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0  cr  •  ^  ^  K    lO^J 


FORTHE  PEOPLE 

FOR  EDVCATION 

FOR  SCIENCE 

LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  AMERICAN  MUSEUM 

OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

THE     IBIS, 


QUARTERLY  JOURNAL  OF  ORNITHOLOGY. 


EDITED  BY 

OSBERT  SALVIN,  M.A.,  F.R.S., 

STRICKLAND  CURATOR  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CAMBRIDGE,  &f. 

AND 

PHTLIP  LUTLEY  SCLATER,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  F.R.S. 

SECRETARY  TO  THE  ZOOLOGICAL  SOCIETY  OF  LONDON. 


VOL.  L    1877. 
FOUETH  SERIES. 

Ibis  avis  robiista  et  multos  ^ivit  in  annos. 

LONDON: 
JOHN  VAN  VOORST,  1  PATEPiNOSTER  ROW 

]877. 


PRINTED  BY  TAYLOE  AND  FRANCIS, 
RED  r.ION  COURT,  FLEET  STREET. 


TO  THE  READER  OF  THIS 
VOLUME 

Kindly  handle  this  book  with  the  utmost 
care  on  account  of  its  fragile  condition. 
The  binding  has  been  done  as  well  as  pos- 
sible under  existing  conditions  and  will 
give  reasonable  wear  with  proper  opening 
and  handling.  ^  gg^ies  of 

Your  thoughtfulness  icill  he  appreciated  ader  their 

ited  to  its 
^e  received 
uurmg  tne  year,  and  to  congratulate  the  Members  of 
the  British  Ornithologists'  Union  on  the  excellent 
quality  and  great  interest  of  many  of  these  com- 
munications. 

It  is,  indeed,  evident  that  great  activity  is  now 
prevalent  in  our  favourite  science,  as  in  almost  every 
other  branch  of  Natural  History.  Never  before 
were  so  many  important  publications  on  Ornithology 
in  progress,  never  were  there  so  many  workers  en- 
gaged in  collecting  specimens  and  observing  facts 
in  nearly  every  part  of  the  world's  surface. 

The  Editors  look  forward  with  confidence  for  a 
continuation  of  the  support  that  has  been  accorded 
them. 

O.  S. 
P.  L.  S. 


October  1877. 


PRINTED  BY  TAYLOR  AND  FRANCIS, 
RSD  r.ION  COURT,  FLEET  STREET. 


PREFACE. 


In  concluding  the  first  volume  of  a  new  series  of 
'  The  Ibis  '  the  Editors  beg  leave  to  tender  their 
best  thanks  to  those  who  have  contributed  to  its 
pages  for  the  good  supply  of  papers  they  have  received 
during  the  year,  and  to  congratulate  the  Members  of 
the  British  Ornithologists'  Union  on  the  excellent 
quality  and  great  interest  of  many  of  these  com- 
munications. 

It  is,  indeed,  evident  that  great  activity  is  now 
prevalent  in  our  favourite  science,  as  in  almost  every 
other  branch  of  Natural  History.  Never  before 
were  so  many  important  publications  on  Ornithology 
in  progress,  never  were  there  so  many  workers  en- 
gaged in  collecting  specimens  and  observing  facts 
in  nearly  every  part  of  the  world's  surface. 

The  Editors  look  forward  with  confidence  for  a 
continuation  of  the  support  that  has  been  accorded 
them. 

O.  S. 
P.  L.  S. 


October  1877. 


BRITISH  ORNITHOLOGISTS'  UNION. 

1877. 


[An  asterisk  indicates  an  Original  Member.] 


Date  of 

Election. 

1874.  Edward  E.  Alston,  F.Z.S.  ;  22  a  Dorset  Street,  London,  W. 
1870.  Andrew  Anderson,  F.Z.S. 

1872.  Hanbfry   Barclay,  F.Z.S. ;  Middleton  Hall,  Tamworth. 

1875.  John  BiDDtJLPH,   Capt.  19th  Hussars  ;   Government  House, 

Calcutta. 

1873.  W.  T.  Blaneoed,  F.K.S.  &c.;  Geological  Survey  of  India, 

Calcutta. 

1870.  Sir  Victor  Brooke,  Bart. ;  Colebrooke,  Fermanagh,  Ireland. 

1871.  Arthur  Basil  Brooke  ;  Cardney,  Dunkeld,  N.B. 
1866.  Henry  Buckley,  F.Z.S'. ;  Edgbaston,  Birmingham. 

1868.  Thomas  Edward  Buckley,  B.A.,  F.Z.S.  ;   Balnacoil,  Brora, 

N.  B. 
1877.  Lieut.-Col.  G.  E.  Bulger. 

1872.  Walter  Lawry  Buller,  C.M.G.,  Sc.D.,  F.L.S.,  &c.;   Wel- 

lington, New  Zealand. 

1876.  Lord  Clieton  ;  Cobham  Hall,  Gravesend. 

1876.  H.R.H.  Prince  Arthur,  Duke  op  Connaught,  E.G. 

1874.  John  Cordeaux  ;  Great  Cotes,  Ulceby,  Lincolnshire. 

1866.  Arthur  William  Crichton,  B.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S. ;  Broadward 
Hall,  Salop. 

1877.  J.  J.  Dalgleish  ;  8  Athole  Crescent,  Edinburgh. 

1874.  Charles  Danford,  F.Z.S. ;  2  Norfolk  Street,  Park  Lane. 

1865.  Henry  Eeles  Dresser,  F.Z.S. ;    6  Tenterden  Street,  Hanover 
Square,  London,  W. 
*Henry  Maurice  Drummond-Hay,  C.M.Z.S.,  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel, Royal  Perth  Rifles ;  Seggieden,  Perth. 


Date  of 

Election. 

1876.  Henry  Dtjenfoed  ;  Buenos  Ayres. 

1876.  Lieut.    Egeeton,    R.N.  ;     68    West    Cromwell    Road,    Ken- 

sington. 

1870.  Daniel  Giratjd  Elliot,    F.R.S.E.,  &c. ;    5  Rue  de  Tilsitt, 

Paris. 

1866.  Hexet  John  Elwes,  F.Z.S.  ;  Preston,  Cirencester. 

1877.  Rev.  T,  J.  Eaving,  D.D.  ;  Postwick  Rectory,  Norfolk. 
*Thoma8  Campbell  Eyton,  F.Z.S.  ;  Eyton  Hall,  Wellington. 

Salop. 
1873.  H.  W.  Feilden,  Captain  and  Paymaster,  Royal  Artillery ;  2 

Grosvenor  Terrace,  Aldershot. 
1877.  W.  A.  Foebes;  Wickham  Hall,  West  Wickham,  Kent. 

1867.  GeoegeGoochFowlee,B.A.;  Gunton  HaU,  Lowestoft,  Suffolk. 
1865.  Rev,  Henet  Elliott  Fox,  M. A. ;  30  Warwick  Square,  London, 

S.W. 

1873.  Alfeed  Henry  Gaeeod,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  &c.  ;   10  Harley  Street, 

London. 
*Fredeeick  DuCane  Godman,   F.L.S.,   F.Z.S.  ;    10   Chandos 

Street,  Cavendish  Square,  W. 
*Peecy  Sanden  Godman,  B.A.,  C.M.Z.S. ;  The  Grange,  Sher- 

manbury,  Henfield,  Sussex. 

1874.  Lieut. -Col.    H.    Godwin-Austen,    F.Z.S.  ;     Shalford  House, 

Guildford,  Suri'ey. 

1871.  Robert  Geay,  F.R.S.E.,  F.S.A.S. ;  13  Inverleith  Row,  Edin- 

burgh. 

1876.  Albeet  C.  L.  G.  GtJNTHEE,  M.A.,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  &c. ;  Keeper 

of  the  Zoological  Department,  British  Museum,  London. 
*JoHN  Heney  Gurney,  F.Z.S. ;  Northrepps,  Norwich. 
1870.  John  Henry  Gurney,  Jun.,  F.Z.S. ;  Northrepps,  Norwich. 

1877.  E.  V.  Haecouet  ;  Nuneham  Park,  Oxford. 

1876.  H.  C.  Haeford  ;  99th  Regiment. 

1877.  E.  Hargitt  ;  10  Alexander  Square,  Brompton. 

1868.  James  Edmund  Harting,  F.L.S.,   F.Z.S. ;  24  Lincoln's   Inn 

Fields,  London. 
1873.  John  A.  Harvie  Brown;  Dunipace  House,  Larbert,  N.B. 
1868.  Rev.  Herbert  S.  Hawkins,  M.A.  ;  Beyton  Rectory,  Suffolk. 

1875.  J.  C.  Hele  ;  Knowles,  NeNvt-on- Abbot. 

1873.  Charles    B.    Hodgson,    F.Z.S.  ;     13    Waterloo    Street,    Bir- 
mingham. 
1877.  E.  W.  H.  Holdsworth;  84Cliftonhill  Street,  St.  John's  Wood. 


Date  of 
Election. 

*'WiiFEiD  HuDLESTON  HuDLESTON,  M.A.,  F.Z.S.  ;   23  Cheyne 
Walk,  Chelsea. 
1874.  Baron  A.  von  Hugel  ;  Moorlands,  Bournemouth. 

1869.  Allan  Octavian  Hume,  C.B.  ;  Secretary  to  the  Government 

of  India,  Calcutta. 

1873.  Most  Hon.  Chaeles,  Marquess  of  Huntly;  41  Upper  Gros- 

venor  Street,  London. 

1870.  Lord  Htlton  ;  Merstham,  Red  Hill,  Surrey. 

1870.  Col.  Leonard  Howard  L.  Irby,  F.Z.S. ;  Hythe,  Southampton. 

1874.  Capt.  Alexander  W.  M.  Clarke  Kennedy,  F.L.S.,  F.E.G.S., 

F.Z.S. ;  Carruchan,  Dumfries,  K.B. 
*Arthfr  Edward  Knox,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S. ;  Trotton  House, 
Petersfield,  Sussex. 

1876.  Captain  Vincent  Legge,  R.A.  ; 

*Right  Hon.  Thomas  Lyttleton,  Lord  Lilfoed,  F.L.S. ,  F.Z.S., 
&c. ;  Lilford  Hall,  Oundle,  Northants. 

1874.  Major  John  Hayes  Lloyd,  F.Z.S. ;  74  Adelaide  Road,  Haver- 

stock  Hill,  London,  N.W. 

1877.  J.  Ltjmsden,  Jun. ;  20  Queen's  Street,  Glasgow. 

1875.  John  Wingeield  Malcolm,  M.P.  ;  7  Stanhope  Street,  May- 

fair,  London,  W. 
1870.  C.  H.  T.  Marshall,  F.Z.S. ;  Captain,  Bengal  Staff  Corps. 
1870.  G.  F.  L.  Marshall,  F.Z.S. ;  Capt.  Royal  (Bengal)  Engineers. 
1864.  Alexander   Goodman  More,  F.L.S.  &c. ;  3  Botanic  View, 

Glasnevin,  Dublin. 
1874.  Rhodes  W.  Morgan  ;    Madras  Forest  Department,  Ootaca- 

mund,  India. 

1876.  Hugh  Nevill  ;  Newton  Villa,  Godalming. 

1872.  Francis  D'Arcy  William  Clough  New-come  ;  Feltwell  Hall, 
Brandon,  Suffolk. 
*Alfred  Newton,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.Z.S. ;  Professor  of  Zoology 

in  the  University  of  Cambridge. 
*Edward  Newton,  M.A.,  C.M.G.,  F.L.S.,  C.M.Z.S.,  Colonial 
Secretary,  Mauritius. 
1876.  Francis  Nicholson  ;  Stamford  Road,  Bowdon,  Cheshire. 

*JoHN   William  Powletx-Orde,    F.Z.S.,  late  Captain,  42nd 
(Royal  Highland)  Regiment ;  Auchnaba  House,  Loch  Gilp 
Head,  N.  B. 
1872.  R.  G.  Wardlaw  Ramsay,  67th  Regiment ;  White  Hill,  Lass- 
wade,  N.  B. 


Date  of 

Election. 

1877.  Lieut.  S.  G.  Reid,  li.E. ;  South  Camp,  Aldershot. 

1865.  Gkorge   Dawson  Rowley,  M.A.,  F.Z.S. ;    Chichester  House, 
,,vi.'M.:i.       East  Cliff,  Brighton.       ■  <   :    '■ 

1873.  Oliver  Beatjchamp  Coventry  St.  John,  Major  R.A.,  F.Z.S. 
viii       *OsBERT  Salvin,  M.A.,  F.R.S,,  &c. ;  Erooklauds  Avenue,  Cam- 
bridge. -'J'-^  i'j 

1870.  Howard  Saunders,  E.L.S.,'F.^.S.  ;■  7  Kadnor  Place,  Hyde  Park. 
*Philip  Lutley  Sclater,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  F.R.S.,  &e. ;  44  Elvas- 

ton  Place,  Queen's  Gate,  London,  W. 

1873.  Henry  Sfjebohm,  F.Z.S. ;  Oak  Lea,  Collegiate  Crescent,  Broom- 

hall  Park,  SheiReld. 

1871.  Richard  Bowdler  Sharpe,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.  ;   Senior  Assistant, 

Zoological  Department,  British  Museum. 
1870.  G.  EiiisfEST  Shelley,  F.Z.S.,  late  Captain,  Grenadier  Guards  ; 

6  Tenterden  Street,  Hanover  Square,  London,  W. 
1865.  Rev.  Charles  William  Shepherd,  M.A.,  F.Z.S. ;  Trotters- 

,.        cliffe,  Kent. 
1864.  Ltev.    Alfred    Charles    Smith,    M^A.  ;    Yatesbury   Rectoiy, 

Wiltshire.  !lV^-'"'  .\  ^"^'!  r 

1874.  Cecil  Smith  ;  Lydiard  House,  Taunton,  Somersetshire. 

1875.  A.  C.  Stark  ;  Alexandra  Villa,  Weston-super-Mare. 
1864.  Henry  Stevenson,  F.L.S. ;  Unthank's  Road,  JNorwich. 

3  868.  Hamon   Styleman   Le  Strange,    F.Z.S.;    Hunstanton    Hall, 

„  ,  Norfolk. 

1875.  IPaget   Walter   Le    Strange,    Lieut. -Col.    Royal    Artillery, 

,  ,■■      Sheerness. 
1877.  Hon.  G.  Manners  Sutton  ;  50  Thurloe  Square,  S.W. 
1862^p-RoBERT  SwiNHOE,   F.R.S. ,   late    of   H.M.  Consular   Service, 
China.     33  Carlyle  Square,  London,  S.W. 
*Edward  Cavendish  Taylor,  M.A.,  F.Z.S. ;  74  Jermyn  Street, 
London. 
1864.  George    Cavendish    Taylor,    F.Z.S.  ;     42   Elvaston    Place, 

■    Queen's  Gate,  London. 
1873.  William   Bernhard   Tegetmeier,   F.Z.S.  ;    Finchley,    Mid- 
dlesex. 
*Rev.    Henry   Baker   Tristram,    M.A.,   LL.D.,   F.R.S.,   tfec, 
Canon  of  Durham.      The  College,  Durham. 
1864.  Most  Hon.  Arthur,  Marquess  of  Tweeddale,  F.R.S.,  Pres.  Z.S., 

Tester,  Haddington,  N.B. 
1864.  Henry  Morris  Upchee,  F.Z.S. ;  Sherringham  Hall,  Norfolk. 


Date  of 
Election. 

1872,  Hekbekt  Taylok  Ussheb,  C.M.G.,  Lieut.-Governor  of  La- 
buan,  Borneo. 

1874.  Charles   Bygrave  Whartok,   F.Z.S.  ;    Hounsdown,    Totton, 

Hants. 

1871.  E.  Perceval  Wright,  M.D.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  Professor  of  Botany 

in  the  University  of  Dublin. 

1875.  Charles  A.  Wright;  Kayhough  House,  Kew-Gardens Koad, 

Kew. 

1876.  Claude  W.  Wyatt  ;  Adderbury,  Banbury. 

1877.  Lieut.  J.  H.  Yule  ;  11th  Regiment,  Poena,  Bombay. 

Extra- Ordinary  Member. 
1860.  Alfred  Russel  Wallace,  F.Z.S.  ;  Rosehill,  Dorking. 

Honorary  Members. 

1860.  Professor  Spencer  F.  Baird,  Assistant  Secretary  to  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  Washington. 

1860.  Doctor  Eduard  Baldamus,  Moritzwinger,  No.  7,  Halle. 

1860.  Doctor  Jean  Cabanis,  Erster  Custos  am  koniglichen  Museum 
der  Friedrich-Wilhehn's  Uuiversitat  zu  Berlin. 

1870.  Doctor  Otto  Finsch,  Zoological  Museum,  Bremen. 

1860.  Doctor  Gustav  Hartlaub,  Bremen. 

1860,  Edgar  Leopold  Layard,  C.M.G.,  F.Z.S.,  H.M.  Consul,  New 
Caledonia. 

1869,  August  von  Pelzeln,  Custos  am  k.-k,  zoologischen  Cabinete 
in  Wien. 

1860.  Professor  J.  Reinhardt,  Kongelige  Naturhistoriske  Museum 
i  Kjobenhavn. 

Foreign  Members. 

1872,  Prof.  J.  V.  Barboza  du  Bocage,  Royal  Museum,  Lisbon. 
1875,  Hans  Graf  von  Berlepsch,  Witzenhausen,  Hessen-Nassau. 

1872.  Prof.  J,  F.  Brandt,  Imperial  Museum,  8t.  Petersburg. 

1873.  Robert  Collett,  Christiania. 

1872.  Doctor  Elliott  Coues,  U.S.  Army,  Smithsonian  Institution, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
1875.  Marchese  Giacomo  Doria,  Genoa. 
1872.  Doctor  Victor  Fatio,  Geneva. 


Date  of 
Election. 

1872.  Doctor  Henky  Hillyer  Giglioli,  Royal  Superior  Institute, 

Florence. 
1872.  George  N.  Lawrence,  New  York. 
1872.  Baron  De  Selys  Longchamps,  Li^ge. 
1872.  Doctor  A.  J.  Malmgren,  Helsinf/fors. 
1872.  Doctor  A.  von  Mibdendorff,  Dorpat. 
1872.  Alphonse  Milne-Edwards,  Jardin  des  Plantes,  Paris. 
1872.  Prof.  GirsTAT  Eadde,  Tifis. 

1872.  Prof.  ToMMASO  Salvadori,  Royal  Museum,  Turin. 
1872.  Prof.  Herman  Schlegel,  University  Museum,  Leyden. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  L— FOURTH  SERIES. 

(1877.) 


Number  I.,  January. 

I.  Contributions   to   the    Ornithology    of   Borneo.       By    11. 

BOWDLER  ShABPE 1 

II.  Description  of  a  new  Moorhen  from  the  Hawaiian 
Islands.     By  T.  H.  Streets,  M.D.,  U.S.  Navy 25 

III.  Notes  on  some  Birds  observed  in  the  Chuput  Valley, 
Patagonia,  and  in  the  neighbouring  District.     By  H.  Dtjbneord     27 

IV.  Note  on  the  South-American  Song-Sparrows.  By  P.  L. 
ScxATER.     (Plate  I.) 46 

V.  Ornithological  Letters  from  the  Bremen  Expedition  to 
Western  Siberia.  By  Dr.  Otto  Finsch,  Ph.D.,  Hon.  Memb. 
B.O.r.,  Chief  of  the  Expedition 48 

VI.  On  the  Phylloscopi  or  Willow- Warblers.  By  Henry 
Seebohm,  r.Z.S 06 

VII.  A  Note  on  the  Genus  OrtJiotomus.  By  B.  Bowdler 
Sharpe.     (Plate  II.) 108 

VIII.  Notices  of  recent  Publications  : — 

1.  Pere  David's  '  Third  Journey  iu  China ' 117 

2.  The  Marquis  de  Compiegne's  '  ^Equatorial  Africa  '      .   118 

3.  Riesenthal's  '  German  Birds  of  Prey  ' 119. 

4.  Allen's  '  Birds  of  Lake  Titicaca ' 119 

5.  '  Proceedings  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South 

Wales' 120 

6.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany  ' 122 

7.  Blanford's  '  Zoology  of  Eastern  Persia  ' 122 

8.  Finsch's  '  Ornithology  of  the  Pacific  Islands  '     .     .     .   123 


9,  Shelley's  '  Monograph  of  the  Suu-birds ' 124 

10.  Boucard's  '  Catalogus  Avium ' 125 

11.  Briiggemann's  '  Birds  of  Celebes  ' 126 

12.  Gurney's  '  Eambles  of  a  N"aturalist ' 127 

IX.  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : —  . , , 
Letters  from  Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  and  Mr.  Seebohm ;  Count  E. 
Turati's  Collection ;  new  series  of  the  '  Zoologist ; '  new  work 
on  the  fauna  of  Belgium  ;  Tonquin  and  the  way  to  get  there  ; 
death  of  Von  Heuglin ;  iiTuption  of  Snowy  Owls  from  the 
north 128 


Number  IL,  April. 

X.  Review  of  the  Specimens  of  Trochilidce  in  the  Paris  Mu- 
seum, brought  by  D'Orbigny  from  South  America.  By  D.  G. 
Elliot,  E.R.S.E.  &c 133 

XI.  Notes  on  two  Birds  from  the  Fiji  Islands.  By  T.  Sal- 
vADORi,  C.M.Z.S 142 

XII.  On  the  Contents  of  a  fourth  Box  of  Birds  from  Hako-         . 
dadi,  in  Northern  Japan.     By  R.  Swinhoe,  F.R.S 14A 

XIII.  Ornithological   Notes   taken  during  a  Voyage  from    '  n  ■ 
Ceylon  to  England.     By  A.  Whyte 14& 

XIV.  On  the  SalicaricB  of  Dr.  SevertzoflF.  By  Henky 
Seebohm 151 

XV.  Suijplementary  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

By  Henry  Seebohm 156 

XVI.  Notes  on  the  Birds  of  the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres. 

By  Henry  Duhneord.     (Plate  III.) 166 

XVII.  On  a  new  Form  of  Reed-bird  from  Eastern  Asia.     By 

R.  Swinhoe,  F.R.S.     (Plate  IV.) 203 

XVIII.  A  few  Observations  on  some  Species  of  Anthus  and 
Budytes.     By  W.  Edwin  Brooks ■*' .  *^.' 206 

XIX.  Notes  on  a  'Catalogue  of  the  Aecipitres  in  the  British 
Museum,'  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H.  Gurney     .  209 

XX.  Notices  of  Recent  Publications : — 

13,  Mosenthal  and  Harting's  '  Ostrich-farming '      .     .     ,  236 


Page 
14.  '  Bulletin '  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  France  .     .     .  237 


15.  D'Hamonville's  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Europe 

16.  Brown's  Travels  in  British  Guiana 


238 
239 

17.  Ornithological  Results  of  the  '  Gazelle '  Expedition     .  239 

240 
241 
241 
242 
242 
243 


18.  '  Bulletin  '  of  the  jN'uttall  Ornithological  Club    . 

19.  Palmen's  '  Migration-routes  of  Birds '       ... 

20.  Dr.  Street's  Account  of  the  Fanning  Islands 

21.  Dr.  Ogden  on  a  supposed  new  Paradise-bird     . 

22.  Prejevalsky's  '  Mongolia  and  Northern  Thibet ' 

23.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany '      .     .     . 

24.  Mulsant's  '  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Oiseaux-Mouches ' .  244 

25.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Papers  on  African  Ornithology   .  245 

26.  Bureau  on  the  Booted  Eagle 245 

27.  Vennor's  ' Canadian  Birds  of  Prey '      .     .     ,,  „,^ ;,,,,«.  246 

28.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers      ....  247 

29.  Salvadori's  Prodromus  of  Papuan  Ornithology  .     .     .  249 

XXI.  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : — 

Letters  from  Mr.  Blanford,  Mr.  Danford,  Mr.  Harvie  Brown, 
Lord  Clifton,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney,  and  the  Marquis  of  Tweed- 
dale  ;  announcements  of  new  works  on  Madagascar  Birds  and 
on  Indian  Game  Birds,  and  of  Explorations  in  Tenasserim ;  note  " 
on  the  correct  name  of  the  genus  Pitta ;  note  on  the  pame  of 
Falco  dickinsoni 249 

YT^-aH    x^     JSosdi9^ 'O  .YIX 

|;5j  .    iCHOaaar'' 

NuiTBER  III.,  July.  ;     -f-r 

XXII.  A  Contribution  to  the  Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor. 

By  C.  G.  Danford 261 

XXIII.  Recent  Observations  on  the  Piarrots  of  the  Genus 
Eclectus.     By  W.  A.  Forbes,  F.Z.S 274 

XXIV.  Notes  on  a  Collection  of  Birds  made  by  Mr.  E.  C. 
Buxton  in  the  district  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  By  Aethur, 
Marquess  of  Tweeddale,  M.B.O.U.     (Plates  V.  &  VI.)    .     .     .283 

XXV.  Report  on  the  Additions  to  the  Collection  of  Birds 

in  the  British  Museum  in  1875 323 

XXVI.  Notes  on  a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the  British 
Museum,'  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H.  Gurnet     •  325 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Paga 

XXVII.  General  Remarks  on  the  Avifauna  of  Madagascar 
and  the  Mascarene  Islands.     Ey  Dr.  G.  Hahtlaub     ....  334 

XXVIII.  Description  of  u  new  Species  of  CalUste  and  of 
a  new  Humming-bird  of  the  Genus  Heliangelus.  By  A.  von 
Pelzeln,  Hon.  Memb.  B.O.IJ 337 

XXIX.  Additional  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  the  Re- 
public of  Transvaal.  By  Thomas  Ayres.  Communicated  by 
John  Henry  Gukney.     (Plate  VII.) 339 

XXX.  Notes  on  the  Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  By  Edgab 
L.  Layard,  C.M.G.,  F.Z.S.,  &c.,  H.B.M.  Consul,  and  E.  Leopold 

C.  Layard,  Vice-Consul  at  Noumea 355 

XXXI.  Notes  on  some  Birds  collected  during  the  Explora- 
tion of  the  Fly  River.     By  M.  L.  D'Albertis,  C.M.Z.S.  .     .     .363 

XXXII.  Notices  of  recent  Publications : — 

30.  Baldwin's  '  Large  and  Small  Game  of  Bengal '  .     .      .  372 

31.  '  Vagrancy  Acts ' 373 

32.  Orton's 'Andes  and  the  Amazon' 373 

33.  '  Log-letters  from  the  Challenger ' 374 

34.  '  The  Cruise  of  the  ChaUenger ' 374 

35.  '  Stray  Feathers ' 374 

36.  Sharpe's  edition  of  Layard's  '  Birds  of  South  Africa '  .  375 

37.  Heuglin's  '  Journey  in  North-eastern  Africa '     .     .     .  375 

38.  Elliot's  Monograijh  of  the  Hornbills 376 

39.  Gould's  '  Birds  of  New  Guinea  ' 377 

40.  Gould's  '  Birds  of  Asia ' 377 

41.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany 378 

42.  Beccari's  Account  of  the  Playing-places  oi  Amhhjornis 

inornata 379 

43.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers       ....  379 

44.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Thirteenth  List  of  African  Birds   380 

45.  Homeyer  upon  German  Mammals  and  Birds      .     .     .  380 

46.  Allen's  '  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  the  United  States '  381 

47.  Pelzeln  on  Birds  from  Ecuador 383 

48.  Pelzeln    on    Additions    to   the  Imperial  Museum  at 

Vienna 383 

49.  Pelzeln's  Report  on  the  Progress  of  Ornithology  in 

1875 384 


Page 

50.  Baird's  '  Ornithology  of  Utah  ' 384 

51.  Major  Godwin-Austen's  List  of  Birds  from  the  Hills 

of  the  N.E.  Frontier  of  India 385 

XXXIII.  Letters,  Announcements,  etc. : — 

Letters  from  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale  (two),  Edward  R. 
Alston,  T.  M.  Brewer,  J.  H.  Gurney,  jun.,  W.  Edwin  Brooks, 
J.  H  Gurney,  H.  Schalow,  and  T.  Salvador! ;  Roraima  and  its 
Mysteries  ;  Translation  of  Miiller's  memoir  on  the  Voice-organs 
of  the  Passeres 385 


Number  IV.,  October. 

XXXIV.  List  of  Birds  ohserved  in  Smith  Sound  and  the 
Polar  Basin  during  the  Arctic  Expedition  of  1875-76.     By  H. 

W.  Feilden 401 

XXXV.  On  the  Nesting  of  the  Spoonbill  in  Holland.     By 

P.  L.  ScLATER  and  W.  A.  Forbes 412 

XXXVL  Remarks  on  Buceros  bicornis,  Linn.  By  D.  G. 
Elliot,  F.R.S.E.  &c 416 

XXXVII.  Notes  on  a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the 
British  Museum,'  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).  By  J.  H. 
Gurney 418 

XXXVIII.  Description  of  two  new  Ant-birds  of  the  Genus 
Grallaria,  with  a  List  of  all  the  known  Species  of  the  Genus. 

By  P.  L.  ScLATER,  M.A.,  F.R.S.     (Plates  VIIL,  IX.)      .     .     .437 

XXXIX.  Note  on  Pellorneum  tickelU,  Blyth.  Ry  Arthur, 
Marquis  of  Tweeddale,  M.B.O.U.     (Plates  X.,  XL)  .     .     .     .451 

XL.  Notes  on  some  Burmese  Birds.  By  Lieutenant  Ward- 
law  Ramsay,  67th  Regiment,  M.B.O.U.     (Plates  XIL,  XIII.)  452 

XLI.  On  a  new  Bird  from  Formosa.  By  R.  Swinhoe,  F.R.S. 
(Plate  XIV.)     , • 473 

XLII.  A  few  Words  on  the  Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus, 
Wagler.     By  T.  Saltadori,  C.M.Z.S 474 

XLII  I.  Notices  of  Recent  Publications : — 

52.  Salvadori  on  the  Papuan  Parrots 476 

53.  Salvadori  on  Papuan  and  Molucean  Nectarinians  .     .  477 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

Page 

54.  Salvador!  on  D'Albertis's  Collections  of  1872     .     .     .  477 

55.  Sharpe's  '  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  British  Mu- 

seum,' vol.  iii 477 

56.  Sharpe's  Birds  of  Kerguelen  Island 479 

57.  Lawrence  on  a  new  Phangus 481 

58.  Rowley's  *  Ornithological  Miscellany  ' 481 

59.  E.  P.  llamsay's  Papers  in  the  '  Proceedings  of  the  Lin- 

nean  Society  of  New  South  Wales  ' 482 

60.  Wharton's  '  List  of  British  Birds ' 483 

61.  Marshall's  '  Bird's-nesting  in  Lidia  ' 484 

62.  M'Cauley's  '  Birds  of  the  Red  River  of  Texas  '  .     .     .484 
83.  Lieut.  Wheeler's  Reports  upon  Surveys  west  of  the 

•100th  Meridian 485 

64.  Finsch's  Collections  from  Siberia 486 

65.  Oustalet  on  new  species  of  Ibis 486 

XLIV.  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : — 

Letters  from  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale  (two),  Mr.  D.  G. 
Elliot,  Dr.  A.  B.  Meyer,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney, 
jun.,  and  Col.  L.  Howard  Irby :  notes  on  Bonaparte's  Lopho- 
rhina  respublica  and  Dr.  Briiggemann's  new  species  of  Poly- 
plectron 487 

Index 495 


;'L-  ■  ';.;jr  i    '.)  <h':r  '.jIfiriB     'dr. 

■  ;  •  ., .  '  ■TCWSJ    ■??. 

.    /jUiiilooficiyl ;.:i^-j.'.....nU  '  i;-(oIwo.3;  ,86 

PLATES  IN  V0L/J,8  „,,„ 

-  ■  •  •      aij  '  e'notiJsxIW  ,06 

FOURTH  Sj:RIE,§,ia '  6  IkriaTCK  .113 

;  .;{  o/i.1  to  ftb-iia'  g'-'^sIwfiO^^  =£0 

;^     ,,;  i>!^,7  ^/;'--i,M^;  nu/jfi  iitio(p>i  8  19199x17/  .iuaiJ  ,o'^ 

J    f  Fig.  J.  Zonotrichia  canicapilla  '^'OOiiq^lloO  f  dosm'^  .^-^    ^^ 

-  •  1  Fig.  2. strigiceps  .     .     :m  ^?«  P^  ielBdaLrO  /.  |      ' 

J  J   [Fig.  1.  Orthotomus  frontalis  nomuonaA  .eaoiisl  .V'  •  112 

'  1  Fig.  2. cinereiceps  :\io.Bfi*n';£M.erf<i  moil  e-ie-'  •  US 

III.  Porzana  spiloptora   .     .  R  X  .lU  .TQi&lfl-M'A-.jQ.    -19^ 

IV.  Urosphena  sqiiamiceps  .  d . ; '/diL  f>'i.GWsIT  •.. J -ioQ  tei  •  205 
V.     JEgithina  viridissimaifisare-^^giiia;-  ./iCl  &xib.  nwSi»c^2?."    •  304 

Fi"-.  1.  Prinia  rafflesi -,,-.^311 


Fig.  2.  Brachypteryx  laixtoni .^308 

VII.     Coturnicops  ayresi 352 

VIII.     Grallaria  ruficeps 444 

IX.     Urallaria  flavotincta 445 

X.     Pellorneum  subochraceum 452 

^y   J  Fig.  1.  Drymocataphus  tickelli \  ^c-n 

I  Fig.  2.  Trichostoma  abbotti J 

XII.     Actinura  ramsayi 464 

XIII.  Pomatorhinns  ochraceiceps 465 

XIV.  LiocicMa  steerii 473 


ERRATA  ET  CORRIGENDA. 

Vapce    Liiir 

iL'tl.     U).  for  Zeua  read  Lena. 
37G,    .'{4.  ^;-  T  read  ,T. 


THE    IBIS. 


FOURTH   SERIES. 


No.  I.     JANUARY  1877. 


I. — Contributions  to  the  Ornithology  of  Borneo. — Part  II.* 
By  H.  BowDLER  Sharpe. 

Mr.  Everett  has  returned  to  England  for  a  few  months,  and 
has  brought  with  him  a  large  collection  of  birds  from  North- 
western Borneo.  The  determination  of  the  species  having 
now  been  brought  to  a  close^  I  have  much  pleasure  in  giving 
a  list  of  them  in  continuation  of  my  former  paper  on  this 
subject.  At  the  same  time  it  will  be  seen  that  the  principal 
interest  attaching  to  this  paper  consists  in  the  careful  notes 
which  Mr.  Everett  has  been  so  kind  as  to  give  me,  on  the 
species  procured  by  him.  Considering  the  difficulties  which 
beset  the  naturalist  in  a  country  like  Borneo,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  feel  too  grateful  to  this  gentleman  for  the  very  ener- 
getic way  in  which  he  has  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the 
natural  history  of  the  island.  This  last  collection  has  been 
formed  with  the  same  care  as  the  previous  ones,  notwith- 
standing the  drawbacks  of  serious  illness  and  fever,  from 
which  Mr.  Everett  is  only  now  slowly  recovering. 

Before  commencing  the  list  of  the  present  collection,  which 
has  been  chiefly  formed  in  an  entirely  new  district,  viz.  at 

*  For  Part  I.  see  '  Ibis/  1876,  p.  29. 
SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  B 


2  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

Bintulu^  it  is  well  to  make  a  few  necessary  corrections  in  re- 
gard to  the  localities  mentioned  in  the  previous  paper.  Mr. 
Everett  had  very  tindly  forwarded  me  a  little  map  of  N.E. 
Borneo,  with  some  of  his  collecting-stations  entered  in  ink. 
It  seems,  however,  that  the  other  printed  details  of  the  map 
were  faulty,  and  not  intended  for  publication  (the  map  is  a 
small  missionary  chart) ;  and  the  following  notes  give  a  more 
correct  idea  of  the  localities  where  Mr.  Everett  has  been  col- 
lecting for  the  past  seven  years : — Eirst  of  all  the  name 
'^Kucking^^  should  read  everywhere  in  the  former  paper  as 
KucHiNG,  this  being  the  name  for  the  chief  town  in  the 
Sarawak  Raj.  Then  again,  with  regard  to  the  paragraph 
(p.  30)  commencing  "  Sibu  Island  &c.,"  Mr.  Everett  re- 
marks : — "  Sibu  Island  and  the  Matu  river  are  situated,  the 
first  at  the  apex  of  the  Rejang  delta,  and  the  second  on  the 
shore-line  of  the  same  delta,  the  former  being  distant  some 
80  miles  from  the  Bruit  entrance."  With  regard  to  the 
other  localities  it  may  be  mentioned  that  Tagora,  Puak  Hill, 
SiRAMBu,  BusAN,  Jambusan,  Belidah,  Gunong  trahn.  Ma- 
tang,  and  Bidi  are  all  within  20  miles  to  the  west  and  south- 
west of  KucHiNG.  SiMUNJAN  is  somc  20  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Sadong.  Marup  lies  at  the  base  of  the  Balang  and 
TiANG  Laju  mountains,  and  is  distant  some  80  miles  by  the 
river's  course  from  the  mouth  of  the  Batang  Lupar;  and, 
lastly,  Santubong,  Kalakah,  Rejang,  and  Bintulu  are  on  the 
coast,  the  latter  locality  being  situated  on  the  Bruni  frontier, 
about  halfway  between  Kuching  and  Labuan. 

As  regards  the  determination  of  the  species,  I  must  again 
record  the  great  assistance  which  I  have  received  from  Count 
Salvadori's  work*. 

Circus  spilonotus,  Kaup ;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  30. 

a.  S  ad.  Bintulu.  Iris  pure  brilliant  yellow ;  feet  and 
legs  chrome-yellow,  claws  black ;  bill  black,  pale  lead  at  tlie 
base ;  cere  greenish  yellow. 

b,  c.  d  juv.     Bintulu,  Nov.  11,  1875.     Iris  warm  choeo- 

*  "  Catalogo  sistematico  degli  uccelli  di  Borneo  di  Tommaso  Salvadoi-i 
con  note  ed  osservazioni  di  G.  Doria  ed  O.  Beccari  intorno  alle  specie  da  essi 
racoolte  nel  Ragiato  di  Sarawak,"  Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Genoa,  v.  p.  1  (1874j. 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  3 

late-brown ;  bill  greyish  black,  base  of  lower  mandible  lead- 
colour  ;  cere  dirty  greenish ;  legs  and  feet  pale  greenish  yel- 
low, claws  black. 

d.  $  juv.  Bintulu.  Legs  and  feet  pale  whitish  yellow ; 
cere  pale  whitish  green. 

[This  Harrier  is  probably  only  a  migratory  visitant,  as  all 
my  six  specimens  have  been  shot  during  the  N.E.  monsoon. 
The  present  individuals  were  shot  as  they  were  flying  over 
marshy  ground  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bintulu  river. — A.  E.] 

Haliaetus  leucogaster  (Grm.) ;  Sharpe,  Cat.  B.  i.  p.  307. 

Cuncuma  leucogaster,  Salvad.  /,  c.  p.  5. 

a.  5  juv.  Jilalong  branch  of  Bintulu  river.  Iris  warm 
chocolate- brown ;  legs  and  feet  dirty  greenish  white ;  bill 
blackish  horn,  whitish  at  base. 

[A  very  rare  bird  in  Borneo,  according  to  my  experience. 
I  have  only  seen  it  twice — once  about  40  miles  up  the  main 
Bintulu  river,  and  again  far  inland  on  the  Jilalong. — A.  E.] 

This  Eagle  is  included  in  Count  Salvadori's  w^ork  provisi- 
onally with  a  query.  He  seems  to  have  argued  from  its  oc- 
currence in  all  the  neighbouring  islands  that  it  must  therefore 
be  found  in  Borneo.  This  supposition  is  now  confirmed  by 
Mr.  Everett,  to  whom  belongs  the  credit  of  adding  the  species 
to  the  Bornean  list. 

Haliastur  intermedius,  Gurn. ;  Sharpe,  Cat.  i.  p.  314. 
Haliastur  Indus,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  12. 

a.  2  ad.  Bintulu,  Oct.  4,  1875.  Iris  brown  ;  bill  bluish, 
horn -yellow  at  the  tip ;  cere  pale  chrome-yellow  ;  feet  pale 
yellow,  with  a  green  tinge. 

b.  6  ad.  Kabulau,  on  the  Jilalong  branch  of  the  Bintulu 
river.  Iris  warm  chocolate;  feet  pure  deep  chrome,  claws 
black ;  bill  greenish. 

[A  young  female  shot  at  Bintulu  in  Sept.  1875  had  Crus- 
tacea in  the  gizzard. — A.  E.] 

Spilornis  pallidus,  Wald. ;  Sharpe,  Cat.  B.  i.  p.  290,  pi.  ix. 

a.  2  •  Bintulu.  Iris  golden ;  orbital  skin  deep  yellow ; 
cere  greenish ;  bill  bluish  lead-colour ;  the  culmen  clouded 
black  ;  legs  and  feet  dirty  chrome-yellow. 

b2 


4  Mr.  K.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

b.  $  ,  Bintulu.  Legs  and  orbital  region  chrome-yellow, 
claws  black  ;  other  parts  as  in  preceding.  Crustacea  in  the 
gizzard. 

Both  the  above-mentioned  birds  are  young. 

Spizaetus  alboniger,  Blyth ;  Sharpe,  Cat.  B.  i.  p.  271 ; 
Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  14. 

a.  2  juv.  Bintulu,  Oct.  23,  1875.  Iris  golden  yellow ; 
bill  and  cere  black ;  feet  pale  dirty  greenish  yellow,  the  soles 
dull  ochreous  orange. 

SyrniuiVI  leptogrammicum  (Temm.);  Sharpe.  Cat.  ii.  p.  264. 

Ciccaba  leptogrammica,  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  20. 

a.  (J  .     Bintulu.     Iris  dai'k  warm  brown ;  bill  bluish  grey. 

b,c,d,e.  $.  Bintulu.  Iris  warm  chocolate- brown;  bill 
white,  tinged  with  blue  at  the  base  ;  feet  bluish  lead-colour. 

[Tolerably  abundant  in  the  old  forests  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bintulu.— A.  E.] 

This  series  shows  that  the  species  varies  considerably,  espe- 
cially in  the  chest-patch,  which  is  deep  chestnut- rufous  in 
some,  pale  tawny  in  others,  while  some  examples  have  the 
breast  much  whiter  than  others. 

NiNox  scutulata,  RafB. ;  Sharpe,  Cat.  B.  ii.  p.  156. 

a.  S-  Jambusan,  March  1875.  Iris  golden;  feet  dull 
ochre-yellow;  cere  greenish. 

[Distributed  throughout  Sarawak.  The  Malay  name  of 
"  Pongok ''  represents  the  clear  loud  cry  of  this  bird.  In  a 
^  shot  at  Simunjan,  October  1870,  the  legs  were  chrome- 
yellow  ;  iris  brilliant  orange-yellow ;  bill  greenish  white  ;  cere 
of  bill  green  ;  testes  long,  dark  yellow ;  kidneys  dark  mottled 
purple  ;  stomach  distended  with  beetles,  chiefly  Buprestida ; 
intestines  very  long,  and  with  intestinal  worms  present,  about 
\\  inch  in  length.  Another  individual,  shot  aT  Sibu,  had  a 
small  gecko  lizard  in  its  stomach. — A.  E.] 

Caprimulgus  salvadorii,  Sharpe,  P.  Z.  S.  1875,  p.  99^ 
pi.  xxii.  fig.  1. 

a,  b,  c,d.  6 .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  and  legs 
dark  purplish  brown. 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  5 

e.   ?  .     Bintulu.     Soft  parts  same  as  in  the  male. 

The  series  which  Mr.  Everett  now  brings  shows  that  C. 
salvadorii  is  most  closely  allied  to  C.  macrurus ;  but  the  prin- 
cipal diflferences  seem  to  be  in  the  blackish  colour  of  the  lores 
and  region  of  the  eye,  and  the  very  distinct  white  cheek-stripe. 
In  C.  macrurus  the  lores  are  reddish,  as  also  is  the  side  of 
the  face,  and  the  white  cheek-stripe  is  nearly  obsolete. 

[Santubong,  Kalakah,  Eejang,  Bruit,  Bintulu.  This  Goat- 
sucker is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  Sarawak ;  but  it  is  very 
locally  distributed,  being  confined  to  the  coast-line  and  its 
immediate  vicinity,  and,  so  far  as  my  observation  has  gone, 
to  the  sandy  portion  of  the  coast.  The  note  is  single,  and 
sounds  like  the  distant  stroke  of  a  mallet  on  wood.  The 
eggs  are  creamy  white,  with  faint  purple-grey  marblings,  and 
they  are  laid  among  the  short  turf  which  holds  the  sand 
together  beyond  high- water  mark.  The  stomachs  are  gene- 
rally full  of  beetles,  chiefly  a  small  green  chafer,  but  also 
longicorns  and  elaters.  It  is  noteworthy  that  in  places 
haunted  by  this  species  one  never  hears  the  note  of  any  other 
kind  of  Goatsucker,  although  the  '^  Pongok ''  Owl  {N.  scu- 
tulata) sometimes  approaches  within  a  mile  of  the  shore. — 
A.  E.] 

Merops  bicolor  (Bodd.) ;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  33. 

[An  abundant  species,  but  confined  to  the  sandy  tracts  on 
the  shore-line,  though  a  pair  will  be  met  with  now  and  again 
as  far  as  20  miles  inland,  where  a  sandy  bank  happens  to 
offer  facilities  for  nidiiication.  A  female  shot  in  April  had 
a  shelled  egg  in  the  oviduct,  I  am  inclined  to  think  these  birds 
are  migratory,  but  am  not  yet  satisfied  on  this  point.  A  pair 
shot  May  20,  1870,  showed  no  difference  in  plumage ;  but 
two  females  shot  in  August  1873  had  the  chestnut  of  the 
crown  dashed  with  rich  dark  green.  The  only  external  dif- 
ferences between  the  sexes  are  that  the  green  hues  of  the 
male  are  brighter  and  yellower  than  in  the  female,  in  which 
a  bluer  cast  predominates,  and  in  which, the  green  of  the 
belly  is  paler ;  and  the  shafts  of  the  two  median  rectrices  are 
usually  developed  further  beyond  the  vanes  in  the  male  than 


6  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Contributions  to  the 

in  the  female.  The  flight  of  these  birds  is  strong,  and  com- 
bines the  swift  skimming  of  the  Swallow  with  the  airy  hover- 
ing of  the  Falcon.  Now  they  will  flutter  up  just  as  a  Sky- 
lark doeSj  and  then  swoop  earthwards  like  a  Hawk  after  its 
quarry,  and  then  again  will  rise  and  float  almost  without 
motion,  merely  balancing  themselves  in  the  breeze  by  a  slight 
quivering  of  the  pinions.  When  at  rest  they  commonly  perch 
on  the  topmost  twigs  of  the  lower  Casuarina  trees.  The  giz- 
zard always  contains  insects — beetles,  dragon-flies,  and  or- 
thoptera,  as  well  as  wasps  and  bees. — A.  E.] 

Nyctiornis  amicta  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  91. 

a.  S .  Bintulu.  Iris  pure  orange-red ;  bill  black ;  feet 
green. 

b.  6 .     Bintulu.     Iris  vermilion. 

c.  c?  juv.  Tagora,  May  1875.  Iris  greyish  brown;  legs 
bluish  lead-grey. 

[Tolerably  common  throughout  the  territory.  A  nest 
containing  two  eggs  was  brought  me  at  Belidah  in  January. 
The  eggs  were  rather  small  in  comparison  with  the  size  of 
the  bird,  nearly  equal  at  both  ends,  and  spotted  with  faint 
red  in  a  ring  round  the  larger  end,  the  ground  being  white. 
The  nest  was  neatly  lined  with  dry  grass  inside,  and  exte- 
riorly was  roughly  put  together  with  bamboo-leaves  and 
rush. — A.  E.] 

Alcedo  bengalensis,  Gm. ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  92. 

a,b.  $  .  Bintulu.  BiU  dark  brown,  reddish  at  base ;  feet 
orange-red ;  iris  brown. 

c.  $  .  Bintulu.  Bill  blackish  brown,  reddish  at  base ; 
feet  dull  vermilion. 

[Common  at  Bintulu  on  the  shore  and  in  the  Nipah 
creeks. — A.  E.] 

Ceyx  iiUFiDORSA,  Strickl. 

Ceyx  innominata,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  97. 

a.  Bintulu. 

b.  6.     Jambusan.     Iris  chocolate. 

Both  these  specimens  are  true  C.  rufidorsa. 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  7 

EuRYSTOMUs  ORiENTALis  (L.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  105. 
a,  c? .     Bintulu.     Iris   brown  ;    bill  and  legs  orange-red, 
claws  black. 

Hydrocissa  convexa  (Temm.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  80. 

a.  6 .  Bintulu.  Iris  crimson ;  naked  skin  bluish  white  ; 
legs  blackish  lead-colour. 

b.  S  .  Bintulu.  Bill  yellowish  white ;  naked  skin  at  base 
of  bill  and  about  the  eyes  white  tinged  with  greenish  blue ; 
feet  and  legs  very  dark  grey.     Fruit-pulp  in  gizzard. 

[This  is  the  commonest  Hornbill  in  the  Sarawak  territory, 
being  found  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coast. — A.  E'.] 

Cacomantis  merulinus  (Scop.);  Sharpe_,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  34. 

[Common  all  over  Sarawak  in  gardens  and  cleared  spaces, 
whither  these  birds  resort  at  dawn  and  dusk,  flitting  silently 
about  and  resting  now  and  again  on  palings,  low  bushes,  &c., 
or  sometimes  in  the  grass.  They  also  fly  by  day,  but  not 
usually.  Their  cry  is  exactly  like  the  Malay  words  ^'tiup 
api "  (literally  "  blow  the  fire  ") ;  and  hence  their  name  among 
the  natives.  The  '^Tiup  api^^  is  one  of  the  Sea-Dyak  birds 
of  omen.  In  a  male  shot  at  Sibu  in  April  1874  the  testes 
were  yellowish,  semiglobular,  and  equal ;  in  another  indi- 
vidual, from  the  foot  of  the  Matang  mountains,  there  was 
only  one  small  testis  present ;  and  in  this  specimen  the  iris 
was  light  red  instead  of  carnation.  The  interior  of  the  gape 
is  cinnabar-red ;  tongue  scarlet,  with  the  posterior  barbs 
finely  slit.  These  birds  appear  to  feed  chiefly  on  lepidop- 
terous  larvae. — A.  E.] 

Carpococcyx  radiatus  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  77. 

a.  $  .  Bintulu.  Iris  pale  grey-brown;  bill  and  orbital 
space  with  the  feet  and  legs  sea-green,  darkest  on  the  bill. 
Gizzard  full  of  beetles.     Caught  in  a  trap  set  on  the  ground. 

HiEROcoccYX  FUGAX  (Horsf.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  65. 

a.  6  .  Bintulu.  Iris  and  lores  brilliant  yellow ;  feet  wax- 
yellow;  bill  black,  yellow  at  the  base  and  at  the  tip. 

[Bidi,  Simunjan,  Marup,  Bintulu.  Not  a  common  bird 
in  Sarawak.  Feeds  on  orthoptera.  Interior  of  gape  green. 
—A.  E.] 


8  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

SuRNicuLUs  LUGUBRis  (Horsf.) ;  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  63. 
a.  Jambusan.     Iris  brown. 

Rhopodytes  erythrognathus  (Hartl.)  ;  Sharpe^  P.  Z.  S. 
1873,  p.  601. 

Rhaynpho coccyx  erythrognathus,  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  74. 

a.  S .  Tubau,  Bintulu.  Iris  bright  cobalt-blue ;  orbital 
space  deep  crimson ;  legs  dark  leaden  grey  ;  bill  whitish  green, 
the  base  of  the  lower  mandible  dull  dark  crimson. 

b.  ?.  Tagora,  May  1875.  Iris  bright  orange;  orbital 
space  pure  deep  crimson;  legs  and  feet  dark  leaden  grey, 
with  a  cast  of  olive-green;  bill  pale  green,  but  round  the 
nostril  and  all  but  the  extreme  third  of  the  lower  mandible 
dull  crimson. 

[When  this  bird  is  sitting  quietly  in  a  tree  its  note  is  a 
low  "  kuk-kuk ;"  but  when  it  is  on  the  wing  these  syllables 
are  repeated  several  times  rapidly  in  a  loud  tone.  The  flight 
is  swift  and  gliding;  and  if  the  bird  is  in  open  spaces,  it 
always  flies  very  low.  These  Cuckoos  are  very  j)artial  to  the 
fields  of  'Halang"  grass,  where  they  obtain  abundance  of 
orthopterous  and  other  insects,  with  which  their  gizzards  are 
invariably  crammed. — A.  E.] 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  colour  of  the  iris  in  the  male  does 
not  agree  with  that  given  by  the  Marquis  Doria  (/.  c.) . 

Centrococcyx  eurycercus  (Hay) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  78. 
a.  Bintulu,  October  24,  1875.     Iris  crimson ;    bill,  legs, 
and  feet  black,  claws  black. 

Indicator  archipelagicus,  Temm. ;  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  61. 

a.  $  .  Bintulu,  Iris  indian-red  ;  legs  leaden  green ;  bill 
dark  horn-brown. 

[The  only  time  that  I  have  seen  this  bird,  which  appears  to 
be  very  rare;  it  was  shot  during  the  N.E,  monsoon. — A.  E.] 

Megal/ema  chrysopsis,  Gofifin. 
CJiotorhea  chrysopsis,  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  32. 
a.  ^.     Tagora,  May  1875.     Iris  warm  brown  ;  bill  black; 
legs  and  feet  dark  lead-colour,  tinged  greenish. 

[The  rarest  of  the  Barbets  in  Sarawak.     I  have  procured 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  9 

it  on  the  Matang  mountains,  but  have  not  seen  it  anywhere 
else  than  here  and  at  Tagora. — A.  E.] 

Megal^ema  duvauceli  (Less.). 

XantholcBma  duvauceli,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  38. 

a.   ?  .     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown  ;  legs  pale  green. 

[Found  everywhere  in  Sarawak.  A  difference  between  the 
sexes  is  observable  when  they  are  pairing,  the  male  showing 
the  patch  of  black  on  the  throat  larger  and  darker  than  the 
female ;  and  in  the  latter  the  black  of  the  forehead  is  less 
pure  and  glossy  than  in  the  cock  bird,  which  also  slightly 
exceeds  his  mate  in  size.  In  the  male  one  testis  is  of 
normal  shape  and  large,  the  other  is  smaller  and  globular. — 
A.  E.] 

Calorhamphus  PULiGiNosus  (Tcmm.) ;  Salvad.  t.c.  p.  39. 

a.  (S  immature.  Tagora,  May  3,  1875.  Legs  pinkish 
red;  iris  neutral  tint.  A  mixture  of  seeds  and  insects  in 
the  gizzard. 

[Generally  distributed,  occurring  as  high  as  1000  feet  ele- 
vation on  Sirambu. — A.  E.] 

Xylolepes  validus  (Temm.) ;  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  43. 
a.  Bintulu.     Iris  orange;  bill  greenish  brown,  the  lower 
mandible  yellow;  feet  light  greenish  brown. 

Lepocestes  porphyromelas  (Boie)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  48. 
a.  Sibu,  Feb.  18,  1875. 

This  is  probably  rather  rare,  as  neither  the  Marquis  Doria 
nor  Mr.  Wallace  obtained  specimens. 

Callolophus  mentalis  (Temm.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  49. 
a,b.  cJ  ?  .     Bintulu.     Iris  crimson ;  bill  black,  the  lower 
mandible  lead-colour ;  feet  dull  grass-green. 

TiGA  jAVANENsis  (Ljuug) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  54. 

a.  S.  Santubong  Bay,  May  1875.  Iris  dark  brown ;  legs 
olive-green ;  bill  black. 

[This  species  appears  to  be  rare  or  local,  as  I  have  never 
pact  with  it  before. — A.  E.] 

PALiEORNis  LONGiCAUDA  (Bodd.) ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  22. 

a.  d".  Bintulu,  pairing.     Outer  ring  of  iris  white,   inner 


10  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

ring  dark  greenish ;  bill  deep  scarlet,  the  tip  yellow,  lower 
mandible  sooty  browu ;  feet  greenish  lead-colour.  Crop  full 
of  fruit. 

b.  2 '  Bintulu.  Iris  yellowish  white,  inner  ring  dull 
green ;  bill  dark  brown  ;  feet  greenish. 

Brachyurus  granatinus  (Temm.). 
Pitta  granatina,  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  242. 

a.  S .  Bintulu,  Iris  brown ;  bill  black  ;  legs  and  feet 
leaden  blue, 

[Shot  in  swampy  old  jungle  close  to  the  sea-shore. — A.  E.] 

Brachyurus  moluccensis  (MiilL). 
Pitta  cyanoptera,  Salvad,  t.c.  p,  235. 

a.  2 .  Bintulu,  Nov.  28,  1875.  Iris  dark  brown  ;  bill 
wood-brown  ;  legs  and  feet  purplish  grey. 

b.  (S .  Bintulu,  Nov.  5,  1875.  Legs  pale  greyish  horn- 
brown  ;  bill  blackish  brown. 

c.  6 .     Bintulu.     Legs  and  feet  pinkish  white. 

Brachyurus  muelleri  (Bp.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  240. 

a.  5.  Jilalong  branch  of  Bintulu  river.  Iris  brown;  bill 
blackish  brown,  dusky  orange  about  the  gape  ;  legs  purplish 
grey. 

TiMELiA  MACULATA,  Tcmm. ;  Salvad,  t.  c.  p.  211. 

a.  $.  Bintulu.  Iris  yellow;  bill  black;  legs  and  feet 
leaden  grey. 

b.  5 .  Bintulu.  Iris  naples-yellow ;  legs  bluish  lead- 
colour. 

c.  6 .  Bintulu.  Iris  yellow  (clay) ;  feet  and  legs  bluish 
leaden  grey. 

d.  6  .     Bintulu.     Iris  naples-yellow ;  legs  leaden  blue. 
[Common  in  the  vicinity  of  Bintulu  in  old  jungle,  but 

not  observed  elsewhere  by  me  in  the  district  of  Sarawak. 
—A.  E.] 

TiMELiA  NiGRicoLLis,  Tcmm. ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  212. 
a,b.  ^.    Bintulu.    Iris  crimson;  legs  blackish  lead-colour; 
bill  black,  the  lower  mandible  leaden  grey. 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  11 

Macronus  ptilosus  (J.  &  S.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  216. 

a,h.  S  •  Bintulu.  Iris  crimson  ;  bill  black ;  preorbital 
naked  skin  blue ;  legs  brown. 

c.  %  .  Bintulu.  Iris  crimson ;  bill  black ;  legs  blackish 
brown. 

[Found  in  the  second-growth  jungle,  and  in  the  thickets  of 
lalang  grass^  generally  in  pairs. — A.  E.] 

Cyanoderma  bicolor  (Blyth) ;   Sharpe^  Ibis^  1876;  p.  40. 

a.  6 .  Bintulu.  Iris  crimson ;  skin  of  neck  and  about 
the  eyes  blue ;  bill  dark  bluish  black ;  legs  pale  greyish 
brown. 

[Found  in  similar  situations  to  M.  ptilosus. — A.  E.] 

MixoRNis  BORNEENSis,  Bp. )  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  205. 
a.  d  .     Bintulu.     Iris  yellowish  white ;  bill  black,  the  lower 
mandible  leaden  grey ;  legs  leaden  grey. 

Drymocataphus  capistratoides  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c. 
p.  218. 

a.  d.  Bintulu,  Dec.  1,  1875.  Iris  orange-brown;  bill 
black,  the  under  mandible  pale  lead-colour  ;  legs  leaden 
brown. 

b.  6.     Bintulu.     Iris  burnt  sienna;  legs  dark  brown. 

c.  6 .     Sibu,  Feb.  28,  1875.     Iris  crimson;  legs  leaden. 

TuRDiNus  leucogrammicus  (Tcmm.) ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  217. 
a,  S .     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown ;  legs  very  dark  lead- 
colour. 

Brachypteryx  umbratilis  (Temm.);   Salvad.  t.c.  p.  220. 
a.  2  •  Labang,  Bintulu.     Iris  dull  indian-red ;    legs  and 
feet  blue  lead-colour. 

Malacopteron  majus,  Blyth;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  225. 

a,b.  c?  $  .  Sibu,  Feb.  28, 1875.  Iris  dark  pink ;  bill  leaden ; 
legs  lead-blue. 

c.  (?.     Bintulu.     Iris  indian-red ;  legs  bluish  lead- colour. 

[Gunong  Trahn,  Sibu,  Bintulu.  Always  in  old  jungle; 
beetles  found  in  stomach  ;  in  the  male,  testes  pale  yellow,  glo- 
bular, equal  in  size.  The  M.  magnum  also  inhabits  the  old 
forest,  and  is  common  near  Tagora  and  at  Bintulu. — A.  E.] 


12  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Cuntributmis  to  the 

Malacopteron  magnum,  Eyton ;  Salvad.  f.  c.  p.  226. 

a.  (S .  Bintulu.  Iris  crimson  ;  bill  dark  brownish ;  legs 
pale  whitisli  leaden  grey. 

b,  c.  d  $  .  Tagora.  Iris  indian-red  ;  bill  black,  the  lower 
mandible  whitish  lead-colour  ;  legs  and  feet  pale  pinkish 
leaden  grey. 

Brachypteryx  malaccensis,  Hartl. ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  222. 
a,  b.  d  $  .     Bintulu.     Iris  crimson ;  legs  pinkish  white. 
[These  birds  haunt  the  undergrowth  of  the  old  jungle,  and 
never  inhabit  the  high  trees. — A.  E.] 

Trichixos  pyrrhopygus,  Less. ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  224. 

a.  (S  ad.     Bintulu.     Legs  and  feet  pale. 

b.  ?  juv,  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown;  gape  yellow;  legs 
pinky  white;  bill  dark  brown. 

Malacocincla  rufiventris,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  229. 
a.    2  '     Tagora,  May  1875.     Iris  yellow-brown ;  bill  smoky 
black,  the  under  mandible  leaden  grey ;  legs  pale  horn-brown. 

Setaria  affinis  (Blyth) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  231. 

a.  S .     Jambusan. 

b.  S  •  Bintulu,  pairing.  Iris  dark  raw-sienna  ;  legs 
bluish  lead-colour ;  bill  the  same,  culmen  darker. 

Setaria  pectoralis,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  233,  tav.  iv.  fig.  1 . 
a,b.  c?  ?  •     Bintulu.     Iris  light  brown ;  bill  black  ;  legs 
pale  purplish. 

Setaria  albigularis,  Blyth ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  233. 
a.  ^ .     Bintulu,  pairing.     Iris  crimson ;    bill  black ;  legs 
dark  leaden  grey. 

CopsYCHus  PROBLEMATicus,  Sharpc,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  36. 

a.  $.     Sibu. 

The  hen  bird  now  sent  fully  confirms  the  distinctness  of 
C.  problematicus  as  a  species,  the  blackish  under  wing-coverts 
and  general  darker  coloration  being  very  conspicuous. 

[May  be  seen  in  all  gardens  and  clearings  in  Sarawak, 
where  it  is  always  welcome,  as  it  is  one  of  the  few  Bornean 
birds  that  can  boast  some  approach  to  a  song.  Observed  on 
Matang  and  Sirambu  at  a  height  of  over  1200  feet.     The 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  13 

pairing-season  is  about  March  or  April ;  and  the  nest  is  said 
to  be  placed  in  holes  in  trees ;  one  brought  to  me  at  Santu- 
bong  was  scantily  made  up  of  roots  and  a  little  moss,  and 
contained  three  eggs  of  a  greenish  tint,  plentifully  blotched 
with  rich  brown. — A.  E.] 

CiTTOciNCLA  SUA  VIS,  Sclater;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  252. 

a.  ^ .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown ;  legs  pale  greyish 
brown. 

b.  $  .     Sibu,  Feb.  28,  1875.     Iris  chocolate. 
[Generally,  but  not  abundantly,  distributed  in  Sarawak, 

where  it  inhabits  the  old  jungle.  I  have  observed  it  on  Si- 
rambu  at  a  height  of  1000  feet. — A.  E.] 

MONTICOLA  PANDOO. 

a.  2  .  Bintulu,  Nov.  14, 1875.  Iris  dark  brown;  legs  dark 
brown ;  bill  black. 

[This  bird  was  shot  during  a  gale  of  wind  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Bintulu  river. — A.  E.] 

The  first  occurrence  of  the  species  in  Borneo ;  but  it  was 
decidedly  a  bird  to  be  expected. 

Hypsipetes  malaccensis,  Blyth ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  202. 

a.  5  .     Bintulu,  Nov.  14,  1875.     Iris  warm  yellow-brown. 

b.  $  .     Bintulu.     Iris  ochreous  brown. 

c.  5 .  Bintulu.  Iris  orange-brown ;  legs  dark  wood- 
brown  ;  bill  very  dark  brown,  paler  on  the  lower  mandible. 
Fruit  in  the  stomach. 

Trichophoropsis  typus,  Bp. ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  203. 

a.  (^ .  Bintulu.  Iris  warm  brown;  bill  bluish,  tipped  black; 
feet  purplish  lead-colour. 

b.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  orange-brown  ;  feet  brownish  lead- 
colour. 

[Observed  at  Sabu,  Sibu,  and  Bintulu,  at  which  latter  place 
it  is  not  uncommon  in  the  old  jungle.  In  a  female  shot  Nov. 
21,  1874,  the  ovarium  and  oviduct  were  found  to  be  normal ; 
ccsca  coli  two,  saccular,  of  moderate  length,  running  backward, 
and  adherent;  gizzard  full  of  orthopterous  insects;  tongue 
plain,  very  slightly  slit  at  the  apex.     In  the  male  the  testes 


14  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

are  globular,  yellow,  and  nearly  equal ;  kidneys  equally  de- 
veloped. The  gizzard  in  a  male  shot  July  23,  1874,  contained 
remains  of  neuroptera ;  and  that  of  another  male  shot  in  Bin- 
tulu  in  November  was  crammed  with  the  pulp  and  hard  woody 
core  of  some  wild  fruit. — A.  E.] 

Brachypodius  immaculatus,  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  39. 

[Gunong  Trahn,  Tagora,  Sibu,  Biutulu,  &c.  This  bird  is 
sufficiently  common  in  many  parts  of  tlie  territory,  affecting 
open  spaces  with  their  thickets  of  second  growth  rather  than 
the  old  forest.  I  found  them  abundant  in  March  1875  at 
Jambusan,  flying  about  all  through  the  heat  of  the  day,  and 
usually  in  pairs.  They  are  very  restless,  never  settling  long 
in  one  place,  and  continually  utter  a  sharp  clicking  note  as 
they  fly.  A  female  killed  at  Trahn  in  June  had  the  stomach 
full  of  a  fruit  resembling  red  currants.  The  tongue  is  plain, 
with  apical  slit.  Observed  at  a  height  of  3000  feet  on  the 
Matang  mountains. — A.  E.] 

Criniger  PH.EOCEPHALUS  (Hartl.)  ;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876, 
p.  40. 

a.  ?.  Tagora,  May  1875.  Iris  burnt  sienna ;  legs  bright 
horn-brown. 

Tricholestes  minutus  (Hartl.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  205,  tav.  v. 
fig.  1. 

a.  c^.  Tagora,  May  1875.  Iris  pale  sepia-brown;  bill 
pale  leaden ;  legs  and  feet  light  yellowish  brown. 

Criniger  gutturalis  (Bp.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  206. 

a.  ^ .  Labang,  about  40  miles  up  the  Bintulu  river.  Legs 
purplish  ;  iris  indian-red  ;  bill  dirty  lead-colour. 

b.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  orange-brown ;  legs  and  feet  yellow- 
brown  ;  bill  blackish,  pale  at  base.     Fruit  in  stomach. 

These  birds,  along  with  TricJiophoropsis  typus  and  Hypsi- 
petes  malaccensis,  are  all  found  together  in  tolerable  abun- 
dance in  the  swampy  jungle  skirting  the  coast. 

Iora  scapularis,  Horsf. ;   Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  190. 

a.  Kuching. 

b.  c?  .     Jambusan.     Iris  white ;  legs  and  bill  pale  leaden. 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  15 

c.  ^ .     Santubong  bay.     Iris  white  ;  legs  dark  leaden  grey. 

[Extremely  common  at  Santubong,  Rejang,  Bruit,  in  the 
shore-jungle  and  Casuarina-h&li,  and  also  at  Belidah  and  Sibu 
in  second-growth  jungle;  and  I  have  observed  it  on  the  Si- 
rambu  mountains  at  a  height  of  1000  feet.  The  iris  is  white 
or  yellowish  white ;  culmen  and  tip  of  maxilla  slaty  black, 
rest  of  beak  bluish  ;  legs  and  feet  leaden  blue ;  ccsca  coli 
small,  ellipsoid,  adherent ;  tongue  triangular,  pointed,  and 
finely  slit  along  its  anterior  margins  ;  testes  minute  (July), 
pyriform,  yellow.  A  female  shot  on  a  MeJastoma-hvi^h.  at 
Sibu  in  August  had  the  gizzard  full  of  minute  coleoptera;  in 
a  male  shot  at  Belidah  in  July  the  stomach  contained  seeds 
and  various  small  insects. — A.  E.] 

Phyllornis  cyanopogon,  Temm. ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  194. 
a,b.  S  ?  .     Bintulu. 
[Tolerably  common. — A.  E.] 

Phyllornis  sonnerati  (J.  &  S.);  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  193. 
a,b.  c?  ?  .     Bintulu.     Iris  brown ;    bill  black ;   feet  dark 
lead- colour. 

Phyllornis  viridinucha,  sp.  n. 
P.  affinis  P.  icterocephal(2,  sed  capite  postico  nuchaque  viri- 
descentibus  nee  sordide  aurantiacis  distinguenda.     Long, 
tot.  Q-1,  culm  0'7,  alse  3-25,  caud.  2-7,  tarsi  0-65. 

a.  $.  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown;  bill  jet-black;  legs 
greenish  lead-colour. 

b.  ?  .     Tngora,  May  1875. 

Mr.  Everett  has  brought  a  pair  of  this  Phyllornis,  which 
differs  from  the  allied  P.  icterocephala  from  Malacca  and 
Sumatra  in  having  the  back  of  the  neck  greenish,  this  latter 
colour  extending  onto  the  crown,  and  leaving  only  the  fore 
part  of  the  head  yellow.  In  P.  icterocephala,  of  which  I 
have  a  good  series  now  before  me,  the  whole  crown  is  bright 
yellow,  shading  off  into  dull  orange  on  the  nape.  The  fe- 
males of  the  two  species  are  very  different,  that  of  the  Bornean 
bird  being  quite  green  above.  Count  Salvadori  duly  notices 
the  differences  between  the  above-mentioned  birds,  but  does 
not  consider  them  specific.     As,  however,  they  are  very  con- 


16  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Contributions  to  the 

stant  in  a  large  series,  I  think  it  better  to  give  the  Bornean 
bird  a  name. 

Phylloscopus  borealis.  Bias. 
Phylloneuste  javanica,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  24J?. 

a.  Tuban  branch  of  Bintulu  river.  Iris  brown ;  bill  brown, 
the  lower  mandible  yellow ;  legs  and  feet  pale  sienna. 

b.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  brown ;  legs  pale  transparent  brown. 
I  am  indebted  for  a  determination  of  this  species  to  Mr.  H. 
Seebohm. 

Prinia  superciliaris,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  249. 

a.   $  .     Bintulu.     Iris  brown ;  legs  warm  brown. 

[Lives  in  the  thick  lalang  grass. — A.  E.] 

Orthotomus  ATRiGULARis,  Tcmm. ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  249. 

a,b.  c?  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark ochreous;  legs  pale  brown; 
bill  darker  brown. 

Having  compared  the  pair  collected  by  Mr.  Everett  with 
Malaccan  examples  of  0.  flavo-viridis,  Moore,  I  have  no  doubt 
as  to  their  identity;  and  at  the  same  time,  as  these  birds 
are  referable  to  the  Bornean  0.  atrigularis,  Temm.,  the  latter 
title  consequently  becomes  the  oldest  name  for  0.  flavo- 
viridis. 

Mr.  Everett  has  not  met  with  this  species  before.  As 
might  be  expected,  the  sexes  are  not  "  sirailar,^^  as  stated  by 
Temminck,  but  are  in  reality  quite  different,  the  female 
wanting  the  black  throat,  and  having  the  tail  rather  more 
distinctly  marked  with  a  subterminal  spot  of  dark  brown. 

AcROCEPHALUS  oRiENTALis  (T.  &  S.) ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  13.  251. 
a.  $.     Bintulu.     Iris  pale  wood-brown;  legs  lead-grey; 
bill  horn -brown  ;  interior  of  gape  orange.     Diptera  in  gizzard. 
Procured  during  the  N.E.  monsoon. 

PrIONOCHILUS  EVERETTI,  Sp.  n. 

P.  similis  P.  obsoleto,  sed  supra  saturate  bruuneus,  nee  oli- 

vaceo  lavatus  :  gutture  bruunescente,  nee  albo,  et  rec- 

tricibus  externis  concoloribus  distinguendus.     Long.  tot. 

3*7,  culm.  0*4,  alse  2*25,  caudse  1'3,  tarsi  055. 

This  apparently  new  species  is  closely  alHed  to  P.  obsoletus 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  17 

of  Timor^  but  differs  in  being  darker  above,  in  having  the 
throat  and  breast  brownish  instead  of  white,  and  especially 
in  the  absence  of  white  tips  to  the  outer  tail-feathers. 

Peionochilus  xanthopygius,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  162. 

a.  d" .    Bintulu.    Iris  warm  sienna-brown ;  legs  dark  grey. 

b.  c? .    Tagora,  May  1875.    Iris  warm  brown ;  bill  black. 
[From  the  distance  of  the  above-named  localities  it  may 

be  inferred  that  the  species  is  found  over  the  whole  of  the 
Sarawak  district ;  but  it  is  certainly  one  of  the  less  common 
of  these  little  birds. — A.  E.] 

Prionochilus  thoracicus  (Temm.)  ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  163. 

a.  d .  Bintulu.  Iris  yellowish  brown ;  bill  black  ;  legs 
dark  lead-colour. 

Apparently  rare,  as  Mr.  Everett  has  never  previously  met 
with  the  species. 

Prionochilus  maculatus  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  164. 

a.  2'  Bintulu.  Iris  purple-red  ;  bill  black;  legs  blackish 
lead-colour ;  lower  mandible  lead-colour. 

b.  d .     Bintulu.     Iris  ^' dragon^s-blood -"^  red. 

[Food  in  stomach,  pulp  of  the  wild  fig  {Arar).  Common 
throughout  the  Sarawak  district. — A.  E.]  ' 

Dictum  trigonostigma  (Scop.);  Salvad.  t.c.  p.  166. 

a.  6  .     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown. 

b.  6  .     Santubong  Bay. 

Dictum  chrysorrh(eum  (Temm.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  168. 

a.  cJ .     Bintulu.     Pairing.     Iris  crimson. 

b.  $  .     Jambusan.     Iris  orange ;  legs  leaden. 

j;Ethopyga  eupogon.  Cab.;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  173. 

[This  bird  is  pretty  common  throughout  Sarawak,  both  on 
the  sea-coast  and  inland,  particularly  aflecting  the  "  second- 
growth^^  jungle. — A'.  E.] 

Chalcostetha  insignis  (Jard.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  177. 
a.  S  .     Bintulu.     Iris  warm  brown. 

This  species  is  apparently  rare  in  Borneo,  as  Mr.  Everett 
has  never  fallen  in  with  it  before  in  the  course  of  seven  years' 

SER.  IV. VOL.   I.  c 


18  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Contributions  to  the 

residence  in  the  island.      Doria  and  Beecari  also  procured 
but  a  single  specimen. 

Nectarophila  hasselti  (Temm.) ;  Salvad.  t.c.  p.  177. 

a.  (J  .     Bintulu.     Eyes  brown  ;  bill  and  legs  shining  black. 

This  bird,  which  is  very  common  in  Mr.  Low's  Labuan 
collections,  is  by  no  means  plentiful  in  Sarawak.  Mr.  Everett 
has  procured  it  once  at  Marup,  and  once  again  at  Bintulu. 

Arachnothera  chrysogenys,  Temm,;   Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  181. 

a.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  chocolate ;  bill  of  the  darkest 
brown  ;  legs  light  purplish  brown.  Hard-seeded  fruit  in 
gizzard . 

Arachnothera  longirostris  (Lath.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  186. 

a.  Bintulu.     Iris  brown. 

b.  Bintulu,  Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  black,  under  mandible 
leaden  grey  ;  legs  dark  blue  lead-colour.  Hard-seeded  fruit 
in  gizzard. 

Anthreptes  malaccensis  (Scop.)  ;  Ibis,  1876,  p.  4S. 

The  stomach  of  this  bird  is  generally  found  to  contain 
fruit;  sometimes  hard  seeds,  and  sometimes  small  larvae  are 
met  with.  It  frequents  gardens  and  second-growth  jungle, 
and  is  distributed  everywhere  in  Sarawak. 

Anthreptes  simplex  (Miill.). 
Arachnophila  simplex,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  172. 
a.    ?  .  Bintulu. 

Cyornis  banyumas  (Horsf.)  ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  130. 

a.  $ .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  black  ;  legs  pale 
brownish  lead. 

b.  ?  .     Bintulu.     Legs  purplish  leaden  grey. 

Hypothymis  azurea  (Bodd.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  133. 
a.  cJ  .     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  blackish  blue. 
[Rather  a  rare  bird  in  Sarawak,  not  often  obtained. — A.  E.] 
Rhipidura  rhombifer.  Cab. 
Leucocerca  perlata,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  136. 
On  examining  the  three  specimens  sent  by  Mr.  Everett, 
we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  they  are  distinct  from 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  19 

Sumatran  R.  perlata  (Miill.),  tlie  latter  having  the  back  ashy 
brown,  not  slaty  blackish,  and  having  the  inner  secondaries 
tipped  with  white,  a  feature  not  shown  by  the  Boruean  bird. 

Philentoma  pyrrhoptebum  (Temm.);  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  138. 
a,b.  ^ .     Bintulu.     Iris  crimson  ;  bill  black. 

Philentoma  velatum  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  138. 
a,h.  J.     Bintulu.     Iris   crimson;    bill  black;    legs   dark 
greenish  black. 

Terpsiphone  affinis  (Hay) ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  137.  - 

a.  ^  .     Kabulo,  Jilalong  river. 

b.  (^  .     Pandan,  Bintulu  river. 

c.  (J  •     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown. 

d.  ^ .  Matang  mountain.  Iris  chocolate ;  bill  and  legs 
blue. 

e.  ^.  Tagora,  May  1875'.  Iris  chocolate ;  bill  dull  cobalt ; 
eye- wattle  bright  cobalt. 

[Generally  distributed  in  Sarawak,  both  in  lowlands  and 
on  the  hills.  Observed  on  Matang  mountains  at  an  elevation 
of  1000  feet.  These  birds  appear  to  pair  in  December.  A 
Malay  name  is  '^  Penchuri  kapas,^^  or  "  cotton-thief,"  in  al- 
lusion to  the  long  white  plumes  of  the  male.  The  testes  are 
dark  grey. — A.  E.] 

Lanius  lucionensis,  L.  ;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  43. 

a.  (^ .  Bintulu,  Nov.  4,  1875.  Iris  chocolate-brown; 
bill  black,  the  lower  mandible  pale  lead- colour,  tipped  with 
black ;  legs  dark  leaden  grey,  claws  black.  Green  Mantis  in 
the  gizzard. 

b.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  chocolate;  bill  dark  purj)lish 
brown ;  legs  bluish  lead-colour. 

