Consul Bornstein who has often kept P. ¢orguatus in his charming chamber me- nagerie, that the green birds, as time progressed, assumed a red neck-ring ; this is moreover established by Wagler on the ground of similar observation. Thus all sufficient proofs are at hand to demonstrate that these uniformly colored green specimens are only the young birds, and that the males and females in full plumage do not differ. “ Moreover, this demonstration is all the more important, as through it we can with tolerable certainty assume a similar 14 DIE PAPAGEIEN. condition of things in other species, in which likewise a distine- tion between male and female has been asserted to exist, which has however, in all probability, been based upon a misconception of the immature plumage.” Here then are Dr. Finsch’s strong proofs; proofs which in his opinion justify his speaking of what Jerdon, Layard, Blyth, Hutton, and a dozen other Indian naturalists have stated as facts, the result of their personal observations, as “ pretences.” Let us examine these proofs. First, there is an African speci- men, with a rose coloured ring, sexed by Dr. Brehm as a female. Dr. Finsch says that the African and Indian birds belong to the same species; I do not contradict him, I know nothing of the African bird, but, ¢f Brehm correctly sexed the African bird, and it was not a monstrosity, such as we often meet with, spe- cially in the Anatide and Phasianida, of old females, barren, or with diseased ovaries, putting on the male livery, ‘Aen I positively assert, that the African species zs different from our Indian bird, in which (I must have sexed 100 specimens in my life) the female never has the red neck ring. Then there is a gentleman who has seen the green birds as- sume the red ring, and Dr. Finsch has himself seen 30 green birds all together (African again) which could not all have been females! Considering that even in our Indian species a// the young are colored like the females, and that the red ring is only assumed about two years after birth, I fail to see the force of these proofs. hen Gece -but we have already exhausted, I find, Dr. Finsch’s “ strong proofs |” Is it conceivable, that on evidence like ¢zs, any man should deliberately contradict, and that as it seems to me by no means over-courteously, the statements of trustworthy and acute prac- tical observers like Blyth and Jerdon ? He has positively not adduced oxe single fact or even argument bearing upon the Indian birds, in regard to which, alone, they asserted anything. The females of the Afiican birds may have the black man- dibular bands and the rosy neck ring and may be exactly hike the males ; I should not have expected it, but if any trustworthy naturalist who has sexed only one-fourth as many Afriean as I have Indian specimens asserts the fact, I should not dream of contradicting him, éut in our Indian Birds it is certainly not the case. Nothing, we are again informed, is said of the young. Well let our oldest Indian naturalist, who knew all about these paro- quets long before Dr. Finsch was born, enlighten him. “The nestling is of a uniform pale green, without any mark- DIE PAPAGEIEN. 15 ing whatever; the tail feathers bluish, and the bill pale coral, red above, black inside the mouth and at the base of the lower mandible ; the feet, plumbeous grey. “ The ring round the neck, which is a miniature of that of P. eupatrius does not appear until the bird is two years old. Most writers say the third year, but this is erroneous, as from the hatching in one year to the breeding season of the third, is more nearly two years, and it is then that the ring appears.” Whilst we are dealing with ¢orguatus, let me notice a curious circumstance. Both sexes have the mandibles colored alike, and from all localities the upper mandible is red. The color of the lower mandible however would seem to vary somewhat according to locality. In birds from Ceylon and the extreme south of India, as from Anjango, itis black. Birds from the N. W. Panjab, Sindh, and Rajpootana, have the lower mandible more or less mingled with red; some few specimens have the lower mandible nearly wholly black, but most of them, have more or less of the basal portion red. Birds from further North and East, Etawah, Kangra, the Dhoon, Kumaon, commonly have the lower man- dibles red, more or less blotched with dusky, though here also occasionally, 1t may be met with black, while birds from Sikhim, Dacea, Calcutta, Thayetmyo, have the lower mandible, so far as my experience goes, almost entirely red. The above holds good in the forty odd specimens in my museum, but does it do so always? I have not sufficiently attended to this point hitherto, but I hope other observers will. Of eques, Bodd., I say nothing, Mr. Newton can probably tell us whether the bird, which I gather that he sexed as a female, and which our author puts down as a young male, was really so, and whether the adult females in this species ever acquires the neck ring. We next have cyanocephalus, Linn. Here, according to my views, Dr. Finsch has combined two distinct species. In the one, which I will call purpuwreus, Mull (Dr. Finsch will set me right, doubtless, about the synonymy), which is from Ceylon, Southern, Central, the whole of Northern and Western India and the Himalayas, as far East at any rate as the Dhoon, the adult males have a brighter and more crimson wing spot, than in the other, the under wing coverts and axillaries are glaucous or verditer blue, the head peach-bloom, or more correct- ly, a beautiful red, shaded with blue on the occiput, nape, and more faintly so on the cheeks, and black mandibular stripes continued as a collar round the back of the neck. The adult females want the black mandibular stripe and collar and the red 16. DIE PAPAGEIEN. wing spot, and lave the whole top, back, and sides of the head a sort of lilac, browner generally on the sides, and with a more or less distinct yellow ring round the neck at the termination of the lilac cap. In both sexes, the upper mandible is yellow, varying from a wax to a somewhat orange yellow, and lower mandible, black or dusky. Roe 3 The quite young birds have the whole top and back of the head dull green, rather darker than the back, contrasting with the latter and indicating where the colored cap will ultimately be; Goth mandibles are in these pure wax yellow and even the males want the red wing-spot. At an older stage the young males are like the adult females; ata little later stage, the lilac of the head becomes slightly darker, a ruddy tinge begins to shew out at the base of some of the feathers, a few of the feathers of the forehead change to the same color as in the adult male, and the place of the red wing-spot is marked by conspicuous orange tip- pings to the feathers (Edwards, pl. 292.) The other species (which I will call dengalensis, Gmel.,) is very similar in all its changes to the preceding, but in both sexes the wing lining and axillaries are green. .The female as well as the male has the red wing-spot, and this in both sexes is a deeper and more maroon red than in the male of the pre- ceding. The youngest birds I have yet seen had the red wing-spot but I have no nestlings now by me of this species as I have of the other. This species comes at any rate from Sikhim, Dacca, and Hastern Bengal generally, Assam, and Upper Burmah, as from all these localities I have specimens now before me. I do not entertain the smallest doubt that Dr. Finsch is in error in uniting these two forms; but be this as it may, he is unquestionably wrong here as elsewhere, in asserting that the adults of both sexes are alike. This assertion is founded on ove specimen, sexed as a female (and wrongly sexed, if it has a peach bloom colored head) in the “Museum Heineanum” and on sundry specimens exhibiting the change from the female plumage (which the young male assumes when about a year old) to that of the adult male ! We are told that “ Alas! the Indian ornithologists give us no satisfactory answer to many of the most difficult questions. Jerdon only says, that the female has a blue head and that the the young are green.” But what more would Dr. Finsch have ? Who could foresee: his particular idiosyneracy ? When Pavo cristatus is mentioned, who thinks of writing an essay to prove that the hen does zo¢ normally assume the gaudy plumage of the cock? Does he DIE PAPAGEIEN. 17 want a “ full, true; and particular account” from one who has taken scores of purpureuws from their nest-holes and reared them by dozens ? Let Capt. Hutton speak ; his synonymy is faulty, he is no cabinet naturalist, but he knows the dzrds as well as he does his own children. He says : “The nestling bird has a pale yellow beak, but neither wing- spot nor coloured head ; it is uniformly of a pale yellowish green, with a still lighter coloured ring round the neck, and the upper surface of the tail exhibits a little blue. “Tn the second year the head becomes of a fine bluish cast, with a yellow collar round the neck, when it becomes the P. cyanoce- phalus, and in the third year, the head of the male becomes a most beautiful rich peach blossom, shading off to the black ring into a soft azure blue. In the third year the full plumage of the adult is acquired, and each subsequent year, for some time, only adds to its richness of colouring.” I should extend this paper beyond all reasonable limits if I were to specify all the mistakes into which, it appears to me, ‘Dr. Finsch has fallen, but I may mention that the yellow or rather orange yellow wing-spot, which seems to puzzle him so sorely in Edward’s and LeVailliant’s figures, is I believe a normal stage of the young male’s plumage in purpureus (and possibly also in dengalensis), ust prior to the assumption of the red wing-spot. Poor LeVailliant has sins enough to answer for, and need not here, I think, be accused (as Dr. Finsch good- naturedly suggests) of manufacturing his plate out of Edwards; orange yellow wing-spot birds are common enough, and if he will pay the postage and return* the specimen, I will send him one to look at. Next we have my (8) P. schisticeps, Hodgson, which Dr. Finsch is pleased to name afresh, the combination of a word “derived from the Greek oxo, with the Latin ceps,’ being too much for his sensitive classical nerves ! Of this species he remarks, p. 32: | “ According to Blyth” (and he might have added Hodgson who described the bird, Jerdon, and a dozen others) “the females are only distinguished by the absence of the red-brown wing-spot.” Blyth of course being wo authority any more than other Indian ornithologists, Dr. Finsch continues, “ I am much more inclined to conclude that the red brown spot would appear also in the full plumaged female,” in other words he through his supreme wisdom without having examined a single bird in the * This is not a matter of course, because a naturalist who begins by appropriat- ing his neighbour’s species, may end by annexing their specimens. As Dr. Finsch would doubtless say “ Facile descensus, &c !” 18 DIE PAPAGBETEN. flesh, 1s intuitively better acquainted with the state of the case than skilled practical naturalists who have dissected scores. Let me tell Dr. Finsch, that I personally must have sexed some thirty specimens of this species, and that the following is my experience : The female always wants the deep maroon red wing-spot. In both sexes in the adult, the basal half, two-thirds, or three-fourths of the upper mandible are bright red, the rest of the upper man- dible and lower mandible yellow, varying from bright yellow to pale yellowish horny. In the young bird, in both sexes, the black mandibular stripe and collar, (defining the slaty dusky head, in the adult) are entirely wanting, and the whole top and back of the head is green (the cheeks a somewhat brownish green) only on the back of the neck a faint paler green band defines the eap. Both mandibles are a pale yellowish horny, brownish to- wards the base of the upper mandible. I cannot however flatter myself that this statement will affect Dr. Finsch’s views; there are some who ‘ will not believe, even if one went to them from the dead, and I question whether if T sent him a bird of this species that could talk (and they speak very well at times) Dr. Finsch would believe it, even though it said itself “ I’m an o/d* female,” if it wanted the wine- spot ? : As I said before, I have not taken in hand to catalogue Dr. Finsch’s errors, I confine myself for the most part to those in which with the truth set before him clearly by men lke Blyth, Hodeson, and Jerdon, he has perversely erred, through an excess of self-reliance, but really when I find it stated that P. schisti- ceps “is found throughout the greatest portion of the Indian Continent,” I am compelled to point out that this species occurs in barely one-fiftieth part of that vast tract. Except in the extreme East, it is almost rigidly confined to a narrow zone on the North, lying between the bases of the sub-Himalayan ranges and the first high snowy ridge. In the extreme East, it occurs on the higher. ranges running down from Assam to Burmah and is found on the Arraean Hills, as low down at any rate as the 19° North Latitude. When we turn to Calthrope, Layard, it is the same story ; on no evidence, but his own personal conviction, on the contrary in the face of all existing evidence, Dr. Finsch calmly says: «* Questions in reward to differences in the adult plumage, and to whether the male and female are always differently colored, still lack in this species an altogether more rigorous investigation. * But query, would any female admit that she was old? P. D. DIE PAPAGEIEN. 19 The numerous phases of plumage which I have seen, permit me to assert with tolerable certainty an entire similarity in both sexes. “ Noteworthy and wonderful however, always remains the black color of the bill in the younger birds.” But as a matter of fact, no further investigation is required, because a dozen different observers have cleared up the main point at issue vzz., the colour of the adult female’s bill, but our author absolutely ignores all this because it is irreconcileable with his theory ! Unlike the other species with which I have previously dealt, I have never myself shot or dissected examples of Cudthrope, but I have more faith in human testimony than our author apparently has, and having a large series of specimens carefully sexed by three different Kuropean observers, I can state the following with “ tolerable certainty ”’ independently of what far better naturalists than myself have already recorded to a similar effect. The adults of both sexes are nearly alike, but im the male the upper mandible is bright red, pale yellowish horny towards the tip where it is abraded. The lower mandible is a pale brown or red- dish brown, yellowish horny towards the margins where abraded. In the adult female, the upper mandible is female black, or nearly so, the lower mandible similar to that of the male, but duskier and darker. In the female also the narrow frontal band, lores, and orbital region are a duller and paler green than in the male. ‘lhe young of both sexes entirely want the black mandi- bular stripe, and all the grey or blue grey which charaec- terizes the heads of the adults in both sexes; the whole head is green, the cap defined by an indistinct brighter green collar. The upper ‘mandible in doth sexes in the young is red, at any rate if Mr. Vincent Legge and others have correctly sexed the specimens of young they sent me, as I entertain no doubt that they have. Of (10), Lucianz, I know nothing, but in opposition to Dr. Finsch who, by his diagnosis, leaves it to be presumed that the adults of both sexes are precisely similar, I venture to predict that whenever the habitat of this species is discovered, and a sufficiency of properly sexed specimens are obtained, the adult females will prove to have black upper mandibles, while those of the males are red. In regard to (11), Alexandri=Javanicus, Osb, (but xotas I think fasciatus Mill, which is probably rather our Indian bird), Dr. Finseh tells us that adults and young, alike, all have both mandi- bles red, and that further, the adult males and females are in every respect perfectly similar in plumage. ‘This is wholly con- trary to my experience in the ten species of this genus, of all ef 20 DIE PAPAGEIEN.* which I have dissected numbers, but as Dr. Finsch tells us (p. 61) that he has himself ascertained this by dzssection, I unhesitatingly accept the fact. Next we have Dr. Finsch’s (9) Lathamz, and (10) melanorr- hynchus = my (12) fasciatus. Here the male is elevated into a distinct species, as Lathami, while his (10) is the female. When dealing with Alexandri (p. 62) he digresses to tell us that he has examined at least ten specimens of his Latham: ([have shot and sexed twice as many in ove day) and has always found the upper mandible red, but the lower, on the contrary, black. And that this, and the examination of more than a dozen black-billed birds < showed him clearly that these could in no wise be the females, as Jerdon and Blyth set forth ” (poor Jerdon and Blyth, always wrong ! Finsch, the clever fellow, a/ways right !!) “ but on the contrary, constituted a separate species.” He adds with that deliciously bland assumption of superiority and omniscience which irradiates his pages, “it appears to me also that the change of colour in the bill of which these ornithologists speak, is an erroneous conception .”” Yet the erroneous conception is wholly on Dr. Finsch’s part ; here I speak positively, having myself sexed a great number of specimens of this species in Upper India, and Davison having recently done the same in the Andamans ; having obtained the young males with black bills, and seen the colour of the bill gradually change, and possessing numerous specimens exhibiting just that change, in every stage of transition, of the colour of the bill which is so authoritatively pronounced to be “ an erroneous conception.” Let Dr. Finsch rest assured, that “ wnfortunate”’ as it is (p. 69) that he has never yet been able to meet with any but old, red billed birds, of his Lathami, fate is against him, and he never w2/// I too, who have seen thousands, and shot hundreds, of these black, and red billed paroquets, have equally never yet been able to meet with any but old red billed birds, and what is more I have never been fortunate enough to meet with a female amongst these red billed fellows, nor a full plumaged male amongst the black-billed ones! Young males enough have I seen, with black upper mandibles, and had them tame (they are very gentle birds), but confound them! as they grew up, they too, got some erroneous conception into their pretty heads and actually (regardless of the whole family of Fringillide) went and changed into the other species! What they meant by it, Dr. Finsch obviously cannot tell, and of course NO one else can, so we may be content to leave this amongst those insoluble mysteries of nature, which “ no fellar can understand! ” DIE PAPAGHEIEN. al In the youngest birds that I have seen, taken, when just able to fly, from the nest hole, while two birds, one aspecimen of Latham (which I erroneously conceived to be the father), with a red upper mandible, and the other a specimen of melanorrhynchus (which I erroneously conceived to be the mother), shrieked round us, which two specimens curiously enough, on dissection, did prove (unless I erroneously conceived the fact) to be respectiv ely male and female; I say these young birds (hybrids doubtless !) had both mandibles blackish. I should state that the narrow line of vinaceous red bounding the posterior margin of the grey cap, and the green hue suffusing the forehead and cheeks on which Dr. Finsch lays stress in his diagnosis of his melanorrhynchus ave characters of the young male at one stage only of its plumage. It may be well also to mention that in this patenel the changes of plumage, and in the color of the upper mandible in the male, do not always take place in the same order. I have one young male for instance, in which the upper mandible is quite red, while the red on the breast is only just beginning to appear, and the tail is not half developed ; 5 -on the other hand, 1 have another young male with a nearly perfect tail and rich blossom red breast, in which the upper mandible is quite black except a narrow red streak on the culmen, and another on either side. Before passing on to the next species, I am compelled to notice a not very ingenuous attempt to saddle Dr. Jerdon with blame for not discriminating the Javan and Bornean bird from the Indian ; from the way our author writes, it would seem as if Dr. Jerdon had, on his own authority, pronounced that the species were identical. Asa fact, all Jerdon knew, or pretended to. know, was the Indian species, of which he wrote—he_pro- bably never saw (as I have never yet seen) a decent specimen of alexandri ; but he found that other ornithologists had asserted the identity of the two, and naturally accepted the fact (which he was in no position to verify), and with it the synonymy. It would be well if Dr. Finsch had no more serious errors to answer for ; not least amongst his transgressions I hold his putting for- ward this mistake, as a ground ior doubting what Dr. Jerdon asserted on his own knowledve i in regard to “the Indian species which he had himself observed. Columboides, Jerdon, diseuised under Dr. Finsch’s new name peristerodes, 1s the next species dealt with by that author. Really the wonders disclosed by this work pass human com- prehension ! Dr. Finsch records an adult male, Hons the Hima- layas, in the Leyden Museum, and an adult female, precisely 22 DE PAPAGEIEN, similar, to the male, also from the Himalayas !! in Heine’s Museum. What Himalayan female columboides may be like, no mere In- dian ornithologist could presume to say. We leave that to Dr. Finsch ; but of the species which we, perhaps, erroneously con- ceive to be columboides, whereof no straggler even approaches within 1000 miles of the Himalayas, it is as well that he should know that the adult female always differs from the male in en- tirely wanting the bright green collar, which in the latter sue- ceeds the black neck-1 ring, In wanting the green lores and green about the orbital region, and in having the upper mandible, black, or nearly so, instead of bright red as in the males. The point of the bill in both sexes, where abraded, is paler, a sort of a horny white; the lower mandible in both sexes is similar, a sort of dingy reddish or orange brown, pale yellowish horny where abraded. The quite young bird, I may add, has the grey of the adults replaced by green, more or less tinged with blue upon the head, entirely wants both ereen and “black collars, though the latter soon begins to shew on the throat and sides of the neck (not extending: to the back of the neck till a good deal later) and apparently at, one stage in Goth sexes has the upper mandible a somewhat brownish ‘red, and the lower mandible a paler somewhat orange brown, both mandibles being paler (a sort of dingy horny white) at the tips. Dr. Finsch tells us im his usual strain “ according to Jerdon ”’ (who must have shot scores, as it 1s very abundant on the ghats which he so exhaustively worked) “ the female at every age ex- hibits a black bill, but in regard to this 1” (whoappears to have seen four skins, one wrongly sexed, and’two of them ticketed from localities where the species never by any chance occurs) “ must raise well-founded doubts, since, notably, the specimen in the Bremen Museum shows so clearly the change from the black to the red colouring.” Is Dr. Finsch quite sure that it is not just the other way, a change from red to black? ‘There is, I admit, one point yet doubtful, and that is, does the male at any stage exhibit a black upper mandible. That the adult male has a red one, and the adult female a black one is certain ; that the quite young of both sexes have reddish ones, J hold to-be certain, but as this statement is based upon the examination of only four nestlings two males and two females ; any one who likes may reasonably still doubt it ; that in the female the reddish bill of the nestling, changes later to black, I consider (but from observations on only two females) ‘also certain ; but whether this same is the case with the young male, I cannot say. Dr. Finsch tells us that DIE PAPAGEIEN. 2a. « Blyth is uncertain, and says of the black-billed birds, ‘ female or youne,’” but had he asked Mr. Blyth, he would I think have found that that gentleman never doubted that the adult females had black bills—all he did doubt was, whether or no, the young males had the same atany stage. Finsch tells us that this species is found in Madras; if he means the town or district of Madras (Chingleput) then he is certainly in error—if he means the preszdency of Madras, then since the places he enumerates, the Malabar Coast and the Nil- ghiris are both zz this Presidency, itis, to say the least, surplu- sage, calculated to mislead, as no one reading that the bird oc- eurs on the Malabar Coast in Madras, and on the Nilghiris, would conceive that Madras here signified the Presidency, and not the town or district. As usual, Dr. Finsch laments our ignorance in regard to all these species. It is really a pity that he will not be content to speak for himself. That Ze has still somewhat to learn is patent in every page, but the Indian ornithologists whose dis- tinct statements he so unceremoniously ivnores, puts aside, or directly contradicts, unfortunately for his reputation, are not quite so much “in tiefes Dunkel” as himself. My (15), longicaudatus does not occur within our limits, so far as I yet know, and I have never examined a fresh bird. Turning to erythrogenys, (No. 13), of Dr. Finsch, I do not pre- tend to find any fault with him for unitmg the two species which respectively inhabit the Nicobars, and the Andamans, and Cocos under this one name. Till we recently worked out in good earnest the avifauna of these groups, no one certainly knew, though Lord Walden, I gather, suspected that the birds were distinct, and it may be as well to enter somewhat into de- tails, in regard to this matter. We brought home 114 carefully sexed specimens of the red- cheeked paroquet, from all parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Groups, from Preparis on the North to the great Nicobar on the South, and we find that the birds from the two groups differ persistently in both sexes, both in size and plumage. To illustrate properly the difference in size, I must give the measurements of the wings of a large series of both males and females, in fact of every entirely full plumaged, perfect winged adult now before me. Patnornis Eryturogmenys. Males.—Kondul, 7:62; 7:5. Te- Ress tosd o1 1-003) 76a, “Car Nicobanye7:6—) 7:3.) Miont- schall, 7-4. Trinkut, 7:5; 7°45; 7-4; 7:4; 7:5; 7-5. Pilu Milu, (coe (jon. Camorta, (is; (44s Tobe. (4 Onto 314 125, PaLeornis Eryturogenys. Females.—Car Nicobar, 7:3 ; 7:35; 24 DIE PAPAGEIEN. 7:55; 7°3. Kondul, 7°35; 7°35 ; 7-55; 7-5; 7-5; 7-4. Camorta, 73; 18: (col alone 71; 1 0.90. Trinkut, 7 Patcornts ARPINIS. Males.—Port Blair and its neighbour- hood, 6°8; 6°95; 6:8; Sea OID) Soe) 2 (GS 5 6-7; TN ay 6:52.516077 5 O70" 7: 12; HM 2 099% 6°75 ; Te 1 ly Oise Bors Mouat, 6° 8 ; 6: 8 : 7:08; 6°8. Maepherson’s Straits, 6°$5. Great Cocos, 7. Little Cros, (2a erepalicmOni see, sie Patzornis Arrinis. Memales.—Table Island, 6:99; 6°75; Little Cocos, 6-7 ; 6°55; 6°6. Port Blair and its neiwhbourhood, 6°85 6:7 26:25" GA: O35. 67; 6°75390'385) 6:75); GO Ona 6°55; 6°95; Macpherson’s Straits, 6°65 ; 6°7. No one who compares these figures can fail to perceive that the Nicobar bird, as a race, is persistently larger than the Anda- man bird. The largest Andaman male has the wing only 7-2, and this is very greatly above the average, while the smallest Nicobar male has the wing 7°3, and this is considerably below the aver- age. Only one Nicobar female has the wing at all below 7, and not one Andaman female has the wing as much as 7. There is a similar difference, thoug h less marked, in the size of the bills; 0°93 is about the maximum leneth of the Andaman bird’s bill, measured from nostril to point. While 1:0 is a com- mon dimension for the Nicobar bird, and they run to 1-03. Dimensions alone would not justify specific separation, but the coloration also in both sexes is different in the birds from the two groups of Islands. In the Nicobar females, the mandibular stripe is black except just at the end where it becomes greenish. In the Andaman females, the entire stripe 1s a deep. green, becoming paler, and brighter towards the tip. In the males, the difference is even more strongly marked, but is less easy to express in words. The nape end back are much more stronely suffused in the Andaman bird, with a lilac and glaucous tinge. And the breasts again in the Nicobar birds are a yellowish green, but in the Andaman specimens are suffused with a lighter shade of the back tinge. Tn other respects the birds are similar, but any one ean sepa- rate ata glance the birds of either sex belonging to the two eroups of Islands, and it appears to me that they are entitled to specific distinction. But these two species (or one species as it was considered when Dr. Finsch wrote) form no exception to the general rule, that where our author possib/y can make a mistake about the distinction of the sexes, he does make it. On the strength of “ an old female in the Vienna Museum” (palpably, to us who know the species, an old male) “ which is DIE PAPAGEIEN. : 25 entirely similar to the male, even as regards the coloring of the bill,” he tells us “ Blyth’s description of the female, as distin- euishable by the more or less black upper mandible and the want of the greyish green tint on the hind neck and mantle, relates therefore to the young bird.” Unfortunately, for Dr. Finsch, it does nothing of the kind. Apud Finsch, Blyth is always wrong and Finsch is alwavs right, but the real facts as Madame Delacroix used to remark “are so much to the contrary, that they are quite to the reverse.’ And in every single instance -in which in regard to species of this genus, Dr. Finsch has questioned, disputed, or denied the correct- ness of Jerdon, Blyth, and other Indian ornithologists’ state- ments, it is he and not they who have erred. This, let it be clearly remembered, is not a matter of opinion, we who have carefully sexed with our own hands, not single specimens, but scores of most of these birds must know ; in one, two, or even possibly three cases, a man might be mistaken, but not where he deals with dozens, and @ fortiori not where his re- sults are confirmed by those of several others working indepen- dently, and we positively affirm, that in both the Nicobar and Andaman races (or species) even the oldest females are distin- guished by the more or less black upper mandible and the want of the glaucous, or greyish lilac tint on the hind neck and mantle, and moreover by the red cheek patch being smaller and duller in colour, and lastly, by the mandibular stripe being entirely green, as in the Andaman bird, or at least having its terminal one-fourth greenish as in the Nicobar bird. Thank goodness, we have now only canzceps left to speak of ; one grows weary of exposing these perpetual and perverse blunders. As usual, we are told, “the old females are colored lke the males, and have like these, red upper mandibles.” As usual we find, * according to Blyth and Dr. Cantor, the black-billed speci- mens are females. I can however only accept them as young birds, and I am convinced that in adult plumage both sexes are similarly colored. This was thoroughly established by the re- searches of the Novara Expedition, for a female killed in Kondul, the sex of which was ascertained by dissection, exhibits an upper mandible just as red as the males,” azd allow me to inform our author, was unquestionably a male, and had been, dissection or, no dissection, wrongly sexed! We shot and sexed 25 adults of this species, (besides the young ones that we got from natives) and we /now beyond the possibility of a doubt, that Dr. Cantor and Blyth were perfectly eorrect, and that Dr. Finsch has been too hasty in his conelu- sions. D s 26 DIE PAPAGEIEN. These are a few of the facts which I have to record from per- sonal observation in regard to the genus Palgornis, m refuta- tion of Dr. Finsch’s theories and in corroboration of the facts stated by Jerdon, Blyth, Hodgson, Hutton, and other Indian ornithologists. It must not however be supposed that I delude myself with any vain hopes, that any thing J can say will influence our author’s views, which he had, as he himself admits, already vir- tually formed before he investigated the subject. The ornithologist so perfect in his own eyes as to be able to set aside contemptuously, on the streneth of foregone conclusions, the testimony of “ mas- ters” like those above-mentioned, will scarcely heed any thing that their humble disciples may urge. In vain may we press upon him the simplest facts, such as the difference in the sexes of P. torguatus, known not only to every European in India, who has the slightest taste for ornithology, but to millions of native children ; he is not one to be taught from the lips of babes and sucklings, and to all we can say, hike Le medicin malgré lue he will, doubtless, answer with a smile of ea superiority “ nous avons changé tout cela \’ It is not however for Dr. neh that I Gay Truth must be vindicated, and authors, no matter how great their industry or erudition, must not be allowed to impede, unchallenged, the pro- egress of science by foisting on the public ¢heorzes evolved out of their own moral consciousness in the seclusion of their cabinets, in place of the facts that nature herself sets before us. Moreover, these remarks have indirectly a wider application than to the genus Palgornis, or to Dr. Finsch. After all, itis but a small matter in itself whether the adults of both sexes in certain species of paroquets are or are not pre- cisely similar. No man ever did any real good work in any branch of natural history, without falling into numberless errors as grave or graver than those which I have pointed out in Dr. Finsch’s work. It is not these errors at which I carp, it is against the spirit which led him into them (a spirit which in various forms, seems to threaten seriously the advancement of knowledge) that I emphatically raise my voice. In all branches of Natural History (and I have been an earnest, though humble student of many), butspecially im orni- ~ thology, I notice a tendency on the part of the compilers of other men’s observations, to exalt themselves above the observers, to forget that, however useful their labours, they themselves are for the most part mere book-makers and not naturalists in the true sense of the word. They lose sight of the fact that the compiler of a jest book is by no means necessarily a wit, and rich DIE PAPAGEIEN. 27 in borrowed, and too often, misplaced, and ill-dressed plumes, treat with an affectation of superiority, which to all thimking men is as sad as it is ungrateful, the opinions and the labours of the men who alone constitute their raison d’étre. I most freely admit the utility of both classes of workers ; the cabinet naturalist 1s to the field observer (the reat naturalist as J hold) what the head of the gun factory is to the general. But ne sutor, &e. Let the cabinet naturalist stick to his synonymes, his formal schemes of classification, and his main work of com- piling, comparing, and cautiously generalizing from the ob- servations of the field* workers ; but let him avoid the pre- sumption of disputing and denying the facts stated by admittedly trustworthy members of this latter class, because they happen to run counter to his own theories. As they exalt themselves, so also do too many cabinet natura- lists unduly exalt (and asthey are the chief writers and talkers, half persuade the world to exalt), the work they seem so specially to delight in, the rectification of synonymy. They seem to lose sight of the fact, that the only object of a name is to enable men to communicate to each other their observations in regard to particular genera and species, without wasting time in re-defining or describing these each time they have to mention them. Itis quite right and very desirable to adopt one uni- form system of nomenclature and so smooth the path for neo- phytes, but correct synonymy is not the end and aim of Natural History ; it is only a smad¢ adjunct for facilitating our progress in the study of this, andif we could only ensure that our fellow stu- dents should make no mistake as to the species of which we wrote, it would not signify one iota, so far as our read objects are con- cerned, what names we used. . After all, names are at best to the naturalist only what the cross-threads of the copying frame are to the engraver. Value- less in themselves, useful in so far as they serve as fixed points of departure for his work and facilitate the transcription to his pages of some faithful, though colourless, copy of the great picture. No real artist will waste his time in microscopic investigations into the texture of the threads, when he can be studying the pic- ture, and no real naturalist will waste much thought over syno- nymy or nomenclature when he can be studying nature. The naturalist’s real work is to collect and record, to verify and com- bine facts, in regard to the beings represented by that nomen- clature, in such wise as to throw some fresh light on the general * At the risk of being charged with partiality for a fellow countryman, I would point to Mr. Sharpe’s Monograph of the King-fishers, as a model of what a Cabinet Naturalist’s work should be. 28 DIE PAPAGHIEN. design of the great, Master’s work, or at any rate to furnish res liable materials to enable others to do this hereafter. Few and far between are those to whom the time and dalenta are vouchsafed, to do more than collect a few sets of facts, which some more favoured brother, some Darwin of the next generation, may combine together with the work of many others like our- selves, into some harmonious whole. But, if we cannot be architects, at least let us honestly make our tale of bricks—let us observe and record facts and not waste much time or thought over imessentials. Viewing the Natura- list’s work in its true light, how futile appears all the discussion about synonymes, the fuss about purely classical names, and the: like ? What does it signify whether A or B first described the species ? Pray Dr. Finsch how ean it advance our real objects one atom, to eall a bird that every one recognizes as “ colum- boides ” by your ¢ru/y classical name “ peristerodes as In conclusion, if I have criticised what appear to me to be Dr. Finsch’s foibles without much ceremony, in plain out-spoken lan- guage, it must not be fancied that in so doing I am animated by any personal feeling. On the contrary our relations have always been most friendly, and I for one look forward confidently to his doing greater and better things for the cause we ought all to have at heart than he has yet attempted, or perhaps, even thought of, but I should ill fulfil my duty as editor of the sole Tendben Ornithological Journal, if I did not rebuke, sans fagons, his shghting treatment of the men to whom ever y Indian orni- thologist owes so much, and if while appreciating and cordially acknowledging the zeal and industry which he brings to the work I did not protest, so far as in me lies, against systematie defects, which threaten to impair so materially the scientific value of that work. A. O. Hume. Contributions to the Ornithologn of India. The Islands of the Bay of Bengal. I.—Physical Aspects. In pursuance of the general scheme which I had sketched out some years ago, for working out gradually the ornithology of the outlying, and comparatively imperfectly explored, pro- vinces and dependencies of the Indian Empire, the Andamans, Nicobars, and other islands of the Bay of Bengal, came last cold season under review. Through the liberality of the British India Steam Navigation Company, a fine steamer, the Scotia, was placed at my disposal on very favorable terms for a month’s cruise amongst these islands; several extra boats and boats’ crews were added to the vessel’s usual complement, and every possible arrangement, in the way of stores, ice, and the like, made for the comfort of our party. Anxious to make the most of an opportunity, such as had never occurred before (indeed we visited islands on which no HKuropean had ever previously landed), and which might not again occur for many years, I asked Dr. Stoliczka and Mr. Ball of the Geological Survey, and Mr. Wood-Mason of the Indian Museum, to accompany me, and with these and some others (including the officers of the ship) who, though not naturalists or ornithologists, were perfectly ready to shoot every- thing they saw, and collect everything they came across from a sea-slug to an Andamanese skull, we constituted, supported by a pretty strong staff of taxidermists, a very tolerably effi- cient exploring party. We were able usually, to turn out eight guns daily, whenever we touched land, which, by steaming at night and laying to at different islands during the day, we managed to do on about 20 out of the 30 days we were away. Before giving any account of the details of our trip, it would be perhaps simplest, and will save repetition, to give a short sketch of the general physical characters of the islands. 30 CONTRIBUTIONS To THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. It must be understood that in “the islands of the Bay of Bengal,” I only include Preparis, the Cocos, the Andamans, the Nicobars, Barren Island, and Narcondam. I do not include the islands of the Mergui Archipelago, which I con- sider may be treated as an integral part of the Tenasserim Provinces, which we are now working, and in regard to which I shall hope to have something to say next year. The accompanying sketch map will show, sufficiently clearly for our purposes, the position of these islands. It will be seen that, neglecting Narcondam and Barren Island, the whole of the rest of the islands constitute a broad, irregular, curved chain (many of the links of which, however, are broken and missing) connecting Cape Negrais, the south-western point of Pegu, with Acheen Head, the north-westerly point of Sumatra. Close to Cape Negrais terminate the Arrakan Hills, part of a series of ranges which run down from the Hastern Himalayas dividing Assam, Cachar, Chittagong, and Arakan from Independent Burmah and Pegu. Just south of Acheen Head we have the Golden Mountain and other hills, and looking at the map it seems difficult to avoid the conclusion that the whole of the chain of islands above referred to. is nothing but a continuation southwards of these Arakan Hills, of which, owing to a generai subsidence of the tract of country they traverse, only the more elevated por- tions now remain above the sea level. It cannot, however, I fear, be asserted, that this very simple and obvious explanation of the origin of these islands derives prima facie much support from a consideration of their fauna ; and if they ever were in uninterrupted connection with the Arakan Hills, it must, apparently, have been at an immensely distant period, since not only are almost all the most character- istic species of the Arakan Hills, as we now find them, absent from these islands, but these latter exhibit a great number of distinct and peculiar forms, constituting where the ornis is _ concerned, if we except the cosmopolite waders and swimmers, considerably more than one-third of the whole number known. As for Narcondam and Barren Island these lie altogether outside of the main chain. Both are entirely volcanic, and the latter a still smoking volcano, and it is curious that in the valley of the Irawaddy, hot springs and other evidences of volcanic action occur in the same relative position to the Arakan Hills that these two islands occupy in respect to the Andamans. There seems little doubt that both these islands belong to the same great line of volcanic disturbance that THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 31 extends right through Sumatra, Java, and the rest of that chain of islands, to New Guinea. The relative positions and dimensions of the several islands may be gathered from the sketch map already referred to, but it may be useful to note, once for all, the lengths of some of the more important breaks, and links, in the chain. These islands have never yet been very accurately surveyed ; in fact the chief materials for the chart of the Nicobars are derived from the very partial surveys executed by the Novara Expedition, but the distances below noted are approximately correct. From Cape Negrais to Preparis, 85 miles; Preparis to Great Cocos, 50 miles; Great Cocos to the northernmost point of the Great Andaman, 45 miles; total length of the Great Andamans, 135 miles: Macpherson’s Straits divide the latter from Rutland Island, which is about 10 miles in length, and distant about 35 miles southwards lies the Little Andaman itself some 27 miles in length. Then comes a blank of 80 miles before we reach Car Nicobar, the northernmost of this group. Tillangehong and Teressa, which are about 40 miles apart, are each distant some 60 miles from Car Nicobar; and from this latter, Camorta Harbour, which lies in the middle of the four central islands, Nancowry, Camorta, Katchall, and Trinkut, is distant about 90 miles. From Katchall to the Little Nicobar 1s about 35 miles; the Littleand Great Nicobar together are some 50 miles in length, and between 60 and 70 miles south- east of the latter we come to Pulo Way, one of the small islands lying off Acheen Head. In regard to the climate and meteorology of these islands, I prefer, instead of recording any crude notions of my own, to quote a brief note kindly prepared for me by Mr. H. F. Blanford, our first Indian authority on such subjects. “The temperature of the Andamans, as might be expected in the case of tropical islands, is very uniform; the coolest month (January) has a mean temperature of 78°9°; the warm- est month (April) one of 83:9°, a difference of only 4° The highest and lowest temperatures recorded during the six years 1868-73 were 96° and 67°, respectively, and the absolute range during the period has, therefore, not exceeded 29°. In most months of the year the average daily range is from 8° to 10°. From February to April it is somewhat higher, and in March, in some years, it is as much as 14°. “The mean humidity of the air is about the same as that of stations on the Arakan coast of the Bay, and in the day time aver- ages between 62 and 88 per cent. of saturation. March and. 32 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. April are the driest months, and the highest humidity coincides with the time of the south-west monsoon. The rainfall of Port Blair amounts to 117°8 inches on the average of six years. The monsoon rains set in, in the early part of May, occasionally even in April, and last till the beginning of November. Heavy showers are not infrequent in February, but March is always a dry month, and January somewhat less so. While, therefore, the total rainfall is only about half of that on the coast of Arrakan, the. monsoon rains begin somewhat earlier and end later at the Andamans. On an average, rain falls on about 180 daysin the ear. “On the Andamans, the annual variation of barometric pres- sure, as compared with the mainland, is but small. At 61 feet above sea level the mean pressure is 29°853 inches in December, and 29-718 inches in June. The mean annual oscillation on the averages of the months is, therefore, about 0°14, while in Madras it amounts to 0°29 and at Akyab to 0:31 between January and June. « The Andamans are situated full in the course of the monsoon currents of the Bay of Bengal. The change from the south- west to the north-east monsoon takes place in October, in which month the winds are, as a rule, more or less conflicting and sometimes from 8. H. But by the beginning of November the N. E wind blows pretty steadily, and generally conti- nues from that quarter up to the end of April. In May the south-west monsoon sets in accompanied by heavy rain, and prevails without intermission up to the end of September. “ At the change of the monsoons, stormy weather is common at the Andamans, as elsewhere in the bay; and many of the most severe cyclones, that visit the Indian and Burmese coasts, originate in the neighbourhood of these islands and the Nico- bars. But although thus situated near the cradle of these storms, the records of the last few years do not show that they have actually been traversed by any one of them. Those that are formed to the westward travel to the west or north-west, while those that are formed in the Andaman sea appear generally to travel northward. “ Judging from the evidence of a meteorolgical register kept at Nancowry in the Nicobar Islands during the south-west monsoon of the past year, and also from the general similarity of geographi- cal conditions, that group would appear to enjoy a climate differ- ing but little from that of the Andamans. During the period in question, the average temperature was from 1° to 3° lower in the Nicobars, (except in the month of July) while the humi- THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 33 dity was somewhat higher. But the rainfall amounted to only 70 inches against 99 at the Andamans. The register for so short a period is of course a very imperfect criterion of the average climate, more especially in respect of rainfall.” i As regards their flora and its relation to that of cireumjacent sub-provinces, Mr. S. Kurz, the only eminent botanist who has made it, as well as the floras of Burmah, Tenasserim, Malayana, and Hindostan a special study, furnishes me with the following remarks :— « ANDAMANS.—The geographical position of the Andamans, and more especially the tertiary sandstone, of which a large area of these islands consists, point to a former connection with Ara- kan on the one side, and on the other with the Nias Archipelago on the west coast of Sumatra. “Tn accordance with these indications we find the bulk of the Andamanese flora to be Burmese, while not a few purely Malayan species find their northern limits m the Andamans. Among these Malayan forms may be mentioned Dracontomelum, Trina, Peltophorum, Ternstremia Penangiana, Cycas Rhumphii, Lindsea davalloides, Ptychosperma Kuhlit, Ryparia, §c. “Several of these extend also to Tenasserim, a province which must be considered as having’a similar extension of the Malay flora. “The flora of the Andamans is not related to that of Hindos- tan and India Proper—a circumstance which can partly be ex- plained by the insular climate and difference in soil. Dalbergia emarginata, Roxb. which has beenidentified with D. latifolia (the blackwood of the west coast) occurs in the Andamans according to Roxburgh, and if so, it is the only example of a purely Indian tree found in the island. ‘Some stray and most unexpected Ceylon plants are found in the Andamans, such as Mimusops elengi, Freycinetia radicans, Pandanophyllum zeylanicum, and a few others, while the preva- lence in the forests of the Cingalese Dipterocarpus insignis is still more remarkable, because the fruits of this tree, although winged, are not at all adapted for transport to remote localities, being of a very perishable nature and of low vitality. “However it remains ‘to be discovered whether these Ceylonese species may not also occur in Sumatra, and if they do occur there, it is possible that they may have spread trom thence to Ceylon itself, for the flora of the south-east part of the latter island indicates an affinity with that of Sumatra, so far as that of this latter island is known. “The sea coast flora of all India and of the Archipelago is so uniform that a description of the vegetation of the Gange- 34 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. tic Sunderbuns answers very well for anv Malayan shore and also for the Andamans. The only coast plants in these islands which are not Indian are Malayan in character, such as Carapa moluccensis, Licuala paludosa, and Hydriophytum formicarum. The little palm Phenix paludosa, which is common to Burmah and Bengal, occurs also in the Andamans. . “‘Nicopars.