[According  to  my  experience  this  bird  only  appears  during 
the  N.E.  monsoon.  The  specimen  mentioned  in  the  former 
paper  (Z.  c.)  was  killed  in  November ;  and  these  now  recorded 
were  shot  within  a  few  days  of  the  same  date  as  the  first  one. 
-A.  E.] 

Pericrocotus  cinereus. 

a.  1^ .     Coast  of  Bintulu.     Iris  brown  ;  legs  and  bill  black. 

c  2 


20  Mr.  R.  B.  Sliarpe's  Contributions  to  the 

[Shot  in  the  early  part  of  the  N.E.  monsoon  in  the  Casu- 
arinas  lining  the  shore  of  the  Bintulu  coast. — A.  E.] 

This  is  the  first  recorded  occurrence  of  the  species  in 
Borneo. 

Hemipus  obscurus  (Horsf.). 
Mijiolestes  obscurus,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  156. 

a.  ^.     Bintulu.     Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  and  feet  jet-black. 

b.  ^ .     Bintulu.     Iris  chocolate. 

Pityriasis  gymnocephala  (Temm.)  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  159. 

[One  of  the  rarest  birds  in  Sarawak.  I  saw  one  specimen 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Skarang  river ;  and  my  hunters  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  come  across  a  large  flock  on  the  hills  near 
Marup^  out  of  which  they  secured  a  dozen  specimens  (Aj)ril 
1871).  After  each  discharge  of  the  guns  the  flock  returned 
to  the  same  spot  until  a  wounded  bird  cried  out^  when  they 
all  flew  oft\  An  examination  of  the  contents  of  the  gizzards 
in  several  individuals,  showed  that  their  food  consisted  of  ar- 
boreal Orthoptera,  cockroaches,  beetles,  and  some  large  green 
larvae.  In  one  of  the  males  the  testes,  which  are  yellow, 
were  as  large  as  ordinary  peas,  the  left  being  the  larger ;  in 
the  others  the  organs  were  of  the  usual  dimensions.  None 
of  the  females  exhibited  enlarged  embryos  in  the  ovaria.  The 
C(Bca  coll  were  present  and  were  non-adherent.  In  two  of  the 
male  specimens  the  auricular  patch  was  red  instead  of  black, 
although  they  were  apparently  mature  birds. — A.  E.] 

DissEMURus  BRACHY^PHORus,  Tcmm. ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  154. 
a.   $  .     Matang,  June  1875.     Iris  brownish  red. 
[Universally  distributed  and  very  common. — A.  E.] 

Platysmurus  aterrimus  (Temm.);   Salvad.  t.c.  p.  279. 
a,b.  c?  ?  .     Bintulu,  Oct.   1875.     Iris   crimson ;  bill  and 
feet  black. 

fProcm'ed  also  at  Belida  and  Marup. — A.  E.] 

Oriolus  xanthonotus,  Horsf.  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  277. 
a.  $.     Bintulu.     Pairing.     Iris  crimson;  bill  burnt-sicnna 
brown  ;  legs  leaden . 

[Gunong  trahn,  Marup,  Bintulu,  &c.     A  female  shot  at 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  21 

Sabu  had  the  iris  yellow-brown^  the  bill  umber,  and  legs  lead- 
blue.  These  birds  feed  on  insects ;  and  from  the  stomach  of 
one  I  took  a  Scolopendra.  The  tongue  is  plain,  with  slight 
apical  slit.     Kidneys  double. — A.  E.] 

.     Calornis  chalybea  (Horsf.)  ;   Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  45. 

a,b.  ?  .  Sibu  Island.  Iris  in  one  crimson,  in  the  other 
pale  brick-red. 

[One  of  the  commonest  birds  of  Sarawak.  They  are  usually 
seen  in  flocks  haunting  the  taller  trees,  in  the  holes  of  which 
they  nest.  A  nest  was  brought  to  me  at  Liugga,  placed  inside 
the  dry  husk  of  a  cocoanut  which  had  been  eaten  through 
by  a  squirrel ;  the  eggs  were  green-blue,  spotted  with  brownish 
purple,  chiefly  at  the  larger  end,  where  the  spots  formed  a 
ring.  The  food  of  these  birds  consists  in  a  great  measure 
of  small  fruits  and  seeds.  In  an  immature  male,  shot  May 
4,  1874,  I  found  only  the  left  testis  developed,  the  right 
one  being  scarcely  discernible ;  it  was  dark  green,  elongate, 
and  about  one  third  of  an  inch  in  length. — A.  E.] 

Artamus  leucorhynchus  (L.)  ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  140. 

[Santubong  Bay,  Marup,  Bruit,  Bintulu.  A  scarce  bird 
and  very  shy ;  frequents  high  trees,  perching  on  the  topmost 
twigs,  and  is  generally  seen  in  pairs.  The  flight  resembles 
i\\?ii  oi  Microhier ax  fringUlarius.  When  at  rest  these  birds 
utter  their  only  note,  a  kind  of  harsh  croak.  Observed  also 
at  Sibu,  and  at  the  mouths  of  the  Katibas  and  Ibau,  tribu- 
taries of  the  Rejang,  the  Ibau  being  some  130  miles  from  the 
sea  by  the  course  of  the  river. — A.  E.] 

EuRYL^MUS  ochromelas,  Raffl. ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  108. 

[A  female,  shot  Sept.  4,  1874,  had  the  stomach  full  of 
weevils.  The  coeca  coli  are  two,  rather  large,  infundibuliform. 
This  bird  is  common  over  the  whole  territory,  on  the  coast  as 
well  as  inland. — A.  E.] 

CoRYDON  suMATRANUs  (Raffl.) ;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  p.  48. 

a.  cJ.  Jilalong  branch  of  Bintulu  river.  Bill  white,  clouded 
dull  crimson ;  iris  pale  brownish  purple ;  legs  and  feet  dark 
brown. 


22  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Contributions  to  the 

[Specimens  procured  at  Busan^  Sibu,  and  Bintulu.  The 
gizzard  always  contains  insects^  usually  beetles  and  Or- 
thoptera. — A.  E.] 

Calyptomena  viridis,  Raffl. ;  Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  106. 

«.   (J .     Bintulu. 

b.  ^  .  Jilalong  brancli  of  Bintulu  river.  Iris  dark  brown ; 
feet  pale  green. 

[Busan^  Simaujan,  Marup,  Sibu,  Bintulu,  &c.,  also  on  the 
Matang  mountains  at  1000  feet.  Birds  shot  in  January  were 
pairing,  and  had  the  stomachs  full  of  the  pulp  and  seeds  of 
the  common  wild  fig  {Avar).  Not  an  uncommon  bird,  but 
difficult  to  procure,  as  it  aflects  tall  trees,  and  its  colour  helps 
to  conceal  it  at  a  short  distance.  The  interior  of  the  gape  is 
yellow. — A.  E.] 

EuRYL^Mus  jAVANicus  (Horsf.)  ;  Sliarpc,  Ibis,  p.  48. 

[Observed  at  Jambusan,  Marup,  Sibu,  and  Bintulu.  The 
iris  is  yellow,  and  the  legs  pinkish  white;  but  in  a  female  ob- 
tained in  October  at  Sibu  the  iris  was  bluish  green,  and  the 
legs  lead-grey.  The  gizzard  of  this  specimen  contained  beetles 
only. — A.  E.] 

Cymbirhynchus  macrorhynchus  (Gm.)  ;  Salvad.  /.  c. 
p.  109. 

a.  ?  .  Bintulu,  Iris  brilliant  grained  green  ;  bill  pale 
cobalt,  lower  mandible  deep  chrome ;  legs  dark  purplish 
blue. 

[Abundant  throughout  Sarawak  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
rivers,  and  especially  in  the  upper  Batang  Lupar.  Feeds  on 
insects,  seeds,  &c.  This  is  the  "  Rain-bird  "  of  the  Malays. 
A  female  shot  in  April  was  found  to  be  laying.  The  nest — a 
rough  pendent  structure  loosely  put  together  with  grass — is 
generally  built  over  water;  the  eggs  are  white,  speckled  with 
faint  red.  A  nest  with  with  two  young  birds  was  brought 
in  at  Marup  in  April  1871.  The  birds  differed,  but,  I  think, 
were  both  females.  They  were  entirely  fledged,  except  on 
the  throat,  and  agreed  in  having  the  head,  back,  wings,  and 
tail  sooty  black,  and  the  long  white  feathers  over  the  shoulder 


Ornithology  of  Borneo.  23 

tipped  with  yellow  ;  but  in  the  smaller  individual  each  of  the 
upper  wing-coverts  showed  a  yellow  spot  at  its  extremity. 
In  both  the  rump  was  dull  crimson ;  under  coverts  of  tail 
pale  brick-red ;  belly  and  breast  greyish  black,  the  feathers 
more  or  less  tipped  with  reddish  orange ;  bill  dirty  horn- 
yellow,  clouded  at  the  apex  with  brown  ;  legs  dull  violet-blue ; 
iris  pale  slaty  brown.  The  gizzards  were  full  of  caterpillars, 
beetles,  &c. ;  and  in  one  was  a  small  Helix. — A.  E.] 

Treron  capellii  (Temm.)  -,  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  285. 
a.    ?  .      Kabulo,   Bintulu.      Iris   dark   brown  ;    feet  pure 
chrome,  claws  black ;  bill  greenish, 

Ptilonopus  jambu  (Gm.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  289. 
a,b.  cJ  ?  .    Bintulu.    Iris  sienna-orange ;  bill  deep  chrome- 
yellow;  legs  crimson. 

[Obtained  by  me  only  at  Busan  and  Bintulu. — A.  E.] 

EuPLOCAMus  PYRONOTus  (Gray) ;  Salvad.  L  c.  p.  307. 

a.  (J.  Bintulu,  Oct.  28,  1875.  Iris  bright  sienna-brown ; 
legs  and  toes  pale  bluish  lead-colour ;  bill  pale  dirty  green- 
ish white;  cere  blackish;  papillose  space  round  eye  fiery 
crimson. 

Argusianus  grayi  (Elliot) ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  305. 

a.  ^  .  Kidurong  Bay,  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  greyish  brown ; 
bill  white,  tinged  greenish;  legs  and  feet  coral-red,  claws 
brownish  ;  all  the  bare  skin  of  the  head  dull  ultramarine,  but 
brighter  on  the  throat. 

b.  $  .  Kidurong  Point,  Bintulu.  Bill  whitish ;  legs  coral- 
red. 

Melanoperdix  nigra  (Vig.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  309. 

a.  cJ .  Bintulu.  Iris  pale  grey-brown ;  bill  black ;  legs 
and  feet  lead-colour ;  testes  dark  green. 

b.  $  .  Bintulu.  Iris  dark  brown ;  bill  black ;  feet  and 
legs  leaden  grey. 

Glareola  orientalis.  Leach;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  319. 

a.  Bintulu  beach,  Sept.  27,  1875.  Found  in  flocks  on  the 
whole  coast-line,  and  as  far  inland  as  Sibu 'Island  ar.d  Marup. 
Migratory. 


24  Contributions  to  the  Ornithology  of  Borneo. 

Gallinago  stenura  (Kulil)  ;   Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  335. 
a.  Sibu^  February  1875. 

Ardea  purpurea^  L.  ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  345. 

a.  Bintulu,  Oct.  23,  1875.  Iris  bright  yellow ;  tibia  and 
back  of  tarsus  light  greenish  yellow,  frout  of  tarsus  and  upper 
surface  of  foot  shining  black,  under  surface  of  foot  ochreous ; 
bill  dark  horn-brown,  the  under  mandible  chrome-yellow ; 
base  of  bill  and  naked  skin,  including  the  eyelids,  greenish 
yellow. 

[An  uncommon  bird  in  Sarawak,  seen  during  the  N.E. 
monsoon.  The  above  specimen  is  a  very  young  bird. — 
A.  E.] 

Ardetta  sinensis  (Gm.) ;  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  354. 
a.    $  .     Bintulu.     Iris  golden-yellow;  bill  bright  yellow, 
tinged  with  green;  the  culmen  black;  legs  yellowish  green. 

Porzana  pygmtea  (Naum.)  ;  Swinh.  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  414. 

a.  J .  Silai,  Bintulu.  Iris  pale  brick-red ;  bill  dull  sap- 
green  ;  legs  dark  greenish  brown. 

This  Crake,  which  is  doubtless  a  migrant  from  the  Chinese 
coast,  has  never  been  procured  in  Borneo  before. 

Mareca  PENELOPE  (L.) ;  Swinh.  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  418. 

a.  ?  .  Bintulu.  Iris  grey-brown  ;  bill  and  feet  dark 
greenish  lead-colour. 

[This  was  shot  in  November  1875  as  it  was  swimming  about 
in  a  small  creek  in  front  of  the  fort  at  Bintulu. — A.  E.] 

The  present  species  is  here  recorded  for  the  first  time  from 
Borneo,  and  is  not  included  in  Count  Salvadori's  work. 

Dafila  acuta  (L.)  ;  Swinh.  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  418. 

a.  ?.  Bintulu,  Nov.  18,  1875.  Iris  dark  brown;  bill 
blackish  lead-colour ;  legs  greenish  lead-colour. 

[Shot  in  the  same  creek  as  the  Widgeon.  A  few  Ducks 
visit  Borneo  during  the  N.E.  monsoon,  sometimes  occurring 
as  far  in  as  Sibu. — A.  E.] 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Widgeon,  this  species  is  new  to  Borneo ; 
it  is  doubtless  only  a  winter  migrant. 


Dr.  T.  H.  Streets  on  a  new  Moorhen. 


25 


Salvad.  /.  c.  p.  379. 

Iris  very  dark  brown ;  bill  black ; 


Angus  stolidus  (L.) 

a,b.  (^  ?  .     Bintulu. 
legs  soot-brown. 

[These  birds  are  scarce  on  tlie  Sarawak  coast.  The  above 
pair  made  their  appearance,  along  with  two  or  three  more, 
in  a  gale  of  wind  during  the  N.E.  monsoon. — A.  E.] 


II. — Description  of  aneio  Moorhen  from  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 
By  Thomas  H.  Streets,  M.D.,  U.S.  Navy. 

Gallinula  sandvicensis,  sp.  nov. 

Gallinula  chloropus,  Peale,  Orn.  U.S.  Expl.  Exp.  p.  220. 
G.  Gallinula  cMoropodi  sat  similis,  sed  major,  alis  brevioribus, 
clypeo  frontali  multo  majore,  coloribus  saturatioril)us, 
abdomine  concolori,  campterio  vix  albo,  tarsis  antice  ru- 
bescentibus. 


Frontal  shield  of  Gallinula  sandvicen&is. 

Frontal  plate  very  large,  terminating  square  on  the  top  of 
the  head,  much  inflated,  its  posterior  margin  on  a  line  with 
the  posterior  margin  of  the  orbit ;  laterally  it  encroaches  on 
the  orbit,  leaving  but  a  narrow  feathered  space  between  them ; 
the  bill  shorter  than  the  head,   thick,   compressed ;  wings 


26  Dr.  T.  H.  Streets  on  a  new  Moorhen. 

rather  short  iu  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  species  when 
compared  with  other  species  of  the  same  group ;  first  primary 
shorter  than  second,  the  second  and  third  of  equal  length, 
the  rest  graduated ;  tail  short ;  tarsus  ratlier  long  and  stout, 
rounded  in  front,  and  compressed  posteriorly  ;  toes  and  claws 
long  and  robust. 

The  entire  under  surface  of  the  body  of  one  colour,  which 
is  a  dark  slaty ;  no  marks  of  white  on  the  abdomen ;  the 
head  and  neck  all  around  much  darker  than  the  rest  of  the 
body,  nearly  black,  with  a  slight  brownish  tinge ;  a  few  ot 
the  long  feathers  on  the  flanks  with  long  spots  of  white  on 
the  superior  web  of  the  feathers ;  the  edge  of  the  wing  at  the 
bend,  and  the  outer  margin  of  the  outer  web  of  the  first 
primary  marked  with  a  very  constricted  line  of  white ;  the 
under  surface  of  the  wings  of  the  same  colour  as  the  under- 
parts  of  the  body ;  the  longer  under  tail-coverts  pure  white, 
the  rest  black ;  the  entire  upper  parts,  including  the  upper 
surface  of  the  wings  and  tail,  olive-brown,  the  colour  deepest 
on  the  rump,  and  fading  out  on  the  neck  and  on  the  exterior 
portions  of  the  wings ;  the  tips  of  the  tail-feathers,  and  the 
shafts  of  the  feathers,  brownish  black  ;  frontal  plate  and  bill 
bright  crimson,  the  latter  tipped  with  yellow  ;  tlie  tibia  naked 
for  about  an  inch,  and  surrounded  by  a  bright  crimson  ring  ; 
a  decided  crimson  blush  on  the  front  of  the  tarsus,  the  colour 
deeper  on  the  sides ;  feet  pea-green. 

Total  length  about  13'50  inches;  wing  6'50;  tail  3;  bill 
along  the  commissure  1*20,  from  the  feathers  on  the  side  of 
the  head  1,  along  the  culmen,  including  the  frontal  plate, 
1'65  ;  breadth  of  the  frontal  plate  0"50;  length  from  the 
margin  of  the  feathers  on  the  side  of  the  bill  0*70;  tarsus  2 ; 
middle  toe  and  claw  3. 

To  sum  up,  the  proportions  of  the  bird  and  the  quadrate 
form  of  the  frontal  plate  show  that  its  strongest  affinities  are 
with  G.  galeata  rather  than  with  any  other  member  of  the 
group ;  but  the  greater  extent  of  the  frontal  plate,  the  shorter 
wing,  the  absence  of  white  on  the  abdomen  and  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  wing,  as  well  as  its  reduction  to  a  mere  trace 
on  the   margin  of  the  same,  the  more  robust  and  dift'erent 


071  some  Birds  obsei'ved  in  Patagonia.  27 

form  of  the  tarsus,  being  broader  and  more  rounded  in  front, 
as  well  as  the  great  difference  in  the  colour  of  the  tarsus, 
separate  it  immediately  from  G.  galeata,  and  render  its  iden- 
tification easy.  The  characters  just  enumerated,  in  addition 
to  its  larger  size  and  the  quadrate  fi'ontal  plate,  separate  it, 
a  fortiori,  from  G.  chloropus. 

Habitat.  Island  of  Oahu,  Hawaiian  Group. 

The  only  direct  reference  to  this  bird  which  I  have  been 
able  to  find  is  made  by  Peale,  in  his  '  Ornithology  of  the  U.S. 
Exploring  Expedition,^  p.  220.  He  undoubtedly  obtained  a 
specimen  from  the  island  of  Oahu ;  but  the  skin  was  lost.  In 
the  description,  which  he  gives  from  his  field-notes,  he  states 
it  to  be  G.  chloropus,  Aud.,  i.  e.  G.  galeata.  The  allusiou 
which  he  makes,  however,  to  the  crimson-coloured  tarsi  iden- 
tifies it  with  this  species  at  once. 

Gray,  in  his  '  Hand-list  of  Birds,^  gives  the  Sandwich 
Islands  as  a  habitat  of  G.  chloropus,  Aud.,  as  do  also  Hart- 
laub  and  Finsch,  in  the  table  of  distribution  of  Central-Poly- 
nesian birds,  which  they  give  in  the  introduction  to  their 
work  ^Die  Ornithologie  der  Viti-,  Samoa  imd  Tonga  Inseln.' 
It  is  very  probable  that  both  of  these  authorities  based  their 
statements  upon  Peale^s  original  reference. 

III. — Notes  on  some  Birds  observed  in  the  Chnput  Valley, 
Patagonia,  and  in  the  neighbouring  District.     By  Henry 

DURNFORD^. 

Hearing  on  the  25th  October  last  that  a  steamer  was  to  leave 
Buenos  Ayres  that  afternoon  for  the  Welsh  colony  at  Chuput, 
I  decided  to  accompany  her,  and  having  hastily  packed  the 
few  things  necessary,  at  4  o'clock  found  myself  on  board  the 
'  Santa  Rosa,'  lying  in  the  outer  roads.  Our  party  consisted 
of  three,  my  two  friends  being  as  anxious  as  myself  to  see  a 

*  [The  skins  sent  home  by  Mr.  Durnford  have  been  examined  and 
determined  by  Mr.  Salvin.  The  nomenchitm-e  used  is  generally  that  of  the 
'Nomenclator  Av.  Neotrop.'  For  general  information  concerning  the  Welsh 
colony  of  Chuput,  see  -''Reports  received  by  the. Admiralty  from  Capt. 
H.  Fairfax,  R.N.,  of  H.M.S.  '  Volage,'  upon  the  Condition  of  the  Welsh 
Colony  of  Chuput  in  Patagonia  "  (Pari.  Papers,  No.  18,  of  1876).— Ed.] 


28  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

country  so  little  known  as  Patagonia.  The  voyage,  as  re- 
gards ornithological  occurrences;  was  to  me  full  of  interest ; 
I  only  regret  having  been  unable  to  procure  any  of  the  nu- 
merous species  of  Petrels  which  constantly  accompanied  us, 
Avith  the  exception  of  one,  Dapt'ion  capensis,  so  that,  having 
a  very  slight  acquaintance  with  this  genus,  I  could  only  super- 
ficially observe  such  of  them  as  we  met  with. 

The  mouth  of  the  river  Chuput,  which  we  reached,  after  a 
stormy  passage,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  31st  October,  is 
in  lat.  43°  20'  S.  For  a  distance  of  eight  miles  the  course  of 
the  river  lies  in  a  westerly  direction,  after  that  taking  a  gradual 
bend  to  the  S.S.W.  Mr.  Griffith  and  three  or  four  of  the  colo- 
nists have  penetrated  to  a  distance  of  250  miles  by  following 
the  course  of  the  river ;  and  by  their  compasses,  two  of  which 
they  carried,  they  reckoned  their  furthest  point  was  to  the 
S.S.W.  of  the  village.  I  mention  these  particulars  because 
in  some  maps  the  course  of  the  river  is  marked  in  a  very 
different  direction ;  the  maps,  as  regards  the  river  Chuput, 
of  course,  being  merely  the  invention  of  the  brain. 

Forty-five  miles  above  the  village,  and  forty-eight  from  the 
sea,  the  river  flows  between  precipitous  rocks,  in  some  places 
as  much  as  300  feet  high,  making  travelling  along  its  banks 
impossible ;  and  such  rocks  were  met  with  with  more  or  less 
frequency  up  to  the  furthest  point  the  colonists  reached. 
The  only  bird  Mr.  Griffith  saw  during  his  trip  which  does 
not  occur  at  the  colony  was  a  Kingfisher,  one  specimen  of 
which  was  shot.  The  absence  of  this  bird  from  the  lower 
reaches  of  the  river  may  perhaps  be  accounted  for  by  the 
character  of  the  water,  which,  for  some  distance  above  the 
colony,  is  always  thick  and  muddy,  whereas  where  he  jour- 
neyed he  found  a  clear  stream. 

The  valley  of  the  Chuput  varies  in  breadth  from  two  to  nine 
miles,  the  greater  portion  of  which  is  capable  of  cultivation 
to  a  distance  of  barely  forty-five  miles  from  the  village.  The 
geological  nature  of  the  surrounding  country  is  such  as  to 
preclude  the  occurreuce  of  very  many  species  of  birds,  being 
very  uniform  in  character.  Extensive  plateaux  of  dry  stony 
land  abound,  for  the  most  part  vei'y  sparsely  clothed  with 


'in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  29 

vegetation,  with  the  exception  of  low  stunted  bushes,  prin- 
cipally thorns,  which  find  root  everywhere  and  afford  a 
plentiful  supply  of  firewood,  with  here  and  there  a  cliff  of 
tosca  containing  innumerable  osseous  remains  of  sharks, 
seals,  small  mammals,  and  fish,  and  which,  if  thoroughly 
examined,  would  certainly  yield  great  results.  At  a  higlier 
elevation  there  are  many  extensive  tracts  of  land  clothed 
with  coarse  grass,  the  bushes  only  a  foot  or  two  in  height 
and  few  in  number ;  and  these  are  the  homes  of  large  herds 
of  Guanacos  and  Rheas.  During  my  visit  we  made  two 
hunting-excursions  :■ — one  to  a  tract  of  elevated  tableland 
about  fifteen  miles  to  the  south  of  the  village,  named  by 
the  colonists,  from  the  absence  of  bushes,  "  Clear  Land  ;" 
the  other  to  Ninfas  Point,  some  forty-five  miles  to  the 
north-east  of  the  colony.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal hunting-grounds  of  the  Tehuelche  Indians  j  and  here  I 
saw  for  the  first  time  a  herd  of  about  200  Guanacos  and 
numerous  Rheas.  The  only  bird  which  occurs  here,  and 
which  I  did  not  see  at  the  colony,  was  Sarcoi^hamphus  gry- 
phus ;  and  though  Vultures  on  a  close  acquaintance  are  cer- 
tainly not  attractive,  a  Condor  sitting  nearly  upright,  partly 
supported  by  its  tail,  on  the  pinnacle  of  a  lofty  cliff  over- 
looking the  deep-blue  waters  of  New  Bay,  was  a  picture  to 
attract  the  eye  of  the  most  unobservant,  and  a  fit  accompani- 
ment of  a  scene  of  such  grandeur  as  one  witnesses  there. 

The  whole  country  (I  speak  from  my  own  observation) 
within  a  twenty-mile  radius  of  the  village  exhibits  unmista- 
kable traces  of  the  action  of  the  sea.  Banks  evidently  once 
shingle,  little  hills  precisely  like  the  present  sandhills  on  the 
coast,  only  clothed  with  thick  bushes  and  numerous  deposits 
of  marine  shells,  can  be  seen  in  every  direction.  About  two 
miles  to  the  north  of  the  village  is  a  large  lagoon,  the  water 
of  which  is  brackish,  evidently  a  lingering  remnant  of  the 
ocean,  from  which  it  is  now  distant  at  least  seven  miles  j  the 
shores  of  this  lagoon  in  some  places  are  literally  paved  with 
marine  shells. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  willows  along  the  banks  of  the 
river,  and  some  poplars  which  have  been  planted  by  one  of 


30  JNIr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

the  colonists^  aud  which  seem  to  thrive,  the  whole  country 
is  characterized  by  an  entire  absence  of  trees ;  and  to  this 
fact,  coupled  with  the  general  flatness  of  the  country,  may 
be  attributed  the  very  light  rainfall  the  colonists  experience. 
During  our  visit,  lasting  a  month,  we  had  two  or  three  light 
showers ;  and  this  we  were  informed  was  about  the  average. 

From  an  old  Indian  burial-ground,  at  a  distance  of  ten 
miles  from  the  village,  we  disinterred  the  skeletons  of  two  or 
three  Indians,  and  some  arrow-  and  spear-heads  formed  of 
flint  from  the  same  locality.  Two  skulls  and  the  arrow-heads 
I  preserved ;  the  former  are  very  similar  to  the  heads  of  the 
present  Tehuelche  Indians,  a  small  encampment  of  whom 
were  at  the  colony  during  our  visit.  It  is  probable  that 
before  they  came  into  possession  of  horses  and  dogs  they 
lived  on  shell-fish  and  what  they  could  secure  with  their  bow^s 
and  arrows,  exactly  as  the  Fuegians  do  now. 

In  addition  to  the  birds  included  in  the  following  list,  I 
observed  some  which,  from  having  obtained  no  specimen  or 
other  causes,  were  not  satisfactorily  identified ;  so  I  think  it 
better  only  to  mention  them. 

Twice  during  my  visit  I  saw  what  I  took  to  be  a  Harrier, 
about  the  size  of  Circus  citiereus,  but  striped  longitudinally 
with  light  and  dark  brown  or  black,  the  underparts  lightest. 
It  occurred  on  the  sea-coast,  and  also  on  the  tableland  above 
the  valley,  perching  on  low  bushes,  and  difficult  of  approach. 

When  staying  up  the  valley  I  saw  many  times,  and  once 
had  a  shot  at,  a  bird  slightly  larger  than  Polyborus  vulgaris, 
and  from  its  habits  closely  allied  to  that  species ;  the  only 
diff'erence  I  could  detect  was  that  it  appeared  to  be  a  little 
larger  and  of  a  heavier  build,  with  the  plumage  generally  of  a 
lighter  colour  than  in  that  bird. 

Throughout  the  valley  I  many  times  observed  some  dark- 
brown  Vultures,  nearly  as  large  as  Geranoaetus  melanoleucus , 
apparently  of  a  uniform  colour,  but  w  ith  the  naked  skin  about 
the  head  red.  This  species  is  well  known  to  the  colonists, 
and  feeds  on  dead  horses,  cattle,  &c. 

Amongst  thick  rushy  ground  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
river  is  found  a  Rail,  which,  from  two  examples  observed, 
I  should   describe  as  exactly  like  an  Aramides  in  plumage. 


in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  31 

with  coral-red  beak  and  feet,  but  not  much  more  than  half 
the  size  of  that  bird. 

On  the  sandy  flats  surrounding  a  large  lagoon  about  two 
miles  north  of  the  village  is  found  an  jEgialitis  in  considerable 
numbers^  some  of  which,  on  the  occasion  of  my  visit,  were, 
I  think,  breeding — the  ovaries  of  one  obtained  containing  eggs 
in  a  forward  state.  The  skin  of  this  bird  was,  unfortunately, 
eaten  by  a  cat ;  and  I  had  no  opportunity  of  visiting  the  la- 
goon again.  The  day  before  sailing  for  Buenos  Ayres  I  saw 
some  large  flocks  of  the  same  species  on  the  coast  about  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  It  was  a  little  larger  than  yE.  hia- 
ticula,  with  a  broader  and  deeper  chest-band  of  black  than 
that  bird  has. 

In  the  lagoon  just  mentioned,  I  saw  several  examples  of  a 
large  Grebe,  which  I  am  pretty  sure  were  Podiceps  major ; 
but  as  they  kept  in  the  deep  water  I  had  no  opportunity  of 
a  shot. 

Before  concluding  these  remarks  it  afil'ordsme  great  plea- 
sure to  express  my  thanks  to  Mr.  John  Grifiith,  who  through- 
out my  visit  kindly  rendered  me  all  the  help  he  could,  and 
to  whom  I  owe  the  acquisition  of  many  specimens.  Having 
been  a  keen  and  accurate  observer  during  an  eight  years' 
residence  in  the  colony,  he  has  made  himself  acquainted  with 
most  of  the  birds  which  occur  in  the  district ;  and  I  found 
his  information  of  great  assistance. 

MiMUs  PATAGONicus,  Lafr.  &  D'Orb. 

This  bird  is  the  Thrush  of  the  river- Chuput  district,  and 
is  not  uncommon,  being  usually  found  near  the  base  of  the 
hills  bordering  the  valley.  Towards  dusk,  and  from  then 
till  nightfall,-  it  may  be  often  seen  sitting  on  the  topmost 
twig  of  a  bush,  whence  it  unceasingly  pours  forth  its  song. 
This,  though  not  to  be  compared  to  that  of  many  of  our 
British  songsters,  is  especially  welcome  on  the  barren  hills  of 
Patagonia,  where  the  silence  amongst  birds  generally  is  re- 
markable. On  the  21st  November  I  found  a  nest  in  a  thorn- 
bush,  about  four  feet  from  the  ground,  and  formed  of  twigs 
lined  with  feathers  ;  it  contained  a  chick,  which  had  just  left 
the  sliell,  and  one  egg,  on  the  point  of  hatching.     Both  parent 


33  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

birds  sliowed  great  anxiety  at  my  presence,  allowing  me  to 
come  Avithin  a  few  feet  of  tlicm.  They  appeared  to  be  pre- 
cisely alike  in  size  and  plumage. 

Troglodytes  furvus. 

Pretty  common.  The  Chuput-valley  Wren  is  smaller  than 
any  Buenos-Ayres  examples  I  have  seen.  It  has  a  slightly 
rufous  tinge  about  the  vent ;  bat  I  do  not  think  the  difference 
sufficient  to  indicate  that  the  species  are  distinct.  Four  eggs 
which  I  brought  back  with  me  are  slightly  smaller  than  eggs 
of  T.  furvus  from  here.  It  has  been  thought  there  may  be  two 
species  of  Wrens  in  Buenos  Ayres ;  but  this  question  can  only 
be  decided  by  the  acquisition  of  more  specimens.  A  slight 
discrepancy  in  size  alone  is  not  sufficient  to  establish  another 
species.  The  Chuput  bird  is  less  than  the  smallest  race,  or 
whatever  it  should  be  called,  of  our  Buenos-Ayres  bird. 

Anthus  correndera"^. 

Common  throughout  the  valley  and  on  the  hills  where  there 
was  any  grass. 

Progne  purpurea. 

Pretty  common  about  the  Tosca  cliff,  up  the  valley,  in  the 
crevices  of  the  rocks  of  which  it  was  breeding.  The  male  is 
uniform  glossy  steel-blue,  and  easily  distinguishable  from  the 
female,  whose  underparts  are  speckled  with  grey,  lightest 
about  the  vent.  Both  sexes  uttered  harsh  screams  whilst  we 
were  sitting  under  the  cliff.     A  few  seen  at  Ninfas  Point. 

Atticora  cyanoleuca. 

Pretty  common.  Nesting  in  holes  in  the  banks  in  some 
of  the  upper  reaches  of  the  river. 

HiRUNDO  LEUCORRHOA. 

Also  common.  On  the  evening  of  the  25th  November  I 
observed  many  birds  of  this  species  congregating  as  if  for  a 
migratory  movement. 

*  [Mr.  Uiu-nforcl's  collection  coutaius  two  specimens  of  tliis  species, 
one  from  Punta  Lara,  the  other  from  Flores,  near  Buenos  Ayres.  He 
has  not  sent  any  from  Chuput. — 0.  S.] 


in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  33 

Sycalis  luteiventris. 

Common,  usually  in  flocks.  Its  nest  is  of  grass,  lined 
with  liorseliair_,  and  is  ^jlaced  in  a  tuft  of  grass  or  rushes  close 
to  the  ground.  The  eggs  are  four  in  number.  Very  com- 
mon at  Ninfas  Point. 

ZONOTRICHIA  CANICAPILLA'^j  Gould. 

Abundant,  both  in  the  valley  and  on  the  hills,  and  often 
to  be  seen  hopping  familiarly  about  the  colonists'"  cottages. 
It  nests  amongst  coarse  grass  or  brushwood,  making  an  un- 
pretending structure  of  the  former  material,  the  finer  fibres 
being  jilaced  towards  the  interior.  It  lays  four  eggs,  mea- 
suring -8  by  "6  of  an  inch,  of  a  pale  green  colour,  thickly 
striated  with  light  reddish  brown  spots,  running  into  each 
other,  and  most  numerous  at  the  larger  end.  The  eggs  of 
the  Chuput  species  differ  from  those  I  have  from  here  of  Z. 
pileata  in  the  character  of  the  markings,  which  are  of  a 
lighter  colour  and  not  so  distinct,  being  more  blotchy  than 
in  Buenos- Ayres  examples.  The  nests  are  of  precisely  similar 
character. 

Agel^us  thilius. 

Very  common  throughout  the  valley  and  in  every  patch  of 
rushy  ground.  Though  I  did  not  discover  a  nest,  birds  were 
undoubtedly  breeding  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Sturnella  militaris. 

One  of  the  commonest  birds  in  the  valley,  not  being  seen 
on  the  hills.  On  the  4th  November  I  took  a  nest  from  a 
tuft  of  Pampas  grass  close  to  the  river-bank,  containing  two 
eggs.     It  occurred  in  some  numbers  at  Ninfas  point. 

MOLOTHRUS  BONARIENSIS. 

Not  uncommon  in  the  valley,  frequenting  willow-beds  and 
clumps  of  brushwood. 

*  [Mr.  Durnford  sends  a  single  specimen  of  this  species,  wliich  we 
have  hitherto  supposed  to  have  been  based  upon  the  young  of  Z.  inleata. 
We  now  see  that  it  is  fully  entitled  to  specific  rank ;  see  Sclater's  remarks, 
infra,  p.  46,  where  a  figure  of  it  is  given,  taken  from  Mr.  Durnfori's  spe- 
cimen.— Ed.] 

SER.    IV. VOL.   I.  D 


34  Mr.  H.  Duruford  on  some  Birds  obserced 

TjENIOPTERA  rubetka. 

Rare.  During  my  visit  I  saw  only  two  examples,  one  of 
which  I  shot  on  the  6th  November.  It  proved  to  be  a  male, 
with  considerably  enlarged  testicles;  and  its  stomach  con- 
tained the  remains  of  small  beetles. 

LlCHENOPS  PERSPICILLATUS. 

Very  common  throughout  the  valley,  nesting  in  the  sides 
of  tufts  of  Pampas-grass  along  the  banks  of  the  river.  From 
three  nests  I  found  during  my  visit,  in  every  case  I  flushed  a 
rufous-plumaged  bird.  Here,  and  at  Chuput,  I  have  now 
dissected  four  rufous  birds,  which  in  all  cases  proved  to  be 
females,  whilst  two  black  specimens  examined  were  both 
males.  The  black  bird  I  have  seen  many  times  chasing  the 
rufous  ones ;  in  fact  one  can  scarcely  take  a  walk  in  the 
country  here  during  the  spring,  where  there  is  any  swampy 
land,  without  observing  this. 

Hapalocercus  flaviventris. 

Not  uncommon  amongst  the  willows  along  the  banks  of 
the  river. 

An^retes  parulus. 

Rare.  During  my  visit  I  observed  two  pairs  amongst 
thick  bushes,  and  obtained  a  male  and  female ;  the  former 
has  a  decided  black  crest.  On  the  7th  November  I  took  a 
nest  from  a  thick  thorn-bush,  about  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  composed  of  grass,  warmly  lined  with  feathers,  and 
containing  two  eggs,  white  in  colour,  and  measuring  '6  by 
•4  of  an  inch. 

Cyanotis  omnicolor. 

Pretty  common  in  marshy  places  wherever  the  reeds  grow 
to  the  height  of  three  or  four  feet,  and  probably  breeding, 
though  I  did  not  discover  the  nest.  From  its  brilliant  and 
many-coloured  hues  of  plumage,  this  is  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive birds  we  have  ;  and  as  it  carefully  works  through 
every  patch  of  reeds  in  search  of  insect  food,  now  hanging 
head  downwards  from  a  spray,  displaying  its  crimson  crest, 
and  the  next  minute  running  nimbly  up  a  reed,  it  certainly 
reminds  one  of  our  Tits  at  home. 


m  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  35 

Upucerthia  dumetoria. 

Not  uncommon.  On  the  T'tli  November  I  took  a  nest 
from  the  end  of  a  hole  in  the  bank  of  a  dry  lagoon  near  the 
village.  This  nest  was  formed  of  grass,  lined  with  fur  of  the 
Patagonian  cavy,  and  was  placed  about  four  feet  from  the 
face  of  the  bank.  The  eggs  were  three  in  number,  white  in 
colour,  much  incubated,  and  measure  I'l  by  '9  inch. 

Phlceocryptes  melanops. 

Common  in  reed-beds,  where  I  found  it  nesting,  generally 
two  or  three  pairs  in  the  same  place.  The  nest  is  an  oval 
structure,  from  four  to  five  inches  in  diameter,  supported  by 
reeds,  of  the  finer  sprays  of  which  it  is  formed,  strengthened 
with  a  little  mud,  and  generally  not  more  than  eight  inches 
from  the  ground.  I  have  found  as  many  as  five  eggs  in  one 
nest,  though  four  is  the  usual  number ;  and  they  differ  from 
all  other  eggs  of  this  genus  I  have  seen  in  being  of  a  uniform 
glossy  blue  colour,  instead  of  white. 

Synallaxis  sordida. 

Synallaxis  patagonica. 

Common  everywhere.  The  nesting-habits  of  these  two 
species  have  puzzled  me  exceedingly.  I  will  state  the  facts 
as  they  occurred.  On  the  1st  November  I  shot  a  female  S. 
patagonica  from  its  nest,  which  was  nearly  circular  in  shape, 
a  small  hole  near  the  top  communicating  with  the  interior, 
which  was  about  twelve  inches  in  diameter.  The  nest  was 
formed  of  sticks,  and  was  a  very  large  structure  for  so  small 
a  bird ;  it  was  lined  with  feathers  and  wool,  and  placed  in  the 
centre  of  a  thick  bush.  It  contained  three  white  eggs,  mea- 
suring '7  by  '5  of  an  inch.  In  its  immediate  vicinity  were 
other  nests  of  precisely  the  same  character,  the  owners  of 
some  of  which  I  saw,  and  which  were  certainly  S.  patagonica. 
Two  eggs  from  one  of  these  nests  measured  '8  by  "6  of  an 
inch.  On  the  20th  I  flushed  a  S.  patagonica  from  a  nest  in 
a  different  locality.  This  nest  was  nearly  round  in  shape, 
and  the  interior  reached  by  a  narrow  circular  passage  of 
sticks  attached  to  the  top  of  the  nest,  from  which  it  pro- 
jected about  twelve  inches;  the  inside  diameter  was  not  more 

d2 


36  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

than  nine  inches ;  but  with  these  exceptions  it  was  exactly 
like  the  nests  found  on  the  1st  inst.  The  eggs^  two  in  num- 
ber, are  of  the  same  length  as  the  last  mentioned,  but  slightly 
broader.  There  were  several  nests  of  the  same  character, 
viz.  with  a  passage,  in  the  neighbourhood. 

On  the  26th  I  shot  a  Synallxis  sordida,  which  proved 
to  be  a  male,  at  the  same  time  seeing  another  leave  one  of 
the  nests  without  a  passage. 

The  result  of  these  observations  may  be  shortly  summarized 
as  follows  : — 

We  have  two  distinct  classes  of  nests  of  Synallaxis,  which 
we  will  call  A  and  B  (A  being  those  having  no  passage  to 
the  nest,  B  those  with  this  addition),  both  common,  both 
built  in  precisely  similar  places,  but  those  of  one  class  never 
found  in  the  vicinity  of  those  of  the  other.  In  three  or  four 
instances  S.  patagonica  is  seen  to  leave  nests  classed  A,  and 
in  one  case  a  nest  classed  B.  A  ^S^.  sordida  in  one  in- 
stance is  seen  to  leave  a  nest  classed  A.  The  eggs  from 
two  A  nests  differ  "1  of  an  inch  in  length  and  breadth  from 
each  other ;  and  seen  lying  side  by  side  it  is  difficult  to  imagine 
they  can  both  belong  to  the  same  species ;  at  the  same  time 
two  eggs  from  a  B  nest,  and  from  which  a  S.  sordida  was 
flushed,  are  of  the  same  size  as  the  larger  sitting  of  eggs  from 
one  of  the  A  nests.  These  apparent  discrej)ancies  are  diffi- 
cult to  reconcile.  Can  it  be  that  the  two  species  construct 
nests  of  such  very  different  characters,  and  that  each  is  pa- 
rasitic on  the  other  ? 

Both  have  very  similar  habits,  when  frightened  creeping 
into  the  thickest  part  of  the  bush,  and  when  driven  from  that 
shelter  only  flying  as  far  as  the  next  one. 

Synallaxis  hudsoni,  Scl. 

Not  uncommon.  Found  in  dry  places  in  the  valley,  but 
not  seen  on  the  hills,  and  appears  to  live  on  the  ground.  On 
the  5th  November  I  shot  a  male. 

HOMORUS  GUTTURALIS. 

On  the  27th  November  I  saw  a  pair  of  these  birds  on  the 
hills  about  four  miles  to  the  south-west  of  the  village,  and 


in  the  Chuptit  Valley,  Patagonia.  37 

shot  the  female  bird.  My  attention  was  drawn  to  the  spot 
by  seeing  a  large  structure  of  sticks  in  the  centre  of  a  bush, 
which  proved  to  be  the  nest,  and  which  measured  about  three 
feet  in  diameter,  nearly  round,  the  interior  being  reached  by 
a  passage  from  the  top,  circular  in  shape,  formed  of  small 
twigs,  and  about  twelve  inches  in  length.  On  my  approach- 
ing the  bush  both  birds  uttered  harsh  and  noisy  screams, 
hopping  anxiously  about  the  nest;  both  had  elongated  fea- 
thers on  the  crest  of  the  head,  which  they  erected  to  show 
their  displeasure  at  being  disturbed ;  and  the  only  difference 
I  could  detect  between  them  was  that  these  feathers  were 
slightly  the  longest  in  the  male  bird.  The  nest  was  appa- 
rently not  quite  completed,  the  interior  having  no  lining  but 
small  twigs.  The  stomach  of  the  female  contained  the  bones 
of  a  small  mammal ;  and  in  its  ovary  was  an  egg  nearly  ready 
for  exclusion. 

Stenopsis  bifasciata. 

Rare ;  the  only  specimen  seen  I  found  on  the  hills  about 
four  miles  to  the  south  of  the  village.  On  dissection  it  proved 
to  be  a  female,  with  eggs  in  a  forward  state  in  the  ovary. 
To  the  colonists  this  species  is  known  as  the  "  shy  bird,^^  in 
consequence  of  its  vigilance  in  eluding  pursuit ;  for  though 
when  flushed  it  never  flies  very  far,  it  always  seeks  the  shelter 
of  a  small  bush,  squatting  flat  on  the  ground ;  and  from  its 
peculiar  zigzag  mode  of  flight,  it  is  difficult  for  the  eye  to 
follow  it. 

CONURUS  PATAGONUS. 

A  flock  of  about  thirty  of  this  Parrot  frequented  the  Tosca 
clifi"  up  the  valley,  a  few  of  which  were  breeding  in  the  crevices, 
having  chosen  the  most  inaccessible  part  of  the  cliff"  for  that 
purpose.  The  greater  number  during  the  day  were  to  be 
seen  about  the  river,  sometimes  as  much  as  fifteen  miles  from 
their  stronghold ;  these  always  kept  in  a  compact  body,  re- 
turning before  dusk  to  roost  on  the  cliff".  They  fed  on  the 
young  leaves  of  a  species  of  thorn,  the  stomach  of  one  shot 
on  the  24'th  November  being  crammed  with  these. 


38  Mr.  H.  Duruford  07i  some  Birds  observed 

NOCTUA  CUNICULARIA. 

Common.     Nesting  in  holes  in  the  ground. 

Circus  cinereus. 

Common  in  the  valley^  not  seen  on  the  hills.  In  flight  it 
is  very  quick  and  graceful :  few  birds  are  a  match  for  this 
Harrier;  and  as  it  sweeps  rapidly  over  the  ground^now  scarcely 
clearing  the  tops  of  the  high  grass^  and  the  next  miniite 
rising  to  drop  on  some  luckless  victim,  it  is  impossible  not  to 
admire  its  great  strength  of  wing.  The  stomach  of  one  shot 
on  the  24th  November  contained  the  remains  of  a  freshly 
killed  Thinocorus  rumicivorus.  To  the  colonist  it  is  well 
known ;  and  more  than  one  person  assured  me  it  nested  on 
the  ground  amongst  long  grass,  and  laid  two  white  eggs ;  my 
search,  however,  for  the  nest  was  unsuccessful.  Legs,  feet, 
and  irides  pale  orange. 

Geranoaetus  melanoleucus. 

Not  uncommon,  especially  in  the  upper  part  of  the  valley. 
On  the  9th  November  I  shot  a  female  from  the  nest,  on  a 
ledge  high  up  in  a  Tosca  cliif,  thirteen  miles  north-west  of 
the  town,  and  after  considerable  difl&culty  secured  the  two 
eggs,  which  are  of  a  dirty  white  colour,  very  slightly  speckled 
with  brown,  and  measure  2*6  inches  by  2.  As  they  con- 
tained chicks  about  to  be  released  from  their  prisons,  I  con- 
clude two  is  the  number  of  eggs  usually  laid.  On  a  subse- 
quent visit  to  the  same  cliff",  and  also  to  one  in  its  immediate 
neighbourhood,  which,  from  its  peculiar  shape,  the  colonists 
have  named  the  '^''old  castle,^"*  I  found  several  nests  of  pre- 
vious years,  all  of  the  same  character,  viz.  a  structure  of  sticks 
some  three  feet  in  diameter  and  fifteen  inches  in  depth,  the 
inside  being  lined  with  a  few  straws. 

Buteo  erythronotus. 

Not  uncommon  on  the  hills,  but  very  shy.  Whilst  riding 
on  the  18th  November  from  Ninfas  Point,  and  about  seven 
miles  from  the  colony,  I  found  a  nest  on  the  top  of  a  bush, 
some  nine  feet  from  the  ground,  containing  two  chicks,  ap- 
parently about  a  fortnight  old.  The  nest  was  a  large  struc- 
ture of  sticks,  lined   with  a  varictv  of  matcrials^ — bits  of  skin 


in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  39 

from  dead  cattle,  hare's  fur,  some  liorse-dmig,  and  a  few 
straws.  This  nest  measured  three  feet  in  diameter.  Whilst 
looking  at  the  two  old  birds  on  the  wing,  and  standing  be- 
neath them,  I  could  detect  no  difference  between  the  male 
and  female ;  and  I  wounded  one,  which  unfortunately  fell  too 
far  off  for  recovery.  In  the  hope  that  the  remaining  bird, 
which,  after  its  mate  was  shot,  rose  to  an  immense  height  in 
the  air,  would  continue  to  feed  the  young  ones,  I  left  them, 
intending  to  return  on  the  first  opportunity,  which  I  did  on  the 
following  day  but  one,  and  after  sitting  fruitlessly  under  the 
nest  for  four  hours,  during  which  time  I  saw  nothing  of  the 
old  bird,  I  resolved  to  take  the  chicks.  From  their  starved 
and  weak  appearance,  I  am  inclined  to  think  their  remaining 
parent  had  deserted  them,  especially  as  the  whole  time  I  sat 
under  the  nest  they  kept  constantly  uttering  a  plaintive  note, 
not  unlike  that  of  young  chickens  when  in  search  for  their 
mother.  They  were  covered  with  a  snow-white  down,  with 
the  exception  of  their  wings  and  back,  where  a  few  rufous 
feathers  were  commencing  to  show  themselves.  The  cere  is 
dark  slate-colour,  legs  and  feet  pale  orange,  irides  dark  brown. 
During  my  stay  at  the  colony  I  visited  several  other  nests  of 
this  bird,  but  found  them  empty,  nor  could  I  again  get  a 
shot  at  an  old  bird,  as  before  I  could  get  within  range  they 
would  invariably  leave  their  post  of  observation  and  soar  to 
an  immense  height  in  the  air.  The  colonists  have  designated 
this  bird  the  '^  white  horse :"  whilst  it  sits  motionless  on  the 
top  of  the  highest  bush  it  can  find,  its  white  underparts  are 
seen  from  a  considerable  distance,  and,  when  they  are  search- 
ing for  their  horses  and  cattle,  frequently  deceive  them, 

TiNNUNCULUS  SPARVERIUS. 

On  the  8tli  November  I  obtained  two  pairs  about  the  Tosca 
cliff"  up  the  valley,  and  shot  a  male  bird.  On  the  15th  I 
observed  it  at  Ninfas  Point.  At  the  former  place  it  was 
breeding ;  and  during  a  second  visit,  on  the  24th  inst,  I  found 
a  nest  in  a  slight  cavity  high  up  in  the  face  of  the  cliff',  com- 
posed of  sticks,  but  containing  no  eggs  ;  it  was  probably  also 
nesting  at  Ninfas  Point.     Seen  on  the  wing  at  the  same  time 


40  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

as  Proyne  imrpurea,  both  birds  anxiously  circling  and  scream- 
ing over  my  head  when  their  nests  were  threatened,  in  ra- 
pidity of  flight  it  almost  rivalled  that  bird,  and,  if  not  quite 
so  quick  in  turning,  in  a  fair  straight  race  it  would  certainly 
not  be  behind  the  Swallow.  To  the  colonists  it  is  no  friend, 
as  it  often  carries  oft'  their  young  chickens. 

MiLVAGO  CHIMANGO. 

Very  common,  nesting  on  the  tufts  of  pampa- grass.  I  fre- 
quently observed  this  species  in  flocks. 

POLYBORUS  VULGARIS. 

Very  common,  nesting,  like  Buteo  erythronotus ,  on  the 
highest  bushes,  but  making  a  much  smaller  nest  than  that 
bird.  Fish-bones,  cowhide,  straw,  and  a  piece  of  string  were 
in  the  bottom  of  one  nest  I  examined,  whilst  another  had 
much  the  same  miscellaneous  collection. 

Sarcorhamphus  grypuus. 

A  pair  observed  on  the  15th  November  at  Ninfas  Point, 
the  female  of  which  I  shot :  its  stomach  was  well  filled  with 
Guanaco-  and  Seal-flesh ;  and  the  stench  from  the  bird  was 
almost  intolerable.  The  male  was  considerably  the  larger  of  the 
two,  and  the  white  frill  round  the  lower  part  of  its  neck  much 
broader  than  in  the  other  sex.  This  bird  is  occasionally  seen 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  valley ;  and  when  the  colonists  are 
hunting  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea-coast,  it  is  always 
the  first  of  the  numerous  bird-scavengers  to  make  its  appear- 
ance after  game  has  been  killed ;  more  than  one  of  these  men 
told  me  it  was  their  firm  conviction  that  it  was  attracted  to  the 
spot  by  scent,  and  not  by  sight,  being  rarely  seen  when 
nothing  was  killed. 

Phalacrocorax  brasilianus. 

Common  about  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  occasionally 
seen  up  the  valley  some  distance  from  the  sea. 

Nycticorax  obscurus. 

Not  uncommon,  during  the  day  resting  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  under  the  shelter  of  the  overhanging  willows,  and 


in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patgaonia.  41 

in  the  evening  coming  out  to  feed.     The  colonists  call  it  the 
''  barking  birdj"  in  consequence  of  its  harsh  cry. 

Ph(ENICOPTERUS  ignipalliatus. 

A  small  flock,  consisting  chiefly  of  adult  birds  in  dark 
pink  plumage,  and  a  few  in  the  paler  immature  dress,  fre- 
quented the  large  salt  laguna  during  my  visit.  I  obtained 
one  of  the  latter  on  the  11th  November.     Iris  greenish  grey. 

Cygnus  nigricollis. 

Common  throughout  the  valley. 

Cygnus  coscoroba. 

Occurs  in  considerable  numbers,  but  is  not  so  numerous  as 
the  preceding. 

Spatula  platalea. 

Common  throughout  the  valley.  Usually  found  in  shallow 
water.     Nests  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  colony. 

QUERQUEDULA  FLAVIROSTRIS. 

Common,  Often  found  along  with  Dafila  spinicauda  and 
Spatula  platalea.     Nests  in  the  valley. 

QuERQUEDULA  VERSICOLOR. 

Rare,  During  my  visit  I  only  saw  two,  male  and  female, 
which  had  been  shot  near  the  village. 

Q.UERQUEDULA  CYANOPTERA. 

A  few  observed  on  the  6th  November  at  the  large  salt  la- 
goon, but  not  seen  on  any  other  occasion. 

Mareca  sibilatrix  (Poepp.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1876, 
p.  395. 

Common  throughout  the  valley  and  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  at  the  latter  place  feeding  on  the  extensive  mussel-beds 
in  company  with  A.  spinicauda. 

Dafila  spinicauda. 

The  most  numerous  species  of  Duck,  nesting  in  thick  grass 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  river.  The  colonists  trap  these  birds 
at  night  when  they  come  to  feed  on  the  wheat-stubbles. 
Found  in  large  flocks  feeding  on  the  mussel-beds  just  outside 
the  harbour. 


42  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  some  Birds  observed 

Erismatura  ferruginea. 

A  single  bird  shot  on  the  24th  November  in  a  ditch  up 
the  valley,  was  the  only  one  I  saw,  though  I  was  informed  it 
was  not  uncommon. 

COLUMBA  MACULOSA. 

Common  throughout  the  valley,  being  found  in  flocks  about 
the  wheat-stubbles,  and  breeding  in  the  willows  bordering  the 
river. 

FULICA  LEUCOPYGA. 

Very  common.  Found  on  almost  every  piece  of  water  in 
the  valley,  but  avoiding  those  where  there  is  any  current. 
Breeds  numerously  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  village. 

Thinocorus  rumicivorus. 

Common.  Seen  most  frequently  on  the  higher  stony  pla- 
teaux, but  occasionally  in  the  valley.  On  the  3rd  November, 
whilst  Guanaco-hunting,  we  flushed  two  from  a  patch  of  dry 
sandy  ground,  some  three  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  and  at 
least  twelve  miles  from  any  water.  During  my  visit  this 
species  was  undoubtedly  breeding  in  the  neighbourhood, 
though  I  did  not  discover  any  eggs. 

Vanellus  cayennensis. 

Common  throughout  the  valley,  breeding  whilst  I  was  there. 
Not  seen  on  the  hills. 

Oreophilus  ruficollis. 

Common  throughout  the  valley,  frequenting  the  driest 
ground,  and  occasionally  seen  on  the  hills.  A  pair,  observed 
on  the  29th  November  in  the  dry  bed  of  an  old  lagoon, 
amongt  coarse  stunted  grass,  from  their  actions,  I  am  in- 
clined to  think,  were  nesting,  though  my  search  for  eggs  was 
unsuccessful. 

Phalaropus  wilsoni. 

Common,  swimming  gracefully  in  the  still  pools  formed  by 
the  eddies  of  the  river  and  in  nearly  all  the  adjacent  stagnant 
ditches.     Usually  seen  in  pairs. 

RnYNCHiEA  SEMICOLLARIS. 

Rare.     I  observed  a  single  bird  on  the  27th  November  on 


in  the  Chuput  Valley,  Patagonia.  43 

some  marshy  ground  close  to  the  village^  which  I  flushed  a 
secoud  time  iu  order  to  be  sure  of  the  species, 

Tringa  maculata. 

Abundant  in  large  flocks  about  the  salt  lagoon  to  the  north 
of  the  village,  and  also  on  the  sandy  flats  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  In  their  movements  and  habits  they  closely  resemble 
our  ubiquitous  T.  alpina  at  home,  flying  in  a  body,  suddenly 
wheeling  round,  displaying  alternately  their  light  underparts 
and  dark  backs,  and  usually  raising  their  wings  over  their 
backs  before  alighting,  which  they  all  do  at  the  same  moment. 

Gambetta  flavipes. 

Common  along  the  banks  of  the  river  and  in  the  adjacent 
swamps  and  pools. 

Limosa  hudsonica. 

During  my  visit  a  small  party  was  always  to  be  found  in 
the  shallow  water  at  the  west  end  of  the  large  lagoon  to  the 
north  of  the  village,  feeding  in  company  with  Tringa  macu- 
lata and  a  species  of  Mgialitis.  On  the  13th  of  November  I 
shot  two  birds. 

Sterna  hirundinacea.  Less.  ;  Saunders,  P.  Z.  S.  1876, 
p.  647. 

During  my  visit  a  large  flock  frequented  the  banks  of 
sand  and  shingle  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour^  and  had  in- 
creased in  number  when  I  left  on  the  29th  of  November.  On 
the  26th  I  observed  amongst  the  adult  birds  some  Terns  with 
grey  foreheads  and  indistinct  black  hoods,  their  primaries  and 
secondaries  being  marked  with  rufous  brown,  beaks  dark  lead- 
colour.  As,  with  these  exceptions,  they  precisely  resembled 
the  black-headed  birds,  I  conclude  they  were  H.  hirundinacea  in 
immature  plumage.  I  obtained  specimens  in  both  plumages. 
Though  these  birds  were  apparently  congregating  for  nesting- 
purposes,  I  could  not  learn  from  any  of  the  colonists  that  their 
breeding-place  was  known. 

Larus  maculipennis. 

Common  about  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  a  few  observed 
up  the  valley  the  first  week  of  my  visit.  From  some  of  the 
colonists  I  learned  the  following  particulars  concerning  the 


44  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  sonic  Birds  obstrved 

nesting-ground^  or  rookery^  as  they  term  it,  of  Black-headed 
Gulls  at  New  Bay,  about  forty  miles  from  the  village.  About 
three  miles  east  from  Pot  harbour,  whieh  is  at  the  western- 
most point  of  New  Bay,  and  a  short  distance  from  the  beach, 
on  low  sandy  ground,  is  a  breeding-place  of  Black-headed 
Gulls.  The  nests  are  placed  close  together ;  and  three  eggs 
is  the  number  usually  laid.  I  was  assured  by  one  of  the 
colonists,  an  old  whaler,  who  knows  the  coast  well,  that  the 
birds  commence  to  lay  on  or  about  the  lOtli  December ;  and 
another  colonist  informed  me  that  when  on  one  occasion  they 
were  fishing  in  New  Bay,  they  frequently  went  ashore  to  col- 
lect the  eggs,  which  they  prized  as  food,  and  this  was  about 
a  week  before  Christmas ;  he  also  told  me  that  amongst  the 
Black-headed  Gulls  were  a  few  pairs  of  a  large  black-backed 
Gull  (which  could  have  been  nothing  else  but  L.  dominicanus) 
whose  eggs  they  were  also  in  the  habit  of  eating.  During 
my  visit  to  the  colony,  L.  macuUjjennis  was  frequently  pointed 
out  to  me  as  the  bird  nesting  near  Pot  harbour ;  and  as  that 
is  the  only  Hooded  Gull  I  saw,  and  is  well  known  to  the 
colonists,  some  of  whom  have  visited  the  Gullery,  I  have 
little  doubt  my  informants  were  correct. 

I  had  one  day  made  partial  arrangements  for  a  journey  to 
Pot  harbour,  no  slight  imdertaking,  as  water  has  to  be  taken 
for  both  man  and  beast  for  the  journey  to  and  fro,  and  was 
only  prevented  from  completing  them  through  being  assured 
by  the  whaler  mentioned  above  that  he  had  many  times  visited 
the  spot,  and  that  the  birds  did  not  lay  before  the  10th  De- 
cember. This  agrees  with  my  observations,  as  just  previous 
to  and  during  the  first  ten  days  of  my  visit  this  species  was 
far  more  numerous  than  when  I  left  on  the  29th  November, 
on  which  date  very  few  birds  were  to  be  seen. 

Capt.  Musters  mentions  that  during  his  travels  with  the 
Tehuelches  they  came  across  a  large  Gullery  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  lagoons  of  considerable  size  a  few  leagues  from 
the  Cordillera,  and,  as  far  as  I  can  make  out,  in  about  lat. 
42°  50'  S.  It  would  be  especially  interesting  to  know  what 
species  this  could  have  been  ;  for  if  L.  maculipennis  is  regularly 


iti  the  Chuput  Valleij,  Patagonia.  45 

in  the  habit  of  nesting  close  to  the  sea^  it  would  scarcely  be 
found  breeding  so  far  inland. 

Larus  dominicanus. 

Not  uncommon  about  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  seen  also 
at  Ninfas  Point.  I  obtained  specimens  in  both  adult  and 
immature  plumage.  Two  adult  birds  from  the  river  Chuput 
differ  from  an  adult  specimen  from  Buenos  Ayres  in  the  re- 
spective size  of  their  beaks  and  tarsi,  but  otherwise  they  are 
precisely  similar.     The  Buenos-Ayres  bird  is  the  larger. 

PODICEPS  ROLLANDI. 

Common  in  almost  every  pool  and  ditch  in  the  valley. 

PODICEPS  CALIPAEEUS. 

On  the  6tli  November  I  saw  two  in  the  large  lagoon  to  the 
north  of  Chuput,  and  during  a  second  visit  on  the  11th  was 
fortunate  enough  to  find  them  again  in  a  ditch  bordering  the 
lagoon,  from  which  it  was  separated  by  a  narrow  strip  of  sand. 
Both  of  these  I  procured ;  and  they  proved  on  dissection  to 
be  male  and  female.  The  former  is  considerably  the  larger; 
the  breast  and  stomach  are  of  a  purer  white ;  the  feathers  on 
the  crown  of  the  head  and  throat  are  of  a  lighter  grey ;  and 
those  behind  the  eyes  and  ears,  forming  a  sort  of  ruff,  are 
longer  than  in  the  female  bird.  I  did  not  observe  this  species 
again. 

NOTHURA  MACULOSA. 

Not  so  common  as  Calodromas  elegans,  but  occasionally 
seen  amongst  the  thick  grass  and  rushes  bordering  the  river. 
Not  seen  on  the  hills. 

Calodromas  elegans. 

Common  both  in  the  valley  and  on  the  hills  in  very  dry 
spots.  It  nests  under  the  shelter  of  a  small  bush,  and  after 
scraping  a  slight  hollow  in  the  ground,  lines  it  with  a  few 
fragments  of  grass  and  feathers,  laying  sometimes  as  many 
as  ten  eggs.  The  remarkable  character  of  these,  of  a  uniform 
pea-green  colour,  with  a  highly  polished  appearance,  is  well 
known.     About  dusk  these  birds  come  from  the  shelter  of 


4G  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the 

the  long  grass  or  bushes,  wliere  they  have  lajii  during  the 
day,  to  feed;  and  at  that  time  they  can^be ^Jieard  calling  to 
each  other  in  every  direction.  Their  note  is  a  loud  and  oft- 
repeated  whistle  uttered  in  a  low  key. 

Rhea  darwini. 

Common  on  the  higher  tableland,  but  rarely  seen  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  colony.  The  feathers  of 
this  bird  form  the  chief  article  of  barter  Avhich  the  Indians 
give  in  exchange  for  yerba,  sugar,  &c.  During  my  visit  we 
made  two  hunting-excursions  in  search  of  R,heas  and  Gua- 
nacos.  The  former  sometimes  lie  very  close,  usually  under 
the  shelter  of  a  bush,  and  will  then  allow  you  to  pass  within  a 
few  yards  of  them  without  moving.  When  flushed  they  en- 
deavour to  run  with  the  wind,  partly  opening  their  wings, 
which  act  as  sails.  It  requires  a  good  dog  to  overtake  an 
old  bird  when  he  gets  a  start  of  a  hundred  yards.  I  was  told 
that  the  colonists  have  found  as  many  as  thirty-two  eggs  in 
one  nest,  and  when  such  a  number  is  laid  they  consider  them 
the  produce  of  more  than  one  female ;  they  sometimes  flush 
the  male  bird  from  the  nest.  It  is  an  event  of  common  oc- 
currence to  find  single  eggs  about  the  campo  smaller  than 
those  in  nests ;  and  these  are  supposed  to  have  been  dropped 
by  immature  birds  which  have  not  commenced  to  lay 
regularly. 


IV. — Note  on  the  South- American  Song-Sparrows. 
By  P.  L.  Sclater. 

(Plate  I.) 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  while  Zonotrichia  pileata  is  generally 
diffused  over  Central  and  South  America,  aud  is  in  many 
places  a  most  abundant  species,  the  only  other  two  members  of 
the  same  genus  that  occur  within  the  neotropical  region  are 
confined  to  La  Plata  and  Patagonia.  So  little  known,  more- 
over, are  the  latter,  that,  with  a  tolerably  extensive  acquaint- 
ance with  South- American  birds,  I  have  never  met  with  but 


.*A** 


"■•■■"  ***J 


CENTRAL 


Ibis  1877  PI  i. 


■I  G.KfiuIemaiLS  lith. 


M&N  HajihiiL  iini; 


^jy  l.ZONOTRICHJA  CANICAPILLA 
2,  „  STRIGICEPS, 


South- American  Song-S'parrows.  47 

one  or  two  specimens  of  either  of  tliera^  whereas  the  former 
is  one  of  the  very  commonest  species  in  collections. 

The  two  southern  Song-Sparrows  Zonotrichia  canicapilla 
and  Z.  strigiceps  were  both  discovered  by  Mr.  Darwin 
during  his  celebrated  "  Naturalist^s  Voyage/^  and  described 
by  Mr.  Gould  in  the  third  volume  of  the  '  Zoology  of  the 
Voyage  of  the  '  Beagle  \'  I  will  say  a  few  words  about  what 
we  know  of  each  of  these  birds. 

Z.  canicapilla  is  generally  of  the  size  and  form  o£  Z.pileata, 
though  the  legs  and  feet_,  judging  from  the  examples  now 
before  me,  are  more  slender.  The  under  surface  closely  re- 
sembles that  of  Z.  pileata ;  and  there  is  the  same  bright  rufous 
patch  on  each  side  of  the  neck.  The  upper  surfaces  of  these 
two  birds  are  also  much  alike,  except  as  regards  the  head. 
This  in  Z.  canicapnlla  is  of  a  uniform  grey,  with  narrow  white 
superciliaries,  and,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  figure  (PI.  I.  fig.  1), 
shows  no  signs  whatever  of  the  two  broad  black  lines  on  the 
sides  of  the  crown  which  distinguish  Z.  pjileata.  Mr.  Darwin 
obtained  his  specimens  of  Z.  canicapilla  at  Port  Desire,  in 
Southern  Patagonia,  and  on  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  found  it 
nesting  at  the  former  locality.  Mr.  Durnford,  as  recorded 
above  (p.  33),  found  it  to  be  the  "  common  Sparrow  '^  of  Chu- 
put,  which  is  a  rather  more  northern  locality  than  Port  Desire. 
Dr.  Cunningham  obtained  it  at  Ancud,  in  the  Island  of  Chiloe, 
and  at  Sandy  Point,  in  Southern  Patagonia ;  but  in  our  list  of 
his  collection  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  499)  we  did  not  recognize  his 
skins  as  distinct  from  Z.  pileata.  I  remark  that  in  Gray^s 
'  Hand-list '  (ii.  p.  94)  Z.  canicapilla  is  referred  to  Fringilla 
australis,  Lath. ;  but  in  my  opinion  Latham^s  description  is  too 
vague  to  enable  any  certain  conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  it. 

Z.  strigiceps,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  figure  (PI.  I.  fig.  2),  is 
much  more  distinct  from  Z.  pileata  in  plumage,  and  has 
shorter  wings  and  more  feeble  feet,  though  not  essentially 
different  in  form.  It  may  at  once  be  known  from  both  the 
allied  South- American  species  by  the  absence  of  the  chestnut 
patches  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  and  of  the  lateral  black  marks 
on  the  throat.  The  feathers  on  the  crown  of  the  head  are 
dark  red,  passing  into  cinereous  on  the  nape,  each  feather 


48  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

having  a  median  longitudinal  baud  of  black,  which  renders  the 
specific  term  strigiceps  very  apposite. 

Mr.  Darwin  gives  as  the  locality  of  this  species  Santa  Fe, 
on  the  Eio  Parana.  It  is  singular  that  in  all  the  collections 
from  the  Argentine  Republic  which  I  have  examined  of  late 
years,  I  have  never  met  with  an  example  of  it,  the  only  spe- 
cimen I  have  seen  being  one  in  my  own  collection,  which  I 
obtained  in  exchange  from  Mr.  Gould  some  years  ago,  and 
which  is  probably  one  of  Mr.  Darwin's  original  skins.  This, 
however,  is  most  likely  due  to  the  fact  that  most  of  the  Ar- 
gentine collections  have  been  procured  from  the  vicinity  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  that  Santa  Fe,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr. 
Darwin^,  belongs  to  a  different  fauna. 


V. — Ornithological  Letters  from  the  Bremen  Expedition  to 
JVestern  Siberia.  By  Otto  Finsch,  Ph.D.,  Hon.  Memb. 
B.O.U.,  Chief  of  the  Expedition. 

On  board  the  steamer  'Beljetschenko,' 
River  ( )b,  3rd  .Tuly,  1876. 

Sir, — I  beg  leave  to  send  you  a  few  notes  relating  to  the 
birds  observed  by  us  during  our  recent  trip  through  Western 
Siberia  and  into  the  northern  parts  of  Turkestan  and  China. 
Though  we  left  Nishni- Novgorod  on  the  19th  March,  we 
did  not  reach  Omsk  until  the  20th  of  April,  the  roads  being 
in  a  bad  state,  OAving  to  the  forwardness  of  the  spring,  and  the 
consequent  melting  of  the  snow.  No  opportunities  oflered 
for  making  any  observations  on  the  birds  of  the  country  passed 
through,  except  as  regards  the  few  species  seen  on  the  road- 

*  ''  In  the  morning  we  arrived  at  Santa  F^.  I  was  surprised  to  observe 
how  great  a  change  of  climate  a  difference  of  only  three  degrees  of  lati- 
tude between  this  place  and  Buenos  Ayres  had  caused.  This  was  evident 
from  the  dress  and  complexion  of  the  men,  from  the  increased  size  of  the 
ombu  trees — the  number  of  new  cacti  and  other  plants,  and  especially 
fi'om  the  birds.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  I  remarked  half-a-dozen  of  the 
latter  which  I  had  never  seen  at  Buenos  Ayres.  Considering  that  there  is 
no  natural  boundary  between  the  two  places,  and  that  the  character  of 
the  country  is  nearly  similar,  the  difference  was  much  greater  than  I 
should  have  expected." — Narr.  Voy.  Beayle,  iii.  p.  147. 


Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters.  49 

side.  These  consisted  solely  of  European  winter  residents, 
such  as  Corvus  cor  ax,  C.  comix,  C.  frugilegus,  C.  monedula, 
Pica  caudata,  Emberiza  citrinella,  Pyrrhula  vulgaris,  and 
Ducks  and  Swans  in  great  numbers,  which  rested  on  the  open 
water  of  every  river  and  lake.  Before  reaching  Tjumen,  and 
between  that  town  and  Omsk,  we  observed  Tetrao  tetrix  and 
Lagopus  alpinus  everywhere  in  great  numbers.  Of  the  former 
we  met  with  a  flock  of  about  sixty  or  more.  They  were  feed- 
ing on  the  road,  and  allowed  us  to  approach  within  shot. 

At  Omsk  we  made  the  acquaintance  of  Professor  Slovzoff, 
the  most  accomplished  and  diligent  collector  in  Siberia.  His 
collection,  which  forms  the  museum  of  the  Military  Gym- 
nasium, contains  a  number  of  birds,  all,  however,  belonging 
to  European  species.  A  fine  specimen  of  Gypaetus  came 
from  the  Balchasch,  a  species  said  to  occur  in  the  southern 
Altai.  We  did  not  ourselves  meet  with  this  bird  of  prey. 
Whilst  here  we  obtained  a  specimen  of  Parus  cyaneus,  being 
the  third  seen  by  Professor  Slovzoflf  during  a  nine  years'  resi- 
dence at  Omsk. 

On  leaving  Omsk  we  travelled  as  quickly  as  possible  across 
the  steppe  along  the  Kozakline  to  Semipalatinsk,  where  we 
arrived  on  the  29th  of  April.  On  the  road  we  observed  num- 
bers of  Falco  rufipes,  F.  cenchris.  Circus  cyaneus,  and  for  the 
first  time  Alauda  sibirica,  A.  tartarica,  Motacilla  citreola 
{one  only),  Charadrivs  gregarius,  Otis  tarda,  and  0.  tetrax. 
Cranes,  and  large  flocks  of  Ducks,  Geese,  and  Swans.  We 
saw  a  single  H<3em,atopus  ostralegus,  a  species  we  did  not  meet 
with  again  until  reaching  the  Irtisch  and  Ob  rivers.  Corvus 
comix,  C.  frugilegus,  C.  monedula.  Pica  caudata,  and  Sturnus 
vulgaris  were  everywhere  common.  The  Crows  and  Magpies 
built  their  nests,  in  default  of  large  trees,  on  bushes,  some- 
times only  a  few  feet  from  the  ground.  Corvus  corone  we 
never  saw,  and  the  Raven  only  near  woods.  In  the  environs 
of  Semipalatinsk  we  obtained  Saxicola  leucomela,  Phyllo- 
scopus  tristis,  and  Cyanecula  suecica  (with  the  maroon- coloured 
throat-spot) ;  the  same  bird  we  afterwards  found  in  the  Chinese 
Altai  and  on  the  Irtisch. 

On  the  3rd  of  May  we  went   to  the  Arcad  Mountains, 

SEK.   IV. VOL.  I.  E 


50  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

where  we  successfully  hunted  the  Argali  sheep.  Under  the 
escort  of  Kirgises  we  were  conducted  to  where  a  man 
possessed  a  Golden  Eagle  {Aquilafidva)  trained  to  hunt  foxes 
and  wolves. 

Alauda  tartarica  was  plentiful  in  the  steppe,  A.  albigida 
and  A.  brachydactyla  scarce.  In  the  mountains  we  found 
Anas  rutila,  Petrocincla  saxatilis,  and  a  species  of  RuticUla 
(?  aurorea) .  From  the  Arcad  we  went  to  the  large  lake  Ala-kul, 
by  way  of  Sergiopol,  where  we  arrived  on  the  7th  of  May, 
observing  there  for  the  first  time  Cuculus  canorus  and  Hirundo 
7'ustica — the  white-vented  form,  the  only  one  we  met  with 
during  our  voyage.  The  Ala-kul  is  the  resort  of  thousands 
of  water- fowl ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  shoot  them,  owing  to  the 
density  of  the  reeds  on  the  margin  of  the  water.  The  more 
interesting  species  we  observed  were  Larus  ichtliyaetus,  Pele- 
canus  onocrotalus  (?),  Anas  rvfina,  and  other  Ducks,  such  as 
Anas  boschas,  A.  strepera,  A.  acuta,  A.  peneJope,  A.  querque- 
dula,  A.  crecca,  A.  leucopldhalma,  &c.  Anser  cinereus  was 
the  only  species  of  Goose  we  saM^ ;  and  it  had  hatched  its  young 
on  May  the  9th. 

Ardea  alba,  Recurvirostra  avocetfa,  Himantopus  rufipes, 
and  Grus  ci?ierea  were  not  rare,  nor  were  Larus  ridibundus 
and  L.  canus,  or  a  species  allied  to  it. 

Of  small  birds  I  saw  Saxicola  rubicola,  numbers  of  Reed- 
Warblers,  amongst  them  Calamoherpe  locustella  and  the  Black- 
capped  Wagtail.  1  paid  great  attention  to  this  last-named 
species  throughout  my  journey.  We  first  met  with  the  grey- 
headed form  {Motacilla  cinereocapilla) ;  afterwards,  near  a 
place  called  Karakol,  the  true  M.  melanocephala,  living  to- 
gether with  the  former.  Amongst  the  black-capped  birds  I 
also  collected  birds  with  the  white  superciliary  stripe,  a 
form  which  has  also  been  separated  specifically.  On  the 
Ala-kul  M.  melanocephala  was  most  abundant,  as  also  in  the 
steppe  region.  Grey-headed  birds,  however,  were  nowhere 
absent. 

A  Lark  we  obtained  is  apparently  Alauda  pispoletta. 
Turtur  gelastes  breeds  on  the  steppe,  where  also  we  procured 
Turdus  atrogularis,  though  the  whole  region  is  destitute  of 


Dr.  O.  Finsch^s  Ornithological  Letters.  51 

trees.     Pastor  roseus  was  plentiful ;  but  we  did  not  find  its 
breeding-place. 

On  leaving  lake  Ala-kul  we  went  to  Lepsa^  at  the  foot  of 
the  Ala-taw  Mountains — the  mighty  frontier  between  Russia 
and  China.  Thence  we  made  excursions  into  the  mountains, 
never  being  able  to  ascend  to  any  great  elevation  on  account 
of  the  snow. 

We  now  found  numbers  of  representatives  of  the  Indian  avi- 
fauna which  we  had  not  previously  met  with.  Instead  of  the 
common  Wagtail,  which  we  still  observed  on  the  Ala-kul,  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Motacilla  personata  in  the  streets  of 
Lepsa,  a  species  observed  along  the  whole  road  through  the 
Tarbagatai  and  Altai  to  Kolywan.  In  Barnaul  Motacilla  alba 
was  again  the  only  species.  We  also  saw  Cinclus  leucog aster, 
a  species  of  Pica  (most  likely  P.  leucoptera) ,  the  Himalayan 
Fringilla  caniceps,  a  Petrocincla  which  I  cannot  make  out 
at  present,  a  species  of  Columba  allied  to  C.  pulumbus,  but 
distinct,  a  wonderful  species  of  Saxicola,  throughout  black, 
except  the  head,  which  was  grey.  This  bird  was  shot  near 
the  interesting  Dscassyl-kul,  an  alpine  lake,  situated  5000  feet 
above  the  sea-level.  We  also  met  with  Cotyle  rupestris,  Carpo- 
dacus  erythrinus,  a  Corvus  smaller  than  C.  corax,  but  larger 
than  C.  corone,  perhaps  also  new.  From  Lepsa  we  went  back 
to  the  Ala-kul,  and  by  the  road  of  Urdscha-Bacty  to  the  Chi- 
nese town  of  Tschugutschak,  and  thence  crossing  the  Tarba- 
gatai Mountains,  which  form  the  Russo-Chinese  frontier,  by 
the  Bugutai  pass  to  Saissan,  where  we  arrived  on  the  30th 
of  May.  The  greater  part  of  our  way  lay  through  steppe 
region  abounding  with  Larks.  Our  common  species  [Alauda 
arvensis)  we  found  everywhere,  even  on  the  highest  meadows 
of  the  Altai ;  also  A.  brachydactyla,  and  a  species  resembling 
A.  sibirica,  but  larger,  and  which  I  cannot  now  determine; 
A.  albigula  was  also  there.  A.  tartarica,  strange  to  say,  was 
absent,  disappearing  before  we  reached  Sergiopol ;  nor  did  we 
meet  with  this  singular  species  again  until  we  reached  the 
desert-like  steppe  between  Nor-Saissan  and  Maiterek,  which  is 
in  character  like  the  desert  of  Gobi,  as  we  were  told  by  people 
who  know  the  latter. 

E  2 


52  Dr.  O.  Fiusch^s  Ornithologicnl  Letters. 

A  most  welcome  addition  to  our  collection  was  a  beautiful 
species  of  Emberiza,  allied  to  E.  rutila,  but  larger,  and,  so  far 
as  I  can  judge  at  present,  E.  iderina.  This  species,  which  we 
afterwards  found  on  the  north-western  part  of  the  Altai,  be- 
hind Serianowsk,  is  almost  restricted  in  its  range  to  places 
where  the  peculiar  steppe-grass,  the  Tschid,  grows.  I  was 
surprised  to  find  Passer  domesticus  to  be  the  common  Spar- 
row of  all  the  villages. 

During  our  second  visit  to  Ala-kul  we  observed  Ibis  falci- 
nellus,  many  Cormorants,  apparently  of  the  common  species, 
Grrus  virgo,  Glareola  torquata,  and  on  the  steppe  Coracius 
garrula  and  Merops  apiaster.  Near  Urdschar  the  song  of 
the  Nightingale  [Luscinia  philomela)  was  heard  in  the  willow 
trees,  and  a  Butcher-bird  was  procured  like  Lanius  arenarius. 
In  crossing  the  Tarbagatai  Mountains  Ave  had  to  traverse 
several  plateaux  with  steppe-like  character.  We  obtained 
the  young  of  Gj-us  virgo,  and  saw  many  Eagles,  apparently 
A.  fulva  and  A.  imperialis.  Ascending  the  Tarbagatai  to  Sais- 
san,  we  found  Pastor  roseus  abounding  in  the  rocky  ravines  : 
one  Hock  was  estimated  to  contain  a  thousand  birds ;  and  a 
single  shot  killed  twenty-five  of  them. 

In  Saissan,  where  we  resided  from  the  27th  to  the  30th  of 
May,  I  had  only  time  to  make  one  excursion  to  the  rocky 
mountains  which  surround  the  little  town.  Dr.  Brclim,  how- 
ever, and  Count  Waldburg  made  a  trip  with  a  Kirgis  hunter 
to  the  Manrack  Mountains,  in  order  to  shoot  Megaloperdix, 
of  which  Dr.  Brehm  wae  fortunate  enough  to  secure  one. 
It  does  not  belong  to  the  Altai  species  [M.  altaicus),  but  may 
perhaps  be  the  same  as  Tetr aog alius  nig elli.  Some  specimens 
of  a  fine  species  of  Ruticilla,  unknown  to  me,  were  secured, 
and  a  fine  species  of  Linaria,  apparently  the  same  as  the 
Himalayan  bird.  It  was  afterwards  observed  in  the  high 
Altai.  During  this  time  I  shot  Muscicapa  grisola,  the  only 
species  of  Flycatcher  seen  during  our  whole  journey ;  I  also 
obtained  Saxicola  leucomela,  a  species  of  Emberiza,  and  a 
Carpodacus  allied  to  C.  githagineus,  both  apparently  new. 

From  Saissan  we  went  to  the  Kara  Irtisch,  and  down 
this  beautiful  river  to  the  Nor-Saissan,  a  magnificent  lake. 


Dr.  O.  FinscVs  Ornithological  Letters.  53 

where  birds  abounded.  Along  the  Kara  or  Black  Irtisch  we 
observed  many  Eagles,  especially  Haliaetus  albicilla,  and  still 
more  commonly  H.  leucorxjphus.  This  latter  species  fre- 
quented the  lake,  where  Milvus  melanotis  was  also  seen.  A 
species  of  Goose  I  was  unable  to  determine.  It  had  a  black 
bill,  and  might  have  been  Anser  grandis ;  but  the  size  was  too 
small.  A  large  Gull  I  secured  seems  different  from  Larus 
marinus ;  and  a  Panurus  which  frequented  the  reed-beds  may 
be  P.  biarmicus.  In  addition  to  these  species  I  secured 
Emberiza  pyrrhuloides  and  Motacilla  cinej'eocapilla,  with  the 
white  eye-stripe.  The  Eagles  unfortunately  were  moulting, 
and  did  not  make  good  skins. 

After  crossing  theNor-Saissan  we  had  to  traverse  the  desert- 
like steppe  of  Tarik,  mentioned  above.  There  one  travels  for 
hours  without  meeting  with  water,  nevertheless  we  found 
Alauda  tartarica,  A.  brachydactyla,  and  a  Lanius  allied  to 
L.  phmnicurus.  This  district  also  is  one  of  the  favourite 
resorts  of  Equus  onager,  of  which  we  observed  many  indivi- 
duals and  procured  a  young  one,  which  had  been  caught  by 
a  Cossack,  Here  we  collected  specimens  of  Syrrhaptes  para- 
doxus, Otis  macqueeni,  Pterocles  exustus,  Glareola  melanopjtera, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  female  of  the  Emberiza  like  E. 
j'utila,  mentioned  above. 

We  reached  Maiterek,  a  military  fort  in  the  southern  Altai, 
on  the  4th  of  June,  and  then  made,  in  company  with  General 
Poltaratsky,  the  Governor  of  Semipalatinsk,  an  interesting 
excursion  through  the  Chinese  high  Altai,  which  was  some- 
what marred  by  the  badness  of  the  weather.  We  experienced 
rain,  snow,  and  very  cold  weather  the  whole  time.  We  left 
Maiterek  on  the  6th  of  June,  reached  the  interesting  lake 
Marka-kul,  5000  feet  above  the  sea^  on  the  7th,  and,  descend- 
ing from  the  high  pass  (9000  feet)  of  Buricat  to  the  valley 
of  the  Buchtarma,  reached  Altaiskesche  Stanitzaonthe  11th, 
being  here  again  on  Russian  territory.  The  unfavourable 
weather  prevented  our  making  the  observations  we  should 
otherwise  have  done,  and  we  saw  comparatively  few  species 
of  birds.  In  the  more  dangerous  passes  of  the  high  moun- 
tains we  observed  the   Himalayan  Linaria,   an  Antlms  like 


54  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

A.  aquaticus,  Alpine  Crows^  apparently  Pyrrhocorax,  Aquila 
fulva,  Saxicola  cenanthe  (bnt  with  a  stouter  bill) ,  and,  strangely 
enoughj  Cr  ex  prat  en  sis. 

The  Marakul  lake  abounded  with  birds.  I  never  before 
saw  so  many  Eagles ;  and  the  number  of  Milvus  melanotis  was 
astonishing  :  on  a  single  dead  tree  I  counted  fifteen.  The 
Eagles  belonged  to  H.  leucoryphus,  a  species  like  Aquila  ra- 
pax,  but  larger,  A.  imperialis,  and  A.  fulva.  I  shot  a  singular 
Regulus,  without  a  stripe  on  the  crown,  which  may  be  new. 
Besides  these  we  ohtnmed  Alotacilla  citreola,  Anthus pratensis, 
Turdus  atrogularis,  Sturnns  vulgaris,  and  a  beautiful  Bunting 
resembling  Emberiza  pithyornis,  but  different,  and  perhaps 
new.  The  lake  was  rich  with  waterfowl — Anas  rutila  (with 
young  broods),  A.  crecca,  A. penelope,  A.  strepera,  A.  acuta, 
A.  boschas,  A.  nyroca,  &c.,  Podiceps  cristatus  and  P.  cor- 
nutus,  Carbo  cormoranus,  Larus  ridibundus.  Sterna  fissipes, 
&c.     We  saw  neither  Geese  nor  Pelecans. 

From  Altaiskesche  Stanitza  we  travelled  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible by  way  of  Serianowsk  Usdkamenogorsk  to  Barnaul, 
where  we  arrived  on  the  22nd  of  June.  During  this  journey 
we  travelled  too  fast  to  observe  or  collect  much.  Above  Se- 
rianowsk I  saw  a  peculiar  Swift,  larger  than  Cypselus  apus, 
but  with  a  white  rump.  Dr.  Brehmhas  since  been  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  a  specimen  at  Salair,  on  the  northern 
Altai,  between  Barnaul  and  Tomsk ;  and  I  do  not  doubt  that 
the  species  will  prove  to  be  undescribed.  When  going  on 
the  river  Irtsch,  from  Werchne  Pristan  to  Kamenogorsk, 
we  found  a  large  colony  of  Hirundo  rufida,  the  only  time  we 
met  with  the  species  during  our  voyage. 

Near  Barnaul  we  secured  Emberiza  aureola,  which  was 
very  common,  also  Larus  minutus. 

I  hope  to  find  time  to  send  you  a  further  report  on  the 
birds  observed  during  our  voyage  on  the  river  Ob.  At  present 
we  have  only  spent  two  days  on  this  magnificent  stream.  I 
can  only  say  that  hitherto  I  have  seen  comparatively  few  birds ; 
but  the  river  is  flooded.  The  extensive  woods  which  border 
the  river  doubtless  support  a  large  amount  of  animal  life ; 
but  we  see  little  from  the  deck  of  our  steamer. 


Dr.  O.  Finscli's  Ornithological  Letters.  55 

On  board  the  Lotka  '  Bismarck,'  on  the 
Ob  river,  Sept.  26th,  1876. 

In  my  last  letter  I  sent  you  a  few  notes  on  the  birds 
observed  during  our  trip  through  the  north-eastern  part  of 
Turkestan,  the  north-western  frontier  of  China,  and  the 
high  Altai,  which  we  were  obliged^  unfortunately,  to  cross 
in  great  haste ;  for  I  consider  these  regions  of  the  greatest 
interest,  and  a  most  attractive  country  for  naturalists  in 
general,  and  especially  ornithologists.  I  can  only  regret  that 
we  had  to  travel  in  such  haste  to  re^ch  our  destination,  the 
Ob  region,  as  soon  as  possible.  We  left  Barnaul,  the  capital 
of  the  Altai,  on  the  28th  of  June,  and  reached  Tomsk,  a  dis- 
tance of  435  versts,  on  the  1st  of  July.  We  chose  the  route 
of  Salair  in  order  to  see  the  north-western  part  of  the  Altai 
Mountains.  This  region  is  covered  with  immense  woods,  and 
contains  much  animal  life.  But  going  always  very  fast  in 
our  carriage  (called  a  tarantasse),  we  could  only  observe 
birds  like  flowers,  on  the  road-side.  In  the  woods  we  no- 
ticed a  Buteo,  the  Haven,  Corvus  comix,  Pica  caudata,  Cu- 
culus  canorus,  Starlings,  Carpodacus  eryth'inus,  Tardus  mu- 
sicus  and  T.  v'lscivorus,  and  one  or  two  species  of  Phyllo- 
scopus  which  I  coidd  not  make  out.  From  Salair  to  Tomsk 
the  mountainous  wood-region  disappears ;  and  in  its  place  is  a 
steppe  of  high  grass,  mixed  with  small  clumps  of  trees  (chiefly 
birch  trees).  Here  Falco  vespertinus  (with  young  able  to  fly) 
is  one  of  the  commonest  birds,  together  with  Pica  caudata, 
Corvus  cornix,  Pratiacola  rubicola,  and  Emberiza  aureola. 
Occasionally  I  observed  Aquila  imperialis,  Falco  tinnunculus, 
and  Circus  cyaneus ;  and  Milvus  niger  was  by  no  means  rare. 
The  song  of  Luscinia  philomela  was  often  heard  in  the  thick 
bushes,  as  well  as  that  of  Sylvia  garrula,  and  the  harsh  cry 
of  Crex  prateiisls,  which  was  our  regular  night  music  during 
our  whole  tour  through  the  Altai,  even  at  the  high  elevations 
of  more  than  6000  to  8000  feet. 

We  embarked  in  the  magnificent  steamer/ Beljetschenko,' 
belonging  to  our  friend  Ivan  Ivanovitsch  Ignatoff^,  and  left 
Tomsk  at  an  early  hour  on  the  second  of  July.  The  steamers 
of  this  gentleman  perform  a  regular  service  during  summer 


56  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

between  Tjumen  aud  Tomsk^  aud  are  very  comfortable ;  but, 
alas  !  tbe  luxury  of  tliis  excellent  vessel  availed  us  only  for  a 
short  time. 

We  went  down  the  river  Ob  (1300  versts),  to  the  village 
of  Samarowa_,  a  short  distance  up  the  river  Irtisch,  not  far 
from  the  junction  of  this  river  with  the  Ob.  Here  we  had 
to  leave  the  steamer ;  and  by  the  liberality  of  Mr.  Semzoff,  a 
chief  merchant  of  Samarowa^  we  were  furnished  with  two 
"lotkas,"  free  of  cost,  for  our  voyage  down  the  river.  A 
"  lotka  ^^  is  a  boat  about  40  feet  in  length,  covered  for  its 
greater  part  with  a  deck,  and  is  propelled  by  rowing  or 
towing.  During  our  voyage  in  the  steamer  we  had  few  op- 
portunities for  making  ornithological  observations.  The  wea- 
ther was  not  favourable  and  the  river  overflooded,  so  that  it 
often  resembled  a  great  lake,  bordered  with  woods  of  fir  trees, 
and  intermixed  with  numerous  islets,  covered  chiefly  with 
willows.  Waterfowl  were  seen  in  great  numbers,  but  so  far 
off  that  we  could  not  make  out  the  species.  Larus  marinus 
and  Ste7'na  hirundo  were  plentiful.  Sometimes  Ave  observed 
Haliaetus  albicilla  (once  I  got  a  fledgling) ;  but  the  most  com- 
mon bird  was  Cotyle  riparia.  Every  time  we  passed  high 
sandbanks  we  found  large  breeding  colonies,  the  inhabitants 
of  which  were  busy  flying  in  and  out  of  nest-holes.  The  situ- 
ation of  the  holes  varies  as  the  height  of  the  bank  ;  some- 
times they  ai'e  very  high,  at  other  times  so  low  that  one  can 
easily  touch  the  nests ;  but  nevertheless  it  is  very  difiicult 
to  catch  the  bird  by  hand. 

We  left  Samarowa  in  the  early  morning  of  the  6th  of  July, 
reaching  the  town  of  Berezotf  on  the  9th,  and  Obdorsk,  the 
ultima  TJmle  of  civilization,  on  the  13th,  the  whole  distance 
being  reckoned  at  little  more  than  1000  versts.  There  are 
more  than  forty  stations  to  be  called  at  by  rowing  people,  most 
of  them  only  Ostiakian  yurt-placcs  for  fishing,  which  is  the 
chief  and  only  business  along  the  river  Ob.  The  scenery  on 
the  river  is  nearly  the  same  throughout  the  whole  of  its 
length.  On  the  right  hand  the  banks  are  high,  often  per- 
pendicular, formed  by  sand,  aud  covered  Avith  magnificent 
woods  of  larch  and  birch  trees.     The  left  bank  is  low,  and 


Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters.  57 

is  clothed  chiefly  with  willows.  As  the  river  was  very  high, 
the  low  land  on  the  left  was  flooded  to  a  great  degree,  and  we 
often  went  for  long  distances  in  narrow  channels,  or  crossed 
meadow-grounds.  Here  waterfowl  were  very  numerous,  but 
shy.  We  distinguished  Anas  acuta,  A.  clypeata,  A.  crecca, 
A.  penelope,  and  A.  fuUgula ;  Geese  and  Swans  kept  too  far 
off  to  be  made  out.  Hcematopus  ostralegus  and  Numenius 
arquata  were  not  uncommon,  but  only  in  small  companies. 
In  the  woods  on  the  right  bank  we  found  Corythus  enucleator, 
Fringilla  montifringilla,  Sylvia  garrula,  Phylloscopus  tro- 
chilus,  and  P.  tristis,  the  latter  resembling  in  manner  very 
much  our  P.  rufus.  No  Flycatcher  !  no  Garrulus  or  Nuci- 
fraga  !  Tits  were  heard  only  a  few  times,  but  not  seen.  Ob- 
servations, indeed,  are  very  difficult.  After  leaving  Tomsk 
we  suffered  continually  from  mosquitos,  and  it  was  nearly  im- 
possible to  leave  the  lotka.  Even  an  English  mosquito-gar- 
ment was  of  no  use ;  and  the  woods  are  so  thick  that  no  veil 
is  of  any  benefit.  The  woods  in  general  are  silent ;  and  if 
a  bird  is  to  be  heard,  it  is  still  more  difficult  to  see  it  in 
the  thickness  of  the  foliage  and  the  underwood.  The  most 
common  birds  were  Corvus  corniw  and  Pica  caudata,  Em- 
beriza  pusilla,  Fringilla  montifringilla,  Motacilla  alba,  and 
M.  cinereocapilla,  which  were  to  be  seen  at  every  station. 
Passer  domesticus  and  P.  campestris  are  only  to  be  found 
on  stations  where  cattle  live;  both  species  occur  in  the 
town  of  Berezofl",  but  not  in  Obdorsk.  P.  campestris  goes 
as  far  up  as  Kuschowat,  the  last  Russian  village  between 
Berezoff  and  Obdorsk,  but  disappears  during  winter  time, 
as  both  Sparrows  do  at  Berezoff.  Hirundo  rustica  we  found 
two  stations  further  up  than  Berezoff",  and  H.  urbica  only 
as  far  as  Monastir  Kondinsky,  about  260  versts  above  Sama- 
rowa.  At  Tschematschefskaja,  130  versts  from  Kondinsky, 
we  found  Picus  minor  and  Turdus  pilaris,  both  with  fledg- 
lings ;  and  at  Balschoi  Ustram  I  got  from  an  Ostiak  two  young 
of  Ulula  lapponica.  At  Kuschowat  we  first  found  Fringilla 
linaria,  if  I  remember  right,  and  for  the  last  time  saw  Pra- 
tincola  rubicola.  Emberiza  schceniclus  we  observed  on  the 
stations  on  the  left  bank  everywhere  where  willow  trees  with 


58  Dr.  O.  FinscVs  Ornithological  Letter's. 

swampy  ground  prevail ;  such  localities  are  also  occupied  by 
Motacilla  citreola,  which  we  observed  after  leaving  Tachty,  a 
few  stations  below  Obdorsk,  and  GaUinayo  media.  As  we  de- 
scended the  river  the  larger  it  became,  the  banks  being  some- 
times out  of  sight.  Waterfowl  increased  in  number.  Just 
before  reaching  Obdorsk  we  found  a  small  colony  of  Larus 
marinus  breeding.  The  Polui  river,  on  which  Obdorsk  is 
situated,  swarmed  with  Ducks,  among  them  (Eclemia  nigra  and 
(E.  fusca ;  Colymbus  septentrionalis  was  also  very  common. 

After  having  engaged  five  men,  furnished  with  provisions, 
we  left  Obdorsk  on  the  moriiing  of  the  16th  of  July,  bound 
for  the  Schtschutschja  river,  which  we  intended  to  ascend  as 
far  as  possible,  and  thence  to  thePodarata  river  and  the  Kara 
Bay,  these  parts,  lying  between  the  Ob  river  and  the  Ural 
Mountains,  never  having  been  before  visited  by  any  zoologist. 

We  reached  Janburri,  an  Ostiakian  yurt-place  to  the  east 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Schtschutschja  river,  on  the  18th  of  July, 
and  with  difficulty  obtained  two  Saraojeds  to  act  as  pilots  up 
the  river,  as  no  one  was  acquainted  with  this  part  of  the 
country,  which  is  only  visited  by  nomad  Ostiaks  and  Samo- 
jeds  and  their  herds  of  Reindeer.  At  Kiochat,  a  fishing- 
place  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ob,  Lai^us  marinus  was  plen- 
tiful, engaged  in  stealing  fish  from  the  nets.  I  here  ob- 
served their  singular  habit  of  perching  on  dead  branches  of 
high  trees.  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  left  bank  we  came  to 
low  flooded  land,  cut  into  many  silent  channels,  bordered 
with  low  willow-scrub.  Here  Motacilla  citreola  was  not 
uncommon,  as  also  even  Phalaropus  cinereus.  At  Janburri 
Dr.  Brehm  shot  Anthus  seebohmi,  discovered  last  year  by  Mr. 
Seebohm  on  the  Pctchora  river,  and  of  which  new  species  I 
had  been  kindly  provided  with  a  description  by  my  friend  Mr. 
Dresser.  A  little  above  Janburri  I  got  a  species  of  Calamo- 
herpe,  peculiar  in  its  manner  and  song,  the  latter  being  very 
sweet.  As  soon  as  we  entered  the  Schtschutschja  river  we 
came  into  the  tundra-region,  except  on  the  right  bank,  which 
is  still  covered  more  or  less  Avith  woods.  We  observed  Otiis 
brachyotus  and,  for  the  first  time,  Lagopus  albus,  not  yet  in 
full  summer  plumage.     Tot  anus  glareola  was  the  most  com- 


Dr.  O.  Finscli's  Ornithological  Letters.  59 

mon  of  its  kind ;  and  at  the  bifurcation  of  the  river  (20th 
July)  Count  Zeil  shot  a  male  Terekia  cinerea.  Anthus  cer- 
vinus,  in  habits  partaking  both  of  A.  pratensis  and  ^.  ar- 
boreus,  was  plentiful,  as  was  also  Lusciola  suecica.  Geese 
[Aiiser  cinereus)  were  not  rare,  nor  were  Swans  (probably 
Cygnus  musicus)  ;  but  we  succeeded  in  getting  only  young  in 
down,  as  well  as  young  of  Harelda  glacialis,  CEdemia  nigra, 
and  CE.  fusca.  Colymbus  septentrionalis  was  very  common, 
but,  as  usual,  very  shy.  We  went  up  the  river  about  130 
versts,  where  we  found  an  Ostiak,  with  his  family,  who  had 
lived  here  for  about  four  years,  engaged  in  fishery,  as  a  small 
species  of  Corrgonus  (probably  allied  to  C.  albida),  called  "her- 
ring,"^ is  very  plentiful.  We  had  the  good  luck  to  engage  this 
Ostiak  as  a  pilot  for  the  Podarata  river,  said  to  be  about  five 
days^  journey  on  foot.  We  went  further  up  the  Schtschu- 
tschja  river  about  thirty  or  forty  versts,  when  navigation, 
except  for  small  canoes,  became  impossible.  On  the  29th  of 
July  we  had  to  leave  the  lotka,  and  went,  a  party  of  eleven 
men,  furnished  with  provisions  for  nine  days,  to  the  Podarata 
river,  where  we  expected  to  find  reindeer ;  so  we  were  told. 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  river  we  observed  Tringa  mhiuta, 
which  lives  in  the  thick  willow-brush  and  has  a  peculiar  cry, 
Saxicola  oenanthe,  MotaciUa  alba,  Lusciola  suecica,  Chara- 
drius  hiatictda,  and,  for  the  first  time,  C.  auratus.  Once  we 
found  the  nest  of  Tringa  minuta  with  four  eggs,  which  hatched 
in  a  box  with  cotton,  into  which  I  had  put  them.  Larus  ma- 
rinus  and  Sterna  hirundo  were  common ;  of  the  latter  we  got 
young  in  down.  Phylloscopus  trochilus  and  P.  tristis  were 
observed  as  far  as  the  wood-region  extended,  i.  e.  along  the 
whole  of  the  river.  Plectrophmies  lapponica  and  P.  nivalis 
we  found  likewise  on  the  upper  course  of  the  river.  Of  rapa- 
cious birds  we  observed  the  Osprey,  Falco  subbuteo,  F.  cesalon, 
F.  peregrinus,  and  Buteo  lagopus,  all  of  them  being  rare.  We 
left  our  lotka  on  the  31st  of  July,  and  sent  it  with  two  men 
back  to  a  place  called  Tschornejar  (high  black  bank),  as  the 
water  was  rapidly  falling,  and  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible to  take  the  lotka  back  later  in  the  season.  We  proceded 
on  foot,  carrying  our  ammunition  and  provisions,  and  reached 


60  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

the  Podarata  river,  which  flows  into  Kara  Bay,  on  the  2nd 
of  August,    having  had  the  good  fortune   to  meet  on    the 
road  an  Ostiak  with  his  herd  of  reindeer,   from  whom  we 
purchased  nine   animals  and  three  sledges  to  carry  our  pro- 
visions.    Of  these   animals  we  lost  six,  as  the  "milzbrand^^ 
was  rapidly  decreasing  the  herds  of  reindeer.     The  Ostiak 
had  owned  2000  reindeer,   a  number  now  reduced  to  only 
600  ;    as   many   as  eighty    animals  sometimes  died   in    one 
night.     At  the  Podarata  river,  by  chance,  we  found  a  second 
Ostiak  with  reindeer,  who  promised  to  bring  us  to  the  liorder 
of  the  sea.     We  went  there  in  reindeer-sledges  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  3rd  of  August,  but  to  our  great  disappointment 
were  obliged  to  stop  at  about  from  twelve  to  fifteen  versts  from 
the  sea  itself,  of  which  we  got  only  a  glance.  We  reached  a  little 
above  68°  N.  lat.     The  land  before  us  consisted  of  swampy 
ground,  varied  by  numerous  lakes   and  stagnant  morasses, 
which  gradually  give  place  to  the  very  low  sea-shore.     It  was 
impossible  to  cross  this  tract,  even  with  reindeer ;  and  not 
being  provided  with  a  boat,   and  there  being  no  wood  with 
which  to  build  a  raft,   we  were   obliged  to  return  without 
reaching   the   shores  of  Kara  Bay   itself.     We   went   back 
with  the  Ostiak  to  Tschornejar,  on  the  Schtschutschja  river, 
where  we  found  our  lotka  on  the  lltli  of  August,  although 
we  had  lost  one  of  our  men,   an  Ostiak  and  excellent  fellow, 
who  had  died  three  days  after  having  tasted  the  meat  of  one  of 
the  reindeer  which  had  been  struck  by  the  incurable  disease. 
During  the  fortnight  we  were  absent  we  had  to  cross  only 
tundra-ground,  covered  with  dwarf  birches,   dwarf  willows, 
mosses,  and  morasses,  and  varied  with  larger  or  smaller  lakes, 
and  sometimes  small  rivers.       Mosquitos  swarmed  all    the 
time,  by  day  and  by  night.     I  need  not  say  how  we  suflfered, 
the  more  so   as   provisions  were  scarce  and,   on   account  of 
want  of  fuel  for  fire,   not  easy  to  cook.     Our  principal  at- 
tention was  paid  to  Lagopus  albus,  which  went  about  with 
fledged  young,  and  Charudrius  auratus,  as  both  species  formed 
the  chief  part  of  our  meals.     Once  we  got  a  family  of  Geese, 
an  old  female  and  six  pretty- well  grown  young ;  the  species 
was  Anser  albifrons  !     Generally  Geese  and  Swans  were  rare. 


Dr.  O.  FinscVs  Ornithological  Letters.  61 

and  the  large  lakes  poor  in  animal  life.  Every  lake  was 
inhabited  by  one  or  two  pairs  of  Colymbus  glacialis,  which 
went  about  with  small  ones^  or  with  a  number  of  pairs  of 
Harelda  glacialis,  (Edemia  nigra,  or  (E.  fusca.  Anas  acuta, 
with  young,  was  observed  on  small  tundra-creeks,  as  well 
as  A.  penelope  and  A.  crecca.  The  most  common  tundi'a- 
birds,  except  Charadrius  auratus,  which  was,  with  its  downy 
young,  to  be  found  on  every  dry  elevation,  and  whose 
cry  was  heard  by  day  and  by  night,  were  Lestris  parasitica 
and  L.  pomatorhina,  both  splendid-looking  birds,  resembling 
Falcons  when  on  the  wing.  Of  both  species  we  found 
young,  which  on  our  return  were  already  able  to  fly.  The 
chief  food  of  both  species  seems  to  be  lemmings  {Mijodes 
obensis),  which  are  plentiful.  Besides  these,  Larus  marinas 
was  seen  every  day,  but  only  in  pairs,  as  they  were  hatching 
their  young.  On  the  borders  of  the  lakes  we  found  Tringa 
subarquata,  T.  temminchii,  Machetes  pugnax,  all  of  them 
with  young,  as  well  as  Gallinago  media,  which  did  not  live 
in  swampy  grounds,  but  on  the  open  dwarf-birch  tundra.  Of 
small  birds  Plectrophanes  lapponica  and  P.  nivalis  (both  with 
fledglings)  were  common,  so  also  was  Anthus  pratensis  and 
A.  cervinus,  the  latter  nearer  to  the  wood-region,  where  i^rm- 
gilla  linaria  again  was  to  be  found.  Otocorys  alpestris  we 
observed  often.  On  the  Podarata  river  we  again  observed 
Motacilla  alba^  Saxicola  aenanthe,  and  Lusciola  suecica  (all 
with  young  ones) .  Of  rapacious  birds  Falco  peregrinus  and 
Buteo  lagopus  were  often  observed,  and  their  nests,  with  three 
or  four  young  in  down,  found.  They  were  built  on  the  high 
banks  of  the  river,  or  on  the  bare  ground  of  the  tundra.  The 
young  had  to  suffer  very  much  from  mosqnitos,  which  they 
swallowed  in  large  numbers.  Otus  brachyotus  was  common ; 
but  the  magnificent  Snowy  Owl  {Nyctea  nivea),  a  most 
splendid  bird,  we  observed  only  a  few  times,  and  only  one 
was  shot  by  Dr.  Brehm.  Charadrius  morinellus  I  observed 
only  once,  in  small  flocks,  on  the  7th  of  August,  being  appa- 
rently already  migrating. 

On  returning  to  the  Schtschutschja  river,  which  we  had  to 
cross  twice,  we  found  animal  life  increased.     We  found  again 


62  Dr.  O.  Finsch^s  Ornithological  Letters. 

Emberiza  pusilla,  Saxicola  oenanthe,  Lusciola  suecica,  Tardus 
pilaris,  Fringilla  linaria,  Anthus  cervinus,  Cotyle  riparia,  and, 
nearer  to  tlie  mouth  of  the  river,  Corviis  comix  and  C.  cor  ax ; 
the  latter  we  observed  also  a  few  times  on  the  tundra.  Geese 
and  Ducks  were  in  great  numbers,  but  as  shy  as  Swans,  of 
which  we  got  only  half-fledged  young,  which  were  most 
welcome  for  our  cooking-pan.  At  the  place  where  Count 
Zeil  shot  Terekia  cinerea,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  shooting  a 
full-grown  young  one  of  this  species,  being  only  the  second 
specimen  seen  during  our  whole  voyage,  Phalaropus  we 
did  not  observe  again ;  but  Larus  marinus,  with  young,  now 
able  to  fly,  was  the  most  common  Gull,  as  it  is  on  the  Avhole 
Ob  river,  where  we  never  saw  any  Lestris. 

We  returned  to  Obdorsk  on  the  19tli  of  August,  where  we 
had  to  stop  till  the  3rd  of  September,  being  engaged  in  dry- 
ing and  packing  the  collections,  and  making  our  reports. 
Near  Obdorsk  we  observed  large  flocks  of  Geese  [Anser  ci- 
nereus  and  A.  minutus)  which  we  had  already  obtained  on  the 
Schtschutschja,  and  A.  ruficollis,  of  which  we  got  by  chance 
only  one  specimen,  although  the  species  is  by  no  means  rare. 
The  Polui  river  swarmed  with  Ducks ;  amongst  them  we  got 
our  first  young  in  down  of  FuUfjula  marila  and  F.  nyroca. 
Larus  marinus  was  common,  as  well  as  L.  ridibundus,  ac- 
companied by  young  nearly  able  to  fly.  On  the  flooded 
waters  near  the  village  Totanus  fuscus  was  not  rare  in  small 
companies,  being  very  tame.  Tringa  temminckii  appeared  in 
small  flocks,  bearing  still  the  full  summer  plumage,  whereas 
Charadrius  Maticula,  which  went  also  in  large  flocks,  had 
already  the  winter  garb.  Of  small  birds  Motacilla  alba  and 
Antlms  pratensis  were  the  most  common  in  the  village  ;  M. 
citreola  we  got  about  100  versts  above  Obdorsk,  just  moult- 
ing, as  well  as  M.  flava  [borealis] .  Count  Zeil  got  a  single 
specimen  of  Turdus  atrogtdaris  (young  bird  moulting)  and 
Numenius  arquata,  which  feeds  at  this  time  chiefly  on  berries. 
Nisus  fringillarius,  so  rare  in  this  regio-n,  I  observed  several 
times  near  the  village. 

Our  way  up  the  river  was  very  tedious,  as  we  had  to  strug- 
gle  continually   against   contrary   winds   and   the   current. 


Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters.  63 

Besides^  the  niglits  were  again  dark^  and  often  we  were  unable 
to  proceed ;  even  tlie  weather  was  often  cold  and  bad,  and 
rains  fell  just  as  in  the  late  autumn  in  Germany.  So  the 
distance  we  had  gone  down  the  river  in  eight  days  we  re- 
quired twenty-three  days  to  pull  the  lotka  against  the  stream, 
and  did  not  reach  Berezoff  before  the  12th,  the  village  of 
Samarowa  not  until  tlie  26tli  of  September.  The  river  had 
changed  its  appearance  a  great  deal,  as  well  as  the  whole 
landscape.  Silent  arms  into  which  we  had  gone  formerly 
were  dried  up,  or  had  not  water  enough,  except  for  Geese 
and  Ducks ;  and  the  high  right  bank,  formerly  touched  by 
the  water  of  the  rivei',  was  bordered  by  a  broad  strand  of  sand 
or  clay,  covered  with  enormous  masses  of  drift  wood.  Large 
banks  of  sand  had  made  their  appearence,  and  sometimes  di- 
vided the  stream  for  long  distances  into  two  smaller  arms. 
The  foliage  of  the  woods  was  wrapped  in  autumnal  dress ; 
the  yellow  and  orange  of  the  birch  trees  was  varied  by  the  red 
of  the  poplar  and  several  smaller  trees,  intermixed  with  the 
light  green  of  the  larch  [Larioc]  and  the  dark  black-green  of 
pine  and  cedar  woods.  So  the  view  of  the  landscape  was 
everywhere  magnificent,  and  one  could  look  at  it  for  hours, 
even  if  the  ornithological  life  sometimes  was  very  poor,  some- 
times for  a  long  while  not  a  bird  being  seen.  We  had  to 
land  twice  a  day,  in  order  to  cook  our  meals,  on  a  small  Os- 
tiakian  yurt-place,  or  where  we  found  it  most  convenient ; 
there  was  now  no  want  of  wood.  Every  time  we  went  on 
shore  we  went  hunting  for  some  hours,  as,  fortunately,  mos- 
quitos  were  no  longer  present.  The  woods  sometimes  are 
impenetrable,  so  thick  is  the  growth  of  the  trees,  the  multi- 
tude of  broken  trees  and  twigs.  Generally  the  interior  of 
the  woods  was  silent,  although  we  observed  more  birds  than 
when  we  went  down  the  river.  At  that  time  the  birds  were 
breeding,  and  so  hid  themselves  more  in  the  immense  scrub 
and  thickets,  and  were  less  visible  than  now,  when  they 
had  more  or  less  united  in  flocks  preparatory  to  migration. 
We  observed  nearly  all  the  birds  we  had  seen  on  the  trip 
down,  except  the  Swallows  and  the  Cuckoo,  which  had  gone 
already.     The   call   of  the  latter  we  had  heard  up  to  the 


64  Dr.  O.  Finsch's  Ornithological  Letters. 

Schtscliutsclija  river.     Einheriza  pusilla  we  left  behind  some 
stations  above  Obdorsk;   but  now  we  found  Parus  cinctus 
j)lentiful^  and  a  Parus  which  I  take  to  be  P.  camschatcensis  or 
P.  borealis.     Its  cry  and  manners  are  nearly   the  same  as 
tliose  of  our  P.  palustris ;  but  besides  it  has  a  short  but  me- 
lodious song.     Between  Obdorsk  and  Berezoff  we  first  found 
Sitta  uralensis,  which  in  general  was  very  scarce^  and  only 
seen  in  pairs.     Besides  these^  Piciis  tridactylus  was  shot,  oc- 
curring in  willow-  as  well  as  in  pine-woods  ;  Picus  martins 
was  seen  once ;  Picus  minor  was  the  most  common  species 
of  Woodpecker.     No  Certhia  !     FringiUa  montifringiUa  and 
F.  linaria,  both  moulting  and  with  young,  went  in  large  flocks 
and  were  to  be  met  everywhere ;  but  we  did  not  sec  either 
Corythus  or  Loxia.     Corvus  corax  was  often  met ;  but  the 
most  common  Crows  were   C.  comix  and  Pica  caudata,  the 
latter  chiefly  in  villages  where  cattle  are  tended.     Here  often 
twelve  or  fourteen  assemble  on  the  roof  of  a  single  house.     At 
Berezoff"  I  observed,  for  the  first   time  on  the  Ob,  a  large 
flock  of  Corvus  frugilegus,  apparently  wandering  ;  and  at  the 
village  SucharoAvskaja,  120  versts  down  SamaroAva,  we  first 
observed  Corvus  monedula  and  Parus  major.     Nucifraga  ca- 
ryocatactes  was  plentiful  in  the  woods  on  the  right  Ijank. 
No  Garrulus ;  but  Perisoreus  infaustus  was  sometimes  ob- 
tained.    It  feeds  on  berries,  beetles,  and  mice.     We  did  not 
find  Passer  campestris  at  the  village  of  Kuschowat,  as  the 
species  is  only  a  summer  visitor  there ;  but  we  found  both 
species  at  the  town  of  Berezoff",  and  here,  besides,  Enibe^'iza 
citrinella.     This  species,  which  we  had  not  once  seen  when 
going  down  the  river,   was  now  plentiful  everywhere.     Of 
birds  of  prey  we  observed  sometimes  the  Osprey  and  a  few 
Falcons  [Falco  subbuteo,  and  apparently  a  larger  species,  per- 
haps F.  gyrfalco).     Of  Owls,  Count   Zeil  shot   a  fine   spe- 
cimen of  Surnia  nisoria,  which  we  had  observed  a  few  times 
previously.     Once  I  saw  a  small  Falco  cBsalon  being  chased  by 
an  Otus  brackyotus.     Having  during  our  trip  down  the  river 
only  once  seen  Tetrao  bonasia,  which  I  shot  near  the  village 
Malo  Atlim,  this  species  now  was  plentiful  as  soon   as  we 
left  Berezoff'.     It  is  a  most  elegant  bird,  and  although  not 


Dr.  O.  Finscli's  Ornitholoykal  Letters.  G5 

sliy^  difficult  to  secure  without  the  assistance  of  a  good  dog. 
Tetrao  tetrix  and  T.  urogallus,  the  Gluchar  of  the  Russians^ 
was  sometimes  observed,  the  former  in  large  flocks  of  thirty 
and  more.  T.  urogallus  I  once  met  in  the  woods,  sitting  very 
close  to  me  on  a  dead  tree  ;  but  I  could  not  bring  the  bird  down, 
being  provided  only  with  dust-shot.  Hazel-Grouse  hunting 
once  brought  us  into  great  difficulty,  as  both  Dr.  Brehm  and 
Count  Zeil  missed  their  way  out  of  a  wood,  and  on  night 
overtaking  them  were  obliged  to  remain  where  they  were 
till  the  morning,  when  I,  with  as  many  Ostiaks  as  I  could 
get  together,  went  in  search  of  them,  and  fortunately  came 
up  with  them  in  a  short  time.  Of  Thrushes  we  found  Turdus 
pilaris  the  most  common  species,  but  far  less  plentiful  than 
in  Lapland ;  T.  musicus,  T.  iliacus,  and  T.  atrogularis  were 
rare ;  once  I  met  a  pair  of  T.  ruficoUis  and  shot  one.  Frin- 
gilla  linaria  and  F.  montifringilla  we  did  not  observe  after  the 
24th  of  September,  when  we  were  amongst  the  willow-woods 
of  the  left  bank.  Even  Motacilla  alba  had  disappeared,  An- 
thus  pratensis  was  only  seen  sparingly,  no  A.  cervinus ;  but 
Otocorys  alpestris  appeared  in  large  flocks.  The  most  inter- 
esting small  bird  was  one  I  observed  a  few  times  from  the 
19th  to  the  21st  of  September;  it  was  a  Sylviine  bird,  resem- 
bling much  in  manners  our  Redthroat,  but  having  the  call- 
note  of  our  Ruticilla  phoenicurus.  This  note  I  had  heard  not 
unfrequently  when  we  were  going  down  the  river ;  but  now 
for  the  first  time  I  caught  sight  of  the  songster^  sitting  on  a 
low  elder  bush,  and  reminding  me  of  the  female  of  Lusciola 
suecica.  On  shooting  the  bird  it  proved  to  be  the  Sylvia  cy- 
anura  of  Pallas.  I  only  once  saw  the  male  in  its  elegant  garb. 
All  the  birds  we  shot  during  the  last  half  of  August,  and  until 
after  the  middle  of  September,  were  moulting.  After  about 
the  22nd  of  September  we  did  not  observe  any  more  Phyl- 
loscojms  trochilus  or  P.  tristis,  or  Anthus  cervinus.  Geese 
and  Ducks  became  scarcer  as  we  ascended  the  river,  although 
large  flocks  of  Geese  were  still  seen  as  late  as  the  25tli  of 
September,  but  sparingly,  and  not  every  day  as  during  the 
first  fortnight  of  September.  No  Cormorant  was  seen  along 
the  whole  length  of  the  Ob  river  !     Gulls  are  always  present. 

SEll.  IV. VOL.  I.  r 


66  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

Of  Larus  marinus  mostly  dark-coloured  young  ones  are  to 
be  seen^  and  L.  canus  and  L.  ridibundus,  bearing  now  their 
winter  dress.  L.  minutus  and  Hmnatopus  ost7'alegus  we  did 
not  see  after  leaving  Berezoff,  nor  the  Crane^  of  which  I 
got  a  half-grown  young  bird  on  the  7th  of  September.  Large 
flocks  of  the  last-named  species  were  going  south,  and  most 
of  the  birds  are  already  emigrating  and  bidding  farewell  to 
the  north.  We  are  about  to  follow  them,  but  in  a  western 
direction  and  more  slowly ;  for  we  have  still  to  travel  about 
2500  versts  in  a  carriage  to  the  first  railway,  at  Nishni- 
Novgorod,  which  will,  we  hope,  take  us  safely  and  quickly 
home. 


VI. — On  the  Phylloscopi  or  Willoto-Warblers. 
By  Henry  Seebohm,  F.Z.S. 

The  Phylloscopi,  or  Willow- Warblers,  are  a  group  of  about 
thirty  species  of  birds,  the  synonymy  of  which  has  hitherto 
been  in  much  confusion.  The  differences  between  many  of  the 
species  are  very  slight;  and  the  descriptions  of  some  of  them  are 
so  meagre,  that  it  is  difficult  to  determine  to  which  they  belong 
without  access  to  the  type  specimens.  They  may  be  described 
as  Warblers  with  more  or  less  slender  bills,  varying  in  the 
colour  of  their  plumage  from  olive-green  to  brown  in  the 
upper  parts,  and  from  yellow,  with  an  occasional  dash  of  buff 
or  green,  to  white  underneath.  Some  of  the  stout-billed 
species  have  bills  as  large  and  broad  as  those  of  the  smaller 
species  of  the  genus  Hypolals,  whilst  others  have  bills  as  small 
and  slender  as  in  the  genus  Regulus.  Others,  again,  approach 
the  more  brilliantly  coloured  species  of  the  genus  Abrornis, 
It  is  possible  that  a  careful  study  of  the  allied  genera  may 
lead  to  a  rearrangement  of  the  whole  family ;  but  this  ques- 
tion must  be  left  to  a  future  paper.  For  our  present  purpose 
it  will  be  enough  to  point  out  the  following  distinctions  be- 
tween the  various  sections  of  Phylloscojms  and  the  members 
of  the  allied  genus  Hypolais  ; — 


or  Willow -War  biers.  67 

Hypolais.     Bill  larger,  and  pale  underneath ;  no  bar  across 
the  wings. 

Phylloscopus  {Acanthopneuste) .     Bill  large,  and  pale  un- 
derneath ;  one,  and  frequently  two  bars  across  the  wings. 

A.  No  mesial  line  on  the  crown. 

1.  borealis  (Blasius).  5.  teneUipes,  Swinlioe. 

2.  xanthodryas,  Swiuhoe.  6.  plumb eitarsus,  Swinhoe. 

3.  nitidus,  Blyth.  7.  magnirostris,  Blyth. 

4.  viridanus,  Blyth.  8.  lugubris,  Blyth. 

B.  A  mesial  line  on  the  crown. 

9.  coronata  (Temminck).         12.  viridipennis,  Blyth. 

10.  occipitalis  (Jerdon).  13.  presbytis  (Miiller). 

11.  trnchiloides  (Sundevall). 

Phylloscopus  [Phylloscopus .)      Bill  slender,  more  or  less 
dark  underneath  :  no  bar  across  the  wings. 

O.  Axillaries  and  wing-lining  buff. 

14.  schwarzi  (Radde).  17.  indicus  (Jerdon). 

15.  fuscatus,  Blyth.  18.  fuliginiventris  (Hodgson). 

16.  umbrovirens  (Ptiippell). 

D.  Axillaries  and  \ving-liniiig  yellow  or  white. 

19.  5^6^/a^n,27  (Bechstein) .         24.  ^m/is,  Blyth. 

20.  trochilus  (Linnaeus),  25.  neglectus  (Hume). 

21.  gatkei,  Seebohm.  26.  affinis  (Tickell). 

22.  bonellii  (Vieillot).  27.  tytleri  (Brooks). 

23.  coUybita  (Vieillot). 

Phylloscopus  [Reguloides] .  Bill  slender,  more  or  less 
dark  underneath ;  two  bars  across  the  wing ;  a  more  or  less 
distinct  mesial  line  on  the  crown. 

28.  superciliosus  (Gmelin).       31.  subviridis  (Brooks). 

29.  proregulus  (Pallas).  32.  maculipennis  (Blyth). 

30.  erochrous  (Hodgson). 

The  geographical  range  of  this  group  seems  to  be  confined 
to  the  Old  World,  one  species  only  having  hitherto  been  found 

r2 


68  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

in  the  western  hemispliere,  and  that  probably  an  accidental 
straggler  on  its  first  autumnal  migration. 

The  principal  points  to  be  observed  in  determining  the 
various  species  of  this  genus  are  : — {a)  the  size  of  the  bill  and 
the  colour  of  the  under  mandible ;  {b)  the  size  of  the  bastard 
primary  (in  the  following  description  the  exposed  portion 
only  is  measured) ;  (c)  the  wing-formula^  especially  the  rela- 
tion Avhicli  the  second  primary  bears  in  length  to  the  other 
primaries;  [d)  the  comparison  between  the  lengths  of  the 
wings  and  tail ;  (e)  the  jjresence  or  absence  of  one  or  two 
bars  across  the  wings^  formed  by  the  wing-coverts  being  paler 
in  colour  at  their  tips ;  (/)  the  presence  or  absence  of  a  pale 
mesial  line  on  the  crown^  which  is  generally  accompanied  by 
the  intervening  space  between  it  and  the  superciliary  streaks 
being  darker  than  the  back ;  {g)  the  colour  of  the  axillaries 
and  wing-lining;  and  [h)  the  colour  of  the  tarsus  and  feet*. 

In  some  cases  colour  alone  can  be  relied  upon  to  deter- 
mine the  species;  and  the  difficulty  is  increased  by  the  great 
seasonal  changes  to  wdiich  both  the  upper  and  underparts  are 
subject.  The  autumn  plumage  of  most  of  the  species^  more 
especially  that  of  birds  of  the  year,  is  very  yellow,  sometimes 
approaching  buff,  which  frequently  disappears  entirely  in  the 
breeding-plumage  of  old  birds,  especially  in  the  colder  lati- 
tudes. The  bars  on  the  wing,  and  the  mesial  line  on  the 
crown,  are  occasionally  indistinguishable  when  the  plumage 
has  become  much  abraded.  There  is  also  considerable  varia- 
tion in  size  between  individuals  of  the  same  species,  and  es- 
pecially between  the  sexes.  An  average  variation  in  the 
length  of  the  wing  of  the  males  will  probably  be  about  a 
quarter  of  an  inch.  The  largest  females  are  usually  equal  in 
size  to  the  smallest  males ;  and  as  the  females  vary  equally  in 
length  of  wing,  the  total  margin  of  variation  between  the 
smallest  female  and  the  largest  male  is  half  an  inch — a  very 
great  variation  in  the  length  of  the  wing  of  such  small  birds. 

*  The  comparative  lengths  of  the  tail-feathers  does  not  seem  to  be  a 
character  of  much  value.  Most  of  the  species  of  this  group  have  the  tail 
both  rounded  and  forked  ;  i.  e.  the  two  outer  and  the  two  centre  feathers 
are  the  shortest. 


or  Willow-Warblers.  69 

Where  the  dimensions  given  in  the  following  descriptions 
do  not  show  so  much  variation^  it  may  arise  from  my  not 
having  been  able  to  procure  access  to  a  sufficiently  large 
series. 

In  order  satisfactorily  to  determine  the  various  species  of 
this  genus^  an  acquaintance  with  the  birds  in  a  state  of  nature 
seems  more  than  ordinarily  necessary ;  and  this  is  probably 
the  reason  why  this  group  has  not  been  brought  into  better 
order  by  our  cabinet  ornithologists. 

The  following  attempt  to  reduce  this  refractory  genus  into 
something  like  order  is  the  result  of  the  comparison  of  about 
four  hundred  skins  from  the  collections  of  the  British  Museum^ 
Lord  Tweeddale^  Canon  Tristram^  Messrs.  Dresser,  Swinhoe, 
Brooks,  von  Homeyer,  the  Indian  Museum,  and  my  own 
collection. 

I  am  especially  indebted  to  my  friends,  Mr.  H.  E.  Dresser 
for  assistance  in  Avorking  out  the  intricate  details  of  the  syn- 
onymy, and  to  Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks  for  skins  of  various  Indian 
species,  wdiich  have  been  carefully  compared  with  Blyth's 
types  in  the  Calcutta  Museum. 

In  the  synonymy  I  have  carefully  avoided  the  pedantry  of 
a  long  catalogue  of  useless  references ;  and  I  have  endeavoured 
to  make  the  descriptions  of  the  birds  as  short  and  as  easy  of 
comparison  as  possible.  Much  remains  to  be  done  in  the  geo- 
graphical distribution ;  and  doubtless  a  few  years^  researches 
may  detect  many  errors  in,  and  make  some  additions  to,  our 
present  knowledge  of  this  interesting  group  of  birds. 

1.  Phylloscopus  borealis  (Blasius). 

Sylvia  {Phyllopneuste)  eversmanii,  Middendorff,  Sib.  Reise, 
p.  178  (1851,  nee  Bonap.) ;  Radde,  Eeisen  im  Slid.  v.  Ost- 
Sibir.  ii.  p.  263  (1863,  nee  Bonap.). 

Phyllopseustes  eversmanii,  Homeyer,  Cab,  Journ.  f.  Orn. 
1872,  p.  202  (nee  Bonap.). 

Phyllopneuste  borealis,  Blasius,  Naumannia,  1858,  p.  313. 

Phyllopseustes  borealis,  Meves,  Cab.  Journ.  f.  Orn.  1875, 
p.  429. 

Phylloscopus  sylvicultrix,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1860,  p.  53. 


70  Mr.  H.  Seebolira  on  tJie  Phylloscopi 

Sylvia  flcwescens,  G.  R.  Gray,  P.  Z.  S.  1860,  p.  349. 

Phylloscopus  hylebata,  Swiuh.  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xxiv.  p.  265 
(1861). 

Phyllopneuste  kennicotti,  Baird,  Trans.  Chicago  Ac.  Sc.  i. 
p.  313  (1869). 

Obs.  Phyllopneuste  javanica  (Horsfield),  mentioned  by  Bla- 
sius  (Ibis,  1862,  p.  66)  as  this  species,  or  one  very  closely 
connected  with  it,  is  pronounced  by  Sclater  and  Finscli  (Ibis_, 
1873,  p.  475)  to  be  a  Zosterops. 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with  yellowish  green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edges  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  yellowish  gi-een.  Superciliary  streak  ex- 
tending to  the  nape. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  bacJc. 

Underparts  nearly  white,  slightly  dashed  with  yellow  and  grey 
on  the  breast  and  flanks.  Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and 
thighs  pale  yellow.  After  the  autumn  moult  the  whole 
of  the  underparts  are  pale  yellow,  dashed  with  grey  on 
the  breast  and  flanks. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  considerably 
shorter.  Sixth  very  considerably  shorter  still.  Second 
intermediate  in  length  between  the  fifth  and  sixth. 

The  bastard  primanj  very  small.  The  exposed  part  mea- 
sures "3  to  "35  in  adults,  and  •4  to  '45  in  birds  of  the 
year. 

First  wing -bar  distinct.  Sometimes  traces  of  second  wing- 
bar  in  birds  of  the  year. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"70  to  2*55,  female  2'55  to  2*40. 

Length  of  tail— male  2-00  to  I'QO,  female  1-90  to  1-80. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  breeds  in  the  north  of  the  palsearctic  region, 
at  or  near  the  limit  of  forest-growth,  and  in  a  similar  climate 
in  the  subalpine  districts  of  Southern  Siberia.  It  passes 
through  China  on  migration,  and  winters  in  the  East-India 
islands  and  the  islands  surrounding  the  Burmah  peninsula. 
It  unites  an  extreme  south-eastern  winter-range  with  a  wider 
northern  range  than  that  of  any  other  species  of  the  genus. 
Collett  has  recently  obtained  it  in  Finmark ;  and  it  is  not  un- 
common in  summer  at  Archangel  {Alston  and  Harvie  Brown, 


or  WUloiv-Warblers .  71 

Ibis,  1873,  p.  61) .  It  has  been  shot  at  Mesen  {Piottuch  in 
Mus.  H.  Seebohm)  and  on  the  Petchora  {Seebohm  snad  Harvie 
Brown,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  216).  Skins  collected  by  Dr.  Dy- 
bowski  near  Lake  Baical  are  common  in  collections.  Mid- 
dendorflp  (fide  Meves)  found  it  as  far  east  as  Okotsk.  Prje- 
valski  found  it  in  the  breeding-season  in  S.E.  Mongolia;  and 
in  Dresser's  and  Lord  Tweeddale's  collections  are  skins  from 
Japan.  It  has  been  obtained  on  migration  at  St.  Michael's, 
in  Norton  Sound  {Dall  &  Bannister,  Trans.  Chicago  Ac.  Sc, 
i.  p.  278),  and  as  far  west  as  Heligoland  {Gaetke,  Ibis,  1862, 
p.  QQ).  Swinhoe  (Ibis,  1860,  p.  53)  describes  this  species  as 
passing  in  great  numbers  through  Amoy  in  spring  and  autumn, 
and  notices  (Ibis,  1866,  p.  295)  its  abundance  in  the  island  of 
Formosa  in  October.  It  has  not  been  found  wintering  so  far 
west  as  Calcutta  or  Ceylon ;  but  I  have  identified  skins  from 
Labuan,  N.W.  Borneo  [Low  in  Brit.  Mus.  and  Mus.  H.  See- 
bohm), Gilolo  [Wallace  in  Brit.  Mus.),  Timor  [Wallace  in 
Brit.  Mus.),  Flores  and  Ternate  [Wallace  in  Mus.  Lord 
Tweeddale),  Batchian  [Wallace  in  Brit.  Mus.),  and  South 
Andaman  Islands  [Warcllaw  Ramsay  in  Mus.  Lord  Tweed- 
dale).  On  the  mainland  it  has  been  found  at  Malacca 
{Maingay  in  Mus.  Lord  Tweeddale)  and  in  the  Tenasserim 
provinces  (Stray  Feathers,  ii.  p.  478). 

The  very  small  bastard  primary  of  this  species  serves  to 
distinguish  adults  from  every  other  species  of  the  genus,  ex- 
cept P.  sihilatrix,  with  which  bird  it  cannot  possibly  be  con- 
founded. Birds  of  the  year  approach  P.  xanthodryas  very 
closely,  but  have  not  quite  such  a  large  bastard  primary,  nor 
quite  such  a  large  bill. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  any  authentic  information 
respecting  the  nest  or  eggs  of  this  species. 

2.  Phylloscopus  xanthoduyas,  Swinhoe. 

Phylloscopus  xanthodryas,  Swinhoe,  P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  296, 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  yellowish  olive-green.     Superciliary  streaK  green- 
ish yellow. 
Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 


73  Mr.  H.  Seebolim  on  the  Pliylloscopi 

Underparts,  axillaries,  and  wing- lining  greenish  yellow,  greyer 

on  the  breast  and  flanks. 
Third  and  fourth  jii'imaries  longest.     Fifth  a  shade  shorter. 

Sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter  than 

the  preceding.       Second  primary  equal  to   or  a  shade 

longer  than  the  sixth. 
Bastard  primary  moderate,  the  exposed  parts  measuring  "5 

to  -6. 
First  wing-bar  distinct,  rudiments  of  upper  bar. 
Length  of  wing  2'85  to  2'65. 
Length  of  tail  2*15. 
Legs  and  feet  light  brown. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  geogi-aphical  distribution  of 
this  species.  In  the  British  Museum  is  one  skin  from  Japan, 
obtained  by  Caj)t.  St.  John  at  Hakodadi.  Prjevalski  records 
it  as  breeding  in  Camsu,  and  states  that  P.  boreaUs  does  not 
breed  there — a  very  interesting  fact,  as  birds  of  the  year  of 
that  species  which  happen  to  have  an  unusually  large  bastard 
primary  are  so  much  like  P.  xanthodryas  as  to  suggest  a 
doubt  of  the  distinctness  of  the  two  species.  Swinhoe  found 
it  at  Amoy,  in  China,  in  spring,  no  doubt  on  migration ;  and 
I  have  one  skin  obtained  by  Mr.  Low  at  Labuan,  N.W.  Bor- 
neo, in  winter. 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  species  are  unknown. 

3.  Phylloscopus  nitidus,  Blyth. 

Sylvia  hippolais,  Jerdon,  Madras  Journ,  xi.  p.  6  (1840, 
nee  Linn.). 

Phylloscopiis  nitidus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  965 
(1843). 

Regulus  nitidus,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848). 

Abrornis  nitidus,  Bp.  Consp.  G.  Av.  i.  p.  290  (1850). 

Phylloscopus  nitidus,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  193  (1863). 

Hippolais  swainsoni,  Hodgson,  in  Gray^s  Zool.  Misc.  p.  82. 
no.  385  (1844). 

Bill  large,  pale  underneath. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  light  yel- 
lowish green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with 
the  outside  edges  of  each  feather  broadly  mai-gined 
with  light  yellowish  green.  Superciliary  streak  pale 
yellow. 


or  Willow- Warblers.  73 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Undei'parts^  axillaries,  and  wing-lining  j»a/e  lemon-yellow. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  a  shade  shorter. 
Sixth  and  seventh  each  considerably  shorter  than  the 
preceding.  Second  primary  equal  to  the  seventh,  some- 
times a  little  longer. 

Bastard  primary  rather  small,  the  exposed  part  measuring 
•5  to  -6. 

First  wing-bar  distinct,  upper  bar  wanting. 

Length  of  wing — male  2-65  to  2'5,  female  2*5  to  2"35. 

Length  of  tail — male  2-05  to  1-95,  female  1*9  to  1*8. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

So  far  as  is  known,  this  species  has  a  very  restricted  range, 
probably  breeding  in  the  North-western  Himalayas,  and  win- 
tering in  Bengal,  Southern  India,  and  Ceylon.  Hume  met 
with  it  in  the  Punjaub  (Stray  Feathers,  1873,  p.  197),  and 
Mr.  R.  M.  Adam  near  the  Sambhur  lake  (ibid.  p.  382) .  Blyth 
says  (J.  A.  S.  Beng.  1854,  p.  483)  that  it  is  generally  distri- 
buted but  rare  in  Lower  Bengal.  I  have  skins  obtained  on 
migration  by  Mr.  Brooks  at  Etawah.  Jerdon  mentions  it  as 
frequent  in  winter  in  Southern  India,  but  rare  near  Calcutta 
(Birds  of  Ind.  ii.  p.  193) .  Ceylon  is  one  of  its  favourite  winter- 
quarters  {Legge,  Ibis,  1874,  p.  22),  and  there  are  several  skins 
of  this  species  from  that  island  in  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection. 
Strange  to  say,  a  solitary  bird  of  this  species  fell  to  the  gun  of 
Mr.  Gaetke^s  son  Ludwig,  in  Heligoland.  Mr.  Gaetke^s  obser- 
vations seem  satisfactorily  to  prove  that  birds  of  the  year 
migrate  earlier  than  their  parents.  It  is  scarcely  to  be 
wondered  at  that,  on  their  first  journey,  they  should  some- 
times stray  far  out  of  the  usual  track.  It  will  doubtless  be 
found  that  most  of  the  accidental  visits  of  birds  to  unusual 
localities  are  those  of  birds  of  the  year  on  their  first  autumnal 
migration. 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

4.  Phylloscopus  viridanus,  Blyth. 

Phyllopneuste  rufa,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xi.  p.  191  (1842, 
nee  Bodd.). 

Phylloscopus  viridanus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  967 

(1843). 


74  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  ^Ae  Phylloscopi 

Phyllopneuste  viridanus,  G.  R.  Gray,  App.  Cat.  B.  Nep.  p. 
152  (1846). 

Regulus  viridanus,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848). 

Abrornis  viridana,  Bonap.  Cousp.  p.  290  (1850). 

Phyllopneuste  affinis,  Blyth,  Aun.  Nat.  Hist.  xii.  p.  98 
(1843,  nee  Tickell) . 

Abrornis  teimiceps,  Hodgson,  Gray's  Zool.  Misc.  p.  82 
(1844). 

Phyllopneuste  intermedia,  Severtzoff,  Faun,  of  Turkestan, 
p.  125  (1873)— see  Ibis,  1876,  p.  81. 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  yellowish 
green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside 
edges  of  each  feather  margined  Avith  yellowish  green. 
Superciliary  streak  pale  greyish  green,  extending  to  the 
nape. 

Head  a  shade  darker  colour  than  the  back. 

Underparts,  including  the  axillaries,  wing-lining,  thighs,  and 
under  tail-coverts  pale  greyish  yellow. 

Third,  fourth,  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Sixth,  seventh, 
and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter  than  the  preceding. 
Second  primary  generally  equal  to  the  seventh ;  some- 
times a  shade  shorter  or  a  shade  longer. 

Bastai'd  primary  rather  small.     Exposed  part  '5  to  •6. 

First  wing-bar  distinct.     Upper  bar  wanting. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"5  to  2'3,  female  2"3  to  2*18. 

Length  of  tail — male  2*0  to  1*95,  female  1*9  to  1-8. 

Legs  and  claws  lead-colour  (pale  greenish  plumbeous,  Blyth ; 
brownish  grey.  Sadly,  in  'Stray  Feathers'). 

This  species  has  a  somewhat  restricted  range,  probably 
breeding  at  a  considerable  elevation  in  the  alpine  districts  of 
the  Himalayas  from  Cashmere  to  Darjeeling,  and  migrating 
to  the  plains  of  North  India  and  Burmah  during  the  cold 
season.  Scully  records  it  north  of  the  Karakorum  Pass 
(Stray  Feathers,  1876,  p.  148).  Brooks  (Ibis,  1872,  p.  31) 
found  it  during  the  breeding-season  in  Cashmere  ;  and  Jerdon 
(Birds  of  I.  ii.  p.  194)  records  it  from  Darjeeling.  In  von 
Homey er's  collection  is  a  skin  obtained  by  Meves  at  Tjubuk, 
in  the  Ural,  16th  Aug.  1872,  which,  Mr.  Brooks  agrees  with 
mc,  cannot  be  referred  to  any  other  species  Init  this.     Blyth 


or  Willoiv-Warblers.  75 

(J.  A.  S.  Beug.  xii.  p.  967)  speaks  of  it  as  the  commonest 
species  of  the  genus  in  the  cold  season  at  Calcutta  and  in 
Lower  Bengal.  I  have  several  skins  collected  in  winter  at 
Cawnpore  (Brooks) ;  and  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collection  are 
skins  from  Moulmein  and  Kyouk-kyre  in  Burmah  [Capt. 
Beavan). 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  species  are  unknown. 

The  difference  in  colour  of  both  the  upper  and  under- 
parts  seems  to  be  the  only  mode  of  distinguishing  this  from 
the  preceding  species. 

5.  Phylloscopus  tenellipes,  Swinhoe. 
Phylloscopus  tenellipes,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  I860,  p.  53. 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with  huffish  brown.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown, 
with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined 
with  huffish  brown.     Superciliary  streak  huffish  white. 

Head  rather  darker  than  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  dashed  all  over  with  buff,  especially  on  the 
breast  and  flanks.    Axillaries  and  wing-lining  pale  yellow. 

Third,  fourth,  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Sixth,  seventh, 
and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter  than  the  prece- 
ding.    Second  primary  about  equal  to  the  seventh. 

Bastard  primary  small,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "5  to  "53. 

First  wing-bar  distinct,  the  upper  bar  less  so. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"38,  female  2'3. 

Length  of  tail — male  1'86,  female  1'83. 

Legs  aiid  claws  pale  flesh- colour . 

The  only  skins  of  this  species  which  I  have  ever  seen  or 
heard  of  are  two  in  Swinhoe^s  collection,  obtained  by  him- 
self at  Amoy,  one  on  the  12th  Oct.  1855,  and  the  other  in 
April  1861,  and  a  female  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collection, 
marked  "Hakodadi,  Japan,  5th  May,  1865." 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

A  smaller  bird  with  pale  tarsi,  like  this  species,  has  been 
described  from  the  Eastern  Himalayas  by  Blanford  (J.  A.  S. 
Beng.  1872,  pt.  2,  p.  162)  as  P.  pallidipes.  I  have  not  seen 
this  bird ;  but  Mr.  Brooks  has  examined  the  type  in  the  Cal- 
cutta Museum,  and  assures  me  that  it  is  a  Horornis. 


76  Mr,  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

6.   Phylloscopus  plumbeitarsus_,  Swiuhoe. 

Sylvia  [Phyllopneiiste)  coronata,  Middendorff,  Sib.  Reise, 
p.  182  (1851,  nee  Temm.)  ;  Radde,  Reisen  im  Siid.  v.  Ost- 
Siber.  ii.  p.  263  (1863,  nee  Temm.). 

Phyllopneuste  [PhyllobasUeus)  coronatus,  Homeyer,  Cab. 
Jourii.  f.  Orn.  1872,  p.  207  (nee  Temm.). 

Phylloscopus  plumbeliarsus,  Swinlioe,  Ibis,  1861,  p.  330. 

Phyllopneuste  plumbeitarsus ,  Homeyer,  Cab.  Journ,  f.  Orn. 
1872,  p.  206. 

Phylloscopus  excoronatus,  Homeyer,  Cab.  Journ.  f.  Orn. 
1872,  p.  207. 

Phyllopseustes  middendot'fii,  Meves,  Of  v.  k.  Vet.  Ak.  Forh. 
1871,  p.  758. 

Hypolais  graminis,  Severtzoff,  Faun,  of  Turkestan,  p.  125 
(1873)  ;  see  Ibis,  1876,  p.  81. 

Phylloscopus  viridcmus,  Dresser,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  82  (nee 
Blyth). 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyisb  brown,  dashed  all  over,  espeeially  on  the 
rump,  with  yellowish  green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  yellowish  green.  Pale  greenish  white 
superciliary  streak  very  sharply  defined,  and  extending 
to  the  nape. 

Head  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Uuderparts  nearly  white,  slightly  dashed  with  yellow  and 
grey  on  the  breast  and  flanks.  Axillaries,  wing-lining, 
and  thighs  pale  yellow. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  a  shade  shorter. 
Sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter  than 
the  preceding.  Second  primary  intermediate  in  length 
between  the  seventh  and  eighth. 

Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "5 
in  small  females  to  "58  to  "65  in  males. 

First  Aving-bar  distinct.      Uppjer  bar  generally  equally  so. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*50  to  2"35,  female  2*35  to  2'2. 

Length  of  tail — male  2*05  to  1'8,  female  1'8. 

Legs  and  claws  lead-colour. 

This  species  appears  to  have  a  similar  range  to  that  of  P. 
borealis,  but  more  restricted.  In  the  breeding-season  it  is 
found  in  the  snbalpinc  districts  of  the  North-eastern  Palae- 


or  Willow-Wurblers.  77 

arctic  Region  from  the  Ural  to  the  Pacific.  Prjevalsky  (Mong. 
and  the  Tang.  Country,  vol.  ii.  p.  35)  found  it  in  the  breeding- 
season  in  the  pine-districts  of  Camsu.  It  passes  through 
China  on  migration,  and  probably  winters  in  Burma  and  the 
East-India  Islands.  Meves  (Jour,  fiir  Ornith.  1875,  p.  429) 
heard  its  note  near  Perm,  and  shot  specimens  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  Ural.  Skins  obtained  by  Dr.  Dybowski  in  the 
subalpine  region  near  Lake  Baical  are  not  uncommon  in  col- 
lections ;  and  Middendorff  (fide  Meves)  obtained  it  as  far  east 
as  Okotsk.  Swinhoe  found  it  on  the  west  coast  of  Hainan  in 
March  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  345);  and  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collection 
are  skins  from  Kyouk-kyre  in  British  Burmah  {Wardlaiv 
Ramsay,  Jan.  1874),  and  Moulmein,  Burmah  [Cajit.  Beavan, 
Sept.  1865). 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

7.  Phylloscopus  magnirostkis,  Blyth. 

Phylloscopus  magnirostris,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p. 
966  (1843). 

Phyllopneuste  magnirostris,  G.  R.  Gray,  App.  Hodgs.  Cat. 
B.  Nep.  p.  15  (1846). 

Phyllopneuste  trochilus,  Hodgson  in  Gray^s  Zool.  Misc. 
p.  82  (1844,  nee  Linn) ;  J.  E.  Gray,  Cat.  Mamm.  &  B.  Nep. 
Hodgson,  p.  65  (1846,  nee  Linn.). 

Phylloscopus  javanicus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xiii.  p.  393 
(1844,  nee  Horsfield)  :  Blyth,  Cat.  B.  Mus.  A.  S.  Beng.  p.  185 
(1849,  nee  Horsfield) . 

Sylvia  javanic a,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  of  B.  i.  p.  174  (1848, 
nee  Horsfield). 

Phyllopneuste  javanica,  Bonap.  Consp.  Av.  p.  290  (1850, 
nee  Horsfield) . 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale  at  base. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  olive-green. 

Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of 

each  feather  margined  with  olive-green.     Superciliary 

streak  yellowish  white. 
Head  darker  colour  than  the  back. 
Underparts  pale  greyish  yellow,  greyest  on  the  breast  and 

flanks.       Axillaries,    wing-lining,    and    thighs    greyish 

yellow. 


78  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Third  a  shade  shorter. 
Sixth  a  shade  shorter  than  the  third.  Seventh  and  eighth 
each  considerably  shorter  than  the  preceding.  Second 
about  equal  to  the  eighth. 

Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "G  to  '7. 

First  wing-bar  distinct.     Rudiments  of  upper  bar. 

Length  of  wing— male  2-83  to  2-5,  female  2-25  to  2-23. 

Length  of  tail— male  2-3  to  2-1,  female  2-1  to  1-9. 

Legs  and  claws  albescent  plumbeous  (Blyth) . 

This  bird  appears  to  be  strictly  an  Indian  species,  breeding 
in  Cashmere  {Brooks,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  26).  Mr.  Brooks  informs 
me  that  it  is  found  in  the  north-west  provinces  of  India  only  on 
migration.  In  winter  it  is  found  sparingly  near  Calcutta  and 
Lower  Bengal,  and  is  generally  distributed  over  Western, 
Central,  and  Southern  India  as  far  south  as  Ceylon  [Legge, 
Ibis,  1874,  p.  73).  Blyth  says  (J.  A.  S.  Beng.  1854,  p.  483), 
that  it  has  been  seen  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Bay  of 
Bengal  as  far  as  Clmsan  ;  and  in  Lord  Tweed dale^s  collection 
is  a  skin  from  the  S.  Andaman  Islands  {Wardlaw  Ramsay). 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

8.  Phylloscopus  lugubhis,  Blyth. 

PhijUoscopus  lugubris,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  968 
(1843)  ;  Blyth,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  xii.  p.  98  (1843) ;  Blyth,  J. 
A.  S.  Beng.  xiv.  p.  591  (1845)  ;  Blyth,  Cat.  B.  Mus.  A.  S. 
Beng.  p.  185  (1849) ;  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  192  (1863). 

Regulus  lugubris,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848). 

Abrornis  lugubris,  Bonap.  Consp.  Av.  p.  290  (1850). 

Abrornis  xanthogaster ,  Hodgson,  Gray's  Zool.  Misc.  p.  82 
(1844) ;  J.  E.  Gray,  Cat.  Mamm.  &  B.  Nep.  Hodgson,  p.  66 
(1846). 

Phijllopneuste  flaveolus,  G.  R.  Gray,  App.  Cat.  B.  Nep. 
p.  152  (1846). 

Regulus  flaveolus,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  B.  i.  p.  175  (1818). 

Abrornis  flaveolus,  Bonap,  Consp.  Av.  p.  290  (1850). 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale  at  the  base. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  olive-green. 
Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of 
each  feather  margined  with  olive-green.  Superciliary 
streak  yellowish  white. 


or  TVillow-TVarblers.  79 

Head  rather  darker  colour  than  the  back. 

Underparts   pale   greyish  yellow,  greyest  on  the  breast  and 

flanks.       Axillaries,    wing-lining,    and    thighs    greyish 

yellow. 
Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Third  and  sixth  a  shade 

shorter.     Seventh  considerably  shorter.     Second  primary 

considerably  shorter  than  the  eighth,  equal  to  about  the 

tenth. 
Bastard  primary  very  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  '7 

to  -8. 
First  bar  across  the  wings  distinct.     Sometimes  rudiments  of 

an  upper  bar. 
Length  of  wing — male  2*6  to  2"4,  female  2*4  to  2"25. 
Length  of  tail— male  2'35  to  2-0,  female  2-0  to  1-85. 
Legs  pale  greenish  dusky  [Blyth) . 

This  species  is  quite  eastern  in  its  range,  wintering  on  both 
coasts  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  It  probably  breeds  in  the  East- 
ern Himalayas.  Mr.  Brooks  informs  me  that  it  is  common 
at  Sikkim,  but  is  not  found  in  the  north-west  provinces. 
Blyth  (J.  A.  S.  Beng,  xii.  p.  968)  says  that  it  is  common  in 
Lower  Bengal  during  the  cold  season,  and  more  or  less  so 
over  the  country  generally.  In  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection 
are  skins  from  Assam  and  Pegu  [Wardlaw  Ramsay).  Hume 
records  it  from  the  Tenasserim  Provinces  (Stray  Feathers,  ii. 
p.  478),  and  Dr.  Steere  has  recently  obtained  a  skin  in  the 
Philippines. 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

This  bird  and  the  preceding  are  much  darker  than  the 
nearly  allied  species,  and  are  distinguishable  from  each  other 
by  their  different  wing-formulse ;  their  notes  are  said  to  be 
unlike ;  and  they  vary  somewhat  in  their  geographical  range ; 
otherwise  they  seem  to  be  very  closely  allied. 

9.  Phylloscopus  cokonatus  (Temm.). 
Ficedula  coronata,  Temm.  &  Schl.  Fauna  Jap.  Aves,  p.  48, 
t.  18  (1847). 

Phyllopneuste  coronata,  Bp.  Consp.  Av.  i.  p.  290  (1850). 
Phylloscopus  coronatus,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1863,  p.  93. 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  very  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over_,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with   yellowish  green.      Wiiigs  and  tail  greyish 


80  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  yellowish  green.  Superciliary  streak, 
extending  to  the  nape. 

Head  darker  colour  than  the  back,  with  a  distinct  pale  mesial 
line. 

Underparts  nearly  white,  slightly  dashed  with  yellow  and 
grey  on  the  breast  and  flanks.  Axillaries,  wing-lining, 
and  thighs  pale  yellow.     Under  tail-coverts  pale  yellow. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  a  shade  shorter. 
Sixth  considerably  shorter.  Second  a  shade  shorter  than 
the  sixth.     Seventh  considerably  shorter  than  the  second. 

Bastard  primary  small,  the  exposed  part  about  "5  to  "55. 

First  wing-bar  distinct.     Second  sometimes  wanting. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"55  to  2*4,  female  2*4  to  2'25. 

Length  of  tail — male  2  to  r9,  female  r9  to  1"8. 

Legs  and  claws  light  brown. 

This  species  seems  to  be  the  most  easterly  in  its  range  of 
any  of  the  genus.  It  is  common  in  summer  in  Japan  [Capt. 
Blakiston,  Ibis,  1862,  p.  317;  Whitely,  Ibis,  1867,  p.  197). 
On  the  continent  it  has  been  found  near  the  river  Ussuri, 
lat.  48°  (in  Mus.  von  Homeyer).  Swinhoe  obtained  it  in 
North  China  from  Peking  (Ibis,  1863,  p.  93)  probably  on 
migration.  He  also  found  it  during  the  spring  migration  at 
Amoy  (Ibis,  1860,  p.  54),  and  again  on  the  Island  of  Formosa 
(Ibis,  1863,  p.  307),  also  probably  during  migration.  In 
winter  this  species  has  been  obtained  in  Java  (in  Stockholm 
Mus.  fide  Meves)  and  at  Malacca  {Maingay  in  Mus.  Lord 
Tweeddale. 

I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  any  information  respecting 
the  nidification  of  this  bird. 

This  species  is  easily  distinguishable  from  any  of  its  near 
allies  by  its  comparatively  long  second  primary,  and  by  the 
yellowness  of  the  under  tail-coverts  compared  with  the  rest 
of  the  underparts. 

10.  Phylloscopus  occipitalis  (Jerdon). 

Phyllopneuste  occipitalis,  Jerdon,  reference  unknown. 

Phylloscopus  occipitalis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xiv.  p.  593 
(1845). 

Reguloides  occipitalis,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  196 
(1863). 


or  Willow-Warblers.  81 

Abrornis  occipitalis,  Gray,  Hand-list  B.  i.  p.  217.  no.  3085 

(1869). 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  light  yel- 
lowish green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the 
outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with  light 
yellowish  green.     Superciliary  streak  pale  yellow. 

Head  darker-coloured  than  the  Ijack,  with  a  distinct  pale 
mesial  line. 

Underparts  nearly  white,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
breast  and  flanks,  with  yellow  and  grey.  Axillaries  and 
wing-lining  pale  yellow. 

Third,  fourth,  and  hfth  primaries  longest.  Sixth  rather 
shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 
than  the  preceding.  Second  primary  intermediate  in 
length  between  the  seventh  and  eighth. 

Exposed  part  of  bastard  primary  measures  '55  to  "7. 