—The flora of these islands is very imperfectly known, and only fragmentary notices of it exist. Chief among these are some remarks by Diedrichsen in the Journal of Botany, Vol. II, p.1, et seg., and stray notes by members of the Austrian Novara Expedition in certain German periodicals. These, however, are superficial in character. The plants brought by our own garden collectors, whom you took with you from these islands, are scanty, and consist chiefly of coast species, most of which are found alsointhe Andamans. They afford quite insufficient data for forming any idea of the flora. It is highly probable that it will be found to resemble that of Sumatra.” From Mr. Kurz also I quote the following interesting sketch of the geology of South Andaman and Rutland Island. Mr. Kurz is, I believe, almost the only European who has had an opportunity of exploring the interior of these islands; and what renders these remarks of his still more valuable is, that, so far as may be judged at present, most of his remarks, in re- gard to the physical geography and geology of the Southern Andaman, are equally applicable to the middle and north- ern one :-— “The whole of South Andaman and Rutland isa hilly country traversed by narrow and steep ridges of no great height, and encircled by a complete barrier-reef, on which a line of breakers is foaming durirg the rise of the tide. “These dangerous reefs are formed chiefly of Caryophyllia, Mad- repora, Porites, Meandria, and other reef-forming corals. Between high and low water-mark there exists in some places a swampy mass formed by a large number of yellow and flesh-colored carnous sponges, covering the coral reefs, and exhaling a disagreeable smell in the neighbourhood. “The principal ranges all run from south by west to north by east, thus somewhat in the direction of the lines of out-crop of the different strata. They are most devoloped along the eastern, coasts, where, they attain sometimes a height of 1,200 to 1,300 feet, sending out numerous spurs towards the sea. Ford Peak on Rutland Island may perhaps exceed 2,000 feet in elevation, and the Saddle Mountain in North Andaman is rather more than 3,000 feet high. Towards the western coasts they gradually become lower ; and nowhere on that coast are higher ridges observed than % THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 35 from 200 to 800 feet elevation, bounding usually fertile valleys of comparatively large size: Some isolated hills, however, may be seen further inland, which I estimate to be between 500 and 600 feet hich. : “The whole surface appears to be intersected everywhere by humerous steep ravines, which open out in all directions, and cause creat difficulty in penetrating to the interior parts of the islands, which, I suppose, lies in general at a very low level. “The hills and ridges slope very precipitously along the sides towards the sea, commonly at an angle of about 48° to 45° and often far more. On their sides, towards the interior, this angle is generally reduced to 20° or 25°, but exceptions can be seen every where. “The geological formations of the whole of South Andaman and Labyrinth Archipelago, as well as of the southern parts of Middle Andaman, is, as Mr. W. Blandford, of the Geological Survey, informed me, quite indentcal with those of the Arakan coast. “A broad strip of an indurated chloritic rock, probably some kind of green stone or trap, pervades the interior from Mangrove Bay and Watering Cove northwards in the direction of the higher ranges of the eastern coast, and reaches the eastern sea shores at Middle Andaman. The same rocks appear also on Termoklee Island (one of the Labyrinth Islends), where they come in contact with coarsely stratified serpentine rock. This indurated rock appears to be rather felspathic, it is of a greenish color, scarcely stratified, but intersected by veins of quartz and calcareous spar. Small cavities occasionally occur in the rock, exhibiting on the interior of the walls a large number of quartz crystals, and other minerals, It is remarkable that, so far as my observations allow me to judge, this green rock seems to occupy the greater part of the level lands, but it does not form ridges or hills of any height worthy to be noted; but we know, in fact, nothing about the for- mation of the hills in the interior parts. “The next rock, which covers a great area of South Andaman, is a grey sandstone, dipping to south by east with an angle of from 43° to 45,° or thereabouts. This sandstone is throughout of a very fine grain, showing a large proportion of silica, and occa- sionally being rather micaceous. The strata exhibit usually a distinct cubic structure. The rock itself decomposes easily, and forms in general a good clay soil. “ Along the western coast at Port Mouat this rock is excavated and variously worked out by the sea, exhibiting there many fantas- tically formed rocks, resembling in appearance the limestone rocks on the Mingan Islands. “ Often, as for instance very finely on Bird Island near Viper, this sandstone is interlaid with thin layers, colored rusty by oxide of iron. a wD CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. “Serpentine rocks are found chiefly to the south of Corbyn’s Cove ina south-western direction, and including nearly the whole eastern part of Rutland Island (but also occurring on Termoklee Island). This formation is easily traceable all along the coast by the reddish color of the rocks, or by the brick-colored soil, which originates from its decomposition. The strike and dip are in general the same as that of the grey sandstone. “ At Bird-nest Cape, where these rocks attain a height of 70 feet_or more, a cubic structure, similar to that of the common grey sandstone, can be observed. “The unaltered rock is mostly of deep green color, as impure serpentine rocks usually are. The stratified portion of the rock, however, which is much more decomposed, exhibits chiefly a reddish brown color, and is very ferruginous in some places. It would be, perhaps, worth smelting, but I saw no limestone at hand. ‘“‘At Macpherson’s Straits a dark-green variety of serpentine rock with diallage is seen, not only in isolated rocks in the sea, but also on the low ridge of the coast. “Conglomerates, formed of coarse pebbles of quartz, chloritic Serpentine and sandstone, have been observed in large quantities at Muddy Creek, at Shoal Bay, and on Termoklee Island. They occur principally in the sea.” ; In regard to the Nicobars I shall, in preference to saying any- thing myself, reproduce portions of what Dr. Hochsetter has recorded in regard to their Geology and Physical Geography in the Reise Novara, as translated by Dr. Stoliczka. “ Car Nicopar is a low island, the average height of which, above the level of the sea, amounts to about 45 feet; only two ridges, which may be from 180 to 200 feet high, rise in the interior above the forest, which covers nearly the whole island. The west, south, and east, coasts are flat and sandy, and the north-west and south-east monsoons accumulate gradually higher and higher upon them fragments of corals and shells, which pass over the fring- ing reefs surrounding the whole island. The south coast is in part swampy, only the northern, or rather the north-western, coast, form- ing the shore of the bay of Saui, is precipitous, allowing a view of the geological structure of the island; the section of this coast is loose coral and shell-sand ; dead coral banks ; indurated rock-beds of dead corals and shell-sand ; plastic-clay with bands of sandstone. “The eastern shore of the bay gradually rises from north to south up to a height of about 60 feet, and includes two small lateral bays in which massive banks of a grey clay crop out below upheaved coral banks which form the projecting corners of the cliff. It is very characteristic that the boundary of calcareous and clay strata on the surface of the coast terrace 1s at the same time a sharp limit of vegetation, inasmuch as on the clayey ground the cocoa-palm is replaced by Pandanus, Casuarina, and grass, forming locally quite extensive grassy plains. The clay deposits, without THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 37 any distinct stratification, show a cubical cleavage. The prevailing color is light-grey, only single bands are darker colored, others are ferruginous, containing numerous clay-ironstone nodules. The clay is a little calcareous effervescing with acids. In the southern lateral bay also appears between the clay beds a more solid stratum from two to three feet thick, and from its projecting part larger and smaller plates are broken off. On one of these plates I observed the impression of a large species of Fucus (Chondrites Nicoba- rensis, Hochst.) The strike of the strata is from 8. S. E. to N. W. in both bays; the greatest thickness observable in the strata amounts to 20 or 80 feet. This clay deposit, on the northern coast of Car Nicobar, is characterized as a marine formation by the numerous Foraminifera which it contains, but I did not succeed in finding any recognizable remains of Mollusca, except indistinct and badly preserved bivalves (Pelecypoda). “Farther towards the south, the clay beds again sink under the level of the sea, and in their place again appear coral banks, the precipitous coast becoming constantly higher, but at the same time gradually more inaccessible. On this coast the sea has washed out deep hollows, and the coral banks are overlaid by massive banks of a white rock consisting of shell and coral sand, and rather soft on the weathered surface. On the Areca river, in the innermost corner of the bay of Saui, the plateau of about 60 feet rapidly terminates with a fault, and the southern shore of the bay only exhibits a flat sandy strand richly overgrown with cocoanut trees, being at the same time thickly populated. Judging from a few lumps in the gravel, which I found on the northern as well as on the southern side, I conclude that there is somewhere in the interior of the island a grey fine-grained sandstone with little flakes of white mica, and also compact limestone én situ. The natives used the sandstone from the gravels for grindstones. “ Barry Manve is a small rocky island with precipitous shores all round. It rises on the south-eastern and eastern side in two terraces to about 150 feet. On the western and north-western side it runs into a low flat cliff; judging from a distance of two or three nautical miles—we did not come nearer—the island is inaccessible. The extreme shore seemed to be covered with grass only ; the interior was a low jungle, the crown of a cocoa-palm being here and there visible at its margin. Only opposite Car Nicobar ‘can the island give an impression of a “relatively bare rock,” as Steen Bille says. The rocks to be found on the island are most probably the same as those of Car Nicobar. “ TILLANGCHONG.—Situated opposite Car Nicobar is a narrow mountainous island with precipitous cliffs, stretching from N. W, towards S. E.; it consists of two rugged mountain ranges, separated by a depression of only 30 feet in depth. Where, on the S. E. both ranges meet, a deep bay is formed, which, during the north-west monsoon, offers an excellent place for anchorage, EB 38 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. The less precipitous south-western coast is accompanied by a few rocky clifis, while the north-eastern coast is highly precipitous all along the shore. The highest hills are situated in the northern part of the island, apparently rising to an elevation of about 500 feet. Serpentine and gabbro form no doubt the great mass of the island. “Tn the small bay on the south-western coast, Novara Bay, in which the frigate was lying at anchor for a few hours, the irregular and clifflike shores are composed of common serpentine, often traversed with veins of hornstone, and the same is the case with the thickly wooded mountain slopes, as tar as could be observed in the small rocky beds of streams. The shore exhibited a very great variety in the color of the serpentine, jasper and hornstone pebble ; besides these, however, there were noticed numerous pebbles of a dark green diallage rock, which must no doubt be in situ somewhere on the same coast at no great distance. “From the angular fragments of serpentine and other masses in the course of decomposition, a ferruginous breccia isformed at the foot of the hills, whilein the breakers the serpentine gravels are being cemented by coral and shelly sand forming solid sandstone and conglomerate banks which recall the Verde- -antique, (Ophicalecite). The plateau of the coast reefs extends 200 to 300 feet from the precipitous shore into the sea. The whole of the island was cover- ed with thick primeval forest which thrives well, even on the ser- pentine ground. “In passing along there were observed, on the southern part of the island and on the eastern coast, thin bedded rocks with a high dip; these were in massive cliffs almost perpendicular in the south- eastern bay with a columnar structure; their true nature remain- ed, however, unknown to me, for I was unfortunately obliged to use the telescope i in place of the geological hammer. “ Camorra, Trinkut, Nancowry with Karcuann form the middle group of the Nicobar Islands: Trinkut is situated in front of the eastern entrance of a channel between Camorta and Nancowry ; it is a low island surrounded by coral reefs, and on its southern coast whitish-yellow argillaceous marls crop out. Camorta and Nancowry exhibit a greater variety of formation, gabbro and ser- pentine; breccia and tufa; clay marl with sandy beds ; coral rocks. The channel between the two islands, Nancowry harbour, has numerous small bays and corresponds with a transverse cleft, while the Trinkut channel is a longitudinal cleft. The precipitous shores of the former offer, therefore, the most instructive geological section. “The narrow western entrance to the Nancowry channel is mark- ed by two projecting rocks, which have been washed out by the force of the waves, making thus a natural gateway of rocks. Both cliffs rising almost per pendicularly to about 80 feet, are formed of a coarse breccia, composed of angular fragments of serpentine and gabbro firmly cemented. I could not observe any stratification in 3) THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 39 this rock on the Camorta side; it is here in cliffs with large quadrangular blocks. On the Nancowry side, however, coarser bands alternate with finer tufa-like ones, with a strike from 8. 8. E. to N. N. W., and dipping about 85 degrees towards the west. On the Camorta side, there crop out at two places below heaps or masses of rocks, which Rink very properly regarded as friction- breccias, cliffs of a more or less serpentine or gabbro-like massive rock. ““ Among the pebbles on the strand, I also met with numerous fragments of a reddish-brown rock, traversed by white calcite veins, the rock which Rink called eurite. “These phenomena, at the western entrance to Nancowry harbour, are thus perfectly identical with those which Rink has observed at the entrance of the Ulala Bay, situated only a few miles to the north. Further to the north the mostly bare hills on the west coast of Camorta, recalling by their external shape conical volcanic forms, attain a height of from 400 to 500 feet ; they no doubt indicate the further extension of the serpentine and gabbro rocks, which on Camorta and Nancowry are traversed from 8S. 8S. E. to N. N. W. by a longitudinal cleft. “Tn the interior of Nancowry harbour, wherever the rocks are exposed on the projecting angles, they appear to be well-bedded, whitish-yellow, clayey marls, alternating with banks of a fine- grained sandstone, with serpentine and gabbro tufas. “Most imstructive in this respect is the precipitous south- eastern corner of Camorta, at which the coast line bends into the Trinkut channel. The argillaceous marl formation is here well exposed in cliffs of from 380 to 80 feet high. On the southern side of the corner the transverse section of the strata can be observed, dipping at 25° to 30° towards the west, while on the eastern side, parallel to the longitudinal break, the beds crop out horizontally one above the other. The argillaceous marl does not contain fossils, is of a yellowish white color, and on the _per- pendicular walls it was covered with inch-long, white, very thin, crystals of a silky lustre. The examination of these showed them to be sulphate of magnesia. ‘The clay itself contains, according to Rink’s analysis, besides silicate of alumina, iron-oxide and magnesia. “The whitish-yellow clay marls of Camorta and Nancowry being entirely free from lime have become famous since Professor Ehren- berg (Berl. Akad. Monatsberichte, 1850, p. 476), by an examina- tion of the samples brought by Dr. Rink, has shown that they are true Polycistina-marls, like those of the Barbadoes. Ehrenberg discovered in 1848 about 300 species, which were by Professor Forbes believed to belong to miocene (tertiary) deposits. Ehren- berg says:—‘ Especially well developed is this material on Camorta, where, near Frederick’s haven, a hill 300 feet high is covered all over with variegated Polycistina-clay, while the Mong- kata hills, on the eastern side of the island, are, according to Rink, entirely composed of a whitish-clay resembling meerschaum; this 40 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDTA. is, according to my analysis, a nearly pure agglomerate of beauti- ful Folycistina and their fragments, beside numerous Spongiolites.’ The species of Polycistina on the Nicobars are, according to Ehren- berg, the same which compose the similar marl on the Barbadoes, situated in nearly the same latitude; but there are also some new forms. “ Near the level of the sea the clay marls, which locally contain angular fragments of serpentine and gabbro, alternate with more solid strata of psephitic rock, which is composed of strongly- cemented angular fragments of serpentine and gabbro, and can therefore be best designated as gabbro-tufa. It is remarkable that this rock again includes larger and smaller pieces of the clay marl. On the eastern coast, near the village Inaka (Enaca), a reddish micaceous sandstone appears between the clay marls. “Similar are the geological conditions on the northern coast of Nancowry. Between the villages Intang and Malacca, the whitish-yellow clay marls crop out in slightly inclined strata ; between Malacca and Injaong, however, lies a precipitous cliff, on which these strata rise almost perpendicularly, and are gradually replaced by an accumulation of fragments of serpentine and gabbro. At the projecting corner itself, the traveller faces a precipitous cliff of about 60 feet in height, but being cracked and decomposed, the true nature of the rock is recognised with difficulty. Ona fresh fracture, however, one soon observes a massive diallage rock, the laminar diallage being clearly traceable in the nearly solid mass of felspar. Narrow veins of quartz pass through the rock. “From here up to the village Injaong the strand is again flatter, and nowhere nearer than on the other side of the village, high, dark- colored, rocks are a second time visible, indicating a massive rock. These are the two places which Rink also has marked on his maps as plutonic rocks. ; “TREIS AND TRack.—On the north-western point of the small island of Treis, highly upheaved banks of a fine-grained argil- laceous sandstone of a greenish-grey color form a low precipi- tous shore. The same stratified rock alternates with thin-bedded sandy slates on the south-eastern coast of the small island Track. Besides a fault, the strata form a saddle and strike from S. 8S. E. to N. N. W. Inasandstone bank I found here im- bedded a rolled fragment of a bituminous coal, the same of which I met with a larger but equally rolled fragment on the strand of the island of Treis. Of coal seams there was, however, no trace to be detected ; what might be mistaken for them froma distance was only the shadow of softer sandstone banks, deeply weathered out, or the darker color of some strata. “Puto Mitv, a small island on the northern coast of Little Nicobar, which Dr. Rink has so excellently described in all its peculiarities, consists, in the higher parts, of a grey, fine-grained, micaceous and calcareous sandstone in massive banks, Very often THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. Ae spheroidal concretions are to be observed showing on the soft weathered surface like cannon balls. No trace of fossils could be found. The massive banks have thin-bedded sandy slates inter- stratified. The strata strike from S.S. E. to N. N. W., dipping to east at an angle of 45°. Dr. Rink mentions a fossil resin in the sandstone of Milu. “ Pulo Milu was particularly instructive for me, because the depen- dence of the vegetation on the soil and its geological basis could be perfectiy well recognised. The vegetation and the geological formation of the ground stand in the closest relation to each other. The sandstone hills are covered with jungle; the coral (calcareous) ground with high forest trees; the saline calcareous sandy ground is occupied by eccoa-palms, and in the fresh water swamp on the declivity of the hiil range which resembles in its curve a horse shoe, thrives the finest forest of Pandanus which we have seen on the Nicobar Islands. “ We have not visited the coast of Little Nicobar, the mountains of which rise to an elevation of 1,000 feet above the sea. “ KonpuL,—between Little and Great Nicobar,—consists of a hilly ridge, one anda half nautical miles long and half mile broad ; its strata strike N. N. W., and dip at 70° towards east. The western side is the precipitous one. The strata represent an alternation of more or less sandy or clayey beds. The sandstone predominates, it is yellowish-white, with ferruginous reddish-brown particles. The clayey beds partly consist of a greasy plastic clay, partly of a crumbling yellowish clay marl, with intercalated thin- bedded sandy slates. The only organic remains which I found were indistinct traces of alg@ and small rolled fragments of coal. “Great Nicopar.— What shall I report of Great Nicobar? With the exception of some sandstone hills on the northern coast, and the sandstone ranges on the eastern side of the Galatea Bay in the south, I have not seen anything. Great Nicobar, with its mountains rising up to 2,000 feet, is geologically quite a terra incognita. “A very remarkable earthquake, which is said to have lasted from the 31st of October to the 5th December 1847, on the Nicobar Islands, at which time also earthquakes occurred in the middle and western part of Java, is described from the Penang Gazette in Junghuhn’s Java (part II, p. 940). On this occasion fire is said to have been seen on one of the mountains of Great Nicobar. “Can the highest mountain of Great Nicobar be a volcano ? Its form is that of a volcano, but as Junghuhn says that one could land on the southern coast of Java, wander about many days among sandstone and slate rocks, without obtaining through any of the phenomena even a trace of the stupendous volcanic nature of. Java; in the same way there may be in the interior of Great Nicobar rock-formations hidden, of which one does not get an idea along the coast. However, I do not attach any importance to the rumour that fire has been seen on Great Nicobar, though 42 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. the description of the earthquake seems trustworthy, as I had myself occasion to observe on Kondul the mountain-slips referred to in the account. ; “These few observations, combined with those of Dr. Rink, give us the following, probably still very imperfect, idea of the geolo- gical nature of the Nicobar Islands :— «« Among the various geological formations on the Nicobar Islands, three are the most important :—1—An eruptive serpentine and gabbro formation; 2—Marine deposits, probabiy of a later tertiary age, consisting of sandstone, slates, clay marls and plastic clay; 3— Recent coral reef formations. “The serpentine and gabbro formations of the Nicobars is characteristically of an eruptive nature. The tertiary sandstones, slates and clay-marls appear forcibly broken through; their strata are partly inclined, partly bent in flat, parallel, wave-like undula- tions. These rocks are accompanied by coarser and finer breccias composed of angular fragments of these same rocks. and they can partly be regarded as friction-breccias, partly as sedimentary tufas in which beds of an argillaceous marl are interstratified. The eruption of these plutonic masses appears, therefore, to belong to atime when the formation of the marine deposits was partly completed, partly still in progress. They broke through on lines of fracture of which the principal strike from 8S. S. E. to N. N. W. agrees with the longitudinal extension of the islands. On the middle islands, the serpentine and gabbro attain their greatest development; on Tillangchong, Teressa, Bompoka, Camorta and Nancowry they form bare hill-ranges of from 2,500 feet elevation, and their configuration often marvellously resembles those of later voleaniec formations. The elevatory force has, however, acted most strongly on the southern islands, and has here upheaved sandstones and slates probably to heights of 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the level of the sea; on the low northern islands that force was, on the contrary, weakest. “The clays and clay-marl formations of the northern islands, Car Nicobar, Teressa, Bompoka, Camorta, Trinkut, Nancowry, and the sandstones and slates of the southern islands, Katchall, Little and Great Nicobar, appear to be only petrographically different products of one and the same period of deposition. There are at the same time very few materials from which the age of the marine formations could be determined, as the only fossil remains which have been found in their strata are fragments of drift wood changed to brown coal, plant impressions resembling Fucoids, Foraminifera and Polycisting. But all these remains indicate more or less distinctly a late tertiary age. “The same conclusions are derived from a comparison with the geological conditions of those islands which lie on the same line of elevation as the Nicobars ; I refer especially to Sumatra and Jaya. “J have not the least doubt that the clay-marl and sandstone formation has its perfect analogue among the tertiary deposits THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 43 of Java, which I had myself the opportunity of studying and com- paring in their distribution and lithological character. These became first known through the late Fr. Junghuhn, whose researches on the physical geography of Java are of such merit. “According to the reports of the Dutch Minine Engineer, Huguenin, a repetition of the geological formations of the Nicobars appears to be met with in the Tyjiletuk Bay (the southern lateral bay of the Wynkoop Bay on the southern coast of Java). The prevalent formations here are sandstone-conglomerate and highly developed greenstone-breccias, besides plutonic rocks of the green- stone group. From specimens which I had an opportunity of seeing in the local collection at Beutenzorg, 1 found that these plutonic rocks are serpentines, gabbros, and aphanites, exactly similar to those of the Nicobars. Equally identical with those occurring on the Nicobar Islands, appear to be the chalk-white clay-marl in the middle portion of Bantan, and the fine white marls in the southern portion of Tjidamar, mentioned by Junghuhn. “T suspect that to the upper Miocene group of Java correspond the tertiary deposits of the Nicobars, although fossils confirming the suggestion have yet to be discovered. Itis also beyond doubt that these deposits are not wanting on Sumatra, in certain respects a connecting link between Java and the Nicobars. Junghuhn (doe. cit., p. 8) justly remarks:—‘The tertiary formation appears to have a sub-marine extent over the whole of the Indian Archi- pelago, because wherever within this Archipelago the earth’s sur- face rises above the level of the sea, this Neptunian formation is observable. I know this for certain as regards Northern Sumatra, where the tertiaries are especially found in the Batta districts (Battalandern). With the exception of the trachytic island Dunegus Nasi all the islands in the Bay of Tapanuli (situated exactly in the prolongation of the Nicobars), besides the adjoin- ing low shores of Sumatra, and partially also the mountains near Tuka, are composed of more or less upheaved sandstone strata, containing, though sometimes rarely, tertiary shells.’ Thus it appears to be principally on the southern coast of Java and the south-west coast of Sumatra that we find a repetition of the geo- logical conditions of the Nicobars. “The commencement of the eruptive formation is in Java in- augurated by serpentine, gabbro, massive rocks resembling diorite (greenstone trachytes as in Hungary); more or less typical trachy- tic rocks follow, and the grand volcanic eruption, extending up to the present time, forms the termination of the enormous eruptive phenomena in the Indian Archipelago. At the same time it appears that the eruptive line has been shifted slowly on Java from S. to N., and on Sumatra from 8S. W. to N. E., so that this line would strike east as regards the Nicobar group in the same longi- tude in which east of the Andamans it re-appears on the volcanic Barren Island and Narcondam. 44 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. “ The third class consists of coral formations, belonging to the most recent or the present period. Coral banks of great thickness are found on Car Nicobar, Bompoka and several other islands ; they consist partly of a compact coral limestone, partly of a coral or shell conglomerate upheaved up to 30 and 40 feet above the present level of the sea; on all the islands, the original area is to be observed enlarged by coral-land, which is only separated by the higher sand dunes along the shore, from the still continuing forma- tion of the coral-reefy surrounding all the islands in the character of fringing-reefs Although these raised coral banks are a decided evidence in favor of the long-continued upheaval of the islands— that in connection with the eruption of the serpentines and gabbros —the formation of the flat coral land elevated only a few feet above the level of the sea can, on the other hand, be explained by the accumulation of coral fragments, of sand and shells by the waves and breakers on the shallow surface of the fringing-reefs. “ Vegetation in its original state always indicates the character of the soil, provided the atmospheric conditions are the same. his is remarkably true in this case of the Nicobars. Neither the difference in the latitude from the most northern to the most southern islands (24 degrees), nor the difference of the absolute elevation (the highest hills on Great Nicobar only attain about 2,000 feet above the sea), is large enough to produce on the single island, or parts of them, such a difference in the climatal condi- tions, that on it alone an altered character of vegetation should depend, Rocks, soil and vegetation are, therefore, on the Nicobars in such a degree related to each other, that the areas marked on a map as indicating various rocks would almost coincide with those indicating the varieties of vegetation. “The results of these observations may be seen in the following tabular view :-— Respective cha- racter of vege- tation. Geological character of the tinderlyine rock. Character of soil. 1.—Salt and brackish swamp, | Swampy ground not capable of | Mangrove-forest. damp marine alluvium. cultivation. 2.—Coral conglomerate and coral | Fertile calcareous soi; principal sand, dry marine alluvium. constituents, carbonate and phosphate of lime. Fertile calcareous sandy soil. Cocoa-palm for- est. 8.—Coral conglomerate and coral Large forest trees. sand, beside dry fresh-water alluvium. Swampy ground, capable of being | Pandanus forest. 4,—Fresh-water swamp and damp fresh-water alluvium. 5.—Plastic clay, magnesian clay, marls, and partially serpen- tine. 6.—Sandstone, slate, gabbro, dry river alluvium. cultivated. Not tertile, clayey soil, principal constituents, silicate of alu- mina and silicate of magnesia. Loose clayey sandy soil, rich in alkalies and lime, very fertile. Grassy plains. Jungle (the true primeval forest). THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL, 45 “The Mangrove forest.—Several deep channels, rich in fishes and navigable by the canoes of the natives, occasionally extend in serpentine turns through these mangrove-swamps. One not un- commonly meets at the end of such channels, in a hidden. locality, the villages of the natives, as for instance, on Trinkut the village Janoba. “ The brackish-water alluvium, the ground of the Rhizophori and Cerithic, must, therefore, be considered as a soil perfectly unfit fer cultivation. It occupies only a small area as compared with that of the islands, but it is nevertheless of a mischievousimportance. For it can justly be said that the Nicobars owe their unhealthy climate principally to these brackish-water swamps, as they occasionally extend for miles from the mouths of the rivers into the interior. In these swampy districts, the change of the fresh to salt water causes a decay of the organisms, which can only exist in the former, the reverse takes place in salt water changing to fresh water. The ebb exposes large areas, and decomposition of organic life takes place, filling the air with most poisonous miasmas. “Dr. Hochstetter says that he especially had an opportunity of studying these marked changes on a grand scale on the northern coast of Great Nicobar (west of the Ganges harbour). On the other hand the coral land appears to be at once fertile, capable of cultivation, and healthy, and the dry marine and fresh-water alluvium, to which on _ the sea coast belongs the cocoa-palm forest, and further mland extending to the base of the hills, a beautiful forest of various kinds of Jarge trees. ‘his is the ground which the natives of these islands have selected for their abode, finding here all the neces- saries of life. “The cocoa-palm forest is described by Dr. Hochstetter as the picture of life, and he thinks that if the cocoa-palms had not been there, the islands would have been probably uninhabited up to this time. He further states that, takimg the number of the inhabitants of all the islands to be 5,000, there would be about five and a _ half millions of nuts required for annual use. The annual export of cocoanuts can further be estimated as about ten millions, for Car Nicobar alone exports between two and three millions. This gives fifteen and sixteen millions of cocoanuts to meet the annual demand. On the northern islands the cocoa-palms occupy com- paratively a larger area, while on the southern islands, especially on Great Nicobar, they are nearly altogether wanting. The northern islands are, therefore, the most thickly inhabited, and the cocoa-palms are there divided as property, but on the southern islands they appear to be the free, common good of all. “The Nicobarian not only lives on, but also in, the cocoa-palm forest, having selected for himself not only the most comfortable place for his hut, but being on the dry coralg round, exposed to the current of the wind, also the most healthy situation. C A6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. “The high forest.—This is chiefly composed of large trees with rich foliage. Several valuable timber trees, and others, useful on account of their fruits, are here mentioned, “The finest high forest I saw onthe southern coast of Car Nicobar. “ The Pandanus forest, in which this remarkable tree suppresses all other vegetation, except a few Areca and Fotang-palms, occurs only on the swampy fresh-water alluvium along the course of rivers and streams, especially near the sea where the rivers form more or less permanent basins. Here it is Pandanus meliort, the largest kind of Pandanus which forms the forests. I believe that what we saw of the Pandanus forest on Pulo Milu was one of the most peculiar pictures of tropical vegetation seen during the whole of our journey. “The Pandanus is not eultivated on the Nicobars ; it is most flourishing in a wild state, and is, after the cocoa-palm, the most important plant for the natives as regards food: it is the truly characteristic plant of the Nicobar Islands. “ Grassy plains.—If one has succeeded in marching from the flat coral land through the high and Pandanus forests, he generally reaches the foot of hills, rising on the larger southern islands, Great and Little Nicobar, to a height of 1,000 to 2,000 feet above the sea, but on the northern islands they are not above 500 to 600 feet. This hilly land certainly oceupies ,*, to ¢ of the whole area. It is composed of rocks of the gabbro and serpentine for- mation, and of the clayey and sandy tertiary beds formerly noticed. The eruptive rocks are comparatively of small extent. Where felspathic gabbro forms the ground, this, beg produced by the decomposition of the rocks, may be said to be fertile ; it is covered with thick forest, but even the Serpentine Island Tillangchong has a flourishing primeval forest. On the other hand, a remarkable difference is perceptible in the vegetation of the tertiary ground. “The hills of the northern islands are to a great extent only covered with grass ; those of the southern, however, chiefly with a thick forest vegetation. This distinction rests upon an essential difference in the composition of the ground. The hills of the nor- thern islands consists of a sterile argillaceous soil; those of the southern islands, on the contrary, of a fertile calcareous, sandy- argillaceous soil. “Where the most favorable tropical climate could produce nothing else but stiff and dry lalang-grass (Jmperata), and rough Cyperacee (Scleria, Cyperus, Diplacrum), surely there nature has clearly enough left the stamp of sterility; yet just. between such grassy hills, which from a distance look so homely, resembling fields of corn, have the colonists on the Nancowry channel established their houses and gardens. The grass grows now high enough above their burial grounds ; the breakers play with the bricks with THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 47 which they built the houses, and enclosed their gardens and fields ; every path has disappeared. On Car Nicobar I saw these evassy plains partially cut down, because the natives use the grass for ' thatching their houses ; and on Camorta large strips were in flame. “ The grass vegetation, says Rink (loc. cit., p. 1386) which to the greatest extent covers these islands is, in the valleys at the base of the hills, very thick and high; it becomes, however, higher up, thinner and shorter. On the places which are sufficiently damp many soft grasses may occur rich in juice; but on the tops of hills, where the dry magnesian claystone locally penetrates through the scanty layers of soil, and is also partly covered with a coarse ferruginous sand, while the showers of rain carry all the finer particles which may be produced by decomposition into the valleys, there, as a rule, only dry and rough siliceous Graminee and Oyperacee are to be met with. “The area which may, therefore, in future be successfully cultivated is that of the southern islands, composed of sandstone and slate, producing a fertile argillaceous sandy soil. On Little and Great Nicobar with the small Islands Pulo Milu and Kondul, the hilly land may be estimated at nearly two-thirds of the total area. These islands are therefore in point of colonization the most important, and a comparison with Ceylon and Pulo Penang shows what could thrive where now impenetrable primeval forest covers the whole surface. “ Primeval forest.—This is of great extent, and the coast inhabit- ants of Great Nicobar tell of the existence of a wild tribe, forest- men, (“jungle-men”) with long hair, inhabiting small huts or trees, and living upon honey, roots, and game. But no European eye has yet sighted these forest-people.” Il.—Diary of our Trip. It was about 3 p.m. of the lst of March that we got fairly off. Steaming slowly down the Hooghly, little, as might have been expected, was to be seen in the bird line, except innumerable Kites, mostly govinda, as I identify Sykes’ Bird, with a few afinis, intermingled, but no major. This too is exactly the case in the streets of Caleutta, where I have been for some months past closely scrutinizing the myriads of Kites one sees daily, and which are ten times more numerous in our streets than Sparrows are in those of London. Here and there a Brahminy Kite (H. indus) in brilliant white and chestnut garb, and witha more aquiline flight, contrasted with the sombre Milvi, but beyond these and a pair or two of Crows (C. impudicus) and Mynahs (4. ¢ristis) perched on the rigging of some of the anchored ships that we passed, not a single bird came in view. At sunset we anchored 48 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDTA. at Budge-Budge opposite the Gloucester Mills, interesting as. for shadowing the gigantic industrial success, already loom- ing in the future of our Indian Empire. Masters and men may fight as they please at home, and organize antagonistic combinations, eaca seeking to wrench from the other an undue share of the joint profits of their labour and capital, but they struggle only to effect the ruin of both, and before, blinded by mutual jealousies, they realize the madness of the contest, India’s 200 millions will have learnt to supply their own wants with better and cheaper manufactures than England, divided against itself, can now, it would seem, afford to furnish them. At daylight we were off again. The same birds.as yesterday, but in diminished numbers, hung about us still, and on the low muddy banks a few small white Herons (£. intermedia), and several little parties of Curlew-billed Stints (Z. subarquata) were seen. Occasionally a Tern or two (G. nilotica and 8. aurantia) passed us busy fishing in the early morning, and sailing about slowly backwards and forwards in front of a. little muddy creek, or it may have been the mouth of’ some nullah, I saw a single grey Pelican (P. philippensis.) About 9 a.m. we anchored, there not being water enough to permit of our crossing the shoal know mM, only too. well, to ever y vessel that ever made Calcutta, as the “ James and Mary.” Most people believe this name to be derived from some hapless vessel wrecked here long ago, but as a fact the name is merely an example of the tendency that unlettered people have to convert foreign words, which to them have no meaning, into any somewhat similar words in their own language which they can more easily remember. - So buffetier became beef-eater, our “volunteer” bulum tar (spear and arrow) of the natives, molan khali of the Hooghly appears In the chart as Melancholy, and the native jor or juma mari, or the meeting of the rivers, as the dreaded “ James and Mary.” This latter shoal has been the scene of innumerable disasters, the latest and one of the most noted being the simultaneous loss, during the Abyssinian War, of the Ethel and Agamemnon, two of the finest vessels in the port. The Hthel had already anchored, the Agamemnon was turning to anchor, the flat-bot- tomed river steamer (all the best sea-going tugs had gone to the war) on which the Agamemnon depended to turn, dragged through the water. The Agamemnon fouled the thel, ‘both vessels drifted on to the sand, and in ¢en minutes were out of sight. This is the frightful, and to me inexplicable though well- THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 49 established danger of this shoal, the moment a vessel is on it she is sucked down, and in an incredibly short space of time not even her top-masts are visible. The tide rose and we, at any rate, passed the fatal shoal comfortably enough. A little lower down we came across a small party of Gulls (L. ridibundus and bruneicephalus) all in winter plumage, except one ridibundus which had assumed the deep reddish-brown hood characteristic of the breeding plumage. ~ Near Diamond Harbour a large flight of Golden-plover (C. julvus) passed close over the ship; a pair of Indian Rollers (C. indica) came and perched on the rigging, and had a jaunt of at least a dozen miles down the river, free of charge. Lower again, a party of the Little Tern (S. minuta) joined us and hung in our wake, in company with a few Kites (strangely unwilling as it seemed to say farewell to us), until we anchored at night- fall a little above Saugor Island. The delay at the James and Mary was most unfortunate; but for our enforced halt in the morning we should before dark have been out in blue water, and have been speeding the whole night. through on our journey, instead of lying idle at anchor in the midst of this wide, dreary, desolate waste of liquid mud, the only accurate description of the Hooghly. We had lost one day, a terrible loss tous, with only exactly one month from port to port at our command, ana all the demonaical legions of . the Financial Department eager to dock with fiendish glee our poor salaries if we overstayed our leave an hour. It was very sad, but the green cloth and two new packs of cards ushered in whist and peace of mind; exhilarating bever- ages crowned the board ; Nicotiana’s balmy breath perfumed the chill evening air; and all went merry as a marriage bell. When hark a deep sound breaks in! It was much too loud for the wind, and it certainly could not be “the car rattling o’er the stoney street.” It was as the roar of mighty waters, growing nearer and nearer-—and so it proved to be, in other words the bore coming up the river in unusual force. “TI guess it shook the old ship about considerably,” as Mr. P., the second officer, remarked next morning, but it soon passed on. The bore never gives much trouble so low down the river, especially at this time of the year. Indeed there was no business to be any bore at all, but things were somehow out of joint (what ean you expect when the Municipal Commissioners and their Chairman are always quarrelling as they chronically are in Calcutta ?), and the very day before we started, the old Scotia, under the influence of the bore, had bent in all the 50 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. head iron piles of the Commissariat Jetty where shelay. With the bore came the wind, which freshened rapidly, and some of us began to hope for a capful of wind down the bay that Noddies, Boobies and the like might come on board! but our Palzonto- logist dissented strongly, assumed a recumbent position, and admitted that he was a ‘Luxurious Sclave Whose soul would sicken o’er the heaving wave.” Being all in an amicable frame of mind, we unanimously agreed that we would have fine weather, and nothing but fine weather, and most of us were soon lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the ship and the murmurs of our Crustacean, who, though quiet enough by day, woke up into a state of extreme liveliness at night, when the rest of us were beginning to nod. 3rd.—Passing Saugor Island numbers of Gulls followed in our wake ; the great majority belonged to the species seen yester- day, but there were also a good many of the Great Black- headed Gull (L£ ichthyetus) and a few of the Herring Gull (Z argentatus). Of the Dark-backed Herring Gull (L. occidentalis , Audubon) so common on the opposite side of the Peninsular, e. g., at Kurrachee, (Stray FEeatuers, 1873, p. 278,) I did not see a single specimen. Just after we parted with the pilot a large Sea Tern appeared at our wake, and as it was important to know the species, I shot it and dropped a Herring Gull with the second barrel. We pulled up and lowered a boat, a good deal of sea was on, and in jumping down from the rope ladder to the boat, I unfortunately sprained my back,* a bad beginning fora hard cruise. The Tern proved to be the Large Dark-backed Sea Tern S. bergii, Licht. (vide StRaY Fratuers, 1873, p. 283.) By 5 p.m. we were well out into blue water, and had parted company with all Gulls, Terns and bird life generally. 4th.—Out at sea—a perfect calm—a few flying fish seudding about, but, there being no wind, scarcely rising above the sur- face. About noon we passed a water-logged cocoanut stem, on which was perched a single dusky little Petrel, and later we came across a mass of drift and floating debris, about which a number of these same Petrels were hovering ; we tried but failed to get a shot at these. It is a curious fact that during all these years * T am sorry to say this greatly crippled me throughout, so that often I had to erawl along or lie on the beach, or be rowed along reefs, when the others were working through dense jungle. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 51 T have never succeeded in obtaining or even having a chance of examining a specimen of the small dark Petrel so common about the upper portion of the Bay of Bengal. Towards evening a pair of Boobies (S. fiber) crossed our bows, hunting flying “fish, and we saw several small parties of medium-sized. Blue Petrels (Prion, sp.?) which also proved too much for us. Indeed where sea birds are few and far between it is very difficult to procure specimens in the open sea; you can’t get near them in the steamer ; you can’t keep a boat towing along- side indefinitely, and long before you can stop and lower a boat they are beyond all chance of pursuit. 5th.—At sea. The brightest look-out kept the whole day, but not a single bird was seen, except a party of three small dark Petrels and a pair of Boobies. At daylight (6th) we passed between the Cocos, but it was too dark, and they were too far off for us tosee anything. All day we were running down parallel to the Great Andaman, as the three barely separated, North Middle and South Anda- mans are usually called. At the distance at which we passed they appeared like a nearly straight, range of densely-wooded hills of moderate elevation. Saddle Hill, south of Port Corn- wallis, and now estimated at over 4,000 feet i in height, towering conspicuous above the rest of the ridge. Not one single land or sea bird was seen during the whole day. Early in the morning (7th) we ran into Port Blair. The place is too well known to require any detailed description. A fine landlocked harbour, more or less surrounded by low magnifi- cently-wooded hills, "the highest of which, Mount Harriet, rises on its northern shore to the height of nearly 1,200 feet. Ross Island, the head-quarters of the settlement, is situated at the mouth of the harbour. It is rocky, composed of grey sandstone, inter- stratified with softer shales. It is very small, about 200 acres in extent altogether rising in the centre to an elevation of perhaps 200 feet and pretty well covered all over now, from beach to summit, with bazars, barracks, huts and houses, inter- spersed with cocoanut palms, and a few other trees. Where we anchored between Ross and Chatham Islands we appeared hemmed in on all sides by land, except where, through a narrow break on either side of Ross, a glimpse of the sea was obtained. The water of the harbour, brilliantly clear, has a very high density, the question has never yet been properly investigated, but the extra saltness of this water, especially during the drier and hotter portion of the year, is undoubted, and proves most 52 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. injurious to all iron immersed in it, buoys, chain cables, iron barges and the like oxidizing with unusual rapidity. Not one single sea bird was to be seen about the harbour. The neighbourhood of Port Blair has been already so thoroughly worked by Davison, whom I sent down three months ago, and who is now awaiting us at Camorta, that we would not waste time there, and so the moment the steam barge, which General Stewart most kindly placed at our disposal, could get up steam, we started in her to Macpherson’s Straits, where the Scotia was to pick us up on her way to the Nicobars. Although we ran down close in shore the whole way to Bird- nest Cape, every one eagerly on the look-out, we failed to see one single bird of any description. The South Andaman, which we thus coasted for some 14 miles, presented, throughout the same characters, a ridge of rocks or reef on which the surf was breaking lustily, glittering and sparkling in the bright sun, little strips of the whitest possible coral beaches, fringed and bounded by dense mangrove belts composed of trees of many species, those nearest the water low and of the brightest emerald green, those behind more lofty and of a bluer tinge, all backed up by magnifi- cent evergreen forest trees rising tier above tier to the summits of the ridge of low hills (from six to eight hundred feet in elevation) that run down the whole way near the coast. Only at Bird- nest Cape itself, we have a small bare treeless promontory, whose grey weather-beaten rocky precipices contrast strangely with the intense verdure of the rest of the picture. Rounding the Cape we stood on inside Macpherson’s Straits, and landing some of the party at Escape Bay, we steamed on right through the Straits. : Nothing could exceed the beauty of the scene. The Straits vary from a quarter to nearly a mile in width ; the water still, as in some little mountain tarn, clear as crystal, here green, there blue of an intensity known only in the tropics, everywhere paved with coral reefs and plateaus, clustered over with marvellously colored sponges, zoophytes, and corallines, and haunted by innumerable shoals of still more brilliantly tinted fish ; it was like looking down into a garden of another world to that in which my work-day life had passed. On either side rising from the very bosom of the water the mangroves stretched a broad unbroken emerald zone around the base of the hills, which overlook, in places almost overhang, the Straits throughout, and on their southern shores, on Rutland Island, rise to an elevation of 2,000 feet. Magnificent forests clothe these hills. Huge trees, amongst which the Mimusops indica and THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 53 Hemicyclia andamanica are conspicuous, rise tier above tier, in a luxuriance nowhere to be surpassed ; the foliage is of the most varying tints everywhere, and is relieved by “tall strai oht stems, looking like slender silver columns supporting a multitu- dinons-storied. hanging garden. In places enormous creepers hang in gigantic “garlands and festoons from tree to tree, an almost unbroken wreath down half a hill side. As we steamed slowly back a noble Sea-eagle,(Cunewma leuco- gaster) which we had somewhere disturbed, “swept past us (well out of shot) over the tops of the mangroves without one single movement of wing or tail, and with an even firmness of flight that impressed one strangely with a sense of power. It seemed as though it could have held its course unchanged in the teeth of a cyclone. Overhead parties of the Andaman Paroquet (P. affinis) kept passing to and fro with straight flight, screaming as they flew a qui nueux, mieux, mostly out ‘of shot, though we did succeed in dropping a couple. Huge Fruit-pigeons (C. sylvatica and palum- boides) kept perpetually crossing from the hill sides on one shore to those on the other, sometimes singly, sometimes in flocks, but almost always high in air. Burmese Stork-billed Kingfishers (P. burmanica) were com- mon, but fled with a harsh, chuckling call whenever we neared them, and in one tiny dark mangrove shaded creek we dis- lodged a lovely purple Kingfisher (4. coromanda) that darted through the mangroves and was lost to sight before it was pos- sible to raise a gun and fire. On the mangroves sundry Blue Reef Herons (L). sacra) were perched, contemplatively digesting their last meal, but not so lost to the external world as to permit of our securing many. Several Whimbrel occupied similar positions, but these were still more wary. About midway in the Straits is a conical rocky islet, perhaps half an acre in extent, rising to an elevation of 70 or 80 feet, and crowned by trees of an equal or greater height; these trees seem- ed to be a favourite half-way house of the Fr uit-pigeons. During the half hour that we hung about, and remained on, the island we must have seen a couple of hundred. They were always perched on the tops of the highest trees; we could see them per- fectly from a boat at a distance of 150 yards, and examine them with binoculars almost as well as if they were in the hand, but directly we landed they became invisible. With my half. broken back I could not climb, but my companion crawled up: to the summit. There at the very roots of the trees, on which they were sitting by dozens, though he could hear their deep coo, D 54. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY. OF INDIA. their clattering amongst the leaves as they alighted, their flut- tering and the whirr of their wings as they flew off, he could see: nothing. He fired once or twice by the sound, but I do not believe the shot ever got through the dense, unbroken, massive sheet of foliage that protected them. His shots, however, disturb- ed two Burmese Kinefishers, of one of which I caught a passing glimpse through the mangroves in whose shade I was resting and rolled it over, a splendid specimen ; and immediately after- wards I shot a small Woodpecker, rtnning up a stem, that I took at the moment for P. Macei, but which proved to be the Anda- man Spotted Woodpecker (P. andamanensis.) Part of the shore of this islet was rocky and free from man- groves, and there we shot a couple of Common Sandpipers (7. hypoleucos.) : Returning, as the sun was setting, towards the eastern mouth of the Straits, we were joined by the party that landed in Escape Bay; they brought several specimens of the White- breasted Kingfisher (H. smyrnensis,) conspicuous for their wonderfully dark and brilliant coloring, unlike what I have seen in any birds of this species procured elsewhere in Asia ; the Red-whiskered Bulbul (O. emeria), the Indian Red-breasted Paroquet (P. fasciatus), the Andaman Minivet (P. andama- nensis), the Small Indian Minivet (?. peregrinus), the Anda- man Kingcrow (2. andamanensis), and 'Tree-stare (Calornis Tytler’). Along the shore they found the Common Sandpiper abundant, and they saw, but failed to secure, a large Stone- plover, clearly an E’sacus,* but scarcely I should think our Indian recurvirostris, this being essentially a fresh water bird, haunting the banks of rivers, and never, as far as I yet know, (of course I write subject to correction) the sea coast. We anchored for the night in mid channel; a soft cool air sprung up, and we were soon enjoying a repast such as only native servants can. concoct, al fresco at half an hour’s notice, with none of the means and appliances which the humblest cook in the west deems indispensable. Within five minutes of our anchoring some of the convict crew had lines and a little net out, and in another five minutes they had pulled out a couple of large buckets full of miracu- lously colored fish, things which had I merely seen them in paintings I should have pronounced Turneresque dreams of piscine impossibilities ; such shapes, such colors, above all such incredible combinations, of colors. They were mostly I think * This proved, when we later obtained specimens at the Cocos, to be the Australian B. magnirostris. “THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 55 (Iam very feeble in ichthyoloey) what are called rock cods (Seranus, sp.).of half a dozen different species, orange, magenta, crimson, blue, green, black, butty, one bright color spotted with another, and the broad fins and full round tails, fringed and banded with another. Some of these were upwards of 4\bs. in weight, and one of them a gorgeous crimson and blue crea- ture, appeared to us a quarter of an hour later, perhaps because we had fasted long, as delicious on the table as it was lovely in the water. There were numbers of other species, but I will not try and describe them, I have not the requisite knowledge, and the majority of my readers, who have not seen alive the fish that haunt the coral reefs, would fail to realize or even credit their unearthly beauty. Alas! that ichthylogists have yet to invent a process of preserving unchanged the “ hues of paradise” that adorn them. ; The last thing I heard that night was our Geologist enjoining silence on our Invertebrate ; ‘ Peace’’—he said in a low sweet voice, “I would fain be in the land of nod, where Crustaceans cease from troubling, and even Stick-insects are at rest.”’ It was scarcely daylight (8th) when we were all stirring ; some took a dip over board, heedless of probable sharks, the more prudent contented themselves with buckets. A small stock of provisions was hurriedly shipped, and we landed in two parties along the northern coast of the Straits. I landed on a tiny coral beach hemmed in on all sides. by mangroves, which elsewhere extended far out into the water. The upper part of the beach was thickly carpeted with a dense growth of a beautiful trailme sand convolvolus Jpomea, sp., one sheet of dark green glossy leaves, studded with large pale pinky-llac blooms. The mangroves immediately around were of the most intense and vivid green (mostly Rhizophora and Ceriops) as close and dense set as a well-trimmed garden hedge. Sitting here quiet in the shade, a small party of Pallas’ Sand-plover (4. mongolicus) suddenly made their appearance at the waters edge; I caught sight of them just as they alighted. They lit perhaps a score of them within a circle of a couple of feet diameter. For a moment all stood perfectly still, with their heads low as if listening; then after a series of queer little jerks, each stood, I might say on tip toes, their heads raised to the utmost possible extent, looking round in all directions. I was lying down, I did not make the slightest movement, and in my dull grey brown suit, they took me, I dare say, for one of the weather- 56 CONTRIBUTICNS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. beaten half decayed trunks (and I fear they were only too: correct in their estimate) which strewed the beach. After a full minute’s survey two or three separated from the group, but then immediately returned. Then they al! ran about in amongst each other, much as if they were dancing ina 16 set, the last figure of the Lancers, and then presto ! off they were (I suppose they had scented my cigar) but not quite quick enough to save all hands, three dropping to my shot a dozen yards or so out in the sea. It was very shallow, and I waded out and picked them up; while doing this, 1 heard several shots fired lower down the coast, and just as I regained the shore a White- collared Kingfisher (A. chloris) chuckling noisily made his ap- pearance going westwards apparently in a tremendous hurry ; I had just time to ask him to stop, which he very kindly did, and I feel sure we have neither of us subsequently regretted this fortunate meeting. Then I pushed into the mangroves, which soon grew open enough below, as they grew higher and _ hicher, and became mixed with other and very differ ently foliaged species to those that fringe the shore. Some were conspicuous s fora general glau- cous tinge (Sonneratia, sp.) recalling the blue gum ‘of Australia, now so “throughly established on the Nilehiris, while others exhibited shining leaves, almost black in the dark intensitv of their green. Huge broad leaved liliaceous plants (Crinum) quite palm-iike in their appearance, cycas, screw pines (Pandanus) many thorned, flexile canes, hanging in graceful garlands of glossy multifid fronds, dwarf date palms, feather-leaved bam- boos bending in fern-like curves and many other strange and beautiful tropical forms, scattered here and there, recalled the pictures we have all tried to conjure up for ourselves of the teeming flora of the carboniferous era. Inside of the mangrove belts I saw many of the glossy Tree-stare, (C. Tyédert) usually in parties of at least a ‘dozen, and of the Andamanese Oriole (O. andamanensis,) singly or in ‘pairs, flashing like golden beams through. the green coolness of the . forest. Blyth’s beautiful Haurriul (0. chloroptera) was uttering its peculiar whistled coo, invisible in the tops of the highest trees, only obtainable by arapid shot as high over head they crossed, like wind- driven leaves, some little bare patch of blue sky. It was like shooting from the bottom of a deep well, and it would be dis- ingenuous to pretend that the results were satisfactory. I got one bird out of ten shots. Just as I secured the prize, my com- panion made his appearance with half a dozen, and as he had only fired about twenty shots wanted rather to crow over me, THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL, 57 but as it proved that they had all been basely potted (it must be admitted that I never got the chance) it may naturally be con- ceived that that cock would’nt fight. We were all on board again by about eleven, the others had seen and shot much the same birds as we had, and over and above these several of the Andaman Mynah { Temenuchus andamanensis) which we had failed to secure, a couple of the Southern Brown Flycatcher (A. /aterostris) and a specimen of the Indian Loriquet. or Love bird (LZ. vernalis) so common about Port Blair. We now steamed in and out through the Labyrinth Islands, the most delightful little excursion I think I ever made. Our course lay thre ough narrow sapphire blue channels, fringed every- where with emerald green mangroves, and overlooked and overhung by mounds and hills of the most various hued foliage For the first two hours the weather was glorious, then of a sudden, a little squall swept over head, veiling the blue sky in murky dimness, and then down came the ‘rain lashing the water into a lather and blotting out everything ten yards distant from us. We anchored instantly, but in less than ten minutes the squall had passed, and but for the wonderful sparkle on the dripping foliage, and for thin films of foam floating everywhere around us, nothing remained to remind us of the visitation, only perhaps everything seemed, if possible, brighter and more beautiful than before. As we threaded our way through the still channels (which are much more numerous and intricate than are indicated by the map, several of the smaller islands having been omitted) we noticed Sea- eagles, Reef herons, Kinetishers, Fruit-pigeons, and most of the birds already mentioned (conspicuous amongst which were endless parties of the Andaman Paroquet, flying to and fro from island to island), but nothing new. Later we returned and anchored at the smaller J olly Boy, (there are three though only one appears on the map) which was unanimously ‘christened Jolly Boy Junior, and toasted. in various sparkling beverages before landing. This little island is devoid of mangroves, ‘and is surrounded ev erywhere by a broad snowy coral beach, inside which it is densely wooded. @iistisland looks oub-on she open sea, and has to bear the whole brunt of the south-west. monsoon, the consequence is that the forest is very low on the western side and gradually rises to the eastern, the tops of the trees forming a ‘regular ‘solid- looking slope, mown to this shape by the sharp sey the of the monsoon D8 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. gales. Everywhere to the south of the island stretches out a huge reef, just above water at low tide, and dotted over with channels, pools; and natural tanks, To this reef I devoted myself, as from far off I had deseried along the reef face large flocks of black and white Waders that could be no other than those eurious birds the so-called, and correctly called, Crab-plovers (Dromas ardeola). To reach these birds, whose acquaintance I so earnestly desired to make, involved a trudge of nearly a mile in soft, pure white, deep coral sand, glaring in the full rays of the afternoon sand, and so hot that it positively burnt one’s boots and blistered one’s ‘legs ; after this there was more than half a mile of reef to cross, a perfect cheval de frise of living coral, continually giving way under foot and letting one’s wretched extremities down with a jerk for half a yard through a forest of knife edges; innumerable natural canals and ponds, some nearly up to one’s breast, had to be waded threugh, the salt water getting into every cut and scratch, and stinging with renewed vigor at each immersion; my back was aching terribly, and I foresaw that if ever I did get to the sea-face of the reef I should have to float back with the rising tide; but this was my first real introduction to the Crab-plover ; I held on somehow and got to Within about 150 yards of a flock. Directly I tried to get nearer, off they flew. Then I tried another flock with a similar result, and then another and another. There was not the smallest cover, no possibility of a'stalk. Before one could possibly get within shot, they always rose, flew along the sea-face of the reef, for about 4 of a mile and then lit again, scattering themselves on the reef toa distance of perhaps a couple of hundred yards from the sea-face. JI watched them earefully with binoculars from about 150 yards off. They ran hither and thither, moving as a rule rather steadily and demurely, picking up food about the reef, and in all their movements and actions recalling precisely those of Hsacus recur- virostris, which I have so often watched on the banles of our Indian rivers, and which Ttake to be their nearest ally, everything that has been written to the contrary notw ‘ithstanding. On the reef were a multitude of Turnstones, of atten I shot several; of the larger and Pallas’ Sand-plovers (44. Geoffroyt and mongolicus) , Grey Curlews, (NV. lineatus?), of the Common Sandpiper, and some others that I could neither shoot nor discriminate, besides a few Reef-herons, both blue and white (D. sacra. and Greyt). As usual a pair of Sea-eagles (C. leuco- THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 59) gaster) were wheeling about overhead, disturbed by the rest of the party who were fusilading in amongst the trees, as though they had got up a bush ficht on their own account. Presently I saw one of the par rty coming towards me along the reef, Between us were several flocks of Crab- plover, and near me one single block of dead coral, torn up, and hurled upon the surface of the reef, by some storm: | Behind this I knelt ; presently I heard a dic, 1, Sree ever particular about distance ; if he could nt get nearer than 150 yards why he fired at 150 yards ; the results were not proportionate to the expendi- ture of ammunition, but it seemed to relieve his feelings; and if so why should’nt he ?, Were we not out emphatically on a pleasure trip, and who was to limit his indefeasible right to. do a little fancy shooting when the spirit moved him ? TI sat quite still, and as I expected, a minute later past swept a flock of Dromas; not however as I had hoped close along the edge of the reef, but-well out at sea. Then another shot, then» another party, and a few seconds later a single bial not above 80 yards distant; a green cartridge A. eA ase heavy No. 10 double ater I was carrying dropped him like a stone. The question now was how to get him. The sea and wind were rising rapidly, there was getting up a great surf at the edge of the reef which went down a dozen fathoms deep almost perpendicularly ; a minute’s watching showed that a current was carrying the bird southwards. Any one could have swam the distance, the thing was to get clear of the reef, and then land again without being dashed to pieces. One of the free lascars with me volunteered to make the attempt, (I would rather have done it myself, but my strained back quite crippled me) and choosing his place and time, he did get out safely. It was touch and go at one time ; he was thrown back twice to within a few yards of the edge and we all got drenched and nearly drowned, standing ready on the brink, over which the water was now rolling, to catch him and prevent his being ground (a very unpleasant operation for a naked man) against the coral. However by diving like a grebe to escape the rush of the surface water, he got clear of the surf and turmoil that frin ged the reef, and S00 secured the bird, and then holding this above as water with his left hand, swam, using his right arm only, some + of a mile down the reef o a place where the water was now deep above its edge, and whence ie easily made his way to land. The moment we saw the bird secured we became aware of the fact that the sea, now up to our waists, was really down upon us, and invigorated 60 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. by the cool breeze and the salt douche, we scuttled and splashed landward with a truly sauve qui peut agility and distanced the sea, which, a quarter of an hour later, was rolling unbroken over the whole reef. On the island I noticed two pairs of the Bow-billed Corby (C. Levaillantii), several Burmese Stork-billed Kingfishers, and others of the birds observed elsewhere, and we shot for the first time the Andaman Goat-sucker (C. andamanicus, Stray FraTHurs, 1873, p. 470) ; Honey-sucker (A. andamanica, Stray FraTHERS, 1873, p. 404); and Coucal and the Large Grey Cuckoo-shrike (G. Macei). Several of the party also saw another large Coucal, of the rufipennis type probably eurycercus, Hay, and an unmistakable Lyxcornis. We were anchored close to the shore, and just as we were going on board somebody told us that the Crab-plovers driven from their feeding grounds, by the rise of the tide, had all congregated on a couple of small isolated rocks lying about a mile due north of us, midway in the broad channel between us and Pluto Island. So the Philosopher and the Geologist and myself started in the gig to look them up; the sun was just setting and perfect stillness reigned everywhere, but we made the men row carefully and slowly, and we soon sighted a large white patch, in the middle of the water, towards which we steered our course. In order not to hamper each other in firing I got into the bows, while the other two remained astern; as we neared the patch, we made out that about 200 of the Crab-plovers were gathered as closely as they could pack, on the smaller of the two rocks, a flat table about 20 feet square, and, now that the tide was high, about a foot above the water level. When about an hundred yards distant they took the alarm, rose, and flew away; the great majority went off towards Rutland Island, but-some 30 or 40, after wheeling round and round, commenced settling on the second and larger rock. Perfectly silently we began to creep towards this, not steering straight for, but as though we would pass, the rock at a distance of 50 or 60 yards; as we drew near, I did not like to fire before my learned friends, I dared not speak or make the least sign, but I kept turning my head in their direction, making the most horrible faces, which I intended to signify “why on earth don’t you fire,’ but which in the dim twilight appear to have been scarcely appreciated. As, for the last time, I turned towards my august companions determined that if they would not, I would fire, I saw both suddenly raise their guns ; I looked round but the birds had THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 61 disappeared in the growing darkness and the thin mist that had been gradually rising. Now J felt rather aggrieved, and was certainly not prepared for the vials of wrath that were poured out upon me; but the Philosopher glared at me awfully through his spectacles “och!”’ (how shall I syllablize that cutteral Teutonic expletive of mingled disgust and contempt) “why did you not fire, you should have killed fifty ; a hundred.” The more placid Geologist said nothing, but the intense dis- pleasure frowned from his manly brows was terrible to look upon. In vain I pleaded that politeness alone had kept my finger from the trigger, that I was waiting and waiting for ¢hem to shoot, they were deaf to all my blandishments, and could not or would not forgive my misplaced courtesy. It was a regular case of The Karl of Chatham, with his sword drawn, stood waiting for Sir Richard Strahan. Sir Richard, longing to be at‘em, stood waiting for the Harl of Chatham ! And I suppose that, as in our own case, Sir Richard and the Harl, to the end of their days, each considered the other entirely answerable for the fiasco. We returned tothe barge, but by this time the moon had brig¢ht- ened the scene, and we rowed quietly up the eastern side of the island, hoping to come upon the Crab-plovers, the great majority of which had originally come this way. We saw nothing of them, but as we were returning thousands of huge flying foxes (Pteropus nicobaricus, they proved to be) poured out from the higher trees on this side of the island in one con- tinuous stream. We shot five or six; those that were not quite dead we retrieved as they floated, but those that were killed out- right sank like stones, and we only succeeded in fishing up one of these that we marked exactly, and then saw lying black on the coral bottom that shone up white and bright in moon- light. “All this while a terrific fusilade was going on from the barge, and naturally when we reached it we asked to see the spoils. Our Invertebrate, who appeared entirely occupied with a drag net, said he thought he had heard one or ¢wo shots, and that was all the information we could extract. A number of lovely fish had again been caught, and dinner somewhat soothed my indignant companion’s ire, who, however, could not quite forget those wretched Crab-plovers. Later the one I had shot in the morning was produced and partially dissected ; it proved to have made a meal, entirely off one iE 62 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. species of crab, a reef-liver, Gionodactylus chiragra; so at least: said the Crustacean, and he ought to know. The rest of the party were all soon asleep, but I was restless and in pain, and so I sat down for a whispered chat in the bows with the Captain of the steam barge, a noble old Pathan from the far north-west, a life convict. His story was a sad one, and I could hardly help footie that convict as he was, he was aman of whose friendship the best of us need not be ashamed. It appeared, (I tell the tale as ’twas told to me) that long ago, before the kingdom of the five rivers had passed into the hands of the British Government, his father, a small landholder in the Peshawur district, had mortgaged his estate to an usurer of Umritsur. Under native rule this transaction could not lead to any permanent alienation of the land. The money-lender might at worst have been placed temporarily in possession, and told to recoup himself out of the profits, as well as he could, within a given number of years; but this even was almost unheard of, and the consequence was the land was little more than’ a nominal security, and the interest therefore charged was enormous. Time passed, the British Government established itself in the province, and with it courts, a law of sale of land for debts and the like. Through all these years a running account had been going on, the land-owner paying yearly what he could afford, and periodical settlements of accounts being made, under which of course the debt rather grew than diminished, though the capital had been paid ten times over. So long as native rule prevailed the money-lender never dreamt of wishing even for more. The land was of no use to him, it had no saleable value then, he had a good annuity out of it, and this was all he had ever hoped for, and more probably than he had ever seriously expected. But when land rose in value under our rule, and he saw not only that under our laws land was sold for debt, but that ours was a strong-enough Government to maintain purchasers against hereditary proprietors, the creditor laid his plans accordingly. , He had one of his customary settlements of accounts with the unsuspecting old Pathan, had as usual a new bond drawn, this time on stamped paper, in which interest and compound interest were all consolidated into a new capital, and then after waiting another two years, and recording the payments made during these by the land-owner on the back of the deed, payments of THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 63 course quite insignificant as compared with the terms of the new bond, put the case into court. In vain the Pathan implored, in vain in the courts he tried to explain the real facts of the case, the net was well woven, there was no escape, decree was given against him, and the usurer was ordered to be placed in possession of the property. Now the Pathan was very old and feeble; he belonged to a generation that would far rather die than be disgraced, and to whom to yield one foot even of his ancestral lands was the direst and most utter disgrace. He had two sons trained in the same school, and when his enemy came down to take possession he told them to defend the land or never see his face again. The law must be upheld. I quite admit this, but for all that to these two sons it was an unavoidable and _ sacred duty to obey their father in this matter. Had they hesi- tated, their whole kin would have disowned them, their sons like themselves would have been outcasts, their little daughters must have grown up as prostitutes, as no Pathan would have married them. Thus atleast they viewed the case, and thus doubtless the case ten stood, but as we know a very few years have sufficed to change even the Pathan’s views on these subjects. That this change has been in a great measure due to the stern punishments meted out in this and some similar cases, I do not doubt ; it justifies the administration of the time, it cannot lessen our pity for the individual victims to a mistaken notion of duty. So the two sons called together sundry cousins, and went out to meet the usurer and his servants, who, relying on the strength of the iron British hand, went boldly down to take possession, escorted only by one littie wretched Hindustanee clerk, but he a noker-sirkar, a servant and representative of the ruling power. Angry words ensued; the clerk of course disappeared ; blows followed (everybody in the Peshawur district was in those days armed to the teeth) and in the mélée the usurer and one of _the brothers were killed, and half a dozen others on each side were wounded. My poor friend and party escaped into foreign territory, but this was just after the mutiny, it was absolutely necessary to punish with a high hand all such outrages; the native police pounced upon the old father and the women of the family, and to save them from disgrace he came in and gave himself up. He was sentenced to death, but some glimmering of the ab- stract merits of the case seems to have reached the authorities, for his sentence was commuted to transportation for life, and. he was one of the first batch of convicts sent to Port Blair. 64 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. He has now, for fourteen years, lived here a blameless life. He has for long been one of the most trusted men about the Settlement, and when our late beloved and honored Viceroy, on the first day of his fatal visit to these islands, desired the Super- intendent to prepare a list of men whom he might properly pardon, this poor fellow’s name was one of the first on the roll: We all know what prevented that kindly design being carried out; the crowning hope that had cheered the sturdy old Pathan for so many years was dashed from him, just as it seemed about to bless him, by the same fanatic’s hand that robbed, us of the kindest, and noblest and India of one of the best and ablest masters, we or she ever have had or will have, and as the old man told me of the bitter disappointment of that day, of the destruction of all his cherished visions of seeing once ‘more his home, his wife, his sens, large tears, that even he, hardened to suffering as had been, could not wholly restrain, trickled slowly down his weather-beaten cheeks. Then he got up without saying another word, went aft, and busied himself, seeing the watch changed, and looking after crew and boat and I saw him no more until, after 1 had laid down and had slept some hours, just as I opened my eyes at dawn, I saw him standing alone in the bows, looking sadly across the mist-shrouded waters, towards his mountain home—alas! so far away. 9th.—The whole party was soon up and off. We expected the Scotia to be off the eastern entrance of the channel at noon or thereabouts, and so had no time to lose. Most of the party landed on Jolly Boy Junior at once. I rowed about a little, and in a small cave in one of the islets we found a number of Hors- fields’ Swiftlet (C. lincht) breeding. The nests were all halves of little saucers or shallow cups, composed of moss glued together by gelatine (entirely inspissated saliva it is asserted) and fastened to the rock by a film of the same cement. Most of the nests were empty, but a few contained young ones, and perhaps a dozen contained eggs, two in each nest, pure white, almost gloss- less, elongated ovals. The nests were placed haphazard about or towards the roof of the cave which was about eight feet high at the highest place and some 80 feet deep. In some places a dozen were clustered together, in others the nests were quite solitary. To judge from appearances at spring tides the waves must reach to the furthest end of the little cave, and the floor, for the first ten feet in, was perfectly smooth white, composed of coral sand and shells, and looking as if daily washed, as it doubtless is, at high tide. . THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 65 Yesterday we had noticed none of these, to-day this little Swiftlet and the Common Swallow (Z. rustica) were hawking to and fro everywhere, the flight of the former being conspicuously lighter, swifter, and more graceful. Landing on the Jolly Boy Reef I found that M. had shot three Crab-plovers, and a number of the same birds that I noticed and shot there the previous day, and had so thoroughly frightened everything that it seemed hopeless endeavoring to shoot. So I turned my attention to shells, and soon secured a dozen magnifi- cent cowries (Cyprea), each as big as my fist (and I am not blessed with small hands) whom I caught sidling along in the reef pools. When you first see them they are all covered with their thick fleshy black furry-looking mantle, but with the least touch this is all retracted, and the beautiful glossy spotted shell left bare. Buried in the sand with only the edges of the broader ends yet visible, I found enormous Pinne some two feet in length, and fixed firmly in the coral reefs, their orange-tipped mouths a little open, and showing the blue animal inside, huge Clams, one of which would have furnished a meal for half a dozen men. In the pools were millions of great sea-slugs, trepangs, Béche de mer, or what you please to call them (Holothuria) some of them 3 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter, not merely smooth black things, such as I have elsewhere seen, but many colored, greyish white, olive yellow, green and brown, plain or combined in patterns, and covered with tubercles and ridges of all shapes, but in each species perfectly symmetrically arrang- ed so as to produce very striking and even beautiful forms. The rest of the party, shooting amongst the trees of the islands, procured more specimens of most of the species already noticed, and besides these several specimens of the Imperial Green Pigeon (C. enea, Lin., or if distinct C. sylvatica, Tick.) Steam being up we started in the barge for Bird-nest Cape where we were to meet the Scotia. About half way we found two large canoes full of Andamanese of the Rutland Island tribe waiting us. One of the party, who had been previously at the Andamans, had met two of these the first day we reached the Straits, and had told them when we were to return, and desired them to collect shells, turtle, and a variety of other things. It must not be supposed that he knew Andamanese, no one does _ except Mr. Homtray, but one of the men he met knew a few words of English, and thanks to these and of repeated signs and gestures he had managed to make them understand some- thing of what we wanted, and that Mom-joora (“ our protector,” as the Andamanese call Mr. Homfray,) was our father and 66 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. brother. Moreover some of the tribe had been with him on collecting expeditions during his former visit; and knew his harmless madness for collecting what they considered utterly useless articles. So the Rutland Island chief (the Munshi as the Europeans and convicts call him), his wife and some dozen of his followers, male and female, were duly waiting for us, with a score or so of fine nautili, fish, crabs, and sundry other natural products. We stopped the barge, and they were soon alongside, and speedily scrambled up. They were little square built, very powerfully made folks—stark naked,—only the ladies wore, instead of the traditional fig leaf, a single small narrow linear lanceolate leaf, fixed by a thread, which descended from a ring of beads worn round the waist. Climbing up on to the deck of the barge, these leaves got naturally a good deal displaced, some turned on one side, some cocked right up, but this put the ladies in no way out of countenance, and with easy grace they readjusted them (just as one sees other ladies in society adjust their dorsal protuberances on rising,) patting them from side to side till they had assumed that perfectly vertical position so essential, at any rate if any thing was to be veiled from public gaze. As the ladies completed their toilettes, each gently abstracted a cheroot from one of our mouths and placed it between their own charming lips. After a few minute’s enjoyment of the fragrant weeds they indicated a desire to return them to their owners. We, however, with ready politeness pointed to the male members of the party to whose appreciative mouths they were at once transferred. ~ The princess now first caught sight of our Invertebrate, who it appears had been present at her wedding some six months’ previously, and eagerly hurrying up to him with many self- satisfied little pats on the rounded central portion of her figure she proclaimed to him with a ludicrous expression of conscious pride that she was already in that way, that ladies fain would be who love their lords. The gestures were tolerably significant, but the words inter- preted ‘to us by one of the old convicts were conclusive, and I fear that the trusted recipient of this delicate confidence had little peace on the subject in which it was assumed that he musé have some very special personal interest. Be it however understood that in reality these poor naked, monkey-men and women are virtuous to a degree; such a thing as unchastity is absolutely unheard of, and despite this THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 67 curious confidence, despite their utter nakedness, despite their repulsive ugliness, these women really looked and impressed one with a sense that they were modest. The natural dorsal development of the ladies cannot possibly be exceeded by that of the Venuses of the Cape. The princess, a young thing of about 17 years of age, hada well-marked shelf posteriorly some 6 or 8 inches broad, on which she quite naturally laid anything given her. Not a ‘particle of hair appear- ed to be left by either sex on the head or on: any part of the body, and several of them were partially or wholly covered with a coating of red ochre-like clay, fully a rupee in thickness. These Rutland Island folks belong to the same race that inhabit the coasts of the whole of the southern and the southern half of the Middle Andaman. They are all, thanks to Mr. Homfray’s exertions, quite friendly now. Interview Tsland and the coasts of the Northern Andaman, and the northern half of the Middle Island, are inhabited by the same kind of people, who, however, talk a somewhat different language. These, too, though not yet perhaps to be absolutely trusted, are also becoming, through the instrumentality. of Homfray’s Andamanese, friendly and less suspicious than they were. In the interior of the islands a distinct race exists, of which nothing definite is known. The Andamanese call them savages, cannot understand them, and are much afraid of them. Little has been seen of them. [24 a2| 9 |Sslelolslo ale|ar ore lge i fel = 5 oo ela la i@ |= |4 | “Spizaétus, Spilornis, Collocalia, Eurystomus, Pelargopsis, Loriculus, Artamus, Centrococcyx, &c., may be more fully represented elsewhere,) pertain clearly, though by no means exclusively, to the Indian sub-region, as it now is. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 135 - It seems to me impossible to avoid the conclusion that the ornis of these islands has altogether a very far stronger affinity with that of the Indian region, than with those of either the Indo-Burmese, Indo-Malayan, (which inosculates with the former north and south of Moulmein) or Archipelagian. Yet this involves very great difficulties ; for, in the first place, these islands seem to form parts of a chain of mountains, once con- tinuous from Arakan to Acheen; and in the second place if we take Port Blair as a centre, we shall find that its average distance in all directions, north and east, from Tenasserim (where the Indo-Malayan fauna preponderates), and north of this from the Indo-Burmese sub-region, is only about 350 miles, while per contra its distance, from the nearest points of the Indian sub-region, all round from Calcutta to Madras, is 900 miles. That so many of the most characteristic birds of the Ara- kan hills, especially amongst the Rasores, should be entirell wanting in these islands, we may partly account for by supposing that the chain of mountains never was continuous, and that the same agency that raised the Arakan hills only raised portions of their continuation, between these hills and Sumatra, above the sea level, and that therefore these islands never were directly connected either with Acheen or Pegu. This might, of course, be true; but looking to the fringing reets of the Andamans and Cocos, and to many other indications, I confess that I should be disposed to believe that these islands belonged to an area of subsidence, and that they are even now sinking. But grant that the other is the correct view, that these groups first made their appearance as, and have ever since remain- ed, islands, detached alike from Arakan and Sumatra, even then it is inconceivable how the great bulk ot the work of coloniza- tion should have gone on from a region 900 miles distant, while so little should have been done from others separated by little more than one-third of that distance.* The prevalent winds of these seas wil] in no ways explain or help to explain the difficulty, on the contrary they altogether intensify it, since their influence would be distinctly more favorable to emigration from south-west, east, and north-east * Indeed I do not feel sure that some colonization has not gone on from the Nicobars to the Indo-Malayan region instead of the converse. Palgornis appears to me an eminently Indian genus ; and it is not impossible that both Luctanz and longicaudatus are modified forms of erythrogenys, or affinis, themselves modifications of one of the existing Indian races, or com- mon offshoots with them from some antecedant Indian one. 136 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. than from west, and north-west. But colonization in no ordi- nary sense can explain the facts. Sumatra, only 80 miles distant from the Great Nicobar, and itself the first link of a great chain running down almost unbroken to the Papuan sub-region, Sumatra, as Davison’s hurried visit shows (vide Stray FraTuHERs, 1873, p. 441, et seq.), teems right up to Acheen Head with species quite unknown to the Nicobars, and seems only to have passed on to these latter, one species Lalage terat, and to have afforded a passage to Hsacus magnirostris, Goisakius ‘melanolophus, and perhaps one or two others, and a Megapod, which has departed from its type, whatever that was, and assumed a distinct specific form. Surely it is passing strange, this long line of islands, so close comparatively to Pegu, Tenasserim, and the northern portion of the Malayan Peninsular, abutting, it might almost be said, on Arakan on the north and Sumatra on the south, and yet taking scarcely one-third of its ornis from all these together, and the remainder from the, comparatively so far distant, Indian sub- region. “How can we consider these islands as other than an outlying strip of the Indian region proper, and the Indo-Burman, Indo- Malayan, and Archipelagian forms, as intruders on the original Avifauna ? Yet that it must have been very long since these islands formed an integral part of the Indian region is proved by the very large proportion of local species and races, forms that could probably. only have keen differentiated under greatly changed conditions of existence prevailing for a very lengthened period. Perhaps, however, Lam putting the case for the Indian origin of the ornis too strongly. It is not sufficient merely to deter- mine what proportion of Indian species and genera are com- prised in the Avitauna, we must also consider what well marked wideiy distributed Indian genera are unrepresented in this. Truly some of the lacunze are most unaccountable. I do not think much of the absence of vultures, because these could scarcely exist, where mammals of any size, whether wild or domesticated, are all but entirely wanting, and moreover, the same climatic influences, that have prevented the extension of vultures into the Indo-Malayan region, would have led to their disappearance, if they ever existed there, from these islands, but the entire absence of [Hypotriorchis, Tinnunculus, Lophos- piza, Neopus, Haliastur, Milvus, Hlanus, Perms, Baza, Poliornis, genera more or less common to the Indian, Indo- Burmese, Indo- THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 137 Malayan, and Archipelagian sub-regions, is most surprising. It is true that Lophospiza,’ Neopus ‘and Baza, though the two former also occur in Southern India, and all stragole somewhat beyond the limits of their province, yet pertain essentially, so far as our empire is concerned, to the Indo-Burmese region, and the same may be said of Ly lypotr torchis severus; while HH. subbuteo belongs only to the extreme northern and western frontiers of the Indian sub- -region, but Zinnunculus, Haliastur, Milvus, Elanus, Pernis and Poliornis are at present so essentially characteristic of, although by no means peculiar to, the Indian sub-region, that one can 1 scarcely accept a tract where these are utterly wanting as having ever formed part of this region. When we turn to the nocturnal Raptores, the blanks are equally perplexing, no Stria, Scelostria or Phodilus, no Syrnium, Ketupa or Athene, only Ninox and Ephialtes. Dendrochelidon, Harpactes and Coracias, are three other genera which might well have been looked for, but which are entirely unrepresented. Exceptin Narcondam, (an island belonging like Barren Island toa different series to all the rest), Hornbills are entirely wanting. The Woodpeckers are represented by only two species, and the golden backed and green Woodpeckers, so characteristic of the Indian region, are wholly unrepresented. Most inexplicable of all, Barbets are absolutely missing. Alike in the Indian, Indo-Burmese, and Indo-Malayan regions this family is amongst the most characteristic ; leave the islands, it matters little in what direction you steer your course, and wherever within 1,000 miles you touch land, you at once hit upon Barbets ; nay, one of the first birds you see at Acheen Head is our old Indian friend Xantholema hemacephala ; but not one single Barbet appears to occur in any one of the islands of the Bay of Bengal. Sitta, Leucocerca, Cyornis, Chloropsis and Jora, allvery charac- teristic of the Indian region, although extending far beyond its limits, are all wanting, and the entire family of the Tunahde does not possess a single representative. No doubt the great body of the species and genera that this family comprises, Mizornis Timalia, Turdinus, Pomatorhinus, Garrulaz, Trochalopteron, pertain even more to the Indo-Burmese sub-region than to that of India, and may have spread into the latter from the former, but Malacocercus and Chatarrhea areso essentially and universally Indian, that one cannot understand even an outlying section of that region in which no representative of these genera exists. 138 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. Ruticilla, Prima, Drymoipus, and Parus, are sylvine genera, very characteristic of the Indian region (although the first and last are probably of Paleearctic, and the third of Aithiopic origin) which are unrepresented in these islands. The great family of the Corvide is here represented only by the universal Bow-billed Corby that extends according to my view (though some ornithologists still cut it up into several species) throughout the Indian, Indo-Burmese, Indo-Malayan, and Archipelagian regions, and by an aberrant Dendrocitta, verging on Crypsirina. Acridotheres, so peculiarly an Indian genus, though withal more or less represented in all the regions just mentioned, is wholly unknown to the ornis of these islands, though tristis, introduced by Colonel Tytler, has multiplied (but without extending elsewhere) on the little island of Ross, where a few pairs were turned loose. The whole family of the Fringilide, comprising the weaver- birds, amaduvats, sparrows, buntings, finches and larks, only put in an appearance per one wretched little resident A/unia, and an occasional straggling Euspiza aureola, absolutely so far as our limits are concerned, a purely Indo-Burmese form. The extraordinary weakness of the representation of the Rasorial order has already been noticed (ante, p. 126.) ; bustards and coursers are (though this I think was inevitable from the physical conditions of the case) unknown, and the storks and Tantahide entirely wanting ; yet Falcinellus igneus is widely diffused not only throughout the Indian, but the other regions ~ above mentioned, and Tantalus leucocephalus of India and Burmah finds in Sumatra right up to Acheen Head a typical successor in J. lacteus. The Lamellirostres are only repre- sented by one Australian Mareca, not previously, I believe, observed west of Macassar, and no single gull appears ever to have been seen about the islands. If then we conclude, as I think we must, that the Avifauna of the islands of the Bay of Bengal is essentially Indian, in the restricted sense in which I use the term, as distinct alike trom Indo-Burmese and Indo-Malayan, we must accept the fact, with the qualification, that we find it here in a most imperfect and mutilated form, lacking more or less entirely a large proportion of its most characteristic genera, the missing ones being not merely, or chiefly, those, either unfitted for distant flights, or lovers of an arid climate, but many of them amongst the strongest and most widely distributed, and to which the climate of these islands would appear in every way congenial. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 139 The questions then for solution are: How is it that these islands exhibit broadly viewed an essentially Indian ornis, when according to all @ priort reasoning it might have been expected to be almost exclusively Indo-Burmese, Indo-Malayan and Archipelagian? And how being Indian it wants so many of those genera, that are especially “characteristic of that region as we now know it, and whose absence cannot be attributed to any want of suitability in the physical conditions of existence ? These questions cannot be satisfactorily answered without opening up avast and complicated subject, embracing enor- mous areas and stretching over untold aeons, a subject which I have long since reserved for a separate work. Here it’ must suffice to say that there appear to me valid reasons for believing that the ornis of the Indian region proper, extended at one time much further east and south than it now does, that both the Indo-Burmese and Indo-Malayan Avifaunas, are invaders of the regions they now occupy, driven northwards and westwards by | a continually widening ocean, and that the disappearance of an enormous area of dry land, southwards and eastwards of their new homes by its influence on the monsoons, and modification of climatic conditions generally, rendered vast tracts where the Indian ornis once reigned supreme, as unsuited to this, as it was congenial to the fugitives. Lastly, during the long ages that must have elapsed, while the evolution of so many specialized forms occurred, I believe that great changes were brought about in the parent fauna, and that many of those genera and species which we now look upon as characteristic of the Indian region, date their introduction into it to a period posterior to the spelled of these islands from the mainland. LV.— Detailed. list of Species. I have now to enumerate all the species admitted by myself and others into the Ornis of these islands. Names of species which J admit have been printed in antique type, while those whose claims to admission appear to me inade- quately established, are printed in ordinary type. After the name of each species, certain figures are given within brackets. These indicate the number of the specimens that I have obtained. This is I consider of importance, firstly, because it exhibits the breadth as it were, of the basis, on 140 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. which any conclusion I may have arrived at, were formed ; and secondly, because in a rough way it does show approximately the comparative numerical strength in the islands of the several species. As to the former, where a man has 20 or 30 carefully sexed specimens of a given species to study, any one would more willingly accept his verdict as to its distinctness or otherwise than if he had had only a couple to deal with. As to the latter, it may be safely assumed that where I have large numbers of specimens the bird is common, at any rate in some part of the islands, and that where I have very few or none itis exceedingly rare in all accessible portions of them, although it may hereafter prove to be common in the unexplored Little Andaman, or hilly interior of the Great Nicobar. In regard to the habits and distribution of each species I have, as a rule, preferred giving Mr. Davison’s remarks to putting forward any of my own; Istly, because he was nearly six months amongst the islands to my one; 2ndly, because talking over with him nightly, what we had seen and observed, I could not possibly now say how much of my knowledge was derived from him, and how much was the result of original observation ; and 3rdly, because I have already in my diary reproduced most of the notes that I recorded on the spot. In some few cases I have excerpted passages from the diary and introduced them, under the species to which they refer, in the following list, and in some few cases where my experience did not accord with Mr. Davison’s I have mentioned the fact, but in most cases I have contented myself with his notes as embodying all that I knew, and not unfrequently a good deal that I had had no opportunity of knowing. It was his first collecting trip, and he had many difficulties to overcome. 8.—Falco peregrinus, Gm. (0.) We saw, on Preparis Island, a pair of this species; one made a swoop at a party of small stints close to where I was standing, but I had not my gun as I was busy with a lively turtle’s hind leg in one hand and a great lump of coral in the other, eagerly watching one of my companions floundermg after another turtle through a deep pool in the reef. Colonel Tytler mentions having seen a pair on Ross Island, but neither Davison nor any of our party ever met with the bird either on the Andamans or the Nicobars, and if it does occur there, it must, I fee] satisfied, be merely as a chance strageler. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 141 23 bis—Micronisus soloensis, Horsf (0.) Although we were all of us anxiously on the look-out for this bird, throughout our visit to the Nicobars, we never suc- ceeded in even seeing a specimen. Von Pelzeln (Reise Novara, p. 12) quoting Herr Zelebor, says :—‘‘ A young female was killed on the 25th February in the forests to the south of Car Nicobar. - The little raptor was observed in the thickest forest where it made an unsuccessful dash at an Oriolus macrourus, and then perched on a palm. Jt was not common, we only twice observed it.” The only small hawk we obtained was that next mentioned, but of course it is possible that some of those seen, but not obtained, by Pee, belonged to the present and not to the next species. 25.—Accipiter virgatus, Temm. (1.) A single specimen, a female, which I refer to this species, was obtained. If gularis of Schlegel be admitted as distinct, this bird might stand under this latter name, insomuch as its fourth quill is considerably longer than the fifth; whereas in all my twelve specimens of the true virgatus from various parts of the Himalayas, from Murree to Darjeeling, the fourth and fifth quills are almost precisely of the same length. Dr. Jerdoa gives the dimensions of the wing of the males and females of this species as 6°75 and 8°5 respectively. Schlegel gives the wing at from 5:95 to 7°2. Four adult males in my collection have wings varying from 6°5 to 6°85; in four young males the wings vary from 6°35 to 6°6; in four females, old and young, from 7°5 to 7-9. The Southern Indian bird seems much smaller. A young male from Anjango has the wing only 5°85. The present specimen, a nearly adult female, measured in the flesh as follows :— Length, 12:5; expanse, 23°75; wing, 75; tail, from vent, 5°82; tarsus, 2°25; bill, from gape, 0° 82. The legs and feet were pale yellowish green; the bill plum- beous blue, tipped blackish; the irides and cere gamboge, yellow. Mr. Davison remarks :—“ This bird appears to be very rare; I only saw it twice during my stay at the Andamans, once soon after my arrival at Port Blair, and again about a month later. On both occasions the bird was sailing in circles over some gardens at Aberdeen ; they were very shy, and I was unable to get a shot. The one specimen obtained was shot at Aberdeen on the 24th of April. While at the Nicobars, I, on P 142 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. several occasions, saw a small-bluish looking hawk with more or less barred lower parts, sitting on a dry stump in the clear- ing behind the Settlement at Camorta; but it was so shy that I could never get within shot of it. ” During our whole trip we never even saw a single hawk of any kind. 34 dis.