First  wing- bar  rather  indistinct.     No  upper  bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2'65  to  2"45,  female  2*45  to  2"3, 

Length  of  tail — male  2'15  to  2*0,  female  2*0  to  1*9. 

Legs  and  claws  light  brown. 

This  species  appears  to  have  an  extremely  limited  range, 
breeding  in  the  North-west  Himalayas,  crossing  the  plains  of 
India  on  migration,  and  wintering  in  Southern  India. 

Brooks  found  it  abundant  in  Cashmere  (Ibis,  1872,  p.  29), 
and  says  that  it  also  breeds  at  Rogee  and  Chenee  (Ibis,  1869, 
p.  457).  Its  eggs  have  also  been  taken  at  Murree  (Stray 
Feathers,  1873,  p,  355).  Blyth  says  that  it  is  found  in  South 
India  in  the  cold  season  (J.  A.  S.  Beng.  1854,  p.  483). 

Brooks  describes  the  nest  of  this  species  as  not  domed,  but 
placed  in  a  hole  under  the  roots  of  a  large  tree  on  some  steep 
bank-side — a  loosely  formed  structure  lined  with  fine  grass, 
a  little  wool,  and  a  few  hairs.     Eggs  pure  white. 

11.  Phylloscopus  trochiloides  (Sundevall). 

Phyllopneuste  reguloides,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xi.  p.  191 
(1842) . 

Phylloscopus  reguloides,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  963 
(1843). 

Acanthiza  trochiloides,  Sundevall,  Ann,  Nat.  Hist,  xviii. 
p.  252(1846). 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  G 


83  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

Regulus  trochiloides,  G.  R.  Gray^  Gen.  B,  i.  p.  175  (1848). 
Reguloides  trochiloides,  Blyth^  Cat.  B.  Mus.  A.  S.  Beng. 
p.  184  (1849). 

Abrornis  trochiloides,  Bonap.  C.  G.  Av.  p.  290  (1850) . 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  yellowish 
green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown^  wdth  the  outside 
edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with  yellowish 
green.     Superciliary  streak  pale  yellow. 

Head  darker-coloured  than  the  back,  with  a  distinct  pale 
mesial  line. 

Underparts  nearly  white^,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
breast  and  flanks,  with  yellow  and  grey.  Axillaries  and 
wing-lining  pale  yellow. 

Third,  fourth,  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Sixth  rather 
shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 
than  the  preceding.  Second  primary  intermediate  in 
length  between  the  seventh  and  the  eighth. 

Exposed  part  of  bastard  primary  measures  "55  to  '65. 

First  wdng-bar  very  distinct.     Upper  bar  less  distinct. 

Length  of  wing — male  2'6  to  2'45,  female  2'45  to  2'25. 

Length  of  tail — male  2-15  to  2*0,  female  2'0  to  1'9. 

Legs  and  claws  light  brown. 

This  species  appears  to  have  a  very  limited  range.  It  is 
supposed  to  breed  in  the  alpine  districts  of  the  South-east 
Himalayas,  and  to  winter  on  the  north  and  east  shores  of  the 
Bay  of  Bengal. 

It  is  common  in  the  breeding-seasn  at  Rogee  and  Chenee 
(Ibis,  1869,  p.  458).  Capt.  Beavan  found  it  at  Darjeeling 
(Ibis,  1868,  p.  73) .  Blyth  says  that  it  visits  LoAver  Bengal  in 
some  abundance  during  the  cold  season  (J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xxiii. 
p.  488)  ;  and  Hume  includes  it  in  the  list  of  birds  from  the 
Tenasserim  provinces  (Stray  Feathers,  ii.  p.  478). 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

This  species  apparently  difi'ers  from  the  preceding  only  in 
being  of  a  darker  colour  on  the  upper  parts,  wdth  a  more  or 
less  distinct  upper  bar  across  the  w'ing,  which  is  wanting  in  its 
near  ally. 

12.  Phylloscopus  viridipennis,  Blyth. 
Phylloscopus  viridipennis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xxiv.  p.  275 
(1856). 


or  Willow -Warblers.  88 

Reguloides  viridipennis,  Jerdon,  B.  of  Indian  ii.  p.  198 
(1863). 

Bill  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  yellowisli  olive-green.     Wings  and  tail  greyish 

brown^  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 

margined  with  yellowish    green.       Superciliary  streak 

pale  yellow. 
Head  darker-coloured  than  the  back^  with  a  pale  mesial  line. 
Underparts  yellowish  white^  greyer  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 

Axillaries  and  wing-lining  bright  yellow. 
Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Third  and  sixth  rather 

shorter.     Seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  each  considerably 

shorter   than   the   preceding.       Second  primary  about 

equal  to  the  ninth. 
Exposed  part  of  bastard  primary  "5  to  *65. 
Two  distinct  wing-bars. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*4  to  2' 25,  female  2*25  to  2"1. 
Length  of  tail — male  1'9  to  I'S,  female  1'8  to  1"7. 
Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  has  been  supposed  to  breed  in  Cashmere  and 
the  Western  Himalayas,  to  cross  the  plains  of  India  on  mi- 
gration, and  to  winter  in  Central  India.  Scully  found  it 
common  in  August  about  halfway  between  Leh  (Ladak)  and 
Yarkand  (Stray  Feathers,  1876,  p.  149) .  Mr.  Brooks  in- 
forms me  that  it  is  frequent  in  Cashmere,  and  that  it  has 
been  found  as  far  east  as  Darjeeling.  In  Lord  Tweeddale's  col- 
lection are  skins  from  the  Garo  Hills  [Godwin- Austen) ;  and 
Hume  includes  it  in  his  list  of  birds  from  the  Tenasserim 
provinces  (Stray  Feathers,  1874,  p.  479). 

The  eggs  and  nest  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

13.  Phylloscopus  presbytis  (Miiller). 

Sylvia  presbytis,  Miill.  in  Leyden  Museum,  reference  un- 
known. 

Phyllopseuste  presbytis,  G.  R.  Gray,  Hand-list  of  Birds,  i. 
p.  216.  no.  3062  (1869). 

Sylvia  presbytis,  Blyth,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  169. 

Geryffone  superciliosa,  Wallace,  P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  491   (nee 

Gmelin) . 

Bill  rather  large,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all'  over  with  yellowish 


84  .Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

green.     Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown^  with  the  outside 

edge  of  each  feather  margined  with  yellowish  green. 

Inner  web  of  three  outer  tail-feathers  on  each  side  white. 
Head  rather  darker  than  the  baek^  with  an  indistinct  pale 

mesial  line. 
Underparts^  axillaries,  and  wing-lining  greyish  yellow,  paler 

on  the  throat. 
Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Sixth  and  seventh  rather 

shorter.     Third  primary  equal  to  the  seventh.     Second 

primary  equal  to  the  eleventh  or  twelfth. 
Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "55. 
First  bar  rather  indistinct,  sometimes  altogether  abraded. 

No  upper  bar. 
Length  of  wing  2'15. 
Length  of  tail  \'7 . 
Legs  and  claws  lead-colour  {Wallace). 

This  species  has  hitherto  only  been  found  on  the  island  of 
Timor.  There  are  two  skins  in  the  British  Museum,  the 
types  of  Gerygone  superciliosa  of  Wallace,  and  a  third  skin 
labelled  ^'  Sylvia  {Phyllopneuste)  presbytis,  Timor,  Wallace." 
I  cannot  detect  any  difference  between  these  birds  and  those, 
collected  by  Midler,  in  the  Leyden  Museum. 

14.  Phylloscopus  schwarzi  (Radde) . 
Sylvia  {Phyllopneuste)  schwarzi,  Radde,  Reisen  im  Siid. 
v.  Ost-Sibir.  ii.  p.  260  (1863). 

Phylloscopus  brooksi,  Hume,  Stray  Feath.  ii.  p.  505  (1874). 

Bill  stout,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown.     Wings  and  tail  same  colour. 

Superciliary  streak  huffish  white. 
Head  same  colour  as  the  back. 
Underparts   huffish  white.      Axillaries,  wing-lining,   breast, 

flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts  buff. 
Fourth  and  fifth  jjrimaries  longest.     Third  and  sixth  rather 

shorter.     Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 

than  the  preceding.     Second  primary  equal  to  the  eighth. 
Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "8. 
No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing  2*5  to  2*45. 
Length  of  tail  2-25  to  2-05. 
Legs  and  feet  light  brown. 

But  little  is  known  of  the  geographical  distribution  of  this 
species.     Homeyer  and  Dresser  both  possess  skins  obtained 


or  Willow-Warblers.  85 

by  Dr.  Dybowski  near  Lake  Baical ;  Homeyer  has  one  skin 
from  Tura;  and  Eadde  found  it  at  Tarei-nor,  in  lat.  56°, 
and  in  the  Bureja  mountains,  in  lat.  58°.  In  winter  it  has  been 
obtained  near  Pahpoon  in  India  {Davison,  Stray  Feathers, 
1874,  p.  505). 

This  species  is  nearest  allied  to  P.  fuscatus,  but  differs 
from  that  bird  in  the  shape  of  the  bill,  which  is  of  about  the 
same  length  and  width  at  the  base,  but  much  stouter  and 
blunter  at  the  point,  having  a  profile  quite  Finch-like  in  com- 
parison with  the  slender  Phylloscopine  type. 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 

15.  Phylloscopus  fuscatus,  Blyth. 

Phylloscojms  fuscatus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xi.  p.  113 
(1842) ;  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  191  (1863). 

Phyllopneuste  fuscatus,  Homeyer,  Cab.  Jour.  f.  Orn.  1872, 
p.  202. 

Phylloscopus  brunneus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xiv.  p.  591 
(1845). 

Sylvia  [Phtjllopneuste)  siberica,  Middendorff,  Sib.  Reise, 
p.  180  (1851) ;  Radde,  Reisen  im  Siid.  von  Ost-Sibir.  ii.  p.  260 
(1863). 

Abrornis  armandi,  Milne-Edwards,  N.  Arch.  Mus.  i.  p.  22 
(1865). 

Oreopneuste  davidii,  Swinhoe,  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  355. 

Phyllopneuste  maacki,  Tristram,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  110  (nee 
Schrenck) . 

Obs.  Phyllopneuste  maacki  (Schrenck)  is  an  Acrocephalus 
or,  more  probably,  a  Hypolais. 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale  at  the  base. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown.     Wings  and  tail  same  colour. 

Superciliary  stripe  huffish  white. 
Head  same  colour  as  the  back. 
Underparts  huffish  white.      Axillaries,   wing-lining,   breast, 

flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts  buff. 
Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Third  and  sixth  a  shade 

shorter.     Seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  each  considerably 

shorter  than  the  preceding.     Second  primary  equal  to 

the  ninth  or  tenth. 
Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measiiring  '7  to  '8. 


86  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Pliylloscopi 

No  wiug-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*55  to  2-3,  female  2'35  to  2*15. 
Length  of  tail— male  2-4  to  2-2,  female  2*2  to  2-0. 
Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  is  more  northerly  in  its  range  than  many  others 
of  the  genus.  It  breeds  in  the  subalpine  districts  of  Lake 
Baical  (skins  collected  by  Dr.  Dybowski  in  this  district  are 
common  in  collections).  It  passes  through  S.E.  Mongolia 
{Prjevahhj,  Mong.  and  the  Tangut  Country,  ii.  p.  36)  and 
North  China  on  migration  {Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1861,  p.  330),  and 
is  common  during  the  winter  months  at  Amoy  [Swinhoe, 
Ibis,  1860,  p.  53),  Formosa  and  Japan  {Blijth,  Ibis,  1867, 
p.  25).  Jerdon  (Birds  of  I.  ii.  p.  191)  says  that  it  is  not 
found  in  South  India;  but  in  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection  are 
skins  from  Assam  {Goclivin- Austen) ,  Burmah,  and  Calcutta. 

This  species  is  said  to  lay  pure  white  eggs. 

16.  Phylloscopus  umbrovirens  (Eiipp.). 

Ficedula  umbrovirens,  Biipp.  Neu.  Wirb.  p.  112  (1835) ; 
idem,  Syst.  Uebers.  no.  148  (1845). 

Pliyllojmeuste  umbrovirens,  Heugl.  Orn.  N.O.-Afr.  p.  301 
(1869). 

Pliylloscopus  umbrovirens,  Blanford,  Geol.  &  Zool.  of  Abyss, 
p.  378  (1870) . 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown, 
with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined 
with  bright  green.     Superciliary  stripe  buff. 

Head  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  bvjf,  slightly  yellow  on  the  axillarics  and  wing- 
lining. 

Sixth  primary  longest.  Fourth  and  fifth  a  shade  shorter. 
Third  rather  shorter  still.  Seventh  and  eighth  each 
considerably  shorter.  Second  primary  equal  to  the 
eleventh  or  twelfth. 

Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "65  to  '7. 

No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing  2'2. 

Length  of  tail  1-75. 

Legs  and  claws  dark  brown. 

The  only  two  skins  of  this  species  which  I  have  seen  are 


or  Willow- Warblers.  87 

from  Senafe^  Abyssinia.  One  is  in  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collec- 
tion^  and  the  other  in  the  British  Museum.  They  were  ob- 
tained at  an  elevation  of  7500  feet. 

Nothing-  whatever  is  known  of  the  migration  or  nidification 
of  this  species. 

17.  Phylloscopus  indicus  ( Jerdon) . 

Sylvia  indica,  Jerdon,  Madras  Journ.  xi.  p.  6  (1840). 

P/iylloscojMS  indicus,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  194  (1863). 

Phylloscopus  griseolus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xvi.  p.  443 
(1847). 

Ficedula  obscura,  Severtzoflf,  Fauna  of  Turkestan,  pp.  65, 
124  (1873)— see  Ibis,  1876,  p.  82. 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  without  any  tinge  of  green. 
Wings  and  tail  the  same  colour.  Superciliary  streak 
greyish  yelloio,  sharply  defined,  and  extending  to  the 
nape. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  huffish  yellow,  darkest  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 
Axillaries  and  wdng-lining  buff. 

Third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  primaries  longest.  Seventh, 
eighth,  and  ninth  each  considerably  shorter  than  the 
preceding.     Second  equal  to  the  ninth  or  tenth. 

Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  '75  to  -8. 

No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*6  to  2*5,  female  2*25. 

Length  of  tail — male  2-05,  female  2'0. 

Legs  and  claws  albescent  plumbeous  [Blyth) . 

This  is  one  of  the  rarer  species  of  the  genus,  and  one  having 
apparently  a  very  restricted  range.  It  probably  breeds  in 
the  alpine  districts  of  the  Himalayas,  in  the  north-east  of 
India,  migrating  to  the  north-west  provinces  in  the  cooler 
weather.  Brooks  (Ibis,  1869,  p.  56)  says  that  it  is  frequently 
seen  at  Almorah,  and  mentions  (Ibis,  1872,  p.  31)  great  num- 
bers ascending  the  hills  towards  Simla  about  the  end  of  April. 
Jerdon  (Birds  of  I.  ii.  p.  195)  says  that  it  winters  in  Central 
India. 

The  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  are  unknown. 


88  y\.v.  11.  Socbohui  on  tfw  IMiyllosoopi 

18.  rnVLLOSCOFUS  FULIGIXn'EXTRlS   (IloclgSOu). 

Hor onus  fidigi venter,  Ilodgsou,  P.  Z.  S.  1845,  p.  31;  idem, 
Aun.  Nat.  Hist.  xvi.  p.  201  (18-17). 

Horornis  fulhjlventr'is,  J.  E.  G\\\x,  Cat.  M.  &:  B.  of  Nop. 
Hodgson,  p.  (vt  (18I(;V 

ReguJus  fidtifinoventris,  Ir.  K.  Cray,  Gcu.  of  B.  i.  p.  175 
(18-18). 

Horornis fuliginiventriii.  Bp.  Cousp.  (J.  Av.  p.  Xl90  (1850). 

PhiiUoscopus  fuHginiventrls,  Blanford,  J.  A.  S.  Beug.  187.2, 
pt.  ii.  p.  54. 

Horornis  fuliginivcntcr,  IVlytli,  Ibis,  1807,  p.  .*-21. 

J5/7/  slender,  under  mandiblo  dark. 

Vpper  parts  sepia-brown,  dashed  all  over  with  dirty  buft'- 
green.  AVings  and  tail  sepia-brown,  with  tlie  outside 
edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with  dirty  butf- 
green.     Sapereiliary  streak  dirty  butt-yellow. 

Head  same  colour  as  the  baek. 

Underparts,  axillaries,  wing-litiiug,  and  thighs  dirty  bnff- 
yellow. 

Fourth  and  tifth  primaries  longest.  Third  a  shade  less.  Sixth 
a  shade  less  than  third.  Seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  eaeh 
rather  less  than  the  preceding.  Second  primary  equal 
to  about  the  teuth. 

Bastiu'd  primary  lai'ge,  the  exposed  part  measiuiug  '7. 

Ko  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing  .O'.O  to  '2'\. 

Length  of  tail  1*8  to  r75. 

Leg's  ai\d  claws  brown. 

This  species  frequents  the  hills  of  Nepal  and  Sikkim. 
Nothing  is  known  respecting  its  niditication. 

19.  Phylloscopvs  sibilatkix  (Bechstein'^. 

MotaeiUa  sihdatrix,  Bechst.  Naturforscher,  xxvii.  p.  47 
(1793). 

Js'dus  sibilatrij\  Bechst.  Orn.  Tasehenb,  p.  176  (180.'2). 

Si/iria  sib'datri.v,  Bechst.  Naturg.  Deutschl.  iii.  p.  561 
(1807). 

Fieedida  sibilatrLr,  Koch.  Baier.  Zool.  i.  p.  159  (1816). 

Citrruea  sib'dafrix,  Flem.  Brit.  Anim,  p.  70  (IS^^S^i. 

P/it/Uopneuste  sibilatrix,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Yog.  Deutschl.  p.  425 
0831). 


or  Willow-Warblers.  89 

Sylvicola  sibilatrix,  Eyton^  Cat.  Brit.  B.  p.  14  (1836). 
Phylloscopus  sibilatrix,  Newton^  in  Yarr.  Brit.  B.  ed.  4.  i. 
p.  427  (1873). 

Sylvia  sylvicola,  Mont.  Trans.  Linn.  Soc.  iv.  p.  35  (1798). 
Phyllopneuste  sylvicola,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  426 
(1831). 

Trochilus  major,  Forst.  Synopt.  Cat.  p.  14  (1817). 
Phyllopneuste  megarhynchos,  C.  L.  Brelim.  Vog.  Deutschl. 
p.  525  (1831). 

Sylvia  sibilans,  Blyth,  in  White's  Nat.    Hist.   Selbornc, 
p.  26,  footnote  (1858). 
Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  olive-green,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with  yellow.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with 
the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with 
greenish  yellow.  Tertiaries  edged  with  yellowish  white. 
Primaries  dipped  with  dirty  white.  Superciliary  streak 
greenish  yellow. 
Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  dashed  all  over  on  the  throat,  and  slightly 
on  the  breast  and  flanks,  with  yellow.     Axillaries,  wing- 
lining,  and  thighs  yellow. 
Third  primary  longest.     Second  sometimes  longer,  sometimes 
shorter  than  the  fourth,  always  much  longer  than  the  fifth. 
Bastard  primary  very  small,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "3 

to  -4. 
No  wing-bar,  but  wing-coverts  edged,  not  tipped,  with  yel- 
lowish green. 
Length  of  wing — male  2'8  to  3*1,  female  2*9  to  3"0. 
Length  of  tail — male  2'0  to  2'25,  female  1*85  to  1"95. 
Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  breeds  in  Central  Europe,  is  very  rare  in  Ire- 
land, common  in  England,  and  is  found  in  Scotland  as  far 
north  as  Inverness.  It  is  not  found  in  Norway,  but  has  been 
seen  in  Sweden  as  far  north  as  Stockholm  and  Upsala.  Harvie 
Brown  and  Alston  found  it  at  Archangel ;  and  it  has  been  met 
with  in  the  Ural  as  far  north  as  Bogoslofisk  (see  Dresser^'s 
'Birds  of  Europe').  It  breeds  near  Gibraltar  [Irby,  Ibis, 
1872,  p.  200)  and  in  Sardinia  {Brooke,  Ibis,  1873,  p.  243), 
but  passes  Malta  only  on  migration  {Wright,  Ibis,  1864,  p.  70). 
It  breeds  in  Transylvania  {Danford  and  Harvie  Brown,  Ibis, 


90  Mr.  H.  Seebolim  on  the  Phylloscopi 

1875^  p.  308) ;  but  in  Greece  and  Asia  Minor  it  is  only  found 
on  migration^  as  is  also  the  case  in  Palestine  {Tristram,  Ibis, 
1867j  p.  83) .  It  winters  in  North  Africa,  having  been  found 
to  the  east  as  far  south  as  Abyssinia,  and  to  the  west  as  far 
south  as  the  Gold  Coast  [Dresser,  Birds  of  Europe) .  The 
most  easterly  locality  recorded  of  this  bird  is  Lankoran,  on 
the  south-western  shore  of  the  Caspian  [Blmiford,  Eastern 
Persia,  ii.  p.  183) . 

This  species  builds  a  semi-domed  nest,  lined  with  dried 
grass  and  hair,  on  or  near  the  ground.  The  eggs  are  white, 
profusely  spotted  with  dark  purple. 

20.  Phylloscopus  trochilus  (Linnaeus) . 

Ficedula  asilus,  Briss.  Orn.  iii.  p.  479  (1760). 

Motacilla  trochilus,  Linn.  Syst.  Nat.  i.  338  (1766). 

Sylvia  trochilus.  Scop.  Ann.  I.  Hist.  Nat.  no.  238,  p.  160 
(1769). 

Sylvia  trochilus,  Boie,  Isis,  1822,  p.  552. 

Phylloscopus  trochilus,  Boie,  Isis,  1826,  p.  972. 

Regulus  trochilus,  Flem.  Brit.  Anim.  p.  72  (1828). 

Phyllopneuste  trochilus,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  429 
(1831). 

Sylvicola  trochilus,  Eyton,  Cat.  Brit.  B.  p.  13  (1836). 

Ficedula  trochilus.  Keys.  &  Bias.  Wirbelth.  Eur.  p.  56 
(1840). 

Motacilla  fitis,  Bechstein,  Gem.  Nat.  Deutschl.  iv.  p.  678 
(1795). 

Sylvia  fitis,  Bechstein,  Orn.  Taschenb.  i.  p.  187  (1802). 

Ficedula  fitis,  Koch,  Baier.  Zool.  i.  p.  159  (1816). 

Phyllopneuste  fitis,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  427 
(1831). 

Trochilus  medius,  Forst.  Synopt.  Cat.  p.  15  (1817). 

Phyllopneuste  arborea,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  427 
(1831). 

Phylloscopus  acredula,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  428 
(1831). 

Sylvia  melodia,  Blyth,  Rennie's  Field  Nat.  i.  p.  425(1833). 
Bill  slender,  under  mandible  dark. 


or  Willoiv- Warblers.  91 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  yellowish 
green,  especially  on  the  rump.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  margined 
with  yellowish  green.  Primaries  tipped  with  dirty  white. 
Superciliary  streak  greenish  yellow. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  dashed  all  over  with  yellow.  Breast  and 
flanks  tinged  with  buff. 

Third  primary  longest.  Fourth  a  shade  shorter.  Fifth  rather 
shorter.  Sixth  considerably  shorter  than  the  preceding. 
Second  primary  intermediate  in  length  between  the  fifth 
and  sixth. 

Bastard  primary  medium,  the  exposed  part  measuring — males 
average  '6,  females  average  'S.  In  rare  instances  males 
measure  "63,  and  as  small  as  •48.  In  rare  instances 
females  measure  'Q,  and  as  small  as  "SS. 

No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2'83  to  2*65,  females  2"65  to  2*45. 

Length  of  tail — male  2"3  to  2"1,  female  2'1  to  I'SS. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  breeds  in  Northern  and  Central  Europe,  and 
winters  in  South-eastern  Europe,  Asia  Minor,  Persia,  and 
Africa. 

I  found  it  common  in  Norway  up  to  the  North  Cape,  and  in 
North-east  Russia  to  the  mouth  of  the  Petchora.  Col.  Irby 
says  that  it  breeds  near  Gibraltar  (Ibis,  1872,  p.  200).  It 
breeds  in  Transylvania  [Dmiford  and  Harvie  Brown,  Ibis,  1 875, 
p.  308) ;  but  Dr.  Kriiper  informs  me  that  it  is  only  found  in 
Greece  and  Asia  Minor  in  winter.  Its  extreme  eastern  range 
appears  to  be  about  long.  60°  W.  Its  reported  occurrence  in 
India  seems  in  every  instance  to  have  been  an  error ;  but  it 
occasionally  winters  in  North-central  and  South-eastern 
Persia  {Blanford,  Eastern  Persia,  ii.  p.  180).  Capt.  Shelley 
says  that  it  winters  in  Egypt  and  Nubia  (Ibis,  1871,  p.  135). 
Tristram  says  that  it  is  abundant  in  the  oases  of  North  Africa 
in  winter  (Ibis,  1859,  p.  418).  In  the  Strickland  collection 
at  Cambridge  is  a  skin  from  Kordofan,  in  Abyssinia ;  and  in 
the  British  Museum  are  skins  from  the  river  Gambia,  Damara 
Land  (Andersson),  Cape-town  [Layard],  and  Natal  [An- 
dersson) . 

This  species  builds  a  semi-domed  nest,  profusely  lined  with 


92  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

feathers,  on  or  near  the  ground,  and  lays  white  eggs,  spotted 
with  pale  red. 

In  extreme  summer  plumage  in  high  latitudes  every  trace 
of  yellow  and  green  disappears,  except  a  faint  dash  on  the 
axillaries,  wing-lining,  and  thighs ;  but  birds  in  this  plumage 
are  very  rare,  and  all  the  specimens  of  it  I  have  seen  were  ob- 
tained within  the  arctic  circle.  In  autumn  birds  of  the  year 
have  the  whole  underparts  deep  huffish  yellow. 

21.  Phylloscopus  gaetkei,  sp.  nov. 

Phyllopneuste  major,  Tristram,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  p.  29 
(1871,  nee  Forster). 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  darkish. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown. 
Superciliary  streak  dirty  white. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  slightly  tinged  with  huffish  yellow  on  the 
breast  and  flanks. 

Third  or  fourth  primary  longest  and  nearly  equal.  Fifth 
rather  shorter.  Sixth  considerably  shorter  than  the 
preceding.  Second  'prhnarii  intermediate  in  length  be- 
tween the  sixth  and  seventh. 

Bastard  primary  medium,  the  exposed  part  measuring — male 
•5,  female  '4, 

No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*53,  female  2"5. 

Length  of  tail — male  2*1,  female  2'05. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

In  the  'Annals  of  Nat.  Hist.'  for  July  1871,  Tristram  de- 
scribes a  Phylloscopus  from  the  south  Mediterranean  coast 
under  the  name  of  Phyllopneuste  major.  It  is  nearest  allied 
to  P.  trochilus,  but  differs  from  that  species  in  having  a  shorter 
second  primary,  which  is  intermediate  in  length  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh,  instead  of  between  the  fifth  and  sixth.  This 
seems  a  very  slight  difference  upon  which  to  establish  a  species. 
In  the  very  nearly  allied  P.  coUybita  the  second  primary  seems 
to  be  indifferently  intermediate  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
or  the  seventh  and  eighth.  Tristram  appears  to  have  felt  the 
injustice  of  dividing  one  species  on  this  ground  without  serv- 
ing the  other  in  the  same  way.     In  order  to  be  impartial  he 


or  Willow -Warblers.  93 

accordingly  splits  P.  colly bita  (then  generally  called  rufus)  into 
P.  rufus  and  P.  brevirostris.  I  have  repeatedly  shot  both  forms 
of  P.  collybita,  and  have  no  doubt  of  their  identity^  being  unable 
to  detect  any  diiierence  in  their  notes  or  habits.  With  P. 
trochilus,  however,  the  case  is  different.  So  far  as  my  ex- 
perience goes  (and  I  have  examined  some  hundreds  of  skins), 
the  second  primary  in  this  species  is  constantly  intermediate 
between  the  fifth  and  sixth.  When  I  was  in  the  valley  of  the 
Petchora  in  1875,  just  before  we  entered  the  delta  of  that 
great  river,  I  heard  the  note  of  a  small  Warbler  resembling 
the  sound  tzzzk,  not  unlike  the  spitting  of  a  cat.  Feeling 
perfectly  convinced  that  it  proceeded  from  a  bird  with  which 
I  was  unacquainted,  I  chased  it  on  the  banks  of  the  Petchora, 
heard  it  repeatedly  utter  its  extraordinary  note,  and  finally  shot 
it.  It  tm-ned  out  to  be  a  female  of  a  species  nearly  allied  to  P. 
trochilus,  but  with  the  second  primary  intermediate  in  length 
between  the  sixth  and  seventh.  The  bastard  primary  Avas 
much  smaller  than  usual;  and  in  the  general  colour  of  the 
plumage  there  was  an  absence  of  the  usual  yellow  tinge  both 
above  and  below,  as  is  exceptionally  the  case  with  P.  trochilus 
in  extreme  summer  plumage  in  high  latitudes.  Not  liking 
to  make  a  new  species  on  somewhat  slender  grounds  from  a 
single  example,  I  did  not  describe  it  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  216). 
Turning  up  Tristram's  description  of  P.  major,  I  concluded 
my  bird  to  belong  to  it,  and  to  be  a  somewhat  doubtful 
species,  until  I  visited  Heligoland  last  autumn.  Gaetke  then 
pointed  out  to  me  in  the  collection  of  birds  in  his  studio  a 
"  Laubvogel "  much  greyer  on  the  back  and  whiter  under- 
neath than  P.  trochilus.  He  told  me  that  he  had  been,  at 
some  trouble  to  shoot  it  in  his  garden,  because  its  note  was 
so  different  from  that  of  P.  trochilus.  It  turned  out  to  be  a 
male.  The  length  of  wing  and  of  bastard  primary  agree  with 
those  of  P.  trochilus  female,  but  are  smaller  than  the  usual 
size  of  P.  trochilus  male.  The  second  primary  is  interme- 
diate in  length  between  the  sixth  and  seventh.  A  second 
example  having  thus  come  under  my  notice,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  Phylloscopus  major  of  Tristram  may  turn  out  to 
be  a  good  species  after  all ;  but  since  the  name  major  can- 


94  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

not  stand  (there  being  already  a  Trochilus  major  of  Forster, 
1817,  among  the  synonyms  of  P.  sibilatrix),  I  propose  to  call 
it  PhyUoscopus  gaetkei,  hoping  that  future  researches  may 
establish  its  right  to  be  considered  a  good  species  upon  a 
firmer  basis. 

22.  Phylloscopus  bonellii  (Vieillot) . 

Sylvia  bonelli,  Vieill.  Nouv.  Diet,  xxviii.  p.  91  (1819). 

Phyllopneuste  bonelli,  Bp.  Comp.  List,  p.  13  (1838). 

Flcedula  bonelli,  Keys.  &  Bias.  Wirbelth.  Eur.  p.  185  (1840). 

Sylvia  nattereri,  Temm.  Man.  d'Orn.  i.  p.  227  (1820)  ; 
Boie,  Isis,  1822,  p.  553. 

Curruca  platystoma,  Ehr.  Symb.  Phys.  fol.  ce  (1829). 

Phyllopneuste  montana,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  429 
(1831). 

Sylvia  prasinopyga,  Gloger,  Handb.  Vog.  Eur.  i.  p.  217 
(1834) . 

Sylvia  albicans,  Gloger,  tom.cit.  p.  217  (1834). 

Phyllopneuste  alpestris,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vogelfang,  p.  232 
(1855). 

Phyllopneuste  orientalis,  C.  L.  Brehm,  op.  cit.i^.  232  (1855). 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  olive-green,  dashed  all  over  with  pale  huffish 
yellow,  on  the  rump  with  sulphur-yellow.  Wings  and 
tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather 
broadly  margined  with  greenish  yellow.  Tertiaries  edged 
with  yellowish  white.  Primaries  tipped  with  dirty  white. 
Superciliary  streak  huffish  yellow. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  slightly  dashed  Avith  pale  buff-yellow  on 
the  throat,  and  with  yellow  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 
Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and  thighs  yellow. 

Third  and  fourth  primary  longest.  Fifth  rather  shorter. 
Sixth  considerably  shorter  than  fifth.  Second  primary 
between  the  fifth  and  seventh. 

Bastard  primary  medium,  the  exposed  part  measuring  -5  to  "6. 

No  wing-bar,  but  wing-coverts  edged,  not  tipped,  with  yel- 
lowish green. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*75  to  2*55,  female  2*5  to  2*3. 

Length  of  tail— male  2-2  to  2-05,  female  2-0  to  1-8. 

Legs  and  feet  light  brown. 


or  Willow -Warblers.  95 

This  species  does  not  range  further  north  in  Europe  than 
into  Northern  France,  but  breeds  throughout  Southern 
Europe,  wintering  in  Africa,  where  it  is  found  as  far  south 
as  Nubia  and  Senegal  [Dresser,  Birds  of  Europe) .  I  have 
seen  it  during  the  breeding-season  in  Greece  and  Asia  Minor. 
Tristram  found  it  in  summer  in  the  Jordan  valley  (Ibis,  1867, 
p.  83) .  Capt.  Shelley  found  it  in  summer  in  Egypt  and  Nubia 
(Ibis,  1871,  p.  135).  It  passes  Malta  on  migration  [Wright, 
Ibis,  1864,  p.  70) .  Tristram  says  that  it  is  abundant  in  the 
oases  of  North  Africa  in  winter  (Ibis,  1859,  p.  418) .  Col. 
Irby  says  that  it  breeds  near  Gibraltar  (Ibis,  1872,  p.  300)  ; 
and  accidental  visitors  are  obtained  in  autumn  on  Heligoland 
(Ibis,  1875,  p.  179). 

This  species  builds  a  semi-domed  nest  on  the  ground,  lined 
with  fine  grass.  The  eggs  are  white,  profusely  spotted  with 
dark  purple. 

23.  Phylloscopus  collybita  (Vieillot). 

Sylvia  rufa,  Bechstein,  Orn.  Taschenb.  i.  p.  188  (1802, 
nee  Bodd.). 

Ficedula  rufa,  Koch,  Baier.  Zool.  i.  p.  160  (1816,  nee  Bodd.). 

Phyllopneuste  rufa,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  433 
(1831,  nee  Bodd.). 

Trochilus  rufa,  Rennie,  Field  Nat.  i.  p.  52  (1833,  nee  Bodd.) . 

Sijlvicola  rufa,  Eyton,  Cat.  Brit.  B.  p.  14  (1836,  nee  Bodd.) . 

Sylvia  collybita,  Vieill.  Nouv.  Diet.  xi.  p.  235  (1817). 

Phylloscopus  collybita,  Newton,  in  Yarr.  Brit.  B.  ed.  4,  i. 
p.  437  (1873). 

Trochilus  ininor,  Forst.  Synopt.  Cat.  p.  14  (1817). 

Sylvia  abietina,  Nilss.  K.  Vet.  Ak.  Handl.  1819,  p.  115. 

Regulus  hippolais,  Flem.  Brit.  Auim.  p.  72  (1828). 

Sijlvia  hippolais,  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  131,  fig.  2  (1837). 

Phyllopneuste  sylvestris,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  431 
(1831). 

Phyllopneuste  solitaria,  C.  L.  Brehm,  Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  432 
(1831). 

Phyllopneuste pinetorum,  C.  L.  Brehm, Vog.  Deutschl.  p.  432 
(1831). 


96  Mr.  H.  Seebohra  on  the  Phylloscopi 

Sylvia  loquax,  Herbert,  White's  Hist,  of  Selb.  p.  55,  note 
(1833). 

Sylvia  brevirostris,  Strickland,  P.  Z.  S.  1836,  p.  98. 

Phylloscopus  habessiniciis,  Blanford,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  iv. 
ser.  4,  p.  329  (1869). 

Phylloscopus  abyssinicus,  Blanford,  Geol.  &  Zool.  Abyss, 
p.  378  (1870). 

Phylloscopus  brehmi,  Homeyer,  Erinn.  a.  d.  Samml.  Deut- 
schl.  Ornitli.  1870,  p.  48. 

Bill  slender,  dark  underneath. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  yellowish 
green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside 
edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with  yellowish 
green.     Superciliary  streak  yellowish  green. 

Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  white,  dashed  all  over  with  yellow,  which  is  some- 
what buff  on  the  breast  and  flanks.  Axillaries,  wing- 
lining,  and  thighs  yelloAv. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  rather  shorter. 
Sixth  rather  shorter.  Seventh  considerably  shorter,  and 
eighth  rather  shorter  than  the  preceding.  Second  pri- 
mary considerably  shorter  than  the  sixth,  frequently 
shorter  than  the  seventh,  and  occasionally  shorter  than 
the  eighth. 

Bastard  primary  medium,  '5  to  '65. 

No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"55  to  2"25,  female  2*3  to  1*95. 

Length  of  tail— male  2-2  to  2*0,  female  2-0  to  17. 

Legs  dark  brown. 

This  species  has  a  somewhat  similar  range  to  that  of  P. 
trochilus,  but  does  not  go  so  far  north  in  summer,  nor  so  far 
south  in  winter.  It  breeds  in  Central  Europe,  and  winters 
on  both  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  has  been  found  as 
far  south  as  Abyssinia. 

I  found  it  common  in  Norway  as  far  north  as  Trondhjem ; 
and  Collett  told  me  he  had  once  found  it  as  far  north  as  65°. 
Col.  Irby  says  it  winters  near  Gibraltar,  where  a  few  remain 
to  breed  (Orn.  Straits  Gib.  p.  90).  It  winters  in  Andalucia 
{Hoivard  Saunders,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  213),  Sardinia  [Brooke,  Ibis, 
1873,  p.  243),  Pisa  {Giglioli,  Ibis,  1865,  p.  53),  Malta  {Wright, 


01'  Willow-Warblers.  97 

Ibis,  1874,  p.  69),  and  occasionally  in  Corfu  and  Epirus 
[Powys,  Ibis,  1860,  p.  231) .  Dr.  Kriiper  informs  me  that 
it  winters  in  Greece  and  Asia  Minor.  Hobson  told  me  it 
only  occurs  in  winter  near  Constantinople ;  but  Danford  and 
Harvie  Brown  found  it  common  in  summer  in  Transylvania 
(Ibis,  1875,  p.  308) .  It  winters  in  the  Canaries  and  Tene- 
riffe  {Godman,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  174),  in  the  oases  of  North 
Africa  {Tristram,  Ibis,  1859,  p.  418),  in  Egypt  and  Nubia 
{Capt.  Shelley,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  135),  in  the  valley  of  the  Jordan 
{Tristram,  Ibis,  1867,  p.  83);  and  Blanford  found  it  in  Abys- 
sinia (P.  abyssinicus,  loc.  cit.)  and  Persia  (Eastern  Persia,  ii. 
pp.  181,  182). 

This  species  builds  a  semi-domed  nest,  profusely  lined  with 
feathers,  on  or  near  the  ground,  and  lays  a  white  e^^,  spa- 
ringly spotted  with  dark  red. 

The  ChiffchaflPvaries  considerably  in  size;  the  smaller  birds 
are  chiefly  found  in  South  Europe,  and  the  largest  in  Scan- 
dinavia. The  smaller  birds  have  been  considered  a  separate 
species  {P.  brehmi) ;  but  I  have  had  no  difficulty  in  finding 
a  complete  series  of  both  sexes.  I  met  with  the  supposed 
smaller  species  at  Valkenswaard,  in  Holland,  and  could  not 
detect  the  least  difference  in  its  various  notes  and  calls  from 
those  of  the  larger  race.  I  have  carefully  examined  the  types 
of  P.  brehmi  in  the  collection  of  Von  Homeyer,  of  P.  brevi- 
rostris  in  the  Strickland  collection  in  Cambridge,  and  of  P. 
abysshiicus  in  the  British  Museum,  and  have  not  the  slightest 
hesitation  in  pronouncing  all  three  to  be  absolutely  identical 
with  P.  collybita. 

24.  Phylloscopus  tristis,  Blyth. 

Sylvia  trochilus,  Jerd.  Madr.  Journ.  xi.  p.  6  (1840,  nee 
Linn.). 

Phylloscopus  tristis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  966 
(1843). 

Regulus  tristis,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  of  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848). 

Abrornis  tristis,  Bonap.  Consp.  Gen.  Av.  i.  p.  290  (1850). 

Phyllopneuste  tristis,  Gould,  Birds  of  Asia,  pt.  xvii.  (1865) . 

Phyllopseustes  tristis.  Cab.  Journ.  f.  Orn.  1875,  p.  429. 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  H 


98  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

Ficedula  fulvescens,  Severtzoff,  Fauna  of  Turkestan,  pp. 
65,  126  [see  Ibis,  1876,  p.  82]  (1873). 

Phylloscopus  brevirostris,  Brooks,  Ibis,  1869,  p.  236  (nee 
Strickland). 

Phylloscopus  neglectvs,  Seebobm  &  Harvie  Brown,  Ibis, 
1876,  p.  218  (nee  Hume). 

Phylloscopus  brehmi,  Blanford,  Eastern  Persia,  ii.  p.  182 
(1876,  nee  Homeyer). 

Bill  very  slender,  under  mandible  nearly  black. 

Upper  parts  eartby  brown,  slightly  tinged  with  yellowish 
green  on  the  rump.  Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown, 
slightli/ tinged  with  green  on  the  outside  edge  of  each 
feather.     Superciliary  streak  huffish  white. 

Head  exactly  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 

Underparts  nearly  white,  slightly  dashed  with  huffish  grey  on 
the  breast,  flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts ;  in  autumn 
plumage  conspicuously  so.  Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and 
thighs  pale  yellow,  which  almost  disappears  in  extreme 
summer  plumage. 

Third  and  fourth  primaries  longest.  Fifth  a  shade  shorter. 
Sixth  considerably  shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each 
considerably  shorter  than  the  previous  one.  Second 
generally  between  the  seventh  and  eighth,  sometimes  equal 
to  the  seventh,  sometimes  to  the  eighth. 

Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  '5 
in  the  female,  and  "53  to  "65  in  the  males. 

No  wing -bar. 

Length  of  wing— male  2-58  to  233,  female  2-25  to  2-1, 
Length  of  tail — male  2'3  to  2"0,  female  1"9. 

Legs  and  claivs  black. 

This  species  winters  in  the  plains  of  India  and  Baluchistan. 
A  few  remain  to  breed  in  the  alpine  districts  of  the  Hima- 
layas and  the  Karakorum  mountains,  whilst  the  main  body 
passes  through  Turkestan  on  migration  to  their  summer 
quarters  in  Siberia,  which  probably  extend  from  the  valley  of 
the  Petchora  to  Lake  Baical. 

Harvie  Brown  and  I  found  it  breeding  north  of  the  arctic 
circle  on  the  banks  of  the  Petchora  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  217); 
Meves  obtained  it  in  the  breeding-season  at  Perm  (Journ.  fiir 
Ornith.  1875,  p.  430) ;  Severtzoff  writes  that  it  passes  on  mi- 
gration through  the  Central  and  Lower  Ural,  the  Kirghis 


or  fVillow- War  biers.  99 

steppes^  and  Turkestan  {Dresser,  Ibis,  1876,  P-82),  and  skins 
from  Lake  Baical  are  not  uncommon  in  collections.  Hume 
(Stray  Feathers,  1876,  p.  148)  says  that  immature  birds  have 
been  found  in  the  Karakash  valley,  and  that  it  is  probably 
found  on  both  sides  of  the  Karakoruni  mountains ;  and  Blan- 
ford  says  that  it  is  common  throughout  Baluchistan  (Eastern 
Persia,  ii.  p.  180).  In  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection  are  skins 
from  Lahore  and  Umballah  {Capt.  Beavan) ;  I  have  skins  from 
Etawah  {Brooks);  and  Blyth  (J.  A.  S.  Beng.  1854,  p.  483) 
represents  this  species  as  common  and  generally  diffused 
throughout  North  India  during  the  cold  season. 

This  species  breeds  on  the  ground,  makes  a  semi-domed 
nest,  profusely  lined  with  feathers,  and  lays  white  eggs  spot- 
ted with  dark  red. 

This  species  is  most  likely  to  be  confused  with  P.  collybita, 
P.fuscatiis,  and  P.  neglectus.  P.  collybita  in  all  stages  of  plu- 
mage is  much  greener  above  and  much  yellower  underneath, 
and  has  dark  brown  instead  of  black  legs.  P.  fuscatus  may 
easily  be  distinguished  by  the  paler  colour  of  its  under  mandi- 
ble and  legs,  and  by  its  pale  chestnut  axillaries  and  wing-lining. 
It  has  also  a  longer  bastard  primary,  and  a  shorter  second 
primary.  P.  neglectus  is  a  smaller  bird,  without  any  trace 
of  yellow  on  the  axillaries  and  wing-lining,  and  has  the  upper 
part  of  a  more  sandy  brown. 

25.  Phylloscopus  neglectus  (Hume). 
Phyllopneuste  neglectus,  Hume,   Stray  Feathers,  i.  p.  195 
(1873). 
Phylloscopus  neglectus,  Blanford,  Eastern  Persia,  ii.  p.  182 

(1876). 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  black. 

Upper  parts  ashy  grey,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  green  on  the 

rump.     Wings  and  tail-feathers  greyish  brown,  with  the 

outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly  margined  with  ashy 

grey.     Superciliary  streak  ashy  white. 
Head  same  colour  as  the  back. 
Underparts  ashy  white,  darkest  on  the  breast   and  flanks. 

Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and  thighs  ashy  white. 
Third,  fourth,   and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Sixth  a  shade 

shorter.     Seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  each  considerably 

H  2 


100  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

shorter  than  the  preceding.     Second  primary  equal  to 

the  ninth. 
Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring    Q. 
No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  Aving — male  2'05,  female  1"95. 
Length  of  tail — male  V7 ,  female  1-6. 
Legs  and  feet  black. 

This  species  has  hitherto  only  been  found  in  the  cold  season 
in  Scinde  {Hume,  Stray  Feathers^  loc.  cit.)  and  Baluchistan 
{Blanford,  Eastern  Persia,  ii.  p.  182).  Its  breeding-places 
are  unknown.  Mr.  Brooks  has  convinced  me  that  the  speci- 
men which  I  .shot  in  the  Petchora  (Ibis^  1876,  p.  218)  is  most 
probably  a  yerj  small  P.  tristis  in  the  extreme  summer-plu- 
mage of  a  higher  latitude,  when  nearly  all  trace  of  yellow 
disappears  from  the  plumage,  as  is  occasionally  the  case  with 
P,  trochilus.  The  true  P.  neglectus  is  a  still  smaller  bird, 
the  large  males  being  as  small  or  even  smaller  than  the  small 
females  of  P.  tristis.  Mr.  Brooks  tells  me  also  that  P.  neglec- 
tus frequents  dry  sandy  localities  instead  of  swampy  ground. 

26.  Phylloscopus  affinis  (Tickell). 

Motacilla  affinis,  Tickell,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  ii.  p.  576  (1833). 

Motacilla  affinis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xvi.  p.  442  (1847). 

Phylloscopus  affinis,  Blyth,  Cat.  B.  M.  As.  Soc.  p.  185 
(1849). 

Phylloscopus  affinis,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  194  (1863). 

Abrornis  affinis,  Moore,  P.  Z.  S.  1854,  p.  106. 

Abroi'nis  want  hog  aster,  Hodgson  in  Gray^s  Zool.  Misc.  p. 
82.  no.  854  (1844). 

Regulus  flaveolus,  G.  R.  Gray,  Gen.  of  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848), 

Abrornis  flaveolus,  Bp.  Consp.  G.  Av.  p.  290  (1850). 

Bill  slender,  under  mandible  pale. 

Upper  parts  dark  olive-brown.     Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown. 

Superciliary  streak  greyish  yellow. 
Head  rather  darker  than  the  back. 
Underparts,  axillaries,  and  wdng-lining  greyish  yellow,  buffer 

on  the  breast  and  flanks. 
Third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  primaries  longest.     Seventh, 

eighth,  and  ninth  each   considerably  shorter  than  the 

preceding.     Second  primary  about  equal  to  the  tenth. 


or  Willow -War  biers.  101 

Bastard  primary  very  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  "65 

to  -75. 
Length  of  wing — male  2'4  to  2*2,  female  2"2  to  2-0. 
Length  of  tail — male  2*15  to  2"0,  female  1"95  to  1*8. 
Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  species  breeds  on  both  sides  of  the  Himalayas,  having 
been  found  in  summer  in  Cashmere  {Brooks,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  31) 
and  in  Thibet  {v.  Pelzeln,  Ibis,  1868,  p.  308).  Jerdon  (Birds 
of  Ind.  ii.  p.  194)  says  that  it  is  not  uncommon  in  winter  at 
Calcutta  and  all  over  India;  and  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collec- 
tion are  skins  from  Burma  (Munipur,  Godwin- Austen) . 

The  nest  and  eggs  are  unknown. 

27.  Phylloscopus  tytleri.  Brooks. 

Phylloscojms  tytleri,  Brooks,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  23 ;  Hume, 
Stray  Feathers,  iii.  p.  279  (1875). 

Bill  very  long  and  slender,  under  mandible  dark. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over  with  olive-green. 

Wings  and  tail  greyish  brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of 

each  feather  margined  with  olive-green.     Superciliary 

streak  not  very  conspicuous. 
Head  the  same  colour  as  the  back. 
Underparts  nearly   white,   slightly  dashed  with  yellow  and 

grey,  especially  on  the  flanks.     Axillaries,  wing-lining, 

and  thighs  yellow. 
Third,  fourth,   and  fifth  primaries  longest.     Sixth,   seventh, 

and  eighth  each  considerably  less  than  the  preceding. 

Second  primary  between  the  eighth  and  ninth. 
Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring 

•55  to  -68. 
No  wing-bar. 

Length  of  wing — male  2-43  to  2*35,  female  2'3  to  2-2. 
Length  of  tail — male  1"85  to  1-7,  female  1'7  to  1-65. 
Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  is  one  of  the  rarest  and  least-known  species  of  the 
genus.  It  breeds  in  Cashmere  {Brooks,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  22). 
Mr.  Brooks  informs  me  that  he  has  shot  birds  on  migration 
in  spring  at  Etawah  and  Almorah.  It  probably  winters  in 
the  plains  of  North  India. 

This  species  breeds  in  pine  trees,  and  makes  a  cup-shaped 
nest,  profusely  lined  with  feathers,  near  the  end  of  a  branch, 


102  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Phylloscopi 

at  a  considerable  elevation  from  the  ground.      The  eggs  are 
pure  white. 

28.  Phylloscopus  superciliosus  (Gmelin). 

Motacilla  superciliosa,  Gm.  Syst.  Nat.  i.  p.  975  (1788,  ex 
Lath.) . 

Sylvia  superciliosa,  Lath.  Ind.  Orn.  ii.  p.  526  (1790). 

Phyllobasileus  superciliosus,  Cabanis,  Journ.  f.  Orn.  1853, 
p.  81. 

Beguloides  superciliosus,  Swinhoe,Ibis,1863,p.307,  etsubseq. 

Phylloscopus  superciliosus,  Newton  in  Yarr.  Brit.  B.  ed.  4, 
i.  p.  443  (1873). 

Regulus  modestus,  Hancock,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  ii.  p.  310 
(1839,  nee  Gould)  ;  Yarrell,  Brit.  Birds,  i.  p.  316  (1843,  nee 
Gould). 

Phylloscopus  modestus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  963 
(1843,  nee  Gould). 

Phyllopneuste  modestus,  Blyth,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist,  xii.,  p.  98 
(1843,  nee  Gould). 

Reguloides  modestus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xvi.  p.  442  (1847, 
nee  Gould). 

Regulus  modestus,  Cabanis,  Naumannia,  ii.  pt.  1,  p.  5  (1852, 
nee  Gould). 

Regulus  modestus,  Gaetke,  Journ.  f.  Orn.  i.  p.  91  (1853, 
nee  Gould). 

Regulus  modestus,  Tristram,  Ibis,  vi.  p.  230  (1864,  nee 
Gould). 

Regulus  inornatus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xi.  p.  191  (1842). 

Phyllopneuste  reguloides,  Hodgson,  Gray^s  Zool.  Miscl.  p. 
82  (1844). 

Phyllopneuste  reguloides,  Hodgson,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xxiv.  p. 
575  (1855). 

Sylvia  {Phyllopneuste)  proregulus,  Middendorff,  Sib.  Heise, 
p.  183  (1853,  partim,  nee  Pallas). 

Ficedula  jjroregulus,  Schlegel,  Vog.  van  Nederl.  pp.  130, 
241  (1854-1858,  nee  Pallas). 

Reguloides  proregulus,  Horsf.  &  Moore,  Cat.  E.  I.  C.  Mus. 
i.  p.  342  (1854,  nee  Pallas), 


or  Willow-Warblers.  103 

Phyllopneuste  proregulus ,  Blasius,  Naumanuia^  viii.  p.  311 
(1858,  nee  Pallas). 

Reguloides  proregulus,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1863,  p.  307,  etante 
(nee  Pallas). 

Reguloides  proregulus,  Jerdon,B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  197  (1863, 
nee  Pallas). 

Sylvia  bifasciata,  Gaetke,  Naumannia,  viii.  p.  419  (1858) . 

Bill  very  slender,  under  mandible  dark  brown. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with  yellowish  green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  yellowish  green.  Outside  edge  of  ter- 
tiaries  pale  yellow.  Primaries,  from  about  the  seventh 
to  the  sixteenth,  tipped  ivith  dirty  white.  Superciliary 
streak  pale  yellow,  some  of  the  feathers  immediately 
above  and  below  dashed  with  black  (showing  an  approach 
to  Regulus) . 

Head  rather  darker  than  the  back,  with  an  indistinct  mesial 
line. 

Underparts  yellowish  white,  greyer  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 
Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and  thighs  pale  yellow. 

Third,  fourth,  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Sixth  rather 
shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 
than  the  preceding. '  Second  primary  about  equal  to  the 
seventh,  generally  a  shade  longer,  sometimes  a  shade 
shorter. 

Bastard  primary  medium,  the  exposed  part  measuring  -5  to  *55. 

Both  wing-bars  very  distinct. 

Length  of  wing — male  2*35  to  2'15,  female  2'15  to  2  0. 

Length  of  tail — male  1'85  to  1'7,  female  1"7  to  1'55. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

This  small  and  apparently  delicate  bird  has  a  wider  range 
than  almost  any  other  species  of  the  genus.  It  breeds  in  the 
alpine  districts  of  Southern  Siberia,  in  Turkestan,  and  Cash- 
mere. Its  extreme  northern  range  extends  from  the  British 
Islands  to  the  Pacific.  In  Europe  it  is  doubtless  only  a  strag- 
gler on  migration.  It  also  passes  through  North  China  and 
North  India  on  migration,  and  winters  in  Central  India, 
South  China,  Pegu,  and  the  Tenasserim  provinces. 

Skins  obtained  by  Dr.  Dybowski  near  Lake  Baical  are  com- 
mon in  collections.     SevertzoflF  found  it  in  Turkestan  (Ibis, 


104  Mr.  H.  Seel^olim  on  the  Phylloscopi 

1876,  p.  81).  Brooks  found  it  breeding  in  Cashmere  (Ibis, 
1872,  p.  26).  Gaetke  obtains  it  regularly  in  autumn  in 
Heligoland  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  180).  Its  other  various  occur- 
rences in  Europe  are  duly  chronicled  in  Dresser^s  '  Birds  of 
Europe/  Middendorff  obtained  it  at  Okhotsk  (Sib.  Reise, 
vol.  ii.  pt.  2,  p.  183).  Swinhoe  found  it  in  spring  at  Chefoo, 
North  China  (Ibis,  1874,  p.  441),  and  in  autumn  near  Peking 
(Ibis,  1861,  p.  330),  on  both  occasions  doubtless  on  migration. 
He  also  found  it  in  winter  at  Amoy  (Ibis,  1860,  p.  54)  and 
in  Hainan  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  345).  Brooks  records  it  from  Al- 
morah  on  migration  (Ibis,  1869,  p.  354).  Jerdon  (Birds  of 
Ind.  ii.  p.  197)  says  that  it  is  common  in  most  parts  of  India  in 
the  cold  season.  Blyth  says  that  it  is  common  in  the  cold 
season  near  Calcutta.  Hume  includes  it  in  his  list  of  the 
birds  of  Upper  Pegu  (Stray  Feathers,  1875,  p.  140)  and  of 
the  Tenasserim  provinces  (Stray  Feathers,  1874,  p.  478);  and 
in  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection  are  skins  from  the  Garo  Hills 
{Godwin- Austen) ,  Munipur  {Godwin-Austen),  and  Rangoon 
{Warcllaw  Ramsay). 

Mr.  Brooks  describes  the  nest  of  this  species  as  being  semi- 
domed,  lined  with  line  grass  and  a  few  hairs,  placed  on  the 
ground  on  a  sloping  bank.  The  eggs  are  white,  more  or  less 
spotted  with  red  or  purple. 

29.  Phylloscopus  proregulus  (Pallas). 

Motacilla  proregulus,  Pallas,  Zoogr.  Rosso-As.  i.  p.  499 
(1831). 

Rer/uloides  proregulus,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1863,  p.  307,  et 
subseq. 

Phyllopneuste  {Phyllobasileus)  proregulus,  Homey er,  Journ. 
f.  Orn.  1872,  p.  208. 

Regidus  modestus,  Goulds  B.  of  Eur.  p.  149  (1837). 

Phylloscopus  modestus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xii.  p.  693 
(1843). 

Phyllopneuste  modestus,  Blyth,  Ann.  &  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  xii. 
p.  98  (1843). 

Reguloides  modestus,  Blyth,  Cat.  B.  Mus.  As.  Soc.  p.  184 
(1849). 


or  Willow-Warblers.  105 

Abrornis  chloronopus,  Hodgson  in  Gray's  Zool.  Miscl.  p.  82 
(1843). 
Reguloides  chloronotus,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India^  ii.  p.  197  (1863) . 

Bill  very  slender,  dark  underneath. 

Upper  parts  olive-green.  Rump  yellow.  Wings  and  tail 
greyish  brown^  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather 
broadly  margined  with  yellowish  green.  Outside  edge 
of  tertiaries  yellow.     Superciliary  streak  yellow. 

Head  darker  colour  than  the  back,  with  a  distinct  pale  mesial 
line. 

UnderpartSj  axillaries,  and  wing-lining  greyish  yellow. 

Fourth  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Third  and  sixth  rather 
shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 
than  the  preceding.     Second  equal  to  about  the  tenth. 

Bastard  primary  rather  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring 
•55  to  -6. 

First  bar  yellow  and  very  distinct.  Upper  bar  yellow,  but 
not  so  distinct. 

Length  of  wing — male  2"05  to  1'95,  female  1*9  to  1*8. 

Length  of  tail — male  1'65  to  1*55,  female  1*5  to  1"45. 

Legs  and  claws  light  brown. 

This  species  has  a  somewhat  extended  but  eastern  range. 
It  breeds  in  the  subalpine  districts  of  Southern  Siberia,  and 
throughout  the  alpine  districts  of  the  Himalayas,  from  Cash- 
mere to  Burma.  It  passes  through  North  China  on  migra- 
tion, and  Avinters  in  South  China,  Burma,  and  Bengal. 

Dr.  Dybowski  has  obtained  it  near  Lake  Baical  {Dresser, 
Birds  of  Europe,  art.  P.  superciliosus,  p.  4).  It  breeds  in 
Cashmere  {Brooks,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  26) .  I  have  skins  obtained 
by  Mr,  Brooks  at  Sikkim;  and  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collection 
are  skins  from  Darjeeling.  Swinhoe  obtained  it  in  February 
at  Hainan  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  345) ;  and  in  his  collection  are  skins 
from  Amoy  obtained  in  December.  Hume  obtained  it  from 
the  pine-forests  north  of  Pahpoon,  in  the  Tenasserim  provinces 
(Stray  Feathers,  1874,  p.  479);  and  it  has  been  found  beyond 
the  south-west  frontier  of  Bengal  {Ball,  Stray  Feathers,  1874, 
p.  415).  Mr.  Brooks  informs  me  that  it  is  never  seen  in  the 
plains  of  India.  One  specimen  of  this  bird  has  been  shot, 
and  at  least  another  seen,  on  Heligoland. 

This  species  makes  a  semi-domed  nest,  lined  with  feathers 


106  Mr.  H.  Seebolim  on  the  Phylloscopi 

and  bits  of  thin  birch-bark.  It  is  placed  on  the  bough  of  a 
pine  tree,  often  a  considerable  height  from  the  ground.  The 
eggs  are  white_,  richly  spotted  with  dark  brownish  red. 

30.  Phylloscopus  erochrous  (Hodgson). 

Abrornis  erochroa,  Hodgson,  Gray^s  Zool.  Misc.  p.  82 
(1844) . 

Regulus  erochroa,  G.  E.  Gray,  Gen.  B.  i.  p.  175  (1848). 

Reguloides  erochroa,  Jerdon,  B.  of  India,  ii.  p.  199  (1863). 

Abrornis  pulchrala,  Hodgson,  Gray^s  Zool.  Misc.  p.  82 
(1844). 

Reguloides ?  Blanford,  J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xli.  pt.  ii.  p. 

162  (1872). 

Bill  very  slender,  under  mandible  dark. 

Upper  parts  olive-green.  Rump  yellow.  Wings  and  tail 
greyish  brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather 
broadly  margined  with  olive-green.  Outside  edge  of 
the  tertiaries  yellowish  white  at  the  tip.  Inner  web  of 
three  outer  tail-feathers  on  each  side  white.  Superciliary 
streak  greyish  yellow. 

Head  rather  darker-coloured  than  the  back,  with  an  indistinct 
pale  mesial  line. 

Underparts,  axillaries,  and  wing-lining  greyish  yellow. 

Fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  primaries  longest.  Third  and  seventh 
rather  shorter.  Eighth  and  ninth  each  considerably 
shorter  than  the  preceding.  Second  equal  to  about  the 
tenth. 

Bastard  primary  large,  the  exposed  part  measuring  '55  to  "65. 

First  bar  orange  and  very  distinct.  Upper  bar  greyish  orange 
and  rather  indistinct. 

Length  of  wing— male  2-45  to  2*3,  female  2-25  to  2-1. 

Length  of  tail — male  2*0  to  1'8,  female  1*75  to  1*6. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

So  far  as  is  known,  this  species  has  a  more  limited  range 
than  almost  any  other  of  the  genus.  Hodgson  found  it  in 
Nepaul  (in  British  Museum) ;  and  I  have  skins  from  Sikkim; 
but  Mr.  Brooks  tells  me  it  is  never  seen  in  the  plains  of  India. 
Nothing  is  known  of  its  nidification. 

31.  Phylloscopus  subviridis  (Brooks). 

Reguloides  subviridis.  Brooks,  P.  A.  S.  Beng.  1872,  p.  148. 


or  Willow -Warblers.  107 

Bill  very  slender,  under  mandible  pale  at  the  base. 

Upper  parts  greyish  brown,  dashed  all  over,  especially  on  the 
rump,  with  dirty  yellowish  green.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  dirty  yellowish  green.  Outside  edge  of 
tertiaries  dirty  white.     Superciliary  streak  dirty  white. 

Head  rather  darker  than  the  back,  with  an  indistinct  mesial 
line. 

Underparts  dirty  yellowish  white,  dashed  with  buff  on  the 
breast  and  flanks.  Axillaries,  wing-lining,  and  thighs 
dirty  yellowish  white. 

Third,  foui'th,  and  fifth  primaries  longest.  Sixth  rather 
shorter.  Seventh  and  eighth  each  considerably  shorter 
than  the  preceding.  Second  primary  about  equal  to  the 
ninth. 

Exposed  portion  of  bastard  primary  "48  to  "6. 

First  wing-bar  very  distinct.     Rudiments  of  upper  bar. 

Length  of  wing— male  2-25  to  2-13,  female  2-1  to  2-05. 

Length  of  tail — male  1*8  to  1'7,  female  1'7  to  1'65. 

Legs  and  feet  dark  brown. 

Mr.  Brooks  informs  me  that  he  obtained  this  species  in  the 

north-west  provinces  of  India  as  far  east  as  Cawnpore  during 

the  cold  season.     Its  summer  quarters  are  unknown. 

It  is  a  somewhat  smaller  bird  than  P.  superciliosus ,  with 

a  shorter  second  primary,  and  with  the  white  tips  to  the  pri- 
maries and  the  upper  bar  on  the  wing  very  indistinct. 

32.  Phylloscopus  maculipennis  (Blyth). 

Abrornis  maculipennis,  Blyth,  Ibis,  1867,  p.  27. 

Beguloides ?  Blanford,   J.  A.  S.  Beng.  xli.  pt.  2,  p. 

163  (1872). 

Abrornis  chloronotus,  Hume,  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Ind.  B. 
p.  372  (1874,  nee  Hodgson). 

Bill  very  slender,  under  mandible  black. 

Back  olive- green.  Rump  yellow.  Wings  and  tail  greyish 
brown,  with  the  outside  edge  of  each  feather  broadly 
margined  with  yellowish  green.  Outside  edge  of  ter- 
tiaries tipped  with  white,  inner  web  of  three  outside  tail- 
feathers  white.     Superciliary  streak  white. 

Head  grey,  with  a  distinct  Avhite  mesial  line. 

Throat  greyish  white ;  rest  of  underparts,  axillaries,  and  wing- 
lining  yellow. 

Fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  primaries  longest.     Third  and  seventh 


108         Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus. 

rather  shorter.  Eighth  and  ninth  each  considerably 
shorter  than  the  preceding.  Second  equal  to  about  the 
tenth. 

Bastard  primary  proportionately  large^  the  exposed  part  mea- 
suring '5. 

Two  very  distinct  yellow  bars  across  the  wing. 

Length  of  wing  2"0  to  1'8. 

Lengthof  tail  1-6  to  1-35. 

Legs  and  claws  brown. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  geographical  distribution  of 
this  small  but  beautifully  coloured  bird.  The  only  skins  I 
have  seen  are  from  Sikkim  or  the  neighbourhood.  Nothing 
is  known  of  its  nidification  or  migration. 


VII. — A  Note  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus.     By  R.  Bowdler 
Sharpe,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  &c. 

(Plate  II.) 

The  two  beautiful  new  species  of  Tailorbird  described  and 
figured  in  the  present  paper  were  obtained  by  my  excellent 
friend  Dr.  J.  B.  Steere  during  his  recent  expedition  to  the 
Philippine  Islands ;  and  it  seems  a  fitting  occasion  to  give  a 
short  review  of  the  geographical  distribution  of  the  genus. 
I  recognize  twelve  species  of  Tailorbirds,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  synoptical  table ;  but  there  are  still  a  few  species 
which  I  am  unable  to  determine.  These  are  almost  the  same 
as  those  left  undetermined  by  Mr.  F.  Moore  in  1854,  when  he 
gave  a  careful  revision  of  the  genus  Orthotomus  (P.  Z,  S. 
1854,  p.  81) .  The  following  is  my  proposed  rearrangement 
of  the  species  : — 

a.  abdomine  albido  vel  pallide  fulvesceute. 
a',  mento  albido  vel  fiilvescenti-albo. 
a",  interscapulio  viridi. 

a'",  macula  gutturali  nigra  nulla. 

a*,  fronte  rufescente :  vertice  et  nuchS, 
brunnescentibus :  pileo  interdum  om- 
nino  rufescente :  rectricibus  baud  nigro 
subterminaliter  raaculatis    \  ^^*°^^^''- 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus.         109 

b'^.  fronte  castaneo  ;  vertice  cinereo  :  rec- 

tricibus  nigro  subtermiualiter  maculatis    frontalis, 
b'".  macula  guttural!  nigra  distincta. 

c"*.  minor :  pileo  castaneo :  genis  et  facie 
lateral!  albidis,  regione  parotica  supe- 

riore  castauea    atrigularis. 

d'*.  major  :  pileo  cinerascente,  capitis  la- 
teribus  saturatioribus  :  regione  parotica 

conspicue  alba cinereiceps, 

b".  interscapulio  cinereo  :  capite  castaneo. 

c'".  rectricibus   olivascenti-brunneis,   flavido 

marginatis  et  nigro  subterminaliter  maculatis    castaneiceps, 
d'".  rectricibus  castaneis. 

e^.  remigibus  extiis  olivascenti-viridibus     de^-bianus. 
f^.  tectricibus  alarum  et  remigibus  ex- 

terne  cinereis  dorso  concoloribus    ....     rvjiceps. 
b'.  mento  cinnamomeo,  faciei  lateribus  concolori. 

c".  dorso   cinereo :    gutture   et  corporis  lateribus 

etiam  cinereis :  abdomine  medio  albo    cineraceus. 

d".  dorso  viridescente :  gula  cinerea  :  corporis  la- 
ribus  viridescentibus  :  pectore  medio  et  abdo- 
mine flavicantibus    septum. 

b.  abdomine  Isetissime  flavo :  gutture  cum  prtepectore  et 
pectore  summo  albis. 

c'.  rectrice  extima  reliquis  concolori,  aut  in  pogonio 

interno  angustissime  albo  terminata cucuUattis. 

d'.  rectrice  extima  intus  omnino  alba    coronatus. 

1.   Orthotomus  SUTORIUS"^. 

Hab.  ^^The  well-known  Tailorbird  is  found  throughout 
all  Indiaj  from  the  Himalayas  to  Cape  Comorin  and  Ceylon, 
and  extending  into  the  Burmese  countries^''  [Jerdon,  B.  Ind. 
ii.  p.  166).  Mr.  Hume  (Nests  &  Eggs  Ind.  B.  p.  331)  states 
that  it  breeds  throughout  India  and  Burmah,  alike  in  the 
plains  and  in  the  hills  [e.g.  the  Himalayas,  Nilghiris,  and 
Pegu  hills)  up  to  an  elevation  of  from  3000  to  4000  feet, 
"  The  breeding-season  lasts  from  May  to  August,  both  months 
included;  but  in  the  plains  more  nests  are  to  be  found  in 
July,  and  in  the  hills  more,  I  think,  in  June,  than  during  the 
other  months.  Captain  Hutton  states  that  the  birds,  though 
common  at  their  bases,  do  not  ascend  the  hills ;  but  this  is  a 

*  Cf.  Lord  Tweeddale's  remarks  (Walden,  B.  Burm.  p.  120). 


110         Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus. 

mistake ;  for  I  have  repeatedly  taken  nests  at  elevations  of 
over  3000  feet,  and  Mr,  Gammie,  writing  from  Sikkim,  says, 
'  We  often  find  nests  of  this  species  near  my  house  at  Mong- 
phoo '  (which  is  at  an  elevation  of  about  3000  feet) .  Again, 
writing  from  the  Nilghii'is,  Miss  Cockburn  remarks,  'The 
Tailorbird  is  seldom  met  with  on  the  highest  ranges,  but 
appears  to  prefer  the  warmer  climates  enjoyed  at  the  elevation 
of  about  3500  to  4700  feet/  "  Mr.  Hume  also  writes  (S.  F. 
1873,  p.  194)  : — ''I  never  met  with  this  species  myself  in 
Sindhj  but  Captain  Maiden  informed  me  that  he  had  killed  a 
specimen  at  Jacobabad  in  March,  and  since  my  return  I  have 
had  a  specimen  sent  me  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Kur- 
rachee/''  Major  J.  Hayes  Lloyd  (Ibis,  1873,  p.  412)  records 
it  as  common  in  Kattiawar;   and  Dr.  Stoliczka  (J.  A.  S.  B. 

1872,  p.  240)  speaks  of  his  shooting  "  a  specimen  while  hunt- 
ing for  insects  between  large  stones  of  an  old  embankment  at 
the  Sir-talao,  in  the  south-western  part  of  Cachh.'^  Captain 
Butler  (S.  F.  1875,  p.  479)  gives  it  as  plentiful  on  the  hills 
and  plains  near  Mount  Aboo  and  in  Northern  Guzerat; 
and  Mr.  Hume  (/.  c.)  adds  that  it  is  common  throughout 
Sindh,  Cutch,  Kattiawar,  and  Jodhpoor.     Mr.  Adam  (S.  F. 

1873,  p.  381)  says  the  same  of  the  bird  near  the  Sambhur 
lake.  We  have  in  the  British  Museum  numerous  specimens 
from  Nepal,  collected  by  Mr.  Hodgson ;  and  Mr.  Blyth  men- 
tions examples  obtained  near  Calcutta  (Cat.  B.  Mus.  A.  S.  B. 
p.  144) ,  The  late  Captain  Beavan,  in  his  Notes  (Ibis,  1867, 
p.  454),  states  that  he  found  it  common  near  Barrackpore, 
but  rare  in  Maunbhoom.  Mr.  V.  Ball  (S.  F.  1874,  p.  414) 
writes : — ''  The  Indian  Tailorbird  occurs  in  the  more  open 
parts  of  the  division,  but  is  not  common,  as  far  as  my  obser- 
vation has  gone,  in  any  part  of  Chota  Nagpur."  It  is  in- 
cluded in  Mr.  W.  T.  Blanford's  List  of  Birds  obtained  in  the 
Wardha  Valley  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1871,  p.  273) .  Dr.  Leith  Adams 
[cf.  Moore,  P.  Z.  S.  1858,  p.  488)  states  that  it  is  found  fre- 
quenting the  mango  and  other  trees  in  the  Deccan ;  and  it 
was  there  that  the  late  Colonel  Sykes  obtained  his  types  of 
O.  bennetti  and  0.  Ungoo  (P.  Z.  S.  1832,  p.  90). 

Madras  specimens  of  this  bird,  presented  by  Dr.  Jerdon,  are 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus.         Ill 

in  the  British  Museum,  It  breeds  in  the  Nilghiris,  as  noticed 
by  Miss  Cockburn  {vide  supra).  In  Ceylon,  according  to 
Mr.  Holdsworth,  it  is  common  in  all  parts  of  the  island,  but 
especially  frequents  gardens  and  the  neighbourhood  of  habita- 
tions. "  It  is  as  abundant  at  Nuwara  Eliya  as  at  Aripo  or 
other  parts  of  the  low  country." 

Major  Godwin- Austen  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1870,  p.  271)  notices  it 
from  the  North  Mymensing  district  in  the  Garo  hills.  In 
Burmah  Captain  Beavan  obtained  it  on  the  Salween  river 
(Ibis,  1867,  p.  454) ;  and  Dr.  Anderson  obtained  a  single  spe- 
cimen at  Bhamo,  and  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Taping  river, 
during  the  second  Yun-nan  expedition.  According  toMr.Blyth 
(B.  Burma,  p.  120),  Mr.  Gould  has  had  specimens  from 
Tavoy ;  and  Mason  states  that  Tailorbirds  are  very  common 
at  Tavoy,  though  rare  at  Moulmein.  Mr.  Blyth  includes  this 
as  a  second  species  under  the  name  of  0.  eclela ;  but  Lord 
Tweeddale  (/.  c.)  says  that  he  does  not  know  which  species  is 
intended  by  Mr.  Blyth,  though  it  is  probable  that  0.  atrigu- 
laris  may  have  been  the  bird  in  his  mind.  The  true  O.  sutorius 
has  been  procured  at  Tonghoo  and  in  Karen-nee  by  Lieut. 
Wardlavv  Bamsay.  Mr.  Gates  (S.  F.  1875,  p.  135)  records  it 
from  Thayet  Myo  as  common  in  the  plains ;  and  Mr.  Hume 
states  that  it  was  found  by  Mr.  Davison  to  be  diffused  and  not 
uncommon  in  Tenasserim  (S.  F.  1874,  p.  478) ,  Mr.  Blyth  even 
says  that  it  extends  as  far  south  as  Singapore,  in  which  case 
0.  edela  from  Java  may  be  identical  [vide  infra) .  He  records 
an  actual  specimen  (Cat.  B.  Mus.  A.  S.  B.  p.  144)  from  Ma- 
lacca as  being  in  the  Indian  Museum. 

To  the  eastward  the  Indian  Tailorbird  has  been  recorded 
from  Siam  on  Mr.  Gould's  authority  [cf.  Blyth,  B.  Burma, 
p.  120) ;  and  Mr.  Swinhoe  states  (P.Z.  S.  1863,  p.  294)  that 
it  is  an  "  abundant  resident  in  South  China  from  Canton  to 
Foocliow.'"'  It  also  occurs  in  Formosa  and  Hainan  {Sivinhoe, 
Ibis,  1870,  p.  80).  At  Amoy,  writes  the  same  author,  it  is 
"  found  in  all  the  gardens,  hedgerows,  &c.,  and  is  generally 
seen  in  pairs.'' 


11,2         Mr.  E.  B.  Sliarpe  on  the  Genus  Ortbotomus. 

2.  Orthotomus  edela. 
Hab.  Java. 

This  is  the  Javan  representative  of  O.  sutorius ;  but,  not 
having  seen  a  specimen,  I  am  unable  to  state  whether  it 
is  really  distinct.  Lord  Tweeddale  (Walden,  B.  Burma, 
p.  120)  writes  : — "  The  Javan  O.  edela  and  the  Indian  0.  su- 
torius are  barely  separable,  the  Javan  bird  being  chiefly  distin- 
guished by  having  the  lores  and  superciliary  stripe  pale  fer- 
ruginous, and  not  greyish  Avhite.^^ 

3.  Orthotomus  frontalis,  sp.  n.  (Plate  II.  fig.  1.) 
Adult  male.  General  colour  above  olive-green,  the  wing- 
coverts  coloured  like  the  back ;  the  quills  dark  brown,  ex- 
ternally edged  with  the  same  green  as  the  back,  the  inner- 
most secondaries  exactly  like  the  latter;  tail  olive-brow'n, 
with  dusky  undulations  in  certain  lights,  the  feathers  edged 
with  bright  olive-yellow,  and  tipped  with  whity  brown, 
before  which  is  an  indistinct  subterminal  shade  of  darker 
brown  ;  forehead  and  a  narrow  superciliary  line  bright  chest- 
nut ;  crown,  nape,  and  sides  of  neck  ashy  grey ;  lores  fulves- 
cent ;  sides  of  face  whitish,  the  ear-coverts  shaded  with  ashy 
grey ;  cheeks  and  entire  throat  silky  white ;  rest  of  under 
surface  of  body  creamy  white,  the  flanks  pale  greenish  yellow ; 
thighs  tawny ;  bill  dark  horn-brown  in  skin,  the  lower  man- 
dible yellowish ;  legs  fleshy  brown :  "  iris  light  hazeP'  [Steere) . 
Total  length  3"7  inches,  culmen  0'55,  wing  1-6,  tail  1*5, 
tarsus  0"75. 

Young  female.  DiflTers  from  the  male  in  wanting  the  parti- 
coloured head,  which  is  only  a  shade  darker  olive-green  than 
the  back,  the  subterminal  mark  on  the  tail  is  very  much  more 
pronounced  than  in  the  adult  male ;  entire  under  surface  of 
body  silky  white.  Total  length  3*7  inches,  culmen  0*55,  wing 
1-75,  tail  1-6,  tarsus  0-75. 

Hab.  Islands  of  Basilan  and  Mindanao,  Philippines. 

The  types  of  this  species  are  in  Dr.  Steere's  collection. 
The  species  is  a  very  distinct  one,  its  nearest  ally  being  0. 
sutorius,  from  which  it  is  at  once  distinguished  by  its  grey 
head  and  chestnut  forehead,  and  also  by  its  having  a  dark 
subterminal  spot  to  the  tail-feathers. 


Ibis.  1877,  PI  11. 


J.G  Keulemans  litli 


M&M-Hanhart  imp. 


l.ORTHOTOMUS  FRONTALIS. 
2.  „  CINEREICEPS. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus.         113 

4,  Orthotomus  atrigularis, 

Hab.  Borneo  and  Malayan  peninsula,  extending  northwards 
to  Tenasserim  and  Burmah. 

In  Borneo  Mr.  Alfred  Everett  has  procured  a  pair  at  Bintula 
{vide  supra,  p.  16);  and  I  have  already  shown  that  this  species, 
generally  known  as  0 .  flavoviridis ,  Moore  (P.Z.S'.  1854,  p.  78), 
is  the  same  as  0.  atrigularis  of  Temminck,  originally  de- 
scribed from  Borneo,  but  not  since  procured  in  that  island 
till  Mr.  Everett's  researches  brought  it  again  to  light.  The 
Museum  contains  a  Sumatran  specimen  collected  by  Mr. 
Wallace,  as  well  as  others  from  Penan g  and  the  peninsula  of 
Malacca.  The  latter  locality  supplied  Mr.  Moore  with  the 
types  of  his  O.  flavoviridis.  Mr.  Hume  (S.F.  1874,  pp.478, 
507)  has  also  described  a  new  species  obtained  by  Mr.  Davi- 
son at  Pahpoon,  Kyouknyat,  and  Thayetchaun,  in  Tenasserim, 
as  0.  nitidus.  This  Lord  Tweeddale  (B.  Burm.  p.  121)  has 
correctly  shown  to  be  the  same  as  the  Malaccan  bird ;  and  he 
records  it  also  as  a  bird  of  Burmah  (/.  c),  as  it  has  been  pro- 
cured near  Rangoon  by  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay. 

5.  Orthotomus  cinereiceps,  sp.  n.     (Plate  II.  fig.  2.) 

Adult  male.  General  colour  above  bright  olive-green;  wing- 
coverts  and  quills  dark  brown,  all  the  feathers  broadly  edged 
with  the  same  green  as  the  back,  the  greater  coverts  margined 
and  tipped  with  brighter  yellow ;  tail  dark  brown,  narrowly 
tipped  with  brighter  yellow,  but  without  any  darker  subter- 
minal  bar ;  head  dark  ashy  grey,  the  lores  fulvescent ;  sides 
of  face  and  a  malar  stripe  blackish  grey ;  ear-coverts  white ; 
chin  and  sides  of  upper  throat  white ;  centre  of  throat  and 
jugulum  black,  forming  a  large  patch;  fore  neck,  sides  of 
body,  flanks,  under  tail-coverts,  and  thighs  bright  olive- green, 
the  latter  slightly  tinged  with  rufous  ;  under  wing-coverts 
yellowish,  the  edge  of  the  wing  bright  yellow;  bill  horn- 
black,  the  lower  mandible  yellowish  in  skin ;  feet  fleshy  brown 
in  skin;  iris  light  hazel.  Total  length  5  inches,  culmen0*6o, 
wing  1*85,  tail  1*9,  tarsus  0"9  [coll,  J.  B.  Steere). 

Hab.  Island  of  Basilan,  Philippines. 

This  beautiful  species  is  distinguished  from  all  others  of 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  I 


114         Mr.  R.  B.  Sliarpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus. 

the  genus  Orthotomus  by  its  grey  head  and  pure  white  ear- 
coverts. 

6.  Orthotomus  castaneiceps. 

Hah.  Guimaras  and  Panay,  Philippine  Islands. 

This  distinct  species  was  described  by  Lord  Tweeddale 
(Walden,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  ser.  4,  x.  p.  252,  et  Tr.  Z.  S.  ix. 
p.  195)  from  the  island  of  Guimaras ;  and  Dr.  Steere  obtained 
another,  which  agrees  exactly  with  the  type  kindly  lent  me 
by  Lord  Tweeddale,  in  the  neighbouring  island  o£  Panay. 

7.  Orthotomus  derbianus. 
Hab.  Philippine  Islands. 

Specimens  of  this  bird  are  in  the  Derby  Museum  at  Liver- 
pool {cf.  Moore,  P.  Z.  S.  1854,  p.  309,  pi.  Ixxvi.  descr.  orig.) 
and  in  the  British  Museum  ;  but  the  exact  island  inhabited  by 
the  species  has  not  been  determined  ;  it  will  probably  be  found 
to  be  Luzon. 

8.  Orthotomus  ruficeps. 

Hab.  Malacca,  Sumatra,  Borneo,  and  Palawan. 

From  Malacca  we  have  in  the  British  Museum  two  speci- 
uiens — one  presented  by  Captain  Stackhouse  Pinwell,  and  the 
other  procured  by  Mr.  Wallace.  A  specimen  from  Sumatra 
is  also  in  the  national  collection.  Two  specimens  were  also 
sent  by  Mr.  Hugh  Low  in  a  recent  collection  made  by  him 
in  North-wester-n  Borneo,  opposite  the  island  of  Labuan. 
Doria  and  Beccari  met  with  it  at  Sarawak  (Salvad.  Ucc.  Born, 
p.  249).  Dr.  Steere  likewise  obtained  a  specimen  in  the 
island  of  Palawan,  Philippines. 

9.  Orthotomus  cineraceus. 

Hab.  Malacca,  Sumatra,  and  Borneo. 

Fron-  an  examination  of  a  very  large  series  recently  brought 
from  North-western  Borneo  and  Labuan  by  Mr.  Hugh  Low, 
I  am  able  to  affirm  that  0.  borneonensis  of  Salvadori  (Ucc. 
Born.  p.  247)  is  the  fully  adult  male  of  O.  cineraceus,  Blyth 
(J.  A,  S.  B.  xiv.  p.  489).  It  appears  to  be  a  common  bird 
in  Borneo,  as  it  has  been  obtained  not  only  in  the  above- 
mentioned  localities,  but  at  Sarawak  by  Doria  and  Beccari, 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Orthotomus.         115 

at  Jambusan  by  Mr.  Alfred  Everett,  and  at  Banjermassing 
by  the  late  Mr.  Mottley.  A  Sumatran  specimen,  collected 
by  Mr.  Wallace,  is  in  tlie  British  Museum,  which  also  pos- 
sesses a  skin  presented  to  this  institution  by  Captain  Stack- 
house  Pinwell ;  it  was  from  Malacca ;  and  Mr.  Blytli  likewise 
obtained  his  original  specimens  from  this  latter  locality. 

10.  Orthotomus  sepium. 

Hab.  Java,  Sumatra,  and  Lombock. 

This  Tailorbird  was  originally  obained  in  Java  by  Dr. 
Horsfield,  and  described  by  him  (Trans.  Linn.  Soc.  xiii.  p.  166) . 
Mr.  Wallace  obtained  it  both  in  East  and  West  Java;  his 
specimens  are  now  in  the  British  Museum,  which  also  con- 
tains an  example  from  Sumatra ;  a  young  bird  was  procured 
by  Mr.  Wallace  in  the  island  of  Lombock,  which  we  believe 
to  be  referable  to  the  present  species,  and  not  to  O.  cine- 
raceus,  although  the  two  birds  in  their  immature  stages  are 
rather  hard  to  distinguish. 

11.  Orthotomus  cucullatus. 
Hab.  Java. 

So  far  as  we  know,  this  bird  is  entirely  confined  to  the 
island  of  Java.  Mr.  Wallace  obtained  a  specimen  of  it  in 
Western  Java  in  1861. 

12.  Orthotomus  coronatus. 

Hab.  Eastern  Himalaya,  ranging  eastward  to  the  Burmese 
hills. 

The  types  of  this  species  are  in  the  British  Museum.  It 
is  closely  allied  to  O.  cucullatus,  but  is  distinguished  by  having 
the  entire  inner  web  white  on  the  outer  tail-feathers.  Dr. 
Jerdon  (B.  Ind.  ii.  p.  168)  observes  : — ''  I  procured  specimens 
of  this  new  species  of  Tailorbird  from  the  vicinity  of  Dar- 
jeeling,  where  it  occurs  in  the  warmer  valleys.  A  nest  and 
eggs  were  brought  to  me,  said  to  be  those  of  this  bird,  similar 
to  that  of  0.  longicauda,  but  not  so  carefully  made  ;  the  leaves 
were  loosely  attached,  and  with  fewer  stitches.  The  eggs 
were  two  in  number,  white,  with  rusty  spots.'^  Major  Bulger 
(Ibis,  1869,  p.  166)  also  met  with  this  species  in  the  plains 

I  2 


116         Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe  on  the  Genus  Ortliotomus. 

below  Darjeeliiig.  To  the  eastward  it  occurs  in  the  Khasi 
hills,  as  Major  Godwin -Austen,  in  his  list  of  the  birds  of 
these  and  the  North  Kachar  hills  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1870,  p.  107), 
mentions  a  specimen  being  shot  near  Cherra  Punji  iu  October. 
Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay  has  also  obtained  it  in  Burmah  in  the 
Tsan-koo  hills  at  an  elevation  of  3000  feet  [cf.  Walden  in 
Blyth,  B.  Burm.  p.  121). 

Besides  the  above  twelve  species  there  are  three  which  I 
have  not  been  able  to  make  out,  viz.  : — 0.  lofigirostris,  Swains. 
An.  in  Mena<'-.  p.  343,  Hab.  Australia  !  O.  maculicoUis,  F. 
Moore,  P.  Z.  S.  1854,  p.  309,  Hab.  Malacca;  and  0.  hugelii, 
Pelz.,  Hab.  New  Holland  (?). 

P.S.  Since  this  paper  was  finished  Mr.  T.  J.  Moore  has 
been  so  kind  as  to  send  me  from  the  Derby  Museum  the  type 
of  O.  maculicoUis  for  examination.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
obtained  by  Mr.  Cuming  in  Malacca;  but  I  think  it  just  as 
probable  that  the  real  locality  may  ultimately  turn  out  to  be 
one  of  the  Philippine  Islands.  It  appears  to  be  a  distinct 
species ;  for  although  closely  allied  to  0.  sutorius,  it  differs  in 
its  blackish  brown  ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck,  which  are 
distinctly  and  rather  broadly  streaked  with  white.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  description  of  the  type  : — 

General  colour  above  olive-green ;  wings  brown,  the  least 
wing-coverts  edged  with  olive-green,  like  the  back,  the  greater 
series  and  quills  with  brownish  olive ;  tail  brown,  undulated 
under  certain  lights,  the  feathers  margined  with  olive-green ; 
crown  of  head  rufous,  the  occiput  and  hind  neck  rather  ashy 
brown ;  feathers  in  front  of  and  round  the  eye  buffy  whitish ; 
ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck  blackish  brown,  with  distinct 
longitudinal  streaks  of  white ;  cheeks  and  imder  surface  of 
body  white,  the  throat  purest,  the  breast  somewhat  tinged 
with  buff;  flanks  dull  olive  ;  sides  of  upper  breast  dark  grey ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  edge  of  wing  light  buff,  slightly  washed 
with  olive-yellow  ;  quills  below  ashy  brown,  with  a  tawny  buflF 
edging  along  the  inner  web.  Total  length  4*3  inches,  cul- 
men  0-55,  wing  1"8,  tail  1'7,  tarsus  0-8. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works,  117 

VIII. — Notices  of  recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

1.  Pere  David^s  '  Third  Journey  in  China/ 

[Journal  de  mon  troisieme  Voyage  d'Exploration  dans  I'Empire  Chinois  : 
ouvrage  contenaut  3  cartes.  Par  M.  I'Abbe  Armand  David,  de  la  Con- 
gregation de  la  Mission.     Two  vols.     Paris :  1875.] 

Pere  David's  name  requires  no  introduction  to  the  readers 
of  '  The  Ibis.^  We  all  know  the  extraordinary  success  that 
has  attended  his  efforts  to  make  known  to  science  the  natural 
wonders  of  the  interior  of  the  Chinese  Empire.  Many  of  us 
have  seen  the  splendid  new  forms  and  brilliant  novelties  with 
which  he  has  enriched  the  Museum  of  Paris,  and  have  ad- 
mired the  grand  discoveries  which  have  thrown  a  flood  of  light 
on  the  true  relations  of  the  Chinese  avifauna. 

Pere  David^s  earlier  Journals^''  have  been  published  in  the 
Bulletin  of  the  '  Nouvelles  Archives  du  Museum.^  In  these 
he  has  given  us  an  account  of  his  first  expedition  to  Mongolia 
in  1860,  and  of  his  second  remarkable  journey  to  Setchuan 
and  Moupin  in  1868  and  the  following  years.  In  the  present 
volumes  he  presents  us  with  a  narrative  of  his  third  great 
journey,  commenced  in  1872,  in  which  he  traversed  the  cen- 
tral provinces  of  the  empire,  and  made  large  collections  in 
two  previously  unknown  mountain-ranges  of  the  interior. 

The  pages  of  Pere  David^s  diary  are  rife  with  interesting 
notes  on  the  various  birds  met  with,  to  which,  even  when 
borne  down  by  severe  sickness,  he  appears  to  have  devoted 
unflagging  attention.  Leaving  Pekin  at  the  beginning  of 
October  1872,  our  traveller  journeyed  nearly  due  south  to 
the  banks  of  the  Hoang-ho,  which  he  crossed  on  the  24th  of 
October,  and,  turning  westward  along  its  left  bauk_,  passed 
several  months  at  various  localities  in  the  Tsiug-ling  moun- 
tains, which  lie  between  this  part  of  the  Hoang-ho  and  some 
of  the  northern  confluents  of  the  Yaug-tze.  Having  crossed 
to  the  south  of  the  range,  he  embarked  on  a  native  boat  on 
the  17th  of  April  1873^  and  descended  the  Han  to  Hankow, 

*  Journal  d \m  Voyage  dans  le  Centre  de  la  Chine  et  dans  le  Thibet 
Oriental.  Par  M.  I'Abbe  Armand  David.  Nouv.  Arch.  Mus.  d'H.  N. 
vol.  viii.  et  ix.  (Bulletin). 


118  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

which  he  did  not  reach  without  suffering  various  maladies 
and  misfortunes.  After  a  short  rest  here  and  at  Kiou-Kiang, 
lower  down  the  Yaug-tze^  Pere  David  resolved  to  make 
another  excursion  into  the  mountains  of  Kiangsi,  in  spite  of 
his  indifferent  health.  With  this  journey  he  occupied  the 
last  six  months  of  1873,  returning  to  Kiou-Kiang  in  an  al- 
most exhausted  state  at  the  end  of  January  1874,  and  shortly 
afterwards  to  Europe. 

Two  maps  serve  to  point  out  very  accurately  the  author's 
route,  and  add  great  interest  to  the  narrative. 

Besides  numerous  notes  on  known  species  interspersed 
throughout  the  narrative,  as  already  mentioned,  Pere  David 
gives  several  short  indications  of  supposed  new  species  dis- 
covered during  his  travels — Ithaginis  sinensis  (vol.  i.  p.  174), 
Pomatorhinus  gravivox  (ibid.  p.  200),  Carpodacus  lepidus 
(ibid.  p.  205),  Pnoepijga  halsueti  (ibid.  p.  210),  Suthora  cy- 
anopjhrys  (ibid.  p.  345),  Psaltria  sophi(B  (vol.  ii.  p.  167),  Po- 
matorhinus swinhoii  (ibid.  p.  269),  Trochalopteronmilni  (ibid. 
p.  271),  and  Machlolophus  rex  (ibid.  p.  275).  Of  these  new 
species  we  shall,  no  doubt,  have  fuller  accounts  in  the  work 
which  Pere  David  is  now  preparing  upon  the  mammals  and 
birds  which  he  collected  in  China.  He  also  makes  a  new 
genus,  Bahax  (vol.  i.  p.  181),  for  Garrulax  lanceolatus ,  Ver- 
reaux,  and  gives  (vol.  ii.  p.  39,  et  seq.)  a  nominal  list  of  the 
birds  (195  in  number)  observed  in  Southern  China  from 
October  1872  to  the  end  of  April  1873. 

It  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  science  if  Pere  David 
would  republish  the  Journal  of  his  first  two  journeys  in  a 
similar  manner,  and  with  accompanying  notes,  to  show  us 
where  "  Moupin "  and  the  other  terrce  incognitte  where  he 
made  so  many  wonderful  discoveries,  really  are. 

2.  The  Marquis  de  Compiegne's  'yEguaiorial  Africa/ 

[L'Afrique  Equatoriale.  Par  le  jMarquis  cle  Compiegue.  Paris :  1876. 
2  vols.     E.  Plon  &  Co.] 

This  is  hardly  to  be  called  a  scientific  book ;  it  is  never- 
theless one  which  our  ornithological  friends  will,  we  think, 
find  both  instruction  and  amusement  in  reading.     The  Mar- 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  119 

quis  de  Compiegne  and  his  friend  M.  A.  Marche  made  a  two 
years^  expedition  to  Gaboon  in  1872  to  collect  objects  of 
natural  history.  Their  adventures  are  given  in  an  entertain- 
ing way  by  the  Marquis  in  the  two  small  volumes  now  before 
us.  They  penetrated  deep  into  the  country  first  explored  by 
Du  Chaillu,  and  obtained  a  fine  series  of  birds^  of  which  their 
agent^  Mons.  Bouvier  of  Paris^  has  published  a  lisf^.  This 
catalogue,  or  a  nearly  corresponding  one,  is  also  given  as  an 
appendix  to  the  present  work.  We  may  call  particular  at- 
tention to  the  author's  account  of  his  visit  to  the  sacred 
islands  of  Lake  Zouangue,  where  myriads  of  Darters,  Ibises, 
and  Pelicans  were  found  breeding  in  community  (vol.  i. 
p.  278). 

3.  Riesenthal's  '  German  Birds  of  Prey.' 

[Die  Eaubvogel  Deutsclilauds  und  des  aug-renzenden  Mitteleuropas. 
Darstelluug  und  Beschreibimg  der  iu  Deutscliland  und  den  beuachbarten 
Landeru  von  Mitteleui'opa  vorkomnienden  Eaubvogel.  Allen  Natur- 
freunden,  besonders  aber  der  deutschen  Jagerei  gewidmet  von  O.  v.  Rie- 
senthal.     Text,  8vo.     Atlas,  small  folio.     Cassel :  1876.] 

PIr.  Th.  Fischer  has  politely  forwarded  to  us  the  first  part 
of  the  atlas  and  letterpress  of  this  proposed  new  work  on  the 
Raptores  of  Central  Europe.  It  contains  chromolithographs 
of  Buteo  vulgaris,  B.  lag  opus,  and  Pernis  apivorus,  adult  and 
young.  The  drawings  are  well  executed  and  show  consider- 
able spirit ;  but  we  observe  that  the  plates  are  rather  inclined 
to  be  rubbed  off  against  their  opposite  neighbours. 

4.  Allen's  'Birds  of  Lake  Titicaca.' 

[Exploration  of  Lake  Titicaca  by  Alexander  Agassiz  and  S.  W.  Gar- 
man.  III.  List  of  Mammals  and  birds.  By  J.  A.  Allen,  with  Field- 
notes  by  Mr.  Garman.  Bull.  Mus.  Comp.  Zool.  Cambridge,  Mass.  vol.  iii. 
nos.  15,  IG.     July  1876.] 

The  collection  of  birds  made  by  Mr.  Garman  dming  Mr. 
Alexander  Agassiz's  expeditition  to  Lake  Titicaca  in  the  first 

*  Catalogue  Geograpbique  des  Oiseaux  recueillis  par  MM.  A.  Marche  et 
le  Marquis  de  Compiegne  dans  leiu*  voyage  comprenaut  les  pays  suivants, 
Senegale,  Gamble,  Cazamance,  Sierra-Leone,  Bonny,  Vieux-Calabar,  Cap 
Lagos,  Fernando-Po,  Principe,  Gabon,  Fernand-Vaz,  et  Riviere  Ogoou6, 
pendant  les  annees  1872-74,  par  A.  Bouvier.     8vo.     Paris :  1875. 


JiO  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

months  of  1875^  of  which  an  account  is  given  in  this  paper, 
contains  about  230  specimens,  referable  to  69  species.  ''  The 
resemblance  of  the  bird-fauna  of  Lake  Titicaca  to  that  of  the 
neighbouring  portions  of  the  highlands  not  far  to  the  eastward, 
visited  by  Mr.  Whitely,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that,  of  Mr. 
Whitely^s  small  collection  of  47  species,  made  at  and  near 
Tinta,  on  the  Vilcamayo,  south-east  of  Cuzco  (11,000  feet 
above  sea-level),  27,  or  more  than  one  half,  are  contained 
in  Mr.  Garman's  collection. ^^ 

Two  species  are  described  as  new — an  Ibis,  Falcinellus  riclg- 
wayi,  allied  to  F.  guarauna,  and  a  Gallinule,  Gallinula  gar- 
mani,  allied  to  G.  galeata,  but  much  larger  and  darker. 

The  singular  short-winged  Grebe,  Centropelma  micropterum 
(figured  in  Ex.  Orn,  pi.  xcv.  p.  189),  is  stated  to  be  very  com- 
mon about  all  parts  of  the  lake  where  the  water  is  at  all  shal- 
low. ''It  feeds  on  fishes,  batrachians,  &c.  In  February  young 
were  taken  about  two  thirds  grown.  They  are  unable  to  rise 
from  the  water ;  but  by  flapping  their  rudimentary  wangs  and 
striking  the  water  with  their  feet  they  manage  to  progress 
quite  rapidly  for  a  considerable  distance." 

''  They  dive  quickly  at  the  discharge  of  a  gun — so  quickly 
that,  unless  taken  unawares,  they  will  dodge  the  shot — and 
escape,  often  swimming  a  long  distance  under  water  before 
reappearing."  Thirteen  specimens  were  obtained  of  this  rare 
species,  which  seems  to  be  confined  to  this  lake. 

5.  'Proceedings'  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales. 

[The  Proceedings  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales.  Vol.  i. 
parts  1  &  2.     8vo.     Sydney :  1876.] 

The  Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales  has  been  insti- 
tuted at  Sydney  "  for  the  cultivation  and  study  of  the  science 
of  natural  history  in  all  its  branches  "  under  the  presidency 
of  Mr.  W.  Macleay,  and  seems  already  to  number  upwards 
of  a  hundred  members.  We  have  seen  two  parts  of  the  '  Pro- 
ceedings ^  (pp.  1-168),  which  are  both  dated  1876,  though  a 
notice  is  stuck  into  the  first  part  that  the  "  first  twenty  pages 
of  this  part  were  printed  and  circulated  ten  months  ago." 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  121 

They  contain  the  following  ornithological  papers  by  Mr.  E. 
P.  Ramsay  : — 

"  Description  of  a  new  Ptilotis  from  the  Endeavour  River/' 
p.  9  (P.  macleyana  =  P.  versicolor,  Eamsay^  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  386,  nee  Gould)  ;  "  Description  of  a  new  Trichoglossus" 
p.  30  {T.  amabilis=T.  aureocinctus ,  Layard,  Ann.  Nat. 
Hist.  ser.  4,  vol.  xvi.  p.  344)  ;  "  Characters  of  a  new  Genus 
and  Species  of  Passerine  Bird  from  the  Fiji  Islands,"  p.  41 . 
[Vitia  riificapilla=Drymoch(iera  badiceps,  Finscli)  ;  "  De- 
scriptions of  a  new  Species  of  Merula  and  Rhipidura  from  the 
Fiji  Islands,"  p.  43  {Merula  ruficeps  and  Rhipidura  per  sonata, 
both,  we  believe,  also  described  by  Mr.  Layard)  ;  "  A  new 
Pachycephala  from  Fiji "  [P.  kandavetisis)  ;  "  A  new  Pachy- 
cephala  from  New  Britain,"  p.  QQ  [P.  citreogaster !)  ;  "  De- 
scription of  a  new  Lamprolia,"  p.  68  (L.  klinesmithii  =  L.  minor, 
Finsch)  ;  "  Description  of  a  new  Ptilinopus  from  Malacola,  one 
of  the  New  Hebrides,"  p.  133  (P.  corriei)  ;  and  "Description 
of  a  new  Plover  from  North  Australia,"  p.  135  [yEgialitis 
mastersi,  allied  to  Hiaticula  tnornata,  Gould) . 

Mr.  Ramsay  also  contributes  "  Remarks  on  a  collection  of 
birds  lately  received  from  Fiji,'^  and  adds  "  A  List  of  all  the 
Species  at  present  known  to  inhabit  the  Fiji  Islands."  The 
collection,  from  which  it  would  appear  the  new  species  pre- 
viously described  were  obtained,  contained  examples  of  37 
species.  The  list  of  remaining  species  is  simply  compiled 
from  Gray's  '  Hand-list,'  the  author  having  apparently  no 
knowledge  of  Hartlaub  and  Finsch's  ^  Ornithologie  Central- 
polynesiens,'  by  far  the  most  important  work  ever  published 
on  Polynesian  ornithology. 

Mr.  W.  Macleay,  the  President  of  the  new  Society,  gives 
(p.  36)  an  interesting  account  of  his  cruise  to  Torres  Straits 
and  Southern  New  Guinea  in  the  'Chevert'  in  1875,  and  of 
the  zoological  collections  made  during  the  expedition;  and 
later  on  (p.  44)  Mr.  Masters,  who  accompanied  the  expedi- 
tion, gives  us  the  first  part  of  his  report  on  the  bird-collec- 
tion, which  contained  about  1000  specimens.  In  the  present 
part  Mr.  Masters  confines  his  attention  to  the  species  ob- 
tained in  Australia  and  on   the   adjacent  islands  of  Torres 


122  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

Straits.  Of  these  136  are  enumerated,  amongst  which  are 
described,  as  new,  Podargus  gouldi  from  the  Gulf  of  Carpen- 
taria, Pachycephala  robusta  from  Cape  York,  Colluricincla 
superciliosa  from  Cape  Grenville,  Gerygone  simplex  from  the 
Gulf  of  Carpentaria,  Sericornis  brunneopygius  from  Cape 
York,  Zosterops  ramsayi  from  Palm  Island,  Z.  flavogularis 
from  Cape  Grenville  and  the  adjacent  islands,  Megapodius 
assimilis  from  Dungeness  and  Bet  Islands,  Sterna  nigrifrons 
from  Warrior  Reef,  and  Sternula  inconspicua  from  Cape  York. 

6.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany.' 

[Ornitliological  Miscellany.  Edited  by  George  DaAvson  Rowley,  M.A., 
r.L.S.,  r.Z.S.,  Member  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Union.  4to.  Lon- 
don :  Triibner  &  Co.  Part  III.  January  1876 ;  Part  IV.  May  1876 ;  Part 
V.  October  1876.] 

Of  this  most  appropriately  named  work,  which  has  already 
been  noticed  in  'The  Ibis'  (1875,  pp.  261,  509),  three  parts 
have  been  issued  during  the  past  year,  graced  with  many 
excellent  plates  of  ornithic  rarities,  Messrs.  Finsch,  Salvin, 
Sharpe,  and  A.  Newton  have  been  invited  to  contribute  to 
its  pages  ;  and  all  ornithologists  must  be  grateful  to  Mr.  Row- 
ley for  the  liberality  with  which  he  supplies  illustrations  to 
the  various  memoirs.  Those  of  the  Fijian  novelties  [Tricho- 
glossus  aureocinctus,  Myiagra  caruleo-capilla,  &c.)  recently 
discovered  by  Mr.  E.  L.  Layard  are  specially  acceptable;  and 
we  trust  Mr.  Rowley  will  not  fail  to  continue  them. 

7.  Blanford's  '  Zoology  of  Eastern  Persia.' 

[Eastern  Persia,  an  account  of  the  Journeys  of  the  Persian  Boundary 
Commission  1870-71-72.  Vol.  II.  The  Zoology  and  Geology,  by  W.  T. 
Blanford,  A.R.S.M.,  F.R.S.     Svo.     Loudon:  1876.     (Macmillan"&  Co.)] 

All  ornithologists  will,  we  are  sure,  accord  a  glad  welcome 
to  Mr.  Blanford^s  volume  on  the  zoology  and  geology  of  Persia, 
which  is  quite  worthy  of  the  high  reputation  of  the  author, 
and  fills  up  what  has  been  long  an  important  void  in  our 
science.  Looking  to  the  geographical  position  of  Persia, 
between  the  carefully  studied  lauds  of  Europe  on  the  one  side 
and  British  India  on  the  other,  it  will  be  at  once  obvious  that 
a  careful  account  of  its  zoology  M'ould  throw  light  upon  many 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  123 

problems  in  the  faunas  of  both  countries.  Hitherto  we  have 
had  no  work  to  refer  to  on  this  subject^  except  De  Filippi's 
'  Note  di  un  Viaggio  in  Persia/  and  various  smaller  memoirs 
and  fragmentary  notices.  Mr.  Blanford  bases  his  work  mainly 
on  the  collections  made  by  Major  St.  John^  with  the  assist- 
ance of  a  native  collector  from  the  Indian  Museum,  Calcutta, 
in  the  years  1869-71,  together  Avith  those  formed  by  himself 
in  1872  during  the  expedition  of  which  an  account  is  given 
in  the  first  volume  of  the  present  work.  As  regards  birds, 
the  united  collections  contained  1236  specimens,  belonging 
to  248  species,  mostly  from  Southern  Persia  and  Baluchistan, 
Mr.  Blanford,  however,  has  not  failed  to  work  up  the  refer- 
ences to  birds  collected  or  observed  in  Persia  by  previous 
travellers,  so  as  to  make  his  ornithological  account  of  the 
country  as  complete  as  possible.  Still  the  number  of  species 
as  yet  ascertained  to  inhabit  Persia  (384)  is,  as  Mr.  Blanford 
observes,  not  large,  and  it  is  probable  that  further  research 
will  add  greatly  to  the  list. 

The  new  species  discovered  by  Mr.  Blanford  and  his  coad- 
jutors in  Persia  have  been  already  described  in  ^The  Ibis^^. 
Mr.  Blanford  now  gives  us  excellent  figures  from  Mr.  Keu- 
lemans^s  pencil  of  many  of  these  novelties,  which  serve  to  set 
oflP  his  attractive  volume.  In  fine  we  may  say  that  Blan- 
ford^s  '  Zoology  of  Persia '  is  indispensable  to  the  student  of 
Palsearctic  ornithology. 

8.  Finsch's  '  Ornithology  of  the  Pacific  Islands ' :  Part  ii. 

[Zur  Ornitliologie  der  Siidsee-Inseln.  II.  Uebei-  neue  imd  weniger 
gekaunte  Vogel  von  deu  Viti-,  Samoa-  und  Carolineu  Inseln,  von  Dr.  Otto 
Finsch  in  Bremen.  Journal  des  Museum  Godetfroy.  Heft  xii.  4to. 
Hamburg:  1876.] 

In  this  memoir  Dr.  Finsch  continues  his  account  of  the 
ornithological  novelties  obtained  by  the  collectors  of  the  Mu- 
seum Godeffroy  in  the  Fiji,  Samoau,  and  Carolina  Islands, 
in  his  usual  excellent  style.  The  new  species  described  are  : — 
Ptilotis  wanthophrys  from  the  Navigators^,  and  Zosterops  po- 
napensis,    Volvocivora  insjjerata,   Myiagra  pluto,   Rhipidura 

*  See  Ibis,  1873,  pp.  86-90,  225-227 ;  1874,  pp.  225-227. 


124  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

kubaryi,  and  Aplonis  jjelzelni  from  Ponape^  of  the  Seniavin 
group,  which  has  lately  been  explored  by  Hr.  J.  Kubary,  one 
of  Hr.  Godeffroy's  scientific  staff.  Of  this  island  also  a  com- 
plete account  of  the  birds  is  given,  showing  that  22  species 
are  known  to  occur  in  it.  Of  these  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able is  the  Trichoglossus  ( Chalcopsitta)  rubiginosus,  long  erro- 
neously supposed  to  be  from  the  Moluccas.  Eight  examples 
of  this  fine  and  distinct  Lory,  now  known  to  be  peculiar  to 
the  little  island  of  Ponape,  were  obtained  by  Hr.  Kubary. 

Dr.  Finsch  also  gives  a  new  name  to  the  Artamus  of  the 
Pelew  Islands  {peleivensis) ,  which  he  has  hitherto  united  with 
the  widely  spread  A.  leucorhynchus  (sive  leucogaster) ;  and 
Hr.  Th.  Kleinschmidt,  of  Ovalau,  contributes  interesting  notes 
on  the  habits  of  Chrysosna  victor  and  Ptilotis  procerior.  Two 
good  chromolithograph  plates  accompany  the  memoir  and 
give  figures  of  Trichoglossus  aureicinctus,  Layard,  Petroica 
kleinschmidti,  Finsch,  Zosterops ponapensis,  Finsch,  Rhipidura 
kubaryi,  Finsch,  and  Aplonis  pelzelni,  Finsch. 

9.  Shelley's  '  Monograph  of  the  Sun-birds.' 

[A  Monograph  of  the  Cinnyridse,  or  Family  of  Sun-birds.  By  Captain 
G.  E.  Shelley,  F.Z.S.,  F.K.G.S.,  &c.  4to.  Loudon  :  published  by  the 
author  at  the  Office  of  the  British  Ornithologists's  Union,  6  Teuterden 
Street,  Hanover  Square,  W.] 

Capt.  Shelley^s  monograph  of  the  favourite  group  of  Sun- 
birds  will  form,  when  complete,  an  acceptable  companion- 
volume  to  Mr.  Sharpens  '  Kingfishers  '  and  Messrs.  Marshall's 
'  Barbets,'  being  of  the  same  size  and  fashion.  The  figures 
are  in  Mr.  Keulemans's  best  style ;  and  the  letterpress  contains 
a  summary  of  all  that  is  known  about  the  various  species. 
But  why  does  Capt.  Shelley  call  a  Sun-bird  "  brasilianus  " 
when,  as  he  knows  well,  the  term  conveys  an  egregious  error 
on  the  face  of  it  ?  Such  a  course  is  altogether  opposed  to 
the  Stricklandian  code  of  nomenclature,  which  we  suppose 
he  intends  to  follow.  And  why,  on  the  other  hand,  does 
he  call  the  family  ''  Cinnyrid?e,''  when  Nectarinia  is  the  older 
genus,  and  should  consequently  give  the  title  to  the  larger 
group  ? 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  125 

While  oflFering  these  small  criticisms  upon  our  friend^s 
labours^  we  may  also  express  a  hope  that  he  will  not  adopt 
the  numerous  minor  subdivisions  of  Nectariniidae  that  have 
lately  come  into  fashion^  founded,  not  on  structural  form, 
but  simply  on  styles  of  colour.  There  is  no  sort  of  advan- 
tage to  science  gained  by  the  employment  of  such  terms  gene- 
rically.  Even  our  author's  Urodrepanis  (gen.  nov.),  founded 
upon  the  jEthopijga  christin(B  of  Formosa,  as  having  the  "  two 
centre  tail-feathers  abruptly  narrowing  into  very  fine  points/' 
seems  to  us  rather  unnecessary  !  It  would  likewise  be  a  much 
more  comfortable  plan  if  the  plates  and  descriptions  of  the 
same  species  were  issued  together  in  the  same  part.  To  effect 
this  might  give  some  little  trouble  to  the  author,  as  we  are 
aware ;  but  it  would  be  a  great  convenience  to  the  subscribers. 

The  '  Monograph  of  the  Sun-birds '  will  be  completed,  as 
we  learn  from  the  prospectus,  in  twelve  Parts,  "  which  will 
be  published  as  rapidly  as  possible  consistently  with  a  proper 
execution  of  the  plates."  We  cordially  wish  our  author  suc- 
cess, and  trust  that  all  our  friends  and  readers  who  have  the 
opportunity  will  not  fail  to  assist  him  with  specimens  and 
intelligence. 

10,  Boucard's  '  Catalogus  Avium.' 

[Catalogus  Avium  hucusque  descriptarum.  Auctor  Adolphus  Boucard. 
London :  1878.     8vo,  pp.  350.] 

This  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  species  of  birds,  with  a 
slight  indication  of  their  j9a/fn«,  beginning  at  the  Struthiones 
and,  ending  with  the  Trochili.  Mr.  Boucard  recognizes  1 1,030 
species,  divided  into  2456  genera. 

Mr.  Boucard  has  compiled  his  catalogue  from  Gray's  '^Hand- 
list,' Sclater  and  Salvin's  '  Nomenclator  Avium  Neotropica- 
lium,'  and  Shai'pe's  ^Catalogue'  (vols.  i.  &  ii.),  and  has  pro- 
duced a  handy  volume  which  will  certainly  not  be  without 
use  to  ornithologists.  He  has  a  more  ambitious  project  in 
view — that  is,  a  '  Genera  of  Birds,'  of  which  the  present  work 
is  merely  a  forerunner.  The  classification  adopted  is  nearly 
that  of  the  '  Nomenclator  Avium  Neotropicalium  '  reversed. 
There  are  a  good  many  misprints ;  and  the  names  of  the  new 


126  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

"  orders  "  are  not  very  classically  chosen.  '^  Rallae  "  should 
be  "  Ralli/'  and  ''  Pterocles  "  "  Pterocletes  "  or  "  Pteroclae." 
To  reunite  the  Hirundinidte  with  the  Macrochires  is  a  fright- 
fully retrogade  step^  which  we  could  not  have  believed  our 
author  would  have  been  guilty  of ! 

11.  Brdggemann's  'Birds  of  Celebes'  * 

[Beitrage  zur  Ornithologie  von  Celebes  und  Sangir  von  Dr.  Friedrich 
Briiggemann.     8vo.     Bremen :  187(3.] 

It  is  with  much  pleasure  that  we  welcome  a  "new  recruit  to 
the  ranks  of  working  ornithologists.  Dr.  Briiggemann  founds 
the  present  essay  principally  upon  a  collection  made  in  1873- 
74  by  Dr.  George  Fischer^  a  medical  officer  of  the  Dutch 
Government,  partly  during  excursions  from  Menado  into 
Minahassa,  in  Celebes,  and  partly  on  Sanghir  Island.  The 
Darmstadt  collection,  however,  had  previously  a  series  of 
Celebes  birds,  mostly  presented  by  Hrn.  v.  Rosenberg  and 
Riedel.  Altogether  the  Gra;id-ducal  museum  contains  more 
than  1200  Celebes  and  Sanghir  skins,  of  M'hich  1066  are  due 
to  Dr.  Fischer^s  researches. 

Dr.  Briiggemann  follows  the  arrangement  of  Lord  Tweed- 
dale's  well-known  memoir  on  the  birds  of  Celebes  in  the 
Zoological  Society's  '  Transactions,'  but  adds  many  additional 
species.  He  describes  as  new  : — Astur  tenuirostris ,  Halcyon 
cyanocephalon,  and  Cuculus  vtrescens  from  Celebes ;  Pitta 
palUcejis  from  Sanghir;  Pitta  kochi  from  Luzon;  Monarcha 
commutata  from  Celebes ;  Artamus  brevipes  from  the  Pacific 
Islands  (!)  ;  Corvus  annectens  from  Celebes  ;  C.  fallaw  and  C. 
niodestus,  collected  as  C.  annectens  by  Rosenberg,  but  without 
localities  annexed;  Ptilonopus  nuchalis  from  Sanghir ;  P.fis- 
cheri  and  Carpophaga  pcecilorrhoa  from  Celebes;  Gallinula 
lepida,  ex  loc.  ign. ;  and  (in  an  appendix)  Cuculus  asturinus 
from  Celebes.  A  new  genus,  Schizoptila,  is  proposed  for 
Rallina  rosenbergi,  Walden.  Altogether  fourteen  additional 
species  are  added  to  the  avifauna  of  Celebes,  which  now  com- 
prises 229  species. 

*  Cf  remarks  by  Count  T.  Salvadori  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  385). 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  127 

12.  Gurney's  '  Rambles  of  a  Naturalist.' 

[Rambles  of  a  Naturalist  in  Egypt  and  other  Countries,  with  an  ana- 
lysis of  the  claims  of  certain  foreign  Birds  to  be  considered  British,  and 
other  Ornithological  Notes.  By  J.  H.  Gurney,  Jun.,  F.Z.S.  1  vol.  8vo. 
London  :  1876.] 

This  volume  is  a  kind  of  ornithological  omnium-gatherum, 
containing  an  account  of  the  recent  travels  and  experiences 
of  an  ardent  devotee  of  our  science  in  various  parts  of  the 
world,  Mr.  Gurney  first  goes  "'to  Russia  and  back/'  and 
gives  us  an  account  of  the  birds  to  be  met  with  in  the  market 
of  St.  Petersburg  there,  and  a  few  notes  on  the  museums  and 
zoological  gardens  which  he  visited.  Next  we  have  his 
journey  in  the  Algerian  Sahara,  where,  as  the  readers  of  '  The 
Ibis  '  already  know,  he  made  many  interesting  observations'^. 
The  notes  taken  during  the  Franco- German  war,  which  follow, 
relate  to  a  much  better-known  fauna,  but  still  contain  some 
interesting  information.  The  most  important  portion,  how- 
ever, of  Mr.  Gurney's  volume  is  the  account  of  his  six  mouths' 
bird-collecting  in  Egypt,  which  is  followed  by  a  systematically 
arranged  series  of  notes  upon  all  the  species  of  birds  obtained, 
223  in  all.  Of  these  Anser  erijthropus,  Buteo  deserto7'um, 
Cypselus  apus  (as  distinct  from  C.  pallidus),  and  Anas  angus- 
tirostris  are  added  to  the  Egyptian  list  for  the  first  time  "  on 
positive  information.''  The  right  of  admission  was  also  con- 
firmed to  sundry  doubtful  species,  such  as  Circus  cineraceus 
and  Porzana  pygmeea.  Some  "  passing  notes  on  the  birds  of 
Italy,"  together  with  an  analysis  of  the  claims  of  certain  birds 
to  be  considered  British,  and  a  few  minor  papers  conclude 
Mr.  Gurney's  interesting  and  instructive  volume,  which  we 
beg  leave  to  recommend  most  sincerely  to  the  notice  of  his 
brother  ornithologists. 

*  See   Mr.   Gurney  "On   the  Ornithology   of  Algeria,"   Ibis,   1871, 
pp.  68,  289. 


128  Letters,  Announcements,  &;c. 

IX. — Letters,  Announcements,  i^c. 

The  following  letters,  addressed  "  To  tlie  Editors  of  '  The 
Ibis/  "  have  been  received  : — 

33  Carlyle  Square,  Chelsea,  S.W, 
6tli  November,  1876, 

Sirs, — In  glancing  over  the  '  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the 
Museum  of  the  East-India  Company,'  vol.  i.,  my  attention 
vras  called  to  sp,  370  (p.  246),  Pycnonotus  sinensis.  Among 
the  specimens  referred  to  this  species  I  find  "B.  (P.  sinensis?) 
Siam.  From  Finlayson's  collection,^'  and  further  on  the 
note,  "  The  specimen  from  Siam  differs  in  having  the  head 
entirely  black,  which  in  the  other  specimens  is  wreathed  with 
white,  but  agrees  in  other  respects  with  the  other.''  It 
will  be  easy  to  see  that  the  Siamese  bird  is  the  same  as  my 
Ixos  hainanus  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  253).  On  the  Liuchow  penin- 
sula of  the  Chinese  main  I  found  the  same  bird  in  company 
with  the  typical  P.  sinensis,  and  secured  the  latter.  It  is 
interesting  to  find  that  the  Hainan  form  occurs  in  Siam.  It 
would  be  further  interesting  to  ascertain  whether  the  true  P. 
sinensis  also  occurs  so  far  south. 

Yours  &., 

Robert  Swinhoe. 


Sirs, — In  my  paper  on  the  Phylloscopi  I  am  afraid  I  have 
been  guilty  of  somewhat  wholesale  slaughter,  I  have  endea- 
voured to  consign  Gerygone  superciliosa  of  Wallace,  Phyl- 
loscopus  brooksi  of  Hume,  Phyllopneuste  intermedia  of  Severt- 
zoff,  Phylloscopus  abyssinicus  of  Blanford,  Hypolais  graminis 
of  SevertzofF,  and  Phylloscopus  brehmi  of  Homeyer  to  the 
limbo  of  synonyms.  I  regret  very  much  to  be  obliged  to  add 
another  victim  to  the  list ;  but  in  this  instance  at  least  the 
coup  de  grace  comes  with  a  better  grace  from  me  than  it  would 
from  any  one  else.  I  miderstand  that  the  present  number  of 
'  The  Ibis '  will  contain  an  account  of  the  discovery  for  the 
first  time  in  Asia  of  the  Pipit  [Anthus  seebohmi  of  Dresser) 
which  Harvie  Brown  and  I  discovered  for  the  first  time  in 
Europe  in  1875.     I  am  afraid  I  hold  in  my  hand  evidence 


Letters,  Announcefnents,  ^c.  129 

that  this  bird  is  the  Anthus gtistavi  of  Swinhoe  (P.  Z.  S.  1863, 
p.  90) .  Mr.  Swinhoe  has  kindly  furnished  me  with  three  skins 
of  his  bird^  obtained  on  the  31st  of  May^  1873^  in  North  China 
(see  Ibis^  1874,  p.  442),  suggesting  that  I  should  compare  them 
with  my  Petchora  skin.  They  agree  in  the  rich  and  varied 
colouring  of  the  upper  parts,  in  the  large  stout  bill,  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  primaries,  in  the  elongated  hind  claw, 
and  in  the  lighter  portion  of  the  rectrices  being  dark  smoky 
buff.  This  Pipit  apparently  breeds  in  the  arctic  regions  of 
the  Petchora,  the  Ob,  and  probably  as  far  east  as  the  Zena, 
as  Swinhoe  mentions  (Ibis,  loc.  cit.)  an  example  from  Lake 
Baical.  It  passes  through  North  and  South  China  on  mi- 
gration, and  should  be  looked  for  in  winter  in  the  Philippine 
Islands  and  the  Malay  archipelago. 

Yours  truly, 

Henry  Seebohm. 

Sheffield,  24tli  Dec.  1876. 

P.S.  I  may  add  that  Mr.  Dresser  has  compared  one  of  the 
Amoy  skins  with  his  specimen  of  the  Petchora  bird,  and  agrees 
with  me  in  the  identity  of  the  two  species. 


The  Ornithological  Museum  of  Signor  E.  Turati. — The  col- 
lection of  birds  belonging  to  Count  Ercole  Turati  of  Milan 
is  now  one  of  the  largest  and  best-arranged  private  collections 
in  Europe.  It  contains  upwards  of  14,600  specimens,  be- 
longing to  about  6300  species,  all  excellently  mounted  and 
in  good  order.  These  are  arranged  in  several  rooms  in  the 
Casa  Turati,  in  the  Via  Maraviglie,  at  Milan.  Amongst  the 
collections  now  merged  in  the  Turatian  Museum  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Woodpeckers  of  Malherbe,  the  Paradise-birds  of 
Elliot,  the  Humming-birds  of  Verreaux,  and  the  Eggs  of  Des 
Murs.  There  are  many  rare  and  typical  specimens,  amongst 
which  we  may  mention,  as  observed  during  a  recent  visit, 
Nestor  productus,  Trichoglossus  ivilhelmince  and  T.  josephinoi, 
Iridomis  jelskii,  Pipra  heterocerca,  Meropogon  breweri,  Ser- 
resius  galeatus,  and  Crossoptilon  drouyra.  The  unique  spe- 
cimen of  Syncecus  lodoisicB,  Verreaux,  of  which  phenomenon 

8EB.  IV. VOL.  I.  K 


130  Letters,  Announcements,  ^c. 

we  have  previously  spoken'^j  seems^  after  all,  to  be  perhaps 
only  an  individual  variety  of  Coturnix  dactylisonans.  Of  the 
fact  of  its  having  been  obtained  in  Lombardy  we  believe  there 
can  be  no  question.  No  lover  of  birds  who  visits  Milan 
should  omit  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Casa  Turati  and  its  hospitable 
proprietor. 


New  Series  of  the  Zoologist. — The  113th  number  of  the 
'Zoologist/  issued  last  month,  closes  the  second  series  of  this 
popular  periodical,  which  has  done  very  much,  as  most  of  our 
readers  well  know,  to  promote  the  study  of  natural  history 
among  the  rising  generation.  The  number  is  for  the  most 
part  very  appropriately  occujjied  with  a  portrait  and  memoir 
of  the  late  Mr.  Edward  Newman,  the  founder  and,  for  thirty- 
four  years,  editor  of  the  'Zoologist.-'  A  new  series,  com- 
menced on  the  1st  of  this  month,  is  edited  by  our  colleague 
Mr.  J.  E.  Harting,  whose  abilities  to  carry  on  the  good  work 
satisfactorily  no  one  is  likely  to  question. 


New  Work  on  the  Fauna  of  Belgium. — We  have  received 
a  prospectus  and  specimen  of  a  new  work  on  the  fauna  of 
Belgium,  to  be  entitled  "  Fauue  Illustree  des  Vertebres  de  la 
Belgique  par  Alphonse  Dubois,''-'  and  to  be  published  by  Mu- 
quardt  and  Co.,  of  Brussels.  The  series  containing  the  birds 
will  be  issued  in  140  livraisons  at  2  francs  each,  and  will 
give  coloured  figures  of  the  birds,  adult  and  young,  and 
their  eggs  and  nests.  This  series  will  ultimately  form  three 
volumes,  8vo. 


Tonquin  and  the  wag  there. — Amongst  the  Parliamentary 
papers  lately  issued  is  a  Report  by  SirB.  Robertson,  H.B.M. 
Consul  at  Canton,  of  a  visit  lately  paid  by  him  to  Haiphong 
and  Hanoi — two  new  ports  lately  opened  by  the  French  at 
Tonquin.  Hanoi,  the  capital  of  Tonquin,  is  situated  on  the 
Song-koi,  or  Red  River,  about  100  miles  from  its  mouth. 

*  See  Ibis,  1862,  p.  380,  and  Mr.  Howard  Saunders's  remarks,  Ibis, 
1869,  p.  393. 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  131 

The  city,  as  here  described,  "  rises  gradually  from  the  river, 
and,  embedded  in  trees  and  foliage,  has  a  charming  appear- 
ance/" As  there  is  a  French  settlement  and  Consul  and  a 
flourishing  Christian  Mission  here,  there  would  probably  be 
neither  difficulty  of  access  nor  danger  for  foreign  residents; 
and  the  country,  lying  between  China  and  Siam,  would  be  a 
most  interesting  one  for  a  naturalist.  The  nearest  ground 
ever  investigated  ornithologically,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  Hai- 
nan, to  which  Mr.  Swinhoe  once  paid  a  flying  visit.  We 
should  be  inclined  to  recommend  Tonquin  to  the  notice  of 
any  wandering  Member  of  the  B.  O.  U.  who  may  be  looking 
after  entirely  fresh  ground  (a  rather  difficult  thing  to  be  had 
in  these  days)  for  his  ornithological  experiences. 


Death  of  von  Heuglin. — We  much  regret  to  have  to  an- 
nounce the  death  of  one  of  the  most  active  and  laborious 
ornithologists  of  the  present  day.  Freiherr  Theodor  von 
Heuglin,  of  Ober-Tiirkheim,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Wiirttem- 
berg,  died  suddenly  and  prematurely  in  November  last — we 
believe,  from  a  severe  attack  of  pneumonia.  We  have  at 
present  no  available  materials  for  a  notice  of  the  life  of 
this  distinguished  ornithologist,  but  understand  that  a  memoir 
on  the  subject  is  being  prepared  by  Baron  E.  Konig-Wart- 
hausen  for  Cabanis^s  Journal,  which  will,  no  doubt,  do 
him  ample  justice.  Herr  von  Heuglin^s  last  and  most  com- 
plete work  is  his  recently  finished  '  Ornithologie  Nordost- 
Afrikas,"  which  will  alone  render  his  name  imperishable  in 
the  annals  of  ornithology.  We  may  add  that  within  a  few 
weeks  only  of  the  time  of  his  decease  one  of  the  editors  of 
this  Journal  was  in  correspondence  with  him  on  the  subject 
of  undertaking  a  scientific  exploration  of  the  island  of  Socotra ; 
so  unexpected  was  his  untimely  death,  and  so  ready  was  he 
for  further  work  of  this  nature. 


Irruption  of  Snowy  Owls  from  the  North. — Dr.  T.  M.  Brewer, 
writing  to  us  from  Boston,  U.  S.,  speaks  of  an  unusual  mi- 
gratory inroad  of  Snowy  Owls  which  has  taken  place  in  the 
N.E.  portion  of  the  United  States  during  the  past  autumn. 


132  Letters,  Announcements,  ^c. 

He  says  (under  date  Dec.  3rd) : — "  Since  September^  and 
before  I  reached  home  from  Europe^  we  have  been  having  a 
most  wonderful  flight  of  Snowy  Owls  {Nyctea  nivea).  How 
far  west  it  has  extended  I  have  not  yet  heard ;  but  from  New 
Brunswick  on  the  east  to  western  New  York  State  the  whole 
tract  has  been  covered  by  the  extraordinary  prevalence  of 
these  Owls. 

'  They  come  not  single  spies  but  in  battalions  ! ' 

Mr.  Boardman,  Avriting  to  me  from  St.  Stephen^s,  New  Bruns- 
wick^ says,  'We  have  had  a  wonderful  flight  of  Snowy  Owls. 
They  were  in  flocks  of  fifteens  and  twenties  moving  southwards. 
I  never  before  heard  of  so  many.  Most  of  those  seen  along 
the  coast  seemed  to  be  following  the  migratory  birds.  Some 
were  here  early  in  September  and  in  very  mild  weather.  They 
were  easily  captured.''  The  same  peculiarities  were  observed 
here.  The  Owls  swarmed  everywhere,  and  were  obtained  in 
large  numbers,  so  that  our  taxidermists  could  not  prepare  all 
that  were  brought  to  them.  At  Hingham,  on  the  coast, 
quite  a  number  were  killed  and  brought  to  my  nephew.  In 
Utica,  New  York,  one  was  ignominiously  knocked  on  the 
head  by  an  old  woman  with  a  broomstick,  the  bird  having 
been  caught  robbing  her  hen-roost. •'"' 

The  same  phenomenon,  we  may  add,  has  also  manifested 
itself  in  the  eastern  hemisphere.  Three  examples  of  the 
Snowy  Owl,  one  of  which  was  captured  in  Ireland,  are  now 
iu  the  Zoological  Society's  Gardens.  Mr.  Cross,  the  well- 
known  dealer  at  Liverpool,  says  he  never  had  so  many  of  this 
bird.  Every  steamer  from  America  brings  in  two  or  three, 
so  that  at  one  time  he  had  nearly  thirty  in  his  possession. 


THE    IBIS. 


FOURTH   SERIES. 


No.  II.     APRIL  1877. 


X. — Revieiv  of  the  Specimens  of  Trochilidse  in  the  Paris  Mu- 
seum, brought  by  D' Orbigny  from  South  America.  By  D. 
G.  Elliot,  F.R.S.E.  &c. 

Mindful  of  the  importance  of  always  referring  to  tlie  types 
of  described  species  of  birds  or  mammals,  when  possible,  in 
order  to  ascertain  exactly  what  an  author  may  have  had  before 
him  when  bestowing  for  the  first  time  a  name  upon  any 
animal,  I  have  lately  passed  in  review  such  of  the  specimens 
of  D^Orbigny^s  Humming-birds  as  are  still  to  be  found  in 
the  Paris  Museum,  which  are  mentioned  by  himself  and 
Lafresnaye  in  their  '  Synopsis  Avium ;'  and  I  have  embo- 
died in  the  present  paper  whatever  remarks  seemed  neces- 
sary regarding  them.  It  is  not  always  easy  to  ascertain  the 
species  to  which  some  particular  specimen  of  Humming- 
bird belongs,  even  when  the  example  is  present,  as  all  Tro- 
chilidists  well  know,  much  less  when  a  short  and  imperfect 
description  of  some  of  the  earlier  writers  is  all  the  light  given 
upon  which  to  form  an  opinion.  It  therefore  seemed  de- 
sirable that  D'Orbigny's  specimens  should  be  critically  ex- 
amined, as  being  among  the  most  important  of  the  earlier 
collections  made  of  these  difficult  birds.-    Some  of  the  species 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  L 


134        Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot  ow  D'Orhic/ny's  Specimens  of 

mentioned  by  liim  are  not  represented  among  his  specimens 
in  tlie  Museum ;  and  in  certain  instances,  wliere  lie  has  re- 
ferred them  to  a  well-determined  species  represented  by 
Lesson  in  one  or  other  of  his  works  on  this  family,  I  have 
retained  them  under  the  modern  name  of  such  species ;  but 
in  cases  where  the  indications  are  either  imperfect  or  do  not 
exist  at  all,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  exclude 
D^Orbigny's  names  from  the  nomenclature  of  the  group,  as, 
access  to  his  specimens  failing,  there  remains  no  possible 
way  of  ascertaining  what  were  the  species  he  intended  to 
describe. 

I  desire  to  express  my  thanks  to  Prof.  A.  Milne-Edwards 
and  to  Mons.  E.  Oustalet,  Aide-Naturaliste,  for  the  great 
facilities  afforded  me  in  examining  the  specimens  and  records 
relating  to  them  in  the  Museum  under  their  charge. 

The  species,  in  the  following  remarks,  are  arranged  in  the 
order  in  which  they  stand  in  the  '  Synopsis  Avium/ 

Patagona  gigas. 

Trochilus  gigas,  Vieill.  Gal.  Ois.  pi.  180. 

Ornismya  gigantea,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  26,  sp.  1. 

Hab.  Cochabamba,  La  Paz,  Chuquisaca,  Valparaiso. 

Several  specimens  of  this  species  brought  by  D^Orbigny. 

EUPETOMENA  MACRURA. 

Trochilus  macrourus,  Gmel.  Syst.  Nat.  p.  487. 
Ornismya  macrourus,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av,  ii.  p.  26, 
sp.  2. 

Hab.  Chiquitos,  Moxos. 

No  specimens  of  this  bird  in  the  Museum  from  D^Orbigny. 

COMETES  SPARGANURUS. 

Trochilus  sparganurus,  Shaw,  Gen.  Zool.  vol.  viii.  p.  291, 

pi.  31. 

Ornismya  chrysurus,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  26, 

sp.  3. 

Hab.  Yungas. 
Mounted  specimens. 


Trochilidae  in  the  Paris  Museum.  135 

COMETES  PHAON. 

Cometes phaon,  Grould^  P.  Z.S.  1847,  p.  31. 

Ornismya  chrysurus,  var.,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  27, 
sp.  4. 

Hab.  La  Paz,  Sicasica. 

Mounted  specimens,  male  and  female.  This  is  undoubt- 
edly tlie  bird  described  aferwards  by  Gould  as  C.  j•J/^ao/^,  but 
which  D^Orbigny  regarded  as  only  a  variety  of  C.  spar- 
ganurus. 

Lesbia  nuna. 

Lesbia  nuna,  Less.  Suppl.  Ois.-Mouches,  p.  169,  pi.  35. 

Ornismya  gouldii,  D'Orb,  &Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  27,  sp.  5. 

Hab.  Enquisivi  and  Sicasica. 

I  place  O.  gouldi,  D'Orbigny,  as  Lesbia  nuna,  Less., 
from  the  fact  that  I  was  unable  to  find  any  specimen  of  L. 
gouldi  brought  by  D'Orbigny  in  the  Museum;  but  there 
are  three  of  L.  nuna,  a  male  and  two  females,  mounted  in 
the  gallery.  The  measurement  given  of  the  lateral  rec- 
trices  of  5^  !  I  do  not  understand.  If  centimetres  are  in- 
tended it  is  too  short  even  for  the  tail  of  a  female  of  L.  gouldi. 
If  15^  is  intended,  it  would  be  about  the  right  length  for 
L.  nuna,  but  too  long  for  L.  gouldi.  I  am  under  the  im- 
pression that  as  20^  centim.  is  given  as  the  total  length, 
15^  centim.  was  meant  for  that  of  the  tail,  which  is  the  mea- 
surement of  the  tail  of  L.  nuna.  The  male  specimen  has  no 
locality  given  on  the  ticket  beyond  '  Amerique  meridionale ; ' 
but  the  two  females  are  marked  as  from  Sicasica,  Bolivia. 

Thalurania  nigrofasciata. 

Trochilus  nigrofasciata,  Gould,  P.  Z.  S.  1846,  p.  89. 

Ornismya  furcata,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  27, 
sp.  6. 

Hab.  Chiquitos,  Santa  Cruz,  Moxos. 

Three  skins,  two  males  and  one  female,  brought  by  D'Or- 
bigny from  Yungas,  Santa  Cruz,  and  Moxos  respectively, 
numbered  on  their  tickets  324,  are  in  the  collection.  I  could 
not  find  any  example  from  Chiquitos.  They  all  belong  to  T, 
nigrofasciata,  Gould. 

L  2 


136        Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot  on  D'Orbigm/s  S/jecimens  of 

Eriocnemis  glaucopoides. 

Ornismya  glaucopoides,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.   Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  27, 
sp.  7. 

Trochilus  cVorbigmji,  Bourc.  &  Muls.  Ann.  Sc.  Phys.  et  Nat. 
Lyon,  1846,  p.  320. 

Hab.  Valle  Grande,  Bolivia. 

A  single  specimen  from  the  above  locality,  belonging  to 
the  genus  Eriocnemis,  is  the  type  of  Ornismya  glaucopoides 
of  D'Orbigny.  It  was  afterwards  described  by  Bourcier  and 
Mulsant  as  Trochilus  d'orbignyi  {I.e.),  and  has  been  always 
known  to  naturalists  as  Eriocnemis  d'orbignyi.  The  name 
given  by  MM.  Bourcier  and  Mulsant  will  now  have  to 
become  a  synonym  of  the  one  bestowed  upon  the  species 
by  D'Orl)igny,  which  has  priority  of  eight  years !  It  is  a 
very  rare  species,  the  type  still  remaining  unique,  no  one 
having  met  with  the  bird  since  it  was  first  discovered. 

Chlorostilbon  splendidus. 

Ornismya  aureoventris,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  28, 
sp.  8. 

Trochilus  splendidus, \\q\\\.  Nouv.  Diet,  Hist.  Nat.  tom.  vii. 
p.  361. 

Hab.  Moxos,  Cochabamba,  Yungas,  and  Corrientes. 

A  single  skin  of  this  species  from  Cochabamba^  numbered 
297 ;  two  mounted  specimens  from  Corrientes  and  Moxos 
respectively ;  and  a  third  with  only  "  Bolivia  ?  "  given  as  the 
habitat. 

ACESTRURA  MULSANTI. 

Ornismya  mulsanti,  Bourc.  Ann.  Sc.  Phys.  et  Nat.  Lyon, 
1842,  p.  344,  t.  XX. 

Ornismya  cyanojjogon,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  28, 
sp.  9  (nee  Lesson). 

Hab.  Yungas. 

A  single  mounted  specimen  in  the  Museum,  brought  by 
D'Orbigny  from  Yungas,  is  that  of  an  adult  male  A.  mul- 
santi.    Four  others  in  skin  are  those  of  females  and  vouns;. 


Trocliilidse  in  the  Paris  Museum.  137 

Rhodopis  vesper. 
,    Ornismya  vesper,  D^Orb.  &Lafr.  Syu.  Av.  ii.  p.  28,  sp.  10; 
Less.  Ois.-Mouches,  pi.  19. 

Hab.  Tacna^  Peru, 

No  specimen  of  D'Orbigny's  is  to  be  found. 

CaLLIPERIDIA  ANGELiE. 

Ornismya  angelce,  Less.  111.  Zool.  pis.  45, 46;  D'Orb.  &  Lafr. 
Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  28,  sp.  11. 

Hab.  Corrientes. 

Two  skins  of  females,  numbered  on  their  tickets  154,  both 
from  Corrientes. 

Petasophora  serrirostris. 

Troc/iilus  serrirosiris,  Vieill.  Nouv.  Diet.  Hist.  Nat.  torn.  vii. 
p.  359.    • 

Ornismya  petasophora,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  28^ 
sp.  12. 

Hab.  Yungas. 

A  specimen  of  P.  serrirostris,  brought  by  D^Orbigny,  is 
mounted  in  the  gallery  of  the  Paris  Museum.  This  is  the 
only  instance,  that  I  am  aware  of,  in  which  this  species  has  been 
procured  in  Bolivia,  as  it  is  a  Brazilian  bird,  found  commonly 
between  Bahia  and  Rio  Janeiro.  It  is  the  only  species  of 
Petasophora  obtained  by  D^Orbigny. 

EUSTEPHANUS  FERNANDENSIS. 

Trochilus  fernandensis,  King,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  1830,  p.  30. 
Ornismya  fernandensis,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  29, 
sp.  13. 

Hab.  Juan  Fernandez. 

A  male  and  female  in  the  collection,  from  Juan  Fernandez. 

AgL^ACTES  PAMELA. 

Ornismya  pamela,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  29,  sp.  14. 
Orthorhynchus  pamela,  D^Orb.  Voy.  Ois.  p.  376,  t.  Ix.  f.  1. 
Hab.  Yungas. 

The  type  mounted,  being  the  only  specimen  in  the  col- 
lection. 


138        Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot  on  D'Orbigny's  Specimens  of 

Heliomastee  longirostris. 

Trochilus  longirostris,  Vieill.  Ois.  Dor.  torn.  i.  p.  107^  pi.  59. 

Ornismya  longirostris,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  29, 
sp.  15. 

Hub.  Guarayos. 

There  is  no  specimen  marked  0.  longirostris  of  WOvhignj's 
in  the  Museum.  As,  however^  he  refers  to  it  O.  superba, 
Less.  Ois.-MoucheSj  pi.  2,  I  have  assigned  his  name  to  He- 
liomaster  longirostris. 

EUSTEPHANUS  GALERITUS. 

Trochilus  galeritus,  Lath.  Ind.  Orn.  vol.  i.  p.  304. 
Ornismya  sephanoides,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  29, 
sp.  16;  Less.  Ois.-Mouches,  pi,  14. 
Hab.  Valparaiso. 
No  specimen  in  the  collection  from  D^Orbigny^s  voyage. 

Hylocharis  cyanea. 

Trochilus  cy anus,  Yi&^i.'^owv.  Diet.  d'Hist.  Nat.  tom.  xxiii. 
p.  426. 

Ornismya  cyana,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30,  sp.  17. 

Hab.  Guarayos. 

A  mounted  specimen  in  adult  plumage,  but  without  any 
locality  indicated  on  the  ticket.  There  is  also  a  skin  of  a 
young  individual  from  Guarayos. 

Thaumatias  albiventris. 

Ornismya  albiventris,  Less.  Ois.-Mouchcs,  p.  209,  t.  76  ; 
D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30,  sp.  18. 

Hab.  Moxos. 

A  mounted  specimen  of  this  species.  The  habitat,  however, 
is  not  given  upon  the  stand. 

Leucochloris  albicollis. 

Trochilus  albicollis,  Vieill.  Nouv.  Diet.  Hist.  Nat.  tom.  xxiii. 
p.  426. 

Ornismya  albicollis,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30,  sp.  19 ; 
Less.  Ois.-Mouches,  pi.  63. 

Hab.  Yungas,  Chaluani. 

No  specimen  of  D'Orbigny's  is  in  the  Museum. 


Trochilidae  in  the  Paris  Museum.  139 

Chlorostilbon  prasina. 

Ornismya  jjrasina,  Less.  Ois.-Mouches,  p.  188^  pi.  65. 

Ornismya  mellisuga,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30^  sp.  20. 

Hab.  Yungas,  Sicasica^  Ayupaya. 

A  specimen  of  C.  prasina,  Less.^  brought  by  D'Orbigny 
from  Ayupaya,  as  ascertained  by  the  Museum  Catalogue, 
I  believe  to  be  the  O.  mellisuga  of  the  '  Synopsis  Avium,^ 
for  the  following  reasons  : — The  locality  of  Ayupaya  is  only 
given  twice  among  D'Orbigny's  examples;  and  the  present  spe- 
cimen is  the  only  Humming-bird  brought  by  him  that  I  have 
been  able  to  find  in  the  Museum  as  having  come  from  that 
place,  excepting  the  Metallura  smaragdinicollis,  about  which 
there  cannot  be  any  difficulty.  This  would  seem  to  point  it 
out  as  the  one  intended  by  him  as  0.  mellisuga.  In  the 
Museum  Catalogue  it  is  called  the  Saphir-emeraude,  no  Latin 
name  having  been  employed.  The  next  species  of  the  'Syn- 
opsis '  he  gives  is  0.  bicolor ;  and  he  asks  if  that  is  not  the 
young  of  the  Saphir-emeraude,  "  Junior  avis  ?  le  Saphir- 
emeraude,"  as  though  he  had  in  his  mind  the  present 
species,  which  he  called  in  the  Museum  Catalogue  by  that 
name.  These  two  circumstances  seem  to  show  that  we 
shall  not  probably  go  wrong  if  we  place  D^Orbigny^s  0.  mel- 
lisuga as  a  synonym  of  Chlorostilbon  prasina  (Less.).  Again 
M.  Beauperthuy  has  placed  in  the  gallery  a  specimen  of  C. 
prasina  which  bears  on  the  ticket  the  name  O.  mellisuga. 
This  seems  to  me  also  an  indication  that  D^Orbigny^s  name 
was  intended  for  the  same  species. 

Two  specimens  of  the  bird  called  Ornismya  bicolor  by 
D^Orbigny  are  in  the  Museum,  numbered  349  and  385.  One 
of  them,  a  male,  is  mounted,  and  has  upon  the  stand  Circe 
doubledayi  in  the  handwriting  of  Bourcier ;  the  other,  a  skin 
of  a  female  in  very  poor  condition,  is  marked  on  the  label 
'  Yungas,^  in  D'Orbigny's  writing.  They  are  rather  small 
delicately  shaped  birds,  of  a  species  apparently  undescribed, 
belonging  to  the  genus  Thaiimatias.  Most  certainly  they 
have  nothing  to  do  with  Circe  doubledayi.  I  propose  to  call 
the  species 


140        Mr.  D.  (Jr.  Elliot  on  D'Oj'biyay'a  Specimens  of 

Thaumatias  neglectus. 

Ornismya  bicolor,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30,  sp.  21. 

Hab.  Yungas  and  Moxos,  Bolivia. 

Male.  Top  of  head,  nape,  and  mantle  metallic  green  ;  throat 
and  upper  part  of  breast  brilliant  metallic  blue,  the  white  base 
of  the  feathers  on  the  throat  and  breast  showing  conspicuously 
amid  the  blue ;  but  this  may  be  caused  by  the  plumage  of  the 
specimen  being  disarranged.  Back,  rump,  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  light  greenish  bronze.  Wings  purplish.  Flanks  and 
lower  part  of  breast  shining  green.  Abdomen  whitish.  Under 
tail-coverts  pale  brown,  margined  with  white.  Tail  pale 
greenish  bronze ;  a  subterminal  black  bar,  as  in  many  species 
of  Thaumatias,  is  present  upon  all  the  feathers  excepting 
the  two  median  ones.  Bill  very  slender  and  pointed.  Maxilla 
black;  mandible  flesh-colour.  Feet  black.  Total  length 
3 J  inches,  wing  2,  tail  \\,  bill  |. 

Female.  Head  and  upper  parts,  sides  of  throat,  and  flanks 
shining  grass-green.  Centre  of  throat  and  underparts  whitish, 
apparently  spotted  with  metallic  light  green.  Tail  like  that 
of  the  male,  tips  of  lateral  feathers  whitish.  Under  tail- 
coverts  whitish.  Wing  purple.  Maxilla  broken  off,  the  base 
black;  mandible  flesh- colour.  Feet  black.  Length  3|  inches, 
wing  2,  tail  \\,  bill  |. 

This  specimen  is  in  a  very  poor  state,  and  the  coloiu*  of 
some  parts  is  difiicult  to  make  out  correctly.  Some  of  the 
tail-feathers  are  wanting;  those  that  remain  resemble  the 
rectrices  of  the  male. 

Thaumatias  neglectus  cannot  be  confounded  with  other 
species  of  the  genus,  as  it  does  not  resemble  any  of  them. 

Chrysuronia  chrysura. 

Ornismya  chrysura,  Less.  Ois.-Mouches,  Suppl.  p.  lOT,  pi.  4. 

Ornismya  ruficoUis,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  30,  sp.  22. 

Hab.   Santa  Cruz,  San  Juan  de  Chiquitos,  Yungas. 

1  place  O.  ruficollis,  D'Orb.,  as  a  synonym  of  C.  chrysura, 
from  the  fact  that  I  find  a  specimen  brought  from  San  Juan 
by  D'Orbigny  in  the  gallery  of  the  Paris  Museum,  which 
answers  very  well  to  his  description.  It  is  the  only  species 
to  which  I  can  refer  O.  r/fficol/is. 


Trochilidse  in  the  Paris  Museum.  141 

Metallura  smaragdinicollis. 

Ornismya  smaragdinicollis,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii, 
p.  31,  sp.  23. 

Orthorhynchus  smaragdinicollis,  D'Orb.  Voy.  Ois.  p.  375, 
t.  lix.  f.  2. 

Hab.  Yanacache,  Prov.  Yungas;  Palca,  Prov.  Ayupaya. 

Represented  only  by  the  mounted  type,  the  locality  of 
which  is  given  as  Ayupaya. 

Heliangelus  amethysticollis. 

Ornismya  amethysticollis,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  31, 
sp.  24. 

Orthorhynchus  amethysticollis,  D'Orb.  Voy.  Ois.  p.  376, 
t.  Ix.  f.  2. 

Hab.  Territory  of  the  Yuracares  Indians. 

Represented  by  the  mounted  type. 

Thaumastura  cor^. 

Ornismya  corce.  Less. ;  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  31, 
sp.  25. 

Hab.  Lima,  Peru. 

A  poor  skin  of  an  immature  individual,  numbered  on  the 
ticket  340. 

Lampornis  violicauda. 

Trochilus  violicauda,  Bodd.  Tab.  PI.  Enl.  D'Aubenton, 
p.  41.  no.  671. 

Trochilus  mango,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  32, 
sp.  26. 

Hab.  Moxos,  Guarayos. 

Represented  by  several  mounted  specimens. 

Phaethornis  superciliosus. 

Trochilus  superciliosus,  Linn.  Syst.  Nat.  tom.  i.  p.  189; 
D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  32,  sp.  27;  Less.  Colib.  pi.  5. 
Hab.  Guarayos. 
No  specimen  of  D'Orbigny's  is  in  the  collection. 

PyGMORNIS  PYGM5iUS. 

Trochilus  pygmmus,  Spix,  Av.  Bras.- p.  78,  pi.  80.  fig.  1. 


142  Count  T.  Salvador!  on  two  Bii'dsfrom  the  Fiji  Islands. 

Trochilus  brasiliensis,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av,  ii.  p.  32, 
sp.  28. 

Hab.  Yuracares,  Guarayos. 

A  mutilated  skin,  without  any  tail,  but  apparently  belong- 
ing to  P.  pijgnKSUs.     The  ticket  bears  the  number  376, 

Threnetes  leucurus. 

Trochilus  leucurus,  Linn.  Syst.  Nat.  i.  p.  190 ;  D'Orb.  & 
Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  32,  sp.  29. 
Hab.  Yuracares. 
A  single  specimen  of  D^Orbigny's  is  in  the  Museum. 

POLYTMUS  VIRESCENS. 

Trochilus  thaimiantias,  Linn.  Syst.  Nat.  i.  p.  190. 
Trochilus  viridis,  D^Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  32,  sp.  30. 
Hab.  Moxos. 
An  adult  specimen,  mounted,  of  this  species. 

Oreotrochilus  estell/e. 

Trochilus  estella,  D^Orb.  &Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  32,  sp.  31 ; 
D'Orb.  Voy.  Ois.  p.  376,  t.  Ixi.  £.  1. 
Hab.  La  Paz. 
Represented  by  the  type  specimen,  mounted. 

Oreotrochilus  ADELiE. 

Trochilus  adela,  D'Orb.  &  Lafr.  Syn.  Av.  ii.  p.  33,  sp.  32  ; 
D'Orb.  Voy.  Ois.  p.  377,  pi.  Ixi.  f.  2. 
Hab.  Chuquisaca. 
Represented  by  the  type  specimen,  mounted. 


XL — Notes  on  tivo  Birds  from  the  Fiji  Islands. 
By  T.  Salvadori,  C.M.Z.S. 

I  HAVE  lately  had  the  opportunity  of  examining  specimens  of 
two  interesting  birds,  recently  described,  from  the  Fiji  Islands. 
They  belong  to  Count  Turati's  collection. 

Two  specimens,  male  and  female,  are  labelled,  in  Mr. 
Layard's  handwriting,  "  Rhipidura  albicollis,  Layard,  N'Gila, 
Taviuni,  Fiji."     This  name  is  to  be  found  in  'The  Ibis/  1876, 


Count.  T.  Salvadori  on  two  Birds  from  the  Fiji  Islands.  143 

p.  149,  and  in  the  P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  493.  Althongh  there  is 
no  description  nor  reference,  I  suppose  that  the  bird  so 
named  is  the  one  previously  described  with  the  name  of  Rhi- 
pidura  albogularis,  Layard,  P.  Z.  S.  1875,  pp.  29,  434.  I  do 
not  know  if  the  name  of  alhigularis  has  been  changed  into  that 
of  albicollis  by  mistake  or  on  purpose.  Dr.  Finsch  has  already 
hinted  (P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  20)  that  the  name  of  albigularis 
cannot  stand,  which  is  quite  true,  as  there  is  a  Muscylva  al- 
bogularis, Less.  Zool.  du  Voy.  de  Belang.  p.  264  {  =  Rhipi- 
dura  albigula,  Hodgs.  in  Gray's  Zool.  Misc.  1844,  p.  84). 
I  also  wish  to  point  out  that  neither  can  the  name  Rhipidura 
albicollis  be  used  for  Layard's  species,  as  Vieillot  has  described 
2L  Platyrhynchos  albicollis  (N.  D.  xxvii.  p.  13),  which,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Pucheran  (Arch.  Mus.  H.  N.  vii.  p.  358 ;  Hartl. 
J.  f.  Orn.  1855,  p.  426)  is  the  same  as  Rhipidura f us coventr is, 
Franklin,  a  species  which  must  stand  as  Rhipidura  albicollis 
(Vieill.).  After  all  this  it  is  evident  that  i2.  albigularis  or 
albicollis,  Layard,  must  be  called  by  some  other  name ;  and  I 
propose  that  of  Rhipidura  layardi,  which  I  have  already  at- 
tached to  the  specimens  in  Count  Turati's  collection. 

The  other  bird  to  which  I  wish  to  refer  is  Lamprolia  minor, 
which  has  been  mentioned  by  Mr.  Layard  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  155). 
After  stating  that  it  has  been  quite  lately  discovered  on  Vanua 
Levu  by  Mr.  Kleinschmidt  (who  proposed  to  call  it  L.  minor), 
Mr.  Layard  says  that  it  "  resembles  L.  victories,  but  is  about  a 
third  smaller,  and  the  head  is  entirely  covered  with  the  bril- 
liant blue  feathers. ''  I  have  compared  one  male  of  this  spe- 
cies, procured  by  Mr.  Kleinschmidt  on  Vanua  Levu,  with 
two  specimens,  male  and  female,  of  L.  victoria  from  Taviuni, 
obtained  by  the  same  collector.  Now,  on  comparison,  it 
does  not  appear  that  there  is  any  difference  about  the  head, 
as  the  brilliant  blue  feathers  entirely  cover  the  head  of  the 
males  of  both  species ;  but  the  L.  minor,  besides  being  much 
smaller,  may  be  distinguished  by  the  white  on  the  two  mid- 
dle tail-feathers  reaching  nearly  to  the  tip,  while  in  L.  vic- 
torice  the  white  does  not  go  so  far  towards  the  tip,  so  that 
the  black  end  is  more  extended.  The  following  are  the  di- 
mensions of  tlie  two  species  : — 


144       ,     Mr.  R.  Swiiiboe  07i  Birds  from  Hakodadi. 


Bill  from 

Length. 

Wing.         Tail. 

front. 

Tarsus. 

millim. 

milliui.      millim. 

millim. 

millim. 

Laniprolia  minor     

117 

62            41 

12 

19 

Luniprolia  victoricc 

140 

83     '       45* 

13 

23 

Turin,  Zoological  Muse 

um,  Nov. 

2nd,  1870. 

' 

XII. — On  the  Contents  of  a  fourth  Box  of  Birds  from  Hakodadi, 
in  Northern  Japan.     By  R.  Swixhoe,  F.R.S. 