—Spizaetus andamanensis, Tytler. (1.) Vide Stray Fratuers, 1873, p. 52, and also my Scrap Book, p- 203. I may note to begin with that both Captain Beavan’s specimens, of which he gave the measurements, as male and female, in the [bis for 1867, and which Mr. Ball reproduced loc. cit., must have been males; also that the length and expanse, given by Colonel Tytler at p. 204 of my Scrap Book, were faken from dry skins. The following are the exact dimensions, taken in the flesh, of an adult female :—Length, 23°5;-expanse, 47; a 14:2; tail, from vent, 10°25; aPnSine, 3°6; bill, from gape, 2 ; closed wings fall short of end of. tail by 45 3 weight, 2°75 Ibs. The fifth primary is the longest; the first, din, ; ‘the second, 1:4; the third, 0:4; and the “fourth, 0-2 ehoctee The exer tail feathers 0°75 shorter than the internal ones. The legs and feet were pale greenish white, slightly tinged with yellow; the claws black; the bill black; the cere brown- ish; the irides deep yellow. The lores and the anti-ocular region are somewhat thinly clad, with excessively fine dusky hairlike feathers, underlaid, more or less, by small whitish, or yellowish-white, down-like feathers. The whole of the forehead, top, back of the head, and nape, is mingled white, pale yellowish-brown, and blackish- brown; the basal portion of the feathers being white, the termi- nal portions yellowish-brown or fawn color, with conspicuous lanceolate, deep brown spots towards the tips; all the feathers of the occiput are somewhat elongated, so as to form a broad, but inconspicuous subcrest; the mantle is mingled dark hair brown, and paler sepia brown; the extreme bases of the feathers when lifted are white. The primaries and their greater coverts are dark-brown; the second to the seventh, inclusive, conspicuously emar einate on the outer web, which emargi- nation is concealed in the second and ie by the coverts ; just above this emargination is a broad fulvous brown band, and above this again the feathers are paler; the later primaries and secondaries are paler, and are obscurely banded with darker brown; the rump and upper tail coverts are mingled pale brown, and pale fulyous brown ; the darker color THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 143 being chiefly confined to the tips, and the bases of the feathers when raised beirig white; the tail is a moderately dark earthy brown, narrowly tipped with pure white; there is a subterminal blackish brown band about an inch broad; and above this again five half-inch bands; the fifth more or less hid by the upper tail coverts ; the space between the broad sub- terminal band and the first half-inch one is 1°25 inch; between the first and second bars 0:75, and smaller and smaller between the succeeding bars. This description applies pretty well to the eight central feathers, though the external of these are somewhat paler; but the two external feathers on each side are very considerably paler, have much narrower subterminal bands, and six instead of five other bands, which, moreover, are less regular than those of the central feathers. The ear-coverts are fulvous brown, streaked with blackish brown; the chin and throat are white, with three conspicuous blackish brown . stripes, one central, the others on either side commencing on the base of the lower mandible. The breast, sides, and abdomen, pure white; the feathers with large, broad, more or less ovate, blackish-brown spots on their terminal halves. There is a pale rufescent halo round some of these spots on the sides of the breast, the sides and abdomen. The vent feathers and lower tail coverts are white, more or less banded or clouded with pale rufescent brown. The tibial plumes are a dull pale rufescent, here and there obscurely banded browner, and with numerous narrow, and not very regular or perfect transverse white bands. The tarsal plumes are white, the upper portions banded, and the lower portions spotted with pale rufous and brown. The wing lining white, irregularly banded, and spotted with blackish brown; the lower coverts, along the ulna, and the axillaries are more or less suffused with pale rufous. The lower surface of the quills greyish white, the tips and numerous bands on the median portions brown, darkest on the earlier primaries, and becoming grey on the secondaries. The lower surface ef the tail greyish white; the broad blackish brown sub- terminal band, as also the other bands showing through, most conspicuously on the centre feathers, less so on the external ones. I have been very particular in the dimensions and descrip- tion of this bird, because it is not yet, I believe, generally accepted in Europe as a distinct species, and yet it seems to me to be eminently so. . Mr. Davison says :—“ I only obtained one specimen (a female) of this bird, which I shot at Dunnyleaf Creek, South Andaman, 144 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. on the 31st December. It is comparatively rare, and I had not many opportunities of observing its habits; but it appears to prefer forests skirting the cleared land, over which it may be seen taking short, irregular, circular flights, and occasionally sitting on a high stump or tree, standing well out in the clearing, but on the least sign of danger, making at once for the forest. This bird is called Arung-udda by the Andamanese in the vicinity of Port Blair, but I am unable to say if itis only applied to this species, or is used for all birds of the hawk tribe. I never saw it except in the neighbourhood of Port Blair.” We observed a pair at the Great Coco, circling round and round just out of shot over the tops of the trees; we watched them off and on during the greater part of the day, but failed to secure either. 39 ter.—Spilornis Elgini. Tyler. (13.) We only obtained nine specimens of this species, but four were subsequently sent us. ‘The type specimens are described at page 231, et seq, of My Scrap Boox. The males and females, as Our specimens carefully sexed and measured in the flesh show, do not differ greatly in dimensions. Some males are smaller than any female; but some again are as large as the smaller females. The dimensions of this species are as follows :— Length, 21 to 22; expanse, 45 to 48; wing, 14 to 15; tail, from vent, 9 to 10; tarsus, 3 to 3:4; bill, from gape, 1°6 to 1°75. Although the sexes do not differ very materially in linear dimensions, they vary very greatly in bulk. The males weigh- ing from 1°75 to 2°25 lbs., and the females from 2°25 to 2°75 lbs. The legs and feet vary from pale lemon to pretty bright yellow. The bill is pale bluish pink, pale horny, bluish horny or fleshy ; the upper mandible, from the tip along the culmen, darker, sometimes horny brown, and sometimes plumbeous ; the cere, lores, and orbital region bright or lemon yellow as the case may be. The irides are always bright yellow, or golden yellow. Lord Walden has recently described a specimen, [bis, 1873; page 299, which was a nearly but not quite adult bird. The type specimens described by Tytler in My Scrap Boox were considerably younger still. The plumage of the perfect adult is as follows :— é The lores and cheeks are almost entirely bare, only sparsely dotted with tiny bristle-like feathers. ‘There is a very narrow THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 145 white frontal band. The whole of the upper part of the head, occiput and nape, black; changing to deep brown towards the nape. The basal halves of all the feathers white, which however is not visible in really good specimens till the feathers are lifted. The whole of the feathers of the occipital region and the nape elongated, so as to form a very broad full crest. All the feathers of the crown and upper portion of the occiput narrowly fringed with yellowish white ; those of the lower portion of the occiput, nape and sides of the neck similarily fringed with rich rufous brown or pale ferruginous.. The chin, cheeks and ear-coverts deep chocolate brown. The throat and entire breast of the same color, but somewhat paler, and entirely unspotted, but many of the feathers with a very narrow, terminal, pale rufescent fringe. The entire mantle and wings a rich umber brown, with a beautiful purple gloss, absolutely uniform, except for traces of a narrow, terminal, rufescent fringe to the feathers of the interscapulary region. Two small irregular white spots at the tips of the latter primaries and secondaries, a very few roundish white spots on some of the median and lesser wing coverts. Judging from other specimens, it seems probable that all these spots ultimately disappear. Lower back, rump and upper tail coverts a rich uniform umber brown, only at the extreme tips of the latter traces of white spots occur. Tail, blackish brown, with a narrow white tip; two inches from the tip a grey brown band 0°85 inches in width ; 4°75 inches from the tip a similar but less distinctly marked band 0:3 in width. The bands become more and more strongly marked and paler in color as the feathers recede from the centre. The under- surface of the tail is perfectly black, with a narrow white tip- ping, and two strongly marked greyish white transverse bars corresponding with the paler brown bars on the upper surface. The abdomen, vent, sides, flanks, lower tail coverts, axillaries, and wing lining, except the greater lower coverts, a rich chocolate brown everywhere adorned with nearly circular, sharply defined, pure white spots; furthest apart on the abdo- men and axillaries, closest on the lesser lower coverts, and tibial plumes, and extended on the lower tail coverts (which are also narrowly tipped with rufescent white) into imperfect bars. The greater lower wing coverts are a greyer brown, and the spots on them are larger. The first primary has on the lower surface of the inner web three well-marked white or brownish white transverse bars, and the trace of a fourth nearer to the 146 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. tip. The next two have four such bars and traces of a fifth, the fourth has five and traces of a sixth, but the basal one of the five has become freckled and irreoular. The rest of the primaries have three more or less irregular white bars. In all the primaries there are pale brownish “patches on the outer webs, corresponding more or less perfectly with the bars on the inner webs. In younger birds the spotting extends on to the breast, there is a great deal more spotting on the wing coverts and on the upper tail coverts and rump, while almost every scapular and tertiary has one or two white spots or specks at the tip. In still younger birds the general tone of plumage is a paler, duller, more rusty, and less chocolate brown, especially on the under- surface. The barring on the under-surface of the quills also varies greatly. In one fine female before me there are only two bars on the first, and three on the following primaries, and no traces of any others, but in this bird the spots extend right up to the base of the throat. The quite young bird, to judge fun one killed on the 17th June, does not differ so “much from the adult, as is customary inthis genus. Itis much like the young birds already described, but of a paler and duller brown throughout, and has the whole of the feathers of the head, sides of the aeele, and crest, white, tinged fulvous on their oneal. halves, and with a moderately broad subterminal brown band, just as we see in the young of other species of this genus, but instead of the lower parts being yellowish white, unspotted and unbarred as in these latter, they are in this species similar to the mature birds, but duller colored ; only onthe throat and chin a great deal of dull white is inter- mingled, the tips alone of the feathers being brown. The cheeks and ear-coverts also are more or less streaked and variegated with fulvous. i may be inerror, but I fancy that the young bird I have just described was only about three months old; it may of course have been fifteen months old. Mr. Davison remarks :—“‘ This species is common at the Andamans (specially about Mount Harriet and Port Mouat) in comparison with the other Raptors that occur there. They keep to the forest, or well-wooded gardens, though occasionally they may be seen hunting, singly or in couples, over the paddy flats, when these latter adjoin the forests or secondary jungle. This bird continually utters a shrill shrieking cry, both when flymg and seated. They feed chiefly on lizards, but I was informed by the convicts that they frequently carry off young THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 147 chickens and ducklings; they probably feed also on crabs, &c., as I have frequently seen them hawking over mangrove swamps in which the trees had been felled although the land had not been reclaimed.” Neither Davison nor any of our party noticed this species at the Nicobars. 39 quat.—Spilornis Davisoni, Hume. (‘7.) I originally described this species, Stray Fearuers, 1873, p- 306, and Lord Walden has recently, bis, 1873, p. 298, as 1 think erroneously, united it with Mr. Swinhoe’s Chinese and Siamese species, Autherfordi. If Rutherfordi is to be separated from cheela, and this appears to me at present unavoidable, a fortiori Davisoni must be separated from Rutherfordi. Numer- ous specimens have now been obtained of the Andaman bird, and its dimensions are therefore well known; we have adults also as well as young, so that there is no difficulty in comparing the sizes of the two species. In Rutherfordi the wing varies from 16:25 to 17°75; the tarsus from 3°5 to 4°25. In Davisona the wing varies from 14 to 15 5, and the tarsus 3:12 to 3°8. We have six females besides the one of which Lord Walden gives the dimensions, so that we know positively that the wing of the largest female of this species falls short by 0°75 inches of Mr. Swinhoe’s smallest bird, while it falls short by 2°25 inches of his largest bird. In fact it seems probable that the largest female of the present species is very considerably smaller than the smallest male of Ruther- fjord. Undoubtedly this species, in its general appearance and distribution of color, corresponds closely, to Cheela and Ruther- fordi; but it may be distinguished at once, as it seems to me from both these species, not only by the size, but by the regular barring of the tibial plumes which, alike in the adult Cheela, and in the smaller Southern Indian r ace, are always spotted, though in the young of these birds they are more or less barred. More- ever in Davisoni the edge of the wing from the carpal joint to the base of the first primary is white or yellowish white in the adult, whereas in cheela, &e., it is in the adult mottled brown and white. The following are the limits of the dimensions of this species:— Length, 22 to 24; expanse, 47 to 50°75; wing, 14 to 15°5; tail, from vent, 10 to 11; tarsus, 3:12 to 3°8; bill, from gape, 1:6 to 1:75. The legs and feet are a paler or brighter yellow; the claws black ; the bill brownish horny, lighter at the base; or dingy plumbeous darker at the tip; the irides bright golden yellow ; 148 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. the cere, lores, and orbital skin bright yellow; the bare space, both above and below the eye, is more extended than in cheela. The chin and throat not dark asin this latter; but in the adult bird, a very dark, though not very well defined, mousta- chial stripe, runs from the base of the lower mandible under the eye to the base of the ear-coverts. This species is characterized by the extreme coarseness and stoutness of the tarsi, covered over with thick horn-like hexagonal, or pentagonal scales, with in many specimens no very conspicuous frontal scute. The papille of the soles are almost as hard and prominent in the adult as in an Osprey, and the scutation of the tarsi is more like that of Circaélus galli- cus than of Spilornis cheela. _The young seem to go through the same phases of plumage or nearly so as those of cheela. ‘The quite young bird has the entire head, neck all round, and entire lower parts, pale fulvous ; a few of the feathers of the breast dark shafted; ear-coverts dark shafted, some of the median ones with dusky central stripes ; and all the longest ones tipped with brown. Feathers of the occiput and nape, with a subterminal dark brown band, those of the upper back fringed at the tips with white, and with a broad subterminal brown patch; scapulars, interscapulary region, rest of back, and upper tail coverts, and lesser wing coverts, the feathers white or fulvous white at their bases, but the visible portions hair brown, each narrowly margined at the tips with fulvous white; tail, olive brown, tipped with fulvous white, and with one subterminal and one other blackish brown transverse bar, each about an inch broad, and the ground color immediately above and below the second bar mottled paler. In a more advanced stage the breast is as in thevadult, but paler, the tibial plumes are barred, but the entire wing lining, sides, vent, and lower tail coverts are still fulvous white. The upper back and interscapulary region are as in the adult, but the whole of the top of the head, nape, and crest is mottled white and black, with only here and there a little rufous tinge at the margins of the black. The tail in this bird exhibits a subterminal, and two other distinct bars each about 0°75 in. wide, and rather more than an inch apart. Certainly the variation in the banding of the tail, in this genus, requires careful invest- gation, which can only be carried out by those resident where the bird is breeding. We only met with this species in the Andamans anc at Monts- chall in the Nicobars. It is much less common in the former THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 149 than Elgin. Its habits were precisely those of its more common congener. 39 sextus.—Spilornis minimus, Hume. (2.) I have already described this species, SrRayY Fratuers, 1873, p. 464, and I have nothing now to add to what I then stated. 41.—Polioaétus ichthyaetus, Horsf. (0.) The occurrence of this species at the Andamans is excessively doubtful. No specimen has ever been shot there, and no one has ever positively asserted that they even sawit. Colonel Tytler only remarks :—“ A fine sea-eagle flew over my house on the 2nd July, evidently a stranger, from the numbers of crows that followed it. J examined him with a glass, but he was too far, and high up to judge accurately.” JI cannot include this species on evidence of this nature. 43.—Cuncuma leucogaster, Gmel. (8). This bird, though not uncommon at the Andamans and Nicobars, is exceedingly difficult to procure ; it is very wary, and hardly ever affords the chance of a shot, and even when this is afforded it is only a long snap shot. When seen, the bird is invariably, either sailing far out at sea, or high above the forest, always well out of range, and even when it does settle, or fly low, itis so wary that on the least attempt to approach it, it immediately soars away. It probably feeds chiefly on fish, but I have been informed that it also carries off chickens, &c. It keeps on the sea coast, and prefers, as far as I have observed, to perch on trees or shrubs in preference to rocks. Davison remarks :— “1 found the nest of this bird on Nancowry Island on the 8th March; it was a huge mass of sticks placed between two great branches of a large tree, at an height of about 80 feet from the ground; the tree grew on the edge of a small land- slip about 200 yards from the shore, it must have had eggs as the bird was sitting, but I failed to obtain them. I could not climb the tree myself, and I could get no assistance from the Nicobarese, they would not go near the nest, and when I said I would have it taken without their assistance, they earnestly begged me not to touch it, as doing so would be sure to bring fever into the village, and they would all die. I left Camorta on the 10th before I could make arrangements to have the nest taken, and when I did return I only stayed a few hours in the harbour.” Q 150 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. Only three specimens of this bird were obtained, though we probably saw fifty during our trip. An adult male shot on South Andaman, 25th May; another adult male shot on Treis Island, Nicobars, 15th March; and an immature female also shot on Treis Island on the same day. The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh :— (i) Adult male, S. Andaman E 26 ; Ex. 69; W. 21; T. fr.vent 9°5 ; Tars. 3°4;B fr. g. 2°12; wg.4-5lbs. (ii) Do. do. Treis I. 26 34, 72:5; 215 3 9; 4 3255 4, 25 9, 420 DOS Sn (iii) Immature female do. ,, 30°; ,,73°75; Oar » 1255 5, 3°05 5, 2255 _ 25 Legs and feet of No. (i) pale, clay white; claws black; bill horny ; upper mandible darker; cere, &c., plumbeous; irides umber brown. | 54.—Circus eruginosus, Zin. (O.) Davison saw a pair of young birds of this species hawking over the paddy flats at Aberdeen during the first week in May, but failed to get a shot. It is apparently rare even in the neighbourhood of Port Blair, and we none of us ever saw it elsewhere during our peregrinations. i 56.—Milvus govinda, Sykes (0.) We none of us ever met with this species in any one of the islands of the Bay of Bengal, nor did Davison, during his five months’ residence in the Andamans and Nicobars, ever see or hear of it. J include the species, because Tytler says that two specimens were actually shot on Viper Island before he left, the only ones he ever saw there. These must, however, have come down with some vessel just as Davison recently remarked that a single kite accompanied the P. and O. Company’s Vessel Mirzapoor the whole way from Madras to Calcutta. Although I include this species, specimens having actually been shot at _ the Andamans, I scarcely reckon it as belonging to their Avifauna. 65 bis.—Syrnium seloputo, Horsf. (0.) There is really no sufficient evidence for including this species in the fauna of either the Andamans or the Nicobars. As regards the former, all Tytler could say was that he “observed a large owl once fly over Ross Island, but never had an opportunity of observing it again.”” He had not himself the least idea what it might be. As regards the latter, Blyth says :—“ Captain Lewis informed me of a very beautiful owl which he obtained at the Nicobars, but the specimen was lost through the carelessness of a servant. He identified it positively from a Malayan specimen belonging to Dr. Cantor.’’ Captain Lewis, as we all know, is THE ISLANDS oF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 151 one of the smartest skippers sailing from the port of Calcutta ; but his knowledge of birds is, as he would have been the first to admit, of the most limited character. This species may occur in the islands, but I cannot admit it into the list on such evidence, and there is absolutely none other. 74.—Ephialtes pennatus, Hodg. (1.) A single specimen of this was procured for me at Camorta Nicobars by Mr. Ellis. It does not exactly correspond with any of my numerous Indian specimens ; but it is so close, in most respects to pennatus, that I must await the receipt of other specimens before thinking of separating it. 74. quat.— Ephialtes Balli, Hume (1.) This fine species is fully described, Srray FEATHERS, 1873, p. 407. No second adult specimen has yet been obtained, but we have received a nestling, which I have no doubt belongs to this species. It was obtained at Port Blair on the 12th August. The whole upper surface is a dull bay color; the occiput and the upper back show traces of narrow bandings of dusky and a paler rufous than the rest of the back; all the feathers show here and there dim traces of speckling, and spotting with dusky. The quills are duskier on their inner webs, and the primaries have their outer webs broadly barred with rufescent white ; the whole of the face and entire lower parts a rather pale rufous buff; many of the feathers of the breast and abdomen whitish at the tips, and there freckled and speckled with darkish brown. In this nestling nearly the terminal half of the tarsus bare; is the tarsus is about 1:04 long, and 0°45 of this is bare. The wing is 5:5 inches, and the total length, I suppose, about 7-75 inches As in the adult, so in the young bird, the tint of coloring is quite unlike that which I have seen in any stage of pennatus. — 75 quint.—Lphialtes lempigt, Horsf. (0.) Tytler says :—“ A specimen of this species was caught alive and brought to me.” He either did not preserve this bird, or it had been lost, I could not find it in his museum, and Colonel Tytler himself told me that he knew nothing about this group, so that it is very probable that his supposed lempigt was nothing but Ball. I do not therefore at present include the former in our list, no other specimen having since been obtained. 81.—Ninox hirsutus, Cwv. et Temm., (1.) I cannot myself discover any sufficient difference between Indian and Nicobar birds to warrant their separation. It is true 152 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. — that the Nicobar bird appears to be slightly more rufous than the generality of Indian specimens ; but there are some Indian birds that will match it toashade. Again, the Nicobar bird has the third and fourth quills nearly equal, and the fifth considerably shorter, as in Schlegel’s japonicus (Faun. Jap., p. 28); while most Indian birds have the fourth quill the longest, and the third and fifth equal, but I have other Indian birds agreeing tn this respect with japonicus; then again some of the Indian birds have the tarsi very much more thinly feathered than the Nicobar birds, but others have these parts very densely feathered. I do not, therefore, looking to the variations m our Indian birds, agree with Mr. Gray in separating lugubris, Tick, from hirsutus, Temm, and as the former name was bestowed in 1837, and the latter about 1830, it must take precedence. The following are the dimensions of a male which we shot at Car Nicobar :-— — Length, 11°43; expanse, 27°25; tail, from vent, 4-5 ; wing, 8°4; tarsus, 1°15; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°82 of end of tail; bill, from gape, straight to pomt, 0°97. The irides were yellow; the feet dull, gamboge yellow; bill blackish ; ridge of both mandibles pale yellowish horny ; cere, dull, sap green. This must be a rare species in these islands. Davison never met with it at all, and we only met with a single specimen, and considering how we bustled every place about, six and eight guns out at a time daily in different directions, we must, had they been at all common, have seen more of them. 81 bis—Ninox affinis, Tytler. (N. scutellatus, Raf) (2) The small Hawk Owl of the Andamans and Nicobars is certainly, I should say, not identical with hirsutus, Temm. If identical with any known species, it is to Raffles’ scutellatus that it must be assigned. Until, however, we receive Sumatran examples it will be impossible to decide this point. Raffles’ description is as follows :—“ A hornless species, about 10 inches in length, brown above, lighter, and variegated with white below; the tail with black bands; legs feathered to the toes, yellow irides, and wings shorter than the tail.” Now the length, 10 inches, is really the only thing we have to guide us, and it will be seen from the following dimensions taken from a female shot at Camorta, Nicobars, and a male shot at Dunyleaf Creek, Port Blair, that affinis more nearly agrees, so far as size goes with scutedlatus, than with the Indian, Ceylonese, Japanese, and Bornean /hirsutus. I may note here that, so far as my present knowledge goes, I am indisposed to separate these THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 153 several races. With afinis the case is different, it is a mere pigmy compared with ‘Airsutus, and weighs a little more than half what this latter does. Its dimensions are as follow :— Length. Expanse. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill from gape. Weight. Male ... 95 234 6:9 4°75 10 0:9 4 ozs. Female... 11 24, 7-4 55 1:0 1 5 ozs. So far as color of soft parts and plumage are concerned, I do not think that it is possible to specify any constant difference between this and the preceding species; in these respects both are excessively variable, but as regards size the difference is most conspicuous, and the largest female afinis, (and I have now seen five,) is most conspicuously smaller than the smallest male hirsutus. Davison says :—‘ On the 6th March, when returning from shooting late in the evening at Camorta, I saw a bird fly off a stump (that stood in some low secondary jungle) and hover in front of a frond of a cocoanut palm, for about four or five seconds, and then return to its original perch, from which it kept taking short circular flights, now sailing quietly along at about the level of the top of its perch, then suddenly darting straight up for eight or ten feet, and again swooping almost to the ground, but always returning to the top of the stump; twice it darted perpendicularly up from its perch to the height of 15 or 20 feet, it was too dark to see what the bird was, and from the way it was behaving I took it to be a Caprimulgus; but on shooting it I found it to be a very small Ninow ; it certainly did not look bigger, if as big as C. Kelaarti, and was hawking in a very similar fashion ; it was catching small moths, for I found one in its mouth. This was the only one of this species that I had an opportunity of observing ; another of the same species was sent me by Mr. Homfray who got it from Dunnyleaf Creek, South Andaman. The Nicobar bird proved on dissection to be a female, and the Andaman one, a male.” 81 ter—Ninox obscurus, Hume. (2.) Two fine specimens of this handsome species, vide Srray Fratuers, 1873, p. 11, shot at Port Mouat, South Andaman, both females, measured in the flesh as follows:—Length, 11:5 and 11°75; expanse 28 and 28:25; wing, 8°75; tail, 5°12 and 5-25 ; tarsus, 1:0 and 1:05; bill, from gape, 0°95 and 1:05; weight 8 ozs., namely, about the same as hirsutus. The irides were yellow ; feet yellow; claws black; bill black- ish; cere and ridge of upper mandible and tip of lower mandible green. 154 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. These specimens are older than that originally described ;. the whole plumage, above and below including the tarsal plumes, and wing lining, are arich deep chocolate brown, somewhat more rufescent on the abdomen; the tail exhibits four narrow trans- verse bars of a paler and more earthy brown, and has the feathers very narrowly tipped with whity brown, while the under-tail coverts are broadly, but irregularly, barred with somewhat brownish white. , We never met with this species. Davison remarks :—“I secured only two specimens of this bird, both at Port Mouat, South Anda- mans. I regret to say that I know next to nothing about the habits of this bird. The first specimen I saw flit by me, and settle in a small tree that grew close to the water’s edge, this was on the 14th April. The next evening about 9 p.m. I heard an owl hooting close to the bungalow ; on going out I saw the second bird which I secured sitting on an old stump that stood out against the sky; it rose as I approached, took a long sailing circular flight of several hundred yards, and returned to its perch and recommenced hooting. “¢ The hoot is a peculiar one, quite unlike the. note attributed to our common Indian Hawk Owl. It is a low, subdued but clear double note, and having shot the bird immediately after hearing it hoot, there can be no doubt of the fact. “Although I procured only two specimens, the bird is, I am sure, common both at the Andamans and Nicobars. Night after night in both groups I used to hear the same hoot, but though 1 often tried after them I never again obtained a shot at one.” 82,—Hirundo rustica, zz. (12.) The Andaman birds appear to me to be precisely similar not only to birds from all parts of India and the Himalayas, but also to English specimens. In this species there is very considerable difference in individuals, in the size of bill and wing, and in the tint of color of the lower surface; but this appears to me to be due to age and sex, and not to be contingent on locality. Ido not at all my- self believe that this species breeds in the Andamans or Nicobars ; all the twelve specimens we preserved are apparently birds of the year. The young birds often migrate further than the adults, which will account of this fact. I have seen no sufficient reason as yet for separating gutturalis, Seopoli, as distinct. Mr. Davison says :—‘“ This bird is common both at the Anda- mans and Nicobars; during the day it. may be found hawking slowly about some shady spot, or sitting, several THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 155 ‘together on some dry branch, or house-top ; now and again one will start off, take a short irresolute flight and return to its perch ; ‘sometimes when one starts off, it is followed by the others in rapid succession, at others all start off simultaneously, and after taking a more or less extended flight, return, each twittering as it alights. Ihave not found it breeding either at the Anda- mans or Nicobars, but think it must do so, as I found them as ‘numerous as ever they were as late as May.” We met with it almost everywhere. 82 ¢er.—Hirundo andamanensis, Tytler. (O.) Davison says :—“I did not observe this species during my stay at the islands, although I kept an especial look-out for it, shooting every swallow that I thought might be it.” I rather doubt this species; the original description will be found quoted, Srray Fraruers, 1873, p. 55. At Macpherson’s Straits we once fancied that we saw it, but I came to the conclusion that what we saw was a young bird of rustica, of which we shot one immediately afterwards. 83.—Hypurolepsis domicola, Jerden. (8.) This species appears to be common in the Andamans at any rate from the beginning of June to the end of September, as a number of specimens have been sent me, procured on different dates during these months. They appear to have puzzled the gentleman who collected them considerably, as he has labelled them, Mirundo rustica, Collocalia linchi, and Collocalia spidro- pedia! the latter being quite a new species. We none of us saw this species anywhere about the islands, between the beginning of December and the end of April. It is therefore apparently only a monsoon visitant. As is well-known this species is common in the hilly portions of Southern India, and has been observed in Borneo, Java, and the Malayan Peninsular. I must say that I consider that this species has been very properly separated generically from the common swallow. 96.—Cheetura indica, Hume. (11.) I have already (Stray Fratuers, 1873, p. 471) explained fully my reasons for separating the Indian Brown-throated Spine- tail from the Javan gigantea of van Hasselt. I need here only remark that the Andaman birds are precisely similar to those received from various parts of Southern India, and that, though we observed them nowhere else, they are common about 156 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. Port Blair, specially at two ponds, one at Mount Harriet, the other at Port Mouat, where every clear evening they were to be seen hawking, dashing rapidly to and fro, taking half mile turns backwards and forwards as only these Spine-tails can. We obtained them from December to the end of April. We have subsequently received specimens shot in July, August, and September. Mr. Swinhoe, P. G. 8., 1871, p. 345, remarks :—“ It is proba- bly this species that makes the edible nests in the caves of the islands off the south of Hainan, and not Chetura caudacuta, Lath., as I had at first supposed.” Under correction I venture to doubt whether any Chatura makes an edible nest. I suspect it will be found that they make nests like Cypselus melba, and other true swifts. The matter deserves careful observation by any one who is lucky enough to discover a breeding place of any of these Chaturas. 99 ds.—Cypselus acuticauda, Blyth. (1.) A single specimen of this species, of which I have a consider- able series from the North-West Himalayas, was shot at Port Blair on the 30th July last, and sent me by Captain Wimberley with other birds which he kindly collected for me between May and October. Mr. Blyth originally described this species, Jbis, 1865, p- 45, recording the following remarks in regard to it :—‘“ Speci- men marked from Nepal. Length 7? inches; extent of wings 20 inches ; closed wing 63 inches; size and proportions of C. apus ; the tail forked to the depth of an inch, and much more sharply acuminate than in C. apus. Entire upper parts, with the lower tail coverts, deep black, having a slight metallic gloss; each feather of the lower parts (excepting the lower tail coverts) margined with dull white; throat white, with a black medical streak to each feather; claws more or less whitish. From C. leuconyx, nobis, of the North-West Himalaya chiefly, this species differs in the absence of the white band crossing the rump. The true C. apus has been received from Afehanistan.”’ Having examined a great number of these swifts the dis- tinctness of which from apus seems to be hardly as yet recog- nized in Europe. I may remark that the points of discrimination indicated by Mr. Blyth are not altogether, in my opinion, those which should be chiefly relied on. The great characteristic difference between acuticauda and apus is this: Apus has the whole visible portion of the toes black, and has the whole of the foot and base of the toes, and front and exterior of tarsus, thickly THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL, 157 feathered ; whereas in acuticauda the whole of the foot and base of the toes are bare and whitish, and the tarsus is only scan- tily feathered: the difference in the feathering of the feet, as also in their coloration, is very marked. In size I do not think that any great difference exists. Apus adult is about 7°5 inches long ; acuticauda, adult male, 7:25; adult female, 7°63 ; apus wing from flexure, 6:75 to 7 inches ; acuticauda, male, 6-4 to 66; female, 6°8. As regards the tail I cannot see that the feathers in acuticauda are perceptibly more acuminate than in apus. The lateral tail feathers in the adult female, in both apus and acuticauda, exceed the central by 1:25; in the adult male and younger birds of both sexes of acuticauda the difference is less. In color the adult female acuticauda is scarcely in any respect distinguishable from adult apus from Europe, save and except that the white on the chin and throat is per- haps purer, and of somewhat greater extent. In the young birds there appears to be a somewhat greater difference ; the white edgings of the feathers mainly confined in apus, to the best of my belief, to the head, in acuticauda extend to those of the back, breast, rump, upper and lower tail coverts, and wings, and towards the front of the head are so extensive that the lores and forehead appear altogether white. I may note that like apus, acuticauda has a barbatus stage, (vide Stray Fraruers, 1873, p. 165), in which all the white feathers of the chin and throat are brown shafted. The occurrence of this species at the Andamans in July is very remarkable. 108 dis—Collocalia linchi, Horsf. (28.) I have already made a good many remarks about this species and its congeners, Stray Featuers, 1873, p. 294. I have not - yet received, though I hope to get them hereafter, Javan spe- cimens, and I cannot, therefore, say for certain whether this bird should stand, as I believe, under the above name, or whether the Javan bird is really distinct, and our present should retain my late friend Colonel Tytler’s name afinis; but I think it is perfectly clear that Thunberg’s fuciphaga is a totally different bird belonging to the same sub-group as Collocalia unicolor, Jerdon, Collocalia innominata, nobis, Ke. This species breeds abundantly both in the Andamans and Nicobars. Normally it breeds in caves, indeed in a manuscript note given me with many others by the late lamented Colonel Tytler, R 158 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. I find the following :—“ I may note that I was upwards of two years in the Andamans, and never either saw or heard of any species of Collocalia building inside of houses, sheds, or the like; these species always build inside caves immediately on the sea shore.” But since Colonel Tytler left the Andamans a change has come over the spirit of their dream, and at the Settlement of Port Blair they breed freely inside houses, both on Ross and Chatham Islands; the interior of the saw mills being the most favorite haunt. There is another shed at Viper in which they breed. This is quite in keeping with our experience of this family elsewhere. There has been some grave error in regard to the nests of - this, the commonest of the Andaman, and Nicobar Collocalias. I myself fully believe it to be dinchi (c.f. Seray Fratumrs, 1873, p. 294, et seq.), if not, it must stand as afinis, Tytler, but in either case it does not make any of the edible nests. There is no mistake about this, I have shot the birds and taken the nests out of the caves, and Davison has done the same out of build- ings where they had never been disturbed, and the nests are in all cases similar, somewhat shallow, Aer nononed half, or two-thirds saucers, composed of brown moss, firmly agelutinated with saliva; only along the line of junction with the place of attachment is there a thickish film of unmixed inspissated saliva, and that is brownish, not white. The white nests are made by spodiopygia, and probably also by innominata (c. f. Srray Fravrumrs, loc. cit.) The nests of this species, linchi (or if distinct afinis) vary in size, but they average about 24 inches across, stand out trom 14 to 12 inches from the rock, or wall, and are about an inch deep ; they vary from an eighth to more than a quarter of an inch in thickness. How often they breed I cannot say, but ae of the nests, which I found in a cave at the Little Jolly Boy, Macpherson’s Straits, contained fresh egos on the 9th of March. The eges are pure white, and entirely devoid of gloss, long ovals, very obtuse at both ends, and some of them almost cylindrical, while others again have a pyriform tendency. The eggs vary greatly in length, viz., from 0°64 to 0-75, but much less so in breadth, 1.0. , only U-42 to 0: 46. The average may be taken at 0°7 by O-45. I must here note that Captain Beavan is altogether wrong in what he says (Jbis, 1867) about this species, “and he must have written from hearsay. He remarks that the nest of this species 1s considerably smaller, and perhaps whiter than that THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 159 of “ nidifica’”’ (2 innominata, nobis), on which account it is more valued by the Burmese, who collect both kinds for the Chinese and Penang markets. He adds that “ this species is generally abundant at Port Blair , especially between Aberdeen and Navy Bay, where every cave is full of their nests.’’ Now in the first place the nests of this species are brown, and mainly composed of moss, and are not, so far as I could learn, ever collected at all. In the second place there are no caves at all between Aberdeen and Navy Bay. Mr. Davison has w nated these binds making their nests ; they bring a tiny piece of moss, and cling on to the roof; then for four or five minutes you see the little bird’s head going back- wards and forwards, and then off he flies, and you see that the piece of moss has been stuck on. They do not’ seem to be able to stick the moss on to white paint. One pair tried for nearly a week to make a nest on a painted ceiling of a house, and covered the carpet below with scraps of moss, but failed to get a single piece to stick, and so at last gave it up as a bad job. Sometimes four or five will come in together, and all cluster in a lump where the moss is to be stuck, and then a great twit- tering and skirmishing ensues, till of a sudden, all but one, who is left wagging his head over the moss, disappear with a sudden dash. _ Davison says:—Of the three species of Swiftlets now known to occur in the islands, this is by far the most common, and it appears to be far more common at the Andamans than at the Nicobars. They are very familiar birds, entering houses, and even occasionally trying to form their nests m inhabited rooms. I have known a pair fly into a room and take up their quarters for the night in a corner against the roof, regardless of people passing in and out with lights : generally, however, they roost in company, and one favorite spot is in the Saw Miils at Chatham Island, Port Blair. Here, towards the close of the day, they assemble in vast numbers, flying in and out of the building, all the while keeping up a continual twitter. It is curious with what pertinacity these birds will return to a place they have once chosen for roosting. Mr. Homfray informed me that a large number of these birds had taken up their sleep- ing quarters against the roof of a shed on Viper Island, Port Blair, occupying ahaa a square yard of the surface; this place they continued to occupy till the shed was destroyed, when, of course, ‘they all disappeared; but after a time another shed was built exactly on the same site, and as soon as the roofing was com- pleted back came all the Collocalias and re- oceupied the same 160 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. spot on the roof of the new shed as they had occupied in the old, and this spot they were still occupying when I was at Port Blair. It is remarkable the small amount of space that a very large number of these birds will occupy ; they all cluster together like a huge swarm of bees clinging to the bare boards of the roof in a wonderful manner.” The following are measurements taken in the flesh :— Length, 3°75 to 4; expanse, 8°5 to 9°12; wing, 3°82 to 4; tail, 1:5 to 1:75; bill, from gape, 0°4 ; tarsus, 0°25 to 0:3. 108 ¢er.—Collocalia innominata, Hume. (1.) This species is described, Stray FratuErs, 1873, p. 294. We only procured one specimen, and I have nothing to add to what I formerly said in regard to it, except that it is a considerably larger bird than either unicolor, Jerdon, of the Nilghiris, or the very closely allied, and barely separable race from the Himalayas, of which also I have numerous examples. In no one of the twenty odd specimens that I possess from the Nilghiris and the Himalayas does the wing exceed 4:73, ,whereas in annominata it is 5:9,inches. (201 Fam: Independent’ of ‘size (an innominata must weigh fully double of what the Sikim or Nilghiri birds do), the present species has a much more strongly marked black cap than any specimens of the Indian birds ever exhibit. 108 gquat.—Collocalia spodiopygia, Peale ? (20.) The original description of this species will be found, Srray Featuers, 1873, p. 296. The following are the measurements recorded in the flesh from a large series :— Length, 4:5 to 4-75 ; expanse, 10°6 to 11:3; wing, 4°5 to 4°75; tail, from vent, 1°9 to 2; tarsus, 0°35 ; weight, not quite 0°5 oz. ; the wings reach from 1 to 1-4 beyond the tip of the tail. The legs and feet are brownish pink; the claws brown; bill black ; irides deep brown. The whole of the top of the head and back are a deep sooty brown; the rump is whity brown ; the feathers darker shafted ; the wings, tail and upper tail coverts are blackish brown; the lower parts are a pale mouse brown; the feathers of the abdomen slightly dark shafted; the sides of the neck are slightly darker mouse brown, and so are the lores, in the centre of which in the fresh bird, there is a small, triangular, very pale mouse brown spot, scarcely recognizable in dry skins: the wing lining and the tibial plumes are dark brown. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 161 Tam not quite sure that this is spodiopygia, and if not, it may stand as inexpectata nobis, (vide Stray FeatuERS, 1873, p. 296). I ought to have added that there is a certain amount of gloss on the head, wings, and tail, but not nearly so well-marked as on lincha, or if the Andaman bird is distinct afinis, Tytler. As yet it has only been found nesting in caves, though the time may come when, like other members of the family, it may resort to buildings. I found the eggs in a cave on Little Button Island of the Andaman Archipelago on the 21st March, but I do not know whether they have a second brood. The nest, except, just at its junction with the rock (where it is brownish), is composed of the most exquisitely silvery white gelatine; exteriorly the surface is compact and somewhat roughened in laminz ; interi- orly it is a net-work of the finest and whitest threads, reminding one of the Huplectella. The true nest, which is pure white, and in shape rather more than half of a shallow cup, is from 2 to 22 inches broad, stands out from 14 to nearly 2 inches from the wall, and varies interiorly in depth from little more than one-half to a full inch. The attachment films and foundation below the true nest, both of which are somewhat brownish, vary excessively according to the site chosen for the nest; in some they are almost wanting, in others the film extends for an inch on either side beyond the nest, and the foundation below the most projecting point of the true nest may be 1 inches in depth. The edge of the true nest all round is blunt, like that of an _ ivory paper-cutter, and the sides gradually increase as they approach the bottom to the thickness of ths of an inch, or occasionally even half an inch. Of course the nests vary in outline as well as in size and depth, but the line of the upper edge is generally more of a horse shoe than of a segment of an oval or circle. I found the nests capriciously dotted about, par preference in the darkest corners (nowhere out of reach of the hand, for the cave is low) in places a couple of feet apart, in others a dozen clustered together within a diameter of less than this distance. As a rule, each nest was separate and distinct, but in a few cases I found two and even three joined together. The eggs are, as usual, pure white, more or less cylindrical in shape, devoid of gloss, and slightly larger than those of the preceding species. Davison procured two specimens at Mount Harriet; I shot a dozen at Little Button; I saw it also at Macpherson’s Straits, 162 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ONRITHOLOGY OF INDIA. where it builds in a cave near Escape Bay. It is this species, and not linchi, that builds the nests chiefly collected for the Penang market. Wenever noticed this species anywhere in the Nicobars where lincht is so common, and, as a matter of fact, though there are plenty of Burmese about the Nicobars, no white nests are there obtained, in fact none at all are there collected I believe, but there is, I know, one cave inland in Katchall, where some kind of collocalia builds a pale yellow nest, but where the cave is, no one, except Hung-hung-soo and possibly De Roepstorff, knows. ‘This species appears to be a permanent resident ; we obtained it from December to April, and we have received specimens killed from July to September. 110 dis—Caprimulgus andamanicus, Hume. I have already described this species and its eggs in STRAY Fratuers, 1873, p. 470. I have nothing further to add now to what I then stated. | This is doubtless the species which led to the inclusion of the next species in the Avifauna of the Andamans. 112.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath. All Tytler said was :—“I observed two Caprimulgi on one occasion, but could not get them,” on which Beavan remarked :— “This species will probably turn out to be C. asiaticus.” There is at present no reason at all to believe that this latter species occurs in the Andamans. 114 bis—Lyncornis cerviniceps, Gould 7 Several of the party, who landed on the Southern Jolly Boy on the 8th of March, saw ahuge goatsucker, that we considered was certainly a Lyncornis, and probably belonged to this species. I think two of the party were Dr. Stoliczka and Mr. Ball, so that there is no doubt that some such bird does occur in these islands, though probably it will prove to belong to a new species. 118.—Merops Daudini, Cwv. (1.) Nicobar specimens (we obtained none at the Andamans) are identical with those from various parts of India, Burmah, and the Malayan Peninsular. Davison remarks :—‘ This species occurs in the Nicobars and not in the Andaman group, where it is replaced by M. quin- ticolor. In habits it differs much from both JZ viridis and THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 163 M. quinticolor ; it may be seen for an hour at a time taking long sailing flights. I have seen 10 or 12 of these birds hawk- ing over the grassy hills in the interior of the island of Camorta. I was unable to ascertain whether they breed at Nicobars or not. It is known to the Nicobarese by the name of Shale.” I saw it at the Cocos, but failed to procure a specimen. 191.