I  HAVE  now  to  report  upon  a  fourth  box  of  birds  received 
from  Mr.  T.  W.  Blakiston,  of  Hakodadi,  North  Japan,  con- 
taining thirty- four  specimens,  together  with  additional  notes, 
dated  30th  June,  1876.  I  will  continue  my  numbers,  as 
before,  from  where  I  last  left  off  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  335).  The 
last  number  noted  was  142  ;  but  as  no.  135,  Uragus  sibiricus, 
was  wrongly  identified,  as  appears  from  the  present  series, 
w^e  must  erase  it,  and  commence  by  repeating  the  last  number, 

142.  CiKcus  spiLONOTus,  Kaup. 

A  male,  in  immature  plumage,  marked  "  Awomori  (North 
Japan),  18th  April,  1876,  c?  21^  x  17.^' 

A  female  Merlin  [Falco  tesalon),  from  Yedo,  is  also  sent. 
Mr.  Blakiston  speaks  of  having  some  Owls,  and  asks  if  Whitely 
was  right  in  giving  Syrnium  rufescens,  T.  &  S.,  from  Hakodadi. 
Whitely^s  specimens  were  without  doubt  correctly  identified. 

There  is  a  specimen  of  P/pastes  agilis,  Sykes,  which  was 
procured  at  Yokohama,  and  one  of  Oreocincla  aurea,  from 
the  same  locality,  with  the  remark  "  very  common  in  the 
market  of  Yokohama  in  winter."  Mr.  Blakiston  also  asks 
"  Does  Muscicapa  gularis  exist  as  a  species,  or  are  birds  so 
called  only  females  [Cyanoptila  cyanomelmia)  1"  There  is  no 
doubt  in  my  mind  that  the  former  name  has  been  applied  to 
the  female  of  the  latter  species  (see  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  380). 

A  Japanese  Jay,  sent  from  Yokohama,  is  Garrulus  ja- 
ponicus,  Bp.  This  species  does  not  seem  to  occur  at  Hako- 
dadi, where  its  place  appears  to  be  taken  by  G.  hrandti. 

*  ]>r.  Finscli  oives  only  n8-l()  millinis.  lor  the  length  of  the  tail. 


Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  on  Birds  from  Hakodadi.  145 

Cyanopolius  cyanus  (Pall.) .  A  specimen  of  this  bird  has  come 
marked  ^'Tokio,  Japan  (per  Mr.  Oda)  ^J."  Tokio=Yeddo; 
so  we  must  not  include  this  as  yet  among  the  birds  of  Hako- 
dadi.    It  wants  the  white  tips  to  the  median  rectrices. 

143.  Passer  montanus  (L.). 

March.  A  male,  from  Hakodadi.  There  is  also  a  female 
of  P.  rutilans ;  but  as  it  is  from  Yokohama,  we  must  not  in- 
clude it  under  a  number. 

Mr.  Blakiston  also  sends  an  Eophona  personata,  Schleg.,  ^ , 
but  fromTokio  =  Yeddo.  The  Japanese  name  for  this  is  marked 
on  a  separate  slip  of  paper,  "  Ikarugra."  The  bird  is  blue-black 
round  its  bill  near  the  base,  as  is  its  smaller  congener  of  China, 
E.  melmmra.  The  Japanese  agrees  with  a  winter-killed  speci- 
men of  the  same  species,  procured  by  Pere  David  at  Moupin^ 
but  has  the  tomia  of  the  upper  mandible  near  the  base  of  the 
bill  inflected  into  a  flap  on  each  side  over  the  lower  mandible. 
A  specimen  of  the  same  bird,  which  I  shot  near  Pekin,  has 
more  white  on  the  abdomen,  and  a  splash  of  black  over  the 
whole  bill.     It  was  killed  on  the  29th  September,  1868. 

There  is  a  male  Carpodacus  roseus,  also  from  Tokio.  This 
is  the  bird  which  I  wrongly  identified  with  Uragus  sibiricus. 

A  male  Emberiza  elegans,  Temm.,  likewise  from  Tokio. 
This  has  a  separate  label  giving  its  Japanese  name,  "  Miyama 
hojivo."  A  male  Turtur  risorius  is  also  sent  from  Tokio.  I 
originally  guessed  this  bird  to  be  of  this  species  from  Blak- 
istou^s  description  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  334) . 

In  a  note,  Mr.  Blakiston  writes,  "  I  have  among  my  series 
of  skins  of  Alauda  japonic  a  one  rather  large ;  but  I  am  uncer- 
tain if  the  species  varies."  It  would  be  interesting  to  ascer- 
tain if  this  be  our  home  Skylark.  I  have  Alauda  arvensis 
from  as  low  on  the  China  coast  as  Shanghai,  where  A.  can- 
tarella  is  the  prevailing  species. 

"  In  answer  to  your  question,"^  he  continues,  "  on  Coturnix 
japonica,  I  find  some  of  my  specimens  show  a  little  dark  patch 
in  the  midst  of  the  red  on  the  throat." 

144.  SCOLOPAX  RUSTICULA,  L. 

April.     A  male  from  Hakodadi.     This  is  more  banded  on 


146  Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  on  Birds  from  Hakodadi. 

the  underparts  than  a  specimen  (  ?  ,  20th  February)  I  have 
from  Shanghai;  but  one  from  Amoy  (October)  is  fully  as 
much  so. 

He  sends  from  the  Yokohama  market,  procured  in  January, 
a  GaU'mago  solitaria  (Hodgs.),  with  the  note  "  Another  male, 
12|  X  6."  This  is  much  darker  and  more  distinctly  banded 
than  a  male  I  procured  at  Shanghai  on  the  26tli  February, 
1873 ;  and  at  first  I  was  half  inclined  to  admit  the  Japanese 
bird  as  distinct.  But  I  have  a  second  specimen  from  Shang- 
hai, dated  Jan.  3rd,  1874,  which  comes  very  close  to  the  Ja- 
panese, and  seems  to  show  that  the  two  are  inseparable. 

From  Yokohama  a  male  Rhynch(ea  bengalensis  (L.)  is  sent. 

145.  NUMENIUS  PHiEOPUS,  L. 

A  Hakodadi  male  of  this  Curlew,  shot  on  the  24th  May, 
1876,  with  the  note  of  size  "^"^  17g  x  Q."  This  seems  to  be  of 
the  typical  European  form,  and  shows  that  all  our  China  birds, 
even  those  procured  at  Shanghai,  are  of  the  allied  form  N. 
uropygialis,  Gould. 

An  immature  Nycticorax  griseus  from  Yeddo,  is  included; 
and  Mr.  Blakiston  notes  that  he  has  also  an  adult  male  and 
female ;  but  the  locality  of  the  latter  not  being  stated,  I  do 
not  number  the  species. 

146.  CoLYMBus  ADAMsi,  G.  E,.  Gray. 

An  immature  male  of  this  species  bears  the  date  January, 
with  the  note  of  measurement,  "29|  X  13.''^  The  bill  is  partly 
yellow  and  partly  black.  It  is  otherwise  undistinguishable  from 
C.  glacialis  at  the  same  stage.  Specimens  have  been  received 
from  the  North  Atlantic  with  similar  bills,  and  the  best  authori- 
ties are  now,  I  believe,  disposed  to  consider  the  Great  Northern 
Divers  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  to  belong  to  one  species. 
Blakiston  wrongly  identifies  his  specimen  with  C.  arcticus,  L. 

147.  Anser  albifrons. 

This  is  sent  as  A.  erythropus,  L.  (625  of  my  "  List  of  the 
Birds  of  China,"  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  416) ;  and  a  note  adds  that 
he  has  another  female  "  2,\\x  14|." 

148.  Anas  boschas,  L. 

A  male,  killed  in  March,  from  Hakodadi,  and  a  female 


Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  on  Birds  from  Hakodadi.  147 

(October)  from  near  the  same  place.  My  attention  is  called 
to  the  way  this  species  and  Querquedula  crecca  get  a  rusty 
tinge.     This  I  have  also  noticed  in  our  Chinese  birds. 

149.  DaFILA  ACUTA   (L.). 

A  male  and  female  from  Awomori,  both  procured  in  April. 

150.  Querquedula  CRECCA  (L.). 

A  male  (April)  from  Hakodadi.  A  female  (October)  from 
S.  Yesso. 

151.  EUNETTA  FORMOSA   (Gcorgi) . 

A  male  (April)  from  Awomori^  and  a  female  from  Mr. 
Oda  from  Yeddo. 

153.  Harelda  glacialis  (L.). 

A  female  (February)  from  Hakodadi.  I  never  met  with 
this  species  in  China ;  but  it  has  been  shot  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Peiho  river. 

With  reference  to  Fidigula  mariloides,  sent  on  a  former 
occasion,  Mr.  Blakiston  writes,  "  If  you  are  certain  of  the 
identification  of  the  bird  I  sent  before,  then  the  immature 
male  I  have  is  this  species.  Otherwise  I  should  have  con- 
sidered it  as  F.  cristata,  of  which  I  have  two  unmistakable  ex- 
amples with  crests. ^^  I  was,  without  doubt,  right,  haviug 
procured  the  same  species  before  at  Ningpo*. 

153.  Bucephala  clangula  (L.). 

A  male  and  female,  both  from  Hakodadi,  the  latter  killed 
in  November. 

154.  Clangula  histrionica  (L.). 

A  male  from  Hakodadi  (June),  and  a  female  from  S.  Yesso 
(November) ,  I  have  never  heard  of  this  species  being  found 
in  China,     It  never  occurred  to  me. 

He  also  sends  an  adult  female  from  Hakodadi  of  Phalacro- 
corax  pelagicus,  Pall.,  with  no  white  on  the  flanks,  and  only 
a  few  points  of  white  on  the  neck.  He  sent  before  the  im- 
mature of  this  species ;  so  it  has  already  been  numbered  (see 
Ibis,  1874,  p.  164) . 

*  See  my  paper  "  On  a  Scaup  Duck  found  in  China,"  P,  Z.  S.  1873,  p.  411, 


148  Mr.  A.  Whyte's  Omithological  Notes 

XIII. — Ornithological  Notes  taken  daring  a  Voyage  from 
Ceylon  to  England.     By  A.  Whyte. 

In  Ceylon  and,  indeed,  thronghout  India  and  the  East  gene- 
rally the  migrations  of  birds  are  chiefly  influenced  by  the 
two  monsoons,  viz.  the  north-east  and  the  south-west,  the 
former  generally  prevailing  in  Ceylon  and  South  India  from 
November  to  April,  and  the  latter  from  May  to  October. 
Comparatively  little,  however,  has  been  definitely  ascertained 
as  to  whence  the  migratory  birds  come,  and  the  circumstances 
which  influence  their  migrations.  Detailed  facts  and  data 
can  only  be  arrived  at  by  recording  long-continued  syste- 
matic observations  in  different  localities.  In  the  mean  time 
individual  experience  may  add  something  to  our  knowledge 
of  the  subject ;  and  it  is  with  this  hope  that  I  now  put  together 
these  notes,  taken  on  board  the  S.S.  '  Duke  of  Devonshire' 
during  a  recent  voyage  from  Ceylon. 

We  sailed  from  Colombo,  Ceylon,  on  the  17th  Oct.  1876; 
and  for  some  days  we  were  constantly  accompanied  by  the 
more  common  Terns,  Gulls,  and  other  Sea-birds,  none  of 
which,  however,  ventured  on  board. 

On  the  20th  Oct.,  when  about  thirty  miles  S.E.  of  Minicoy 
Island,  the  most  northern  of  the  Maldives,  a  Swallow  flew 
on  board,  which  proved  to  be  Hirundo  rustica,  L.  Being 
either  alarmed  or  exhausted,  it  was  soon  captured.  When 
again  liberated  it  flew  off  vigorously  for  the  island,  on  which 
could  be  seen  a  beautiful  fringe  of  graceful  cocoanut-palms. 

At  noon,  on  the  22nd  Oct.,  a  Kestrel  {Falco  alaudarius) 
alighted  on  the  rigging,  and  perched  on  one  of  the  yards  for 
the  night.  After  nightfall  it  was  captured  by  one  of  the 
quartermasters,  and  was  caged  as  a  curiosity.  Next  day,  how- 
ever, it  escaped,  and  no  one  observed  the  direction  it  took. 
On  the  same  day  a  common  Paddy-bird,  or  Heron  [Ardea 
leucoptera) ,  visited  us.  It  was  quite  exhausted  and  emaciated, 
and  greedily  devoured  some  minced  meat.  From  this  cir- 
cumstance it  does  not  seem  likely  that  this  species  is  capable 
of  catching  fish  or  other  food  while  on  wing  at  sea.  When 
liberated  it  went  off  to  the  south-west. 


during  a  Voyage  from  Ceylon  to  England.  149 

On  the  24th  Oct.  a  Pipit  (species  doubtful)  flew  ou  board, 
when  we  were  about  twenty  miles  south-east  of  the  island  of 
Socotra.  At  the  same  time  and  place  several  small  Finches 
came  on  board ;  but  we  could  not  determine  their  species. 

On  the  25th  Oct.  a  Quail  {Coturnix  commimis,  Bonn.)  made 
its  appearance,  and  remained  with  us  for  several  days,  after- 
wards taking  its  departure  for  the  south. 

The  26th  October  was  the  richest  day  of  feathered  visitors 
we  had,  when  the  following  arrived,  viz. : — a  Grey  Flycatcher 
[Muscicapa) ;  about  a  dozen  Swallows  {Hirundo) ;  a  small 
Horned  Owl  [Ephialtes)  with  yellow  iris  and  a  row  of  distinct 
dark  spots  or  markings  on  the  wing-coverts,  otherwise  similar 
to  E.  bakkamasna  of  Ceylon  (it  allowed  us  to  approach 
quite  close  to  it,  but  it  ultimately  flew  off  to  the  south) ;  two 
species  of  Water- Wagtail;  three  birds  which  appeared  through 
a  glass  to  be  Rollers  or  allied  birds ;  an  Artamus ;  a  bird  the 
size  of  a  small  Pigeon,  with  rather  long  tail  and  long  straight 
bill,  which  alighted  on  the  the  top  of  the  mainmast,  but  could 
not  be  identified. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th,  when  between  Socotra  and 
the  Arabian  coast,  a  Falcon  {Falco  peregrinator  ?)  flew  on 
board,  and  was  secured  at  night.  If  we  have  not  mistaken 
our  bird,  this  is  the  noble  "  Shaheen  ''  Falcon,  so  much  prized 
by  Indian  rajahs  for  falconry.  Being' a  rare  and  most  inter- 
esting bird,  we  took  every  care  of  it,  and  carried  it  to  England 
safely,  and  presented  it  to  the  Zoological  Society  of  London. 
It  is  now  in  the  Society^s  Gardens,  and  appears  in  the  list 
of  additions  to  the  Menagerie  under  this  name  (see  P.  Z.  S. 
1876,  p.  839).  It  is  smaller,  more  compact,  and  even  more 
courageous  than  the  true  Peregrine.  It  is  a  curious  circum- 
stance that  the  first  bird  of  this  species  described  was  procured 
by  Sundevall  at  sea  between  Sumatra  and  Ceylon  (see  Jer- 
don^s  '  Birds  of  India,^  p.  26) . 

On  the  28th  Oct.  a  Linnet  (species  doubtful)  flew  on  board, 
as  we  passed  up  the  Gulf  of  Aden.  Great  numbers  of  Sea- 
birds  were  here  seen  around  the  ship  and  along  the  Arabian 
shore.     We  now  entered  the  Red  Sea,  when  few  of  the  fea- 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  M 


150      Notes  during  a  Voyage  from  Ceylon  to  England. 

thered  tribes  visited  us  compared  with  those  met  with  in  the 
Indian  Ocean. 

On  the  29th  Oct.  a  White-headed  Noddy  {Anous  tenuiros- 
tris,  Temm.)  alighted  on  board.  Vast  shoals  of  dead  locusts 
were  seen  floating  around  the  ship;  also  numbers  of  por- 
poises sported  around  us. 

A  Wagtail  (M.  dukhunensis,  Sykes)  paid  us  a  visit  on  the 
30th  Oct.,  and  remained  with  us  all  the  way  up  the  Red 
Sea  and  Suez  Canal,  and  left  us  in  the  Mediterranean. 

On  the  31st  a  Peregrine  Falcon,  FaIco2}€regrinus,vfQ.&  seen 
flying  around  the  vessel.  It  ultimately  alighted  on  the  main- 
mast for  a  short  time,  and  then  left  us  for  another  vessel  at 
some  distance  from  us"^.  On  this  day  a  very  handsome  Owl 
came  on  board.  It  was  about  the  size  of  Syrnium  indranee 
of  Ceylon,  but  of  a  lighter  colour.  It  flew  oS"  in  a  straight 
line  for  the  African  coast ;  and  we  were  unable  to  identify  it. 

We  entered  the  Suez  Canal  on  the  morning  of  the  3rd 
Nov.,  and  spent  about  two  and  a  half  days  in  getting  through 
it.  The  birds  which  we  recognized  along  the  banks  and  lakes 
were  principally  Coots,  Vultures  [Neophron) ,  Moorhens,  Hails, 
Ducks  and  Teal,  Divers,  Godwits,  Sandpipers,  Curlews,  vari- 
ous Birds  of  Prey,  Swallows,  Pipits,  Wagtails,  &c.  As  we 
neared  the  Port-Said  end  of  the  Canal,  myriads  of  Waders 
were  seen  fishing  and  pluming  themselves  on  the  lakes  and 
lagoons.  The  most  conspicuous  were  Flamingoes  and  Peli- 
cans ;  and  all  on  board  agreed  they  had  never  seen  a  more 
imposing  army  of  Waders.  During  our  run  up  the  Medi- 
terranean and  the  Bay  of  Biscay  no  birds  visited  us.  We 
had  evidently  got  out  of  the  track  of  migration,  or  it  had 
ceased  for  a  time.  During  the  entire  voyage  in  the  Indian 
Ocean  and  Arabian  Sea  we  experienced  no  stormy  weather, 
the  wind,  as  a  rule,  blowing  steadily  from  the  north-east. 
In  the  Red  Sea  the  wind  was  more  variable. 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  notes  that  we  met  with  over 
twenty  species  of  land-birds  in  the  Indian  Ocean  and  Red 
Sea,  between  the  20th  and  31st  of  October ;  and  these  we 

*  This  Peregrine  was  easily  clistinguisbable  from  the  bird  I  suppose  to 
be  F.  peregrvmtor^  by  its  size  and  flight. 


On  the  Salicarise  of  Dr.  Severtzoff.  151 

imagine  may  be  fairly  put  down  as  only  stray  birds  from  a 
regular  and  more  numerous  stream  of  migrants.  The  direction 
that  most  of  these  birds  came  from  would  indicate  they  were 
migrants  from  the  coasts  of  Arabia  and  Persia,  whatever  their 
destination  may  have  been.  One  conviction  has  forced  itself 
on  me,  viz.  the  great  influence  which  vessels,  more  especially 
large  and  fast  steamers  of  the  present  day,  may  have  on  the 
distribution  of  species  of  birds.  Some  of  our  visitors  re- 
mained with  us  for  days,  and  landed  on  shores  most  likely 
out  of  the  line  of  their  migrations ;  and  in  one  instance  a 
Wagtail  {Motacilla)  remained  with  us  all  the  way  up  the 
Red  Sea  and  Suez  Canal,  and  found  a  new  home  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 
December  12th,  1876. 


XIV. — On  the  Salicarise  of  Dr,  Severtzoff. 
By  Henry  Seebohm. 

In  'The  Ibis'  for  1876  (pp.  83  et  seqq.),  Dresser  has  given 
us  as  pretty  a  little  ornithological  puzzle  as  I  have  seen  for 
a  long  time  in  the  Salicaria  of  SevertzofF^s  '  Fauna  of  Tur- 
kestan.^ There  are  no  less  than  sixteen  or  eighteen  of 
them  named  and,  more  or  less,  described.  The  descriptions 
of  two  of  them,  S.  scita  and  S.  arundinacea,  are  omitted ;  but 
fortunately  these  are  supplied  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  Severtzoff 
to  the  editor  of  '  Stray  Feathers '  (Str.  Feath.  iii.  p.  420) . 
These  two  articles  will,  I  think,  supply  sufiicient  data  to 
unravel  the  tangle, 

Salicaria  turdoides  (p.  83)  may  be  dismissed  at  once  as 
Acrocephalus  arundinaceus  (Linn.). 

Salicaria  arundinacea  (p.  83)  might  be  thought  naturally  to 
be  either  Acrocephalus  streperus  or  A.palustris.  I  have  never 
had  an  opportunity  of  comparing  these  two  birds  in  the  flesh, 
and  cannot  distinguish  any  diff'erence  of  general  colour  or  of 
colour  of  the  legs  in  the  skin.  I  find,  however,  that  A.  palus- 
tris  has  a  more  pointed  wing.  Out  of  five  of  this  species  in 
Dresser's  collection  I  find  that  in  one  the  second  primary  is 
equal  to  the  third,  and  in  the  four  others  intermediate  in  length 

M  2 


152  Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the 

between  the  third  and  fourth.  On  the  other  hand^  out  of  ten 
examples  in  Dresser's  and  my  own  collections  of  A.  strejjerus, 
eight  have  the  second  primary  equal  to  the  fourth,  and  in  two  it 
is  intermediate  between  the  fourth  and  fifth.  Dresser  has  iden- 
tified S.  arundinacea  of  Severtzofl"  with  A.strepe7^us,  without, 
however,  giving  any  description.  I  therefore  take  it  for  granted 
that  the  bill  is  about  the  size  of  that  bird's  (say  culmen  -63  to  -7) . 
From  '  Stray  Feathers '  {loc.  cit.  clause  33)  I  get  the  addi- 
tional information  that  the  tail  is  shorter  than  the  wing,  and 
the  second  primary  equal  to  the  sixth.  The  wing  is  too  much 
rounded  for  either  A.  streperus  or  A.  jjalustris ;  the  bill  is 
too  large  and  the  tail  too  short  for  A.  agricola ;  but  all  the 
three  items  of  information  we  possess  point  to  Acrocephalus 
dumetorum  (Blyth),  with  which  species  I  am  accordingly  in- 
clined to  identify  it. 

Salicaria  brevipennis  (p.  83)  is  certainly  not  an  Acrocephalus 
at  all,  the  first  primary  being  twice  as  long  as  the  coverts.  We 
must  look  for  this  bird  amongst  the  smaller  and  greyer  species 
of  Hypolais — opaca,  pallida,  rama,  or  caligata.  To  decide 
to  which  of  these  species  it  belongs  we  must  have  the  length 
of  the  culmen.  This  is  given  as  3|  lines.  This  is  manifestly 
an  impossible  measurement.  In  Blanford's  ^  Eastern  Persia ' 
(ii.  p.  192)  we  find  the  following  measurements  of  the  culmen 
of  the  three  smaller  of  these  species  given — H.  pallida  '72  to 
•68  inch,  H.  rama  "68  to  "57,  and  H.  caligata  '55  to  '5.  Severt- 
zoff's  measurements  are  undoubtedly  those  from  the  point  of 
the  bill  to  the  beginning  of  the  feathers.  I  shall  shortly 
identify,  from  evidence  independent  of  the  length  of  the  cul- 
men, the  next  species,  S:  capistrata,  Sev.,  with  Acrocephalus 
agricola  (Jerd.).  Severtzoff  gives  4  lines  as  the  length  of 
culmen  of  S.  capistrata.  The  true  length  of  culmen  of  A. 
agricola  is  "SS.  We  may  therefore  construct  the  following 
table  for  translating  Severtzoff's  length  of  bill  in  lines  into 
true  length  of  culmen  in  decimals  of  an  inch: — 3|="51, 
3|  =  -53,  4= -55,  4i  =  -62,  5  =  '69,  which  we  shall  find  very 
useful  as  we  go  on.  The  bill  of  S.  brevipenfiis  being  3|  lines, 
equal  to  culmen  '53,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  bird  is 
Hypolais  caligata  (Licht.). 


Salicariaj  of  Dr.  Severtzoff.  153 

Salicaria  microptera  {Stray  Feathers,  iii.  p.  425)  is  a  new 
name  given  by  Severtzoff  to  the  preceding  species  to  re- 
place S.  brevipenriis,  Sev.  nee  Dohrn,  and  consequently  also 
sinks  into  a  synonym  of  Hypolais  caligata  (Lieht.).  As 
a  further  confirmation  of  this  identification,  I  may  say  that 
■  the  length  of  wings  and  tail  agree,  as  also  the  slightly  rounded 
tail,  and  the  wing-formula, — second  equals  seventh,  or  inter- 
mediate between  sixth  and  seventh ;  whereas  in  H.  rama  I 
find  that  out  of  five  skins  in  my  collection,  in  two  the  second 
primary  is  between  the  seventh  and  eighth,  in  two  equal  to 
the  eighth,  and  in  one  between  the  eighth  and  ninth. 

Salicaria  capistrata  (p.  84)  is  an  Acrocejjhalus,  not  a  Hypo- 
lais, the  first  primary  being  only  the  length  of  the  wing-coverts. 
The  wing-formula — second  primary  equals  the  eighth — dis- 
poses at  once  of  A.  streperus  and  A.  pains tris.  The  choice 
therefore  lies  between  A.  agi'icola  and  A.  dumetorum.  The 
principal  characters  of  these  two  birds  may  be  summarized 
as  under  : — 

A.  agricola.  Length  of  wing  2"35  to  2"15,  tail  about  the 
same.  Second  primary  varying  in  length  from  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh  to  between  the  eighth  and  ninth.  Culmen 
•56  to  -52. 

A.  dumetorum  (p.  84).  Length  of  wing  2*5  to  2'35,  tail  10 
per  cent,  shorter  than  the  wing.  Second  primary  varying  in 
length  from  between  the  fifth  and  sixth  to  between  the  seventh 
and  eighth.     Culmen  '74  to  '64. 

In  every  particular  S.  capistrata  agrees  with  the  former 
and  disagrees  with  the  latter ;  I  therefore  without  any  hesi- 
tation identify  this  bird  with  Acrocephalus  agricola  (Jerd.), 
and  note  that  Severtzoff  himself  (Stray  Feathers,  iii.  p.  425, 
clause  33)  comes  to  the  same  conclusion. 

Salicaria  magnirostris,  Lilj.  (p.  84).  This  bird  has  been 
correctly  identified  by  Dresser  with  Acrocephalus  dumetorum 
(Blyth) .  In  each  of  the  above-mentioned  four  particulars  it 
agrees  with  A.  dumetorum  and  disagrees  with  A.  agricola. 

Salicaria  turcomana  (p.  84).  Judging  from  the  length  of 
the  first  primary,  this  bird  is  also  an  Acrocephalus.  The 
wing-formula — second  primary  equals  -the  fourth — restricts 


154  Mr.  H.  Seebolim  on  the 

the  choice  ceitainly  to  A.  streperus  or  A.  palustris.  My 
own  experience,  as  detailed  under  S.  arundinacea,  would  lead 
one  to  call  this  bird  Acrocephalus  streperus  (Vieill.). 

Salicaria  macronyx  (p.  84) .  The  length  of  the  first  primary 
decides  at  once  that  this  bird  is  an  Acrocephalus.  The  wing- 
formula  is  intermediate  between  those  of  A.  streperus  and  A. 
dumetorum.  The  length  of  the  culmen  of  A.  streperus  is  '7  to 
'63 ;  and  by  our  rule  the  culmen  of  this  bird  is  '62 ;  so  that  we 
may  decide  that  it  is  a  small  bird  of  whichever  species  it 
belongs  to,  and  that  in  this  respect  the  balance  of  evidence 
is  slightly  in  favour  oi  A.  streperus.  The  length  of  wing  of 
A.  streperus  varies  from  2*7  to  2'45.  The  length  of  wing  of 
our  bird  is  2  inches  6  lines,  or  2'5,  and  may  be  that  of  nearly 
the  smallest  A.  streperus  or  the  extreme  largest  A.  dume- 
torum. As  we  have  already  decided,  from  the  size  of  the 
culmen,  that  to  whichever  species  it  belongs  it  is  a  small 
bird  of  that  sj)ecies,  the  argument  is  conclusive  in  favour  of 
its  being  Acrocephalus  streperus  (Vieill.) . 

Salicaria  eiirhyncha  (p.  85) .  The  first  primary  being  shorter 
than  the  coverts,  there  is  no  doubt  about  this  bird  being  an 
Acrocephalus.  The  second  primary  being  between  the  sixth  and 
seventh  restricts  the  choice  to  A.  ayricola  and  A.  dumetorum. 
The  tail  being  one  tenth  shorter  than  the  wing,  and  the 
culmen  measuring  '69,  are  both  conclusively  in  favour  of  its 
being  Acrocephalus  dumetorum  (Blyth),  whilst  the  length  of 
wing,  2'33  to  2*42,  is  more  in  favour  of  that  bird  than  of  ^. 
agricola. 

Salicaria  sphenura  (p.  86) .  The  length  of  the  first  primary 
decides  at  once  that  this  is  an  Acrocephalus.  The  wing-formula 
— second  primary  equals  the  sixth,  or  is  intermediate  between 
the  fifth  and  sixth — agrees  with  A.  dumetorum,  and  dis- 
agrees with  A.  agricola,  A.  streperus,  and  A.  palustris.  The 
comparative  shortness  of  the  tail  puts  another  black  mark 
against  A.  agricola.  The  culmen,  "62,  puts  a  third  black 
mark  against  A.  agricola ;  and  the  length  of  wing  puts  a 
fourth ;  so  that  I  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  this  bird  is 
Acrocephalus  dumetorum  (Blyth). 

Salicaria  gracilis  (p.  86).    The  length  of  the  first  primary  de- 


Salicarioe  of  Dr.  Severtzoff.  155 

cides,  again,  that  this  bird  is  an  Acrocephalus.  The  fact  that 
the  wings  and  tail  are  of  nearly  equal  length  decides  in  favour 
oi  Acrocephalus  agricola  (Jerd.),  and  against  A.  streperus,  A. 
palustris,  and  A.  dumetorum.  The  wing-formula  agrees  with 
A.  agricola,  and  disagrees  with  A.  streperus  and  A.  palustris, 
whilst  the  length  of  wing  and  culmen  confirms  A.  agricola 
against  the  other  three. 

Salicaria  obsoleta  (p.  87) .  This  bird,  with  first  primary  twice 
as  long  as  the  coverts,  must  be  a  Hypolais.  The  bill  is  said  to 
resemble  that  of  the  next  species,  which  is  given  as  4  lines, 
or  culmen  '55,  the  dimensions  oi  Hypolais  caligata  (Licht.), 
which  I  take  it  to  be.  The  wing  is  shghtly  more  pointed  than 
usual. 

Salicaria  pallida  (p.  87)  agrees,  in  length  of  first  primary, 
wing-formula,  length  of  culmen,  wing,  and  tail,  with  Hy- 
polais caligata  (Licht.). 

Salicaria  tamariceti  (p.  88) .  Mr.  Dresser  says  that  the  first 
primary  of  this  bird  is  "longer  than  the  wing-coverts;"  but 
'  Stray  Feathers '  fortunately  adds  "  twice  as  long  as  the 
coverts,'^  so  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  about  this  bird  being 
a  Hypolais.  The  second  primary  being  equal  to  the  sixth  or 
seventh,  and  the  culmen  '62  to  '69,  incline  me  to  identify 
this  species  with  Hypolais  pallida  (Ehr.).  My  skins  from 
Smyrna  vary  in  length  of  culmen  from  •64  to  "68  inch,  and 
have  the  second  primary  intermediate  in  length  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh.  I  am  inclined  to  discriminate  the  two 
species  as  under  : — 

H.  ratna.  Length  of  wing  2"35  to  2"53,  culmen  '57  to 
•68.     Second  primary  between  the  seventh  aiid  ninth. 

H.  pallida.  Length  of  wing  2"45  to  2' 7,  culmen  "6  to  "72. 
Second  j^rimary  between  the  fifth  and  seventh. 

Salicaria  modesta  (p.  88).  From  the  remark  in  'The  Ibis* 
that  the  first  primary  is  rather  longer  than  the  coverts,  qualified 
by  that  of  '  Stray  Feathers '  that  it  is  scarcely  longer  than  its 
coverts,  we  may  decide  at  once  that  this  bird  is  an  Acro- 
cephalus. The  wing-formula  restricts  the  choice  to  A.  agri- 
cola and  A.  dumetorum.  The  remark,  "  bill  small,"^  gives 
the  casting  vote  in  favour  of  Acrocephalus  agricola  (Jerd.). 


156    Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

Salicaria  concolor  (p.  88)  is  identified  by  its  first  primary  as 
an  Acrocephalus.  The  wing-formula  puts  A.  streperus  and  A. 
palustris  altogether  out  of  the  question,  and  casts  a  doubt 
upon  A.  agricola.  The  length  of  the  wing  and  the  compara- 
tive shortness  of  the  tail  (measurements  omitted  in  'The 
Ibis/  but  fortunately  to  be  found  in  '  Stray  Feathers ')  dis- 
pose of  A.  agricola  altogether,  and  leave  us  with  the  con- 
clusion that  this  bird  is  Acrocephalus  dumetorum  (Blyth), 
with  a  slightly  shorter  bill  than  usual  ("oS). 

Salicaria  scita.  Dresser  is  probably  right  in  identifying 
this  bird  with  Hypolais  caligata  (Licht.).  In  'Stray  Fea- 
thers '  (iii.  p.  426)  we  learn  that  the  first  primary  is  twice 
as  long  as  the  coverts,  that  the  second  primary  equals  the 
sixth,  and  that  the  beak  is  small. 

Salicaria  scitopsis  (p.  88).  The  first  primary  being  twice  as 
long  as  the  coverts  marks  this  bird  as  a  Hypolais.  The  second 
primary  being  between  the  sixth  and  seventh,  the  length  of 
wing  2*.25,  and  the  culmen  'SI,  all  point  to  Hypolais  caligata 
(Licht.),  though  the  dimensions  are  somewhat  smaller  than 
usual.  The  wing  is  not  rounded  enough  for  Phylloscopus 
fuscatus  or  its  allies. 


XV. — Supplementary  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 
By  Henry  Seebohm. 

Two  articles  have  already  appeared  in  '  The  Ibis '  on  the  orni- 
thology of  the  island  of  Heligoland.  The  first  was  in  1862 
(p.  58),  and  consisted  of  a  translation  of  a  letter  by  Dr.  J.  H. 
Blasius  which  appeared  in  'Naumannia'  for  1858.  The 
second  article  was  written  by  Mr.  John  Cordeaux,  and  ap- 
peared in  'The  Ibis^  for  1875  (p.  172). 

The  information  contained  in  these  articles  was  so  startling 
that  an  apology  is  scarcely  necessary  for  adding  corroborative 
testimony  to  their  general  accuracy,  for  correcting  a  few  un- 
important errors,  and  for  mentioning  some  still  more  recent 
novelties  of  special  interest. 

Mr.  Gaetke's  work  on  the  birds  of  Heligoland  is  making 


Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.    157 

fair  progress ;  and  he  has  intrusted  to  me  the  task  of  trans- 
lating it  into  English  and  editing  it  in  this  country ;  so  that 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  within  the  next  twelve  months  the  full 
details  of  his  observations  made  during  the  last  five-and- 
twenty  years  in  this  wonderful  little  island  may  be  before  the 
j»ublic. 

The  authenticity  of  the  Heligoland  skins  is  beyond  all 
possible  question.  During  the  rime  I  spent  on  the  island, 
from  the  23rd  Sept.  to  the  18th  Oct.^  I  not  only  saw  enough 
to  convince  the  most  sceptical  of  the  botia  fides  of  all  con- 
cerned^ but  myself  shot  or  saw  in  the  flesh  such  a  variety  of 
birds,  that  I  could  almost  agree  with  my  friend  Mr.  Gaetke 
when  he  stated  that  he  would  willingly  exchange  his  collections 
of  rare  birds  shot  in  Heligoland  for  those  which  had  passed  over 
the  island  without  being  shot.  It  is  probable,  however,  that 
the  latter  bear  a  much  smaller  proportion  to  the  former  in 
Heligoland  than  in  any  other  place. 

During  my  short  stay  on  the  island  I  saw  quite  a  little 
epitome  of  the  Petchora  birds — Grey  Plover,  Little  Stint, 
Sanderling,  Snow-Bunting,  Shore-Lark,  Blue-throated  War- 
bler, &c.  We  shot  two  Aquatic  Warblers,  a  Little  Bunting 
{Emberiza  pusilla) ,  and  had  four  Richard^s  Pipits  brought  to 
us  in  the  flesh.  I  watched  a  Phylloscopus  superciliosus  in  Mr. 
Gaetke^s  garden  for  some  hours,  listened  to  its  call-note,  and 
finally  shot  it.  As  we  breakfasted  one  morning  (2ud  Oct.) 
we  identified  a  Great  Grey  Shrike  as  it  flew  past  the  window 
of  our  room ;  and  a  couple  of  hours  afterwards  we  bought  the 
bird  for  four  groschen. 

The  list  of .  Heligoland  birds  is  so  varied  that  many  orni- 
thologists have  doubted  its  accuracy.  The  fact  is  that  Heli- 
goland is  the  ouly  part  of  the  world  of  which  the  ornithology 
has  been  exhaustively  worked.  Every  little  boy  on  the  island 
is  a  born  and  bred  ornithologist.  Every  unfortunate  bird 
which  visits  the  island  has  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  about  forty 
guns,  to  say  nothing  of  scores  of  blowpipes  and  catapults. 
The  flight  and  note  of  every  bird  is  familiar  to  every  islander. 
Each  bird  has  its  own  local  name  in  the  Heligoland  language. 
A  new  bird  is  instantly  detected.     The  fisherman  steers  with 


158    Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

a  gun  by  his  side ;  the  peasant  digs  his  potatoes  with  a  gun 
on  the  turf  and  a  heap  of  birds  on  his  coat.  On  an  island 
where  there  are  no  cows,  and  sheep  are  kept  for  their  milk 
only,  meat  is  of  course  very  dear,  especially  as  it  has  to  be 
brought  by  steamer  from  Hamburg,  one  of  the  dearest  cattle- 
markets  on  the  continent  of  Europe.  Birds  therefore  natu- 
rally form  an  important  article  of  diet  to  the  Heligolanders. 
Every  bird  which  apj^ears  is  whistled  within  range  with  mar- 
vellous skill.  The  common  birds  are  eaten,  the  rare  ones 
are  sold  to  the  bird-stufler  or  taken  to  Mr.  Gaetke.  Many  of 
the  Heligolanders  are  clever  shots.  Long  before  sunrise  the 
island  is  bristling  with  guns ;  and  after  dark  the  netters  are 
busy  at  their  Throstle-bushes  ;  and  at  midnight  the  birds  com- 
mit suicide  against  the  lighthouse.  When  we  consider  that 
this  has  been  going  on  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  that 
the  results  have  been  carefully  chronicled  for  that  length  of 
time,  the  Avonder  is  not  that  so  many  species  of  birds  have 
occurred  on  Heligoland,  but  that  so  many  have  hitherto 
escaped  detection.  This  must  be  accounted  for  on  the  theory 
that,  alter  all,  the  appearance  of  birds  on  Heligoland  is  only 
accidental.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  a  migratory  bird 
does  not  require  to  rest  on  this  island.  A  few  hundred  miles 
to  a  bird  on  the  wing  is  a  trifle  in  favourable  weather.  It  is 
only  when  overtaken  by  a  squall,  or  driven  out  of  its  course 
by  contrary  winds,  that  a  bird  seeks  refuge  here.  This  is 
obvious  after  a  few  weeks'*  experience.  Certain  winds  and 
certain  weather  fill  the  island  with  birds.  At  other  times  the 
island  is  comparatively  empty.  Each  bird  has  its  time  of 
migration;  weather  has  apparently  nothing  to  do  Avith  this 
date ;  good  weather  does  not  apparently  hasten  the  birds  to 
their  breeding-haunts,  nor  bad  weather  retard  their  starting. 
If  the  suitable  conjunction  of  circumstances  occurs  during 
the  season  of  a  certain  bird's  migration,  that  bird  visits  the 
island.  If  the  season  goes  by  without  such  conjunction,  the 
bird  does  not  visit  the  island.  The  period  of  its  migration 
is  over.  The  migration  of  this  species  has  taken  place  at 
high  altitudes,  it  may  be,  or  by  other  routes ;  and  it  is  in  vain 
to  look  for  it  until  its  next  season  of  migration  comes  round. 


Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.    159 

when,  given  the  necessary  wind  and  weather^  its  appearance 
may  be  confidently  expected. 

The  period  of  migration  of  each  species  lasts  about  a  month. 
In  spring  the  males  come  first^  then  the  females,  then  last- 
year  birds,  and  finally  the  cripples — birds  which  have  lost  their 
toeSj  birds  with  half  a  tail,  birds  with  one  mandible  abnor- 
mally long,  or  birds  with  some  other  defect.  Mr.  Cordeaux 
has  fallen  into  an  error  in  saying  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  174)  that  this 
holds  good  both  in  spring  and  autumn ;  in  autumn  the  order 
of  migration  is  partially  reversed.  Astounding  as  the  fact  is, 
it  is  nevertheless  true  that  in  autumn  the  birds  of  the  year 
are  the  first  to  migrate,  birds  which,  of  course,  have  never  mi- 
grated before.  This  may  account  for  the  number  of  species 
which  visit  our  shores  and  Heligoland  in  autumn  only.  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  on  their  first  journey,  and  with- 
out a  guide,  they  should  stray  somewhat  out  of  the  direct 
course. 

By  long  practice  the  Heligolanders  know  when  to  expect 
an  arrival  of  birds.  The  12th  Oct.  was  a  very  unfavourable 
day.  There  were  scarcely  half  a  dozen  birds  on  the  island. 
This  unfavourable  weather  had  lasted  nearly  a  week.  I  used 
to  take  a  constitutional  round  the  island  with  my  gun  twice 
or  thrice  a  day,  spending  most  of  the  rest  of  the  time  in  Mr, 
Gaetke^s  studio  chatting  about  his  birds,  visiting  regularly 
Aeuckens  the  bird-stuffer,  to  inquire  if  any  one  else  had  had 
better  luck.  On  the  1 1th  I  shot  three  Shore-Larks.  Aeuckens 
told  me  that  that  was  a  very  good  sign,  that  he  had  often  noticed 
that  a  few  birds  always  preceded  the  favourable  weather,  and 
that  we  might  expect  a  change  and  plenty  of  birds  soon. 
The  next  day  the  west  wind  slackened  a  little.  In  the  after- 
noon it  was  a  calm.  In  the  evening  Mr.  Oaetke  advised  me  to 
go  to  bed  early  and  be  up  before  sunrise,  as  birds  were  ex- 
pected. Accordingly  I  turned  into  bed  soon  after  ten.  At 
half  past  twelve  I  was  awoke  with  the  news  that  the  migration 
had  already  begun.  Hastily  dressing  myself,  I  at  once  made 
for  the  lighthouse.  The  night  was  almost  pitch  dark,  but  the 
town  was  all  astir.  In  every  street  men  with  large  lanterns 
and  a  sort  of  angler^s  landing-net  were  "making  for  the  light- 


160    Mr.  H.  Seebolim  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

house.     As  I  crossed  the  potatoe-fields  birds  were  continually- 
getting  up  at  my  feet.     Arrived  at  the  lighthouse,   an  in- 
tensely interesting  sight  presented  itself.     The  whole  of  the 
zone  of  light  within  range  of  the  mirrors  was  alive  with  birds 
coming  and  going.     Nothing  else  was  visible  in  the  darkness 
of  the  night  but  the  lantern  of  the  lighthouse  vignetted  in 
a  drifting  sea  of  birds.     From  the  eastern  darkness  clouds  of 
birds  were  continually  emerging  in  an  uninterrupted  stream  ; 
a  few  swerved  from  their  course,  fluttered  for  a  moment  as 
if  dazzled  by  the  light,  and  then  gradually  vanished  with  the 
rest  in  the  western  gloom.      Occasionally   a  bird  wheeled 
round  the  lighthouse  and  then  passed  on ;  and  occasionally 
one  fluttered  against  the  glass,  like  a  moth  against  a  lamp, 
tried  to  perch  on  the  wire  netting,  and  was  caught  by  the 
lighthouse-man.     I  should  be  afraid  to  hazard  a  guess  as  to 
the  hundreds  of  thousands  that  must  have  passed  in  a  couple 
of  hours ;  but  the  stray  birds  that  the  lighthouse-man  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  amounted  to  nearly  three  hundred.     The 
scene  from  the  balcony  of  the  lighthouse  was  equally  inter- 
esting.    In  every  direction  birds  were  flying  like  a  swarm  of 
bees,  and  every  few  seconds  one  flew  against  the  glass.     All 
the  birds  seemed  to  be  flying  up  wind ;  and  it  was  only  on  the 
lee  side  of  the  light  that  any  birds  were  caught.     They  were 
nearly  all  Skylarks.    In  the  heap  captured  was  one  Redstart  and 
one  Reed- Bunting.    The  air  was  filled  with  the  warbling  cry  of 
the  Larks ;  now  and  then  a  Thrush  was  heard ;  and  once  a 
Heron  screamed  as  it  passed  by.     The  night  was  starless,  and 
the  town  was  invisible ;  but  the  island  looked  like  the  out- 
skirts of  a  gas-lighted  town,  being  sprinkled  over  with  bril- 
liant lanterns.     Many  of  the  Larks  alighted  on  the  ground 
to  rest,  and  allowed  the  Heligolanders  to  pass  their  nets  over 
them.     About  3  o^clock  a.m.  a  heavy  thunder-storm  came  on, 
with  deluges  of  rain ;  a  few  breaks  in  the  clouds  revealed  the 
stars ;  and  the  migration  came  to  an  end,  or  continued  above 
the  range  of  our  vision. 

But  interesting  as  field-work  was  on  Heligoland,  cabinet- 
work in  Mr.  Gaetke's  studio  was  still  more  so.  There  is  pro- 
bably no  more  interesting  local  collection  in  the  world.     Mr. 


Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.     161 

Gaetke  was,  of  course,  delighted  to  have  an  opportunity  of 
chatting  with  Mr.  Sharpe  and  myself  about  his  favourite  birds, 
and  of  telling  the  story  of  the  capture  of  each.  For  some  un- 
accountable reason  the  German  ornithologists  seem  to  have 
neglected  Heligoland ;  and  Englishmen  rarely  visit  the  island. 
Mr.  Gaetke  takes  a  justifiable  pride  in  the  artistic  way  in  which 
his  birds  are  mounted — all  the  work  of  his  own  hands  ; 
but  he  nevertheless  allowed  us  to  take  the  rarer  birds  out  of 
the  cases  to  measure  and  describe  them,  though  he  some- 
times winced  when  we  ruffled  the  feathers  in  the  process, 
and  chaffed  us  good  naturedly  as  a  couple  of  ornithological 
detectives. 

The  following  information  may  be  worth  recording  in  the 
pages  of  '  The  Ibis ' : — 

The  bird  mentioned  in  Mr.  Cordeaux's  paper  in  '  The  Ibis  ' 
for  1875  (p.  179,  footnote)  as  a  Hypolais  with  a  light  band 
across  the  wing,  is  Phylloscojms  nitidus  (Blyth).  No  Hypo- 
lais nor  Acrocephalus  has  a  bar  across  the  wing.  The  species 
of  Phylloscopi  with  a  large  and  Hypolais-\ike  bill,  and  one 
or  two  bars  across  the  wing,  form  a  well-marked  group  or 
subgenus,  to  which  Blasius  gave  the  name  of  Acanthopneuste. 
Of  the  thirteen  species  included  in  this  group,  the  absence 
of  a  mesial  line  upon  the  crown  and  the  peculiarities  of  the 
wing-formula  restrict  the  choice  to  two — P.  nitidus  and  P. 
viridanus.  The  bright  green,  approaching  verdigris-green, 
of  the  upper  parts,  and  the  delicate  lemon-yellow  of  the  un- 
derparts,  decide  the  point  in  favour  of  the  former  species. 
We  had  Indian  skins  of  both  species  with  us  for  comparison ; 
and  Gaetke,  Sharpe,  and  I  all  agreed  that  no  doubt  whatever 
remains  on  the  question. 

Phylloscopus  borealis  (Bias.),  Ibis,  1875,  p.  179,  errone- 
ously called  Phyllopneuste  javanica  (Horsf.),  Ibis,  1862,  p.  66, 
is  a  well-marked  and  perfectly  undoubted  specimen.  This 
species  has  been  found  recently  by  Collett  in  the  breeding- 
season  in  the  Porsanger  fjord,  slightly  to  the  east  of  the  North 
Cape"^,  and  ought,  one  would  think,  to  occur  much  more  fre- 
quently upon  Heligoland  than  it  does. 

Mr.  Gaetke^s  work  will  contain  particulars  of  about  five-and- 
*  See  P.  Z.  S.  Feb.  6,  1877. 


162    Mr.  H.  Seebohm  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

twenty  specimens  of  Phylloscopus  superciliosus  (Gm.)  which 
have  been  shot  on  the  island.  It  will  also  contain  irre- 
futable evidence  that  Phylloscojjus  proregulus  (Pallas)  and  P. 
coronatus  (Temm.)  have  likewise  been  shot  on  the  island. 

Iduna  salicaria,  Pall.  (Ibis,  1862,  p.  66),  or  Lusciola  ca- 
ligata  of  Cordeaux  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  179).  Blasius  is  correct 
in  his  identification,  as  the  following  particulars  respecting 
this  specimen  will  prove-: — Hypolais  caligata  (Licht.)  S> 
28th  Sept.,  1851.  Wing  2-35,  tail  1*8,  culmen  -53,  bastard 
primary  '68.  Second  primary  between  the  fifth  and  sixth. 
Two  outside  and  two  centre  tail-feathers  about  "1  shorter 
than  the  longest. 

The  second  specimen  mentioned  by  Mr.  Cordeaux  [loc.  cit.) 
is  Acrocephalus  agricola  ( Jerdon)  ?  ,  1 2th  Jan.,  1864.  Wing 
2"05,  tail  2,  culmen  "5,  bastard  primary  "4  (very  small  and . 
pointed,  scarcely  projecting  beyond  the  outer  wing-coverts) . 
Second  primary  equal  to  the  sixth.  Centre  tail-feathers 
longest,  the  two  outside  ones  being  '35  shorter. 

The  Saxicol(B  appear  to  have  been  somewhat  hastily  ex- 
amined, both  by  Blasius  and  Cordeaux.  Saxicola  aur'ita 
auctorum  {8.  nifescens  (Briss.)  of  Blasius  in  Ibis,  1862, 
p.  70,  and  S.  albicollis  (Vieill.)  of  Cordeaux  in  Ibis,  1875, 
p.  179)  is  represented  by  a  male  in  breeding-plumage,  shot 
12th  May  1860,  and  a  male  in  autumn  plumage,  shot  26th 
Oct.  1851. 

Saancola  stapazina,  Linn.,  of  Blasius,  in  Ibis,  1862,  p.  70, 
and  Saxicola  stapazina,  Linnaeus,  of  Cordeaux,  in  Ibis,  1875, 
p.  179,  by  which  both  writers,  no  doubt,  meant  Saxicola 
stapazina  auctorum,  nee  Dresser,  is  not  represented  in  the 
collection.  The  two  specimens  mentioned  by  Cordeaux  are, 
no  doubt,  two  specimens  of  Saxicola  deserti,  Riipp.,  a  male 
with  black  throat,  in  autumn  plumage,  shot  26th  Oct.  1856, 
and  a  female  without  the  black  throat,  also  in  autumn  plu- 
mage, shot  4th  Oct.  1855.  In  both  these  specimens  the 
axillaries  are  white,  with  concealed  dusky  bases,  and  the  black 
at  the  end  of  the  tail  extends  for  nearly  an  inch  and  a  half. 

Saxicola  leucomela  (Pallas)  of  Cordeaux,  Ibis,  1875,  p.  179, 
is  a  fine  male,   in  full   breeding-plumage,  of  Saxicola  mo- 


Mr.  H,  Seebolim  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.    163 

rio,  Ehr.  When  the  wing  is  expanded  it  shows  no  trace  of 
white. 

The  example  of  Acrocephalus  certhiola  (Pallas)  agrees  ex- 
actly with  specimens  in  Lord  Tweeddale^s  collection^  except 
that  the  under  surface  is  somewhat  more  streaked^  probably 
a  sign  of  immaturity. 

Since  Mr.  Cordeaux's  paper  was  written  a  very  interesting 
bird  has  been  added  to  Gaetke's  collection^  shot  on  22nd  June 
1875.  It  is  a  Goatsucker,  exactly  identical  with  Severtzoff^s 
type  of  Caprimulgus  arenicolor  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  491) .  In  the 
British  Museum  is  a  skin  from  Egypt  agreeing  both  with 
Severtzoff's  and  Gaetke's  birds  in  length  of  wing  and  pro- 
portion of  primaries.  In  Capt.  Shelley^s  collection  are  skins  of 
Caprimulgus  agyptius,  Licht.  (of  which  C.  isabellinus,  Temm., 
is  a  synonym),  considerably  smaller  than  the  above-named 
birds,  and  slightly  varying  in  the  proportion  of  primaries; 
but  there  are  also  intermediate  forms,  leading  to  the  inevi- 
table conclusion  that  C.  agyptius,  C.  isabellinus,  and  C.  are- 
nicolor are  synonyms  of  one  species. 

Mot acilla  vidua,  Sundevall,  of  Cordeaux,  Ibis,  1875,  p.  180, 
is  incorrectly  named.  The  bird  shot  18th  May  1866,  is  an 
undoubted  M.  lugubris. 

Ruticilla  mesoleuca  (Hempr.  et  Ehr.) .  There  is  a  fine  male 
of  this  bird,  shot  12th  June  1864,  in  the  collection. 

Among  the  examples  of  Lanius  excubitor  in  Gaetke^s  studio 
are  two  birds  which  differ  from  that  species  in  having  only 
one  instead  of  two  bars  on  the  wing.  The  basal  portion  of 
the  primaries  is  white ;  but  the  secondaries  are  black  or  dark 
brown  throughout,  except  that  at  the  apex  they  are  more  or 
less  tipped  with  white.  One  bird  has  no  trace  of  cross-barring 
on  the  underparts ;  but  the  other  bird  is  slightly  barred. 
These  birds  appear  to  agree  exactly  with  Pallas^s  description 
of  Lanius  major.  In  Dresser^s  collection  and  in  the  British 
Museum  are  similar  skins  collected  by  Robson  near  Constan- 
tinople. Whether  this  form  be  really  a  distinct  species  I  do 
not  pretend  to  decide.  It  appears  to  be  intermediate  between 
L.  excubitor  and  the  American  L.  borealis. 

The  Red-tailed   Shrike,  identified  by  Blasius   as   Lanius 


164    Mr.  H.  Seebolim  ow  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland. 

phoenicurus,  Pallas  (Ibis^  1862,  p.  66),  appears  to  belong  to  an 
allied  species.  Lord  Tweeddale,  in  his  article  on  the  Rufous- 
tailed  Shrikes  (Ibis,  1867,  p.  218),  suggests  that  a  description 
of  this  bird  should  be  publislied.     I  give  it  as  follows  : — 

Length  of  wing  3'56  inches,  tail  2*94,  tarsus  '85.  The 
general  colour  of  the  upper  parts  is  greyish  brown,  slightly 
mottled  on  the  crown  of  the  head,  fore  neck,  the  hinder 
cheeks,  and  the  rump,  caused  by  brown  edgings  to  the  fea- 
thers, possibly  the  remains  of  young  plumage.  An  ill-defined 
pale  line  over  the  eye.  All  the  wing-feathers  more  or  less 
margined  with  paler.  The  primaries  conspicuously  tipped 
with  paler.  The  third  primary  in  one  wing  newly  moulted, 
and  showing  the  white  spot  at  the  base.  Tail  pale  rufous. 
Underparts  whitish.  Some  of  the  wing-coverts  tipped  with 
rufous,  all  with  a  narrow  subterminal  line  of  brown.  The 
second  primary  is  "08  shorter  than  the  sixth.  The  tail  is 
even,  except  that  the  two  outside  feathers  are  "4  shorter  than 
the  rest. 

After  hearing  the  result  of  Mr.  Gaetke's  examination  of  the 
rufous-tailed  Shrikes  in  the  Berlin  Museum,  and  looking  over 
the  skins  in  the  British  Museum  and  in  Dresser^s  collection, 
and  collating  the  information  given  in  '  The  Ibis,^  1867,  p.  224 
(Walden),  ^  Stray  Feathers,^  1873,  p.  174  (Hume),  'Eastern 
Persia,^  ii.  p.  140  (Blanford),  and  '  Ibis,^  1876,  p.  187  (Severt- 
zofF),  I  submit  that  the  Heligoland  bird  is  Lanius  isabel- 
linus,  Hempr.  &Ehr.  (]828)=i>.  arenarius,  Blyth  (1846),= 
L.  phcenicuroides,  Sev.  (1876). 

The  specimens  of  Tardus  varius  (Whitens  Thrush)  are  in 
such  perfect  plumage,  and  so  artistically  mounted,  that,  in 
spite  of  the  commandment,  it  makes  one  quite  covetous  to 
look  at  them. 

The  example  of  Turdus  rnficoUis  agrees  exactly  in  measure- 
ments with  skins  of  that  species  from  Lake  Baical  in  Dresser^s 
collection.  It  is  an  immature  bird.  The  tail  is  olive-brown, 
with  a  rufous  cast,  especially  on  the  outermost  feathers.  The 
shafts  of  all  the  tail-feathers  are  reddish.  The  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  are  light  orange  buff. 

The  skin  of  Turdus  swainsoni  is  somewhat  less  yellow  on 


Mr.  H.  Seebohra  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.    165 

the  throat  than  the  skins  of  this  species  in  Dresser's  collec- 
tion^ which  he  kindly  allowed  me  to  take  to  Heligoland  for 
comparison ;  otherwise  it  agrees  exactly. 

Amongst  the  immature  specimens  of  Carpodacus  Mr.  Sharpe 
identified  both  C.  roseus  and  C.  erythrinus. 

Of  the  American  species  in  the  collection  the  two  examples 
of  Anthus  ludovicianus  agree  exactly  with  American  skins. 
The  specimen  of  Dendi^ceca  v'lrens  is  in  very  perfect  plumage, 
and  does  not  show  any  signs  of  having  been  in  captivity.  A 
specimen  of  the  American  Rice-Bunting  [Dolichonyx  oryzi- 
vorus)  was  also  shot  on  the  island ;  but  the  wings  and  tail 
are  so  much  broken  that  there  is  every  probability  of  its 
having  escaped  from  a  cage. 

There  is  one  example  of  Charadrius  virginicus,  and  three  of 
Charadrius  longipes,  iii  the  collection.  The  two  species  seem 
to  be  very  distinct.  In  both  the  axillaries  are  ashy  grey.  In 
C.  longipes  the  wing  measures  6'3  inches,  the  tail  2'4,  the 
tarsus  1*7,  end  of  secondaries  to  end  of  wing  "44 ;  the  second- 
aries reach  within  '12  of  the  end  of  the  third  primary;  and 
the  first  and  second  primaries  are  of  equal  length.  In  C 
virginicus  the  wing  measures  7'6,  the  tail  2*7,  the  tarsus  1"8, 
end  of  secondaries  to  end  of  wing  1"85  ;  the  secondaries  reach 
to  the  end  of  the  fifth  primary ;  and  the  first  primary  is  '6 
longer  than  the  second. 

Of  the  two  specimens  oiEadromias  asiaticus  one  is  adult  and 
the  other  young.     In  both  birds  the  axillaries  are  pure  white. 

There  are  several  other  birds  which  there  is  every  reason 
to  believe  have  been  seen  on  Heligoland — for  example,  Em- 
beriza  liiteola,  Parus  kamschatkensis,  Phylloscopus  fuscatus, 
Phylloscopus  tristis,  &c. 

The  records  of  the  appearance  of  these  birds  will  find  a 
fitting  place  in  Mr.  Gaetke's  book.  The  evidence  of  a  marine 
artist,  trained  to  catch  a  fleeting  effect  of  form  and  colour 
and  fix  it  in  his  memory,  to  be  transferred  to  canvas,  is  of 
an  entirely  diff'erent  rank  to  that  of  the  ordinary  sportsman 
or  collector ;  but  in  an  article  for  a  severely  scientific  journal 
it  will  be  wisest  to  content  ourselves  with  quoting  the  witti- 
cism of  the  ''Old  Bushman  '': — What  is  hit  is  history,  ivhat 
is  missed  is  mystery. 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  N 


166  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

XVI. — Notes  on  the  Birds  of  the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res. 
By  Henry  Durnford. 

(Plate  III.) 

Before  commencing  these  notes,  I  feel  that  some  apology  is 
due  to  the  readers  of  '  The  Ibis '  for  several  mistakes  which 
appeared  in  my  last  communication  on  the  birds  of  this  dis- 
trict (Ibis,  1876,  p.  157  et  seqq.),  and  which  I  will  endeavour 
to  correct  in  the  course  of  the  following  remarks.  In  justice 
to  myself  I  must  add  that  the  above-mentioned  communica- 
tion was  not  written  with  a  view  to  its  being  published  in 
'  The  Ibis  /  for  a  short  residence  in  a  new  country  had  not 
enabled  me  to  speak  so  confidently  as  I  should  have  liked. 

Baradero,  which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  frequently, 
is  a  small  town  about  fifty-three  miles  further  north  than  the 
city  of  Buenos  Ayres,  from  which  it  is  distant  nearly  ninety 
miles  in  a  straight  line  in  a  W.N.W.  direction.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  an  arm,  or  "  riacho,^'  of  the  Parana ;  but  as  this  arm 
joins  the  main  river  at  both  ends,  it  is  in  reality  a  portion  of 
the  Parana  itself. 

[Mr.  Durnford^s  nomenclature  has  been  slightly  altered  to 
correspond  with  that  of  our  'Nomenclator  Avium  Neotro- 
picalium.^  The  best  general  account  of  the  ornithology  of 
La  Plata  is  that  given  in  the  second  volume  of  Burmeister's 
'Reise  in  die  La  Plata-Staaten^  (2  vols,  Halle,  1851).  In 
the  P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  138,  and  1869,  pp.  157,  631,  will  be 
found  three  articles  on  Mr.  Hudson's  valuable  collections 
made  near  Buenos  Ayres,  to  which  references  are  given  below. 
A  new  revision  of  the  birds  of  La  Plata,  with  such  short  cha- 
racters added  as  would  enable  observers  in  that  country  to 
determine  the  species,  would  be  a  very  valuable  contribution 
to  our  science. — Edd.] 

1.  TuRDUs  LEucoMELAS  (Vicill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  138. 

Resident.  In  the  winter  to  a  certain  extent  gregarious,  and 
common  always  in  the  belt  of  trees  and  scrub  which  fringe 
the  shore  of  the  La  Plata,  preferring  low  land  to  a  more  ele- 
vated district.     There  is  a  fact  about  the  note  of  this  bird 


the  Provitice  of  Buenos  Ayres.  167 

that  I  am  anxious  to  record.  Every  one  in  England  is  familiar 
with  the  subdued  but  querulous  chuckle  of  the  Blackbird, 
which  it  almost  invariably  utters  before  leaving  the  friendly 
shelter  of  a  thick  bush.  Now,  though  Turdus  leucomelas 
has  scarcely  any  song,  certainly  nothing  that  can  be  com- 
pared to  that  of  a  Blackbird,  it  has  exactly  this  same  peculiar 
note,  and  utters  it  under  precisely  the  same  conditions  as 
the  Blackbird ;  and  so  much  did  this  coincidence  strike  me, 
that  I  thought  when  I  first  heard  the  sound  that  an  escaped 
Blackbird  was  the  author  of  it.  I  look  upon  this  as  one 
of  the  many  isolated  facts  which  seem  to  prove  descent  from 
a  common  progenitor.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

2.  Turdus  rufiventris,  Vieill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  138. 

Resident,  but  never  observed  in  parties  like  the  foregoing 
species.  One  shot  on  the  25th  May  had  in  its  stomach  re- 
mains of  Coleoptera.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

3.  MiMUs  CALANDRiA  (Lafr.  et  D'Orb.);  Scl.et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  139. 

A  few  individuals  remain  with  us  all  the  winter;  but  the 
greater  part  are  spring  and  summer  visitors.  Though  it  is 
the  only  bird  here  that  can  boast  of  really  having  a  song,  its 
vocal  powers  are  chiefly  exercised  in  imitating  the  notes  of 
other  birds,  in  which  it  shows  great  proficiency.  Common 
at  Baradero  in  April. 

4.  PoLioPTiLA  DUMicoLA  (Vicill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  139. 

Observed  throughout  the  year,  but  not  by  any  means  a 
common  bird.  I  found  it  plentiful  at  Baradero  in  April, 
frequenting  thickets  and  low  scrub,  preferring  wet  marshy 
spots.  Its  food  consists  of  small  insects.  Iris  dark  wood- 
brown.     Legs,  feet,  and  claws  black. 

5.  Troglodytes  furvus  (Gm.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  158. 

Resident  and  abundant  everywhere.  I  stated  in  my  last 
note  that  this  bird  lays  five  eggs.  I  should  have  said  seven 
or  eight.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

N  2 


168  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Bir//s  of 

6.  CisTOTHORUs  PLATENsis  (Lath.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  158. 

On  the  26th  of  April  last  I  found  several  of  these  birds 
near  Lujan  bridge  amongst  the  thick  tufts  of  "Paja"  grass, 
which  there  grows  in  about  a  foot  of  Avater.  These  it  is  very 
unwilling  to  leave,  and,  when  flushed,  only  flies  a  few  yards, 
being  very  anxious  to  seek  the  shelter  of  another  tuft.  On 
alighting  it  clings  to  a  stout  blade  of  grass,  thence  creej)ing, 
mouse-like,  into  the  thickest  part.  In  its  mode  of  flight  it 
resembles  Troglodytes  furvus,  but  frequents  damper  places 
than  that  bird.  In  the  same  marsh  where  I  found  it  I  shot 
Synallawis  maluroides  and  S.  sulpkw'ifera.  Its  food  consists 
of  small  insects  chiefly  Coleoptera.  Legs,  feet,  and  claws 
light  brown  tinged  with  slate-colour,  undersides  lightest. 
Iris  wood-brown. 

7.  Anthus  correndera  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  139. 

Resident,  found  everywhere,  and  very  common.  Abun- 
dant up  the  Parana  to  Baradero. 

8.  Parula  pitiayumi  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  631. 

I  have  nothing  to  add  to  my  former  note  (Ibis,  1876,  p. 
158).  The  only  specimen  I  have  ever  seen  was  one  I  killed 
on  the  29th  October  1875.     Decidedly  rare  here. 

9.  Progne  purpurea  (Linn.)  ;  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1872,  p.  605. 
The  dates  of  arrival  and  departure  of  this  bird  are  about 

the  same  as  those  of  P.  tapera.  The  young  are  on  the  wing 
early  in  February.  Common  both  in  the  town  and  country, 
breeding  freely  in  chinks  in  walls,  under  the  eaves  of  houses, 
and  holes  in  trees.  Preeminently  a  homely  bird.  During 
the  summer  its  loud  harsh  notes,  uttered  whilst  on  the  wing, 
may  be  constantly  heard ;  but  when  resting  on  a  telegraph- 
wire  or  twig  of  a  tree  it  has  quite  a  pretty  little  song. 

10.  Progne  tapera  (Linn.) ;  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1872,  p.  606. 
Arrives  in  September,  leaving  about  the  first  week  in  April. 

It  is  a  noisy,  garrulous  bird,  and  has  a  peculiar  liabit  of  rais- 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  169 

ing  its  wings  over  its  back  in  the  midst  of  its  aerial  evolutions, 
and  then  dropping  some  distance  through  the  air  before  taking 
flight  again.  In  the  summer  these  birds  congregate  in  large 
parties,  and  seem  never  tired  of  circling  about  the  topmost 
branches  of  some  wide-spreading  ombo-tree,  which  is  their 
favourite  resort. 

11.  Petrochelidon  pyrrhonota  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
Nomencl.  p.  14. 

The  only  occasion  on  which  I  have  seen  this  bird  was  on 
the  25th  of  March  of  the  present  year,  when  I  observed  about 
half  a  dozen  at  different  times  during  the  day,  all  flying 
steadily  in  a  north-easterly  direction.  This  was  about  thirty 
miles  to  the  west  of  Buenos  Ayres.  From  their  manner  of 
flight,  always  keeping  in  the  same  general  course,  though 
occasionally  turning  aside  to  chase  some  insect,  I  have  no 
doubt  they  were  migrating  :  they  kept  about  teu  feet  from  the 
ground.  At  a  distance  they  are  not  easy  to  distinguish  from 
Hirundo  leucorrlioa ;  but  on  a  nearer  approach  their  greater 
size  and  chocolate  throat,  but  more  especially  their  reddish- 
brown  rumps,  are  clearly  discernible.  The  museum  pos- 
sesses one  specimen,  killed  in  this  neighbourhood. 

12.  Hirundo  leucorrhoa,  Vieill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  139. 

Arrives  early  (I  saw  some  on  the  10th  August  last  year), 
and  does  not  leave  us  till  the  middle  of  April.  I  speak  of 
the  main  body ;  for  many  birds  remain  with  us  all  the  winter. 
On  the  30th  July  I  saw  two  or  three  hundred  of  them  in  the 
course  of  a  long  walk  a  little  to  the  north  of  Buenos  Ayres. 
It  was  quite  warm  and  very  fine,  not  at  all  like  winter. 

This  is  the  most  common  species  of  Swallow  we  have,  and 
there  is  scarcely  a  rancho  in  the  country  that  has  not  its  one 
or  two  pairs  breeding  under  the  eaves  or  in  the  cracks  of  the 
walls.  It  also  resorts  to  holes  in  trees  for  nesting-purposes. 
Though  during  cold  and  dull  weather  in  the  winter  none  are 
visible  sometimes  for  weeks  together,  a  warm  bright  day 
never  fails  to  attract  some  from  their  temporary  shelter,  wher- 
ever that  may  be.     Pretty  common  at'Baradero  in  April. 


170  Mr.  H.  Dumford  on  the  Birds  of 

13.  Atticora  cyanoleuca  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  159. 

Arrives  at;  the  end  of  September,  and  generally  leaves  in 
March ;  but  this  year  I  observed  two,  a  little  north  of  Buenos 
Ayres,  on  the  30th  of  April.  This,  the  smallest  species  of 
Hirundinidse,  always  reminds  me  of  the  Sand-Martin  at  home. 
In  its  habit  of  flying  close  to  the  ground  and  frequenting  the 
neighbourhood  of  pools  and  streams,  from  which  it  never 
wanders  far,  it  is  essentially  like  that  bird.  It  nests  in  holes 
in  the  banks  of  arroyos,  sandj)its,  and  similar  localities. 

14.  Stephanophorusleucocephalus  (Vieill.);  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.Z.  S.  1869,  p.  161. 

Common  in  winter  in  flocks,  frequenting  bushes  and  low 
trees ;  but  I  have  not  observed  it  to  the  south  of  Buenos 
Ayres.  Its  food  consists  of  buds  and  young  shoots.  From 
its  handsome  crimson  crest-feathers,  and  delicate  grey  and 
pale  blue  plumage  which  flanks  these,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  birds  we  have.  Iris  wood-brown ;  beak  blue-black, 
under  mandible  slightly  the  lightest ;  legs  and  feet  brown- 
black. 

15.  Tanagra  striata  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  139. 

I  have  only  observed  this  Tanager  here  two  or  three  times. 
In  February  I  shot  a  young  bird  at  Punta  Lara,  which  must 
have  been  bred  there ;  and  in  June  and  July  last  I  saw  several 
birds,  both  males  and  females,  about  thirty  miles  to  the  north 
of  Buenos  Ayres.  They  seem  fond  of  low  damp  ground  where 
there  are  plenty  of  reeds. 

16.  GuiRACA  GLAUcoc^RULEA  (Lafr.  et  D^Orb.);  Scl.etSalv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  139. 

A  summer  visitor,  but  rare.  I  have  only  seen  it  once,  when 
I  met  with  it  in  the  riverain  wood  at  Punta  Lara. 

17.  Spermophila  ornata  (Licht.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S, 
1869,  p.  632. 

A  spring  and  summer  visitor,  arriving  about  the  end  of 
October  and  leaving  again  towards  the  end  of  April ;  during 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayr es.  171 

this  time  it  is  common  everywhere.  I  have  seen  the  young 
on  the  wing  by  the  middle  of  December  -,  and  as  I  have  also 
taken  its  eggs  in  January,  I  have  no  doubt  it  has  two  broods 
in  the  season.  The  nest  is  a  very  thin  and  flimsy  structure 
of  roots,  usually  placed  in  a  bush  four  or  five  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  young  in  their  first  plumage  resemble  the  adult 
female. 

18.  Paroaria  cucullata  (Lath.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  30^. 

I  scarcely  think  this  ought  to  be  included  in  my  list,  as  all 
the  specimens  I  have  seen  here  have  probably  been  birds 
escaped  from  cages.  I  found  it  in  April  very  common  up  the 
Parana  at  Baradero,  where  it  frequented  thickets  and  trees. 

19.  DoNAcospizA  ALBiFRONs  (Vicill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  161. 

Not  nearly  so  common  as  the  next  species,  and  very  dif- 
ferent in  its  habits.  I  am  not  sure  whether  it  breeds  here, 
having  only  observed  it  in  the  winter.  In  the  marshes,  where 
tall  reeds  and  young  willow  shoots  abound,  this  bird  may  be 
seen  clinging  to  the  highest  sprig  it  can  find,  or  searching 
diligently  for  insects.  Its  long  tail  renders  it  easily  distin- 
guishable ;  and  in  this,  its  erratic  flight,  and  quick  movements 
it  closely  resembles  the  Synallaxhia,  and,  indeed,  is  generally 
found  in  the  same  places  as  some  members  of  that  group. 
Its  food  consists  principally  of  minute  Coleoptera.  Iris  wood- 
brown  ;  beak  black ;  legs  and  feet  pale  horn-colour. 

20.  PoospizA  NiGRORUFA  (Lafr.  et  D^Orb.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  140. 

Resident  and  common  in  reed-beds  and  thickets  in  damp 
marshy  ground.  Common  atBaradero  in  April.  Its  bright- 
red  colouring  and  sprightly  actions  make  it  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  birds  we  have.  The  young  in  their  first  plumage 
somewhat  resemble  the  adult  female,  being  dark  dusky  brown 
above,  beneath  dusky  brown  and  yellowish  white  in  longi- 

*  [A  skin  of  this  bird,  obtained  by  Mr.  Hudson  at  Ooncliitas  in  1868, 
is  in  Sclater's  collection,  but  it  seems  to  have  been  omitted  from  our 
lists. — Edd.] 


]  72  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

tudinal  strealvs.  Generally  seen  in  pairs  in  tlie  winter.  Beak 
black  ;  legs  and  feet  dark  yellowish  brown. 

21.  ZoNOTRicHiA  PiLEATA  (Bodd.) ;  Scl.  ct  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  139. 

Occurs  abundantly  everywhere^  both  in  town  and  country. 
Very  common  at  Baradero  in  April,  I  stated  in  my  last 
communication  that  four  eggs  was  the  number  usually  laid ; 
I  should  have  said  five. 

22.  Embernagra  platensis  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  140. 

Resident  and  common  here  and  up  the  Parana  to  Baradero. 
Its  favourite  resort  is  thick  reed-beds.  Its  flight. is  laboured, 
and  its  tail  so  long  that  it  droops,  giving  one  the  idea  of  being 
too  heavy  for  it.     A  few  at  Baradero  in  April. 

23.  Chrysomitris  barbata  (Mol.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  140. 

Observed  from  the  beginning  of  September  to  the  end  of 
May.  They  are  generally  seen  in  flocks,  and  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  trees  or  low  scrub.  They  have  a  habit  of  hang- 
ing, Tit-like,  from  a  twig.  Their  food  consists  of  small  seeds, 
and,  judging  from  their  fondness  for  the  large  thistle,  chiefly 
of  the  seed  of  that  plant. 

24.  Sycalis  luteola  (Sparrm.)  ;  Scl.  Ibis,  1872,  p.  44. 
Resident  and  generally  distributed,  usually  living  on  the 

ground,  and  in  the  winter  going  in  enormous  flocks  ;  on  these 
occasions,  when  they  all  rise  at  once,  the  noise  of  their  wings 
is  like  the  rustling  breeze.  The  flocks  are  composed  of  both 
sexes,  and  move  in  a  northerly  direction  during  the  cold 
weather,  though  they  never  entirely  leave  us.  The  female 
is  less  brightly  attired  than  the  male;  and  the  young  at 
first  resemble  the  female.  The  males  are  much  valued  as 
songsters. 

25.  Sycalis  pelzelni,  Sclater,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  42. 
Resident.     This   bird  is   readily  distinguishable  from  the 

last  mentioned  by  its  superior  size ;  and  the  males  can  always 
be  identified  by  their  bright  orange  foreheads  ;   the  females 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res.  173 

are  of  a  more  sombre  plumage.  Like  S.  luteola,  many 
move  in  a  northerly  direction  in  winter^  at  which  season  both 
sexes  congregate  in  enormous  flocks.  On  the  17th  April  of 
this  year  I  witnessed  a  vast  migratory  body  of  this  species 
whilst  steaming  down  the  riacho  of  Baradero.  The  flight 
continued  for  upwards  of  an  hour^  crossing  the  river  from 
south  to  north ;  and  during  that  time  it  was  not  possible  to 
look  in  any  direction  without  seeing  hundreds  of  birds.  They 
are  a  more  tree-loving  species  than  S.  luteola,  and,  sometimes 
at  least,  parasitical  in  their  breeding-habits.  On  the  17th 
October  I  took  a  nest  with  one  egg  from  a  nest  of  Furnarius 
rufus,  which  the  Finch  had  relined  for  its  own  use,  and  shot 
the  old  male  bird  whilst  standing  in  the  doorway  of  its  ap- 
propriated home.  A  friend  of  mine  has  taken  the  eggs  from 
a  nest  of  Synallaxis.  An  adult  male  shot  on  the  6th  of  April 
is — total  length  5'3  inches,  beak  3,  tarsus  6.  Forehead  bright 
orange.  Head  above,  neck  above  and  on  sides  greenish  yel- 
low, centre  of  feathers  darkest.  Throat  and  neck  below  chest, 
stomach,  and  under  tail-coverts  bright  canary-yellow.  Back 
dark  greenish  yellow,  centre  of  feathers  nearly  black.  Upper 
tail-coverts  yellowish  green.  Primaries  dark  brown,  all  but 
the  first  slightly  edged  with  pale  yellow ;  first  and  third  of 
equal  length,  second  rather  the  longest.  The  outer  webs  of 
the  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  become  narrower  towards 
their  extremities.  Under  wing-coverts  canary-yellow.  Tail 
twelve  feathers,  nearly  black,  edged  with  yellow. 

An  adult  female,  shot  on  the  same  day,  is  slightly  smaller 
than  the  male.  Head,  neck,  and  back  dull  brown,  centre  of 
feathers  darkest.  Upper  tail-coverts  dark  greenish  brown. 
Throat  dirty  white,  with  a  tinge  of  yellow  at  the  corner  of 
base  of  lower  mandible.  Chest  light  brown,  with  a  tinge  of 
dull  white.  Stomach  dull  white,  towards  the  sides  light 
brown.  Flanks  light  brown.  Under  tail-coverts  dirty  white, 
base  of  feathers  with  a  tinge  of  yellow.  Primaries  dark  brown, 
slightly  edged  with  pale  yellow,  chiefly  on  the  inner  webs ; 
the  basal  half  of  the  inner  webs  of  these  feathers  is  pale 
primrose-yellow.  Greater  Aving-coverts  dark  brown,  very 
slightly  edged  with  pale  yellow  ;  lesser  wing-coverts  greenish 


174  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

yellow,  with  a  tinge  of  grey.     Under  wing-coverts  pale  canary- 
yellow. 

The  young  in  their  first  plumage  somewhat  resemble  the 
adult  female,  but  have  less  yellow  about  them. 

26.  MoLOTHRUs  RUFOAXiLLARis,Cassinj  Scl.etSalv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  140. 

Though  I  have  never  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  this 
bird,  I  have  twice  been  able  to  identify  it,  in  October  and 
again  in  May.  It  resembles  M.  bonariensis  at  a  little  dis- 
tance ;  but  the  red  patch  on  the  elbow,  when  it  is  near  enough 
to  be  seen,  affords  a  ready  means  of  distinguishing  the  two 
species. 

27.  MoLOTHRUs  BONARIENSIS  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  ct  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  140. 

Mr.  Hudson^s  researches  on  the  genus  which  includes  this 
bird  are  very  exhaustive  (P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  671,  1874,  p.  153) ; 
and  my  limited  experience  agrees  with  his  accounts.  I  strongly 
recommend  any  one  who  takes  any  interest  in  the  instincts  of 
birds  to  read  Mr.  Hudson's  papers.  M.  bonariensis  is  a  very 
common  and  generally  distributed  species,  in  the  Avinter  going 
in  large  flocks. 

28.  MoLOTHRUs  RADIUS  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  140. 

Resident  but  not  so  numerous  as  the  last  species,  and  gene- 
rally seen  in  small  flocks. 

29.  Agel^us  thilius  (Mol.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  159. 

Resident  and  common  throughout  the  province,  flocking 
in  large  numbers  in  the  autumn  and  winter.  It  frequents 
open  country,  preferring  that  which  is  low  and  swampy. 
Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

30.  Amblyramphus  holosericeus  (Scop.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  161. 

Resident  and  common  in  reed-beds  and  marshes,  but  more 
numerous  in  the  summer  than  winter.     It  has  a  loud  clear 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  175 

whistling  note,  and  feeds  on  aquatic  plants.     I  found  it  com- 
mon at  Baradero  in  April. 

31.  PsEUDOLEisTES  viREscENS  (Vieill.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  140. 

I  have  only  observed  this  bird  here  in  April ;  but  it  probably 
remains  all  the  year  a  little  to  the  north  of  the  city.  It  goes 
in  flocks,  and  frequents  bushes  on  low  damp  land.  Pretty 
common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

32.  Leistes  superciliaris,  Bp.;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  140. 

Resident  and  common  both  here  and  up  the  Parana.  It 
frequents  low  marshy  land,  in  the  winter  congregating  in 
flocks  of  considerable  size.  It  has  a  curious  habit  of  rising 
almost  perpendicularly  in  the  air  to  chase  some  passing  in- 
sect, and  dropping  again  as  suddenly  to  the  thistle  or  tuft  of 
grass  on  which  it  had  been  perching.  The  young  in  their 
first  plumage  diff'er  entirely  from  adult  birds.  The  former 
are  light  and  dark  brown  above,  instead  of  dull  black  as  in 
the  adult,  and  lack  all  signs  of  the  brilliant  scarlet  of  the 
throat  and  breast ;  they  show,  however,  a  faint  trace  of  pink 
on  the  elbows,  and  have  the  white  transocular  line  as  in  the 
adult.     A  few  seen  at  Baradero  in  April. 

33.  Sturnella  defilippii,  Bp. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  161. 

Very  common  and  generally  distributed.  In  the  winter 
they  congregate  in  enormous  flocks. 

34.  Myiotheretes  rufiventris  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.S.  1868,  p.  141. 

A  winter  visitor,  but  rare.  On  the  25th  of  March  I  saw  a 
single  bird  at  Moreno,  and  on  the  25tli  of  May  I  shot  a  spe- 
cimen at  Punta  Lara.  In  the  air  its  long,  pointed,  almost 
Plover-like  wing,  and  on  the  ground  its  bold  upright  position, 
are  sufficient  to  establish  its  identity.  Its  habits  seem  gene- 
rally like  those  of  the  other  Tceniopterce ;  and  it  is  always  in 
a  restless  state,  flitting  from  a  clod  of  earth  to  the  top  of  a 
thistle,  or  making  a  sudden  dart  at  some  passing  insect.     The 


176  Mr.  H.  Durnford  un  the  Birds  of 

stomach  of  the  one  I  shot  contained  a  large  hairy  caterpillar 
and  some  remains  of  Coleoptcra.  Beak^  legs^  feet^  and  claws 
black.     Iris  wood-brown. 

35.  TiENioPTERA  coRONATA  (Vicill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 

1868,  p.  141. 

Common  in  April  at  Baradero,  and  seen  here  in  May  and 
June.  In  its  habits  and  food  it  resembles  the  other  T(£7ii- 
opterce,  and  seems  fond  of  going  in  small  flocks.  Beak, 
legs,  and  feet  black  ;  iris  wood-brown. 

36.  TiENioPTERA  DOxMiNiCANA  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 

1869,  p.  633. 

llesident,  I  believe,  but  rare.  It  is  generally  found  iu 
flocks;  and  I  have  only  observed  it  twice,  on  the  .25th  May 
and  30th  July.  It,  like  other  Tceniopterce,  is  a  restless  bird, 
always  fly- catching  or  playing.  Individuals  vary  much  in 
plumage,  from  grey  to  Avhite  on  the  back  and  uuderparts. 
Their  food  consists  of  larvae  and  Coleoptcra,  Beak,  legs,  and 
feet  black.     Iris  wood-brown. 

37.  SisoPYGis  iCTEROPHRYS  (YiciU.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  141. 

Not  uncommon  from  October  to  the  end  of  February.  I 
also  met  with  a  few  examples  about  the  10th  of  August. 

38.  LicHENOPS  PERSPiciLLATus  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  141. 

Though  I  have  no  doubt  about  the  specific  identity  of  the 
black-  and  red-plum  aged  birds,  there  are  one  or  two  points 
which  seem  to  favour  the  view  of  their  being  distinct.  The 
black-plumaged  birds  in  the  summer  are  decidedly  more  nu- 
merous than  the  red-plumaged  ones ;  and  in  winter  the  propor- 
tion is  at  least  eight  to  one.  I  can  only  suppose  that  there  is  a 
partial  migration  of  the  females.  I  have  several  times  flushed 
the  red-plumaged  bird  from  the  nest,  but  the  black  bird 
never. 

(J .  Beak  pale  primrose-yellow,  inside  of  mouth  paler. 
Iris  and  naked  skin  round  the  eye  primrose-yellow,  but  the 
skin  round  the  eye  paler  in  the  female  than  the  male.  Legs, 
feet,  and  claws  in  both  sexes  black. 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  177 

?  .  Upper  mandible  dark  horn-colour  between  the  nos- 
trils, and  from  there  to  the  corner  of  the  mouth  dull  primrose- 
yellow.  Under  mandible,  tip  horn-colour,  fading  into  prim- 
rose-yellow towards  the  base.  Inside  of  mouth  very  pale 
horn- colour,  with  a  tinge  of  yellow  under  the  tongue.  This 
species  is  common  at  Baradero  in  April,  but  only  black- 
plumaged  birds  are  seen. 

39.  Machetornis  rixosa  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  143. 

Spring  visitor,  arriving  in  August ;  but  it  does  not  seem  to 
be  a  common  bird. 

40.  Centrites  NIGER  (Bodd.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  142. 

Autumn  and  winter  visitor,  and  common  on  open  camp- 
land.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

41.  Hapalocercus  flaviventris  (Lafr.  et  D'Orb.)  ;  Scl.  et 
Salv.  P.Z.S.  1869,  p.  160. 

Having  only  observed  this  bird  from  October  to  April,  I 
suppose  it  is  a  summer  visitor.  Between  these  months  it  is 
common  in  the  riverain  wood  and  in  low  damp  places  where 
the  reeds  aflPord  any  cover.     Plentiful  at  Baradero  in  April. 

42.  Serpophagasubcristata (Vieill.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  142. 

Resident  and  abundant  everywhere.  Common  at  Baradero 
in  April. 

43.  Serpophaga  nigricans  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  142. 

Resident,  but  not  so  common  as  the  last-named  species. 
I  have  always  found  this  bird  amongst  the  bushes  and  thick 
growth  of  sauce-  and  ceiba  trees  near  the  river. 

44.  Cyanotis  AZAR^  (Licht.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.Z.S.  1869, 
p.  159. 

Resident  and  common  in  reed-beds,  generally  found  where 
there  is  a  foot  or  so  of  water.  It  has  a  low  piping  note,  which 
it  constantly  utters  whilst  busily  hunting  over  the  reeds  for 
insects.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 


178  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

45.  Myiodynastes  solitarius  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom. 
p.  50. 

A  summer  visitor,  but  not  common.  Shot  in  November 
at  Punta  Lara,  and  seen  in  February  near  Belgrano. 

46.  PiTANGUS  BELLicosus  (Vicill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  142. 

The  familiar  cry  of  "  Bien  te  veo  "  may  be  heard  all  the 
year  round,  but  most  commonly  in  the  spring  and  summer, 
when  the  birds  are  engaged  with  their  nests  or  young.  It  is 
an  early  breeder.  I  have  found  fresh  eggs  in  the  middle  of 
October ;  and  it  probably  has  two  broods  in  the  year.  It 
makes  a  large  domed  nest  of  twigs,  wool,  hair,  and  thistle- 
down, lining  it  thickly  with  feathers.  Plentiful  in  April  at 
Baradero. 

47.  Pyrocephalus  rubineus  (Bodd.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  142. 

"Chirinchi."  An  early  spring  visitor,  arriving  in  Sep- 
tember, leaving  in  April,  and  during  their  stay  here  very  nu- 
merous. The  young  are  on  the  wing  by  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary, and  in  their  first  plumage  resemble  somewhat  the  adult 
female,  having  scarcely  a  trace  of  red  beneath.  The  old  birds 
leave  us  at  the  beginning  of  February,  the  young  remaining 
till  the  middle  of  April.  Two  observed  near  Baradero  in 
April. 

48.  Tyrannus  melancholicus,  Vieill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Spring  and  summer  visitor,  arriving  in  November  and  leav- 
ing in  April. 

49.  MiLVULUs  tyrannus  (Linn.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  53. 

Arrives  in  October  and  leaves  early  in  April.  The  nest  is 
strongly  made  of  grass  and  reeds,  lined  with  roots,  and  is 
placed  in  the  fork  of  a  low  tree  :  though  it  has  no  mud  about 
it,  it  is  always  quite  hard  inside. 

50.  Geositta  cunicularia  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S, 
1868,  p.  140. 

One  can  scarcely  take  a  ride  in  the  country  here  without 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  179 

being  aware,  before  having  gone  a  great  distance,  of  a  small 
and  active  bird  which,  constantly  keeps  flitting  just  in  front 
of  your  horse,  every  now  and  then  alighting  on  a  clod  of 
earth,  but  off  again  before  you  have  reached  it.  It  lives  on 
the  ground,  like  our  familiar  little  Wheatear,  and  constantly 
flits  its  tail  up  and  down ;  it  also  has  a  habit,  like  that  bird, 
of  sometimes  taking  short  quick  runs  and  stopping  as  sud- 
denly as  it  started.  Resident  here.  Pretty  common  at  Ba- 
radero  in  April. 

51.  TuRNARius  RUFUs  (Gm.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  140. 

Resident  and  common  throughout  the  year.  One  of  the 
most  homely  birds  we  have,  there  being  scarcely  a  rancho  or 
hut  in  the  campo  that  has  not  got  its  pair  of  Oven-birds.  It 
has  a  loud  and  rather  melodious  whistle,  which  it  constantly 
utters,  but  especially  in  the  spring  when  its  nest  is  threatened. 
During  the  winter  it  is  busily  engaged  in  repairing  its  nest  for 
the  ensuing  spring.  It  usually  lays  in  October  ;  but  its  breed- 
ing-habits are  rather  irregular.  Common  at  Baradero  in 
April. 

53.  CiNCLODEs  ruscus  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 

I  spent  nine  days  in  quarantine  a  year  ago  last  March  on 
Flores  Island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Plate  and  about  twenty 
miles  from  Montevideo ;  and  during  that  time  this  was  the 
only  land-bird  which  inhabited  that  lonely  spot,  though  a 
flock  of  "  Chorlos  "  {Eudromias  modest  a)  paid  us  a  flying 
visit  one  morning.  It  feeds  on  small  larvae  and  insects,  and 
is  fond  of  rough  ground,  where  there  is  little  herbage,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  water,  I  have  observed  it  in  this  district 
from  March  to  the  end  of  July ;  whether  it  breeds  here  or 
not  I  do  not  know.  In  the  winter  it  generally  goes  in  small 
parties,  sometimes  in  large  flocks.  Common  at  Baradero  in 
April. 

53.  Phlceocryptes  melanops  (Vieill.), 
Synallaxis  melanops,  Scl.  et  Salv,  I.  s.  c. 
Resident,  and  the  commonest  of  the  marsh-loving  Synal- 
laxinae.     They  frequent  reed-beds,  especially  where  there  is 


180  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

a  pretty  thick  growth  of  "sauce"  or  willow  shoots ;  and  against 
one  of  these  Avillow  shoots,  six  or  eight  inches  above  the  water, 
is  constructed  an  oval  nest  of  mud  and  reeds,  lined  with  a 
few  feathers  and  hair,  the  opening  in  the  side ;  it  is  fastened 
to  its  suj)port  by  reeds.  The  female  lays  five  eggs,  in  colour 
uniform  light  blue.  Common  at  Baradero  in  April.  Iris 
wood-brown. 

54.  Leptasthenura  ;egithaloides  (Kittl.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  632. 

On  the  2nd  July  of  this  year  (1876)  I  saw  a  single  bird  in 
an  ombo  tree  at  Belgrano ;  it  was  busily  hunting  over  every 
twig  and  leaf  in  a  Tit-like  fashion,  and  uttered  a  low  piping 
note.  It  is  the  only  example  I  have  seen  here ;  but  I  believe 
it  not  uncommon  up  the  Parana. 

55.  Synallaxis  albescens,  Temm. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 

1868,  p.  141. 

On  the  11th  July,  1876,  I  shot  a  male  bird  at  Las  Conchas. 
It  frequented  low  bushes  and  reeds  by  the  river,  and  was  the 
only  one  seen.  Its  stomach  contained  small  insects,  chiefly 
Coleoptera. 

Upper  mandible  dark  horn-colour,  base  pale  flesh-colour. 
Under  mandible  pale  flesh-colour.  Legs  and  feet  pale  brown. 
Iris  fulvous  brown. 

56.  Synallaxis  sulphurifera,  Burm.;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.Z.  S. 

1869,  p.  632. 

Resident,  and  not  very  uncommon  in  reed-beds,  frequent- 
ing much  the  same  places  as  Limnornis  cwvirostris.  I  have 
generally  found  several  in  the  same  locality.  Iris  wood- 
brown. 

57.  Synallaxis  maluroides,  D'Orb. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  141. 

Resident  but  rare.  Frequents  beds  of  low  reeds  and  thick 
"  paja  "  grass  in  marshy  places.  The  notes  of  S.  sulphurifera 
and  ^.  maluroides  are  much  alike — cree  cree,  uttered  in  a  high 
key.  I  have  not  observed  this  bird  where  the  reeds  grow 
more  than  two  or  three  feet  high ;   and  it  frequents  the  same 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res.  181 

situations  as  Cistothorus  platensis.  Its  food,  like  that  of  the 
other  small  SynallaxinsB;  consists  of  minute  insects,  chiefly 
Coleoptera.     Iris  primrose-yellow. 

58.  Anumbiusacuticaudatus  (Less.);  Scl. etSalv.  P. Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  141. 

Synallaxis  major,  Gould. 

The  Synallaxinse  are  largely  represented  in  Buenos  Ayres ; 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  present  species,  all  the  mem- 
bers have  nearly  similar  habits.  To  a  stranger  nothing  is 
more  striking  on  his  arrival  here  than  the  large  and  untidy- 
looking  masses  of  sticks,  one  or  more  of  which  may  be  seen  in 
most  of  the  trees  of  any  height.  These  nests  are  altogether 
out  of  proportion  to  the  number  of  birds ;  but  as  they  are 
strongly  built,  and  last  for  years,  their  number  may  be  easily 
accounted  for.  They  are  of  enormous  dimensions  for  the 
size  of  the  bird,  and  consist  of  two  rooms,  a  passage  leading 
from  the  upper  to  the  lower.  The  upper  one  is  used,  more 
or  less,  all  the  year  round  for  roosting  in ;  and  the  owners  are 
generally  busily  engaged  in  repairing  their  nests  whenever 
they  are  not  taken  up  with  eggs  or  young. 

I  am  not  aware  when  poplar  trees  were  first  introduced 
into  this  country ;  but  their  introduction  has  caused  a  con- 
siderable revolution  in  the  habits  of  this  bird.  From  its  short 
wings  it  is  evidently  not  fitted  for  a  long  sustained  flight ;  and 
yet  the  proportion  of  birds  that  build  in  poplars  in  preference 
to  any  other  tree  is  at  least  ten  to  one ;  and  these  are  natu- 
rally the  highest  trees  in  the  country.  Nor  is  this  all :  the 
motto  of  this  bird  is  "  Excelsior ; "  and  as  the  poplars  increase 
in  height  the  Seiiateros  become  more  ambitious,  and  it  is  now 
quite  a  common  sight  to  see  two  or  more  nests  in  the  same 
tree,  the  highest  seventy  or  eighty  feet  from  the  ground. 
Whenever  the  bird  wishes  to  ascend  to  its  nest,  it  starts 
from  the  ground  at  just  sufficient  distance  from  the  nest  to 
enable  it,  by  taking  a  gradual  curve,  to  just  fetch  the  de- 
sired spot ;  and  if  it  fails  to  do  this,  it  reaches  it  by  hopping 
upwards  from  bough  to  bough ;  for  it  is  quite  unable  to  turn 
in  its  flight,  or  to  rise  except  by  a  gradual  upward  motion. 

SER.  IV, VOL.  I.  o 


182  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

The  ultimate  result  of  this  may  be  a  race  of  Synallaxinae  "with 
longer  aucl  stronger  wings,  and,  by  correlative  growth,  a  larger 
bird  altogether  ;  thus  from  the  present  short-winged,  heavy- 
bodied  bird  will  probably  be  developed  a  larger  and  stronger 
form,  with  greater  powers  of  flight.  The  tail  of  this  bird  is 
always  much  abraded,  doubtless  from  being  in  such  constant 
contact  with  the  nest. 

59.  LiMNORNis  cuRViRosTRis,  Gould  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 

I  am  at  a  loss  to  understand  how  this  bird  could  have  es- 
caped the  observation  of  naturalists  till  Mr.  Darwin^s  visit 
to  South  America.  It  is,  certainly,  only  found  in  certain 
spots  ;  but  in  these  it  is  quite  common.  Amongst  the  thick 
reed-beds  bordering  the  La  Plata,  which  sometimes  extend 
for  some  miles  inland,  L.  cu7'virostris  may  always  be  found. 
Like  the  last-named  species,  it  has  a  very  inquisitive  dispo- 
sition, and  never  allows  an  intruder  in  its  neighbourhood 
without  protesting  in  loud  and  angry  cries.  This  note  or, 
rather,  notes  it  is  not  easy  to  describe ;  they  are  a  series  of 
harsh  chatterings,  and  can  be  heard  at  a  great  distance.  Be- 
sides this  it  has  another  note,  a  sort  of  subdued  low  jarring, 
just  like  our  little  Sedge- Warbler^s  note ;  and  this  it  utters 
when  completely  hidden  by  the  reeds.  Like  that  bird,  too, 
if  a  clod  of  earth  or  stone  be  thrown  amongst  the  reeds  near 
it,  it  can  always  be  provoked  to  rattle  away.  It  is  a  true 
reed-bird,  and  lives  near  the  ground  in  the  thickest  reed-beds. 
If  alarmed,  or  its  curiosity  excited,  it  creeps  upwards  by  a 
series  of  short  jerky  movements  high  enough  to  seethe  object 
of  its  dislike,  and  then  commences  its  loud  angry  screams. 
It  is  rarely  found  away  from  these  reed-beds,  and  seems 
always  anxious  to  seek  their  shelter.  It  seldom  takes  wing, 
and  never  flies  far ;  in  the  air  it  resembles  the  Synallaxinse, 
and  sometimes  while  flying  spreads  its  tail,  I  have  generally 
seen  it  in  pairs,  both  winter  and  summer.  Its  food  consists 
of  small  insects,  chiefly  spiders.  Iris  chocolate.  Upper  man- 
dible dark  slate-colour,  under  one  flesh-colour.  Legs  and 
feet  pale  slate. 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res.  183 

60.  Phacellodomus  ruber  (Vieiil.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 

Though  I  have  only  seen  this  bird  in  the  springs  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that  it  is  at  least  partially  resident.  It  fre- 
quents the  thick  plantations  of  reeds,  ''  sauce/^  and  "  ceiba  " 
trees  in  the  riverain  wood,  but,  from  its  skulking  habits,  is  not 
often  seen. 

61.  Phacellodomus  frontalis  (Licht.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  No- 
mencl.  p.  65. 

Like  the  last  species,  I  have  only  seen  this  bird  in  the 
spring,  with  the  exception  of  one  example  shot  in  April  of 
this  year.  It  breeds  in  October;  and  when  sitting,  the  old 
bird  will  allow  herself  to  be  taken  on  the  nest.  It  feeds  on 
minute  insects,  and  seems  especially  fond  of  spiders,  which 
abound  in  the  reed-beds  and  thickets  it  frequents.  In  flight 
it  somewhat  resembles  the  Synallaxinae,  and  altogether,  from 
its  habits,  would  seem  to  be  closely  related  to  the  genus  Syn- 
allaxis,  I  have  also  met  with  it  in  August.  Iris  orange- 
yellow  ;  legs  and  feet  very  pale  slate ;  upper  mandible  dark 
horn-colour,  lower  mandible  like  legs. 

On  the  14th  April  I  shot  a  bird  at  Baradero  which  would 
seem  to  be  referable  to  this  species,  but  differs  a  little  from 
any  I  have  seen.  Its  underparts  are  lighter  than  in  any  I 
have  examined  ;  and  the  edges  of  the  under  mandible  for  three 
quarters  of  its  length  from  the  base  are  orange-yellow. 

Belgrano  bird,  Baradero  bird, 

11th  April,  1876.  14th  April,  1876. 

Total  length  ....     6-2  5*0 

Beak -6  -4 

Tarsus '7  "7 

Iris orange-yellow.  dark  wood-brown. 

62.  Thamnophilus  argentinus.  Cab. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  141. 

Spring  and  summer  visitor,  but  occasionally  seen  in  the 
winter.  It  has  an  exceedingly  loud  jarring  note,  somewhat 
resembling  that  of  Troglodytes  furvus ,  and  for  its  size  makes 
an  almost  incredible  noise.  For  some  time  I  could  not  make 
out  what  bird  it  was  I  constantly  heard  in  the  thickest  cover 

o  2 


184  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

of  tala,  sauce,  and  reeds,  which  grow  abundantly  in  the 
riverain  wood ;  but  I  soon  found  that  I  had  only  to  stand  still 
for  a  few  moments,  and  the  inquisitive  disposition  of  this  bird 
overpowered  its  fear  of  man.  It  is  more  sluggish  in  its  move- 
ments than  either  Phacellodomus  ruber  or  P.  frontalis,  but, 
with  this  exception,  seems  to  resemble  them  closely  in  its 
habits.  Its  food  consists  of  small  insects,  principally  Cole- 
optera.  Iris  light  fulvous ;  upper  mandible  dark  horn-colour ; 
under  mandible,  legs,  and  feet  pale  slate. 

63.  Calliperidia  FURCiFERA  (Shaw) ;  Scl.etSalv.  Nomencl. 
p.  90. 

Our  three  Humming-birds  are  all  summer  visitors,  a  few 
remaining  during  the  winter.  This  species  is  the  most  un- 
common, but  is  occasionally  seen  in  the  riverain  wood,  and, 
like  the  other  two,  may  generally  be  found  hovering  over 
the  flowers  of  the  ceiba  tree,  a  species  of  Acacia.  I  ob- 
served one  on  the  29th  of  July  last,  at  Belgrano  railway-sta- 
tion, perched  on  a  telegraph-wire ;  the  day  was  very  warm 
and  bright.      ?  .  Beak  dark  brown. 

64.  Hylocharis  sapphirina  (Gm.)  y  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  c.  p.  93. 
Common  in  the  summer.     Beak  light  flesh-colour,  tip  very 

dark  brown. 

65.  Chlorostilbon  splendidus,  Vieill. ;  Elliot,  Ibis,  1875, 
p.  165. 

The  commonest  species  of  Humming-bird  we  have,  and 
abundant  in  the  summer.  I  saw  one  specimen  on  a  bright 
warm  day  the  beginning  of  last  June  in  a  sheltered  garden 
near  the  river ;  but  it  is  unusual  to  see  them  in  the  winter. 
,  They  feed  chiefly  from  the  flowers  of  the  ceiba  tree ;  and  the 
stomach  of  one  shot  on  the  Tth  March  contained  fragments 
of  minute  Coleoptera.  Beak  dark  flesh-colour,  three  quarters 
of  upper  mandible  from  the  tip  black. 

66.  Antrostomus  parvulus  (Gould). 

Resident,  but  probably,  from  its  shy  and  retiring  disposi- 
tion, considered  rarer  than  it  really  is.  Like  our  Nightjar, 
it  frequents  open  spots  in  sheltered  coppices  or  banks  under 


the  Province  oj  Buenos  Ayres.  185 

a  sheltering  hedge  of  thorn,  and  may  generally  be  found  in 
the  same  place  from  day  to  day,  coming  out  about  dusk  in 
quest  of  moths  and  other  insects. 

Q7.  Hydropsalis  furcifera  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  No- 
mencl.  p.  96. 

Hitherto  I  have  obtained  no  specimen  of  this  bird,  though 
I  have  constantly  observed  it  in  the  spring  and  autumn.  It 
lives  on  the  ground,  generally  in  damp  situations  and  where 
the  grass  is  long  and  thick  enough  to  afford  some  slight 
cover.  I  have  always  observed  it  in  jsarties  of  four  or  five 
individuals.  Its  flight  is  noiseless,  and  performed  by  jerky 
erratic  movements ;  when  on  the  ground  it  always  squats  in- 
stead of  standing. 

68.  Campephilus  BoiiEi  (Wagler) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  98. 

Resident,  and  common  to  the  north  o£  Buenos  Ayres  and 
on  the  banks  of  the  Parana  to  Baradero. 

69.  Ceryle  AMERICANA  (Liuu.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  160. 

Not  uncommon  about  the  creeks  and  streams  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Parana.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

70.  GuiRA  PiRiRiGUA  (Vicill.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  142. 

A  few  remain  with  us  all  the  winter ;  but  the  majority  leave 
after  the  breeding-time.  They  have  two  broods  in  the  season. 
Their  usual  note  is  a  succession  of  harsh  screams  ;  but  they 
also  have  a  rather  musical  note,  which  is  uttered  in  two  keys, 
and  is  something  like  the  Curlew^s  note  at  home.  Their  food 
consists  of  snails,  slugs,  bits  of  meat  or  offal — in  fact,  almost 
any  thing.  In  some  of  their  habits  and  manner  of  flight  they 
resemble  our  common  Magpie  at  home,  never  flying  far  with- 
out alighting,  and  generally  keeping  together  in  small  parties. 
During  cold  and  cloudy  weather  in  winter  they  are  rarely 
seen ;  but  a  bright  warm  day  seems  to  endue  them  with  fresh 
life  and  activity. 


186  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

71.  CoccYzus  MELANOCORYPHUS  (VieiU.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  633. 

A  spring  and  summer  visitor.  Most  common  about  the 
riverain  wood.  I  have  not  observed  Coccyzus  cinereus  in 
this  neighbourhood. 

72.  CoNURUs  PATAGONUs  (Vicill.)  ;  Sol.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  111. 

Hesident,  and  not  uncommon  wherever  there  is  a  tosca- 
cliiF  of  sufficient  height  for  nesting-purposes.  In  the  clefts 
of  this  it  breeds.  It  feeds  chiefly  on  buds  and  the  seed  of  the 
sena-sena,  a  species  of  Acacia,  very  common  here. 

73.  BoLBORHYNCHUs  MONACHUs  (Bodd.) ;  Fiusch,  Papag. 
ii.  p.  115. 

Last  winter  I  observed  two  of  these  birds  about  ninety  miles 
to  the  south  of  Buenos  Ayres,  where  they  are  well  known  and 
often  seen.  Specimens  are  sometimes  seen  near  the  city ;  but 
are  probably  escaped  birds^  as  it  is  very  commonly  kept  there  in 
confinement.  Unlike  all  other  Parrots  here,  this  bird  builds 
in  trees  a  large  structure  of  sticks,  instead  of  nesting  in  holes 
in  steep  cliffs. 

74.  Otus  brachyotus  (Forst.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  143. 

Resident  and  generally  distributed.  Usually  seen  about 
dusk,  when  it  sallies  out  from  amongst  the  thistles  or  coarse 
grass  where  it  has  been  concealed  during  the  day. 

75.  Pholeoptynx  cunicularia  (Mol.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv. /.  ,s.  c. 
Resident  and  very  common  in  the  spring,  retiring  to  the 

campo  to  breed,  and,  as  the  winter  approaches,  coming  close  to 
the  towns  and  villages.  When  necessary  it  burrows  a  hole  for 
itself,  but  makes  use  of  Viscacha  holes  when  possible.  They 
are  seen  during  the  day  and  about  dusk,  and  have  a  curious 
and  pretty  habit  of  rising  almost  perpendicularly  from  the 
stone  or  clod  of  earth  on  which  they  have  been  perching, 
and  toying  or  playing  with  each  other  in  the  air.  Their  prin- 
ri})al  food  is  mice.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayr es.  187 

7Q.  Strix  flammeAj  Linn. 

iNTocturnalj  and  more  often  heard  than  seen.  For  nesting 
it  takes  possession  of  Pigeon-cots^  or  resorts  to  holes  in  steep 
banks^  where  it  screeches  at  night  like  our  White  Owls  at 
home. 

77.  Circus  cinereus  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  I.  s.  a. 
Rarely  seen  so  far  north  as  the  city^  but  occasionally  oc- 
curring here.     Legs,  feet,  and  iris  orange. 

78.  AsTURiNA  pucHERANi,  Scl.  ct  Salv.  Ex.  Om.  p.  177,  et 
P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  634. 

Resident  and  common.  A  sluggish  lazy  bird,  fond  of  shady 
secluded  places ;  it  may  always  be  found  in  the  riverain  wood, 
appearing  almost  as  motionless  as  the  stump  or  bough  on 
which  it  is  perched.  Its  food  consists  of  rats,  mice,  frogs, 
and  sometimes  grasshoppers.  In  the  immature  bird  the 
iris  is  grey  with  a  tinge  of  yellow  ;  cere,  legs,  and  feet  pale 
orange.  In  the  adult  the  iris  is  pale  orange  ;  cere,  legs,  and 
feet  dark  orange.  The  plumages  of  the  immature  and  adult 
birds  also  differ  exceedingly ;  but  their  changes  are  now  well 
known. 

79.  BuTEO  ALBicAUDATUs,  Vicill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  634. 

Resident  and  not  uncommon.  It  has  a  curious  whistling 
note,  which  it  constantly  utters  while  on  the  wing.  Iris  light 
reddish  brown.  Cere  flesh-colour.  Beak  pale  slate,  tip 
darker.     Legs  and  feet  pale  orange. 

80.  Hypotriorchis  femoralis  (Temm.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  143. 

Winter  visitor,  but  not  common — the  only  specimen  I  have 
obtained  being  an  adult  female,  shot  by  a  friend  on  the  16th 
of  last  July.  The  female  is  larger  than  the  male ;  and  the 
colours  of  her  plumage  are  not  so  clear  and  well  defined. 
The  stomach  of  this  specimen  contained  the  remians  of  a 
small  bird.  Cere  pale  lead-colour.  Iris  dark  brown.  Legs 
and  feet  very  pale  orange. 


188  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

81.  TiNNUNcuLus  sPARVERius  (Linti.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  l.s.  c. 

Autumn  and  winter  visitor,  occurring  in  considerable  num- 
bers. It  has  an  exceedingly  rapid  and  dashing  flight.  Its 
food  consists  of  mice  and  small  birds.  Pretty  common  at 
Baradero  in  April. 

82.  Elanus  LEUcuRus  (Vieill.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  160. 

Resident,  but  not  common.  This  is  one  of  our  handsomest 
birds,  being  very  conspicuous  from  its  lofty  aerial  flight.  It 
sometimes  remains  circling  in  the  air  for  a  long  time  together. 
I  found  a  few  at  Baradero  in  April.  Iris  light  reddish  brown. 
Legs  and  cere  pale  orange.     Beak  black. 

83.  RosTRHAMUs  sociABiLis  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Resident  and  not  uncommon  in  marshes  and  swamps.     On 

the  wing  its  white  tail-coverts  are  an  unfailing  mark  for  dis- 
tinguishing the  species.  Its  food  consists  of  water-moUusks  ; 
and  its  strong  hooked  upper  mandible  is  admirably  adapted 
for  extracting  the  soft  portions  from  their  shells ;  from  this 
habit  it  has  gained  the  name  of  "Aguila  de  caracoles.'^  Iris 
crimson;  beak  dark  lead-colour;  legs  orange.  As  it  in- 
creases in  age  its  beak  becomes  l)lack  and  its  legs  a  darker 
orange. 

84.  POLYBORUS  THARUS  (Mol.) ;   P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  634. 
Resident  and  abundant.     Feeds  indiscriminately  on  lizards, 

dead  flsh,  and  any  carrion.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

85.  MiLVAGO  CHiMANGO  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  143. 

Resident  and  more  numerous  than  P.  tharus.  During  the 
winter  a  partial  migratory  movement  takes  place  in  a  north- 
erly direction.  They  nest  both  on  the  ground  and  in  low 
trees  or  bushes,  building  a  large  structure  of  twigs  and  sticks, 
lined  with  wool  and  hair.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

86.  Phalacrocorax  brasilianus  (Licht.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  146. 

Resident  and  common  both  in  the  river  and  large  lagunas 
in  the  campo.     Seen  at  Baradero  in  April, 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  189 

87.  Ardea  cocoi,  Linn. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  634. 
Resident  and  the  commonest  Heron  here.     Common  at 

Baradero  in  April. 

88.  Ardea  egretta,  Gm.;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl.  p.  135. 
Not  so  numerous  as  the  next  mentioned,  and,  like  that  bird, 

in  dry  seasons  not  seen  for  months  together.  Iris  dark  orange. 
Legs  dark  lead-colour. 

89.  Ardea  candidissima,  Gm. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 

Resident;  but  its  absence  or  presence  is  very  much  de- 
pendent on  the  amount  of  rain  we  have.  Iris  pale  yellow ; 
legs  dark  lead-colour. 

90.  Ardetta  involucris  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  635 ;  Hudson,  P.  Z.  S.  1875,  p.  623. 

Probably  resident,  though  I  have  only  observed  it  in  the 
spring.  It  frequents  the  thickest  reed-beds,  and  is  very  shy. 
When  flushed  it  has  a  frightened  hurried  flight,  and  always 
drops  again  before  flying  far.  Iris  pale  orange,  the  centre 
rather  lighter;  legs  light  pea-green;  beak  yellowish  green. 
The  young  are  at  first  covered  with  quite  black  down. 

91.  Nycticorax  obscurus,  Bp.  ;  Scl.  et  Salv,  Nomencl. 
p.  136. 

Resident,  and  more  generally  distributed  than  the  last- 
named  species.  Feeds  chiefly  on  flsh.  Iris  dull  crimson ; 
upper  mandible  and  tip  of  lower  one  black,  remainder  of  lower 
mandible  yellowish  green ;  legs  light  pea-green,  undersides 
with  a  tinge  of  yellow. 

92.  CicoNiA  MAGUARi,  Gm.;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl.  p.  126. 
Resident,  and  generally  very  common ;  but  during  the  dry 

season  very  few  are  seen.  In  December  last  I  saw  two  birds 
of  the  year  at  Punta  Lara  barely  able  to  fly  ;  these  may  have 
been  bred  there.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

93.  Falcinellus  igneus  (Gm). 

Ibis  falcinellus,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  145. 

Resident,  though  more  numerous  in  the  winter  than  sum- 
mer, very  common,  and  generally  distributed.  Eminently 
gregarious  in  its  habits,  and  flying  in  a  large  body  in  a  V- 
shaped  form.     My  statement  that  they  feed  on  carrion  should 


190  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

be  modified,  as  I  have  since  found  freshwater  moUusks  in 
their  stomachs.  All  I  have  shot  have  a  strong,  oflFensive  smell. 
Iris  light  reddish  brown.  Common  at  Baradero  in  April  in 
large  flocks. 

94.  Theristicus  melanopis  (Gm.). 

Ibis  albicollis,  Burm.  La  Plata-Reise,  ii.  p.  510. 

A  winter  visitor,  arriving  in  May  and  leaving  in  October. 
I  have  not  observed  it  north  of  this  city.  Its  long,  curved 
beak  suggests  an  affinity  to  the  Curlew ;  but  I  have  never  seen 
it  except  on  comparatively  dry  ground,  and  its  habits  are 
quite  different  from  theirs.  It  is  usually  found  in  small 
parties,  whose  harsh  cries  can  be  heard  at  a  great  distance. 
Its  flight  is  easy  and  powerful,  and  generally  performed  at  a 
considerable  height  in  the  air.  It  feeds  on  grubs  and  large 
worms. 

95.  Platalea  ajaja,  Linn. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  145. 

A  winter  visitor,  going  in  flocks.  Feeds  on  soft-bodied  water- 
insects  and  grubs.  Generally  distributed.  A  few  at  Bara- 
dero in  April. 

96.  Chauna  chavaria  (Linn.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  p.  128. 
Resident  and  very  common.     The  breeding-habits  of  this 

species  are  curious.  On  the  24th  June  (our  midwinter)  I 
was  shooting  with  a  friend,  who  found  a  nest  containing  eggs ; 
and  on  the  28th  the  same  thing  happened  again  in  a  different 
place.  On  the  latter  occasion  the  bird  was  seen  to  leave  the 
nest.  One  egg  taken  is  exactly  like  some  I  obtained  last 
October^.  The  nest  is  a  massive  structure  of  reeds,  about  two 
feet  in  diameter,  and  from  one  to  two  feet  in  thickness.  The 
bottom  of  the  nest  is  always  in  the  water.  Common  at  Ba- 
radero in  April. 

97.  Bernicla  poLiocEPHALA,  Scl.  ct  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1876, 
p.  366. 

Common  in  winter  about  fifty  miles  to  the  south  of  the 

[*  We  hope  INIr.  Dm-nford  will  forward  to  England  some  specimens  of 
the  egg  of  Chauna,  as  they  might  assist  in  explaining  the  enigma  of  its 
correct  position  in  tlie  natm'al  series. — Edd.] 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res.  191 

city;  and  I  observed  it  last  year,  when  we  had  unusually  severe 
weather,  within  thirty  miles  of  Buenos  Ayres  ',  it  rarely, 
however,  comes  as  far  north  as  this. 

98.  Cygnus  nigricollis  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  145. 

Winter  visitor,  but  the  time  of  its  arrival  and  departure 
very  uncertain,  depending  chiefly  on  the  mildness  or  severity 
of  the  season.  This  has  been  a  very  mild  winter,  and  com- 
paratively few  Wildfowl  have  visited  us.  This  time  last  year, 
22nd  July,  the  market  was  well  supplied  with  Swans  and 
Ducks ;  but  the  gunners  have  had  a  bad  time  of  it  this  year. 
Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

99.  Cygnus  coscoroba  (MoL);  Scl.  et  Salvin,  P.  Z.  S.  1876, 
p.  371. 

Winter  visitor,  like  the  preceding ;  and,  like  that  bird,  few 
have  come  this  year. 

100.  QUERQUEDULA    FLAVIROSTRIS     (ViciU.)  J      Scl.  Ct  Salv. 

p.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  146. 

A  few  breed  here;  but  the  majority  of  those  obtained  in 
the  winter  are  visitors  from  the  south.  This  and  the  follow- 
ing species  have  very  much  the  habits  of  our  little  Teal  at 
home — when  flushed,  following  the  course  of  the  stream  and 
dropping  suddenly.     Iris  wood-brown. 

101.  QuERQUEDULA  CYANOPTERA  (Vicill.)  ;  Scl.  Ct  Salv. 

p.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  160. 

Pretty  common  in  the  winter,  a  few  breeding  here.  Fre- 
quents the  same  situations  as  the  two  last-named  species, 
small  pools  and  watercourses,  but  not  generally  found  in  the 
large  lagunas.  Common  at  Baradero  in  April.  Iris  scarlet, 
with  a  tinge  of  carmine  ;  legs  and  feet  bright  orange. 

102.  QuERQUEDULA  VERSICOLOR  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  146. 

Very  common,  many  breeding  in  the  neighbourhood.  Com- 
mon at  Baradero  in  April.  Flocks  of  this  species  do  not  mix 
with  those  of  any  other ;  but  their  flight  and  habits  are  similar 
to  those  of  Q.  flavirostris .     Iris  wood-brown. 


193  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

103.  QUERQUEDULA     BRASILIENSIS     (Gm.)   ;     Scl.     Ct     Salv. 

p.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  635. 

Common  to  the  north  of  Buenos  Ayres ;  but  I  have  never 
met  with  it  to  the  south  of  the  city.  A  little  higher  up  the 
river  than  Belgrano  it  is  quite  common,  frequenting  pools  and 
open  water  in  the  thick  reed-beds.  The  male  has  a  more 
brilliant  speculum  of  metallic  green  than  any  bird  I  know. 
Iris  wood-brown  ;  legs  bright  vermilion. 

104.  Dafila  spinicauda  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  146. 

The  commonest  of  the  larger  species  of  Ducks,  and  in  the 
winter  found  in  very  large  flocks.  Common  at  Baradero  in 
April.     Iris  wood-brown. 

105.  Dafila  bahamensis  (Linn.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Not  common ;  and  this  year  I  have  obtained  no  specimens. 

Generally  found  to  the  south  of  Buenos  Ayres. 

106.  Mareca  siBiLATRix  (Pocpp.);  Scl.  et  Scl.  P.Z.S.  1876, 
p.  395. 

Mareca  chiloensis,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  635. 

With  the  exception  of  Metopiana  peposaca,  this  is  the  Duck 
most  valued  for  the  table.  From  its  note  it  is  generally  called 
the  "Whistler"  amongst  Englishmen,  and  by  natives  "Overo" 
(speckled),  from  its  beautiful  mottled  plumage.  The  greater 
part  that  come  here  are  winter  visitors ;  but  a  few  breed 
amongst  the  reeds  and  coarse  grass  in  some  of  the  extensive 
marshes.  Like  Metopiana  peposaca,  it  prefers  large  lagoons 
to  the  small  pools  and  streams  frequeuted  by  the  smaller 
ducks,  and  is  generally  shy  and  flies  very  high.  Common  at 
Baradero  in  April. 

107.  Metopiana  peposaca  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  146. 

Common  in  the  winter.  The  strongest  and  highest  flyer 
of  all  our  Ducks. 

108.  Erismatura  ferruginea,  Eyton ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1876,  p.  404. 

Resident,  but  scarce.  From  the  shortness  of  its  wings  it 
is  scarcely  able  to  fly. 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  193 

109.  CoLUMBA  MACULOSA*  (Temm.) ;  Scl,  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  132. 

Common  to  the  north  of  Buenos  Ayres ;  but  I  have  not 
observed  it  to  the  south  of  the  city.  Towards  dusk  large 
flocks  winj^  their  way  to  the  marshes  (I  suppose^  to  drink) 
from  the  high  ground.  Immature  birds  want  the  fine  grey 
and  black  transverse  markings  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  above 
the  breast  which  are  found  in  the  adult.  Common  at  Ba- 
radero  in  April.     Legs  redj  between  scarlet  and  carmine. 

110.  Zenaida    maculata    (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 

1868,  p.  143. 

Very  common,  in  the  winter  congregating  in  enormous 
flocks.  Its  chief  food  is  the  seed  of  the  cardoon,  which  here 
covers  the  face  of  the  country ;  and  in  June  last  year  I  took 
more  than  700  seeds  from  the  crop  of  a  single  bird.  Com- 
mon at  Baradero  in  April.  Legs  and  feet  dull  scarlet,  in- 
clining to  carmine. 

111.  CoLUMBULA  picui  (Tcmm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Very  common,  and  found  in  gardens  quite  within  the  city. 

Partially  gregarious  in  winter. 

112.  Leptoptila  chalchauchenia,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 

1869,  p.  633. 

Seen  occasionally  in  the  riverain  wood,  but  not  a  common 
bird.     Legs  scarlet,  with  a  tinge  of  crimson. 

113.  Rallus  nigricans  (Vieill.);  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  139. 

Pretty  common  in  reed -beds,  coming  out  to  feed  in  the 
morning  and  about  dusk.  On  the  13th  October  last  I  found 
a  nest  in  a  clump  of  thick  reeds  frequented  by  Limnornis  cur- 
virostris  and  Synallaxis  sulphurifera,  in  the  riverain  wood  close 
to  Belgrano.  From  the  peculiar  character  of  the  nest  I  was 
careful  to  identify  the  owner,  and,  after  having  flushed  the 
old  bird  once,  retired  some  little  distance  to  give  it  time  to 
return.    This  it  readily  did ;  and  on  cautiously  approaching  and 

*  [  C.  picazuro  may  be  the  species  referred  to  here,  being  the  Pigeon  of 
this  group  usually  sent  from  Buenos  Ayres.  C.  maculosa  occurs  near 
Mendoza,  and  further  south  in  Patagonia. — Edd.] 


194  Mr.  H.  Dumford  on  the  Birds  of 

parting  the  rushes  I  was  enabled  to  get  a  second  view  of  it 
sitting  in  the  nest,  which,  however,  it  left  immediately  on 
seeing  me.  The  nest  was  placed  about  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  bound  to  and  supported  by  the  reeds  which  grew  close 
around  it.  It  was  oval  in  shape,  and  entirely  composed  of  little 
bits  of  dead  reed  cleverly  woven  together,  and  forming  a  struc- 
ture ten  inches  in  height  by  seven,  outside  measurements. 
The  aperture  was  in  the  side,  and  a  little  over  three  inches  in 
diameter.  How  the  old  bird  could  so  readily  enter  and  leave 
this  hole  I  do  not  know.  It  sat  with  its  head  partly  pro- 
jecting. The  eggs  were  two  in  number,  of  a  dirty  white 
colour,  measuring  1*4  inch  by  1 ;  and  as  they  were  con- 
siderably incubated,  I  conclude  two  is  the  full  complement. 
The  food  of  this  species  consists  of  mollusks,  larvse ;  and  once 
I  found  the  remains  of  a  small  fish  in  the  gizzard.  Iris  dull 
crimson ;  beak  pea-green,  with  a  coral-red  spot  on  the  side, 
the  base  of  lower  mandible,  and  the  base  of  upper  mandible 
when  the  bird  is  first  killed,  having  a  tinge  of  pale  blue ;  legs 
and  feet  pinkish  coral. 

114.  Aramides  ypecaha  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  144. 

Common  in  reed-beds,  coming  out  about  dusk  and  in  the 
early  morning  to  feed.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

115.  PoRZANA  spiLOPTERA,  sp.  uov.     (Plate  III.) 
Zapornia  spiloptera,  Burm.  MS. 

I  have  frequently  flushed  a  small  Crake  from  the  "Paja" 
and  rough  scrub  near  the  river  at  Belgrano,  but  never  been 
able  to  obtain  a  specimen.  On  the  25th  August  1876,  how- 
ever, a  gardener  gave  me  a  bird  which  his  dog  had  caught  in 
a  garden  at  Belgrano,  and  which,  I  think,  though  I  cannot  be 
certain,  is  of  the  same  species  as  the  small  Crakes  I  have 
seen  before.  As  far  as  I  can  learn,  the  only  other  specimen 
of  the  bird  known  is  in  the  Museum  of  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
will  be  described  by  Professor  Burmeister  under  the  name  of 
Zapornia  spiloptera,  in  his  new  work  on  the  fauna  of  this 
country.  This  specimen,  like  mine,  was  taken  in  a  garden 
almost  in  the  city  of  Buenos  Ayres. 


ibi5.]877.  PlIII, 


..^■ 


5t* 


J .  G.Keulemaiis  liLk  M  kl\  HanlLarb  : 

PORZANA    SPILOPTERA 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ay  res.  195 

P.  spiloptera  is  nearly  allied  to  P.  spilonota  (found  by  Dar- 
win in  the  Galapagos  archipelago^  and  figured  and  described 
in  the  ^Voyage  of  the  Beagle ') .  It  differs^  however,  from  the 
Galapagos  bird  in  having  irregular  white  stripes,  and  not 
merely  white  spots,  on  the  wings ;  and  the  white  markings  on 
the  flanks  and  stomach  are  larger  and  clearer  than  in  Mr. 
Darwin^s  bird.  The  back  also  of  P.  spilonota  is  ferruginous 
brown,  but  that  of  the  Buenos- Ayres  bird  olive-brown  with 
black  markings.  (^ .  Total  length  5*5,  beak  '5,  tarsus  '7. 
Head  above  olivaceous  brown  and  black,  forehead  very  dark 
slate,  nearly  black.  Sides  of  head,  throat,  chest,  and  stomach 
dark  slaty  grey.  Neck  above  and  back  olivaceous,  centre  of 
each  feather  broadly  marked  with  black.  Flanks  very  dark 
grey,  with  transverse  bars  of  white.  Primaries  dull  brown. 
Secondaries  the  same,  but  with  a  small  white  wedge-shaped 
mark  in  the  centre  of  some  of  the  feathers  near  their  tips. 
Greater  wing-coverts  dark  olivaceous,  distinctly  but  irregu- 
larly striated  with  white.  Tail  dark  brown,  edges  of  feathers 
lighter.  Under  tail-coverts  black  and  white  in  transverse 
bars.  Beak  very  dark  horn,  nearly  black.  Legs  and  feet 
of  a  browner  colour,  and  rather  lighter.  Iris  crimson,  in- 
clining to  scarlet. 

The  bird  had  been  kept  alive  for  a  day  or  two;  and  its 
stomach  was  quite  empty  when  I  received  it. 

116.  PoRPHYRiops  MELANOPs  (Vicill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  634. 

Not  uncommon,  but,  from  its  skulking  habits,  rarely  seen. 
Legs  and  feet  pale  olivaceous. 

117.  FuLicA  LEucoPTERA,  ViciU.  j  Scl.  ct  Salv.  Ex.  Orn. 
pi.  60,  p.  119. 

Common  in  almost  every  'arroyo^  and  lagoon  in  the  country, 
where  reeds  and  aquatic  plants  afford  any  cover. 

118.  FuLicA  ARMiLLATA,  Vicill.;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  145. 

I  have  only  observed  this  Coot  to  the  north  of  Buenos 
Ayres ;  but  there  it  is  quite  common.  It  does  not  seem  to 
mix  with  the  last-named  species. 


196  Mr.  H.  Dumford  on  the  Birds  of 

119.  Aramus  scolopaceus  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  161. 

Resident  and  common  in  marshes  amongst  reeds.  It  has 
a  heavy  laborious  flight,  performed  by  slow  beats  of  the  wings, 
which  it  sometimes  raises  so  high  as  nearly  to  meet  over  its 
back.  It  has  a  loud  harsh  note,  very  like  the  crying  of  a 
child.  On  the  30th  July  I  found  a  nest  containing  six  eggs. 
It  was  a  large  structure  of  reeds,  nearly  three  feet  in  diameter 
and  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep,  and  was  placed  amongst  reeds 
about  a  foot  above  the  water  ;  it  was  lined  with  smaller  reeds, 
a  slight  depression  in  the  centre  receiving  the  eggs.  I  saw 
the  old  bird  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  nest.  The  eggs  have 
a  stone-coloured  ground-colour,  slightly  polished  and  thickly 
streaked  and  speckled  with  light  and  dark  rufous  brown,  the 
markings  being  chiefly  on  the  larger  end,  but  varying  much 
in  intensity  in  diff'erent  examples ;  they  measure  2'5  x  1"8. 

120.  Parra  jacana  (Linn.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1868, 
p.  145. 

I  believe,  very  generally  distributed,  though  I  have  only 
observed  it  twice.  It  is  graceful  in  its  movements  on  the 
ground ;  its  extremely  long  feet  and  claws  enable  it  to  walk 
without  difficulty  on  floating  aquatic  plants,  where  it  is  gene- 
rally found  feeding  on  small  insects,  which  it  takes  from  the 
surface.  It  is  a  slow  and  awkward  flier,  its  long  legs,  which 
it  trails  behind  it,  being  a  considerable  hindrance.  Its  food 
consists  of  minute  mollusks  and  aquatic  insects.  Iris  wood- 
brown  ;  beak  orange  ;  legs  olivaceous. 

121.  Vanellus  cayennensis  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1869,  p.  162. 

The  ubiquitous  "  Tero-tero  "  is  perhaps  the  best-known  bird 
in  the  country,  being  extremely  common  and  generally  dis- 
tributed. In  the  winter  it  usually  goes  in  flocks,  and  at  that 
season  approaches  close  to  towns.  It  probably  has  two,  and 
sometimes  three,  broods  in  the  season.  During  the  time  of 
courtship  the  male  bird  performs  many  strange  antics  to  at- 
tract the  female,  strutting  around  her  with  tail  depressed  and 
expanded  and  holding  his  head  as  high  as  possible,  the  female 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  197 

in  the  mean  time  appearing  perfectly  indifferent.  Sometimes 
two  or  three  males  are  seen  before  a  single  female,  and  never 
separate  without  a  fight.  I  have  never  seen  them  use  their 
wing-spurs  in  their  encounters,  though  they  strike  at  each 
other  with  their  beaks,  and  sometimes  continue  fighting  in 
the  air.  To  the  sportsman  this  bird  is  a  constant  nuisance, 
invariably  uttering  its  cries  at  a  critical  moment  when  he  is 
creeping  up  to  Ducks  or  game.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

122.  Charadrius  virginicus,  Borkh. ;  ScL  et  Salv.  No- 
mencl.  p.  142. 

Pretty  common  in  February  and  March ;  but  I  have  not 
observed  them  at  any  other  season.  About  a  dozen,  shot  on 
the  5th  of  the  latter  month,  were  in  full  moult.  They  are  fond 
of  high  and  pretty  dry  ground  ;  but  yet  I  do  not  think  they 
wander  far  from  water.  Iris  wood- brown ;  beak,  legs,  and 
feet  black. 

I  think  I  observed  Oreophilus  ruficollis  here  on  the  21st 
April  of  this  year ;  but  I  could  not  satisfactorily  identify  it. 

123.  EuDROMiAS  MODESTA  (Licht.) ;  ScL  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  144. 

Autumn  and  winter  visitor;  found  in  large  flocks. 

124.  Thinocorus  rumicivorus,  Eschsch.  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  143. 

A  winter  visitor,  sometimes  found  in  large  flocks.  In 
their  habits  they  resemble  the  Rails  and  Sandpipers.  Like 
the  former  they  sometimes  squat  closely  to  the  ground  till 
almost  trodden  upon,  and  when  put  up  run  some  distance 
before  taking  wing.  They  frequent  very  arid  dry  places,  and 
also  damp  marshy  ground.  In  the  air  their  long,  pointed 
wings,  and  rapid  erratic  flight,  added  to  their  low  whistling- 
note,  always  suggests  an  affinity  to  the  Tringse.  In  size  and 
weight  I  have  found  these  birds  to  differ  exceedingly ;  and 
this  is  not  dependent  on  sex.  The  black  lines  which  extend 
from  the  corners  of  the  lower  mandible,  enclosing  the  white 
of  the  throat,  and  join  the  black  band  across  the  lower  part 
of  the  chest,  are  more  clearly  defined  in  the  male  than  in  the 
female ;  and  the  latter  has  the  throat  dusky  white.     The  young 

8ER.  IV. VOL,  I.  p 


198  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

resemble  the  females.  Iris  wood-brown ;  feet  and  legs  vary 
from  dull  yellowish  green  to  orange.  Their  food  consists  of 
fibrous  vegetable  matter  and  seeds.  A  few  seen  at  Baradero 
in  April. 

125.  HiMANTOPus  BRASiLiENsis,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1873, 
p.  454. 

Himantopus  nigricollis,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  18G8,  p.  144. 

Occasionally  resident,  the  greater  part  leaving  us  in  the 
spring  and  summer.  Common  in  every  marsh  and  on  the 
banks  of  every  "  arroyo  "  in  the  country.  Their  movements 
on  the  ground  are  very  graceful  and  elegant,  and  they  walk 
or  run  with  equal  ease.  They  generally  go  in  small  parties, 
and  when  disturbed  will  often  circle  for  a  long  time  high  above 
one's  head,  uttering  angry  screams  at  the  intruder.  Iris  car- 
mine ;  legs  between  scarlet  and  bright  pink ;  beak  nearly 
black.     Common  at  Baradero  in  April. 

126.  Phalaropus  wilsoni,  Sabine;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  144. 

The  only  specimens  I  have  were  shot  by  a  friend  a  little  to 
the  west  of  Buenos  Ayres  in  February. 

127.  Gallinago  paraguai^  (Vieill.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  144. 

The  greater  part  of  these  birds  are  migratory,  arriving  in 
April  and  leaving  in  August ;  but  though  I  have  not  yet  found 
any  nests,  I  feel  sure  some  few  breed  in  this  neighbourhood. 
During  the  winter  they  are  sometimes  extremely  numerous, 
affording  excellent  sport :  but  their  movements  are  very  un- 
certain ;  for  where  there  may  be  hundreds  one  day,  the  next 
there  are  scarcely  any  to  be  seen.  At  this  season  they  go  in 
small  parties,  or  in  flocks  numbering  three  or  four  hundred 
birds.  During  the  spring  they  go  through  the  same  aerial 
movements  as  the  common  Snipe  at  home,  rising  to  a  great 
height  by  a  circling  motion*  and  '^ drumming"  whilst  descend- 
ing in  a  diagonal  line.  How  is  this  curious  habit  to  be  ac- 
counted for  in  the  South- American  and  European  forms,  ex- 
cept by  the  theory  of  inheritance  from  a  common  progenitor  ? 


the  Province  of  Btietws  Ayres.  199 

128.  Rhynch^a  semicollaris  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Resident   and  found  in  small  parties  during  the  winter. 

Its  habits  much  resemble  those  of  the  little  Jack  Snipe  at 
homCj  being  very  reluctant  to  take  wing^  and,  having  done  so, 
dropping  again  before  long. 

129.  Gambetta  melanoleuca  (Gm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  I.  s.  c. 
I  think  a  few  breed  here ;  but  this  is  a  bird  most  commonly 

seen  in  winter.  Its  note  is  very  like  that  of  the  Greenshank 
at  home.  Legs  red  with  a  tinge  of  orange.  Common  at 
Baradero  in  April. 

130.  Gambetta  flavipes  (Gm.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 

Resident,  but  in  the  winter  receiving  a  considerable  ac- 
cession to  its  numbers.  Its  habits  are  very  similar  to  those 
of  Gambetta  melanoleuca ;  and  it  is  found  in  much  the  same 
situations  as  that  bird — banks  of  streams  and  ditches,  small 
lagoons  and  pools.  Legs  pale  orange-yellow.  Common  at 
Baradero  in  April. 

131.  A.CTITURUS  bartramius  (Wilson)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  No- 
mencl.  p.  146. 

''  Batitu/''  "  Chorlito."  Very  common  from  December  to 
the  beginning  of  April.  During  this  season  large  quantities 
are  shot  for  the  markets ;  and  when  they  have  been  here  long 
enough  to  get  fat  on  locusts  and  grasshoppers,  which  form 
their  principal  food,  they  are  excellent  eating.  The  flocks 
are  constantly  arriving  and  departing ;  and  from  the  fact  of 
my  frequently  hearing  them  at  night  passing  over  the  place, 
when  they  whistle  and  call  to  each  other,  I  do  not  think  the 
same  birds  remain  more  than  three  or  four  weeks  with  us. 
They  frequent  high  dry  ground,  preferring  that  covered  with 
thistles  and  coarse  grass,  but  carefully  avoid  low  damp  places. 
Whilst  at  Baradero,  from  the  15th  to  the  17th  April,  I  learnt, 
from  inquiries  made  there,  that  the  Batitu  had  only  left  two 
or  three  days  before  my  visit.  As  I  could  hear  of  none  having 
been  seen  near  Buenos  Ayres  after  the  3rd  April,  I  conclude 
the  migratory  movement  takes  place  in  a  west-north-westerly 
direction  from  here. 

p  2 


200  Mr.  H.  Durnford  on  the  Birds  of 

13.2.  Tryngites  RUfEscENs  (Vieill.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  146. 

I  have  never  met  with  this  bird  myself;  but  a  friend  shot 
some  on  the  20th  February  a  little  to  the  west  of  Buenos 
Ayres.  The  stomachs  of  two  I  opened  contained  small  seeds. 
Iris  wood-brown  ;  legs  and  feet  dull  orange  ;  beak  and  claws 
black. 

133.  LiMOSA  HUDSONicA  (Lath.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  146. 

Common  from  April  to  September  about  lagoons  and  "  ar- 
royos  "  to  the  south  of  Buenos  Ayres.  It  is  sometimes  here 
called  "  Woodcock/^  In  habits  it  much  resembles  the  Bar- 
tailed  Godwit  at  home. 

134.  Rrynchops  nigra,  Linn. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869, 
p.  634. 

I  have  not  myself  observed  this  species ;  but  my  collection 
contains  two  specimens,  shot  respectively  in  January  and  No- 
vember, both  near  Buenos  Ayres.     They  vary  much  in  size. 

135.  Phaethusa  magnirostris  (Liclit.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  567. 

Occasionally  seen  near  Belgrano,  appearing  to  be  a  fresh- 
water Tern ;  but  of  its  habits  I  know  very  little.  I  found  it 
common  at  Baradero  in  April  in  small  parties ;  and  I  watched 
one  flock  for  some  time,  the  individuals  of  which  kept  circling 
over  a  millpond,  which  evidently  held  a  good  supply  of  small 
fishj  for  they  constantly  kept  darting  into  the  water.  This 
species  has  a  note  quite  unlike  that  of  any  other  Tern  I  know ; 
it  is  very  like  the  cry  of  the  '^  Tero-tero  ■"  ( Vanellus  cayen- 
nensis);  and  for  this  bird  I  have  often  mistaken  it.  Beak  pale 
orange ;  legs  and  feet  pale  slate-colour. 

136.  Sterna  trudeauii,  And. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1871, 
p.  570. 

In  March  of  last  year,  during  quarantine  on  Flores  Island, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  La  Plata,  I  constantly  saw  a  few  of  these 
birds  about ;  and  later  I  saw  several  near  Montevideo.  Since 
then  I  have  occasionally  seen  a  few  in  this  neighbourhood  at 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  201 

every  season  except  the  spring.  I  shot  one  on  the  17th  Oc- 
tober last  near  Punta  Lara,  which  was  flying  steadily  in  a 
north-westerly  direction  in  company  with  another.  Total 
length  13"5,  beak  1*4,  tarsus  -5.  Iris  wood-brown;  base  and 
tip  of  beak  dull  yellow,  remainder  black ;  legs  and  feet  dark 
red,  between  scarlet  and  carmine  ;  head  white,  with  a  long- 
black  streak  in  front  of  and  behind  the  eye ;  remainder  of 
the  plumage  pearl-grey.  On  the  5th  August  I  observed  two 
Black-headed  Terns  fishing  in  some  lagoons  to  the  north  of 
Buenos  Ayres.  They  appeared  to  me  to  be  Sterna  cassini ;  but 
I  am  not  aware  that  that  bird  comes  so  far  north  as  this*. 

137.  Sterna  superciliaris,  Vieill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1871,  p.  571. 

Frequents  shallow  inland  lagoons  and  small  streams,  and 
is  also  found  in  the  river.  Its  habits  resemble  those  of  Sterna 
minuta  at  home.  I  observed  specimens  in  May  1875  at 
Montevideo,  and  in  April  of  the  present  year  at  Baradero. 
Iris  wood-brown ;  beak  and  legs  pale  orange. 

138.  Larus  dominicanus,  Licht.  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  I.  s.  c. 
p.  576. 

Pretty  common  and  generally  distributed ;  but  I  have  not 
seen  it  in  the  neighbourhood  in  the  spring  or  summer.  In 
the  winter  it  wanders  far  inland. 

139.  Larus  cirrhocephalus,  Vieill. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s,  c. 
p.  578. 

I  have  not  observed  this  bird  to  the  south  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
but  have  constantly  seen  it  from  March  to  July  to  the  north 
of  the  city.  Unlike  Larus  maculipennis ,  it  never  wanders 
inland,  but  frequents  the  shallow  shores  of  the  La  Plata, 
feeding  on  dead  fish  or  ofl:al,  and  flocking  round  the  fishermen 
when  they  are  hauling  their  nets  to  get  a  share  of  the  spoil. 
As  a  rule,  this  species  does  not  mix  with  Larus  maculipennis, 
though  now  and  then  they  are  seen  together ;  but  all  the  flocks 
or  parties  I  have  observed  when  flying  from  one  spot  to 

*  [In  our  paper  on  Neotropical  Laridse  we  have  shown  that  this  species 
is  found  as  far  north  as  Santa  Catherina,  Brazil  (P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  570). — 
Edd.] 


202  Mr.  H.  Duniford  on  the  Birds  of 

another  have  always  been  composed  of  birds  of  its  own  kind. 
Adults^  after  once  attaining  their  pearl-grey  hood,  never  lose 
it,  though  in  winter  it  becomes  rather  lighter,  and  those 
with  white  heads  are  immature  birds,  which  do  not  attain 
their  full  plumage  till  after  their  second  moult.  I  have  seen 
many  birds  throughout  May  and  June  of  the  present  year 
with  well-defined  dark  grey  hoods.  Some  specimens,  when 
first  killed,  have  a  delicate  faint  pink  tinge  on  their  under- 
parts,  also  observed  in  L.  maculipennis,  which,  however, 
quickly  fades  after  death.  The  colour  of  the  iris  varies  a  good 
deal  in  different  examples,  being  pale  grey,  grey  with  a  tinge 
of  yellow,  and  grey  with  a  tinge  of  light  wood-brown.  This 
is  probably  attributable  to  age.  The  narrow  rim  of  naked 
skin  round  the  eye  is  dark  coral-red  ;  legs  and  feet  the  same, 
but  of  a  duller  shade ;   beak  rather  darker  than  the  legs. 

140.  Larus  MACULIPENNIS,  Licht. ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  148. 

Common  in  the  neighbourhood,  except  in  the  spring.  After 
their  second  moult  they  attain  adult  plumage  ;  previously  to 
that  they  very  much  resemble  the  young  Larus  ridibundus. 
Their  times  for  moulting  and  changes  of  plumage  are  very 
curious.  I  have  observed  and  shot  adult  birds  in  April,  May, 
and  June  in  what  is  usually  considered  winter  plumage,  viz. 
with  a  white  head  and  black  spot  behind  the  eye,  and  from 
June  to  October  with  perfect  black  hoods.  It  is  impossible 
to  establish  any  thing  like  a  hard  and  fast  line  on  this  subject ; 
for  I  have  seen  adult  birds  in  the  same  flock,  some  with  white 
and  others  with  smoke-broAvn  heads.  Their  moults  probably 
take  place  in  January  and  February  and  June  and  July  ;  but 
this  doubtless  depends  a  good  deal  on  the  age  of  the  bird. 

This  Gull  was  common  about  Baradero  in  April ;  and  one 
fine  warm  evening,  whilst  steaming  down  the  "riacho,"'  I 
saw  a  curious  sight :  a  considerable  flock  of  Black-headed 
Gulls  were  hawking  over  some  low  marshy  ground  with 
Swallow-like  flight,  apparently  in  pursuit  of  some  sort  of 
moth ;  for  they  kept  about  a  foot  above  the  ground,  never 
wandering  far  from  each  other. 


the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.  203 

141.  tEchmophorus  major  (Bocld.)  -,  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nomencl. 
p.  151. 

Common^  except  during  spring  and  summer.  They  are 
found  both  singly  and  in  small  parties.  During  a  severe  fog 
which  we  had  in  June  last  many  were  killed  quite  close  to 
the  city.  I  observed  this  Grebe  near  Montevideo  in  May, 
and  at  Baradero  in  April. 

142.  Tachybaptes  dominicus  (Linn.) ;   Scl.  et  Salv.  /.  s.  c. 
Uesident  and  common  in  lagoons   and   "■  arroyos.^^     The 

female  is  not  quite  so  brightly  coloured  as  the  male,  and  the 
elongated  feathers  on  the  head  are  shorter  than  in  that  sex.  In 
rapidity  of  diving  it  rivals  the  little  Dabchick  at  home.  A 
few  at  Baradero  in  April. 

143.  Rhynchotus  rufescens  (Temm.) ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  No- 
mencl. p.  153. 

Was  formerly  common  here ;  but  now  it  is  necessary  to  go 
a  hundred  miles  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  meet  with  them. 

144.  NoTHURA  MACULOSA  (Tcmm.)  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S. 
1868,  p.  143. 

Resident  and  abundant  wherever  the  rough  paja-grass  or 
thistles  afford  any  cover.  It  also  frequents  fields  of  maize  or 
other  cereals  in  considerable  numbers.  On  a  Sunday  or  holi- 
day it  is  a  curious  sight  to  watch  the  "  sportsmen  "  of  various 
nationalities  flocking  to  the  different  railway-stations  to  have 
a  day^s  ''  perdiz  "  shooting.  The  dogs  impressed  into  their 
service  on  these  occasions  are,  like  their  masters,  of  various 
breeds,  from  a  bull-terrier  to  a  pointer,  it  being  considered 
of  primary  importance  to  be  accompanied  by  some  specimen 
of  the  canine  race. 


XVII. — 0)1  a  new  Form  of  Reed-bird  fro7n  Eastern  Asia. 
By  R.  SwiNHOE,  F.R.S.  &c. 

(Plate  IV.) 

In  1863  Mr.  Blakiston,  who  was  then  in  England,  gave  me 
a  skin  of  a  bird  which  he  had  shot  in  Canton.  The  speci- 
men, unfortunately,  had  no  tail ;  but  I  took  it  and  carefully 


204  Mr.  R.  Swinhoc  un  a  new  Form  of 

compared  it  witli  skins  in  the  East-India  Company^s  Mu- 
seum, and  came  to  tlie  conclusion  that  it  represented  a  second 
species  of  Hodj^son's  genus  Tribura,  of  wliich  the  type  is 
Tribura  luteiventris  of  Nepal.  I  consequently  described  it  in 
the  '  Proceedings  •*  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  that  year  as 
Tribura  squamiceps.  On  the  8th  of  May^  1866,  I  received 
among  a  lot  of  birdskins  from  Takore,  Formosa^  a  second 
specimen  of  this  species,  whicb  my  hunters  had  procured  in 
the  mountains  in  tlie  interior  of  that  district  shortly  after 
my  departure  for  Amoy.  This  skin  was  suflSciently  perfect  to 
show  that  the  bird  had  a  short  graduated  tail^,  and  not  a 
long  tail^  as  Tribura. 

I  never  met  with  this  species  in  China  myself;  but  as  I 
was  leaving  Chefoo  on  the  last  occasion,  I  received  from  Mr. 
Blakiston  my  third  specimen,  which  he  had  procured  at  Ha- 
kodadi,  Northern  Japan,  in  May  1873.  This  specimen  had 
nearly  a  complete  tail  (see  Ibis,  1874,  p.  155). 

M.  Taczanowski,  of  Warsaw,  under  date  9th  November, 
1875,  transmitted  to  me  a  fourth  specimen  of  the  same  bird 
from  the  Ussuri  district.  This  is  a  male,  shot  on  the  25th 
of  September.  I  have  the  species  therefore  from  Canton, 
Formosa,  Hakodadi,  and  now  from  Manchuria,  which,  I  think, 
proves  pretty  well  that  it  is  a  regular  migrant,  coming  north 
in  summer  to  breed. 

Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks,  who  is  now  at  home,  writes  to  me  from 
near  Newcastle  saying  that  he  believes  that  he  has  an  example 
of  this  same  species,  wliich  was  procured  in  Tenasserim.  Mr. 
Brooks  encloses  me  a  good  drawing  of  his  specimen,  which 
confirms  his  identification. 

Mr.  Brooks  urges  me  to  have  a  figure  of  this  bird  pub- 
lished, and  to  assign  to  it  the  characters  of  a  new  genus,  as 
he  considers  that  it  does  not  belong  to  Tribura,  Pnoepyga, 
Horornis,  or  any  other  known  genus,  though  it  has  certain 
characters  in  common  with  them.  I  think,  therefore,  that 
it  would  be  as  Avell  to  projiose  for  it  the  generic  name  Uro- 
sphena,  from  its  wedge-shaped  tail,  and  to  characterize  it  as 
follows  : — 


^  CENTRAL  PARi^   ^' 


PARK. 


"v^. 


^lEV/  YORK. 


7-ORAL  H\S^^ 


Ibis.  1877  PI. IV. 


fpjif 


i.m 


JSmit  del  ellilli 


M&,N  Hanliart 


imp 


UROSPHENA  SQUAMICEPS. 


Reed-bird  from  Eastern  Asia.  205 

Bill  at  base  exceedingly  slender  and  much  depressed.  Wing 
of  unusual  power  for  such  a  little  bird.  Tail  almost  as  in 
Pnoepyga,  but  somewhat  more  rounded.  Style  of  coloration 
scaly,  as  in  Pnoepyga.  Legs  and  feet  large,  strong,  and 
coloured  as  in  Horornis.     Lower  tail-coverts  very  long. 

Mr.  Brooks  says,  "  I  do  not  know  of  any  genus  in  which 
this  little  bird  can  be  placed  :  the  scaly  plumage  separates  it 
from  Horornis,  Neoi'nis,  and  Tribura.  This,  with  its  queer 
short  tail,  brings  it  near  Pnoepyga  ;  but  the  bill  is  as  slender 
as  in  Troglodytes,  or  more  so,  and  the  wing  is  quite  unlike 
that  of  Pnoepyga.  I  wonder  whether  ten  tail-feathers  is  the 
correct  number ;  that  is  the  number  in  my  specimen,  which 
appears  to  be  perfect.^' 

The  synonymy  of  this  bird  will  stand  as  follows  : — 

Urosphena  squamiceps.     (Plate  IV.) 

Tribura  squamiceps,  Swinhoe,  P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  292  ;  Ibis, 
1866,  p.  397,  et  1874,  p.  155. 

Hab.  Canton  (Blakiston) ;  Formosa  {Swinhoe) ;  Hakodadi, 
Japan  [Blakiston)  ;  Ussuri  district,  Manchuria  [Taczanowski)  -, 
Tenasserim  [Davison) . 

The  figure  (PI.  IV.)  is  taken  from  the  specimen  from  For- 
mosa :  a  view  of  the  lower  surface  of  the  tail-feathers  is  given 
below  the  main  figure. 

[Since  this  paper  was  received  I  have  been  able,  by  Mr. 
Brooks^s  kindness,  to  compare  the  Tenasserim  specimen  of 
this  bird  with  Mr.  Swinhoe^s  type.  I  find  them  obviously 
identical,  the  former  only  showing  more  clearly  the  extreme 
slenderness  of  the  bill.  The  Tenasserim  skin  belongs  to  Mr. 
Hume,  and  was  obtained  at  Bankasoon,  in  the  Malewoon  dis- 
trict, in  March  1875,  by  Mr.  W.  Davison.  It  is  marked 
?  .  The  legs,  feet,  claws,  and  gape,  with  two  thirds  of  lower 
mandible  from  gape,  are  noted  as  "  fleshy  white ;  upper  man- 
dible and  rest  of  lower  mandible  horny  brown ;  irides  dark 
brown.^'— P,  L.  S.] 


206  Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks  on  some 

XVIII, — A  feiv  Observations  on  some  Species  0/ Anthus  and 
Budytes.     By  W.  Edwin  Brooks. 

Anthus  blakistoxi^  Swinhoe  =  ^.  neglectus,  Brooks. 

This  Pipit  was  first  described  by  Mr.  Swinhoe  (P.  Z.  S,  1863, 
p.  90) .  The  description  is  correct  as  far  as  colour  of  plumage 
is  concerned ;  but  the  bird^s  legs  and  feet  are  conspicuously 
lighter  in  colour  than  those  of  Anthus  s^nnoletta.  My  term 
of  "brown '^  is  better  than  Mr.  Swinhoe^s  of  "  blackish  brown." 
The  legs  and  feet  of  Mr.  SAvinhoe's  examples^  however,  may 
have  dried  rather  dark.  I  noted  the  colour  from  the  fresh 
birds.  The  total  length  given  by  Mr.  Swinhoe  is  clearly 
wrong  ;  so  also  with  regard  to  length  of  wing.  I  have  shot 
about  forty  examples ;  and  the  greatest  total  length  observed 
was  6'3,  the  longest  wing  3*4,  longest  tail  2*65. 

In  the  '  Proceedings '  of  the  Zoological  Society  for  1871, 
p.  365,  Mr.  Swinhoe  referred  his  A.  blakistoni  to  A.  spino- 
letta ;  and  Mr.  Dresser,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Europe,^  repeated  the 
identification.  This  I  accepted  as  correct;  and  knowing  that 
my  Anthus  neglectus  was  as  distinct  from  A.  spinoletta  as  one 
Pipit  could  well  be  from  another,  I  described  the  former  as 
new  in  'The  Ibis^  for  October  1876,  p.  501. 

The  fall  of  Anthus  seehohmi  led  me  to  think  further  about 
my  Pipit;  and  a  few  days  ago  I  saw  Mr.  Swinhoe,  who  kindly 
showed  me  his  specimen  of  Anthus  blakistoni.  This  I  found, 
beyond  all  doubt,  to  be  identical  in  size  and  colour  with  my 
A.  neglectus,  which  name  must  therefore  sink  to  the  rank  of 
a  synonym. 

I  was  able  to  show  Mr.  Swinhoe  a  good  series  of  my  bird, 
sufficient  to  convince  him  that  Anthus  blakistoni  is  a  smaller 
Water-Pij)it  than  Anthus  spinoletta,  and  differently  marked 
on  both  the  back  and  the  breast. 

A  third  good  species  of  Water- Pipit  is  Anthus  japonicus, 
T.  &  S.  This  is  a  large  bird  like  A.  spinoletta,  the  back 
greyish  and  indistinctly  marked ;  but  its  breast  is  much  tinged 
with  reddish  buff,  and  the  spots  are  large  and  beautifully  dis- 
tinct. Anthus  spinoletta  and  A.  blakistoni  lose  their  breast- 
spots  in  full  breeding-plumage ;  certainly  the  male  does ;  but 


Species  o/Authus  and  Budytes.  207 

A.japonicus,  judging  from  the  examples  I  have  seen^  appears  to 
retain  them.  The  breast  of  immature  A.japonicus  is  still  more 
boldly  spotted  than  in  the  mature  bird,  and  in  this  respect 
rivals  the  well-marked  Anthus  maculatus,  Hodgs. ;  the  breast, 
however,  possesses  none  of  the  warm  tint  of  the  adult,  but  is 
of  a  pale  ochraceous-white  ground-colour.  These  remarks 
apply  to  the  one  immature  bird  I  saw  in  Mr.  Swinhoe's  col- 
lection ;  others  may  vary. 

The  voice  oi  Anthus  blakistoni  is  very  like  that  oi  A.  pra- 
tensis.  In  India  the  bird  is  only  to  be  found  in  marshy  loca- 
lities in  the  north-west,  and  not  at  all  in  Bengal,  so  far  as  I 
know.  Of  its  song  I  know  nothing,  as  it  leaves  India  in 
March,  while  the  birds  are  still  in  small  flights. 