—Merops Swinhoei, Nobis. (82.) We secured a very large series of this bird; I have com- pared the Andaman specimens with birds from all parts of India, from Anjango in the south to Dehra Doon in the north, and again to Tipperah on the east; all appear to belong to the same species. The birds “ differ” inter se a good deal in the length of bill, the depth of the chesnut color- ing of the head and upper back, the brightness of the yellow of the chin and throat, and the extent of the bright rufous band or triangular patch at the base of the throat, but these differences appear to me, after examining a very large series, to be individual, and to be dependent on age and sex, and not on locality. Lord Walden remarks in a recent Jbis that Mr. Swinhoe first drew attention to the fact that the Javan form, which must bear Vieillot’s name of gwinticolor, is specifically different from the Indian, in that it constantly wants the chesnut triangular throat mark, the yellow throat being sharply separated from the green breast by a well-defined black band. In Indian specimens this black band is surmounted by a more or less broad band, or in some instances triangular shaped spot, of nearly the same deep chesnut as the head. Lord Walden further shows that Brisson’s name of erythrocephalus cannot stand for the Indian bird, which he considers to be at present a “ sine nomine corpus.” Now the bird must have some name, and if Lord Walden is correct, it had better be christened as above after the distinguished ornithologist already referred to. Davison remarks :—‘‘ This species is very common in the im- mediate vicinity of Port Blair, but it is also found, though more sparingly, in the Great and Little Cocos, Strait Island, &e., &e. It is a bird that seldom wanders very far from the forest, and although it is occasionally met with in some extensive clearing, yet it chiefly frequents the roads, running through forest, or well- wooded gardens. They breed at the Andamans, and I found them commencing to perforate the banks for their nests just before I left the Andamans in the middle of May.” We never met with this species in the Nicobars. 164 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. . This also appears to be a permanent resident. We obtained it from December to April, and I have had specimens sent me, killed at various times, from June to September. 126.—Eurystomus orientalis, Lin. (18.) I have compared the Andaman birds with specimens from the Kumaon Bhabur, and the Terai below Sikhim, and find them all precisely identical. The following are the dimensions of numerous specimens recorded in the flesh :— Length, 11°75 to 12°75; expanse, 24:75 to 27; wing, 7:4 ° to 8°25; tail, from vent, 4°5 to 5:25; tarsus, 0°75 to 0°85; bill, from gape, 1°65 to 1:8; weight from 6 to 8 ozs. The legs and feet are orange vermilion, or vermilion red ; bill, orange vermilion ; the upper mandible, black at the extreme tip ; orbital skin, dull red ; irides, hazel to deep hair brown. Dr. Jerdon’s description of the colors of this species is, itappears to me, scarcely satisfactory. He says :—‘‘ Head above with lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts deep fuscous blue ; chin and throat also blue; the latter with some longitudinal streaks of shining violet blue.” Now in the most perfect adults, with the most brilliant colored bills, all these parts, except of course the longi- tudinal streaks of violet blue, are dusky blackish brown, devoid ot the smallest tinge of blue. Again, he says “quills dark violet, tail uniform dark violet;’? but in perfect adults both quills and tail, excepting always the pale band on the former, are velvet black, with only a deep violet tinge on the lower surface of the inner webs, and no trace of any blue on the upper surface, except at the extreme bases of the feathers. The colors of the soft parts in the adults I have already mentioned in the quite young bird; the bill, which is very markedly smaller than im the adult, is almost black, only the gonys is pale orange; as the bird gets older, the orange of the gonys deepens in color and gradually spreads over the whole of the lower mandible, and then to the gape, the rest of the upper mandible becoming reddish black ; then the orange spreads further over the upper mandible, growing brighter and brighter in color till the whole bill becomes an intense orange ver- milion, with only the extreme tip of the upper mandible, and the culmen for about a quarter of an inch backwards from the tip, black. Of this species Mr. Davison remarks that “it is compara- tively common about Port Mouat, Mount Harriet, and other well-wooded places; it may frequently be seen seated on some THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 165 stump in a garden, or other comparatively open place, from which post it takes short flights, occasionally alighting on the ground to capture an insect. I have on several occasions seen it rise into the air and go through a regular series of fantastic evolutions, sometimes keeping up for nearly three minutes. Its note is anything but musical, but fortunately it is rather a silent bird.” None of us observed this anywhere except in the neigh- bourhood of Port Blair. I do not know whether this is a permanent resident, but suppose it must be so; we obtained it from December to April, and specimens have been sent killed in September. 127 bis.—Pelargopsis burmanica, Sharpe. (2.) Specimens from the Andamans agree absolutely with others from Thyet Myo and Rangoon. The bird really varies very little in color, and I am unable to say that either Mr. Sharpe’s figure or description sufficiently accurately represent any speci- mens that I have seen of the bird. In the figure the cap is too dark, the neck is tov rufescent, and the wings, scapulars, and tail, much too green. The following are the dimensions and description of a fine female which I shot on Bird Island, Macpherson’s Straits :— Length, 14-75 ; expanse, 22; tail, from vent, 3:5; wing, 5-75; tarsus, 0°8; greatest length of foot, 2°25; bill, from gape, 3°8; bill, at front, 3-2; wings, when closed, reach to within 2°5 of end of tail; weight, 8°5 ozs. The legs and feet are intense coral red, as are also the orbital ring and the bill, the latter dusky at tips; the irides brown. The whole of the top of the head, lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, and nape, pale whitey brown ; the entire lower parts, wing lining, axillaries, lower tail coverts, sides of base of lower mandible, sides of neck, and back of the neck, ochreous buff, varying doubt- less somewhat in intensity in different specimens, but always palest on chin and throat, and deepest on the breast, abdomen, and flanks. The upper back and shorter scapulars pale brown, suffused with a dull greenish blue. Middle and lower back very bright and light greenish blue, asif the feathers were white, and had been tinged with this color. Quills, hair brown, the second to the fifth or sixth primaries greenish blue on the outer webs above the emargination ; the rest of the quills this color on the whole of the outer webs, and the tertiaries and the later secondaries, more or less overlaid with this color on the inner webs towards the tips. The tail feathers much the same color on both webs 8 166 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. as the secondaries on the outer webs, but a trifle brighter. The shafts, both of quills and rectrices, conspicuously white on their lower surfaces. : Mr. Davison remarks that “this bird, though not very rare, is excessively difficult to obtain ; itis so wary. pantie Chota Nagpur? ,, 835 ,, 12: Be ge Ug olan 57.—Paleeornis torquatus, Bodd. (148.) The Rose-ringed Paroquet is tolerably common in all parts of the Division. It is very destructive to dhal, also to Sirguja (Guizotia oleifera, D.C.,) and other oil-seed bearing crops. Captain Beavan obtained a nest with three eggs at Baramussia in Manbhum on the Ist March 1865. Both this and the preceding 390 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. species select the soft wood of the cotton tree, Bombazx malabaricum, in which to carve out the holes for their nests. 58.—Paleornis purpureus, Mill. (149.) The Rose-headed Paroquet is found in most parts of Chota Nagpur, but is at the same time somewhat local, and as mention- ed above does not appear to trespass on the areas occupied by eupatrius, Lin. I have often been much surprised to see the way in which these birds can conceal themselves in trees. Of course the color of their plumage aids them materially, but that alone is not quite sufficient to account for the manner in which a large flock suddenly disappears in a small tree. In the very hot weather Sal (Shorea robusta) trees are com- monly chosen, and then one may approach within a few feet of the birds without being able to distinguish a single individual. Captain Beavan has some very interesting remarks on the habits of this species. He procured the nest with eggs in March. He notices their pleasing warbling song, and that ‘when on the wing, the bird turns from side to side like a badly balanced arrow.” PICIDA. 59.—Picus mahrattensis, ath. P. aurocris- tatus, Tickell. (160.) This bird, though not very common, is more abundant in Man- bhum and Chota Nagpur generally than Captain Beavan seemed to think. I have obtained it in all parts of the Division. Captain Beavan found a pair onthe Pulas tree (Butea frondosa), and I ean remember that some of my specimens were obtained on the same tree which it seems to prefer, but is also found on the mhowa (Bassia latifolia) and doubtless upon others. The following measurements are taken from specimens in my collection :— Singhbhum @ Wing 4:1; Tail 2°5; Tarsus ‘7 ; Bill from gape 1. Hazaribagh ¢ ,, 405 ,, 2°5 ape te TS ya ie ie Sirguja ai gs OB Se 265i sgh 7 Ses OES eee nen Rajmehalhills 9 , 4 4 ee 224 BD: igi “ae tay Uy RR Barakar Se Semis yes aye ns 40) gs Th ay Mp Singhbhum Pri tyt er » 29 ae Meee ty deh Satpuras 2 a) SO ogy) eae » “O oho aa sta 60.—Yungipicus nanus, Vig. Hardwickii, Jerd. (164.) The Southern Pigmy Woodpecker. I have only obtained this species in Sirguja. I may have passed over it in the AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPOR. 391 eastern parts of the Division, but I certain!y do not remember having seen it. In the jungles of the Satpura range I found it somewhat sparingly. The following measurements in inches are of specimens in my collection :— Sirguja 3 Wing 3°; Tail1‘8; Tarsus ‘5; Bill from gape ‘6 Satpura hills ¢ , 3 1; 18 SMO, anil om | ee Sirguja 2 9 3° 075 0 1°75 9 5 9 99 37 "65 Satpura hills 9 » 305 ,, 16 PO 55 ySpeed: 61.—Chrysocolaptes sultaneus, Hodgs. Picus cuttacristatus, 7. (166.) Under the above name Colonel Tickell described a female of the Golden-backed Woodpecker. In all probability it was this species,* as he says:—“ Crest large, full, black with round white spots.”’ According to the same authority it is common, frequenting the largest timber, cotton trees, &e., noisy, agile. Neither Captain Beavan nor I ever met with this species. 62.—Chrysocolaptes festivus, Bodd. (167.) I cannot remember, and have no record of having seen the Black-backed Woodpecker, except upon one occasion in Chota Nagpur. This was in January in the Palamow sub-division, where I saw and shot three which were busily engaged in search- ing the branches of a cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum). They consisted of a male, female, and young male. The plumage of the latter resembles that of the female, save that the long feathers of the yellow crest are tipped with red. ' Measurements in inches :— Palamow ¢ Wing6'3; Tail 4:; Tarsus 1:2; Billfrom gape 2-2 » Youngg 5 56 4, 3 9» 105 4, 9» ao eta One » 3 ” ll oy » "No one who examines this species can fail to observe iis enormous size of the toes and claws. Recently in the Satpuras I saw one of these birds feeding on the ground where jungle and grass had recently been burnt. 68.—Gecinus striolatus, Blyth. (1'71.) The Small Green Woodpecker is rather rare in Chota Nagpur, and so far as my collections go confined to the western parts. In the Satpura hills it was, 1 think, more abundant. * More probably Delesserti.—Kd., 8. F. 392 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. Measurements in inches :— Lohardugga g Wing 5:05; Tail 3°8 ; Tarsus °9; Bill from gape 1°65 Satpuras ¢ » 905 5 39 39° TDD 9°) agit, Maye Sirguja a no 00) Soiree 9. DO 55 stapes ee ET bb, ? 99 4-95 99 3°5 99 9 39 9 99 16 64.—Micropternus phaioceps, Blyth. (1'78,) The Bengal Rufous Woodpecker is recorded by Captain Beavan as seen in Manbhum. Mr. Blyth, in his list of Colonel Tickell’s Singhbhum birds, gives M. badius by which name this species was at one time called; but that name properly belongs to the Sumatra species. Possibly Colonel Tickell’s specimen may have been referable to M. gularis, Jerdon. I have not met with this species in Chota Nagpur, but have shot it in the Rajmehal hills. The measurements in inches of my specimen being :— Rajmehal hills ¢ Wing 45; tail27; tarsus -65; billfrom gape 1:1. 65.—Brachypternus aurantius, Zin. (180.) The Golden-backed Woodpecker is found occasionally in the forests of Chota Nagpur, but does not appear to be common. My specimens from various localities all seem to belong to this species rather than to the nearly allied B. chrysonotus, Less. — The following measurements in inches :— Sirguja ¢ Wing 57; Tail 38; Tarsus ‘9; Bill from gape 16 Calcutta ... en PUAN Sh > PEGE #5 : s 99. Pee mae Satpuras .o. OOD >) );, aasIOn 945; ry) » » 155 Sirguja ¢ pe ca fh gs AMOMMGE Fgh 1:55 Calcutta MIA OT 1, hu) ROEM sy he sy ght ees Satpuras ¢ wae pO A? he OD: 5, 5 Pate nile 66,—Yunx torquilla, Lin. (188.) The Common Wryneck was obtained in Manbhum by Captain Beavan. In Sirguja I saw it on several occasions, but only succeeded in obtaining one specimen. It is certainly a rare bird in Chota Nagpur. Two specimens in my collection measure in inches :— Sirguja sex? Wing 3°5; Tail 25; Tarsus °57; Billfromgape .9 Nagpur 2 # FS 4° 215 ry) wh 8 MEGALAIMIDA. 67.—Megalaima caniceps, Frankl. (198.) The Common Green Barbet is often heard, but seldom seen im the jungles of Chota Nagpur. I have not gota single specimen md 39 3) 99 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 393 from that part of the country in my collection. In the Rajmehal hills, and recently in the Satpuras, I have not unfrequently seen and shot it. Captain. Beavan recorded that “a pair shot in March at *¢ Beerachalee were feeding on the shoots and buds of the banyan os es indica). Breeds towards the end of March. There ‘is no nest as it simply uses the hollow of a tree. The egg is — i Pao and white. “¢ Dimensions in inches :— i us Length 105; Wing 4°62; Tail 3; Expanse 15:5; Tarsi ‘88 Bega). 4s ,,, “Sao Ss eee “Bill pinkish-brown ; orbital skin orange yellow ; eyelid “lighter yellow ; legs dull yellow; claws oreenish horn-color.’ 68.—Xantholeema heemacephala, Mill. (19'7.) The Crimson-breasted Barbet is very common in all parts of Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan gives some interesting notes of its habits and nidification. CUCULIDA. 69.—Cuculus canorus, Zin. (199.) The European Cuckoo. I am not quite certain whether birds which Ihave seen and heard in Sirguja and Lohardugga on several _occasions* should be referred to this species. Mr. Blanford, I believe, shot C. canorust on the Main Pat in Sirguja. The only specimen at present available is one shot by myself in Manbhum, and which is now in the Indian Museum. Its dimen- sions seem intermediate between those of this species and C. micropterus. In details of plumage, however, it corresponds with a Huropean specimen received from the Oxford Museum. Length 12°5; wing 8:1; tail 6:3. 70.—Hierococeyx varius, Vig. (205.) The Common Hawk-Cuckoo is found in the jungly parts throughout Chota Nagpur. I have shot it in Manbhum, Singhbhum, and Sirguja. Outside our limits I have shot it too in Birbhum and the Rajmehal hills. In places where * The last in May near the Station of Ranchi. Probably therefore this bird breeds in that part of the country. He has recently written to me to say that from the numbers he saw and heard in May about the Main Pat he concludes that the bird breeds there. , H o94 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. I had not seen it I heard it in the breeding season calling in the jungle. Singhbhum o Wing a 2 Tail 65; Tarsus 1.; Bill from gape 1:3 Sirguja rp 99 9 i il 99 1 9 9 9 13 Birbhun =? 4 85 eg? os eee Rajmehal hills eye. 7°35 » 84 A Die yin ge Umaee 71.—Ololygon passerinus, Vahl. (208.) The Indian Plaintive Cuckoo occurs but sparingly in Chota Nagpur. It was obtained by Captain Beavan in Manbhum in Apri il, and by myself in Sirguja in the same month. My specimen is in the hepatic stage, having the upper parts rufous, barred with brown. Beneath white, “narrowly barred with brown of a lighter hue than above. Dimensions in inches are :— Sireuja g Wing 4°7; tail 4°; tarsus °7 ; bill from gape 1. 72.—Coccystes Jacobinus, Bodd. (212.) The Pied-crested Cuckoo occurs, I believe, in Chota Nagpur, but very rarely. I saw one in the eastern part of Manbhum, and I have shot it in Birbhum not far outside our limits. 73.—HEudynamys honorata, Lin. (214.) The Koel is tolerably common in the eastern parts of Chota Nagpur, but is seldom met with in the western, more jungly districts. However itis generally to be found where there are ancient mango groves. 74.—Zanclostomus tristis, Less. (215.) On several occasions, when beating for large game, a bird has been flushed, which I believe must have been the large green- billed Malkoha, but I cannot be certain that it was not the smaller species. 75.—Centrococcyx rnfipennis, Jl. (217.) The Crow Pheasant is tolerably common throughout the Divi- sion. In reference to Singhbhum I have the following note :— ‘“¢ Circumstances which it is not easy to detect seem to influence the distribution of this bird. In some portions of this dis- trict I have been for weeks without seeing a single specimen. Suddenly then I come upon a tract in “which I do not fail to hear or see several every day.’? These remarks might be extended to the whole of Chota Nagpur. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 395 In confirmation of Dr. Jerdon’s statement, made on the authority of a Shikari, that it pilfers eggs, I may mention that the stomach of one, hie T shot in Manbhum in 1867, con- tained, in addition to grasshoppers, the shell of a white egg— apparently a dove’s. ” The following are measurements in inches of various specimens in my collection :— Gangpur sex? Wing 7’7; Tail 10°8; Tarsus 1:9; Bill from gape 1°8 Rajmehal hills ¢,, 72 ,, 1035 19 aie iggr ale eae Satpuras ¢ TOL iy LO _ 19 agi ESS 3 LES Caleutta oye » 755, 95 ” 19 93 0799) 7 eG '76.—Centrococcyx bengalensis, Gm. (218.) I insert the Jesser Indian Coucal as it is included in Mr. Blyth’s list of Colonel Tickell’s birds, but the bird has not been recorded since. Mr. Blyth’s description appears to have been of a young bird. 7¢-—TLaccocua sirkee, Gray. (220.) The Bengal Sirkeer. Captain Beavan remarks that “ Dr. Jerdon’s descriptions of all the members of the genus are short and unsatisfactory ;’’ with this I agree. At the same time the differences are so slight that I believe it almost impossible for any description to be so complete as to enable one to distinguish the species readily. The following six specimens, with the excep- tion of the second, have no white | tips on the central tail feathers, unfortunately three of these only are sexed, and they are females; while the only sexed male in my collection appears to answer to the description of T. affinis. Dimensions In inches :-— Satpuras ? Wing 6°;Tail 9:3; Tarsus 1:7 ; Billfrom gape 1°5 ? 15 ” » 6275,, 92 SEG) v5 ” ” 39 2 29 i) uf 9 6°5 39 15 29 9? 9 14 Palamow sex? ,, 59 ,, 8°5 PMT Oss yaaa’ sc Pape 13) Sirguja 99 59 33 8'8 3? 1°6 9? 99 3? 14 Rajmehal hills Pe oLeroN ee Sg re es UU es sy te 78.—Taccocua affinis, Blyth. (222.) One of my specimens, a male from Palamow, corresponds with Dr. Jerdon’s description of the Central Indian Sirkeer, Compar- ing it with the preceding, it has the plumage above darker and a less amount of rufous below, together with the brown tibial plumes, all of which are characteristic of T. affinis. 396 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. Dimensions in inches :— ae Palamow ¢ Wing 6°; tail 9°; tarsus 1:5; bill from gape 1°4, Captain Beavan seemed inclined to refer his Manbhum speci- mens to this species. It will require a larger series than I possess to settle the question whether there are really two species or not, prumd facie it is improbable that two distinct species exist together in Palamow as my specimens would seem to show. : in some parts of Chota Nagpur these birds are rather common. When flushed from the ground amongst grass. and low bushes they generally fly to the nearest tree, through which they climb in the same way as the Crow Pheasant. NECTARINIDA. 79.—Zethopyga miles, Hodg.? (225.) The Red Honey-sucker obtained by Colonel Tickell in Borabhum, and named by him WNectarinia seherie, belongs probably to this species or to <#. Vigorsii, Sykes, according to Dr. Jerdon. . That an thopyga does exist in Chota Nagpur I can bear witness, as 1 saw one closely on one occasion when travelling between Ranchi and Purulia. The exact locality was on the ghat east of Jona. Colonel Tickell’s description was as follows :— “© Male.—Length 4 inches; crown burnished copper with green reflections ; neck, back, and breast a deep blood carmine color ; a stripe on each side of the throat from the under mandible brilliant violet ; lower part of back yellow; tail-coverts bright green; tail violet and green, blended with metallic lustre ; quills dusky brown; belly and vent dusky ; eyes, bill and legs dark. This rare and elegant subject was procured near Seheria in Borabhum, flitting about the low willow bushes in the dried bed of a stream. It has no song, but a shrill chirp.” 80.—Leptocoma zeylonica, Lin. (232.) The Amethyst-rumped Honey-sucker was obtained by Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum and by Captain Beavan in Manbhum, where he found it to be tolerably common. It breeds in March and April. Captain Beavan gives a full account of the nidifica- tion which will be found quoted in full in Mr. Hume’s work on that subject. 81.—Arachnechthra asiatica, Li. (234) The Purple Honey-sucker is common throughout Chota Nagpur. It is nearly always to be found on the parasitical AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 397 species of Loranthus and on Grislea tomentosa when in flower. 82.—Diceum minimum, Jickell. (288.) Tickell’s Flowerpecker is found in Sal jungle in most parts of the Division, but is not very common anywhere. 83.—Piprisoma agile, Tickell. (240.) The Thick-billed Flowerpecker is about equally distributed with the last species in Chota Nagpur, and occurs in similar localities. Of the nidification of both these species Captain Beavan has given full accounts. CERTHIADA. 84.—Salpornis spilonota, Frankl. (246.) I first observed the Spotted Grey Creeper in 1868 near the Jhulda hills in Manbhum, but it was not until December 1871 that I succeeded in obtainmg specimens. The first I shot in a mango grove at the village of Kamdera in Lohardugga; the second in Sirguja. On both occasions I thought it was a Sitta which I was firing at. Measurements in inches :— Wing 3°35; tail 2°; tarsus ‘6. 85.—Sitta castaneoventris, Frankl. (250.) The Chesnut-bellied Nuthatch is rather rare in Chota Nagpur. The only specimen I obtained was shot in Sirguja. I have, however, observed the bird in other parts of the Division. It was a specimen received from Colonel Tickell which first drew Mr. Blyth’s attention to the distinctness of the Sikhim bird, which he accordingly separated as S. cinnamomeoventris. 86.—Dendrophila frontalis, Horsf. (258.) The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch is given in Mr. Blyth’s list of Colonel Tickell’s birds. I have never observed it myself. UPUPID&. 87.—Upupa epops, Zin. (254.) The European Hoopoe is pretty generally distributed through- out the open parts of Chota Nagpur. a 398 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. Its call hd0p-hédp is a common sound on the borders of the jungles in April. The persistent monotony renders this call one of the most unpleasant made by any bird with which I am familiar. ; The following is a description by Captain Beavan of a speci- men from Manbhum :—“ From tip of the bill to end of the tail 11 inches ; from top of crest to end of tail 12 inches; wing 6 inches; tail 4 inches; bill at front 2°15 inches; tarsus ‘87 inch; from eye to top of crest 2°75 inches; bill dark horn color, fleshy at base ; legs greenish brown.” LANIADZ. 88.—Collyrio lahtora, Sykes.P (256.) I insert the Indian Grey-Shrike on the authority of Captain Beavan, who simply says of it:—‘“ Rare in Manbhum.” I myself never saw it, and am inclined to believe that it does not occur, and that Captain Beavan mistook one of the other species for it. 89.—Collyrio tephronotus, Vigors, (258.) The Grey-backed Shrike is found in Chota Nagpur, but is not common. I have no specimen of it in my collection from that part of the country. The only specimens I have were obtain- ed in the Rajmehal hills. In “Nests and Eggs,” the Rajmehal hills is one of the localities given by Mr. Hume for the breeding of C. caniceps. In the Satpuras the nearly allied C. erythronotus was common. I have never met with it in Chota Nagpur. 90.—Collyrio nigriceps, Frankl. (259.) The Black-headed Shrike is tolerably common in some parts of Chota Nagpur, but is not generally distributed. In the Rajmehal hills it was, I think, more abundant. In the Satpuras I did not observe it. 91.—Lanius vittatus, Vigors. (260.) The Bay-backed Shrike, according to Captain Beavan, is occa- sionally seen in Manbhum, but appears to be rare. i think this accords with my experience in the eastern parts of the district ; but in the western, Hazaribagh, Palamow and Sirguja it is common. In the Rajmehal hills I met with it too. In the Satpuras it was very abundant. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 399 92.—Lanius cristatus, Lin, (261.) The Brown Shrike has been obtained in Sirguja, Manbhum, and Singhbhum, and is, I think, tolerably common throughout. 93.—Tephrodornis pondiceriana, Gm. Lanius griseus, Tickell. (265.) The Common Wood-Shrike has been obtained in Manbhum, Singhbhum, Lohardugga, Hazaribagh and Sirguja, being, I think, most abundant in the last mentioned district, where I have observed it throughout the cold and hot weathers. Captain Beavan says that it appears to come to the Manbhum district for the purpose of breeding. He gives some details as to its nidification, which will be found in Mr. Hume’s work on that subject. Sirguja sex? Wing 3°45; Tail ae Tarsus 75 5 Bill from gape ‘85° Hazaribagh ¢ » 33d ” ” ” 9 eRe oe Satpuras é » 8d » 26 4 8 9 99 99 95 ” 2 » 3&4 » 26 99 8 ry) 39 9 94.—Hemipus picatus, Sykes. Muscicapa* tyran- nides, Tickell. (267.) So far as I know the Little Pied Shrike has only been obtained within. our limits in the district of Singhbhum. First by Colonel Tickell who named it as above, and subsequently by myself. My specimen is now in the Indian Museum. It is even in Singhbhum, I believe, very rare. 95.—Volvocivora melaschistos, Hodgson. Lanius silens, Tickell. (269.) The Dark-grey Cuckoo Shrike is rather rare and excessively shy. Captain Beavan obtained it in Manbhum ; Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum (where he found it common) ; and I in Manbhum and Lohardugga. The measurements of my specimen in inches are :— Manbhum 2? Wing 45; Tail 41; Tarsus 8; Bill at front 2 Lohardugga 3 4: a 4: 8 V. Sykesta possibly occurs ‘too in the eastern parts ue the Division. Ihave it from Calcutta and the Rajmehal hills. In both these localities I have also obtained V. melaschistos. - The measurements of two of my specimens of V. Sykesit are in inches :— Rajmehal hills ¢ Wing 4°; Tail 3:3; Tarsus ‘8; Bill at front °6 Caleutta Os 3 6 » 3 29 8 99 ” 2 * Tickell was so far quite right: it isa pure Flycatcher in its habits and not a bit of a Shrike.—Ed., 8. F. 400 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 96.—Graucalus macei, Less. (270.) According to Viscount Walden Manbhum specimens of this bird belong to Mr. Blyth’s G. Layardi. At the same time he ~ states :—‘* Of the specific distinction ‘of the last-named species 1 am not yet quite satisfied, the question mainly turning upon whether the adult male (and female) always has the upper part of the abdominal region barred instead of pure white.” Mr. Hume, on page 204 of this volume, deals with the question at length and expresses his disbelief in the distinctness of G. Layardi. The Large Cuckoo Shrike is pretty generally distributed throughout “Chota Nagpur. Strange to say Captain Beavan does not however record it. It seems to be fondest of mhowa trees (Bassia latifolia). It readily flies from one tree to another in order to escape danger. | T have a good series of this bird from various localities. The measurements and other particulars regarding some of which are as follows :— Wing. Tail. Tarsus, Bill fon gape. Breast plumbeous; (a) Hazaribagh 6 6 46 1: abdomen and thigh-cov- erts striated, passing into albescent towards the vent ; lores black. (6) Satpuras gf 66 51 ‘95 1:35 Similar. - (c) Narsingpur ¢ ? 6°85 5-2 "95 13 Similar. (d) Manbhum 92 63 5: 1 13 Chin, throat, breast, abdomen and thigh-cov- erts striated, the ground color being distinctly white ; lores concolorous with the top the head. (e) Narsingpur 2 ? 65 5:3 1 13 Similar to d as regards striation, but the ground color of throat and breast is somewhat plum- beous, not pure white; f lores dark slaty. (f) Lohardugga ? 65 5°) 1 13 Similar to d. (g) Assam 6°75 5°6 1 16 Throat, neck, and upper breast plumbeous ; lower breast, abdomen, flanks and thigh-coverts striated ; lores very dark slaty. (4) Assam OE cite 11 1:56 Throat, neck, and breast plumbeous, _ be- neath pure white; lores dark slaty. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. AOL These two Assam specimens are very much larger than any of the other birds ; but otherwise I see nothing to distinguish them. 9'7.—Pericrocotus speciosus, Lath. (271.) The Large Minivet occurs pretty generally throughout the heavy jungle and forests of Chota Nagpur ; occasionally, too, it is met with i mango groves. Towards Gangpur and Raigur I found it more abundant than elsewhere. Captain Beavan found it “ tolerably plentiful at Maknee in Manbhum in January 1868 in flocks nearly all composed of females or young males.” Colonel Tickell says :—“ Rare, indiscriminately spread through the jungles, sometimes solitary, at others flying in small parties.”’ So far as my observation goes this bird constantly migrates from one part of the jungle to another, and small parties may be seen flying off to new feeding grounds at a considerable height above the trees. Often these parties consist exclusively of females, but the males are sure to be met with in the same tract of country. P. andamanensis, Tytler, from the Andamans,* I was disposed to identify with this species, but Viscount Waldenf and Mr, Hume consider it to be distinct. The difference consists in little else than the somewhat smaller size of the bird. In his remarks on this species Viscount Walden gives for comparison _ the following dimensions of a Manbhum specimen. ¢ Wing 4:6; tail 4-5. A perfect giant, the difference being greater between it and ordinary specimens of speciosus than between the latter and andamanensis. Mr. Hume says that particularly fine specimens of speciosus have the wing trom 4:1 to 4:2. I should add that he points out minor differences by which andamanensis is to be distin- guished. The following are measurements of specimens from various localities which are now in my possession :-— Sirguja 3 Wing 4°15; Tail 4; Tarsus -75; Bill at front -4 ” 3 » + » 385 4 “7 9” 99 ee ” 3 » 4 » 38 5 “7 9” 99 5 Sikkim fof » a9 >» + ant tine ey) » Oo Pankabari g » 4 se ae a3 it » 9 9D Sirguja gjuv,, 38 fo Be) ga ee SMW rere, 20 29 2 99 4:05 29 38 29 ‘65 19 93 ” 5 ” 2 » 3°95 » 386 4, "6 5 » » 6 An Assam specimen (? P. elegans, M’Clell.) measures :— | 3 Wing 3°8; tail 3:7; tarsus 7; bill at front °55. * §. F,, L., 1873, p. 66.. + Ibis, 3rd Series, ITI. 1873, p. 310. 8. F., IL, 1874, p. 208. ADO AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. In details of coloration I must profess my inability to see any - difference between it and one of my Sirguja specimens. The relative proportions of black and red on the central tail feathers are identical. In this respect the Sirguja specimens vary much. One has the whole outer web red, another only a partial edging on the centre of the outer web. 98.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Lin. (276.) The Small Minivet is tolerably common throughout Chota Nagpur. In Sirguja and Lohardugga it is particularly abun- dant. It is found both in jungle and in mango groves. Parties of from a dozen to twenty are commonly met with. 99.—Buchanga albirictus, Hodgs. (278.) The Common Drongo Shrike or King Crow is very abundant throughout Chota Nagpur. Dr. Jerdon seems to doubt that the King Crow actually strikes the birds which it appears to attack; on one occasion, however, I saw one actually carried on the back of a large Wood Owl (Ascalaphia bengalensis) which flew out of a tree where it was being tormented by these birds and Pies (Dendrocitta rufa.) Tn illustration of the somewhat miscellaneous character of the food of these birds, I may mention that I remember one day in Calcutta opening a verandah chick (curtain) which had not been in use for some time, so disturbing a colony of bats that had made the inside coils their home ; out they flew into the day- light, when they were immediately seen and hawked up by some King Crows who took them to neighbouring trees where they quietly devoured them. It may possibly be for the purpose of picking up an odd bat that they are generally so late in going to roost. Termites are, however I believe, the chief attraction, and indeed it is doubtful whether they could capture a bat not dazed by sunlight. Late as they are in going to roost, they are generally the first birds to be on the move in the morning. I have frequently heard them calling to one another long before dawn, when I - have been travelling in the hot weather. I rather think that I have seen in Manbhum specimens of B. longicaudatus, but the only locality where I have actually obtained that species in Bengal is in the Rajmehal hills. I have seen it in the cold weather on one occasion in C lcutta. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 403 100.—Dicrurus ceerulescens, Zin. (281.) The White-bellied Drongo is pretty generally distributed throughout the jungly portion of Chota Nagpur, but is nowhere abundant. Except towards the breeding season it is generally found solitary. In the Satpura jungles it appeared to be much more abun- dant than it is in Chota Nagpur. 101.—Dissemurus malabaroides, Zin. (284.) The Large Racket-tailed Drongo or Bhimraj is very rare in Chota Nagpur, and is extremely shy and difficult to shoot. Captain Beavan observed it near the Cossye River in Manbhum, but did not manage to secure a specimen. I have seen it in the Rajmehal hills. Recently during a three months’ tour in the Satpura hills I only saw two indivi- duals, one of which I secured. The measurements in inches are as follows :— Wing 6°8 ; tail to end of outer feathers 15°2; tail to end of central feathers 6°5 ; frontal crest 2°3:; tarsus 1. 102.—Chibia hottentotta, Zin. Criniger splen- dens, Tickell. (286.) The Hair-erested Drongo, though observed by Captain Beavan in Manbhum, and by myself on the Main Pat in Sirguja, seems to have been collected by no one but Colonel Tickell within our limits. It is said to particularly affect the blossoms of the cotton tree (Bombaw.) 103.—Artamus fuscus, Mreill. (287.) The Ashy Swallow Shrike is rather rare in Chota Nagpur. My only specimen from the Division was found in Sirguja. This birdalso occurs in the Rajmehal hills, where it is, I think, less rare. I have recently met with it in the Satpuras. MUSCICAPIDA. 104.—Tchitrea paradisi, Lin. (288.) The Paradise Flycatcher was obtained at Kashurgurh in Manbhum by Captain Beavan where he found a few specimens in April 1864. I have seen this bird on a few occasions in Sirguja and Lohardugga. In the south-west of the Division towards the Tributary States of Raigur and Gangpur in April 1871, I found it abun- dant and im all phases of plumage. A404 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. In some respects my specimens seem intermediate between this species and affinis. A male has the central tail feathers only black shafted to a little beyond the ordinary tail. A quarter of an inch at the tip is also black shafted, and on one of the feathers there is a black isolated portion of shaft about one inch long. The ordinary tail feathers are well margined with black. One of two full grown males obtained by Captain Beavan had the central tail feathers black shafted. The measurements in inches of my specimens were :— Wing 3°6; tail 4-3 + 10; bill from gape 1:1. _ In two chesnut specimens the inner webs of the quills are not dusky black, but only scarcely perceptibly darker. The crest is about 1 inch long; the throat glossy black ; breast ashy ; belly and vent white. Wing 3°45; Tail 41; Bill from gape 1 » 34 » 49 » 9 9» I. I have seen this bird settle on the ground on two or three occasions, once close to some water, possibly to drink as the weather was very hot. Captain Beavan was of opinion that it only came to Manbhum “‘ when thenew leaves come on to the trees at the end of March.” . 105.—Myiagra azurea, Bodd. (290.) The Black-naped Blue Flycatcher is not very abundant in Chota Nagpur, but has been obtained in most parts of the Division. Captain Beavan says :—‘‘ In Manbhum it is seen frequently in suitable localities in January and February, but does not apparently make a lengthened stay.” 106.—Leucocirca fuscoventris, Frankl. (291.) The White-throated Fantail is not often seen in Chota Nagpur. 107.—Leucocirea albofrontata, Frankl. (292.) The White-browed Fantail is not uncommon in the mango groves in Chota Nagpur. Its pleasing note and active evolu- tions on the wing often attract notice. 108.—Myialestes cinereocapilla, Vieill. (295.) The Grey-headed Flycatcher is occasionally found in mango groves, but seems to prefer the neighbourhood of rivers with well-wooded banks. I have not found it abundant anywhere. 109.—Alseonax latirostris, Raffles. M. poon- ensis, Sykes. (2977.) This species is included in Mr, Blyth’s list of Colonel Tickell’s birds. I never obtained it myself. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 405 110.—Eumyias melanops, Vigors. (801.) The Verditer Flycatcher is not very common in any part of Chota Nagpur. I generally met with it near rivers in - little frequented jungles. 111.—Cyornis Tickellia, Blyth. (805 & 806.) Tickell’s Blue Redbreast is now generally admitted to be only the female of C. Jerdoni. Recently in the Satpuras I made a point of collecting these birds where they were not uncommon. Two of the Tickellie plumage were certainly females. In half a dozen of the Jerdoni plumage those which were satisfactorily sexed by myself proved to be males. It was first enumerated by Colonel Tickell under the name Musci: hyacintha, Temm. He speaks of it as “rare, silent, frequenting high trees.”’ _ The bird is certainly rare in Chota Nagpur. I obtained but two specimens, one in Singhbhum and one in Sirguja. 112.—Muscicapula superciliaris, Jerdon. (810.) The White-browed Blue Flycatcher was obtained by Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum and by myself in Lohardugga. It is, I should say, of extreme rarity in Chota Nagpur. My speci- men is exactly identical with examples from Simla. Captain Beavan refers a Flycatcher which he obtained in Manbhum doubtfully to WM. sapphira; it seems probable that it was this species which he met with. 118.—Erythrosterna albicilla, Pallas. HK. leucura, Gmel. (828.) The White-tailed Robin Flycatcher is common in Chota Nag- pur. ! 114.—Erythrosterna parva,* Bechst, (828 Dis.) I shot several specimens of the Red-breasted Flycatcher in Singhbhum in January 1869. Recently I found it not uncommon in the Satpuras. 115.—_Erythrosterna pusilla, Blyth. (824.) In February 1869, when in Singhbhum, I shot a specimen of the Rufous-backed Flycatcher which was feeding amongst the leaves of Ficus indica. Recently I had an opportunity of comparing my specimen, which is now in the Indian Museum, * Oy? hyperythra, 406 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. with Mr. Blyth’s type. I find them to be absolutely identical. Measurements in inches :-— Length 4:2; wing 2:2; tail 1:55; bill at front °35; tarsus °6. . 116.—Erythrosterna maculata, Tickell. (823.) The Little Pied Flycatcher was first obtained by Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum. It was met with in Manbhum by Captain Beavan, where I also have seen it. I have also observed it in Sirguja, but it is decidedly a rare bird, frequenting the vicinity of well-wooded streams, and sometimes seen in company with Myjialestes cinereocapulla. __E. acornaus has, so far as I know, not been met with, though it has, I believe, been found in the Central Provinces. MERULID. 117.—Myiophoneus Horsfieldii, Vig. (342,) The Malabar Whistling Thrush has a much larger range throughout the Continent than was supposed by Dr. Jerdon. In the highlands of Sirguja I found it by no means rare. The perennial spring-fed streams, which take their rise in the layer of trap forming the top of the Main Pat and leap from step to step in their torrential channels down the steep. sides of the plateau, are favorite resorts of this bird. When examining the geology of the plateau in April 1872, I . rarely came to one of the waterfalls over a layer of basaltic columns which characterise these streams, without hearing the whistle of this Thrush. I found it very wary and difficult to shoot, as it would, when first started, keep well in front, and then when least expected, return overhead to its favorite spot at’ the foot of a fall. Recently, in the Satpuras, I again met with it in some of the rocky streams at the base of Pachmari, and also on Pachmari itself. I was told that in the hot weather the numbers on Pachmari steadily increase, and this I can easily understand as in March the rivers which it frequented below were rapidly drying up. The following are measurements in inches of two specimens in my collection :— Sirguja, April1872 g Wing 61; Tail 4:8; Tarsus 1:8; Bill from gape 1° Satpuras, March 187456 , 66 , 48 Se Le Seenss 53 aS) 118.—Pitta coronata, Ginel. (845.) The first occasion upon which I met with the Yellow-breasted Ground Thrush is thus recorded in my notebook. “To-day, when AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 407 passing through some Sal forest on the Suadi and Ranchi road in Gangpur, I heard a number of birds calling to one another with a peculiar short, but double flute-like note. It was some time before I saw what they were, as they were extremely wary ; but by patiently waiting I got a shot at one which proved to be P. coronata. This is the first time I have met with this species in Chota Nagpur.” The note may be thus represented whét pe-i. The bird while uttering it puts his head back as far as he can, and jerks it forward again as he concludes with the pe-7%—April 1871. In May 1871 and again in April 1872 I was attracted by its call when passing up and down the ghats on the south and east of the Ranchi plateau. In most cases I found it perched on trees. My acquaintance therefore with the habits of this bird does not support Dr. Jerdon’s statements that it seldom alights on trees and is in general a most silent bird. Unlike the last mentioned bird it does not seem to care for the vicinity of water. I always found it in sloping valleys with well-wooded surroundings. The measurements in inches of one in my collection are :— Wing 4:1; tail 1:4; tarsus 1°3; bill at front 1:4. 119.—Cyanocincla cyana, Zin. (851.) The Blue Rock Thrush is found near most of the large rivers in Chota Nagpur. I have shot it in Singhbhum, Sirguja, and Hazaribagh. — The following are measurements of specimens in my collec- tion :— Satpura g Wing 4°55 ; Tail 3:2; Tarsus 1:1; Bill from gape 1:2 Cachar Parte. AMAT i OE ae Alicea oe ae peli. Hazaribagh P 4 475 , 345 ,, 1:05 ,, » 9 Le Sirguja ? 33 4,55 39 3:2 99 11 99 99 39 1:35 120.—Geocichla cyanotus, J.and 8. (854.) The White-winged Ground Thrush is rare in Chota Nagpur ; so far as I can remember I only obtained it in Sirguja. Recently I shot one in the Satpura hills. Sirguja ¢ Wing 4°35; Tail2°8; Tarsus 1:2; Bill at front :7 Natpurasrcn! OW AEG owe se ata! Gari tM N Sec a 8 The Satpura specimen ?? has a greenish tinge on the back. 121.—Geocichla citrina, Zath. Turdus lividus, Tickell. (355.) | T have no specimen of the Orange-headed Thrush from Chota Nagpur, and have no distinct recollection of baying seen it 408 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. there, but by Captain Beavan it was obtained on two occasions in Manbhum, and also apparently by Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum. In the Rajmehal hills and the neighbourhood of Calcutta it is not uncommon. 122.—Geocichla unicolor, Tickell. (856.) The Dusky Ground-Thrush is not common in Chota Nagpur. Tt was obtained by Colonel Tickell in Singhbhum and by myself in Sirguja, so is very probably spread, though sparingly, throughout the jungly parts of the Division. The following are measurements of specimens in my collection :— Sirguja 6 Wing 4:7; Tail 3:4; Tarsus 11; Bill at front -65 Rajmehal hills,sex P , 52 4, 35 jp BY oe Eee The Sirguja specimen has the non-ferruginous plumage of the female, but the throat and neck are unstreaked. The Rajmehal specimen, apparently a female, is distinguished from the preceding by being a larger bird, and by having the throat and neck well streaked with brown. A specimen from Kotegurh corresponds in measurements with this last, except that the tarsus is somewhat shorter. The length in the Raj- mehal specimen appears to be quite exceptional. 123.—Oreocincla dauma, Lath. (8'71.) The Small-billed Mountain-Thrush was once obtained in Man- bhum by Captain Beavan. In Sirguja and other parts of Western Chota Nagpur I met with it occasionally and shot three specimens. I also found it in the Rajmehal hills as late as April. It seems possible that it remains in these hills all the year. I invariably found it on the banks of well-wooded streams. Its flight is low and irregular ; but for its short wings it might - often be taken to be a species of Caprimulgqus. The followimg are measurements in inches of specimens in. mv collection :— . Sirguja g¢ Wing 5°5; Tail 4°; Tarsus 1°25; Bill from gape 1° by) g 99 5°75 9? 4 33 1°25 99 39 29 1:2 124.—Pyctorhis sinensis, Gm. (385.) The Yellow-eyed Babbler is generally distributed throughout Chota Nagpur. It is particularly common in Palamow. 125.—Mixornis rubicapilla, Zickell. Motacilla apud Tickell. (895.) The Yellow-breasted Wren-babbler was first found by Colonel Tickell in the jungles of Borabhum and Dhalbhum. It was AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 409 afterwards obtained by Captain Beavan on the banks of the Cossye. The following are measurements of Captain Beavan’s speci- mens which are now in the Indian Museum :— $ Length 5°; Wing 2:3; Tail 2°; Tarsus -75 ; Bill at front ‘5 > by) 93 2°35 2? 2). 39 e 126.—Dumetia hyperythra, Frankl.? (897.) The Rufous-bellied Baboler has been obtained in the Midnapur jungles, and doubtless extends into the districts to the west. Captain Beavan refers a bird obtained at Kesurgurh in Man- bhum to this species. It was apparently. not obtained by Colonel Tickell. I also did not meet with it. Recently 1 found it common in the Satpura hills. 127.—Pellorneum ruficeps, Sains. Motacilla dumeticola, Tickell. (899.) Colonel Tickell says that the Spotted Wren Babbler frequents the thickest foliage at the top of high trees, and is rarely seen. Captain Beavan, that it frequents low and tangled brushwood where it makes a tremendous chattering like the Babblers. I have obtained it in the Rajmehal hills, but seem to have missed it in Chota Nagpur. My observations on its habits. correspond with those of Captain Beavan. Length 6625; wing 2°75; tarsus 1:125 (Beavan.) Pomatorhinus Horsfieldii, Sykes: (404.) The Southern Scimitar Babbler should be looked for as it not improbably occurs. Two specimens are mentioned in Blyth’s catalogue from Katak (Cuttack), and it has been obtained in Central India. 128.—Malacocircus terricolor, Hodg. (482.) _ The Bengal Babbler is common in most parts of Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan says it breeds in Manbhum, “making a neat nest of sticks somewhat like that of Turdus merula, and laying four or five dark greenish-blue eggs. I have not obtained any of the other species of Malacocircus in Chota Nagpur. The following are measurements in inches :— Hazaribagh Wing 4: ; Tail 4:1; Tarsus 1°35 ; Bill from gape 1:05) Sirguja » 42 , 44 Oe ES ine - gee! 129.--Chatarrheea caudata, Dumeril. (488.) I have found the Striated Bush Babbler to be rather common in Western Hazaribagh and Palamow, but have not met with it in other parts. . Captain Beavan did not obtain it in Manbhum, K 410 7 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. BRACHYPODIDA. 130.—Ixos luteolus, Less. J. virescens, Temm. apud Tickell. (425.) : The White-browed: Bush Bulbul was obtained just on our limits by Colonel ‘Tickell. It does not appear to have been met with since. He says of it :—‘ Killed in woody and barren country at Bamireah near Midnapur, appeared shy, silent and solitary, and partakes of the nature of the Flyeatchers and Thrushes. It flew and settled about the lower parts of bushes and thickets. Stomach contained berries and seeds.” 181._Pycnonotus (Rubigula) flaviventris, Tickell. Vanga apud Tickell. (456.) The Black-crested Yellow Bulbul is another bird obtained by Tickell, but by no one since in Chota Nagpur. He says :—‘‘ Fre- quented the beautiful hanging woods of Dampara in Vholbhum, where alone I met with them.” I have shot it at Punkabari and in Rangoon, but have never seen it in Chota Nagpur. 132.—Otocompsa emeria, Shaw. (460.) I have occasionally found the Red-whiskered Bulbul in the eastern parts of Manbhum, but it is decidedly rare even there, and I do not remember having seen it in any other parts of the Division. 183.—Pycnonotus chrysorrhoides, Lafr. P. hemorrhous Gm. apud Jerdon. (462.) _ The Common Madras Bulbul is the species generally met with. I have, however, two specimens from Singhbhum which come very near to pygyme@us; seemingly they are intermediate. Some of my Calcutta birds and one from Rangoon are thus too, not distinctly referable to either species. Rajmehal specimens appear to be pygmaeus, while those from the Satpuras are chrysorrhoides.. 184.—Phyllornis Jerdoni, Blyth. (468.) The Common Green Bulbul occurs abundantly throughout the Division. I have observed that it is especially fond of the flowers of the parasitic Loranthus which grows on AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 411 many trees. So far as I could ascertain it both sips the nectar from the flowers and catches the insects attracted by the same. . Measurements in inches :-— . Parakar $ Wing 3:5 ; Tail 2°8 ; Tarsus °65 ; Bill from gape ‘9 Singhbhum Sapa seksi dash SSO en ue Pee ili t 5 7 Hazaribagh Ore ard cae 2S liek BS soo eo ee Rajmehal hills 9 , 34 , 29 4 ‘7 ise 9 OF Se 135.—Phyllornis aurifrons, Temm. (465.) | The Gold-fronted Green Bulbul is less common than the previous species, but I have obtained it in all parts of the Divi- sion. Captain Beavan points out that the female has the golden forehead as well as the male, Dr. Jerdon having stated it to be absent. In my specimens there is little more than a trace of the golden, but still it seems to be always present. In the female also, the blue occurs only asa moustachial stripe on either side of the throat. The central part of the chin and throat is black, which passes off mto the green without any trace of the yellow which margins the black ring surrounding the blue throat of the male. Sirguja 3 Wing 3°85; Tail 2°7; Tarsus ‘65; Billfrom gape 1 Warsmepuc: 2 iy) SOs 4 2Or eh say ls es ‘95 186.—®githina tiphia, Lin. (468.) This bird is not uncommon in Chota Nagpur. I have often noted its tit-like habits which have already attracted the notice of several observers. ; I have in my collection specimens from Singhbhum, Sirguja, Rajmehal hills, Hazaribagh, Calcutta, Satpura hills and Cutch. Among these there are four marked males, of which only one shows any sign of black on the back and that only in a few detached patches, but I have formerly, in Chota Nagpur, seen and shot specimens having the zeylonica type of plumage. That zeylonica does not exist as a distinct species has, I believe, been conclusively established by Mr. Hume. With that view my specimens and observations completely concur. 137.—Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. (4'70.) The Indian Oriole oceurs in Sirguja, and probably sparingly throughout the Division. Captain Beavan obtained it in Man- bhum. Besides in Sirguja I have obtained it in the Rajmehal hills, so that probably it extends throughout the hilly country of Western Bengal. I recently shot a specimen in the Satpura hills, Central Provinces. as 4i2 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA ‘NAGPUR. - Measurement in inches :— Sirguja... Wing 55; Tail 3°5; Tarsus ‘9; Bill from gape 1°5. Satpuras Soo fy Oe 99 3D ry) ‘8 ” ” » 4 Ihave never seen O. indicus in any of the parts of the country which I have visited. . 138.—-Oriolus melanocephalus, Zin. (472.) The Common Golden Oriole is very abundant throughout. Chota Nagpur. -My experience does not accord with Captain Beavan’s, who says:—‘‘ Somehow one seldom or ever seems to come across a female, unless the sexes are of exactly the same color.” Out of a large number I have fully as many females as males. LREGK According to my specimens the Andaman race of this species is somewhat smaller; but Mr. Hume’s approxi- mate in size to that of ordinary continental examples. SYLVIADA. 139.—Copsychus saularis, Zin. (475.) The Magpie Robin occurs throughout Chota Nagpur. Though often seen during the day it seems to become most lively just before sunset and during our short Indian twilight. | It and perhaps Buchanga albwictus are the last species to dis- appear before the Cuprimulgida, Owls, &c., begin to fly about. -140,—Cercotrichas macrourus, Gm. (476.) The Shama is extremely rare in Chota Nagpur, f having met with it on only two occasions—once in Lohardugga and once in Gangpur ; but never in Manbhum, where Captain Beavan was told that it breeds in April and May. I may add that it occurs sparingly too in the Rajmehal hills where I have seen it on two occasions. 141._Thamnobia cambaiensis, Lath. Mota- ‘cilla fulicata, Tickell. (480.) The Brown-backed Indian Robin is very common in Chota Nagpur. With regard to its nidification I have the following note :— 25th April.Found the nest of this bird with three egos in a hole in a bank by the side of a much-frequented road. Eggs greenish white with olive brown spots. The nest consisted merely of a few pieces of grass, &c., lining the bottom of the hole. 9 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 413 142.—Pratincola. caprata, Lin. Motacilla sylvatica, Tickell. (481) The White-winged Black Robin cannot be very common in Chota Nagpur, as although I have seen it, I find I have not a single specimen in my collection from the Division. On the other hand I found it extremely abundant in the Satpura hills (Central Provinces). Colonel Tickell’s description of the eggs, not of the nest, resembles that which I have given of the preceding species. The last-mentioned writer, in his paper on Borabhum, &c., says the bird is rare and shy, while Captain Beavan dves not appear to have met with it at all. 143.—Pratincola indica, Blyth. (488.) The Indian Bush Chat is tolerably abundant in the more open parts of the Division. The next species, P. leucura, Blyth, may very possibly occur in Chota Nagpur, but I have not collected it. Cercomela fusca, Blyth. (494.) I think it highly probable that the Brown Rock-clat occurs in Chota Nagpur, as I found it somewhat common on the Kymores at Rotasgurh. Neither of the specimens which I obtained had the wing so long as Dr. Jerdon gives it 3°6. The measurements are :— ; $ Wing 33; Tail 2:7; Tarsus 1 ? OOM pO» secs 144.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieill. (4977.) The Indian Redstart is common in Chota Nagpur; but is not absolutely abundant in any part of the Division. Sirguja ¢ Wing 3-4; Tail ?; Tarsus ‘95; Bill from gape ‘7_ Raji hill Gromer east ts, 2h CGO be aay 145.—Calliope camtschatkensis, Gm. Mot. calliope, Pallas apud Vickell. (512) Of the Common Ruby-throat Colonel Tickell writes :—“ Rare, solitary, silent. Haunts thickets and underwood; found at Dampara in Dholbhum.” I have never seen this bird in Chota Nagpur ; but once met it in the Satpura hills, and have frequently obtained it from the neighbourhood of Calcutta. | 414 AVIFAUNA ‘OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 146.—Cyanecula suecica, Lin. (514.) The Indian Blue-throat is included in Colonel Tickell’s list, though he only speaks of one specimen from Bamirah near Midnapur. I have seen it in gardens on one or two occasions in Manbhum. It must be very rare in all parts of the Division. 147.—Calamodyta dumetorum, Blyth. (516.) The Lesser Reed Warbler has only been obtained by me in Sirguja, I may very possibly, however, have passed it over in other parts of the Division. About Calcutta I have found it to be common. 148.—Orthotomus longicauda, Gm. (580.) The Indian Tailor Bird occurs in the more open parts of the Division, but is not common, so far as my observation has gone, in any part of Chota Nagpur. 149.—Prinia gracilis, Franklin. (586.) Franklin’s Wren Warbler is common in most parts of Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan gives an interesting account of its habits; its measurements are as follows :— Length 4625; wing 1°75; tail 2 inches. 150.—Drymoipus longicauda, Tickell. Sylvia apud Tickell. (544.) The Long-tailed Wren Warbler was first described from speci- mens obtained by Colonel Tickell in Borabhum and Dalbhum. It seems to have escaped both Captain Beavan and myself. — 151.—_Drymoipus neglectus, Jerd. (546.) Tt appears to have been this species which Colonel Tickell. identified as D. sylvaticus (J. A. 8. B., 1848, p. 301). I have no specimens of the bird myself from Chota Nagpur; but I have no doubt that it occurs, and likewise D. wornatus* which I have from the Rajmehal hills. ; 152.—Phyllopseuste rama, Sykes. (558.) Sykes’ Warbler has, according to the Indian Museum Cata-. logue, been received from Manbhum and Singhbhum. Captain Beavan does not mention it, and I have no specimens in my collection. 153.—Phyllopseuste tristis, Blyth. (654.) The Brown Tree Warbler occurs, but is, I think, not common in Chota Nagpur, it has however been obtained in Manbhum, * See Addenda, AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 415 Singhbhum, and Lohardugga. What other species occur is uncertain. Captain Beavan believed that he got fuscatus, lugubris, nitidus and viridanus,* but: was not quite satisfied as to their identification. My own collection is very weak in these small | birds; further specimens and more critical examination of the ~ species is requisite, so I shall only insert one other about which ~~ there can be no doubt. 154.—Phyllopseuste affinis, Tickell. Motacilla apud Yickell. (561.) Tickell’s Tree Warbler was first obtained in Singhbhum. It has since been obtained in other parts of the Division. 155.—Reguloides proregulus, Pallas. (565.) I have obtained the Crowned Tree Warblerin Palamow. I also found it in the Satpuras. 156.—Abrornis (Culicipeta) cantator, TZickell Motacilia apud Tickell. (570.) ~The Lesser Biicbrowed Warbler is another of Colonel Tickell’s species which has escaped subsequent collectors in the districts where it was first obtained. 157._Sylvia Jerdoni, Blyth. (581.) The Large Black-capped Warbler was once obtained by Captaia Beavan at Kashurgurh in Manbhum. I did not meet with it in any part of Chota Nagpur, but observed it not unfrequently in the Narbadda valley at the foot of the Satpura hills. 158.—Motacilla madraspatana, Briss. (589.) The Pied Wagtail occurs, I should say, in all the larger and many of the smaller rivers of Chota Nagpur. I find in 1869 I noted it as rather rare in Singhbhum, and Captain Beavan says he only met with itin the Cossye river, where how- ever it was tolerably common. But on the whole I consider it to be one of the birds most commonly met with in the rivers of Chota Nagpur. 159.—Motacilla luzoniensis, Scop. (590.) The White-faced Wagtail is common in Chota Nagpur. Ihave specimens from Singhbhum, Manbhum, and Hazaribagh. * See Addenda, 416 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 160.—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. (591.) I have one specimen of what I take to be the Black-faced Wagtail from Chota Nagpur, and another from the Rajmehal hills. In the Satpuras the species met with were M. luzont- ensis and M. personata.* 161.—Calobates melanops, Bechs. (592.) The Grey and Yellow Wagtail is not uncommon in sireams passing through jungle. 162.—Budytes flava, Lin. (598 dis.) This appears to be the common species of Indian Field Wagtail which occurs in Chota Nagpur. It is found on crassy ° ° . . hop) plains during the cold weather, B. evtreola occurs also I believe, but I have no specimen by me at present. 168,—Anthus arboreus (agilis), Bechs. (596.) Whether this or the next species of Tree Pipit is the more common in Chota Nagpur I cannot say, as it was some time before I was able to distinguish the species. I am indebted to Mr. Brooks for showing me how to do so. -Six birds recently obtained in the Satpuras belong to this species. All my sexed specimens are unfortunately females. The measurements of two are :— Chota Nagpur 9 Wing 3°4; Tail 26; Tarsus 8; Bill from gape ‘65 Satpura hills @ ,, 385 , 2° 8 Soap ne a et 164.—Anthus maculatus, Blyth. (59’7.) Two specimens from Chota Nagpur. Measure in inches :— Singhbhum Wing 3:4; Tail 2-4; Tarsus ‘895 ; Billfrom gape, °7 Barakar 50 34 ” 24 9 °8 ” 9 ” 7 165.—Corydalla Richardi, Vieill. (599.) The Large Marsh Pipit was obtained at Assensole (which is geographically, though not politically, within our limits) by Mr. Brooks (Stray Fearuers, Vol. I., p. 358). It also appears in the Indian Museum Catalogue from Singhbhum. 166.—Corydalla rufula, Yieill. (600.) The Indian Titlark is very common in the open parts throughout Chota Nagpur. Ihave it also from Calcutta and the Satpuras. The wing in none of these exceeds 3:1. The hind claw averages about °5. * See Addenda, AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 417 167.—Corydalla striolata, Blyth. (601.) The Large Tit Lark is perhaps not quite so abundant as the preceding species. But I think I have either obtained or seen it, in all the districts of Chota Nagpur. I have it also from the Rajmehal hills and the Satpuras. Satpura and Barakar specimens are distinguished from the others in having very faint, or no spotting on the breast. This is not sexual, as both sexes are represented in each a me forms of plumage. Breast spotted. Singhbhum g Wing 3'5; Tail 2°5; Tarsus 1:1; Bill from gape’8; Hind claw -425 » 3 5 » 26 45 Ll y » 4 15 » 9 "425 Non ‘on faintly spotted. i Satpuras * 3°45 ,, 2:7 aA Oasis Seis Oes push sh | USL : © ; 35 ,, 28 ot) 1 999 29 “75 9 y) "275 AMPELIDA. 168.—Zosterops palpebrosus, Temm. (681.) The White-eyed Tit occurs somewhat sparingly throughout Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan appears to have only once met. with it in Manbhum. I was recently amused in the Satpura hills to observe the pluck with which some of these attacked the vastly more powerful Carpodacus erythrinus, Pallas, who were attempting to eat the flowers of the mhowa (Bassia latifolia), thus disturbing a favorite hunting ground of the vigoruus little Tit. 169.—Parus cinereus Vieill. (645.) The Indian Grey Tit occurs sparingly throughout Chota Nagpur. Colonel Tickell records it from Chaibassa. I recently found it very abundant in the jungles of the Satpura hills {Central Provinces). Measurements in inches:— oe i. “Wing 2°5; Tail 2:1; Tarsus a Bill from ae 5) 33 2° 4, 39 is 9 99 99 99 1'70. ~Machlolophus Jerdoni,, a (648). The Southern Yellow Tit occurs also sparingly throughout Chota Nagpur. I have specimens from Singhbhum and Sirguja. In the Satpura hills it was common in January and February. M. xanthogenys does not occur in these jungles. Dr. Jerdon has not’ mentioned that the outer web of the outer pair of tail feathers is white. Measurements in inches of specimens from the Satpuras :— Wing 2°8; Tail 2:2; Tarsus ‘7; Bill from gape ‘5 : 39 2 6 39 1: 9” 39 7 9 9 39 £3) * A specimen from Barakar closely resembles this individual, except that it is somewhat less fulvous underneath, and is slightly larger. L 418 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. CORVIDA. 171.—Corvus Levaillantii, Less. (660.) The Indian Corby or Raven of some Europeans is spread throughout Chota Nagpur, but its distribution is somewhat capricious, and its presence or absence, in particular tracts, is’ not always easy to account for. The sportsman often finds this bird to be a most useful guide to the whereabouts of both living and dead game, more particularly the latter; but a tiger or bear cannot walk about in the day light without being made the subject of some loudly expressed remarks on the part of the Crows of the neighbourhood. 172.—Corvus impudicus, Hodgs. C. Splendens, Vieill apud Jerdon. (668.) The Common Indian Crow is very common throughout. Tt is much more abundant, I think on the whole, than the preceding species. Although both species, especially in the neighbourhood of towns, are sometimes found together, I think, as a general rule, they occupy distinct tracts of country. My jungle specimens are somewhat larger than the average Calcutta birds. 173.—Vagabunda rufa, Scop. (674.) The Common Indian Magpie is found throughout the Divi- sion. Captain Beavan says it is rarein Manbhum; such how- ever has not been my experience, but it is nowhere very abundant. I have often been amused with watching the pertinacity of the attacks made by this bird upon the large Wood Owls. On one occasion while sitting concealed, awaiting the expected arrival of some bears, I had a good opportunity for observing closely the proceedings. ‘The Owl kept up a sort of half chat- tering half hissing noise. Two Magpies, seated close by, accompanied him by bobbing up and down and uttering a curious convulsive sort of ery. When the Owl could bear it no longer he flew off to another tree, but was hotly pursued by the _ Pies who again resumed their no-doubt irritating antics. STURNIDA. 174.—Sturnopastor contra, Lin. (633.) The Pied Starling is tolerably common in all parts of the Division, save of course where there is very heavy jungle. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 4t9 175.—Acridotheres tristis, Lin. (684.) . The Common Myna occurs throughout Chota Nagpur in great abundance. 176.—Acridotheres ginginianus, Lath. (685.) The Bank Myna is rare in Chota Nagpur. I may, however, very possibly have not always discriminated it. The only district in which I have actually obtained it is Singhbhum. 1'7?7¢.—Acridotheres fuscus, Wagler. (686.) The Cattle Myna, so far as my recollection goes, does not occur, or if it does only sparingly in the eastern parts of the Division. In Sirguja it appeared to be common. 178.—Temenuchus pagodarum, Gm. (687.) All my collections from Chota Nagpur contained one or more specimens of the Black-headed Myna. From my observation I should say it is universally, though somewhat sparingly, spread throughout the Division. It appeared to be most abundant in Sirguja. It by no means confines itself to the open country, being often found in heavy jungle. Measurements in inches :— Sirguja Wing 42; tail 2°8; tarsus 1-1; bill from gape 1° 179.—Temenuchus malabaricus, Gm. (688.) The Grey-headed Myna is very much less common than the preceding species in Chota Nagpur. I have obtained it only in Manbhum and Singhbhum. I observe that the under plumage in these jungle birds is of a deeper color than in Calcutta specimens. Measurements in inches :— _ Wing 3°95; tail 2-7; tarsus ‘9; bill from gape ‘1. 180.—Pastor roseus, Lin. (690.) The Rose-colored Starling may be looked for with certainty in February wherever there are cotton trees, Bombax malabari- cum. Captain Beavan noticed large flocks of these birds roosting on the islands in the lake at Purulia as late as April. He doubted the possibility of their having time to reach Central. Asia for purposes of nidification. A Sirguja specimen measures in inches :— Wing 5°35 ; tail2°9; tarsus 1-2; bill from gape 1-2. 420 AVIFAUNA’ OF CHOTA NAGPUR. - 181.—Eulabes religiosa, Lin. ? (692.) Captain Beavan writes in reference to the Southern Hill Myna :—“ Caged specimens of this bird are’ frequently seen in Manbhum, which are said to be captured in the hilly country to the south of the district. Colonel Tickell does not, however, include it in his list of birds of Borabhum and Dalbhum.” — Although I have been through a part of the hills in question, and also through a wide extent of hills stretching still further to the south and west, I have never met with this bird, and am therefore inclined to believe that its range must be pushed back still further towards Raipur where it is known to oecur. I however include the bird here with a query, as native testimony is certainly in favor of its occurring in the jungles of Sarunda and Gangpur. FRINGILLIDZ. 182.—Ploceus baya, Blyth. (694.) The Common Weaver Bird oceurs throughout Chota Nagpur ; not unfrequently large flocks are met with in grain fields and upon grassy meadows. The well-known pendent nests, which otten last for many months after they have been deserted, testify to the wideness of its distribution. JI have not met with either of the other species, though P. manyar may very porte occur. 188. —Lonchura punctulata, Lath. (699.) - The Spotted Munia occurs in all parts of Chota Nagpur, but sparingly. I have it too from the Rajmehal hills. 184.—Trichogramoptila striata, Lin. ('701.) | I only obtained the White-backed Munia in Singhbhum. Captain Beavan obtained it in Manbhum, and gives the follow- ing dimensions :— Length 4°75; Wing 2:1; Tail 1:75; Tarsus -5; Extent 6°5 yx 4°25 pM Weta 3 A) ree 6375, ‘The first, apparently the older bird, is slightly lineated with brown on the belly and flanks. - “The upper mandible is blue-black, the lower light leaden blue ; legs plumbeous. “A nest of this species (like that of J. maibicca described. by Dr. Jerdon) containing pay three eg SS was brought to me on April 3rd.” ‘ AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. - 49h 185.—Munia malabarica, Lin. (708.) The Plain Brown Munia has only so far been obtained in Manbhum. I have, however, observed it in Sirguja and other parts, but I do not think it is common anywhere ir the Division. 186.—Estrilda amandava, Lin. (704.) The Red Wax-Bill was only once seen by Captain Beavan in Manbhum. Ihave observed it in all parts of the Division, most abundantly perhaps in Sirguja, where there is plenty of long grass, such as the species loves. 187.—Pytelia formosa, Lath. (705.) The Green Wax-Bill occurs certainly in Sirguja, if not in other parts of the Division. I have recently found it to be by no means rare in the Satpura hills and the Narbada valley. 188.—Passer indicus, Jard. and Selby. ('7O6.) — The Indian House Sparrow is common throughout the Division. 189.—Gymnoris flavicollis, Franki. ('11.) The Yellow-necked Sparrow occurs in Manbhum, Siaghbhum, and Sirguja, being often found in the thickest jungles. I do not remember to have seen it anywhere so abundant in Chota Nag- pur as it is in the Satpura hills, where I hardly passed a day. without seeing numbers. : 190.—Carpodacus erythrinus, Pallas. (738.). The Common Rose Finch is not abundant in Chota Nagpur. I have, however, obtained it in both Singhbhum and Sirguja. In the former district as late as the end of April. 191.—Mirafra assamica, 2’ Clell. (754.) Captain Beavan says: ‘The Bengal Bush Lark is not uncom- mon in Manbhum.” In my Singhbhum collection I got seven specimens of WM. affnis against one of this species, and I noted: that the former was the common species. . Captain Beavan remarks of this species :—“ It flies, on first rising, somewhat like a Quail, then slowly with a peculiar soar- ing flight, showing the rounded wing before alighting—in this. respect like Pyrrhulauda grisea, as described by Dr. Jerdon. A. specimen in the flesh, obtained March 1865, measured :—Length 6; wing 3°25; tail 2; extent 9°75; tarsus ‘1.” ; 422 - AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR: This species differs from, M/. affinis in having all the tail fea- thers margined with ferruginous, while the other has only the first two. Also in the ‘generally ashy aspect of the upper plumage and the more uniformly ferruginous hue of the lower. The bill too is somewhat longer, and the hind claw measures °55,” while in affinis it is only °3.” 192.—Mirafra, affinis, Jerd. ('755.) ~ The Madras Bush Lark I found to be tolerably abundant in Singhbhum. This is an ‘early bird ;’ for often in April, before dawn, I have heard him “begin his flight and singing startle the dull night.” During the vertical flights which this bird takes before perching « on a tree or the ground, the ferruginous hue of the under plumage is made very apparent. Measurements in inches :— Singhbhum ¢ Wing 3:2; tail 1°9; tarsus °95; bill from gape 7, : 198.—Mirafra eryile ric Jerd. ('756.) The Red-winged Bush Lark occurs in Manbhum according to Captain Beavan. I did not obtain a specimen there, but I found it in Palamow. — - Measurements in inches :-— Palamow ¢ Wing 3; ‘Tail 2; Tarsus ‘8; Bill from gape ws Hind claw :2 9% M2 99 2°75 39 1-95 29 8 Phd 32 99 2 93 > 3 194. —Mirafra cantillans, Jerd. ('75'7.) According to Dr. Jerdon the Singing Bush Lark was obtained in Singhbhum by Colonel Tickell. There has possibly been some confusion in the identification of all these four species. 195.—Ammomanes pheenicura, Frankl. ('758.) I found the Rufous-tailed Finch Lark to be abundant in Singhbhum and Palamow. Captain Beavan does not appear to’ have obtained it in Manbhum, neither did I; but it is probably, nevertheless, not uncommon there, and occurs, I have no doubt, in suitable localities throughout the Division. Measurement in inches :— ; Palamow Wing 4:1; Tail 2°3; eae Bill from gape Be Hind claw 3 Sirguja cy aa » we ” ee) ” ry) FD) 196.—Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop. ('760.) The Black-bellied Finch Lark is very common in all the open: parts of Chota Nagpur, and is most abundant on waste land with AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR: 423 gravelly soil. Its habits are so well known as not to require notice here. eg - brachydactyla, Temm. (761. _ The Short-toed Lark is, according to Captain Beavan, “common in Manbhum in the cold weather. Specimens killed at Kashur- gurh have a large blackish patch on each side of the breast above.” I met with it in vast flocks in March and April on the grassy plains of Sirguja. Measurements in inches :— Sirguja, sex ? Wing 3°8 ; Tail 2-3 ; Tarsus °75; Bill from gape ‘65 99 99 3°75 99 2° 99 “15 99 9 99 65 Alauda gulgula very possibly occurs, but neither Captain Beavan nor myself obtained it.* TRERONIDA. 198.—Crocopus pheenicopterus, Lath. (7°72) and C. chlorigaster, Blyth. ('778.) Most of my specimens of Green Pigeons belong to the latter species—if it be really a species distinct from phenicop- terus, Which I am almost tempted to doubt; as others, as well as myself, have been puzzled to separate them and have endea- vored to account for the transitional forms by supposing that they are hybrids. Some few of my specimens are nearer the type of pheni- copterus than of chlorigaster. I have, for example, one from Sirguja which no one could hesitate to consider to belong to the same species as a Sikhim bird also in my possession. Dr. Jerdon gives phenicopterus as the species found by Colonel Tickell in Chota Nagpur, and Captain Beavan accepted this identification in reference to his Manbhum_ specimens, though at the same time he points out his inability to distin-: guish them by the published descriptions. 199.—Osmotreron bicincta, Jerd. ('7'74.) The Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Captain Beavan found “in some abundance near Ambeekanuggur (Manbhum) in December 1864.” Two of his specimens are now in the Indian Museum. : I cannot account for my never having seen the bird. Indeed, until I saw Captain Beavan’s paper, I had no idea that it occurred in any part of Chota Nagpur. * See Addenda, 4294 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA. NAGPUR: COLUMBIDA. 200.—Carpophaga eenea, Lin. C. sylvatica, elickell 17S) The Imperial Pigeon occurs very locally in Chota Nagpur. I have met with a few pairs in the valleys intervening between the hills which separate Manbhum and Singhbhum, and in their continuation in the elephant forest in the north-west corner of Midnapore. I have also heard its deep sonorous coo in the forest on Parisnath hill. It may be thus represented wuh—wooh. ‘There is something almost weird about this sound when heard resounding through the valleys. Colonel Tickell first described it as sylvatica, a distinct spe- cies, from specimens obtained in Singhbhum. ‘Captain Beavan obtained it in Manbhum. Besides the localities I have men- tioned I have shot it in the Rajmehal hills and the Andaman islands. I know of two or three groves in the Rajmehal hills where it might be regarded as a certain find. In Sirguja and the highlands of Western Chota Nagpur T have not met with it. This supports Dr. Jerdon’s opinion that it does not occur at as high an elevation as 2,000 feet. Some of the specimens which I shot in the Rajmehal hills (19th December) had been feeding on the berries of the Bella (Semecarpus anacardium). I was much struck with the enor- mous extensibility of the lower mandible in this bird. This is of course to enable it to swallow the large fruits upon which it subsists. The description quoted by Dr. Jerdon from the Bengal Sporting Review of its conduct when captured, I found to be very accurate. It erects its feathers, which gives it the appearance of being double its natural size, and strikes out violently with its wings. 201.—Alsocomus puniceus, Zickell. ('782.) The Purple Wood Pigeon was first observed by Colonel Tickell in small parties of -four or five along the banks of rivers shaded by large forest trees in Singhbhum. It was obtained in Manbhum by Beavan in 1864, on the banks: of the Cossye near Ambeekanuggur. While walking up the beds of the Mahan river and its tributaries in Sirguja I have on two or three occasions startled this bird in just such localities as Colonel Tickell describes; but found it very shy, and never. succeeded in obtaining a specimen. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR... 425. 202.—Columba intermedia, Strick. (788.} The Blue Rock-pigeon is very common in deep, rocky gorges which are cut by the rivers in Sirguja and Udipur. It occurs’ also in suitable localities throughout the Division. I have occasionally seen white individuals in the flocks, as E remember also to have seen amongst flocks of C. Hivia which live in the rocks and-caves oun the coast of Waterford im Ireland. Some of the races in Chota Nagpur, more particularly the Hos or Lurka Kols of Singhbhum, keep large flocks of Blue Pigeons which feed in the fields, returning to the villages to roost. These birds—I have not compared them very closely —do not appear to differ in any respect from the wild ones. In these flocks too white individuals may occasionally be seen. These cases show the existence of that tendency to change which is so much developed in the domestic Pigeon. 203.—Turtur rupicolus, Pall. (798.) The Rufous Turtle Dove is not common in all parts of Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan obtained it in Manbhum. I found it most common in Sirguja. I first observed in the Rajmehal hills and afterwards confirmed the observation elsewhere, that unlike the other doves it does not generally travel in pairs. 204.—Turtur cambayensis, Gm. (704.) | The Little Brown Dove occurs throughout Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan speaks of it as “common in Manbhum.” I find that I have made no particular record of its occurrence. 205.—Turtur suratensis, Gm. (795.) The Spotted Dove is found throughout Chota Nagpur, but is perhaps not so common as the preceding, certainly not as the following species. 206.—Turtur risorius, Lin. (796.) The Common Ring Dove occurs throughout the Division. 207.—Turtur humilis, Zemm. (‘7977.) The Red Turtle Dove is found throughout. I thik I observed it to be more abundant in Sirguja than elsewhere. | GOURID®. 208.—Chalcophaps indicus, Zin. (798.) The Bronze-winged Dove is of extreme rarity in Chota Nagpur. I have only seen it once in a forest in the Tributary M 426 AVIFAUNA OF: CHOTA NAGPUR.. State of Gangpur. I only once saw it too in the Rajmehal hills. It appears to have been obtained by Colonel 'Tickell in Singhbhum. PTEROCLID&. | 209.—Pterocles fasciatus, Scop. (800.) The Painted Sand-grouse I have only seen and obtained in the western parts of the Division, Sirguja and Palamow. It may occasionally be found further East, but I have not heard of it as yet out of the districts mentioned. 210.—Pteroclurus exustus Temm. (802.) The Common Sand-grouse occurs, so far as I know, only in the portions of the Division mentioned in reference to the pre- ceding species. PHASIANIDA,. 211.—Pavo cristatus, Lin. (808.) The Peacock is abundant in all the hilly parts of Chota Nagpur. In the Orissa Tributary State of Mohurbanj, which lies to the south of Chota Nagpur, the Peacock is revered and preserved, and it may there be seen in great abundance, scarcely leaving the high roads as one passes along. 212.—Gallus ferrugineus, Gm. (812.) The Red Jungle-fowl is abundant in parts of Chota Nagpur, but is not generally distributed. Considerable areas, abounding with apparently favorable localities, are often without any jungle- fowl. According to my cbservation it is most numerous in the | neighbourhood of Hazaribagh,in certain parts of Manbhum, and in Gangpur. I have frequently heard them answering the crow- ing of the village “cocks in the early morning. Some of the fighting cocks kept by the Kols have much the appearance ot being derived from a wild stock. Jungle-fowl and Pea-fowl, like many other animals, including man, are very fond of the mhowa flowers (Bassia latifolia). Colonel Tickell obtained a hen in Singhbhum which had well-developed spurs. 213.—Hepburnia spadiceus, Gm. ? (814.) I include this bird, though I have not myself shot it, neither have I any authentic evidence of its having heen obtained ; but I believe I have seen it, although in the brief view one obtains it 1s not easy to distinguish it from the next species. It appeared to be not uncommon in the Satpuras. ; AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 427 214.—Galloperdix lunulatus, Valence. (815.) This I should say is the more common species of Spur-fowl in Chota Nagpur. Beavan says, “tolerably abundant in Manbhum.” A female which I shot on the 24th of March 1871 contained eggs in a forward condition. In its craw were mhowa blossoms and some kind of ‘ ticks.” There were two small conical Spurs on one leg, one on the other. | TETRAONID. 215.—Francolinus vulgaris, Stephens. (818.) So far as I know the ‘Common’ is the only species of Black Partridge found in Chota Nagpur. The Painted Partridge may occur in the west, but all the specimens I examined belonged to this species. I found this bird most abundant in the west where few ‘ Greys’ are to be met with. It also occurs but rarely in Manbhum. Captain Beavan obtained it in that district. 216.—Ortygornis ponticeriana, Gmel. (822.) The Grey Partridge occurs in most parts of Chota Nagpur, but is rare in the extreme west, where for months together I have neither seen nor heard it. It seemed to be very abundant however in Palamow. I have known it to perch on trees 20 feet high, and to call from its lofty position, puzzling me very much at first as to its whereabouts. The Kyah (0. gularis, Temm.) does not,so far as I know, occur in Chota Nagpur, but I found it to be abundant in low jungle bordering jheels to the east and north-east of the Rajmehal hills. The way in which it runs through the jungle reminded me of the J/egapodius of the Nicobars. 217.—Perdicula cambayensis, Lath. (826.) The Jungle Bush Quail is, according to Captain Beavan, “tolerably abundant in Manbhum.” Ihave obtained it in several parts of the Division, and it is possibly the most common spe- cies, but of that I cannot be certain, as these birds in certain phases of their plumage are extremely difficult to discriminate. According to Dr. Jerdon it is this species which is figured as C. argoondah, Sykes, by Mr. Gould (Birds of Asia, XV., pl. 13.) I have shot this species in the Satpura hills also. 218.—Perdicula asiatica, Lath. (827.) The Rock Bush Quail occurs too, I believe, in Chota Nagpur. Ihave one female specimen from Palamow which seems quite 4I8 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. . distinct from the last species, and appears to be identical with this as figured by Mr. Gould. Dr. Jerdon treats argoondah as a synonym of this species. 219.—Perdicula erythrorhyncha, Sykes. (828.) 3 The Painted Bush Quail has a much wider range than was sup- posed by Dr. Jerdon. My friend, Mr. Blanford, writes me that he obtained it in Chanda and the Udipur country of Sironcha. I have shot it in Western Chota Nagpur—Sirguja. I also obtained it, recently, in the Satpura hills. 220.—Coturnix communis, Bonaterre. (829.) The Large Grey Quail is found during the season in most of the cultivated areas and the grassy plains of Chota Nagpur. Its abundance varies much in different years. 221.—Excalfactoria chinensis, Lin. (8381.) _ The Blue-breasted Quail occurs in Chota Nagpur, but is not. very common there. TINAMIDA. 222.—Turnix taigoor, Sykes. (882.) The Black-breasted Bustard Quail occurs in Chota Nagpur generally I believe. Captain Beavan found it not uncommon in Manbhum. He mentions that his specimens never attained the dimensions given by Dr. Jerdon, 7.e. 5°75". 228.—Turnix Dussumieri, Zem. (885.) The Button Quail is tolerably common in Chota Nagpur. Captain Beavan speaks of it as abundant in the vicinity of Parisnath. As an instance of the close way in which this bird lies, I may mention that I saw one killed by a cooly who simply stooped down and knocked it on the head with my geological hammer which he was carrying in his hand. On another occasion an elephant, upon which "I was riding, put one of his feet within a yard of where one of these birds. lay partially con- cealed under a tuft of grass. It did not attempt to move off. OTIDIDA. 224.—Sypheotides aurita, Lath. (889.) In the month of January, when walking through some long grass in Sirguja near Jhilmilli,. I flushed. and afterwards shot AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 429 a female of the Lesser Floikin. This, so far as I could ascertain. from enquiries, is the only case of this bird having been found in any part of Chota Nagpur. The natives did not appear to recognise the bird, so 1 fancy its occurrence must be quite exceptional. Dr. J erdon, speaking of the northern migration of this bird after the cold weather, writes :—“ As great part of the eastern portion of Central India from the Godavery to Midnapur and Chota Nagpur consists more or less of forest and jungle, the major ity are drawn westwards into Malwah, Rajpootana and’ Guzerat.’”” Iwas not, therefore, prepared to meet with it in that part of the countr Wer CURSORIDA. 225.—Cursorius coromandelicus, Gm. (840.) I found the Indian Courier Plover to be common on the open plains of Sirguja, and have also obtained it on the Main Pat, a plateau of about 3,600. feet elevation, which is situated in the same district. I have never seen it in the eastern parts of the Division which seems singular as it is not rare in very similar country in Birbhum, north of Suri, outside our limits. GLAREOLIDA. 226.—Glareola lactea, Zemm. (848.) The Small Swallow Plover was obtained by Captain Beavan, as also by myself in the Damuda river in Manbhum. I also found it rather abundant in the Sone, where that river bounds Chota Nagpur on the north. CHARADRIDA. 227.—Charadrius fulvus, Gm. (845.) The Golden Plover is of rare occurrence in Chota Nagpur. 228.—bgialitis curonicus, Besck. (849.) Iam not quite sure whether this bird should not stand as Philippinus, Lath*. The bird is common in the larger rivers — of Chota Nagpur. In Manbhum Captain Beavan records its breeding in March. Two of my specimens measure respectively :— Singhbhum . Wing 4-4; Tail 2; Tarsus 1:05; Bill at front -5 Rajmebal hills "p ae 2°35 ” ” ‘9 ” 999 id 229.—Lobivanellus indica, Bodd. (855.) The Red-wattled Lapwing is one of the most common birds in Chota Nagpur. * I dane this must stand eta entire Bechst—Ka.,.S.. F. 430 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 230.—Lobipluvia malabarica, Bodd. (856.) As compared with the preceding the Yellow-wattled Lap- wing is of rare occurrence. I think I have met with it however in all parts of the Division which I have visited. The Spur-winged Lapwing, Hoplopterus ventralis, I have never seen in Chota Nagpur. | 231.—Cadicnemus indicus, Salvadori. 4 crepi- tans, Temm apud Jerdon. (859.) Captain Beavan says that S. bilobus is rare, and this bird not uncommon in Manbhum. According to my experience this is by far the rarer bird of the two. Ihave seen it in Manbhum, Singhbhum and Sirguja, but the occasions upon which I have met with it have been few and always in little frequented but licht jungle. GRUID&. 232.—Grus antigone, Lin. (8638.) The Sarus Crane is rare in Manbhum according to Captain Beavan. ‘The parts of the Division in which I have observed it to be most common are the open valleys of Sirguja. One which I shot towards the evening had only a single stalk of rice and a few pieces of green grass in its stomach, a singularly small amount of food for so large a bird. Do they feed principally at night ? 233.—Grus cinerea, Bechst. (865.) Large flocks of the Common Crane may often be seen high up in the air performing their very beautiful evolutions, and the ‘‘clanging of Cranes” is no uncommon sound in parts of the Divisiun. I have most frequently seen them in the vicinity . of the Damuda and Mahan rivers. 1 do not think I have ever seen the Demoiselle Crane, dnthropoides virgo, in Chota Nagpur. SCOLOPACIDA. 234.—Gallinago nemoricola, Hodg. (868.)? I flushed a specimen of what I believed to be the Wood Snipe on one occasion about the beginning of March at the foot of some hills in the southern part of Sirguja. It must be rare in the Division. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 431 235,—Galinago stenura, Temm. (870.) Captain Beavan says of the Pin-tail Snipe :—“ A fine speci- men killed by me at Ambeekanuggur in Manbhum was larger than stated by Dr. Jerdon. Its length was 13"5 from the tip of the bill to the end of the middle toe, the bill was 2°75, and its weight was over four ounces.” I have obtained this bird in the vicinity of Calcutta, but never in Chota Nagpur. 236.—Gallinago scolopacinus, Bonap. (871.) The Common Snipe occurs in suitable localities, but not in great abundance throughout the Division. I have no personal knowledge of the occurrence of the Jack Snipe in Chota Nagpur.* 23'7.—Rhynchea bengalensis, Lin. (878.) The Painted Snipe is found throughout. I doubt if it ever leaves some parts. In April f£ have frequently flushed it from under the shelter of Zamariz bushes in the beds of rivers. 238.—Tringa minuta, Leisler. (884.) The Little Stint is the only species of Tringa which I have collected in Chota Nagpur ; others not improbably occur. 239.—Rhyacophilus glareola, Lin. (891.) _ The Spotted Sandpiper. In all the rivers of Chota Nagpur. 240.—Helodromus ochropus, Lin. (892.) The Green Sandpiper. Same as the preceding. 241.—Actitis hypoleucos, Lin. (898.) The Common Sandpiper. Same. ee 242.—Totanus glottis, Zin. (894.) The Greenshanks is common in Chota Nagpur. Ihave not. collected any other species of Zotanus in the Division. PARRIDA. 248.—Metopodius indicus, Lath. (900.) The Bronze-winged Jacana is not common in Chota Nagpur, except where large jheels and tanks are numerous. * See Addenda. 432 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 244.—Hydophasianus chirurgus, Scop. (901.) The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is occasionally seen in jheels in Chota Nagpur. 245.—Porphyrio poliocephalus, Lath. (902.) The Purple Coot. Same as preceding. 246.—Fulica atra, Lin. (908.) The Bald Coot is rather common in tanks and jheels. RALLIDA. cae 24'7.—Gallinula chloropus, Zin. (905.) The Water Hen occurs where there are jheels and tanks. 242. Gallinula pheenicura, Pennant. (906.) _ The White-breasted Water Hen is met with occasionally. It often has its hiding places in the jungle on the banks of rivers. CICONIDZ. 249.—Leptoptilos dubius, Gm. (915.) Single individuals of the Adjutant are occasionally to be seen in Manbhum, Singhbhum and Sirguja. I have once (in 1867) seen nests in trees in Manbhum belonging either to this or the next species.* The trees were growing in an open plain. The late Mr. Ormsby, who was with me in camp at that time, met with several breeding places. The fact that these’ birds breed in Manbhum has not hitherto been recorded. I have now to regret that I did not at the time know of the interest attach- ing to the subject. On one occasion in Singhbhum I shot an Adjutant, and almost immediately after the head man of the village came to me to make a petition, which was that I would give him the stone which he was convinced would be found in the head of the bird; this stone being he said an antidote for snake poison. I pro- mised him that he should have it if it could be found. I need perhaps scarcely add that the skull only contained brains. 250.—Cranopelargus javanica, Horsf. (916.) I have shot the Hair-crested Stork in Manbhum and seen it in Sirguja. A specimen I sent home is now in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society. * Most probably the latter, —————y AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR, 433 251.—Mycteria australis, Shaw. (917.) Rare in Chota Nagpur. In two successive years and in the same month, March, I observed a single individual of this species in a river in Sirguja. 252.—Melanopelargus nigra, Lin. (918.) The Black Stork occurs in Sirguja where I have seen several pairs. It seems to acknowledge its near relationship with Mf. episcopus, and mixed parties are sometimes to be seen standing by the river side. It is much the more wary of the two, and invariably took to flight long before the other species began to move on account of my approach. I never succeeded in obtaining a specimen. During the season 1871-72, which I subsequently spent in Sirguja, I only saw one individual. 2538.—Ciconia alba, Belon. (919.) The Common White Stork occurs im several parts of the Division. I find, however, I have only recorded it in Manbhum and Sirguja. A specimen which I shot in Manbhum in Febru- ary 1868 is now in the Indian Museum. Dr. Jerdon appears to have been quite unaware of its occurrence in this part of India. 254.—Melanopelargus episcopus, Bodd. (920.) The White-necked Stork or Beefsteak Bird occurs abundantly in most parts of the Division. On one occasion I observed a pair of these birds fly backwards and forwards through a rising swarm of winged Termites, upon which Rollers and King-crows were making great havoc. I fancied that I could see them eatching the Termites while on the wing, but Iam not quite sure,* although I was quite close to them, where I sat concealed awaiting the appear- ance of some bears at the entrance of their cave. Qn another occasion I saw one of these birds busily engaged picking up the Termites as they came to the surface. Any that escaped him fell victims to some one of the birds in the miscellaneous crowd that circled above pouncing upon this favorite food. I recognised in this crowd Milvus govinda, MMicronisus badius, C. impudicus, C. Levaillantii, Buchanga albi- rictus and B. cerulesceus, Acridotheres tristis, Centrococcyx rufi- pennis and Myiagra azurea. I have observed that this bird has the habit, which I have also oy Tt was dusk at the time. I certainly saw the birds repeatedly openand close their ills. N 434 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. remarked; in domesticated specimens of C. alba, of putting its head back and clapping its bill. ARDEID®, 255.—Ardea cinerea, Lin. (928.) The Blue Heron is not common but is found throughout. Is our Indian bird absolutely identical with the European? I have examined both, and my impression is that they differ in size, if in nothing else, the Kuropean bird being the larger. I~ have not, however, had an opportunity of comparing them side by side. I have observed too the fact recorded by Dr. Jerdon that the Indian birds are less gregarious in their habits. 256.—Ardea purpurea, Zin, (924.) The Purple Heron is found throughout. It is a very wary bird, and is always the first to leave a jheel or tank on the approach of danger. 25'7.—Herodias alba, Lin.. (925.) - Not very common, but I have no notes regarding it, and do not remember ever having shot it. Like other “‘ Paddy birds” it enjoys a certain immunity in this respect. -258.—Herodias intermedia, V. Hasselq. (926.) Common enough, as is also the next, I believe, in the well- watered parts in the east of the Division. Rare in the west. 259.—Herodias garzetta, Lin, (927.) See remarks on last species. 260—Bubulous coromandus, Bodd. (929.) The Cattle Egret occurs in all parts of the Division. One which I shot early in the day on the 24th March 1867 con- tained in its stomach 60 whole grasshoppers and other orthopte- rous insects, besides which there was an equal bulk of semi- digested heads and legs, so that this bird had breakfasted on about 120 grasshoppers. 261.—Ardeola leucoptera, Bodd. (980.) Common in all parts of the Division. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 435 262.—Butorides javanica, Horsf. (9381.) The Little Green Heron is to be found in almost every river in Chota Nagpur. : 263.—Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. (988.) On one occasion, (8th April 1871) when walking up the grass-grown bed of a stream in the Gurjat State of Udipur, T flushed the Chestnut Bittern. I am not aware of any of the other species of Amdetta or even the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) having been obtained in Chota Nagpur. 264.—Nycticorax griseus, Zin. (987.) The Night Heron is tolerably common in all parts of the Division. “Large numbers of them roost on the islands in the lakes in the civil stations of Ranchi and Purulia. Except on these islands I have never seen it roost im any other trees but tamarinds. Dr. Jerdon writes that he has never seen this bird abroad during the day. The same has been my experience with the exception of one occasion—a very hot day in April—when, in the district of Singhbhum, I saw a large number of them in the bed of ariver standing by the waters’ edge, and perched about on neighbouring bushes. I shot several of them, which were on low bare trees close to my tent. TANTALIDA, 265.—Tantalus leucocephalus, Gm. (988.) This bird, though common in many parts of India, is of rare occurrence in Chota Nagpur. I have very seldom seen it, and never had achance of shooting it. I saw one specimen aie was killed in the Koel river in “Palamow. 266.—Anastomus oscitans, Bodd. (940.) I have found the Shell Ibis to be pretty generally distributed. in parties of from three to twelve throughout Chota Nagpur. Though preferring jheels and marshy eround it is not unfre- quently to be seen in the beds of the Tt ger rivers, sometimes even where they traverse hilly jungle country. I am somewhat surprised to observe that Captain Beavan reports having seen this bird on only one occasion, and he therefore concludes “that its habitat is probably somewhat restricted.” DAG AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. In the Rajmehal hills I shot a specimen, in which the parts usually ashy-grey are pure white. 267.—Threskiornis melanocephalus, Lin. (941.) 3 The White Ibis is found in all parts of the Division, but in no great abundance anywhere. In the adult bird the head and neck are nude and black. In the young the head and neck are more or less clothed with short white feathers, as pointed out by Dr. Jerdon; but there is a phase of plumage which he does not mention. In this the head* and neck are well clothed with black or very dark-ashy feathers. One in this phase, which I shot (7th April 1867), evidently a young bird, had only some of the quills tipped with black, and the bare skin of the wing bones was black, not blood- red as is the case in the adult. This specimen contained twelve frogs in its stomach. 268.—Geronticus papillosus, Temm. (942.) The Black Ibis is common in Chota Nagpur. It generally occurs in flocks of from four to about twenty individuals. T have on more than one occasion seen this bird hotly pursued by Kites on account of food which it had picked up. ) 269.—Falcinellus igneus, Gm. (943.) The Glossy Ibis must be of very rare occurrence in Chota Nagpur, as I only once saw a small flock of them on the wing. In the neighbourhood of the Ganges close to Rajmehal it appeared to be common. . I have not heard of the Flamingo being obtained in Chota Nagpur ; but it may very possibly occasionally oceur there. ANSERIDA. 270.—Anser cinereus, Meyer. (945.) The Grey Goose is a rare visitor to Chota Nagpur. I have only on a few occasions seen stragglers, never a flock. 271.—Eulabeia indicus, Gm. (949.) I have only once seen and shot the Barred-headed Goose in Chota Nagpur, in the Damuda river, December 1872. It has been observed, I believe, in other parts of the Division, but must be of rare occurrence. * There is a specimen of this phase in the Indian Museum, besides one im my collection. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 437 272.—Sarkidiornis melanotus, Pennant. (950.) I have found the Black-backed Goose to be very common in the western parts of the Division, more particularly in the neighbourhood of the Rer river and its tributaries in Sirguja. In the east—Manbhum—it is occasionally to be seen, but appa- rently only as a temporary visitor. As Dr. Jerdon observes it is not particularly wary ; but I have on more than one occasion found flocks difficult to approach owing to the presence: of one or two Braminy Ducks, who most effectually performed the duties of sentinels. 273.—Nettapus coromandelicus, Zin. (951.) The Cotton Teal is found in all parts of Chota Nagpur where there are tanks or jheels. 274.—Dendrocygna arcuata, Horsf, (952.) The Whistling Teal is found in all parts of the Division, not only where there are tanks or jheels, but also in many rivers. Those which frequent the latter as feeding places are generally very poor eating, but even the tank birds vary much in quality. I have occasionally seen flocks of these birds perched on trees. 2'75.—Casarca rutila, Pallas. (954.) The Braminy Duck is common in most of the large rivers of Chota Nagpur, especially so in the sandy reaches of the Damuda, Cossye, Subanrika, Rer, Mahan, &. During the night it visits the neighbouring cultivation and gleans a considerable amount of fallen rice, &&. As noticed above it occasionally associates with flocks of S. melanotus doing duty as sentinel. ANATIDA. 276.—Spatula clypeata, Lin. (957.) The Shoveller is of rare occurrence in the Division. I have, however, met with it there, as also in the vicinity of the Rajmehal hills. 277.— Anas pekilorhyncha, Penn. (959.) The Spotted-billed Duck is, according to Captain Beavan, “rare, in pairs.” According to my experience it is of extreme rarity in all parts of the Division. On one occasion I suddenly came upon a pair of these birds in a sheltered pool in the bed of the Gobri river in Sirguja and 438 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. shot both; but I have never either before or since met with the species. The sexes, though alike in general plumage, differ in some particulars ; the female is smaller and of lighter build than the male. 278.—Rhodonessa caryophyllacea, Lath. (960.) I have never seen the Pink-headed Duck myself in any part of the Division; but I insert iton the authority of others who tell me it occurs in Manbhum. I have shot it, however, near Sahibeunj on the Ganges, where it appears to be not uncommon in the proper season. 2'79.—Chaulelasmus streperus, Lin. (961.) The Gadwall is found wherever there are plenty of tanks and jheels. J quite cencur in Dr. Jerdon’s opinion that it is one of the best Ducks for the table. 280.—Dafila acuta, Zin. (962.) The Pintail Duck is found with the Gadwall ‘and occasionally in the larger rivers. Captain Beavan did not observe it. I have seen some very large flocks in Manbhum. 281.—Querquedula crecca, Lin. (964.) The Common Teal does not occur in any very great abundance, but is, I think, found im all parts of the Division. Small flocks are occasionally met with in the most unexpected places in pools of small streams. 282.—Querquedula circia, Lin. (965.) The Blue-winged Teal is less common than the preceding. One year I observed that it did not make its appearance in Manbhum until after January. 288.—Fuligula rufina, Palias. (967.) The Red-crested Pochard is not rare in Manbhum and some other parts where tanks occur. Dr. Jerdon’s descriptions of this and some of the other ducks (probably taken from old Museum specimens) are not quite accurate as regards the colors. 284.—Aythya ferina, Lin. (968.) _ Mr. Wilcox, Superintendent of Police in Manbhum, has shot the Red-headed Pochard. He showed me a fragment of its skin and plumage. I never met with it myself. AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 439 285.—Aythya nyroca, Gould. (969.) I have never observed the White-eyed Duck in great abun- dance ; but have met with it frequently in the well-watered parts of the Division. 286.—Fuligula cristata, Ray. (9'71.) The Tufted Duck occurs in large flocks, not uncommonly, in the well-watered parts of the Division. _ MERGIDA. 287.—Mergus castor, Lin. (9'72.) Colonel Tickell, as recorded by Dr. Jerdon, obtained the merganser at Chaibassa. Mr. Hume has obtained it from Raipur, which though outside is adjoining our limits. I have seen this bird in flocks of from a dozen to 30 individuals on several occasions in the Subanrika and Damuda rivers, and once in the Rer river in Sirguja. The only specimen I ever obtained, I believe, I sent home. I certainly have not got it in my collection at present, and I regret to say I have no remarks recorded regarding it. The merganser flies with extreme rapidity. In the Subanrika they may be seen in parties swimming against the stream, and all diving together apparently to catch fish. The sudden disappearance of the whole flock at the same moment gives the idea that they work in concert in hunting the fish which are coming down with the stream. I do not know whether this bird has ever been compared with Himalayan specimens. I have a suspicion that it may be distinct. I have a description by me of a specimen obtained by Captain Money in Palamow which does not: quite accord with Dr. Jerdon’s account of J. castor. A specimen shot near Barakar, and Mr. Hume’s from Raipur, are, however, said to belong to that species. See I., 423, and II., 336. PODICIPIDA. 288.—Podiceps philippensis, Gm. (975.) The Little Grebe occurs in all parts of the Division. Scarcely a tank is to be seen without one or two of them. Sometimes they appear to dive to the flash of a gun fired at them. LARIDA. ) 289.—Hydochelidon indica, Stephens. (984.) IT appear to have recorded in my notes the occurrence of this bird in Manbhum, but I cannot now remember the 440 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. circumstances of my having met with it. It is, I should say, of very rare occurrence there. 290.—Pelodes Javanica, Horsf. (987.) The Black-bellied Tern occurs in all the principal rivers of Chota Nagpur. I believe 1 have seen S. seena, Sykes, in some of the larger rivers, but I have no record of it that I can find. I take this opportunity of recording that some specimens of Rhyncops albicollis, Sw., which I shot in the Ganges near Rajmehal, contained in their stomachs fish bones in addition to the oily fluid which was all Dr. Jerdon ever observed. GRACULID&. 291.—Graculus carbo, Lin. (1005.) The Large Cormorant occurs occasionally in Chota Nagpur on the larger jheels and sometimes in the rivers, as in the Goinghatta in Sirguja; but I have not observed it to be abundant anywhere. 292.—Graculus sinensis, Shaw. (1006.) The Lesser Cormorant is not very common, but I have observed it in several parts of the Division. 298.—Microcarbo melanognathos, Horsf. on (LOOZ.) : The Little Cormorant is very common in the rivers through- out the Division. 294.—Plotus melanogaster, Gm. (1008.) The Snake Bird occurs singly or in pairs both in rivers and tanks throughout the Division. ADDENDA.—Since ‘the above was printed I have heard from Mr. Brooks that he has obtained the following birds at Assensole, which have not been included in the foregoing list. The probable occurrence of most of them was, however, duly noted by me :— 295.—Gyps indicus, Scop. 296.—Aquila mogilmk, Gmel. 297.—Halietus leucoryphus, Pall. 298.—Poliornis teesa, Frankl. 299.—Drymoipys imornatus, Sykes. 3800.—Phyllopseuste viri- danus, Blyth. 301.—WMotacilla personata, Gould. 3802.—Alauda gulgula, Frankl, 803.—Gallinago gallinula, Lin. 304.—Sterna seena, Sykes. NOVELTIES. 441 alobeltics. Macropygia assimilis, Sp. Nov. Tue Tenasserim Cuckoo-dove appears tome to be quite dis- tinct from the Javan rujiceps, Temm., with which it has hitherto been identified. The back of the neck and interscapulary region are dark brown, with scarcely any perceptible metallic gloss. The breast is conspicuously mottled with dark brown, the chin and throat are pale rufescent white. The following are the dimensions and a description of a specimen killed in the Tenasserim hills north-east of Moul- mein :— Length, 12; wing, 57; tail, from vent, 6 ; tarsus, 0°83 ; bill, at front, 0°57 ; bill, from gape, 0°8. The entire cap chestnut, paling on the forehead, a little mottled here and there with dark hair brown owing to the basal portions of the feathers showing through; chin and throat rufescent white, palest on a broad line along the middle ; entire lower surface dingy rusty chestnut, conspicuously mottled, more or less in longitudinal rows of spots, with dark- brown on the breast, with a more or less olivaceous tinge on the centre of the abdomen, and becoming brighter and purer chestnut on the tibial plumes and lower tail-coverts; axillaries, a large portion of the inner webs of the quills, and entire wing lining (except the tips of the primary lower greater coverts which are hair brown) bright, pure, chestnut. Sides and back of the neck hair brown, the feathers with a very narrow terminal freckled albescent or buffy fringe; inter- scapulary region deep hair brown ; rump the same, but all the feathers suffused towards their tips with a deep ruddy tinge ; upper tail-coverts like the rump, but most of them with a well marked though narrow rusty chestnut tipping; scapulars like the back, but the outer ones, except the longest, very © narrowly tipped with chestnut; wings hair brown; coverts and primaries very deep brown, in places almost black ; lesser coverts broadly, median coverts moderately, greater coverts narrowly, tipped with a rich ruddy chestnut. First primary very narrowly edged on the outer web with pale rufous ; second to fourth primaries similarly margined at the sinuations ; secondaries narrowly tipped with ferruginous chest- nut, and with a trace of the same along the margins of parts O 442 - NOVELTIES. of the outer webs; the four central tail feathers a warm, rich, hair brown, with a trace of a faint ruddy glow in some lights ; the two exterior pairs bright chestnut, with a broad conspi- cuous transverse, somewhat oblique blackish brown band across both webs, (which band by the way on the lower surface appears a slatey grey) and a little brown towards their bases; rest of the tail feathers intermediate ; the chestnut diminishing, and the ‘black changing to brown and extending over a larger and larger surface as the feathers approach the two central pairs. Megalaima incognita, Sp. Nov. ‘Green ; lores and a very narrow frontal band, a small patch on nape, and two small pectoral patches, dark crimson ; chin, throat, cheeks, ear-coverts, forehead, stripe over eye tinged with turquoise blue; length eight and three quarter inches ; wing three and three quarters. THE above diagnosis will suffice, I believe, to distinguish this pretty new species from all known members of the family. uJ My specimens were obtained by Davison in the interior of ~ __Tenasserim, about 25 miles north of Yea, and again at Karope - Pp 37 between Moulmein and Tavoy. ob Nothing was noted as to either habits or voice to separate them ? ./SY from our other common and closely allied Barbets, WM. asiatica and Franklin. In the same forests we obtained M/. mysticopha- nos, Temm., not hitherto recorded from so far north, conspicuously differing from the present species in its larger size, huge and sharply pointed bill, and far richer and brighter coloring. A male of the present species measured in the flesh :— Length, 8°75; expanse, 12°75; tail, from vent, 2°62 ; wing, 875 ; tarsus, 1:0; bill, at front, 0°93. The sexes are alike. As in I. oorti, Miill., a narrow ring of tiny bright yellow feathers surrounds the eye. The lores and an excessively narrow band from the lores to the culmen are deep crimson. There is a patch of this same color, but rather lighter and brighter in tint on the nape, and two similar but smaller patches one on either side of the breast at the base of the neck. There is a narrow black superciliary stripe continued back- wards over the ear-coverts, and a rather broader black band NOVELTIES, 443 from the gape continued under the ear-coverts and involving a portion of these; the rest of the plumage is grass green, brighter below, much darker above; the whole of the chin, throat and cheeks, the forehead, a narrow stripe over the black supercilium, the feathers immediately under the eye, and the basal portion of the ear-coverts, tinged and more or less intermingled and overlaid with turquoise blue; the lower surface of the tail is a dark blue green; the primaries and secondaries are a blackish brown ; the earlier primaries, with the outer webs above the emarginations only, the rest and the-secondaries with the whole of the outer webs, of the same dark green as the upper surface of the tail; the tertiaries with almost the whole of both webs of this color; the inner webs of the quills margined with pale clayey yellow. Most of the feathers of the back and upper tail-coverts fringed with a paler shade of green. The following five species, the four first of which were obtained by Mr. Davison, were exhibited by me and briefly described in a paper read at the Asiatic Society of Bengal on the lst May. I now give more full and formal descriptions :— Garrulus leucotis, Hume. Pro..A.S.B., May 1st, 1874. Occiput and nape black ; ear-coverts and chin to breast white; no white patch on secondaries, which are barred with blue like the primary coverts. Tue very handsome Jay, to which I have given the above specific appellation, and which in some respects recalls G. atricapillus, Geof. St. Hil., was obtained in the hills of the Salween district of the Tenasserim province near Kyoukuyat, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet, where it appeared to be the local and only representative of our familiar European species. The following are the measurements (recorded in the flesh) and description of a female :— Length, 12°5; expanse, 20°5; tail, 4°82; wing, 6:55; tarsus, 1°55; bill, from gape, 1°45; bill, at front, 1°15 ; weight, 5:25 oz. The legs and feet are whitish horny ; the bill blackish horny, whitish at tip ; the irides wood brown. 444 “NOVELTIES. The lores, forehead, sinciput, a broad circle round the eye ; the ear-coverts, chin and throat pure white, only the feathers of the sinciput with black central streaks at the tips; crown, occiput, nape, and a broad mandibular stripe on either side, 0:8 long and 0°45, or thereabouts, broad, velvet black; upper part of the breast, sides of neck behind the white ear-coverts, and upper back, a deep vinacous brown; middie back paler ; scapulars and lower back (which latter is palest) a pale vinaceous rufescent, the ordinary Jay color in fact; rump, vent, upper and lower tail-coverts white; tail black, with faint blue barring at the base, hidden by the upper tail-coverts ; lower breast abdomen, flanks and tibial plumes pale rufous; axillaries and wing lining, (except lower greater primary coverts which are a grey brown like the under surface of the quills) a sort of dull chestnut ; winglet and primary coverts black, barred with shaded blue in the usual Jay fashion; primaries black, all but the first margined on their outer webs (the later ones only towards their tips) with dull white; coverts along the ulna dark chestnut ; secondaries and their greater coverts black, the former conspicuously barred on the outer webs but not quite to their tips, with dark shading to very pale blue, or almost bluish white ; tertiaries velvet black, the second, as I make out, _ deep maroon chestnut except at the tip; there is only one such feather in each wing. Gecinus nigrigenis,* Hume. Pro. A.S.B., May Ist, 1874. The entire top, back and sides of the head and nape black in the female ; in the male similar but the crown crimson; chin, throat, sides of neck and breast bright turmeric yellow ; abdomen and rest of lower and - upper parts much as in striolatus but rump crimson. THIS is quite the most beautiful of all our Indian Gecine. It seems to be very common about Pahchan, Kollidoo, Darguin, and other parts of the Salween and neighbouring districts o the Tenasserim provinces. * Since this was in type I see that on the 21st April a Wood-pecker was exhibited on behalf of my friend Lieutenant Wardlaw Ramsay at a meeting of the Zoo, obtained about 100 miles north of the locality whence my specimens came, under the name of Gecinus erythropygius. This may perhaps be the same bird. NOVELTIES. 445 The sexes do not differ in size. The following is a resumé of the dimensions of eight specimens (four of each sex) measured in the flesh :-— Length, 12:75 to 13°3; expanse, 19°5 to 20°5; tail, from vent, 5:0 to 5:6; wing, 6:1 to 6°45; tarsus, 1:1 to 1:2; bill, from gape, 1°5 to 1:6; bill, at front, 1°25 to 1:35; weight, 4°75 to 6 ozs. . The legs and feet are a dirty brownish green; bill horny brown ; upper mandible from nostrils to base, ‘and lower mandi- ble from angle of gonys to base, with gape, greenish yellow ;— irides from pale to gamboge yellow. ‘The fully adult male has the lores, a narrow fr ontal band, aa the entire sides of the head (sides of jaw, cheeks, ear-coverts, &c.,) and nape, velvet black; the entire cap deep, rather dull crimson. - In younger birds the crimson is confined to a circular patch about the size of a six-pence on the crown, and between this and the entire cap every intermediate amount of crimson is to be noticed. The chin, throat, upper breast, and sides of the neck are bright gamboge yellow, paler and greener in younger birds ; the interscapulary region, scapulars, upper tail-coverts, wing- coverts, (except the greater primary coverts) outer webs of secondaries, and the greater parts of both webs of the tertiaries a beautiful bright golden green, much as in the same parts of Chrysophlegma flavinucha; lower back and rump intensely bright crimson; tail feathers plain dull black, at times faintly tinged with greenish on the margin towards their base; primaries and their greater coverts black, with large con- gpicuous white bars, or bar-like spots on the inner webs, and in the case of the former corresponding white spots on parts of the outer webs of all except of the first primary ; the white spotting of the outer webs occurs in a transverse band across the primaries; it 1s at the base of the second, lower on the third, and so on until at the eighth or ninth it is quite at the tip; the inner webs of the secondaries are similarly strongly barred with white; the abdomen, wing lining, axillaries and flanks are light grey, each feather with one or more hastate pale brown bands, not very unlike what we see in squamatus and striolatus, and all these parts In some individuals are more or less overlaid with green; the lower breast is similar to the abdomen, but is very strongly tinged and overlaid with a greener shade of the yellow of the upper breast and throat; the lower tail-coverts are brown, with a white fringe, and one or more hastate white bars following 446 - NOVELTIES. the contour of the feather. These feathers also are at times more or less tinged with green. The female is very similar, but there is no crimson upon the head, the whole of which is black; the yellow of the throat and neck is duller and less pure, the whole upper surface is ‘slightly duller, and the lower surface is less tinged with green. One single female exhibits a remarkable peculiarity. In this specimen from the posterior angle of the eye a regular narrow pale yellow stripe runs backwards over the ear-coverts, divid- ing these from the black of the crown and occiput and joining into the yellow of the sides of the neck. _ No other specimen, male or female, shows any trace of this. _ -.Gampsorhynchus torquatus Hume. Pro. A. 8. B., May 1st, 1874. Resembles rufulus, butis rather smaller, and has a slightly smaller bill. The white of the head does not extend backwards beyond the crown, nor ’ that of the throat on to the breast. A deep rufous brown band bounds the white of the head everywhere, being deepest and most con- spicuous across the base of the throat, where it forms a regular and most marked collar. Tur Tenasserim Gampsorhynchus appears to me to be quite distinct from that which we obtain in Sikhim. It is a rather smaller and brighter colored bird, and has a most conspicuous torque, which I have never observed in the many specimens of gufulus that I have procured. Our specimens were obtained on the banks of the Youn- zaleen below the Pine forests in the Salween district. A male measured in the flesh :— Length, 9°5 ; expanse, 11°25 ; tail, from vent, 4-7; wing, 3°75; tarsus, 1:05 ; bill, from gape, 0:95; bill, at front, 0°75; weight, 1:3 0z. The lower mandible, gape, and edges and tip of upper man- dible pure fleshy white ; the rest of the upper mandible pur- plish brown; legs, feet and claws fleshy white with a blue tinge; irides bright yellow. The forehead and anterior half of crown, lores, orbital region, ear-coverts, cheeks, chin and throat pure white; the white is everywhere bordered by a band of deep brownish red, very deep and brown across the base of the throat, where it forms ' NOVELTIES. 447 a conspicuous torque, half broken through in the centre by a little projection of the white of the throat into it; below this torque the sides of the neck and entire lower parts, including wing lining, are pale buff; the centre of the abdomen and vent feathers much paler, almost white ; the red brown of the occiput shades into the rich bright rufous olive of the entire mantle ; the quills are hair brown; the secondaries narrowly tipped with yellowish white, and with the outer webs, and the tertiaries, with the greater part of both webs, strongly tinged or overlaid with the color of the mantle; the outer webs of the pri- maries similarly tinged, but margined with a much paler and more rufescent shade, almost rufescent white in some, on the terminal halves ; the tailis pale brown obsoletely barred and tinged, most strongly so on the basal half, with rufescent olive; each feather tipped for about quarter of an inch with white ; the tail is very much graduated; the feathers respectively fall short of the central pair by 0°3, 0°5, 0:9, 1:2 and 1:7; the fifth and sixth quills are equal and longest, the first four fall short of them respectively by 0:2, 0:4, 0°9 and 1:5. On the lower ‘surface the quills are a rich glossy hair brown, margined on the inner webs with a sort of creamy buff. Proparus dubius, Hume. Pro. A. 8.B., May 1st, 1874. Forehead rufescent ; head and napea rich rufous olive brown ; a white line from the top of the eye over the ear-coverts surmounted by a hlack line extending right round the base of the nape ; chin, throat, breast and middle of abdomen uniform pale rufescent. Tuts last bird I described with some hesitation; it is a Leiotrichine form, allied to Minla and Proparus, but distinet from all known species, I believe, of this group. My reason for doubt is this. In some particulars it closely resembles Mr. Mandelli’s Minla rufogularis, (Stray Feratruers, Vol. 1, p. 416), but it is longer, has a smaller wing, entirely wants the rusty red throat, and the black and white bands continued over the forehead, which bands in our bird do not extend further forward than the middle of the eye. In other respects Mr. Mandelli’s description would apply fairly well. Could it be that my bird is the female, rufogularis the male? Amongst the species comprised in the various subgenera, which may all be included in the genus Leiothrix, there are never very marked 448 NOVELTIES. differences in the plumage of thesexes. Again both Mr. Man- delli and Mr. Brooks placed rufogularis as a Minla (I have not myself seen a specimen); whereas this present bird is a typical Proparus with a still stronger and more Parian bill than vinipectus. On the whole I have no doubt that it is distinct. Our bird I may note is from the outskirts of the Pine forests above the Salween, Mandelli’s was from Sikhim. The dimensions of the present species, as recorded in the flesh, were :— Length, 5°5; tail, from vent, 2°35; wing, 2:05; tarsus, 0-9 ; bill, from gape, 0°6; bill, at front, 0-4; weight, 0-5 oz. Legs, feet, and claws fleshy pink; bill black, tip albescent horny ; irides pale yellowish red. The forehead is a clear pale rufous ; the crown, occiput, and nape a rich rufous olive brown, each feather narrowly, so narrowly as to be barely perceptible, fringed with dark brown so as to imparta slightly scaly appearance: anterior portion of lores pale rufescent, paler and duller than the forehead ; posterior portion of lores, ear-coverts, and an. indistinct ring round the eye brown; eyelid feathers white. Over the eye, beginning half way between the anterior angle and the upper margin a pure white streak runs backwards over the eye-coverts and a little further back. Above this, but only commencing opposite the posterior angle of the eye, a velvet black stripe runs backwards right to the base of the nape, where, although a little broken, it meets the corresponding stripe from the other side. The entire mantle, tertiaries, coverts and outer webs of secondaries and primaries, (the inner webs are dark hair brown,) and tail, a rich rufescent olive brown, most rufes- cent ou the wings and tail; the chin, throat, sides of neck behind ear-coverts, breast, middle of abdomen, and wing lining uniform pale rufescent; tibial plumes darker ; sides, flanks and lower tail-coverts somewhat rufescent olive brown. _ I am much puzzled about the location of this species. The wings are short and bowed, the fifth quill is the longest, the sixth subequal, the bill is essentially Parian, but rather too much com- pressed and raised on the culmen. The tail is long and narrow and much rounded, perhaps cuneate is the proper term. The tarsus very stout, the feet moderate, the hind toe and claw long. It is structurally very similar to vinipectus, but alike in bill, tarsus and feet is more robust. The two clearly go together, but they are not in my opinion congeneric with chrysotis (vel chryseus), Hodgson, and they . NOVELTIES, 449, are both more or less reed and grass-haunters. I would separate them as Scheniparus. aoe Arborophila Mandellii, Hume. Pro. A. S. B., May 1st, 1874. Belongs to the same type as rufogularis, Hodg., and intermedia, Blyth, in that the feathers of the upper back and interscapulary region are - neither barred nor fringed with black; the forehead is a deep maroon chestnut ; the crown and occiput a rich ruddy olive; the chin, throat, ear-coverts and sides of the neck bright ferruginous, the two latter streak- ed with black ; a broad black line sharply defines the ferruginous of the | throat; in the centre of the base of the throat there is a snow white _ patch, immediately above the black border line, Below this latter the breast is @ rich maroon chestnut. = Kieu well-marked and distinct species of Arborophila or (if the subgenus Peloperdie be. deemed worthy of retention) of Arborophila and Peloperdix occur within our limits. There are very likely more, but these are all that I have been able to meet, with. Peis ih Wiehe _ Field naturalists here do not seem to be able to distinguish these species, as I am _ continually receiving specimens misnamed, and a short key to the eight species may be useful. This key is purposely not framed on scientific lines, but simply on plain practical characters, that every sportsman who shoots may at once understand. : 4. atrogularis, Bly., Upper back and (/1. Breast pale | Top of head grey- interscapulary uniform grey. ish olive, more| (Assam, Sylhet, region. - or less black| Tipperah). ny spotted. 2. Dreast © uni- | Middle of throat | A. brunneopectus, | form, tawny, or| palefawn color,| Tick. (Pegu, N, ferruginous olive.| densely black | Tenasserim). | spotted. c I. 3. Breast rufes- | Chin, throat and | 4. chloropus, Tick, Feathers conspi- cent olive, barred| sides of neck] (Pegu, N. Tenas- cuously barred<|_ black, white, spotted | serim). black, bounded ‘below by a ru- fous torque. 4. (a.) Breast pale | Top of. head uni- | ) or fringed with black. ashy, surmount-| form bright co} white band. — (4.) Breast grey, tinged rusty. a ed by a broad | | chestnut. ‘| | 4. torqueola, t . Valence. (Hima+ | layas). Middle of throat | | unspotted rufous |_) 450° _ NOVELTIES. ——— er (|1. Lower anoreh of rufous of throat |.4A.rufogularis, Hodg. sharply defined by a black line,| (Kumaon and nett hee __. breast grey. Eastern Hima- Si TE. 2. Sai _ | layas, Tenasse- Feathers unbarred ! rim). and unfringed, 19, Lower margin of rufous of throat | 4. Mandelliz, Hume, or scarcely per- sharply defined by a black line, | (Bhotan Doars). ‘? series of speclinens now at my command. Mr. J. R. Cripps very kindly sends me specimens of the Kyah (Ortygornis gularis) and the Yellow-billed Finch-Thrush, (Paradoxernis flavirostris), shot on the banks of the Kooshiara river, below Inayetgunj, Sylhet. This Finch-Thrush is com- paratively rare in the Sikhim Terai, and Jerdon talks of it as a tree bird; but as far as my knowledge of the other two species (P. gularis and rujiceps) goes, they are more of reed birds, and Mr. Cripps remarks of the present species: — “ Jerdon g 458 NOTES. seems to say that these Finch-Thrushes are only found in the -hills, but these were in the plains on the banks of the Kooshiara and were going about in pairs, not very numerous, in long grass and reed jungle. They have a mellow warble of three notes. This was in February.” Quite recently Mr. Davison shot P. ruficeps in Northern Tenasserim, where he found it in long reeds, and my impression is that though at times found in tree jungle, grass and reed beds are their normal haunts. _ Amonest oTHER birds recently obtained by Mr. Mandelli, I may note, from the Bhotan Doars, Megalaima cyanotis and Alcedo grandis, and from the interior of Sikhim,Accentor montanellus and Calendrella pispoletta. The latteris not uncom- mon in the North-West Punjab during the cold season. _ Dr. G. Kine writes to me under date the 24th April :—“I was surprised to see a specimen of Pterocles exustus in the Caleutta Botanical Gardens two days ago. It squatted on the ground within three yards of me. I had a good look at it. I never knew that it put in an appearance in this Delta.” _ Miss M. B. Cocxsurn writes from Kotagherry, Nilghiris :— “In No. 6, Srray Feraturrs, page 496, Mr. J W. Vipan mentions having shot a Painted Spur-fowl at Burliah. Some years ago one was shot at the ‘Orange Valley,’ a few miles from this, and brought to me here.” Dr. JERDON’s description of Siphia erythaca is really most unsatisfactory. He says :—“ Above dusky slate color, sides of the throat and neck the same.’ Now whatever color you call the upper surface, you must call the lores, cheeks, and sides of throat something else. .They are in fact perfectly black, a dull, obscure black no doubt, but still black in one light aud blackish dusky in another; in fact the contrast between the sides and the top and back of the head is strong. Then he omits to notice that the upper tail-coverts are black, contrasting again strongly with the slatey rump. Lastly he says that the vent and lower tail-coverts are white, whereas they are whitey brown, as a rule strongly tinged with yellowish ferruginous. His dimen- sions too are rather too small. I recently obtained a peculiarly fine specimen of this species from the outskirts of the Pine forests in the Salween district, British Burmah. Away from NOTES. 459 my museum I referred, to Jerdon, and noticing these marked differences I concluded that my identification had been hasty, and that the Salween bird was distinct. Mr. Mandelli, however, kindly sent me down specimens of the Sikhim bird, and I find that it is identical. ‘3 The following are the dimensions of the Burmese specimen recorded in the flesh, together with a full description :— Length, 5-4; expanse, 8°82: tail, from vent, 2:2; wing, 2°9; tarsus, 0°65; bill, from gape, 0°55; bill, at front, 0°33; weight, 0-4 oz. The bill: was black, the legs and feet dark reddish horny, irides very dark brown. The top and back of the head and neck and entire mantle a very dark bluish slatey ; upper tail-coverts black; primary greater coverts and quills hair brown, the latter narrowly edged on their outer margins. with yellowish olivaceous brown ; tail dull black, all but the central feathers pure white at their bases; lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, a patch on the sides of the neck, and another at each side of the breast, just above the shoulder of the elosed wing, dull black; chin, throat, breast -and upper half of abdomen bright ferruginous; lower abdo- men, vent and lower tail-coverts pale whitey brown, tinged, the latter most conspicuously, with pale yellowish rusty or ferruginous. JEGITHINA TIPHTA, Lin, and zEYLONICA, Gimel. I am sorry that I am as vet unable to distinguish these two supposed species. Lord Walden says, Jbis, 1871, p. 168 :— ‘ Dr. Stoliezka states that birds with the whole upper plumage of zeylonica are never met with in Burmah and the Malayan country. My experience of the species fully confirms this statement, and I may add that I have never seen a full-plu- maged Ceylon male in the garb of a Burmese tiphia......... It is very likely that L. zeylonica and J. tiphia inter-breed at the extreme limits of their respective regions in the same way as Coracias indica and affinis; but this in no way establishes their specific identity.” — In opposition to this I have from Thayetmyo, killed by Mr. Eugene Oates on the 19th May, a typical Lora zeylonica, with the whole nape and back black, absolutely undistin- guishable from Ceylon males in breeding plumage; and a second bird, killed on the 2nd June in the same locality, with the whole head and nape black, and the back yellow fringed 460 NOTES: with black, as is so commonly the case in zeylonica from different parts of India. . Couple with these a breeding male now in my museum, shot, together with the female, from the nest, which contained eggs, on the Teriat Hills, quite in the south of the Peninsula of India, by Mr. J. Darling (Junior), which is in the typical ézphia plumage. . Now, this does not look very much like “ inter-breeding at the extreme limits of their respective regions ;” and as I can show every possible gradation of plumage, and every variation of size in each state of plumage, or nearly so, between these two supposed species; and as moreover we get breeding tiphia males from the extreme south of India, and breeding ‘zeylonica males from Thayetmyo, it remains for Lord Walden and others to point out clearly how we are to distinguish them. I submit that I have proved that they cannot be separated by reference either to habitat, size, or plumage. 7 I should add here that I utterly and absolutely repudiate, as a delusion and a snare, the theory of the inter-breeding of — nearly allied species (7?) at the confines of their respective limits. The true explanation of the cases which this theory is meant to explain is simply this. If in one region A, we find one form a, and in a neighbouring region B, we find a nearly allied form 6, and just where A and B inosculate, we find a third form, which we will call ¢c, intermediate between a and 6; then this form is due, I hold, not to the inter-breeding of a and 6, but to the fact that the physical conditions of existence, which in a determined the form a and in B, the form 6 are at the confines of these regions intermediate in character, and have, therefore, given rise to form ¢ intermediate between a and 6. . This is a first principle in regard to which no man should lose an opportunity of making his confession of faith. Any one else may believe what they like. They may be right and I may be wrong; I claim no infallibility. I have no quarrel with those who differ from me; but this is what I believe, and what I personally am convinced is the only philosophical view of the question. “ orm d& py a0 éorly Ev youn gira KELVOC TM KEiVOU OTEPYETW, KdyW TACE.” A. O. H. LETTERS TO-THE EDITOR. 461 Petters to the Editor. SIR | "You will expect me to tell youa great deal about the birds which I noticed on the road from Murri to Ladak, but lam afraid I can give you but little satisfaction. Novelties are rarely found along the road, when such a large camp as ours moves from stage to stage, sometimes extending over four or five miles of the march. On our way from Murri to Srinagur in July I saw very little.. The lower road along the J helum is dreadfully hot, and you meet nothing but “the most common birds of the plains. At Uramboo, which is nearly 2,000 feet, we saw the first apple trees, and the Jackdaw made here its first appearance. On the Woolar lake, in Cashmir, I found Podiceps minor and. MHydrochelidon indica breeding a second time on the 26th July, and both had young besides. I also got the glistening eggs of Hydrophasianus sinensis ;. Gallinula chloropus ‘and Porzana 1 fusca also breed on the lake ; the latter has a white ego, and the feet are coral red, not pale green, as Jerdon says. I hardly think I mistake the bird, for it : agrees with Jerdon’s description in every other respect. Pandion halietus and Aquila chrysetos were both fishing along the lake, in company with the Kites, of which I secured several specimens. I wonder whether they will all turn out to be melanotis or major; they do not appear to be parti- cularly large, but none have yellow feet. In the Sind valley, through which we passed during the first half of August, I got all of Brooks’ new Cashmir species, with the exception of the Wren, of which there was no trace at this time of the year. Horeites pallidus is heard throughout the valley up to about 8,000 feet, but not easy to obtain. I have a fine set of Brooks’ Dumeticola major, but some tally very well with the description of afinis. I shot at Sonamurg another much larger Dumeticola-like species which I have not identified. An Alauda, apparently triborhyncha, but somewhat larger than the usual measurements given, was not uncommon. I tound several nests of Hemichelidon fuliginosa and one of Yunzx torquilla, but both had already nestlings. I had been anxiously waiting for Pyrrhula aurantioca at Baltal and on the road up the Zojyi Ia, and [ cannot blame myself for not having kept a good look-out, but not a specimen was to be seen on the 14th August, the day we crossed the pass. Pos- sibly they were all breeding in some of the Deodar forests 462 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. high up, or they had become extinct since Henderson saw them here in such great numbers. It is beyond my power to explain how that happened, unless the birds Henderson saw were migrating just at the time he met them. At the top of the pass Carpodacus erythrinus and Brooks’ Phylloscopus Tytleri were common, and a little further on I met with flocks of my Fringillauda sordida. They resemble a great deal the larks in their flight, and feed on the ground in great numbers together like these. The most common bird all — through Ladak is Ruticilla rufiventris; it is met with almost every hundred yard along the march, and is numerously repre- sented at each village. The Sparrow does not feel comfortable above 12,000 feet, and none remain for instance at Leh ‘during the winter. Moxtifringilla Adamsi was seen first a little east of Shergool, crossing the pass to Kharbu. It was common at about 12,000 feet in flocks, resembling in habit Fringillauda. Since we left Cashmir I have not seen a single Corvus intermedius, until we reached Leh, where three or four turned up. The Common Crow here is thibitanus or corax, as it may be; it seems to me smaller than the Northern Nipal and Sikhim bird. The only novelty I shot, going from Lamaguru to the Indus, is a new Pyrhocorax, which I think may well be named after our leader. P. Forsythi.*—It is a considerably smaller bird than alpinus ; like this last entirely black, only somewhat duller; the bill is slightly more arched and stronger notched ; dark brown towards the tip and paler at the base with a fleshy tinge; and the feet are blackish brown or almost quite black. The wing is 10°25; tail, 6-5 ; tarsus, 1:5; bill, at front, 1 inch. I have an idea that I saw a specimen of this bird in 1865 near Padam, but have not now my notes to refer to. The specimen was solitary when I shot it, sitting on a rock near the road. The Indus valley from Kalsi to Leh is very desolate and very few, and these the commonest birds are to be seen. Here at Leh I found Sylviparus modestus and Phylloscopus tristis, the most common birds among the willows; both were evidently breeding here. Besides these I got PA. trochilus (?) viridanus, lugubris and afinis. The last appeared only a few days ago in greater numbers, and is never found among the willows, but between stones and on stonewalls. Ph. viridanus and trochilus are rare. Cyanecula suecica was breeding here, and is common. A few days ago there wasa heavy fall of snow on the - * P. alpinus, Juy P—Hd. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 463 Kardung ridge, and next morning when I went towards the pass I found numbers of Montifringilla Adamsi, the Metoponia pusilla, Linota brevirostris, and Calandrella brachydactyla. Alauda gulgula is the common lark in the fields. The first Pipastes agilis I shot only five days ago, and since yesterday they became tolerably common. Casarca rutila, Teals and Snipes, are com- ing down to the Indus valley, evidently a sign of the low temperature at greater elevations. I was rather surprised to see the other day asolitary Ardea cinerea along the Indus below Leh. Altogether I shall have now about 600* birds, but I do not expect much more than 150 or 160 species. However we shall have a fair material for comparison. The fewer numbers, but more interesting specimens, ought to begin now to appear, when we leave this, which I hope will be on the 12th. People who have returned from Changchemo speak of great cold and early winter. There were already several falls of snow there- about, and no doubt we shall have it fresh in going over that high ground in Changchemo. The hands will be rather stiff for geologising—F. SroniczKa, Naturalist, Yarkand Expedition. Camp Len, The 10th September 1873. SIR ” As there is an opportunity of sending letters wid Kabul I drop youa line, for I am sure you will be not a little surprised at my long silence. In my last notet I promised you a brief account of the winter birds of Kashgar. It ought to have been on its way by this time, but we were bundled out of Kashgar before the close of the winter season, and had only a couple of days at Yanjihissar in order to prepare for the Pamir trip. Since then we had been constantly on the move, until we reached this, where the ruinous state of our baggage animals directed a halt for twelve days. We leave this to-morrow for the Great Pamir, Sirikul, Yarkand, Kogyar and Korakoram, and so on to beloved Calcutta. While here I took the opportunity of writing the note about the winter Avifauna of Kashgar, but I like to look up a few names before I send it to you, for reduction of baggage obliged me to leave even the Indian Ornithologist’s Vade Mecum at Sirikul. You shall have the note by the next mail. * Not a single one carbolized as yet. + Not received.—Ed, 464 LETTERS TO THE. EDITOR. ~ When we left the Kashgar plain the only birds that I saw had just arrived were Sturnus vulgaris, Saxicola deserti, Phyllos- copus vuridanus (solitary specimen), and a few others which seemed to have removed during the winter to the warmer desert country in a south-easterly direction ; they hardly could have crossed the high mountains so early. In the hills between Yanjihissar and Sirikul scarcely a single migratory bird, except what really appears to be true Milvus guvinda, was to be seen. In crossing by the Little Pamir I met near the Pamirkul Hirundo rustica, Saxicola enanthe, and another Saxicola with slatey grey back ; this was on 5th April. The birds looked very miserable, for the cold was bitterly severe, the daily minimum little above zero. On this side of the Pamir our route was chiefly through snow, and the most unpleasant snow storms you could fancy. Since we arrived here on the 13th the weather improved, and spring is evidently approaching. Unfortunately the valley is little better than a desert, cultivation limited, and the jungle very low and scrubby. Swallows are coming and going daily. The same applies to Saxicola enanthe, deserit, leuco- melanura, Kingi (rare), and the one with the grey back. Of Pratincola indica I have seen but few. A little Phylloscopus, apparently Brooks’ subviridis, is passing up. Passer montanus is not numerous here, and I got a female, of what appears to be indicus, which certainly does not remain here during the winter. Budytes melanocephala, and if distinct, as it decidedly appears to be also cinereocapilla, are on their way up; also B. citreola, which I have got already near Yanjihissar last month. I gota beautiful new Finch* here with rosy wings, something like a Calacanthis. There were about twenty in a flock, evidently travelling on to the Pamir. u/icilla rujiventris is going up, but another allied species with slatey head—apparently a new one—is a permanent resident through the whole of Hastern Turkistan. 2. erythrogastra you may see in every bush here, all in pairs, but they had not begun breeding yet, though, no doubt, they have on the Yarkand side. I shall get hold of these going back. Parus cyanus, Metoponia pusilla, Linota breviros- tris, a black-faced -——_———] SKETCH Map | TO ILLUSTRATE | FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS | OF op ie ly AAPA | | FENASSERI | Seale 32 Miles = 1 Inch. “134 3p_4t 363 9 a2 Le 916° ay bt iy) a es rut He ‘ z bg i y fy 4 7 u } . 468 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS Of course we have obtained a goodly amount of information in regard to the habits and vertical and horizontal distribution of many little known species, and have recorded whole series of measurements in the flesh, and full descriptions of the colors of the soft parts of many birds rarely, if ever, previously handled in the flesh by ornithologists, but all this I reserve until our work in Tenasserim completed, I can present some- thing approaching to a reliable Conspectus of the Ornis of the province as a whole. Here I shall only draw attention to the marked intermix- ture of Chinese forms in the more northern portion of the pro- vince. The numbers prefixed to the species in the list are those of Dr. Jerdon’s work and my catalogue. 4.— Gyps indicus, Scop. 5.—Gyps Bengalensis, Lath. Pabyouk; occasionally seen. 20.—Hierax ccerulescens, Lin. Pahpoon; only. 20 ter.—Hierax fringillarius, Drap. Meeta Myo; only. 22.—Lophospiza indica, Hodgs. Pine Forest North of ‘Kollidoo ; only. 23 ter.—Micronisus poliopsis, Hume. Pahchaun, Pabyouk, Pah- poon ; general, but not common. 25.—Accipiter virgatus, Tem. 27.—Aquila?, Tavoy; large brown eagle seen. 32.—Neopus malayensis, Reinw. 34.—Spizaétus caligatus, Ral. Ye-boo. - 84 ter.—Limnaetus ‘albiniger, Bly. 39 ter.—Spilornis Rutherfordi, Swink. Neighbourhood of Amherst and of Ye. ; 40.—Pandion haliaétus, Lin. 41.—Haliaetus ichthyaetus, [Horsf. Pabyouk; only. 41 ter.—Haliaetus humilis, Tem. 43.—Cuncuma leucogaster, Gm. 48.—Poliornis teesa, Frankl. 48 bis.—Poliornis barbatus, Eyton. 53.—Circus melanoleucus, Gm. Pahpoon, Ngabeemah; only. 54,.— Circus eruginosus, Lin. 55.—Haliaster indus, Bodd. Passim; but not numerous. 56 ter.— Milvus affinis, Gould. Passim; but not numerous. 57 bis.—Pernis brachypterus, Bly. ; 59.—Elanus melanopterus, Daud. 62.—Phodilus badius, Horsf. 65 bis—Syrnutum seloputo, Horsf. 71.—Huhua mpalensis, Hodgs. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 469 72.—Ketupa ceylonensis, Gm. Amherst ; and seen near Pahpoon. 72 bis.—Ketupa javensis, Less. Amherst; only. 74.—Ephialtes pennatus, Hodgs. 75.—Ephialtes ?, Pahpoon, Tavoy; but heard everywhere. A form intermediate between lempiji and letéza. 75 quint.—LEphialies Lempiji, Horsf. 77 ter.—Athene castanoptera, Horsf. 79.—Athene cuculoides, Vig. Passtm; very common ; entirely identical with Himalayan birds. 80.—Glaucidium Brodiei, Burt. Meeta Myo, Kyouknyat ; only. $1.—Ninox hirsutus, Cuv et Tem. Pahpoon, Kyouknyat, Am- herst ; general. ; 82.—Hirundo rustica, Z.? gutturalis, Scop. Passim ; com- mon; probably should stand as gutturalis. 82 bis.—Hirundo Tytleri, Jerd. Tavoy; only ; where they only appeared for a few days. Ido not know how these differ from cahirca, Licht. 84.—Hirundo filifera, Steph. Pahpoon; only. 85 bis.—Hirundo daurica, Lin. Pahpoon; only. The large Himalayan form. 89.—Cotyle sinensis, Gr. Pahpoon ; only. 100 bis.—Cypselus subfurcatus, Bly. 101 b2s.—Cypselus pacificus, Lath. Amherst; only. 102 bis.—Cypselus infumatus, Sclat. Passim. 103.—Collocalia ?, 104.—Dendrochelidon coronatus, Tick. Ngabeemah, Pine forests north of Kollidoo, Henza Basin. 105 quat.—Batrachostomus affinis, Bly. 110.—Caprimulgus macrurus, Horsf. Passim. 114.—Caprimulgus monticolus, Frankl. Amherst, Yeboo, Pahpoon. 114 bis.—Lyncornis cerviniceps, Gould. Pahpoon; only, and _ there common. 116.—Harpactes Hodgsoni, Gould. Neighbourhood of Kyouknyat and Pahpoon; absolutely identical with Hima- layan examples. 116 ter.—Harpactes oreskios, Tem. Passim ; common. 117.—Merops viridis, Lin. General. 118.—Merops Daudini, Cuv. 119.—Merops Swinhoei, Hume. General. 122.—Nyctiornis Athertoni, Jard and Selb. Pahpoon, Amherst, Karope,. Tavoy. 122 bis.—Nyctiornis malaccensis, Cab. Near Zadee; often heard elsewhere. 124.—Coracias affinis, MeClell. Passim; common. 470 . A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 126.—Eurystomus orientalis, Juin. 127 bis.—Pelargopsis burmanica, Sharpe. Passim: common. 128.—Pelargopsis amaur opterus, Pears. 129.—Haleyon smyrnensis, Lin. Passim ; common. 130.—Halcyon pileata, Bodd. Karope, Tavoy, Moulmein ; not common. 131.—Haleyon coromanda, Lath. Meeta My yo, Amherst, Tavoy. 182.—Haleyon chloris, Bodd. Amherst and [Henza Base 3 only. 132 ter.—Carcineutes pulchellus, Horsf. Amherst. 133.—Ceyx tridactyla, Zin. Between Tavoy and Meeta Myo, Karope, and near Ye. 134.—Aleedo Bengalensis, Gm. assim ; and not uncommon. 135 bis.—Alcedo, asiatiea, Sw. Amherst and. Ye. Identical with specimens from Cuttack, eae BENS, Bhotan Doars, Tipperah, and Andamans. 136. —Ceryle rudis, Tie. General, but not numerous. 137.—Ueryle guttata, Vig. Kollidoo and Pahchaun ; only. Identical in. dimensions and every other respect with Himalayan specimens. 137 bis.—Calyptomena viridis, Rafi. Amherst ; only. 138.—Psarisomus Dalhousie, Jameson. 139 bis.—Serilophus lunatus, Gould. Pahpoon, Amherst, Om-ben-qwen ; general. : 139 ter.—Eurylaimus javanus, Jiorsf. General, south of Moulmein. 139 ter A.—Kurylaimus ochromelas, Rafi. North of Ye only ; rare. 189 quint.— Cy mbirhynchus macrorhynchus, Gm. General ; south of Moulmein. 139 sewtus.—Corydon sumatranus, Rafi. Kohkrait to Pahpoon, and Amherst. - 140.—Dichoceros homrat, Hodgs. Pahpoon,.and 30 miles north of Ye. 140 bis.—Dichoceros bicornis, Lin, Kollidoo, Amherst, and Bate poon. Both species occur from Pahpoon to Amherst ue least. 142.—Hydrocissa albirostris, Shaw. General; and common. 145 ter.—Meniceros Tickelliw, Blyth. 146 bis.—Rhyticeros subruficollis, Blyth. Ngabeemah, use te! Meeta Myo, Om-ben-gwen ; only. ‘Mee 146 ter.—Rhyticeros plicatus, Lath. Zadee ; only. 147 bis.—Paleornis maenirostris, Ball. Neighbour ieee of Moulmein and Attaran River up to Attaran ; only. 148.—Paleornis torquatus, Bodd. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. — 471 149 bis.—Palxornis bengalensis, Gm. General ; does not ascend the Hills. : 150 bis.—Paleornis Finschii, Hume. Kollidoo, Kyouknyat ; Hills only. . 152.—Palseornis Pasciantics Mill. Passim; common. 153.—Loriculus vernalis, Sparrm. General. 153 ter.—Psittinus incerta, Shaw. 156 6is.—Picus atratus, Bly. Pie Forest north of Pahpoon ; only. . ae 157.—Picus Macii, V. i 163 bis.—Yungipicus canicapillus, Bly. General ; common. 165 bis.—Hemicercus canente, Less. General; not very numerous. 165 ter.—Meiglyptes tristis, Horsf. 165 quat.—Meiglyptes jugularis, Bly. General; not numerous. 166.—Chry socolaptes sultaneus, LHodgs. General; intermedi- ; ate in size betwen true sultaneus and Delessertt. 168.—Muelleripicus gutturalis, Valence. Neighbourhood of Pah- poon up to. Pahchaun and 30 miles south of Moulmein. Identical with specimens from Upper Burmah and_ thé Oudh Terai. 169 ter.—Thriponax Crawfurdi, Gr. Pahpoon and Kyouknyat ; onl ale 171 bis.—Gecinus vittatus, V. General; but does not ascend Hills north of Pahpoon where replaced by nigrigenys. 171 ter.—Gecinus nigrigenis,* Hume. Hills north of Pahpoon ; ’ only ; there common. - * T see that my name nigrigenis must probably be maintained for this beautiful Red-backed Green Woodpecker discovered by Davison in January of this year in Northern Tenasserim. Benery, s name erythropygius was doubtless published thirteen days earlier than mine, but I find that the specific name erythropygius has been already pre-occupied by Mr. D. G. Elliot; who, in the Nouvelles Archives du Museum for 1866, Bulletin, p. 76, describes a very nearly allied Gecinus from Cochin China, where it had been discovered by M. Germain. It is figured in Pl. III of the Volume cited, The two birds differ, first in size, ours.being a good deal the larger, as will be seen from the subjoined dimensions :— 2G. erythropygius, Eliot. 9 G. nigrigenis, Hume. Length no we 110 Bi eas .. 12°76 to 13:25 Wing ccc ae | OT pes » 612to 64 Tail wwe Be ee AeD: wee ae 50 to 56 Bill, at front... Pe eLoLG: ee ve 3 “to 1A Tarsus soc.) ale} bee el Alito Besides this our bird is altogether brighter colored, the yellow of the chin and throat especially ; the black of the head, extenas further on to the sides of the head and down the nape; very few of our birds (only one in ten of our specimens) have a stripe from the eye backwards over the ear-coverts, and when our birds have it, it is white; in Eliiot’s it is yellow; moreover to judge from the plate the upper taile coverts in erythrapygius, Elliot, reach to within. one inch of the end of the tail; in our bird they do not reach to within 2°5 inches; lastly the rump in our bird 1 is apparently much brighter colored. 472 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 172.—Gecinus occipitalis, Vig. General. : 173.—Chrysophlegma flavinucha, Gould. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon and northwards ; only. 173 bis.—Chrysophlegma mentalis, Tem. 173 ter.—Chrysophlegma puniceus, Horsf. 173 quat.—Chrysophlegma miniatus, Forst. 174.—Chrysophleoma oe V. Pahpoon and ioe nyat ; only. 176.—Venilia pyrrhotis, Hodgs. -Pahpoon and north. | 177 bis.—Gecinulus viridis, Bly. Pahpoon, Kyouknyat, ae Ye, and Meeta Myo. 178.—Micropternus phaioceps, Bly. General ; common. 184.—Tiga intermedius, Bly. General; common. 187. —Sasia ochracea, ” Hodgs. Pahpoon and neighbourhood, Tavoy and Thayetchaun. 187 bis.—Sasia abnormis, Tem. Near Ye; only. 191 bis.—Megalaima virens, Scop. Kollidoo, Kyouknyat. The true Chinese bird, with which I compared it, differing from the Himalayan as pointed out by Swinhoe. 192.—Megalaima lineata, V. General; common. Most of them are identical with Himalayan specimens of the type separated as Hodgsont. 195.—Cyanops asiatica, Lath. Pahpoonand Kollidoo. 195 bis.—Megalaima incognita, Hume. Karope, Ye, Amherst. 196 ter _—Meegalaima mystacophanos, Zem. Om-ben-gwen. 197. —Xantholzema hemacephala, Mill. General ; common. 198 guat.—Xantholema cyanotis, Bly. Above Kyouknyat and Meeta Myo; only. 200.—Cuculus striatus, Drapiez. 202.—Cuculus Sonnerati, Lath. 203.— Cuculus micropterus, Gould. 207.—Heirococcyx sparveroides, Vig. Pahpoon; only. A very large male such as Gould designated strenuus. 209.—Ololygon tenuirostris, Gr. Pahpoon, Moulmein, Ye-boo ; rare. 210.—Surniculus dicruroides, Hodgs. Lemyne; only ; rare. 211 bis.—Chrysococcyx eanthorhynchus, Horst. 212.—Cocecystes jacobinus, Bodd. 213.—Coceystes coromandus, Lin. Meeta Myo ; only. 214 bis.——EHudynamis malayana, Cab. Passim. 215.—Zanclostomus tristis, Less. Passim; very common. 215 bis.—Zanclostomus javanicus, Horsf. 216 ter—Pheenicophaus erythrognathus, Hartl, Near Zadee ; only ; rare. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 473 216 gquat.—Rhinortha chlorophea, Rafi. Lemyne, Thayet- choung, near Meeta Myo ; not common. 217 quat.—Centrococcyx eurycercus, Hay. Passim ; vary extra- ordinarily. in size ; probably at least two species. 218.—Centrococcyx bengalensis, Gm. 223.—Arachnothera magna, Hodgs. Kyouknyat and neighbour- hood, and near Ye. 224.—Arachnothera pusilla, Bly. Kohkrait to Pahpoon ; com- mon; a single specimen from Thayetchaun. 224 bis.—Arachnothera modesta, Eyton. Meeta Myo ; only. 225 ter.—Aithopyga lLathami,* Jard. General; south of Moulmein. 232 bis.—Leptocoma Hasseltii, Zem. Om-ben-gwen to Tavoy ; rare. 232 ter.—Anthreptes malaccensis, Scop. Shymootee, Thayet- chaun, Amherst ; not common. 233 bis.—Chalcoparia cingalensis, Gm. reneral ; common. 234.—Arachnechthra asiatica, Lin. General, north of Ye; not numerous. 234 ter.—Arachnechthra flammaxilaris, Bly. General; but not numerous. 236.—Diczeum cruentatum, Lin. General ; common. 236 bis.—Diceum trigonostigma, Scop. Amherst; only ; rare. 237.—Diczeum chrysorrheum, Tem. Pahpoon, Amherst ; only. 237 bis.—Diceum virescens, Hume. -Pahpoon and neighbour- . hood. 250 bis.—NSitta neglecta, Walden. Dargwin ; only. 253.—Dendrophila corallina, Hodgs. General ; this is identical with Himalayan specimens. 254 bis——Upupa longirostris, Jerd. Paphoon and neighbour- hood, Moulmein and Amherst; very few specimens are typical. 258.—Lanius tephronotus, Vig. Kyouknyat; only. 259.—Lanius nigriceps, Lrankl. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon ; 7 only. 260 bis.—Lanius hypoleucus, Bly. Kollidoo ; only. , 261.—Lanius cristatus, Lin. Pahpoon, Moulmein, Ngabeemah, Tavoy ; not common. * Although I for the present record this as Lathami, Jard., I believe it will have to be separated asa distinct species. It is a bigger bird; it hasno black internal margin to the moustachal streak ; it has the entire cap and not merely the forehead and anterior part of the crown glossed with metallic colors ; the upper tail-coverts are bright metallic green, while the metallic gloss of the tail feathers is violet, only slightly touched with green at the extreme margins; the wing lining is pure white; the abdomen, flanks, vent, and lower tail-coverts pale slaty grey, entirely untinged with green. If really new this species will stand as 4. cara. ATA A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS > 263.—Tephrodornis pelvica, Hodgs. General. 267.—Hemipus picatus, Sykes. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon ; only 267 bis—Hemipus obseurus, Horst. 268 bis——Volvocivora avensis, Bly. Pabyouk, near. Amher st ; only. 269.—Volvocivora melaschistos, Hodgs. Pahpoon, Pabyouk, Ye-boo, Ye. These are doubtful; we have in India two very different forms, one much darker than the other. I do not know which is the true melaschistos. These Tenas- serim birds are the less dark form. 270.—Graucalus Macei, Less. General; common. 271 ter.—Pericrocotus elegans, McClell et Horsf. General; but . not numerous. ~ 273.—Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vig. Pine Forests north of Pahpoon ; only. : Me 275.—Pericrocotus roseus, Vig. Pahpoon; only. 276.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Lin. Ye-boo, Pabyouk, Amherst. 278.—Buchanga albirictus, Hodgs. Moulmein, Tavoy ; not com- mon. 279.—Dicrurus balicassius, Lin. Shymootee ; only. Identical with Malaccan specimens. 280.—Buchanga longicauda, Hay. General. These are most- ly the grey or very grey form designated pyrrhops by Hodgson and intermedius by Blyth, which lie between typical longicauda and leucophaus. 282.—Chaptia enea, V. General. Identical with Himalayan specimens. 283.—Bhringa tectirostris, Hodgs. Pahpoon; only. Identical with Himalayan specimens. . 285 bis.—Dissemurus paradiseus, Lin. Passim; common. _. This is the smaller-crested species, rangoonensis, Gould. 286.—Chibia hottentotta, Zin. Pahpoon, Moulmein, and road between Moulmein and Amherst. 288.—Tchitrea paradisi, Lin. Near Lemyne; only. A single immature female; may be 7. atrocaudata, Hyton. 289.—Tchitrea affinis, Hay. 289 bis.—Philentoma velata, Tem. Near Om-ben-qwen ; only ; very rare. 290.—Myiagra azurea, Bodd. General. Identical with Conti- nental Indian specimens. 291.—Leucocirea albicollis, V. Pahpoonand neighbourhood ; ouly. 293 bis.—Leucocirea javanica, Sparrm. Tavoy; ouly ; rare. 295,.—Culicicapa cinereocapilla, V. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon ; only. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 475 297.—Alseonax latirostris, Rafi. Pabyouk and Meeta Myo; not common. 301.—Eumyias melanops, Vig. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon; only. 304 6’s.—Cyornis elegans, Tem. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon and near Ye; only. 315.—Niltava Macgrigorie, Burt. three days south of the Pah- chaun; only. Should perhaps be separated; is altogether brighter than Himalayan specimens; if considered dis- tinct may stand as. Niltava vivida. 316.—Niitava grandis, Bly. 317.—Anthipes moniliger, Hodgs. 322 bis.—Siphia erythaca, Bly. et Jerd. Pine forests north of Pahpoon ; only. 323.—Erythrosterna leucura, Gm. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon and Ye-boo. 326.—Erythrosterna maculata, Tick. 333.— Troglodytes 2, Seen a little north of Pahpoon. 343 bis—Myiophoneus Eugenei, Hume. Pahpoon and neighbour- hood, Kyouknyat and Pine Forests to the north. 345 bis. — Brachyurus moluccensis, Mull. Moulmein, Amherst, Tavoy, Shymotee; May, June, July only. 345 ter.—Brachyurus megarhynchus, Schl. Tavoy and Am- herst ; only ; May, June, July only. 345 quat. —Brachyurus cyaneus, “Bly. “Pahpoon and neighbours hood, Amherst, Tavoy. 346.—Melanopitta cuculata, Hartl. Amherst; only. Identical with Himalayan specimens. 346 ter.—Anthocincla Phayrei, Bly. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon. 350 bis.—Zoothera marginata, Bly. Neighbourhood of Pah- poor. Compared with type. 301 bis.—Cyanocincla solitarius, Mill. General; common. Some typical, some absolutely without any red ; many intermediate. 355.—Geocichla citrina, Lath. Neighbourhood of Ye and Amkerst. These are typical ; no wnotata met with. 356 bis.— Geocichla innotata, Bly. 369 bis—Turdus obscurus, Gm. Forests north of Pahpoon. Identical with Malaccan specimens. 375.—Paradoxornis ruficeps, bly. Reed jungle north of Pahpoon. 384 bis. —Gampsorhynchus torquatus, Hume. Grass and scrub in Pine Forests north of Pahpoon; only. 385.—Pyctorhis sinensis, Gm. Pahpoon; only. This is typical and not altirostris, Jerd. ; if this latter be really distinct. B 476 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 387.—Trichastoma Abbottii, Bly. Lemyne, Ye, Tavoy. 387 bis.—Trichastoma minor, Hume. Lemyne, Ye, Meeta Myo; only. 388.—Alcippe nipalensis, Hodgs. Pine Forests north of Pah- poon. Identical with Nipalese specimens. 389 bis.—Alcippe Phayrei, Bly. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon and Ye. 390 ter.—Turdinus crispifrons, Bly. 390 quat.—Turdinus brevicaudatus, Bly. 390 guint.—Turdinus guttatus, Bly. . 393.—Stachyris ruficeps, Bly. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon ; only. ‘This is true ruficeps not rujifrons, nobis. 395.—Mixornis rubricapillus, Tick. General ; common. 395 bis.—Mirornis gularis, Horsf. 396.—Timalia pileata, Horsf. Pahpoon, Ye-boo. 399 ter.—Pellorneum Tickelli, Bly. 399 sextus.—Pellorneum minor, Hume. General ; common. AOL ter.—Pomatorhinus albogularis, Bly. 403.—Pomatorhinus leucogaster, Gould. Pahpoon, Ye. 405.—Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vig. Pine Forests north of Pahpoon. Identical with the Western Himalayan race, and not with the Sikim and Nepal form. 407 bis.—Garrulax Belangeri, Less. Passim; very common. 408 ter.—Garrulax chinensis, Scop. Pahpoon; only. Pretty common. 412.— Garrulax pectoralis, Gould. 413.—Garrulax moniliger, Hodgs. General ; common. 415 ter.—Trochalopteron melanostigma, Bly. Pine Forests north of Lahpoon. 429 ter.—Malacias melanoleuca, Bly. 440.—Megalurus palustris, Horsf. Pabyouk ; only. 444 bis.—Hypsipetes concolor, Bly. Pine Forests north of Pahpoon. This is also H. yunanensis. Why before redes- cribing this species Dr. Anderson failed to compare his speci- . mens with Blyth’s type in the Museum, of which he is curator, I cannot tell. My specimens agree absolutely both with Blyth’s type and Anderson’s description. 447bis.—Hypsipetes Tickelli, Bly. Forests north of Pahpoon; only. 448 bis—Hemixus Hildebrandi, Hume. Forests north of Pah- poon ; only. 449 bis.—Trachycomus ochrocephalus, Gm. 451.—Criniger flaveolus, Gould. 451 bis.—Criniger griseiceps, Hume. North of Pahpoon; only. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 477 451 ter.—Criniger ochraceus, Moore. Amherst, Ye, Meeta Myo, Tavoy ; not uncommon. 451 quat.—Criniger phaiocephalus, Hartl. 452 bis.—Ixos flavescens, Bly. North of Pahpoon; only. 452 ter—Ixos Finlaysoni, Striekl. Very common south of Moulmein. 452 quint.—lole viridescens, Bly. Amherst, Ye, and neighbour- hood of Pahpoon. 456.—Rubigula flaviventris, Tick. Passim ; common. 457 bis.—Brachypodius melanocephalus, Gm. Neighbourhood. of Pahpoon, Amherst, &¢. ; pretty common. 457 quint.—Ividia cyaniventris, Bly. 460.—Otocompsa emeria, Shaw. General. 461 is.—Molpastes nigropileus, Bly. _Moulmein, Ngabeemah, Amherst. AG61 ter.—Molpastes chrysorrhoides, Lafr. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon, Meeta Myo Hills, Tavoy. This is the Chinese bird, described by Lord Walden long ago as atricapilla, V. Madras, J. of 8., XIII p. 160, and is identical with Chinese specimens with which I have compared it. Gray is wrong in uniting this with pusillus, Blyth. 463 ter.—Phyllornis chlorocephalus, Walden. General; but not common. 465.—Phyllornis aurifrons, Tem. General; pretty common. Identical with Himalayan specimens. 466 bis.—Phyllornis javensis, Horsf. Ye ; rare. 468.—Aicithina tiphia, L. General. The majority certainly in the tiphia plumage, but some inseparable from Ceylon speci- mens of the so-called zeylonica with which we compared them. 468 bis.— Aigithina Lafresnayi, Hartl. A68 ter.—Aigithina scapularis, Horsf. 469.—Irena puella, Lath. Passim ; common This is the Conti- nental form not malatensis with the long under tail-coverts. 471.-—Oriolus chinensis, Lin. Moulimein and south ; only. These, Chinese, and Southern Indian examples are all identical. 471 ter.—Oriolus tenuirostris, Bly. Kollidoo; only ; rare. 472.—Oriolus melanocephalus, Lin. General; common. 474.—Oriolus Trailli, Vig. Above Kyouknyat ; rare. 475.—Copsychus saularis, Lin. General; common. Some typical, some intermediate between this and mindanensis. 476.—Cercotrichas macrurus, Gm. Passim; common. 477.—Notodela leucura, Hodgs. 481.—Pratincola caprata, Lin. Pahpoon, Pabyouk, Ngabeemah, Yeboo; not common. 478 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS > 483.—Pratincola rubicola, Lin. Pahpoon, Pabyouk; rare. 484,—Pratincola leucura, Bly. Seen at Pahpoon; common in jheels. : 486.—Pratincola ferrea, Hodgs. Forests north of Pahpoon. 507 bis.—Larvivora cyane, Pall. Pahpoon and neighbourhood ; common ; near Om-ben-qwen, single specimen. ‘This species well figured by Radde is entered in Mr. Gray’s Hand List as gracilis, Swinh. 512.—Calliope camtschatkensis, Gm. Pahpoon ; only; rare. 517 ter.—Acrocephalus Maackii, Schrenk; bistrigiceps, Swink: Tavoy ; only ; not uncommon. 518.—Arundinax zdon, Pall Neighbourhood of Pahpoon. 520 ter.—Locustella lanceolata, Tem. Ye-boo ; only ; not uncom= mon. Appears distinct from my subsignata, from — Anda- | mans with which Walden unites it. _ 527 quat.—Horeites pallidipes, Blanf. Pahpoon; only ; rare. 530.—Orthotomus longicauda, Gm. General ; not uncommon. 530 bis.—Orthotomus nitidus, Hume. Pahpoon, Kyouknyat, Thayetchaun; rather rare. 532.—Prinia jflaviventris, Deless. 536.—Prinia gracilis, Frankl. Kollidoo; only ; not common. A dark race ought probably to be separated. 538 bis.—Prinia Beavani, Wald. Pretty general; not un- common. 539.—Cisticola schcenicola. Tavoy and Amherst. 5559.—Phylloscopus fuscatus, Bly. Ye-boo, Pahpoon, and neigh- bourhood. 596 bis.—Phylloscopus borealis, Blas. Kyouknyat and Shymotee. Specimens received thro’ Capt. Marshall from Mr. Swinhoe, labelled sylvicultriz by him, were simply maguirostris, Blyth. He identified his sylvicultria as borealis, but now that I have the true borealis I find it perfectly different from what I received from him as sylvicultria.* 596 ter.—Phylloscopus Brooksi, Hume. Pahpoon; only ; not uncommon. 5598.—Phylloscopus lugubris, Bly. Pahpoon; only. 560.—Phylloscopus viridanus, Bly. Neighbourhood of HEIL 561.— Phylloscopus affinis, Tick. 564,—Reguloides trochiloides, Sund. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon. D6. —Reguloides superciliosus, Gm. Kollidoo, Pahpoon, and its neighbourhood. * Mr. Swinhoe’s specimens were labelled many years ago, and doubtless in those days, like most of us, he was somewhat uncertain about these troublesome little birds. I merely mention the matter with reference to what I said.—Sz. Fra., I., 494. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 479 566.—Reguloides proregulus, Pall. Pine Forests north of Pah- oon. D67. EE peuiloides viridipennis, Bly. 569 bis.—Culicipeta tephrocephalus, Anderson. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon. 574.—-Abrornis superciliaris, Tick. North of Pahpoon. 584. ter.—Enicurus Leschenaultii, V. Neighbourhood of Pah+ poon, Meeta Myo. 586.—Enicurus schistaceus, Hodgs. Pahpoon to Pahchaun and Meeta Myo. This is the Indian form, nor leucoschistos, Swinh. 590.—Motacilla luzoniensis, Scop. Passim; common in the winter. 591 bts.—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes. Single specimen ob- tained at Pahpoon ; a typical dukhunensis. 592.—Calobates melanope, Pall. General; common. 593 ter.—Budytes cinereocapilla, Savi. South of Moulmein; only. 594,—Budytes calcaratus, Hodgs. Single immature specimen at Pahpoon. I suspect that this is the true calearatus, and that it will prove distinct from the Cashmere citreoloides, Gould. 595.—Nemoricola indica, Gm. Pahpoon, Ye, Ye-boo ; not com- mon. 596.—Pipastes agilis, Sykes. Pretty general. 599.—Corydalla Richardi, V. Pahpoon, Tavoy, Moulmein. 600.—Corydalla rufula, 7. Pabyouk, Amherst, Tavoy. 605 bis —Anthus cervinus, Pall. Moulmein to Ye; not com- mon. 610 bis.—Allotrius erulatus, Tick. 615.—Leiothriz argentauris, Hodgs. 619.—Minla castaneiceps, Hodgs. 621 b2s.—Proparus dubius, Hume. Pine Forests north of Pah- poon; there common. 625.—IJeulus striatus, Bly. 630.—Erpornis xantholeuca, Hodgs. North of Pahpoon; rare. 631.—Zosterops palpebrosus, Tem. 631 quat.—Zosterops siamensis, Bly. 645 bis.—Parus commixtus, Swinh. Pine forests north of Pahpoon. 649 brs.—Machlolophus subviridis, Tick. 650.—Melanochlora sultanea, Hodgs. Pahpoon and neighbour- hood and Meeta Myo. Identical with Himalayan specimens. 660,—Corvus Levaillantii, Less. Pretty general. 480 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 663.—Corvus impudicus, Hodgs. Plain country Passim. This is the so-called dark race ; size and shape of zmpudicus, but has the grey of the latter constantly entirely replaced by dull black I have as yet obtained no intermediate forms ; it seems to require specific separation; if not alread named, may stand as insolens, nobis. 669 bts.—Garrulus leucotis, Hume. Pine Forests north of Pahpoon; rare. 671 bts.—Urocissa magnirostris, Bly. Pahpoon, Amherst, Meeta Myo. Doubtfully distinct. 673.—Cissa speciosa, Shaw. Passim; common. 674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. Passim ; common. 676.—Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bly. North of Pahpoon. Ab- solutely identical with the Himalayan bird. 678 bis.—Crypsirina varians, Lath. Passim; common. 678 guat.—Temnurus leucopterus, Zem. Meeta Myo; only. Identical with Malaccan examples. 683 dis——Sturnopastor superciliaris, Bly. | General; very common. : 684.—Acridotheres tristis, Lin. Passim; common. ‘686.—Acridotheres fuscus, Wagl. Moulmein and southwards. Somewhat darker race, approaching siamensis. 688.—Temenuchus malabaricus,* Gm. Passim; common. 689 quint.—Temenuchus dauricus, ‘Pall. Moulmein, Tavoy, and Amherst ; not common. 690 ter.—Calornis affinis, Hay. South of Moulmein only. These though not typical are nearer the Tipperah birds than the Sumatran insidiator, or the Nicobar and Andaman Tytlert. 691.—Saroglossa spiloptera, Vig. 693.—Eulabes javanensis, Osbec. Hills, Passim; much the same size of bill as specimens from Sikhim and Nepal Terai. 693 seatus.—Ampeliceps coronatus, Bly. South of Moulmem ; only. * The Burmese race of malabaricus is very distinguishable, and may have hereafter to be specifically separated. The adult males differ conspicuously; they always have the lower parts a much paler rufous, which rufous extends much less on to the breast than in malabaricus. They have the upper tail-coverts much more strongly tinged with a kind of rufous golden tint; and lastly, they always have, so far as our numerous specimens go, a larger or smaller patch of pure white on the wing; this patch however is variable in extent; sometimes the entire winglet and the whole of the primary greater coverts are snow white; and this appears to be typical of the oldest adults, while in the younger males only some of these feathers will be pure white; and in a quite young male only one single one of the coverts is white and ne portion of the winglet. The females only differ in being much paler underneath than adult female malabarica. If considered distinct it may stand as 7’. leucopterus, nobis. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 481 694.—Ploceus baya, Bly. . Pretty general ; identical with Con- tinental Indian specimens. 696 ter.—Ploceus hypoxanthus, Daud. 698.—Munia atricapilla, Y. Ye-boo; only; rare. 699.—Munia punctulata,?* Lin. Tavoy; only; rare. 702.—Munia acuticauda, Hodgs. FPassim. 704.—Estrilda amandava, Lin. 708 bis.—Passer flaveolus, Bly. 710.—Passer montanus, Lin. Passim; common. 722 bis.—Huspiza rutila, Pall. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon}; rare. 723,—Euspiza aureola, Pall. Passim; common. I cannot clearly separate jlavocollaris, McClell: Mr. Gray accepts it as a distinct species; if distinct it occurs as plentifully as aureola, but it seems to me merely a stage of the latter. 771.—Treron nipalensis, Hodgs. Passim ; common. 773 bis.—Crocopus viridifrons, Bly. Pahpoon; only. 774.—Osmotreron bicincta, Jerd. General; common. 776.—Osmotreron Phayrel, Sly. General; common. ¥78.—Sphenocercus sphenurus, Vig. Hills north of Pahpoon; not common. 779.—Sphenocercus apicaudus, Hodgs. Hills north of Pahpoon ; not common. 780.—Carpophaga zenea, Lin. General; not common. 781.—Carpophaga insignis, Hodgs. 782.—Alsocomus puniceus, Tick. Pahpoon ; only ; rare. 791.—Macropygia tusalia, Hodgs. Kollidoo; rare. 791 guat.—Macropygia assimilis, Hume. Kollidoo ; rare. 793.—Turtur meena, Sykes. Pahpoon and neighbourhood ; only ; common. 795 bis.—Turtur tigrina, Tem. Passim; common. 797.—Turtur humilis, Tem. Pabyouk and Tavoy ; not common. 798.—Chaleophaps indica, Lin. General; not common. 798 ter.—Calenas nicobarica, Lin. 803 bis.—Pavo muticus, Lin. General; but very local. 803 ter.—Argus giganteus, Tem. 802 quint.—Polyplectron bicalearatum, Lin. 809 bis.—Euplocamus Vieillotii, G. R. Gr. * This Munia (punctulata) is not identical with the Continental punctulata. The brown of the upper surface is of a different hue ; all the feathers of the head, neck, mantle, andrump have very conspicuous pale shafts. The rump is greyer, the feathers being more conspicuously fringed with greyish white, and the tail and upper tail coverts are fringed and tinged with an olive yellow, and not the golden yellow Continental specimens exhibit. If it is ever considered necessary to separate this form it may stand as I. superstriata, nobis. 482 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS’ 811 ter.—Gallophasis lineatus, Lath. General in the Hills; not very common. 812.—Gallus ferrugineus, Gm. Pahpoon; very common. Amherst. $24 quat.—Arboricola brunneopectus, Tick. North of Pahpoon ; rare. : $24 guint.—Arboricola chloropus, Zick. Neighbourhood of Pahpoon; common. . 824 Seatus.—Arboricola Charlioni, Hyton. 831 bis.—Phenicoperdiz chloropus, Bly. 831 ter.—Rollulus roulroul, Scop. 831 gquat.—Caloperdizx oculea, Tem. ocellatus, Raff. = —. 833.—Turnix pugnax, Zem. Pabyouk; only ; rare. $34 bis.—Turnix maculosus, Tem. Kollidoo; only. 842.—Glareola orientalis, Leach. Kokbaing and Ye; not common. 845.—Charadius fulvus, Gm. Ye; not common. 847.— Aigialitis mongolicus, Pall. . Crab Is., Tavoy River ; only. 849,—Aigialitis fluviatilis, Bechst. Ye, Ye-boo, and Tavoy. 854.—Chettusia cinerea, Bly. Ye; only. Identical with Calcutta specimens. I cannot discover that either in size or color inornata, Schl., differs in any way. 855 bis.—Lobivanellus atronuchalis, bly. South of Moulmein ; only. 857.—Hoplopterus ventralis, Cuv. Salween and Younzaleen Rivers; only ; not in Attaran or Tavoy River. 858.—LHsacus recurvirostris, Cuv. Seen on Attaran River; only. 867..—Scolopax rusticola, Lin. Skin in Col. D. Brown’s posses- sion; shot by him at Moulmein some three years ago. 870.—Gallinago Horsfieldii, Gr. General; common, south of Moulmein. : 871.—Gallinago scolopacina, Bonap. Pabyouk; apparently rare. 876.—Terekia cinerea, Giildenst. Tavoy; only. 877.—Numenius arquatus, Lin. Tavoy and Amherst. Seem to differ somewhat from Indian birds. 878.—Numenius pheopus, Lin. Tavoy and Amherst. 884.—Tringa damacensis, Horsf. Ye; only ; apparently rare. 885.—Tringa Temmincku, Letsl. Ye-boo, Ye, Tavoy ; not com- mon. 887.—Eurinorhynchus griseus, Nilss. 891.—Totanus glareola, Lin. Passim; common. 893.—Actitis hypoleuca, Lin. Passim ; very common. $94.—Totanus canescens, Gm. Pabyouk, Ye-boo. OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. | 483 895.—Totanus stagnatilis, Bechst. Ye-boo; only; apparently not common. 897.—Totanus calidris, Lin. Long Is., Tavoy River; only. 900.—Metopodius indicus, Lath. Pahpoon, Ye-boo, Ngabeemah. 902.—Porphyrio neglectus, Schlegel. Ye-boo. 903 bis.—Podica personata, Gr. 904.—Gallicrex cinerea, Gm. Tavoy, Shymootee, Attaran River ; common at Tavoy. 905.—Gallinula chloropus, Lin. Pahpoon, Tavoy, Ye-boo ; common. 907.—Porzana pheenicura,.Penn. Passim; very common. 910.—Porzana pygmexa, Naum. Tavoy ; only. 912 éts.—Porzana fasciata, Ral. Amherst; only. Identical with Malaccan specimens. 913.—Hypoteenidia striata, Lin. Tavoy and Attaran River. 915.—Leptoptilus dubius, Gm. Seen; from Moulmein to Ye. 916.—Leptoptilus javanica, Horsf. Seen; from Moulmein to Ye. 917.—Mycteria australis? Lath? indica; Lath. 920.—Melanopelargus episcopus, Bodd. . 922.—Ardea sumatrana, Rafi. 924.—Ardea purpurea, Lin. Tavoy ; only ; rare. 925.—Herodias alba, Lin. Henza Basin and Crab Is., Tavoy Rwer ; should probably stand as H. egretta, Gm. nec Tem. 927 bis.—Herodias melanopus, Wagl. Pahpoon, Tavoy. 929.—Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd. General. 930.—Ardeola Grayii, Sykes. Pahpoon and Long Is., Tavoy - River. 930 écs.—Ardeola prasinoscelis, Swink. Tavoy and Ye-boo. Identical with Chinese specimens, entire head and neck and long crest-feathers deep chesnut, and back slaty black. 931.—Butorides javanicus, Horsf. Passim; common. 932.—Ardetta flavicollis, Lath. Amherst ; only. 933.—Ardetia cinnamomea, Gm. Amherst, Tavoy, Om-ben- gwen. 934.—Ardetta sinensis, Gm. Tavoy, Meeta Myo, Amherst. 936 bis.—Gotsakius melanolophus, Rafil. 937.—Nyctiardea nycticorax, Lin. Ye-boo. 938.—Tantalus leucocephalus, Gm. Tavoy River; only. 941.—Thresciornis melanocephalus, Lin. 951.—Nettapus coromandelicus, Lin. Ye and Tavoy. 952.—Dondrocy gna areuata, Cuv. Pahpoon, Ye, Amherst, Tavoy ; common. Ne 955.—Anas scutulata, Mill. 965.—Querquedula circia, Lin. 484. NOTE ON CARCINEUTES AMABILIS) 976.—Thalassidroma?. 677 bis.—Stercorarius pomarinus, Tem. 983 bis.— Gelochelidon innotata, Beavan. » 985.—Seena seena, Sykes. Salween River. 988 bis.—Sterna Jerdoni, Beavan. 991.— Onychoprion melanauchen, Tem. 992.— Onychoprion anosthetus, Scop. 1005.—Graculus carbo, Lin. 1007.—Graculus melanognathus, Brandt. Pahpoon, Ye-boo ; common. 1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Penn. Pahpoon, Ye-boo, Ye common. Mote ou Carcinentes amabilis. By R. Bowpier Saree, F.L.8., F.Z.8., &e. In Vol. I of this Journal (p. 474) Mr. Hume describes a new species of Carcineutes from Pegu, about which I would like to say a few words. I know this bird of Mr. Hume’s, I believe, for Mr. Gould has long had a Siamese specimen in his collection which he wanted me to describe and figure in my ‘monograph.’ The characters he assigned to his supposed new species were much the same as those brought forward by Mr. Hume, namely, the contiuous blue of the head and back and the absence of the rufous collar. But this bird I would never allow Mr. Gould to describe; and now that Mr. Hume has done so, it seems only fair to the former gentleman to give my reasons why Carcineutes amabilis is not distinct from G. pulchellus. The Javan bird was one of the first that I figured in my book; it came out, indeed, in the first number when Mr. Keulemans was living in Holland and drawing birds for me from the Leiden collection, as I from time to time indicated to him. This state of things did not, it is true, last long, for, after finishing two parts, Mr. Keulemans was able to come over to England and carry on my work here; but among the incon- venient results of my separation from my artist is the fact that my description of C. pulchellus does not tally with the figure in the plate, as they were taken from different specimens. Candidly speaking, I did not observe this difficulty about the blue collar until long after the part was published and Mr. Gould produced his second species. On turning over my series, how- ever, I came to the conclusion that.the Siamese bird was only the NOTE ON CARCINEUTES AMABILIS. A485 ordinary C. pulchellus, and I am inclined to consider Mr. Hume’s new Kingfisher to be likewise identical. I challenged Mr. Keulemans at once as to the correctness of his drawing in the ‘monograph,’ but he was certain that it was correct, and that the specimen figured had no rufous collar; nor have I any reason to doubt this assertion, for I have a specimen now before me from Java in which the rufous collar is entirely concealed. Mr. Hume says that “on lifting the feathers it is always apparent enough, but in the Peeu birds it is absolutely want- ing.” This will not apply to the ‘Siamese specimen referred to, for although the blue head appears to be continuous with the back, on examining the plumes of the hind neck, traces of the rufous collar can be found still staizing the blue feathers, while in a beautiful skin, prepared by Mr. Wallace, the rufous collar is shaded either by approaching or disappearing blue. What I mean is, that the blue supersedes the rufous by a gradual change of feather and not by a moult. I regret the fact that no mention is made of this subjectin my monograph, where I ought not to have overlooked such an important difference ; but I have examined many specimens since, and I incline to an opinion that the rufous collar disappears with age, for the Java birds, which I mention above as having a rufous collar concealed by the blue, is quite a nestling, with the horny tip to his little black beak, and with his wings ‘and tail not half crown. This shows that the young male resembles the old bird from the nest. On comparing Malacca females, I think that there is so mach variation in the extent of the ochre and black banding as to dispel the characters of the female OC. amabilis ; one of them might be described as “ ochraceous, comparatively. narrowly banded with black.”? This specimen has a very few bars on the breast, and ‘with the darker coloration of the back the breast seems to become more thickly barred, and a delicate bluish or lilac lustre is also apparent on the latter part. Until, there- fore, some further explanation of the plumages of these birds is brought forward, I must give my verdict against the recognition of Carcineutes amabilis as a species. B. SHARPE. Mr. SHarpn’s view is most probably correct, but what I should be led to suspect is, that the Pegu race wants the rufous collar, that the Javan bird has it, and that in intermediate localities intermediate forms occur. If this could be shown to be 486 MEGALAIMA INCOGNITA, Hume. the case, then it would be quite in accordance with my views to suppress C. amabilis, but according to the common practice, €. J. Coracias wndica and affinis, it should be retained. ‘I cannot at present accept the view that the rufous collar disappears with age. I have examined more than twenty specimens of males from the Straits, and not one of these wants the rufous collar. It is against all probabilities that out of this large number not one should have been an old bird. I may add, for what it is worth, that specimens from Amherst (I have only two males, one a nestling, with a tail about 1 inch in length and a still shorter bill, the other an adult) rather favor the view of the gradual local grading of a collared into a collarless race. The nestling has only an imperfect very narrow collar, one or two of the blue feathers of the back of the neck, however, exhibiting, when lifted, a slight rufous tinge. In the adult the collar is perfect, but still very narrow, far narrower, I may say strikingly narrower, than in any of our large Straits’ series. Amherst is some 250 miles south of the locality in which the type of amabilis was procured, and in its physical conditions much more nearly assimilates to the Straits than to the dry Red pine-clad hills on the extreme north of Pegu. One more point I gather from the comparison of these two specimens, viz., that the collar is better developed in the adult than in the young ; and this too I take to be the true lesson to be read in the nestling referred to by Mr. Sharpe, and not as he holds, that the collar disappears by age. A. QO. H. Megalaima incognita, Hume. My friend, Captain G. F. L. Marshall, writes as follows :— “Ts not your new Barbet, Megalaima incognita (described in Srray Fratuers, Vol. II, p. 442), identical with W. Humei (Marshall), described in the Jbzs for 1870, p. 536?” The diagnosis does not distinguish between the two, which leads me to think that you overlooked the latter. In the detailed descrip- tion, however, you mention a black superciliary streak and a black cheek stripe. In these points and in the blue washing being more distinct on the throat seem to exist the only differ- ences in colouring between the bird now described and M. Humez: The black supercilium and ear-coverts it has in common with MEGALAIMA INCOGNITA, Hume. 487 M. mysticophanos, with which species M@. Humei was long con- founded. “ If I am correct in believing that your new bird is M. Humei, the locality is very interesting, as all the Museum specimens I have seen had come from Borneo.” As a fact, though I seem to have failed to make it clear, no two species of the genus are more distinct than ume: and incognita. In my diagnosis it is said of incognita that it has a narrow frontal band and a small patch on the nape, dark crim- son. Now, Humez has no such frontal band, and has the major portion of the crown, a part of the occiput (and no part of the nape), crimson. As I have now before me four fine specimens of incognita (3 adults and 1 young), it may be well to point out more in detail how this new species differs from Humei and other more nearly allied species. : In the first place, it is a smaller bird altogether than I. Humei, with a bill not more than half the size; it has a crim- son frontal band, which Humei has not; it has no tinge of yellow on the forehead, which Humet has; it has no red on the crown or occiput, only a small red patch about the size of a pea (wanting altogether in the young) at the base of the nape; it has a marked black supercilium and a marked black mousta- chial stripe. It has a conspicuous ring of bright yellow eyelash feathers. It belongs to the same sub-group as Megalaima asiatica, nuchalis, and oorti, and though it differs conspicuously from all of them, more nearly resembles these than any other knownBarbet. From the first it differs in being somewhat smaller, in having a basally more compressed and somewhat slenderer bill, in hav- ing no black coronal band, and only the lores, a narrow frontal band, and a small nuchal patch crimson, in having conspicuous black superciliary and moustachial stripes, prolonged above and below and almost meeting behind theear-coverts, &. From the two latter it differsin having no yellow (except in the opthal- mic ring) about the head (or indeed anywhere), in the crimson nuchal and pectoral patches being much smaller, and in the former being higher up than in nuchalis and lower down than in ocrti, &e. There is no possible question as to the distinctness of this species, of which my specimens were obtained in thin tree jungle, (1 and 2) near Amherst, (3) near Karopi, (4) further south, about 5 miles north of Ye. As yet we have not observed ‘it elsewhere in Tenasserim. 488 LOPHOPHORUS SCLATERI, Jerd. Hophophorus Sclatert, Jerd. ’ TaroucH the kindness of Mr. J. Wood-Mason I have had an opportunity of examining a skin of a very fine male of this rare species. _A few measurements taken from this skin and a brief description may be useful to some of my readers :— Length, 27; wing, 12-4; tail, from vent, 9; bill, at front, straight, 13; from gape, 1:95; tarsus (feathered in front and at the sides for 1:2), 3:2; mid toe, to root of claw, 2°45; claw, 0:75 ; hind toe, to root of claw, 0°8; claw, 0°6. On one leg a short blunt spur, 0°5 in length, on the other merely a low horny boss. The fifth quill is the longest, the sixth sub-equal, the fourth 0-3, the third 0°9, the second 2:1, and the first 2°6 shorter than the longest. There is a large bare space all round the eye, which, in the fresh bird, is bright blue. The irides were brown. The legs and feet dark brown. The bill yellowish horny. The entire lower parts, including the wing lining, velvet black ; the feathers in one light with a dim slightly greenish, and in another light with a faint purplish reflection. The sides, top, and back of the head metallic green ; all the occipital and nuchal feathers curled up, much like the feathers on a pelican’s neck; the ear-coverts metallic green, with a decided steel blue glance ; the entire back and sides of the neck rich bur- nished copper color; base of the back of the neck and entire interscapulary region very bright metallic green, scarcely at all mingled with any other colored reflections; middle back, rump, and upper tail-coverts pure silvery white ; most of the feathers of the rump dark shafted ; tail a deep maroon chesnut, all the feathers broadly tipped with white; primaries and their greater coverts and secondaries black, the latter with metallic reflections - towards the tips on the outer webs. The rest of the wing and scapulars all with a brilliant metallic lustre as it were burnished, mostly more or less green in one light ; but the feathers about the shoulder of the wing with a deep steel blue and purple glow; the lesser coverts immediately below these with an intense ruddy golden or coppery glow, and most of the lesser and median coverts and the outer scapulars with more or less of golden or coppery reflections in different lights. With the sole exception of the crest, which is insignificant as compared with that of Jmpeyanus, the present species is, I think, decidedly handsomer than the common one. NOTE ON PELARGOPSIS INTERMEDIA, Hume. 489: - No European, I believe, has ever shot this Moonal; the few specimens hitherto procured have been brought in by the Arbors, Mishmees, or other aboriginal tribes from the hills on the . extreme eastern limits of the valley of Assam. Alote on Pelargoysis intermedia, Bune. By R. Bowpier Sarre, F.L.S., F.Z.8., &c., oF THE. ZooLocicaL DEPARTMENT, British Museum. Mr. Hume having kindly sent over for my inspection a specimen of his new Pelargopsis from the Nicobars, I have com- pared it with P. leucocephala, to which, as he surmises, it is nearly akin. I very much doubt if the Kingfisher from Sumatra, which Mr. Davison (Stray Feathers, 1, p. 449) saw but did not obtain, would be the same as the Nicobar bird, 2.¢., P. interme- dia ; it would be probably the small Sumatran race of P. Fraseri, mentioned by me (P. Z. S., 1870, p. 65) and figured in my ‘monograph’ (pl. 33). This identical specimen passed last year with the rest of Mr. Wallace’s collection into the British Museum, and is now before me. I do not see any reason to modify my conclusion that it is a small race of P. Fraseri ; and I shall not give it a name, because it seems to me probable that a reconsideration of the whole genus will shortly become necessary, as the different Malayan and Indian islands bring new species before our notice, and it will require much care and no small amount of patience to distinguish some of them in a patent and recognisable manner. After all, the differences which separate them may. ultimately turn out to be of less value than I have been used to consider them, and they may be considered as races or rather sub-species of one prevalent form. As the genus now stands, however, P. intermedia is entitled to the same rank as P. Fraseri and P. leucocephala. Being much more blue than the two last-named birds, it is more nearly allied to the Bornean P. leucocephala, but it differs in two important particu- lars, viz., in the deep coloréd under parts and in the color of the blue of the back. I do not think much of the depth or paleness of the ochre on the breast, as it seems to bleach, nor do I attach much importance to the crown, as Mr. Hume (Stray Fratusrs, II., p. 166) seems to do, for it is certain that the uncapped species of Pelargopsis have occasionally a strong inclination towards a cap, and these, I fancy, are young birds ; for I generally 490 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA find that the markings on the head are more plain in those speci- mens which have brown margins to the feathers of the breast and hind neck and ochraceous edgings to the wing-coverts, these last being undoubtedly. characters of the young. The cvlor of the under parts is very rich ochre in P. intermedia, and is conti- nued right up to the chin; of course with only one specimen T cannot say how far this character would be constant in a series, but all the Bornean birds now before me have whitish throats. The blue of the back is also different from that of P. leucocephala, being, as Mr. Hume remarks, of a rich smalt. I think, therefore, that P. intermedia must be kept as a good species. Additional Hotes on the Abitanna of the Andaman Islands. Since I published my long paper on the ornithology of the Islands of the Bay of Bengal, I have received many speci- mens from the Andamans, and I have met with various notes by Mr. Sharpe, Lord Walden, &c., on birds belonging to these islands which require notice. The result of further observations and identification is that four species have to be added to our list. (1) Ephialtes modestus, Walden. (2) Geocichla andamanensis, Walden. (3) Emberiza pusilla, Pald. (4) Tringa crassirostris, Tem. et Schleg. That the “supposed Cyanocincla cyanus, l., of which we ob- tained no specimens, should stand as C. solitarius, Miill., and that the tern which I considered intermediate between gracilis, Gould, and paradisea, Briinn, has been identified as the latter by Mr. Howard Saunders. I may add that I have discovered that by a lapsus calami I aie Turdus pallidus, Gm., for Turdus EEG TS, Gm. Three supposed new species— (1) Alcedo rufigastra, vel Beavani, Wald. (2) lanthzenas “‘nicobarica, Wald. (8) Megapodius trinkutensis, Sharpe. I am unable to admit, as such, for reasons given below Lastly, a large series of Bur ryzona Canningi enable me to give full measurements recorded in the flesh and a nts description of this rare and beautiful Rail. OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, 491 39 quat.—Spilornis Davisoni, Hume. Other specimens received during the summer from Captain Wimberley, together with numerous specimens of Rutherfordi obtained by Davison in Tenasserim, leave no possible doubts as to the distinctness of the present species. futherfordi may also occur at the Andamans, but Davisoni is a perfectly distinct bird, which the tarsi and feet alone suffice (vide anie, p. 148) to separate. 74 quat.—Ephialtes Balli, Hume. Several specimens, since obtained, adults, half grown, and young, show that the bird described at page 151 of this present volume is really the nestling of the present species, of which the type, still in the Indian Museum, was described, Srray Fratuers, Vol. I., p. 407. This is, I think, the handsomest as well as the gamest looking of all our Indian Scops Owls, of which we must now, I think, admit the following eleven species :— 74, Hphialtes pennatus, Hodgs. 74 bis gy sunia, a TA ter. 5, spilocephalus, Blyth. 74 quat 4, Balli, Hume. 74 quint ,, modestus, Walden. C4 sex 4, Brucei, Hume. i) A lettia, Hodgs. MOuDiS | aie, plumipes, Hume. 15 ter gy bakhamuna, Forst. 75 quat 4, malabaricus, Jerd. (Td quint ,, lempigi, Horsf. Of all these, except modestus, I have now several specimens (I have recently again received Brucez, a very marked species, from Mahabuleshwur), and of most of them large series. As regards the first two on the list, recent instances in which grey birds with only a little rufous about them have been obtained, together with perfectly similar young, and Hutton’s experience of always finding bright rufous young along with rufous old birds, make me now believe that they must be retained as distinct. Certainly pennatus often has more or less rufous about it, but the bright entirely rufous sunia appears to be so from the nest and at all ages. As for plumipes, the only specimen of semitorques that ’ I have been able to examine does not agree with it. D 492 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA 74 quint.—Eephialtes modestus, Walden. This species was described, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 1874, p. 123, as follows :— “ Stiff loral bristles, pure white at base, some tipped with fulvous, some with dark brown or black; those of the chin pale fulvous, nearly white; over each eye a distinct broad whitish band, formed by pure white feathers narrowly tipped with yellowish brown, which again in most is narrowly fringed with black, some nearest the eyes also edged throughout their length with yellowish brown; feathers of the: head and nape pale yellowish rusty, each traversed by three or four narrow irregular light brown lines ; interscapulars and feathers of the back and rump colored and marked like the plumage of the head and nape, but the brown transverse bands are broader and fewer ; scapulars the same, but a few more or less pure white, mottled towards the tip with the prevailing tints ; ear-coverts and cheeks principally white, with brown and ruddy fulvous markings ; throat-feathers albescent, with one or more narrow brown cross bands; a half collar below the throat of feathers marked and colored like those of the nape; breast-feathers tipped with brown, a subterminal band of pale fulvous, then a brown band followed by a much broader pure white band ; abdominal feathers white, tipped with an irregular ocellated mark, centred with pale rusty fulvous and encircled with brown, then a broad white band with a basal and narrower brown band ; in many of the abdominal feathers the ocellated markings are replaced by an irregular cross band of mixed fulvous and brown; under tail-coverts white, with faint subterminal fulvous-brown bands ; tarsus clothed with white feathers, faintly barred with pale brown; ground color of the primaries and secondaries brown, each quill traversed by three or more pale rufo-fulvous narrow bands more or less complete; the brown intervals towards the apices of the primaries and on their outer webs much freckled with rufo-fulvous; on the outer web of the second, third, and fourth primaries the pale rufo-fulvous bands change to fulvous white or pure white; under wing-coverts greyish white; median rectrices marked and colored like the apices of the primaries, laterals with clear rufo-fulvous bands running through, all tipped, like the median shoulder-edge, white ; tarsi feathered to within an eighth of an inch of the base of the toes ; fourth and fifth quills equal; third slightly longer than sixth. OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 493 Wing, 4°75 inches ; tail, 2°37 ; tarsus, 1-0 ; middle toe, with nail, 1°12; bill, from nostril (in a straight line), 0°65. “Two examples of this small plain-colored Scops Owl were obtained near Port Blair, South Andaman, by Captain R. Wimberley.” Looking to the very small size and to the description, so far as it is possible to follow a description of such a bird, I am quite disposed to admit this as a good species. I have unfortunately never seen a specimen, and considering how many L. Balli have recently been obtained, it is curious that no more modestus should yet have turned up. Another thing worthy of notice is, that the young of Balli approach, to judge by the description, very closely to modestus in plumage, but they have the wings 9°d. 108 ¢er.—Collocalia innominata, Hume. Lord Walden, I see, unites this species, Jerdon’s unicolor, and spodiopygia, Peale, apud nos, under the one general name of francica, Gm. When he was about it he had better, as Captain G. F. L. Marshall recently suggested to me, have united all the known Collocalias into one comprehensive species, omniwm- gatherum, Walden. I may be wrong in the nomenclature. Jerdon’s unicolor ought very possibly to stand under some other name; my innominata should, it may be, bear some other prior title; and my spodiopygia may not be Peale’s, and should per- chance stand as inexpectata, nobis, or again bear some other title, but the three species, whatever their proper names, are as distinct as Oriolus, kundoo, chinensis, and melanocephalus,nay more so, for they differ extraordinarily in size, and any ordinarily ob- servant child of eight years of age would pick them out of a heap, at once, as distinct. It is quite clear that Lord Walden has not seen the birds, or he could never possibly have fallen into the error of confound- ing together three such exceedingly different species. 110 dis.—_Caprimulgus andamanicus, Hume. Specimens subsequently received leave no doubt as to the distinctness of this species. Lord Walden, who calls it macrurus, admits that “it may claim to be regarded as belonging to a distinct species.” He omits to notice that four months previ- - ously I had characterized and named it. He gives the wings of five specimens as varying from 7 to 7:13, and the tails from 5°25 to 9°90. AQ4 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA 131.—Haleyon coromanda, Lath. Other Andaman specimens exhibit the same differences that I pointed out (ante, p. 169), viz., they have much larger bills, and are much darker on the lower surface. Before, I compared them with Sikhim specimens, now I compare them with Tenas- serim birds. I took males before, now I take females. Two fine Andaman females have the bill, measured from the anterior angle of the nostril to the point, 2°15. Equally fine Tenasserim females have the bills, similarly measured, 1°85. The lower surface of the Andaman birds is conspicuously darker, and much more strongly tinged with ruddy purple on the breast than any out of some forty Sikhim and Tenasserim birds. See The wings, too, seem to average larger. If this be separable from coromanda, it is probably major of the F. J.; Schlegelz, Reich. 184 dis —Alcedo asiatica, Stains. Lord Walden wants to make a new species out of the Anda- man race of this bird. In the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. for 1873, p. 487, he says : “ Alcedo rujigastra, n. sp. « Chin and throat creamy white, washed faintly with rufous ; remainder of under surface and the under tail-coverts deep bright rufous ; spot before the eye rufous, paler in some than in others; feathers of the head black, with a penultimate bright blue band, those of the cheeks all bright blue; back and upper tail-coverts bright blue; wing-coverts black, washed with blue, each feather tipped with bright blue; scapulars and rectrices black, washed with blue. “Wing, 2°5 inches ; tail, 1:62; bill, from nostril, 1°37. “6 Described from three male examples obtained in the island of South Andaman by Lieutenant R. Wardlaw Ramsay. «¢ This is a well-marked form, termediate between A. moluc- censis and A. asiatica. Above it nearly resembles the first ; underneath it is undistinguishable from the last.’’ And later in the August number for 1874, just to hand, he says :-—“ At page A87 of the twelfth volume of this journal I described as new, under the title of Alcedo rufigastra, a species of Kingfisher of which examples had been sent to me from the Andaman Islands. A specimen obtained by the late Captain Beavan in Maunbhoom, on comparison, proved to be identical (Ibis, 1874, p. 136) .secscseeseeeeveeey AN I wish, by changing the hybrid title OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 495. of rufigasira to that of Beavani, to commemorate the original discoverer of this species.” No one, I think, will doubt an author’s right to change either his own name or one he has conferred on a new species ; what I object to are people who presume to alter other people’s names > but whether as rujigastra or Beavani, I fear this supposed new ~ species cannot stand. We have ten specimens from the Andamans, one from Cut- tack, one from the Rajmahal hills, two from the Bhootan Doars, one from Tipperah, one from Ye, and two from Amherst, and all clearly belong to the same species ; but what is noticeable is, that while some specimens have the upper surface very similar to that of moluccensis, (as figured by Mr. Sharpe, I have not a specimen down here), in others this corresponds perfectly with the figure of Asiatica, so that I can only conclude that the va- riation In tint in the upper surface (and it varies more or less in every single specimen) depends upon age and season and the length of time that has elapsed since the last moult. O51 bis.—_Cyanocincla solitaria, Jill. We failed to obtain a specimen of the Blue-rock Thrush ; one killed whilst Mr. Davison was at Port Blair exhibited no trace of rufous on the lower plumage; but Lord Walden men- tions receiving one killed at Port Blair in February, having the whole lower breast and ventral region deep chesnut, a few feathers only here and there tipped with blue. The above species must, therefore, be included in our list. 3006 Jis.—Geocichla albogularis, Blyth. Lord Walden considers that the Andaman Bush-Thrush is distinct from the Nicobar race, and has named it (Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 1874) G. andamanensis. He says :— “When writing on Andaman birds (l.c.), I had not had the advantage of seeing examples of the Nicobar Geocichla named G. albogularis by Mr. Blyth. Lately a considerable series has come under my observation ; and a comparison made between them and Andaman examples makes it clear that they belong toa totally distinct species. Having already shown that the Andaman species differs from the Malayan G. innotata, it remains without a title; and therefore for the Andaman bird I propose the name given above.” . I have not, it appears, a single Nicobar specimen. We saw the bird continually, but failed to preserve one. Lord Walden is doubtless right, and we must therefore enter 356 te7.—G-E0- CICHLA ANDAMANENSIS, Walden, in our list. 496 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA I notice that though Lord Walden says he pointed out the dif- ference between the Andaman and Malayan Bush-Thrushes, he did so inthe April number of the Jd2s; I pointed it out in the January number of Srray Freatuers (p. 221), and more- over, I pointed out (which he failed to do) the special cha- racteristic of the adult Andaman Bush-Thrush, viz., the two brown eye-stripes, analogous to, thought smaller and feebler, than those of G. cyanotis. 369 bis.—Turdus obscurus, Gm. I erroneously entered this bird as pallidus, Gm., which is daulias, Tem., quite a different bird. The present species is the one we get from Malacca and Tenasserim, of which modestus, Eyton, rufulus, Drapiez, &c., are synonymes. 520 dis.—Locustella subsignata, Hume. ~ Lord Walden gives /anceolata, Tem., from the Andamans, and unites with this my subsignata ; he may possibly have obtained lanceolata from the Andamans (though, until some better autho- rity where this group is concerned examines the specimens, I must defer including the species in our list), but he is, I think, very certainly in error in uniting subsignata with lanceolata. What I take, at any rate, to be the true lanceolata, the bird we have from Tenasserim and Sumatra, is certainly distinct from subsignata. However, it may be argued that my lanceolata is not true lanceolata, and so to settle this point I have just sent a specimen home to Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British Museum. 599.—Corydalla Richardi, Vieill. Lord Walden, Jbis, 1874, p. 140, includes C. striolata, Blyth, amongst the birds of the Andamans, and states that he is ‘“ dis- posed to doubt the propriety of separating this form from C. rufula !” Now, of course, I cannot tell what bird Lord Walden has got hold of ; but all the seven specimens we obtained, and the like number subsequently sent us, are the Indian Richardi, with tarsi from 1:12 to 1:25, and hind claws from 0-7 to 1:2. Clearly none of these are strvodata, in which the tarsus varies from 0:97 to 1:08, and the hind claws from 0°44 to 0°56. However, Lord Walden may have rightly identified sériolata, and there is no excuse for any one’s failing to do this, since the publication of my friend Mr. Brooks’ paper (Stray FEATHERS, L., p. 358), clearly setting forth the differences between our three OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 497 Corydallas ; but then what can be said to the remark as to uni- ting striolata and rufula? You might as well talk of uniting No. 3 and No. 5 shot, or Aquila chrysaétos and Aquila heliaca. Surely Lord Walden never can have seen true striolate. The only conclusion I can draw is, that he must have got specimens of the slightly different Malayan race of C. rufula, called, I believe, by Eyton Anthus malaiensis, which occurs in Tenasserim and Assam, and very possibly below Darjeeling. If this be so, I quite agree that it does not deserve specific separation, and we ought in that case to enter 7ufula in our Andamanese list, but until the obscurity which now involves the facts is dispelled, it would be premature to do so. 701.—Munia striata, Lin. Lord Walden, in the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 1873, p. 488, separates the Andaman race of this species, which I designated (ante, p. 257) nonstriata, as fumigata. Though my article was in type months before Lord Walden’s name was published, the latter has priority, and those who consider this race as entitled to specific separation, a point in regard to which I have never felt certain, must call it henceforth fumigata, Wald. The following are his remarks on the species :— * Above dark brown, deeper on the head; rump white; quills above and externally deep brown, on the borders of the inner webs pale tawny rufous, most developed on the secondaries and tertiaries ; tail jet black, the middle pair of rectrices being slightly elongated ; chin, throat, and cheeks concolorous with the head ; ear-coverts brown, with pale edgings ; breast, abdo- men, and flanks dingy white, the breast feathers with brown spots ; thigh and under tail-coverts brown, with rusty margins. “ Wing, 2:00 inches; tail, 1°75; tarsus, 0°50. ** Described from examples obtained by Lieutenant R. W. Ramsay in the island of South Andaman. Nearly allied to M. acuticauda, Hodgs., but to be readily distinguished by the absence of pale shafts to the dorsal plumage.” 720.—Emberiza pusilla, Pail. Lieutenant Wardlaw Ramsay shot a female of this species on the 28th of March below Mr. DeRoepstorff’s house on Mount Harriet. Davison saw and noted it, but I did not include it in our list, not being sure that he had correctly identified it. Lord Walden now confirms the identification, and this species must now be included in the Avifauna of the Bay of Bengal. | 498 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA 780 quat.—Carpophaga palumboides, Hume. This species really has, I find, as Lord Walden said, only twelve tail feathers, but it is not a bit of an Janthenas for all that. There is a specimen alive here now in Calcutta, and in its mode of holding itself and its broad substantial body it is a typi- cal Carpophaga, and not at all like the more slender and pigeon- like metallica, which, rare as it is, isthe only Janthenas that I have seen alive. Lord Walden has just described in the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. a supposed new nearly allied species. He says :— “ Tanthenas meobarica, n. sp. “ Entire head, nape, cheeks, and neck dark French grey ; chin and throat albescent grey; breast and abdomen darker grey than the head ; feathers of the back and sides of the neck tipped with iridescent colors of changing green and pinkish violet ; lower down a broad zone of dark grey feathers with bright green reflections, followed by an interscapular zone of iron grey feathers with pinkish violet reflections ; lesser wing-coverts iron grey, with semilunar terminal pinkish violet edgings; all the iridescent tints described alter from green to violet or violet to green, according to the light in which the individual is held ; back, uropygium, and upper-tail coverts dark ashy grey, many shades darker than the head, and tinted with iridescent hues ; quills and rectrices almost black; base of the bill and eyelids bright red. “Wing, 9°75 inches; tail, 6°50; bill, from forehead, 1°37; tarsus, 1; middle toe, with claw, 1:87. “ Described from examples obtained in Trinkut and Nang- cowry Islands, Nicobars, by Captain Wimberley. “ Like Lanthenas palumboides (Hume), this species possesses twelve rectrices, and is a true Lanthenas. ‘Tt is a representative form of the Andaman species, from which it is chiefly distinguished by wanting the pearly-white or greyish-white head, throat, and nape.” I cannot think that this is distinct. If it is so, it occurs at the Andamans as well as at the Nicobars. The presence or ab- sence of the pearly-white tinge appears to me to be either indivi- dual or dependent upon sex or age. The type specimen has nothing like the amount shown in the figure in the Ibis; it is exactly intermediate between that and the form now described as nicobarica. I no more believe in this latter than I do in Megapodius trin- kutensis ; and Iam confident that when we have as many speci- OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 499 mens of palumboides as we have of M. nicobariensis, the non-validity of nicobarica will be as indisputable as that of trinkutensis. 808 seatus.—Megapodius nicobariensis, Blyth. In the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. for June 1874, my friend Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe describes a supposed new species of Megapode from the island of Trinkut under the name of