Budytes  taivanus,  Swinhoe,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  346,  P.  Z.  S. 
1871,  p.  364 

Unlike  Anthus  blakistoni,  this  good  species  has  not  been  sup- 
pressed. It  is  a  most  remarkable  Budytes ;  and  its  long  strong 
bill  alone  renders  it  distinguishable  from  every  other  species. 
It  is  a  much  darker-toned  bird  above  than  any  of  the  other 
four  green-backed  Budytes;  and  the  head  in  breeding-plumage 
is  of  a  rich  dark  olive ;  the  broad  supercilium  is  of  a  very  deep 
yellow,  and  the  cheeks  are  uniform  blackish  olive-brown; 
lower  surface  deep  yellow,  not  so  brilliant  as  in  B.  flavus  and 
the  other  three  allies,  and  much  washed  with  dusky  on  the  sides 
and  flanks.  The  tail  is  fully  a  quarter  of  an  inch  shorter 
than  in  B.  rayi,  the  outer  feathers  nearly  all  white,  and  the 
penultimate  diagonally  marked  with  white,  having  the  greater 
portion  of  the  inner  web  brown.  There  is  no  white  on  any 
other  tail-feather  of  the  six  examples  examined.  The  bills  at 
front  measure  respectively  "5,  "5,  '5,  '48,  "5,  •47.  To  the  dis- 
tinguishing points  Avhich  Mr.  Swinhoe  has  indicated,  the  long 
strong  bill  should  be  added. 

With  such  good  distinguishing  marks,  why  should  the 
green-backed  Budytce  be  singled  out  for  confusion  ?  If  such 
nearly  allied  birds  are  to  be  lumped  together,  there  is  an  end 
of  ornithology  as  a  science,  and  its  greatest  charm  is  gone. 
These  allied  species  are  difficult ;  but  the  difficulty  should  not 


208  On  some  Species  of  Anthus  and  Eudytes. 

be  met  by  employing  a  fashionable  theory  which  is  baseless  in 
face  of  existing  facts_,  many  of  them  only  to  be  observed  by 
the  study  of  these  birds  in  life.  Now.  some  forms  of  B.  flavus 
are  rather  hard  to  separate  (as  sldns  only)  from  aberrant  forms 
of  B.  viriclis  {cinereocapUlus) ;  bnt  tiiere  are  mature  females 
of  the  latter  never  to  be  matched  by  any  mature  female 
of  B.  flavus.  This  the  confounders  of  the  two  species  do 
not  know,  or  they  would  never  dream  of  identity.  Each 
species  is  subject  to  considerable  variation ;  and  very  large 
series  of  each,  together  with  a  knowledge  of  the  birds  in  life, 
are  indispensable  to  a  correct  comprehension  of  them.  For 
instance,  a  mature  female  oiB.  melanocephalus  may  have  either 
a  brownish-grey  head  or  a  black  one,  nearly  as  black  as  that 
of  the  male ;  and  the  colour  of  the  lower  surface  is  similarly 
variable,  from  white  tinged  with  yellow  to  a  moderately  pure 
yellow,  save  the  throat  and  breast,  which  are  always  pale  in 
the  female.  The  female  B.  viriclis  will  carry  the  rather  strong 
yellow  right  to  the  base  of  the  bill ;  and  this  female  possesses 
a  brilliancy  of  lower  surface  not  possessed  by  any  other  female 
of  the  green-backed  Budyta  with  which  I  am  acquainted. 
The  yellow  abdomen  of  the  female  B.  flavus  changes  to  a  sort  of 
rufous  tone  on  the  breast;  and  this,  with  the  broad  brownish 
white  supercilium,  distinguish  the  species.  Of  the  very  dis- 
tinct female  B.  rayi  I  need  not  say  a  word ;  but  I  have  said 
enough  to  show  that  the  study  of  the  mature  females  confirms 
the  entire  distinctness  of  the  several  species. 

The  same  great  variation  as  regards  the  female  is  obser- 
vable in  Bitdytes  calcaratus,  Hodgs.  ;  and  here  let  me  ob- 
serve that  B.  citreoloides,  Hodgs.,  is  identical  wath  B.  citreolus, 
Pallas. 

It  is  a  question  whether  the  paler  females  are  young  birds 
or  not.  The  difference  may  be  one  of  mere  complexion,  as 
in  the  Peregrines  ;  but  I  have  shot  light-toned  examples  of  B. 
calcaratus  that  would  have  laid  their  eggs  certainly  within 
the  week.  This  was  in  Cashmere ;  and  I  searched  long  for 
the  nests,  but  unsuccessfully. 

I  spent  much  time  in  ascertaining  the  mature  female  plu- 
mages of  the  five  species  of  Budytes  of  India ;  and  the  investiga- 


Notes  on  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.    209 

tion  strongly  confirmed  their  entire  distinctness.  With  regard 
to  the  mature  males^  one  fact  requires  notice.  The  mature  B. 
flavus  of  Western  Europe  seldom,  perhaps  never,  has  such  pale 
grey  and  white  cheeks  as  the  Indian  examples  have.  The  west- 
ern birds  are  nearer  to  some  forms  of  B.  viridis ;  but  the  cheeks 
are  not  so  dark  as  in  that  bird,  and  are  streaked  with  white. 
The  supercilium,  too,  of  B.  flavus,  in  the  fresh  bird,  is  broader 
and  more  distinct  than  in  any  form  of  B.  viridis,  which  is 
oftener  without  than  with  a  supercilium.  In  India  the  two 
species  are  much  more  distinct,  and  separation  is  always  easy. 

In  skinning  these  birds  the  supercilium  very  often  suffers, 
as  well  as  the  generally  good  condition  of  the  head  ;  this  ren- 
ders identification  difficult  when  the  head  is  the  only  guide. 

I  have  been  much  struck  by  the  careful  details  given  by  Mr. 
Blanford  in  his  work  on  the  Zoology  of  Persia,  He  gives  : — 
1.  locality,  2.  date,  3.  elevation  at  which  procured  (this  is  im- 
portant in  a  mountainous  country),  4.  sex,  5.  total  length, 
6.  colour  of  bill,  legs,  and  feet.  All  this  information  is  valu- 
able ;  and  if  the  collector  be  in  ever  so  great  a  hurry,  the  one 
point  of  date,  even  to  the  day  of  the  month  if  possible,  should 
never  be  omitted.  By  this  we  can  often  tell  whether  the  ex- 
ample is  mature,  and  where  the  species  breeds,  to  a  certainty. 
Mr.  Blanford  knew  all  this  ;  and  hence  the  completeness  of  his 
details.  I  make  these  remarks  in  order  to  remind  collectors 
of  what  will  greatly  add  to  the  value  of  their  specimens. 
These  points  are  well  known  to  most  readers  of '  The  Ibis ;'  but 
some,  in  collecting,  forget  them.  To  register  all  these  par- 
ticulars may  not  be  convenient,  for  want  of  time ;  but  the 
month  of  the  year  should  at  all  events  not  be  forgotten. 


XIX. — Notes   on    a    '  Catalogue  of  the    Accipitres    in    the 
British  Museum,'  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H. 

GURNEY. 

[Continued  from  ser.  3,  vol.  vi.  p.  493.] 

Under  the  subfamily  "  Aquilinse "  Mr.  Sharpe  includes  nu- 
merous groups,  several  of  which  differ  so  widely  from  each 


210  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

other  that  I  greatly  doubt  its  being  desirable  or^  indeed, 
permissible  to  refer  them  all  to  the  same  subfamily.  In 
dealing  with  these  groups  I  shall  endeavour  to  allude  to  them 
in  what  appears  to  me  to  be  the  most  natural  order  of  ar- 
rangement, which,  in  the  main,  will  be  the  same  as  that 
adopted  by  Mr.  Sharpe. 

The  genus  Gypa'etus,  with  which  Mr.  Sharpe  commences 
his  series  of  Aquilinse,  forms  so  remarkable  and  peculiar  a 
link  between  the  Vultures  of  the  Old  World  and  the  typical 
Eagles,  that  I  am  strongly  of  opinion  that  it  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered as  forming  of  itself  a  distinct  subfamily,  and  that  it 
should  not  be  included  in  that  of  the  Aquilinse,  amongst 
which  it  is  comprised  in  Mr.  Sharpe's  volume.  The  account 
there  given  of  the  two  species  of  Gypaetus  does  not  appear 
to  require  any  comment,  except  to  remark  that  in  the  sum- 
mary of  the  localities  inhabited  by  G.  barbatus,  "  Northern 
Africa  "  ought  to  be  substituted  for  "  N.E.  Africa,"  as  the 
mountains  of  Algeria  are  the  main  African  stronghold  of 
the  northern  Lsemmergey er  *. 

Mr.  Sharpe  very  appositely  arranges  the  genus  Uroaetus 
consecutively  to  that  of  Gypaetus ;  for  of  all  the  true  Eagles, 
none  so  closely  approaches  the  Lsemmergeyer  as  the  Wedge- 
tailed  Eagle  of  Australia.  From  Uroaetus  he  proceeds,  and  in 
this  case  also  by  a  very  natural  sequence,  to  consider  the  most 
typical  of  all  the  Eagles,  those  which  form  the  genus  Aquila. 

In  treating  of  this  genus  Mr.  Sharpe  commences  with  A. 
verreauxi,  a  species  remarkable  not  only  for  its  very  peculiar 
coloration,  but  also  for  its  restricted  geographical  range ;  Mr. 
Sharpe  defines  this  as  "South  Africa  and  North-east  Africa;'"' 
but,  speaking  more  precisely,  it  may  be  said  to  be  limited  to 
the  mountainous  districts  of  Abyssinia,  and  to  similar  loca- 
lities lying  to  the  south  of  the  Orange  River ;  and,  so  far  as  I 
am  aware,  it  has  never  been  observed  in  any  of  the  interve- 
ning countries,  or  in  any  other  part  of  the  African  continent. 

Next  in  order  to  Aquila  verreauxi,  Mr.  Sharpe  arranges  A. 
chrysaetus,  including  under  that  name  all  those  slightly  vary- 

*  I  take  this  opportunity  of  calling  attention  to  an  interesting  article 
on  this  species  in  Lieut.-Ool.  Prjevalsky's  notes  on  the  birds  of  Mongolia, 
recently  published  in  Rowley's  'Ornithological  Miscellany,'  pt.  G,  p.  137. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  211 

ing  phases  of  coloration  which  are  incident  to  the  Golden 
Eagle,  and  which  perhaps  are,  in  some  cases,  indicative 
(though  this  is  by  no  means  certain)  of  distinguishable  geo- 
graphical races.  I  am  disposed  to  think  that  this  is  the 
wisest  course,  as  the  data  which  we  at  present  possess  in 
regard  to  these  races  do  not  seem  sufficient  to  justify  us  in 
erecting  them  into  separate  subspecies. 

Golden  Eagles  vary  considerably,  not  only  in  tone  of  colour, 
but  also  in  size ;  and  Mr.  Sharpe,  in  a  footnote  to  p.  237  of 
his  work,  refers  especially  to  the  large  size  of  North- American 
and  of  Himalayan  specimens;  but  my  own  impression  is, 
that  these  variations  in  size  are  almost  as  often  indicative  of 
individual  as  of  geographical  peculiarities ;  and  the  following 
measurements  of  the  wing  from  the  carpal-joint,  and  of  the 
tarsus,  in  examples  from  various  localities,  tend,  I  think, 
somewhat  to  confirm  this  view : — 

Ascertained  or  Presumed  Males. 

Wing.  Tarsus. 

Largest  of  five  North-American,  measured 

by  Mr.  Eidgway* 24-5  3-8 

Smallest  of  ditto 23-0  3-65 

From  Texas,  in  the  Norwich  Museum  ....  22 '3  3"5 
From  Scotland,  measured  by  Macgillivrayt  24*0  4*0 
From  south  of  France,   in  Norwich  Mu- 
seum t    24-6  3-7 

From  Spain,  in  the  Norwich  Museum ....  24-7  3-8 
From  Spain,  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  J.  H. 

Gurney,  Jun 24-1  3-5 

From  Algeria,  in  Norwich  Museum 22-6  S-Q 

Ascertained  or  Presumed  Females. 
Largest  of  seven  North -American,  measured 

by  Mr.  Ridgway* 27-0  4-2 

Smallest  of  ditto 25-0  4-15 

From  North  America,  measured  by   Mr. 

Sharpe§ 26-25  4-1 

*  Vide  '  North- American  Land-Birds,'  by  Baird,  Brewer  and  Ridgway, 
vol.  iii.  p.  315. 

t  Vide  Maegillivray's  '  British  Birds,'  vol.  iii.  p.  207. 
X  A  specimen  of  the  so-called  Aquila  barthelemyi. 
§  Vide  Sharpe's  Catalogue,  p.  237,  footnote. 


Wing. 

Tarsus, 

25-4 

3-8 

26-5 

4-5 

27-0 

40 

26-0 

310 

212  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

From  Labrador,  iu  Norwich  Museum  .... 

From  Scotland,  measured  by  Macgillivray  * 

From  Scotland,  in  the  Norwich  Museum.  . 

From  Lapland,  iu  the  Norwich  Museum  .  . 

From  south  of  France,  measured  by  Mr. 

Humet 27-63  4-38 

From  Algeria,  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  J. 

H.  Gurney,  Jun 2.5-2  4-0 

From  Greece,  in  Norwich  Museum  25-6  3-9 

From  the  Himalayas,  in  the  Norwich  Mu- 
seum   ^ 27-8  4-0 

From  Hazara  district  of  the  Punjab,  pre- 
sented by  Captain  Unwin  to  the  British 
Museum,  and  measured  by  Mi-.  Sharpe  .  .  27-9  4-0 

Messrs.  Baird,  Brewer,  and  Ridgway,  in  their  work  on  the 
land-birds  of  North  America,  from  which  I  have  quoted 
some  of  the  measurements  just  given,  state  that  the  American 
Golden  Eagle,  as  compared  with  that  of  the  Old  World,  "  is 
darker  in  all  its  shades  of  colour,  the  difference  being  most 
marked  in  the  young  plumage,  which,  in  var.  chrysa'etus,  has 
the  tarsal-feathers  nearly  white,  and  in  var.  canadensis  light 
brown,  the  brown  of  other  portions  being  also  considerably 
darker;"  Mr.  Sharpe,  on  the  contrary,  remarks  "^I  cannot 
separate  A.  canadensis,  the  old  birds  of  which  appear  to  be 
undistinguishable ;  the  young  ones  from  America  wear  a  pe- 
culiarly light  plumage  on  the  head  and  neck.''^ 

To  me  it  appears  that  the  only  difference  between  the 
Golden  Eagles  of  the  Old  and  New  Worlds  which  at  all  ap- 
proximates to  a  constant  distinction,  is  that  in  the  colour  of 
the  tarsi  in  young  birds ;  and  even  this  does  not  seem  to  be 
regulated  by  an  invariable  rule.  The  immature  male  from 
Texas  in  the  Norwich  Museum,  of  which  I  have  given  the 
measurements  above,  and  the  locality  for  which  rests  on  the 
testimony  of  the  late  Jules  Verreaux,  has  the  tarsi  and  the 


*  Vide  Macgillivray's  'British  Birds,'  vol.  iii.  p.  207. 
t  Vide  Hume's  'Rough  Notes,'  p.  14L 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  213 

inside  of  the  thighs  white ^,  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  I  have 
examined  five  Old- World  specimens  which  are  characterized 
by  the  white  base  of  the  tail,  indicative  of  immaturity,  but 
which  all  have  brown  tarsi.     As,  however,  they  are  none  of 
them  nestling-  birds,  it  is  of  course  possible  (though  I  hardly 
think  it  probable)  that  the  tarsi  in  these  specimens  may  have 
been  originally  white,  as  they  undoubtedly  are   in  the  great 
majoi^ity  of  young  European  examples,  and  may  have  become 
brown  previously  to  the  white  band  having  ceased  to  exist  on 
the  base  of  the  tail.    The  specimens  to  which  I  here  refer  are : — 
one  from  Lapland  and  one  from  the  Himalayas,  both  of  which 
are  in  the  Norwich  Museum  ;   and  three  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum, one  of  which  is  merely  recorded  as  from  India,  a  second 
from  Nepal,  and  the  third  from  the  Hazara  district  of  the 
Punjab,  the  last-named  specimen  having  been  brought  up 
from  the  nest  by  Captain  W.  H.  Unwin,  who  has  carefully 
recorded  its  progress  towards  maturity  in   the  P.  Z.  S.  for 
1874,  p.  210.     Captain  Unwin  speaks  of  this  bird  as  having 
originally  had  white  down  on  the  tarsi,  but  apparently  not 
white  feathers ;  this  specimen  was  taken  from  the  nest  on  the 
13th  of  May,  1871,  and  died  in  the  autumn  of  the  following 
year :  the  exact  date  of  its  death  is  not   given  by  Captain 
Unwin ;  but  I  gather  from  his  account  that  it  was  then  about 
sixteen  months  old.     On  the  1st  of  August,  1871,  Captain 
Unwin  made  the  following  note  respecting  this  nestling : — 
"  Has  grown  a  great  deal  during  the  past  month,  and  has 
everywhere   assumed  the  dark  brown  plumage  shown  in  his 
mother,  except  on  the  inner  and  lower  part  of  the  thighs  and 
tarsi,  where  a  good   deal  of  white  down  remains  uncovered  ; 
the  head  has  assumed  its  full  covering  of  lanceolate  golden 
chestnut  feathers,  and  the  same  colour  is  apparent  on  the 
shoulders  and  in  front  of  the  thigh-coverts  ;  it  is  everywhere 
of  a  darker  and  richer  shade  than  its  mother,  owing  probably 

*  Since  the  above  was  written  Mr.  Salvin  lias  been  so  good  as  to  send 
me  the  following  memorandum  respecting  an  immature  Golden  Eagle 
from  North  America  in  the  Cambridge  Museum : — "  It  has  the  tarsi  and 
basal  half  of  the  tail  of  a  dirty  creamy  white  colour,  the  former  being 
much  paler  than  in  the  adult  bird." 

SER.  IV. VOL.   I.  Q 


214  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

to  its  not  having  been  exposed  to  tlie  weather."  This  Eagle 
and  its  mother  are  now  preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  and 
are  certainly  the  most  richly  coloured  Golden  Eagles  that  I 
have  ever  seen  from  any  locality.  They  are  both  of  them  very 
dark-coloured  birds ;  and  some  of  the  newly  acquired  feathers  of 
the  young  one  approach  more  nearly  to  an  actual  black  than 
those  of  any  other  specimen  which  1  have  examined.  These 
birds  are  also  especially  noticeable  for  the  colouring  of  the 
thighs,  Avhich  are  deep  purplish  brown  on  their  outer,  and 
rich  rufous  on  their  inner  sides,  the  latter  being  also  the 
colour  of  the  tarsi,  as  well  as  of  the  under-tail  coverts ;  the 
abdomen  is  of  a  dark  hue,  not  materially  differing  from  that 
of  the  exterior  surface  of  the  thighs.  The  striking  manner  in 
which  the  peculiarities  of  colouring  seen  in  the  old  bird 
are  reproduced  in  its  oflFspring  is,  I  think,  particularly  in- 
teresting. 

The  British  Museum  also  possesses  a  very  similarly,  though 
rather  less  deeply  coloured  specimen,  which  formed  part  of 
Major-Geiieral  Hardwicke's  Indian  collection. 

Whilst  on  the  subject  of  the  variations  of  colouring  to  which 
the  Golden  Eagle  is  subject,  I  must  not  omit  to  refer  to  the 
quotation  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  N.  A.  Severtzoff,  for  which 
we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Dresser"^,  and  which  seems  to  imply 
that,  in  the  opinion  of  that  eminent  Russian  naturalist,  there 
exist  in  Central  Asia  and  in  the  Southern  Ural  Golden  Eagles 
in  which  the  white  base  of  the  tail,  elsewhere  an  indication 
of  immaturity,  is  a  permanent  character.  Of  the  correctness 
of  this  opinion  I  am  not  in  a  position  to  judge ;  but  I  have 
ascertained,  by  the  examination  of  specimens,  that  the  white 
on  the  base  of  the  tail  of  the  Golden  Eagle  disappears  with 
the  advance  of  age  in  the  following  countries — North  Ame- 
rica, Scotland,  Sweden,  Erance,  Spain,  and  Greece,  I  have 
also  seen  two  Asiatic  specimens  (Captain  Unwin's  Hazara 
female,  and  the  female  obtained  in  India  by  Major-General 
Hardwicke,  to  both  of  which  I  have  already  alluded)  in  which 
there  was  no  white  on  the  rectrices  beyond  a  very  slight  mot- 
tling on  the  inner  webs. 

*  Vide  Ibis  for  1875,  p.  100. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  215 

Of  all  the  aberrations  of  colouring  incident  to  the  Golden 
Eagle,  the  most  curious  appears  to  me  to  be  that  upon  the 
possessors  of  which  the  appellation  of  Aquila  barthelemyi  has 
been  bestowed ;  and  I  regret  that  I  am  not  able  to  add  any 
information  to  that  which  I  have  already  recorded  on  this 
subject  in  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1864,  p.  339,  and  in  the  P.  Z.  S.  for 
1870,  p.  81.  I  may,  however,  mention  that  the  Algerian 
example  alluded  to  in  the  former  of  these  papers  possesses 
the  white  shoulder-patch  on  one  side  only,  in  which  peculiarity 
it  resembles  a  German  specimen  recorded  at  page  35  of  the 
'  Richesses  Ornithologiques  du  Midi  de  la  France/ 

In  '  The  Ibis '  for  1866,  p.  422,  I  quoted  an  incident  con- 
firmatory of  the  statements  of  Pennant  and  Atkinson  relative 
to  the  competency  of  the  Golden  Eagle  to  attack  the  Wolf; 
and  I  take  this  opportunity  of  calling  attention  to  two  recent 
notices  referring  to  this  subject — one  from  the  pen  of  Captain 
J.  Biddulph,  which  will  be  found  in  the  '  Proceedings  of  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society '  for  August,  1874,  at  p.  425,  the 
other  from  that  of  Mr.  J.  Scully,  at  p.  123  of  '  Stray  Fea- 
thers '  for  1876^. 

In  conclusion  I  may  mention  that  I  possessed  for  several 
years  an  adult  living  specimen  of  the  Golden  Eagle  in  which 
the  iris,  instea<l  of  being  of  the  usual  rich  hazel-brown,  was 
of  a  dull  pale  yellow,  exhibiting  an  aberrant  coloration  re- 
sembling that  which  sometimes  occurs  in  the  iris  of  Buteo 
vulgaris. 

I  now  propose  to  consider  three  nearly  related  Eagles  which 
Mr.  Dresser  has  distinguished  in  his  '  Birds  of  Europe '  by  the 
English  names  of  Imperial,  White-shouldered,  and  Steppe- 
Eagles  J  and  I  am  glad  that  the  circumstance  of  Mr.  Dresser 
having  so  recently  published  almost  all  that  can  be  said  in 
addition  to  Mr.  Sharpe's  account  of  these  three  species,  ren- 
ders it  needless  for  me  to  dwell  upon  them  at  so  great  a  length 
as  might  otherwise  have  been  requisite. 

Mr.  Sharpe  applies  to  the  Imperial  Eagle  the  specific  name 
of  ''  heliaca ; "  but  I  agree  with  Mr.  Dresser  in  believing  that 
this  species  is  entitled  to  the  earlier  appellation  of  "  mogilnik" 
*  [See  also  Dr.  Finsch's  note,  anted,  p.  50. — Ebd.] 

Q  2 


216  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

which  Mr.  Sharpe  appropriates  (I  venture  to  think^  errone- 
ously) to  the  Steppe-Eagle,  as  to  which  question  I  would  refer 
to  my  remarks  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1873;  p.  99. 

The  most  westerly  locality  assigned  by  Mr.  Sharpe  to  the 
Imperial  Eagle  is  "  Central  Europe/'  which  I  am  disposed  to 
think  is  probably  accurate,  although  Mr.  Dresser  remarks  that 
''in  Southern  France,  according  to  Jaubert  and  Barthelemy- 
Lapommeraye,  it  has  occurred  several  times ;  and  on  referring 
to  the  plate  published  by  those  gentlemen,  there  appears  no 
doubt  that  the  species  represented  is  the  present,  and  not  the 
White-shouldered  or  Spanish  Imperial  Eagle."  My  copy  of 
the  '  Richesses  Ornithologiques  du  Midi  de  la  France,'  by  the 
authors  whom  Mr.  Dresser  quotes,  does  not  contain  a  plate 
of  the  Imperial  Eagle ;  and  the  description  there  given  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  taken  from  a  French  specimen,  only 
one  such  adult  example  being  mentioned  by  M.  Jaubert  and 
his  colleague,  which  was  in  a  private  collection  at  Bayonne, 
and  which  they  appear  not  to  have  personally  examined ;  I 
therefore  do  not  consider  it  by  any  means  certain  that  this 
species  has  really  occurred  in  France,  or  that  the  French 
specimens  referred  to  it  may  not,  in  fact,  have  belonged  to 
Aquila  adalberti,  in  which  case  the  very  few  stragglers  re- 
corded in  Mr.  Dresser's  work  as  having  been  obtained  in 
Pomerania  and  Silesia  are  probably  the  most  western  known 
examples  of  the  true  Imperial  Eagle.  Mr.  Sharpe  does  not 
refer  to  the  occurrence  of  the  Imperial  Eagle  in  North-eastern 
Africa ;  but  a  summary  of  what  is  known  on  this  head  will  be 
found  in  Mr.  Dresser's  article  on  this  species. 

Mr.  Dresser  figures  a  fine  adult  pair  of  Imperial  Eagles, 
the  female"^  of  which,  through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  W.  E. 

*  Mr.  Brooks  has  favoiu'ed  me  witli  tlie  following  graphic  account  of 
the  capture  of  this  specimen  : — "  It  was  rather  a  barren,  open,  sort  of 
country  where  I  saw  her  perched  on  a  low  half-dead  tree.  I  made  two  or 
three  attempts  to  get  within  shot ;  but  she  always  ducked  her  head  and 
flew  before  I  was  within  a  hundred  j'ards.  On  the  last  occasion  she  began 
to  soar  a  little,  and  then  took  a  steady  flight  to  the  west  at  a  height  of 
about  two  hundred  yards.  I  kept  her  in  view  with  my  glasses,  and  at  last 
saw  her  shoot  to  the  ground  with  closed  wings.  As  she  knew  a  Euro- 
pean so  well,  I  handed  my  gun,  loaded  with  BB,  to  my  native  attendant, 


Mr-.  R.  B.  S/iarpe's  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  217 

Brooks,  now  forms  part  of  the  collection  at  the  Norwich  Mu- 
seum, But  that  collection  also  contains  another  specimen,  the 
locality  of  which  is  unfortunately  unknown,  which  has  a  still 
greater  development  of  white  on  the  scapulars — in  fact,  nearly 
as  much  as  is  represented  in  the  figure  of  the  adult  bird  given 
im  Mr.  Gould's  '  Birds  of  Europe/ 

Mr.  Dresser's  excellent  article  on  this  species  contains  much 
interesting  information  respecting  it,  gathered  from  various 
sources ;  but  it  may  be  desirable  to  call  attention  to  some 
valuable  notes  on  this  Eagle,  as  observed  in  Turkey,  to  which 
Mr.  Dresser  has  not  referred;  these  are  from  the  pen  of  MM. 
Alleon  and  Vian,  and  will  be  found  in  the  '  Revue  et  Magasin 
de  Zoologie'  for  1869,  p.  108,  and  for  1870,  p.  83^". 

Dr.  Bree,  in  the  first  volume  of  the  second  edition  of  his 
*  History  of  the  Birds  of  Europe,'  at  p.  70,  also  gives  some 
interesting  additional  particulars  respecting  the  Imperial 
Eagle,  supplied  to  him  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Cullen  of  Kustendji ;  and 
at  p.  96  of  the  same  volume  he  figures,  under  the  name  of 
"  Striated  Eagle,"  two  specimens  sent  to  him  from  Kustendji 
by*  Dr.  Cullen,  which,  so  far  as  I  can  judge  from  an  ex- 
amination of  the  skins,  are  immature  examples  of  the  Im- 
perial Eagle,  but  which  Dr.  Cullen,  for  reasons  quoted  by 
Dr.  Bree  at  pp.  65,  66,  67,  97,  and  98  of  his  first  volume, 
afiirms  to  be  specifically  distinct  f. 

enjoining  him  to  put  off  his  dark  jacket  and  turban.  Having  a  light- 
coloui'ed  blanket  ■with  him,  he  tied  a  large  knot  at  one  corner,  and  making 
use  of  this  temporary  cloak,  which  hid  the  whole  man  and  his  gun,  he 
proceeded  to  stalk  her :  as  he  neared  the  place  she  flew  up  from  the  long 
gTass  and  perched  on  a  low  dead  tree,  and  allowed  him  to  get  within  easy- 
shot.  After  she  was  shot  we  went  to  the  spot  from  which  she  had  risen 
and  found  a  Corncias  indica,  with  most  of  the  body  eaten  ;  I  did  not  think 
such  a  large  bird  would  have  taken  such  small  prey."  The  circumstance 
mentioned  by  Mr.  Brooks  of  this  large  Eagle  pouncing  on  a  Roller  seems 
to  me  to  be  very  remarkable  and  worthy  of  record. 

*  These  valuable  papers  have  been  already  alluded  to  in  '  The  Ibis '  for 
1870,  p.  GO,  and  for  1871,  p.  418. 

t  An  instance  of  an  Imperial  Eagle  having  been  kept  in  confinement 
for  seven  years  "without  losing  the  striated  plumage  of  the  young  bird  " 
is  recorded  by  Messrs.  Danford  and  Harvie  Brown  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1875, 
p.  294.     I  think  there  is  little  doubt  that  in  this  case,  and  in  another 


218  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

For  the  last  five  years  a  very  interesting  Chinese  specimen 
of  the  Imperial  Eagle  has  been  living  in  the  Gardens  of  the 
Zoological  Society  of  London,,  to  which  Dr.  Bree  refers  at 
pp.  73  and  99  of  his  work,  and  respecting  which  I  at  different 
times  made  the  following  memoranda  : — 

"  15th  July,  1871.  A  young  Imperial  Eagle  from  Foochoo, 
China,  has  lately  been  purchased  by  the  Zoological  Society, 
for  whom  a  drawing  has  been  made  of  it ;  it  is  in  striated 
plumage,  just  similar  to  a  striated  specimen  lately  sent  over 
by  Dr.  Cullen  from  Kustendji,  and  has  the  irides  very  pale 
yellowish  grey.^^ 

"  22nd  June,  1872.  It  appears  darker  in  plumage  than  at 
first,  but  is  not  otherwise  changed.^^ 

"  22nd  November,  1872.  It  is  now  in  good  plumage ;  stri- 
ations  very  marked ;  irides  now  pale  clear  yellow.^' 

I  did  not  preserve  any  memoranda  respecting  my  own  ob- 
servations of  this  Eagle  during  the  two  following  years ;  but 
on  the  26th  June,  1874,  I  received  the  following  account 
of  it  from  Mr.  Howard  Saunders  : — "  It  is  only  now  show- 
ing black  feathers  and  getting  the  barred  tail,  with  one 
white  feather  on  the  left  scapular."  On  the  23rd  February, 
1875,  I  made  the  following  memorandum  after  again  visiting 
it : — "  Still  chiefly  in  striated  plumage ;  but  the  white  scapu- 
lars are  becoming  conspicuous ;  it  now  resembles  the  figure 
of  a  striated  young  bird  beginning  to  change  and  showing 
white  scapulars,  given  in  drawing  No.  8  of  Col.  TickelFs 
MS.  Indian  Ornithology,  in  the  library  of  the  Zoological  So- 
ciety.'^ And  on  the  14th  August,  1876, 1  made  the  following 
note: — "The  Foochoo  Eagle  may  be  said  to  have  attained 
adult  plumage  on  the  scapulars,  which  largely  show  the  white, 
and  also  on  the  tail;  but  it  retains  immature  dress  on  the 
head,  neck,  rump,  and  wing-coverts ;  the  iris  is  light,  clear 
pale  yellow." 

Passing  on  to  the  consideration  of  Aquila  adalberti,  the 
white-shouldered  Eagle  of  Spain,  I  may  mention  that  I  en- 
similar  one,  recorded  l)y  the  same  gentlemen,  the  phenomenon  was  due 
to  the  effect  of  confinement;  but  these  instances  are  nevertheless  ex- 
tremely curious. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  219 

tirely  agree  in  the  opinion  expressed  by  Mr.  Dresser  in  the 
P.  Z.  S.  for  1872,  p.  864,  and  subsequently  confirmed  in  his 
article  on  this  Eagle  in  the  '  Birds  of  Europe/  that  "  it  is  a 
very  distinct  species  from  the  Imperial  Eagle  of  Eastern 
Europe  and  India  ;'^  its  distinctness  is  also  fully  recognized 
in  Mr.  Sharpens  volume. 

The  coloration  of  A.  adalberti  in  its  nestling  plumage  is 
absolutely  similar  to  the  typical  coloration  of  A.  rapax  [navi- 
oides)  at  the  same  age ;  and  widely  as  these  two  species  differ 
in  their  adult  dress,  the  typical  A.  rapax,  on  first  leaving  the 
nest,  can  only  be  distinguished  from  the  nestling  A.  adalberti 
by  its  smaller  size.  The  distinction,  however,  is  always  ap- 
parent on  a  comparison  of  birds  of  the  same  sex,  but  not 
otherwise ;  and  where  the  sex  of  the  specimen  is  unknown, 
I  believe  there  is  always  the  possibility  of  a  young  male  A. 
adalberti  being  mistaken  for  a  young  female  A.  rapax,  and 
vice  versa.  Nor  does  the  coincidence  of  coloration  end  here ; 
for  A.  adalberti,  in  its  second  stage,  exhibits  a  somewhat 
particoloured  plumage  on  the  mantle  and  breast,  two  dif- 
ferent shades  of  rufous  brown  frequently  appearing  side  by 
side  on  the  same  feather;  and  in  this  state  of  plumage  it 
bears  a  decided  resemblance  to  the  fuliy  adult  dress  of  A. 
rapax. 

Mr.  Sharpens  description  of  the  young  female  A.  adalbei'ti 
appears  to  have  been  taken  from  a  specimen  little,  if  at  all, 
removed  from  the  nestling- stage ;  but  Mr.  Dresser,  in  his 
'  Birds  of  Europe,^  describes  one,  apparently  slightly  older, 
as  having  the  "  head,  neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wing-coverts 
light  sandy  brown,  here  and  there  intermixed  with  darker 
brown  and  dull  rufous  feathers. ^^  Two  specimens  in  which 
this  intermixture  has  made  some  further  progress  are  figured 
from  the  life,  in  the  second  edition  of  Dr.  Breeds  '  Birds  of 
Europe.'  These  birds,  a  male  and  a  female,  were  brought 
from  Spain  by  Lord  Lilford,  having  been  taken  from  the  nest 
in  the  pine-forests  near  the  mouth  of  the  Guadalquivir  during 
the  first  fortnight  of  May  1872 ;  by  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Bree 
they  came  into  my  possession  on  the  10th  December,  1873, 
the  drawing  from  which  Dr.  Breeds  plate  was  taken  having 


220  Mr.  J.  H.  Gumey's  Notes  on 

been  made  just  previously.  I  still  have  this  fine  pair  of 
Eagles  in  excellent  health,  and  have  at  various  intervals  made 
memoranda  respecting  their  changes  of  plumage,  from  which 
I  select  the  following  : — 

On  their  first  arrival  I  made  a  note  to  this  eflFect : — "  They 
are  in  the  plumage  of  the  young  bird  figured  in  Mr.  Dresser's 
'Birds  of  Europe'  on  the  same  plate  as  the  immature  A.  mo- 
gilnik,  except  that  a  few  dark  feathers  are  appearing  on  their 
foreheads,  and  also  on  one  thigh  of  the  female ;  a  few  small 
pure  white  marks  are  also  visible  on  the  female  about  the 
carpal  joint." 

On  the  25th  May,  1874,  I  noted  that  "  the  pair  of  Eagles 
have  become  dark  on  the  crown  of  the  head,  also  on  the  pri- 
maries and  secondaries,  as  well  as  on  the  centres  of  the  feathers 
forming  the  wing-coverts,  the  edges  of  these  feathers  being  yel- 
lowish white"  *.  On  13th  June,  1874,  "the  female  shows  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  white  feathers  about  the  carpal  joint,  and 
some  dark  ones  on  the  thighs  and  on  the  under  surface  of 
the  wings ;  the  male  remains  much  as  on  25th  May."  On 
6th  August,  1874,  "  the  male  begins  to  show  white  at  the 
carpal  joint."  On  24th  November,  1874,  "  the  female  has  now 
almost  one  third  of  her  plumage  consisting  of  the  new  dark 
brown  feathers,  and  the  male  nearly  as  large  a  proportion ; 
the  white  about  the  carpal  joint  is  much  the  same  in  the 
female  as  on  the  13th  June,  and  in  the  male  as  on  the  6th 
August."  On  the  5th  February,  1875,  "  the  male  has  now 
almost  as  much  white  about  the  carpal  joint  as  the  female,  no 
other  change  noticeable  in  either  bird  since  24th  November." 

On  the  11th  June,  1875,  I  observed  in  both  the  Eagles  a 
considerable,  but  irregularly  distributed,  increase  of  new  dark 
plumage,  and  also  some  increase  of  the  white  adjacent  to  tlie 
carpal  joint ;  and  the  gamekeeper  who  has  the  charge  of  them, 
and  who  is  a  very  intelligent  observer,  had  noticed  that  for  a 
fortnight  previous  to  this  date,  they  had  been  moulting  fast, 
this  being,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  feathers  occasionally 
dropped,  the  first  appearance  of  a  regular  moult  since  the 

*  This  state  corresponded  with  that  to  which  I  have  previously  aUuded 
as  the  "second  stage." 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  221 

birds  had  been  in  my  possession^  and  no  moult,  beyond  the 
isolated  droppings  of  occasional  feathers,  having  occurred 
subsequently. 

On  13th  July,  1875,  I  noted: — ^'^the  female  now  shows  a 
A'ery  considerable  quantity  of  white,  both  about  the  carpal  joint 
and  on  the  ridge  of  the  wing  near  the  shoulder ;  and  the  male 
shows  the  white  at  the  same  points,  but  less  conspicuously/^ 
On  23rd  September,  1875,  "  the  white  on  the  wings  of  the 
female  has  slightly  increased  since  13th  July,  and  on  those 
of  the  male  considerably  so ;  but  the  female  is  still  by  much 
the  more  advanced  of  the  two  in  this  respect/^ 

During  the  succeeding  eight  months  little,  if  any,  altera- 
tion occurred  in  the  plumage  of  either  of  the  Eagles ;  but 
during  the  next  six  months,  ending  about  30th  November 
1876,  the  male  bird  gradually  became  as  much  advanced  in 
his  change  as  the  female ;  and  both  birds  had,  by  that  date, 
assumed  the  full  adult  dress,  with  the  exception  of  isolated 
feathers  belonging  to  the  immature  plumage,  which  remained 
here  and  there  scattered  over  the  mantle  and  thighs,  and  to 
a  less  extent  on  the  breast  and  abdomen.  Since  then  ten 
weeks  have  elapsed ;  but  no  further  change  is  observable,  ex- 
cept that  the  female  has  now  almost  entirely  lost  the  old  fea- 
thers of  the  immature  plumage  from  the  breast  and  abdomen. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  notes  that  the  female  of  this 
pair  of  Eagles  has  constantly  made  a  more  rapid  advance 
towards  the  adult  plumage  than  the  male,  which  I  have  been 
disposed  to  attribute  to  the  fact  of  his  being  literally  a  hen- 
pecked husband,  and  probably  not  always,  in  consequence  of 
this,  obtaining  his  full  share  of  food  ;  I  have,  however,  read, 
but  where  I  cannot  now  recollect,  that  in  the  case  of  the 
Eastern  Imperial  Eagle  the  female  has  been  observed,  when 
in  a  state  of  nature,  to  assume  the  adult  dress  more  rapidly 
than  the  male. 

I  have  now  to  refer  to  the  Steppe-Eagle,  respecting  which 
it  will  be  the  less  necessary  for  me  to  add  much  to  Mr. 
Sharpens  account,  as  the  natural  history  of  this  Eagle  has  of 
late  years  been  ably  and  exhaustively  elucidated  by  Messrs. 


222  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

Brooks  and  Anderson  in  India  as  well  as  by  Mr.  Dresser 
in  this  country. 

When  I  last  referred  in  print  to  this  subject  {vide  Ibis, 
1873,  p.  422)  I  was  of  opinion  that  the  Steppe-Eagle  of 
Eastern  Asia  and  India  should  probably  be  considered  spe- 
cifically distinct  from  that  of  Eastern  Europe,  the  latter  being, 
on  the  avei'age  of  specimens,  decidedly  smaller,  for  instances 
of  which  I  would  refer  to  Mr.  Dresser^s  paper  in  the  P.  Z.  S. 
for  1873,  at  p.  516;  but  I  am  now  disposed  to  acquiesce  in 
the  view  which  has  been  taken  by  all  the  four  ornithologists 
above  referred  to,  that  this  disparity  of  size  is  not  sufficient 
to  constitute  a  specific  distinction ;  and  assuming  this  view 
to  be  correct,  I  agree  with  Mr.  Dresser  in  considering  "  ni~ 
palensis  "  of  Hodgson  to  be  the  correct  specific  name  to  apply 
to  the  Steppe-Eagle  both  of  Asia  and  of  Europe. 

I  have  already  mentioned  my  dissent  from  Mr.  Sharpens 
application  of  Gmelin's  name  of  "  mogilnik  "  to  this  species ; 
but  I  may  here  observe  that,  previously  to  Mr.  Sharpe  having 
so  applied  it,  a  similar  appropriation  of  it  to  this  Eagle  was 
made  by  M.  Alleon  in  the  '  Revue  et  Magasin  de  Zoologie' 
for  1866,  accompanied  by  a  figure  (pi.  20)  of  a  specimen 
obtained  on  the  Bosphorus,  which,  contrary  to  the  opinion  of 
M.  Alleon,  I  believe  to  be  fully  adult.  In  subsequent  papers, 
written  jointly  with  M.  Vian*,  M.  Alleon  ceases  to  identify 
the  Steppe-Eagle  with  Aquila  mogilnik,  Gmel.,  and  treats  it 
as  identical  with  A.  clanga,  Pallas.  I  think  it  is  by  no  means 
impossible  that  Pallas  did  not  distinguish  between  the  usually 
smaller  occidental  form  of  the  present  species  and  the  larger 
Spotted  Eagle ;  but  the  description  of  his  Aquila  clanga 
applies  better  to  the  latter,  with  which  Mr.  Sharpe  identifies 
it,  and,  on  the  whole,  I  believe,  correctly. 

MM.  Alleon  and  Vian  also  express  the  opinion  that  the 
Steppe-Eagle  of  Eastern  Europe  is  not  specifically  distinct 
from  Aquila  ncsvioides  of  Cuvier,  or,  as  it  may  be  more  cor- 
rectly termed,  A.  rapax ;  this  is  an  opinion  which  I  at  one 

*  Vide  'Revue  et  Magasin  de  Zoologie '  for  1869,  pp.  258,  311,  313,  for 
1870,  pp.  81,  82,  130,  and  for  1873,  pp.  235,  239. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  223 

time  believed  to  be  correct^  but  am  now  convinced  is  erro- 
neous^ as  I  have  already  explained  in  'The  Ibis'  for  1873, 
p.  422^. 

The  specimen  of  A.  nipalensis  described  by  Mr.  Sharpe 
as  an  adult  male  is  not,  in  my  opinion,  completely  adult ;  the 
fully  adult  stage  is,  I  believe,  that  which  is  succinctly  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Anderson  (P.  Z.  S.  1872,  p.  621)  as  of  a 
uniform  brown,  with  the  addition  of  a  fulvous-coloured  nuchal 
patch  f. 

Mr.  Sharpe,  in  his  description  of  this  species,  does  not 
refer  to  the  peculiar  transverse  markings,  extending  from  the 
sternum  to  the  vent,  which  are  occasionally  to  be  observed  in 
Indian  specimens  of  this  Eagle  whilst  in  a  state  of  change 
from  the  first  immature  dress  to  the  fully  adult  plumage  :  for 
a  fuller  description  of  this  stage,  which  I  have  not  yet  met 
with  in  European  examples,  see  my  remarks  in  '  The  Ibis ' 
for  1873,  p.  99,  and  those  of  Mr.  Anderson  in  P.  Z.  S. 
1875,  p.  21. 

The  papers  of  MM.  Alleon  and  Vian,  to  which  I  have 
already  referred,  contain  many  interesting  particulars  re- 
specting the  migration  of  this  and  other  Raptorial  birds,  as 
observed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Bosphorus.  Space  will 
not  allow  me  to  quote  more  than  the  following  summary  of 
the  observations  of  those  gentlemen  relating  to  the  present 
species  : — "  C^est  lui  qui  ouvre,  sur  le  Bosphore,  les  migrations 
du  printemps ;  il  parait,  des  les  premiers  jours  de  Mars,  par 
bandes  considerables,  exclusivement  formees  d'oiseaux  de  cette 

espece, mais  le  nombre  en  est  beaucoup  moindre  a  I'au- 

tomne'''  (Bevue  et  Mag.  de  Zool.  for  1869,  p.  313;  conf.  also 
Messrs.  Buckley  and  Elwes  in  'The  Ibis'  for  1870,  p.  68). 

Mr.  Dresser,  referring  to  these  migrations  in  his  article  on 
this  species  in  '  The  Birds  of  Europe,'  makes  the  following 

*  In  Col.  Irby's  paper  on  the  birds  of  Oudh,  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1861, 
at  p.  221,  A.  nipalensis  is  referred  to  under  the  name  of  A.  ncevioides — ^a 
mistake  for  which  I  am  accountable,  having  wrongly  identified  two  spe- 
cimens from  Oudh  which  were  presented  by  Col.  L'by  to  the  Norwich 
Museum. 

t  Conf.  Anderson  in  P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  313. 


224  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

remark  : — "  I  have  no  data  as  to  its  occurrence  in  Northern 
Africa,  and  am  unable  to  say  how  far  south  those  birds  which 
are  found  passing  the  Bosphorus  on  their  journey  southward 
extend  their  range/'  It  is  certainly  remarkable  that  African 
specimens  of  this  Eagle  should  be  so  rare  in  collections  as 
appears  to  be  the  case  ;  I  only  recollect  to  have  examined 
two,  both,  apparently,  adult  males  :  one  of  these  is  from 
Abyssinia^,  and  is  preserved  in  the  Museum  at  Brussels ;  the 
other  was  obtained  in  or  near  Damara  Land  by  the  late  Mr. 
C.  J.  Andersson,  by  whom  it  was  presented  to  the  Museum 
at  Norwich,  where  it  still  remains  f- 

Besides  the  continent  of  Africa,  the  district  of  Upper  Pegu 
must  be  added  to  the  localities  quoted  by  Mr.  Sharpe  for  this 
species  {vide  '  Stray  Feathers'  for  1875,  p.  25). 

I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks  for 
the  following  anecdote  relating  to  A.  nipalensis  as  observed 
in  India  : — "  One  of  my  men  once  shot  a  large  female  A. 
nipalensis,  which,  he  said,  had  struck  down  a  fox  and  partly 
eaten  it ;  in  the  capture  it  was  assisted  by  two  other  birds  of 

the  same  species Hodgson,  in  one  of  his  notes,  describes 

taking  portions  of  a  jackal  out  of  the  crop  of  one  of  these 
birds." 

Some  curious  and  valuable  observations  on  the  habits  of 
this  Eagle  are  also  contained  in  Prjevalsky's  Mongolian  notes, 
to  which  I  have  already  referred  {vide  '  Ornithological  Mis- 
cellany,' pt.  6,  p.  144). 

The  next  three  Eagles  which  I  propose  to  notice  are  closely 
connected  with  the  three  last  to  which  I  have  alluded,  but  are 
still  more  closely  connected  with  each  other.  These  are  : — 
A.  rapax  (or,  as  it  has  been  more  frequently  called,  A.  ncevi- 
oides);  A.  albicans,  which  Mr.  Sharpe  and  most  other  autho- 

*  Dr.  A.  Breliin's  Aquila  raptor  ( '  Naumauuia,'  1855,  p.  1.3)  appears  to 
me,  by  the  description  given,  to  be  probably  identical  with  this  species, 
although  quoted  by  Mr.  Sharpe  as  a  synonym  of  A.  rapax ;  Brehm's  ex- 
amples were  obtained  in  the  Bogos  country,  where,  however,  he  only 
appears  to  have  occasionally  met  with  it. 

t  When  I  edited  Mr.  Andersson's  notes  on  the  birds  of  Damara  Land, 
I  was  under  the  impression  that  this  specimen  was  a  dark  variety  of  .4. 
rapax,  and  therefore  did  not  enumerale  it  as  distinct  from  thai  species. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  225 

rities  treat  as  identical  with  A.  rapax,  but  which  I  incline  to 
think  is  separable  as  a  subspecies ;  and  A.  vindhiana,  which 
perhaps  may  be  most  properly  considered  also  a  subspecies, 
and  which  is  connected  with  A.  rapax  by  A.  albicans,  the  latter 
occupying  a  position  curiously  intermediate  between  A.  rapax 
and  A.  vindhiana,  and  thus  forming  one  of  those  nicely  ba- 
lanced links  which,  though  it  is  difficult  to  define,  it  is  inac- 
curate to  ignore. 

Mr.  Sharpe,  in  his  epitome  of  the  habitat  of  A.  rapax,  in- 
cludes North-western  India ;  but  the  Eagle  from  that  locality 
which,  in  common  with  Canon  Tristram^,  I  referred  in  1869 
to  A.  rapax,  I  now  believe  to  be  referable  to  A.fulvescens, 
and  to  be  specifically  distinct  both  from  A.  rapax  and  from 
A.  vindhiana  :  to  this  Eagle  I  shall  have  occasion  hereafter 
more  particularly  to  allude  f.  I  believe  it  was  this  incorrect 
identification  which  led  Mr.  Sharpe  to  quote  North-western 
India  as  a  locality  for  A.  rapax ;  and  I  regret  the  error  which 
has  thus  obtained  additional  currency. 

The  adult  plumage  of  A.  rapax  is  well  represented  in  Tem- 
minck^s  'Planches  Coloriees,^  pi.  455  J,  and  in  the  upper  figure 
in  the  plate  accompanying  Lord  Lilford's  paper  on  the  orni- 
thology of  Spain  in  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1865,  pi.  v.  The  imma- 
ture plumage,  but  with  a  slight  commencement  of  change  on 
the  wing-coverts,  is  represented  in  the  lower  figure  of  the 
same  plate,  and  also  in  the  figure  of  the  "  Tawny  Eagle  " 
given  in  Dr.  Breeds  '  Birds  of  Europe  '  § ;  but  neither  of  these 
two  figures  appears  to  me  sufficiently  to  indicate  the  somewhat 
pale,  but  clear  and  decided,  fulvous  tint  which  characterizes 

*  Vide  Ibis  for  1870,  p.  290,  footnote. 

t  Mr.  Sharpe  gives  A.  fuhescens  as  a  synonym  of  A,  vindhiana,  but,  I 
tbink,  erroneously. 

J  Temminck's  plate  sbows  with  great  accuracy  the  character  of  the 
particoloiu'ed  feathers,  which  are  remarkable  on  the  wing-coverts  of  the 
typical  South- African  A.  rapax  in  its  adult  stage ;  but  his  figure  does  not 
sufficiently  exhibit  the  similar  markings  which  usually  exist  on  the  sca- 
pulars and,  to  a  less  extent,  on  the  back  and  sides  of  the  neck  and  on  the 
upper  breast. 

§  This  figure  is  more  accurately  coloured  in  the  second  edition  of  Dr. 
Bree's  work  than  in  the  first. 


226  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

the  mantle  and  under  surface  of  A.  rapax  in  immature  plu- 
mage, and  which  was  well  described  by  the  late  Sir  A.  Smith 
in  the  following  sentence  : — "  The  young  are  of  tawny  chest- 
nut colour,  and  without  the  brown  variations  observed  in 
the  old  ^^•^. 

Aquila  rapax  appears  to  be  the  commonest  Eagle  in  the 
colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  and  thence  it  has  been 
ascertained  to  extend  its  range  in  a  north-easterly  direc- 
tion to  the  Republic  of  Transvaal,  and  in  a  north-westerly  to 
the  Mossamedes  district  in  Benguelaf. 

On  the  western  side  of  the  African  continent,  north  of  the 
equator,  we  meet  with  A.  rapax  at  Senegal;  and  the  British 
Museum  possesses  a  typical  example  in  immature  plumage 
from  that  locality.  Other  specimens  from  Senegal,  which  are 
preserved  in  the  Museum  at  Paris,  are  said  to  be  identical 
with  South-African  examples  J ;  but  Professor  Sclilegel,  in 
the  '  Museum  des  Pays-Bas,^  vol.  i.  Aquilce,  p.  5,  has  the  fol- 
lowing footnote  : — "  Les  individus  originaires  du  Senegal,  que 
j'ai  pu  examiner,  offrent  en  general  des  teintes  un  peu  plus 
ternes  que  ceux  de  I'Afrique  australe ; "  the  same  author, 
however,  in  his  supplementary  volume,  Accipitres,  p.  116, 
mentions  a  specimen  of  this  Eagle,  acquired  by  the  Leyden 
Museum  subsequently  to  the  issue  of  his  first  volume,  as 
"  femelle  aux  teintes  fauves,  Senegal. ^^ 

Proceeding  northwards,  it  would  appear  that  A.  rapax  oc- 
curs in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mogador,  as  I  understand  from 
Lord  Lilford  that  the  two  specimens  figured  by  him  in  '  The 
Ibis '  for  1865  were  both  said  to  have  come  thence. 

What  range  A.  rapax  may  have  in  those  parts  of  North 
Africa  which  border  on  the  Mediterranean  I  am  unable  to 
say,  having  only  examined  two  specimens  of  Eagles  of  this 
group  from  there,  both  of  which  appear  to  me  to  be  more 
nearly  allied  to  A.  albicans  than  to  A.  rapax,  on  which  ac- 
count I  defer  their  consideration  for  the  present. 

*  Vide  '  Gardens  and  Menagerie  of  the  Zoological  Society  Delineated,' 
vol.  ii.  p.  292. 

t  Vide  second  edition  of  Layard's  '  Birds  of  Africa,'  p.  35. 
\  FjV/e  Hartlaub's 'Ornitbologie  West- Africa's,' p.  13. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharps' s  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  227 

In  South-western  Europe  A.  rapax  appears  to  be  ex- 
tremely rare.  Some  years  since  I  had  the  opportunity  of 
examining  the  skin  of  an  immature  specimen^  obtained  in 
Spain  by  Lord  Lilford,  which  was  referred^  and,  I  believe,  cor- 
rectly so,  to  this  species;  but  most  of  the  specimens  from  South- 
western Europe  which  were  at  one  time  supposed  to  belong 
to  A  rapax  have  been  subsequently  ascertained  to  be  imma- 
ture examples  of  A.  adalberti ;  Lord  Lilford,  however,  men- 
tions having  on  one  occasion  seen  an  Eagle  in  Andalucia, 
which,  unfortunately,  was  not  obtained,  but  which,  from  the 
description  given,  would  seem  to  have  been  an  adult  A.  rapax*. 

In  South-eastern  Europe  I  am  able  to  cite  one  unquestion- 
able instance  of  the  occurrence  and  nidification  of  ^.  rapax, 
which  is  referred  to  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  W.  H.  Cullen  in 
*  The  Ibis  '  for  1867,  p.  247,  and  in  a  subsequent  letter  from 
the  same  gentleman  published  in  the  second  edition  of  Dr. 
Breeds  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  i.  p.  90 ;  from  these  it  appears 
that  two  nestling  specimens  were  obtained  by  Dr.  Cullen  at 
Kustendji,  in  Turkey,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  one  of  which 
remained  in  his  possession  till  January  1868,  when  he  pre- 
sented it  to  the  Zoological  Society  of  Antwerp,  in  whose  col- 
lection I  saw  it  alive  and  in  excellent  feather  on  the  4th  of 
September,  1876,  when,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  autho- 
rities at  the  Gardens  of  the  Society,  I  had  the  opportunity  of 
carefully  and  fully  examining  it.  The  early  history  of  this 
interesting  specimen  is  thus  given  in  Dr.  Cullen's  letter  to 
Dr.  Bree,  above  referred  to  : — ''  I  had  two  birds  half-fledged 
brought  me ;  and  as  I  was  attracted  by  their  colour  (a  light 
cream  ....),  I  bought  them  :  one  died;  the  survivor  is  at 
Antwerp.  The  whole  plumage  was  this  delicate  ^^  fauve  isa- 
belle''  silk  down ;  and  then  it  grew,  gradually  developing  itself 
into  an  almost  perfect  copy  of  your  A.  navioides."  The  draw- 
ings and  description  of  this  Eagle,  which  in  1874  were  sent 
from  Antwerp  to  Dr.  Bree,  did  not  appear  to  me  to  agree 
with  the  typical  A.  rapax ;  and,  partly  in  consequence  of  my 
expressing  this  opinion  as  regards  the  details  given  in  the  de- 
scription. Dr.  Bree  provisionally  proposed  for  this  Eagle, 
*  Vide  Ibis,  1865,  p.  172. 


228  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

should  it  prove  to  belong  to  an  undescribed  species^  the 
name  of  Aquila  cullem.  Unfortunately  the  drawings  sent 
from  Antwerp  to  Dr.  Bree  appear  to  have  been  inaccurate  in 
three  important  particulars ;  the  description^  moreover,  did 
not  altogether  agree  with  the  bird  as  it  was  when  I  saw  it 
in  September  last :  the  nostril,  which  in  reality  is  of  the  form 
usual  in  A.  rapax,  was  represented  as  of  a  very  different  cha- 
racter; the  tarsus,  which  is  feathered  down  to  the  toes,  was 
drawn  as  having  its  lower  portion  bare ;  and  the  broad  scutes  on 
the  lower  part  of  the  toes  do  not  extend  in  reality  so  far  up  on 
the  middle  and  on  the  outer  toe  as  the  drawing  indicates  {vide 
Dr.  Breeds  engraving  of  details  at  p.  93) .  The  tail  was  reported 
to  Dr.  Bree  as  being,  in  1874,  "  without  traces  of  bands  or 
transverse  spots ;"  but  such  was  not  the  case  when  I  saw  it 
two  years  later.  It  was  also  stated  at  that  period  to  be  "  very 
silent ;"  but  during  the  time  that  I  inspected  it  this  was  not 
so,  as  it  continually  uttered  a  croaking  note,  which  much 
reminded  me  of  that  of  a  South- African  A.  rapax  which  I 
kept  for  many  years  in  confinement. 

The  following  memoranda  as  to  the  coloration  of  this  Eagle 
were  made  by  me  on  the  spot,  and,  from  the  interest  attaching 
to  this  specimen,  may  be  worth  inserting  here  : — "  Iris  hazel ; 
cere,  gape,  and  feet  rather  dull  yellow ;  the  crown  of  the  head 
and  back  of  the  neck  are  bright  rufescent  fulvous,  but  with 
the  rufous  tint  decidedly  paler  than  in  adult  South- African 
specimens,  and  more  resembling  the  colour  of  those  parts  in 
the  South- African  bird  when  immature;  the  ground-colour 
of  the  mantle  generally  is  of  a  similar  hue  to  the  head  and 
neck  ;  but  the  interscapular  and  upper  scapular  feathers  have 
darker  shaft-marks,  and  are  also  tinged  with  greyish  brown, 
which  is  darkest  along  the  sides  of  each  feather,  forming  a 
tolerably  distinct  border  and  producing  a  particoloured  fea- 
ther, in  some  cases  with  a  slight  fawn  tip,  and  resembling  in 
character  the  corresponding  feathers  in  the  adult  South- African 
bird,  but  with  the  contrast  of  tints  much  less  strongly  marked  ; 
the  lower  scapulars  are  of  a  dark  slaty  brown,  faintly  tipped 
with  fawn,  and  showing,  in  some  lights,  a  purplish  reflection ; 
the  wing-coverts,  except  those  of  the  primaries  and  secon- 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  229 

daries,  are  fawn-coloured^  this  tint  being  unbroken  along  the 
ridge  of  the  wing,  but  elsewhere  varied  with  a  slaty-black 
centre  to  each  feather,  which  become  more  conspicuous  in  pro- 
portion as  they  recede  from  the  ridge  of  the  wing;  the  primary- 
and  secondary-coverts  are  slaty  black,  some  of  the  inner  webs 
being  tipped  with  whitish,  and  all  the  outer  webs  with  fawn- 
colour  ;  all  the  quill-feathers  of  the  wing  are  black,  with  a 
tinge  of  grey  on  the  outer  webs^  and  with  fawn-coloured  tips ; 
the  secondaries  also  show  some  dark  but  rather  indistinct 
transverse  bars  ;  the  upper  surface  of  the  tail  is  dark  slate- 
colour,  with  eight  transverse  bars  of  a  darker  hue  visible  on 
the  middle  rectrices,  these  bars  being  less  distinct,  and  as- 
suming more  the  character  of  mottling,  towards  the  sides  of 
the  tail ;  all  the  rectrices  have  narrow  fulvous  tips.  The  entire 
under  surface  is  fawn-coloured,  decidedly  paler  than  the  back, 
and  with  no  dark  markings,  except  a  few  narrow  shaft-marks 
on  the  breast ;  the  wing- linings  and  throat  are  paler  than  the 
rest  of  the  under  surface ;  and  the  chin  is  nearly  white  ;  but 
with  these  exceptions  there  is  hardly  any  perceptible  vari- 
ation in  the  tints  of  the  underparts.'^ 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  in  this  Eagle  the  general 
coloration  is  paler,  and  the  contrast  of  tint  upon  the  parti- 
coloured feathers  much  less  marked,  than  in  the  ordinary 
typical  adults  of  A.  rapax,  from  which  it  also  differs  in  the 
almost  entire  absence  of  variegation  on  the  uuderparts.  These 
peculiarities  are  remarkable,  and  the  more  so  as  the  bird, 
wheu  I  saw  it,  was  about  eleven  and  a  half  years  old ;  but  I 
am  disposed  to  regard  them  as  resulting  from  confinement, 
having  met  with  a  similar  phenomenon  in  a  Mogador  speci- 
men recently  presented  by  Lord  Lilford  to  the  Norwich  Mu- 
seum. This  specimen,  which  was  the  original  of  the  lower 
figure  on  pi.  v.  of  'The  Ibis'  for  1865,  lived  for  nine  years 
in  Lord  Lilford's  possession,  and  in  great  measure  retained 
its  immature  dress  till  it  died,  its  plumage  then  exhibiting 
still  less  of  the  variegation  of  tint  characteristic  of  the  normal 
adult  dress  than  was  visible  in  the  Antwerp  specimen  at  the 
time  when  I  saw  it.  Both,  these  cases  are  probably  parallel 
to  those  of  the  two  Imperial  Eagles  which  so  long  retained 

SER.  IV. VOL.   I.  H 


230  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

their  striated  plumage  in  confinement,  and  to  which  I  have 
ah-eady  alluded. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  the  Antwerp  Eagle,  I  may 
mention  that  some  slight  changes  which  occurred  in  its  plu- 
mage between  1868  and  1874  are  detailed  by  Professor  Van- 
den-Nest  in  a  letter  which  is  printed  at  page  91  of  the  first 
volume  of  the  second  edition  of  Dr.  Bree's  work. 

As  regards  the  more  eastern  range  of  A.  rapax,  I  have  no 
information  beyond  the  fact  of  its  inhabiting  Palestine  and 
breeding  there,  which  is  recorded  by  Canon  Tristram  in  '  The 
Ibis^  for  1865,  p.  252;  I  have  never  had  the  opportunity  of 
personally  examining  an  Asiatic  specimen. 

I  will  now  refer  to  such  facts  as  I  have  been  able  to  collect 
relative  to  the  Eagle  inhabiting  Abyssinia  and  the  adjacent 
countries,  for  which  Riippell  proposed  the  specific  name  of 
albicans,  though  he  subsequently  abandoned  this  for  the  older 
appellation  of  rapax*,  under  which  latter  designation  it  is 
also  referred  to  by  two  eminent  subsequent  explorers  of  Abys- 
sinia, Blanford  and  Von  Heuglin. 

These  Abyssinian  Eagles  do  not  differ  from  the  typical  A. 
rapax  of  South  Africa  in  form  or  measurements  f;  and  the 
question  to  be  considered  has  therefore  reference  to  colora- 
tion and  markings  only.  On  the  former  of  these  heads  Mr. 
Blanford  observes,  "  the  plumage  varies  from  umber-brown 
to  rufous,  the  latter  colour  prevailing  in  adult  birds,  especially 
on  the  head  and  upper  part  of  the  back  ;  old  birds  are  whitish 
[A.  albicans,  Riipp.).^' 

With  regard  to  the  last  of  these  observations  I  may  men- 
tion that  the  specimens  which  I  have  examined  lead  me  to 
believe  that  the  colour,  or  rather  lack  of  colour,  described  by 
Mr.  Blanford  as  "  whitish,'^  is  less  due  to  the  age  of  the  bird 
than  to  the  age  of  the  feathers,  which  frequently  become  much 

*  Vide  'Neue  Wirbeltliiere/  p.  34,  and  '  Systematisclie  Uebersicht,' 
p.  10. 

t  Dr.  A.  Brehm,  who,  in  his  interesting  Notes  on  the  Bii-ds  of  the  Bogos 
Country,  recognizes  A.  albicans  as  distinct  fi'om  A.  rapax,  considers  the 
former  to  be  the  larger  bird  of  the  two  {vide  'Naumannia/  1855,  p.  15); 
but  I  do  not  find  that  such  is  the  case  on  an  average  of  the  specimens 
which  I  have  examined. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  231 

more  colourless,  by  use  and  fading,  in  Abyssinian  specimens 
of  the  Eagle  wbich  Riippell  called  A.  albicans  than  in  ordi- 
nary South-African  examples  of  the  typical  A.  rapax. 

The  coloration  of  the  Abyssinian  race  is  thus  described  by 
Von  Heuglin,  for  a  translation  of  whose  remarks  on  this  sub- 
ject the  English  reader  is  indebted  to  the  good  offices  of  Dr. 
Bree  : — "  Old  birds  from  Abyssinia  are  almost  uniformly  of 
a  grey  isabel-colour,  which  latter  tint  gradually  changes  to  a 
dull  white ;  other  birds  from  Eastern  Sennaar  and  Western 
Abyssinia  are  generally,  and  especially  underneath,  of  a  greyish 
fawn-colour ;  on  the  breast,  sides,  shanks,  and  under  tail- 
coverts  are  solitary,  often  very  broad,  reddish  or  smoky 
brown  arrow-shaped  spots,  which  sometimes  run  across  the 
whole  feather "  ■^.  Mr,  Jesse  thus  refers  to  a  pair  of  these 
Eagles  shot  by  him  in  Abyssinia  on  27th  April,  1868  : — 

''  $  .  Iris  brown,  cere  yellow,  bill  almost  black  .... 

"  S  '  Ii'is  yellowish  grey,  cere  dirty  yellow ;  beak  bluish  grey 
at  base,  black  at  tip  .... 

"The  pair  above  noted t  were  killed  the  same  day,  one  on 
the  nest,  the  other  as  he  swooped  down  to  look  for  his  com- 
panion ;  these  two  examples  sufficiently  illustrate  the  varia- 
tions to  which  this  Eagle  is  subject,  the  female  bird  being 
almost  entirely  cream-coloured,  and  the  male  so  brown  as  to 
be  verging  on  black  ;  the  iris  and  beak  are  different  in  each ; 
....  the  remaining  five  specimens  I  got  vary  considerably, 
none,  however,  being  so  dark  or  so  light  as  the  pair  above 
mentioned  ^^  J. 

It  seems  to  me  to  be  convenient  to  retain  the  distinctive 
appellation  of  albicans  for  the  Abyssinian  race  of  Eagles  re- 
ferred to  in  the  above  extracts,  as  the  great  majority  of  Abys- 
sinian specimens  exhibit  a  tone  of  colour  strikingly  different 
from  that  of  the  ordinary  typical  A.  rapax  of  South  Africa. 
The  Abyssinian  birds,   when   immature,  present  a  general 

*  Vide  Bree's  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  2nd  edit.  vol.  i.  p.  94. 

t  This  pair  of  Eagles  are  preserved  in  the  collection  of  the  Marquis  of 
Tweeddale. 

X  Vide  'Transactions'  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  vol.  vii. 
p.  201. 

r2 


232  Air.  J.  11.  Guruey's  Notes  on 

coloration  of  wood-  or  stone-brown  (slightly  tinged  with 
purple  on  the  lower  scaj)ulars),  of  a  deeper  tint  on  the  upper 
than  on  the  underparts  of  the  bird^  and  much  darker  in  some 
individuals  than  in  others,  but  always  (so  far  as  I  have  seen) 
without  any  tinge  of  the  fulvous  colouring  which  is  conspicu- 
ous on  all  parts,  except  the  quill-feathers  of  the  wing  and  tail, 
in  the  young  A.  rajjax.  The  attainment  of  adult  plumage 
appears  to  be  signalized  in  A.  albicans,  as  in  A.  rapax,  by 
the  acquisition  of  particoloured  feathers  on  the  mantle,  and 
especially  on  the  wing-coverts  and  scapulars,  these  variega- 
tions being  disposed  in  a  similar  pattern  in  both  races,  except 
that  in  A.  albicans  they  usually  do  not  descend  so  far  down 
on  the  scapulars  as  in  A.  rapax.  In  the  majority  of  Abys- 
sinian specimens,  which  are  proved  by  this  variegation  to  have 
attained  adult  plumage,  no  rufous  colouring  is  anywhere  visi- 
ble ;  and  in  these  examples  the  particoloured  feathers,  instead 
of  presenting  a  pattern  composed  of  alternations  of  deep  brown 
with  rufous  or  fulvous,  as  in  the  adults  oi  A.  rapax,  exhibit 
the  same  pattern  in  two  different  shades  of  wood-brown,  a 
darker  and  a  lighter.  Such  specimens  as  these  are  readily 
distinguishable  from  the  iy^xcol  A.  ra}) ax ;  but  other  adults 
also  occur  in  Abyssinia  which  show  a  considerable  amount  of 
rufous  colouring  on  the  head  and  upper  part  of  the  mantle, 
including  the  paler  portions  of  the  particoloured  feathers; 
and  it  must  be  admitted  that  it  is  not  easy,  perhaps  not  pos- 
sible, to  distinguish  with  certainty  between  such  Abyssinian 
specimens  as  these  and  the  ordinary  South-African  adults  of 
A.  rapax.  These  rufescent  Abyssinian  examples,  however,  are 
very  much  scarcer  in  collections  than  those  that  are  non- 
rufous  ;  and  the  prevalence  of  the  latter  johase  in  Abyssinia, 
coupled  with  its  almost  entire  absence  in  South  Africa"^,  is  a 
fact  which   ought  not  to  be    overlooked,  whatever  may   be 

*  I  have  only  seen  one  non-rufous  specimen  from  South  Africa;  this 
is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  and  is  marked  "  m  "  in  Mr.  Sharpe's 
list  of  specimens.  It  so  closely  resembles  the  ordinary  Abyssinian  type 
that  I  cannot  but  think  it  possible  that  it  may  have  been  an  accidental 
wanderer  from  intertropical  regions.  The  exact  locality  in  South  Africa 
in  which  it  was  obtained  is,  unfortunately,  not  recorded. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  233 

thought  of  the  attempt  to  indicate  its  existence  by  the  appli- 
cation of  a  distinctive  specific  name  to  the  Abyssinian  race. 

It  should  also  be  mentioned  that  the  adults  of  A.  albicans 
are,  for  the  most  part^  less  profusely  variegated  with  dark 
longitudinal  marks  on  their  under  surface  than  are  those  of 
A.  rapax ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  sometimes  exhibit  ab- 
dominal markings  of  a  character  which  I  have  not  observed 
in  A.  rapax.  The  most  striking  instauce  of  this  peculiarity 
which  has  come  under  my  notice  is  displayed  in  anon-rufous 
specimen  from  Bogos-land  in  the  British  Museum :  in  these 
some  of  the  feathers  on  the  breast,  abdomen,  and  thighs  ex- 
hibit a  dark  brown  centre,  surrounded  by  a  whitish  brown 
ring,  outside  of  which  is  a  second  ring  of  dark  brown,  and  be- 
yond that  the  edge  of  the  feather,  which  is  of  a  pale  drab. 

I  may  add  that  I  find  no  differences  between  the  markings 
on  the  quill-feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail  in  A.  rapax  and  in 
A.  albicans,  though  both  are  subject  to  slight  individual  varia- 
tions; the  transverse  markings  of  the  tail  in  both  races  are 
usually  nine  in  number ;  but  they  are  frequently  indistinct, 
even  in  adult  birds,  and  sometimes  almost  imperceptible. 

Amongst  the  synonyms  referred  by  Mr.  Sharpe  to  A. 
rapax  is  "  Falco  belisarius"  of  Levaillant,  jr.,  figured  in  the 
'  Exploration  Scientifique  de  I'Algerie,'  "  Oiseaux,^^  pi.  2. 
Whether  the  bird  there  represented  is  rightly  referable  to 
the  typical  A.  rapax,  to  the  eastern  A.  albicans,  or  to  a  third 
local  race  not  absolutely  identical  with  either  of  these,  is  a 
question  which,  in  the  absence  of  an  adequate  series  of  North- 
African  specimens,  I  am  unable  to  answer.  Of  the  two  such 
to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  one  was  obtained  by  the  late 
M.  Favier  near  Tangier,  and  is  preserved  in  the  Norwich 
Museum ;  the  other  is  Mr.  Salvin^s  Djendeli  specimen,  which 
is  described  in  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1859,  p.  181,  and  which  he  has 
kindly  lent  to  me  for  examination.  Both  these  examples  are 
in  moult,  the  latter  being  more  advanced  than  the  former; 
in  both,  the  new  feathers  on  the  upper  parts  present  a  peculiar 
chocolate  tint,  which  appears  to  me  to  differ  (especially  in  the 
case  of  the  Djendeli  bird)  from  the  ordinary  coloration  both 
of  A.  rapax  and  of  A.  albicans,  but  in  both  cases  to  approach 


234  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

nearer  to  the  latter  than  to  the  former ;  in  both  specimens 
the  older  portions  of  the  plumage  are  so  worn  and  faded  as 
to  be  of  little  use  in  the  diagnosis  between  such  closely 
allied  races. 

Aquila  vindhiana  of  India,  though  very  closely  allied  to  A. 
rapax  and  A.  albicans,  is,  on  the  average  of  specimens,  a 
rather  smaller  bird  than  either.  In  coloration  it  comes  nearest 
to  A.  albicans ;  but  the  latter  seems  never  to  assume  the  pe- 
culiar grey  tint  on  the  head,  neck,  and  underparts  which 
Mr.  Sharpe  defines  as  a  "  greyish  mouse-colour  "  in  his  de- 
scription of  the  ^'^ young"  stage  of  ^.  vindhiana*. 

Mr.  Sharpens  description  of  this  plumage  and  of  that  of  an 
adult  female  may  be  supplemented  by  a  reference  to  the  par- 
ticulars given  in  Jerdon's  '  Birds  of  India,^  vol.  i.  p.  60,  and  in 
Mr.  Hume^s  '  Scrap-book,^  p.  IZGf,  also  by  the  description  of 
the  nestling-plumage  in  Hume^s  '  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian 
Birds,'  p.  30 ;  to  the  information  afforded  by  these  authorities, 
I  may  add  the  following  note,  dated  July  1875,  for  which  I 
am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks  : — "  I  have 
A.  vindhiana  from  the  nest  to  old  age  :  the  nestling  is  alight- 
toned  bird,  rather  tawny  on  the  body-plumage ;  the  second  plu- 
mage is  of  a  dull  greyish  brown,  somewhat  like  the  brown  of 
immatui'e  A.  nipalensis ;  this  passes  into  the  dark  brown  bird, 
either  wholly  dark  brown,  or  with  part  of  the  body  whity 
brown.  The  whity-brown  stage  is  that  of  a  very  old  bird ;  but 
it  is  possible  that  younger  birds,  the  colours  of  which  are  not 
fast,  might,  in  a  comparatively  short  time,  reach  the  whity- 
brown  stage.  This  species  is  subject  to  great  variation;  and 
I  have  not  seen  two  birds  quite  alike.'' 

I  may  also  observe  that  in  fully  adult  specimens  of  A. 
vindhiana,  particoloured  feathers,  of  two  shades  of  brown, 
frequently  occur  on  the  upper  scapulars  and  lesser  wing- 

*  Specimens  of  A.  vindhiana  exhibiting  this  grey  tint  are  scarce  in  col- 
lections ;  the  British  Museum  possesses  such  a  one  in  very  perfect  unfaded 
plumage,  from  which  I  presume  IVIr.  Sharpe  took  his  description  of  the 
"  young  "  bird. 

t  In  both  these  works  the  present  species  is  referred  to  under  the  name 
of  Aquila  fulvescens. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres,  235 

coverts^  and  also  on  the  abdomen  and  thighs^  which  closely 
resemble  the  corresponding  feathers  in  the  fully  plumaged 
adults  of  ^.  albicans-,  I  have  likewise  noticed  that  adult  spe- 
cimens of  A.  viyidhiana  often  exhibit  a  decided  tinge  of  rufes- 
cent  fulvous  on  the  nape  of  the  neck  and  the  upper  part  of 
the  back;  but  in  A.  v'mdhiana,  as  \uA.  albicans,  the  plumage 
has  so  great  a  tendency  to  become  bleached  and  worn^  that 
it  is  only  in  newly  assumed  feathers  that  such  details  of  mark- 
ing and  coloration  can  be  satisfactorily  observed. 

I  add  some  measurements  of  Eagles  which  I  have  recently 
examined  belonging  to  the  group  to  which  I  have  just  re- 
ferred : — 


Wing  from 
carpal  joint. 

Tarsus. 

Typical  Aqidla  rapax ; 

S .  Damara  Land  (Andersson) :  in 
collection  of  Canon  Tristram  .... 
(S .  Natal  (Ayres)  :    Norwich  Mu- 
seum   

20-6 

20-6 
20-3 

20-2 

20-5 

19-5 

T9-7 
22-8 
21-2 
21-0 
20-0 

3-4 
3-4 

S-  Ditto           (ditto):           ditto 
Presumed  c?  ■  Snowberg,  S.  Afi-ica : 
British.  Museum  

3-5 

3-2 

5 .  S.  Africa  (Sir  A.  Smith)  :  Nor- 
wich Museum  

3-6 

Presumed  c?.  Senegal:  British  Mu- 
seum   

3  0 

Doubtful  Specimens : 

Non-rufous  specimen  from  S.  Africa: 
British  Museum :  presumed  (^  .  . 
2 .  Tangier  (Favier) :  Norwich  Mu- 
seum   

2-8 
3-5 

Presumed   $.       Djeudeli,    Eastern 
Atlas :  in  collection  of  0.  Salvin 

S    (Ptufous).    Senafe,  Tigre  (Blan- 
ford)  :  British  Museum  *     

cJ  (Rufous).  AngoUala,  Shoa :  Brit- 
ish Museum 

3-7 
31 
30 

*  Mr.  Blanford  gives  these  measurements  as  taken  from  this  specimen 
(probably  when  freshly  killed)  as  20-3  and  3'4  (vide  '  Geology  and  Zoology 
of  Abyssinia/  p.  296). 


236  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

Wing  from 

carpal  joint.         Tarsus, 
in.  in. 

Typical  Aquila  albicans : 

?  .  Sboa :  Britisli  Museum    21-3  3-3 

Largest  of  ten  Abyssinian  specimens 
in  Britisli  and  Norwich  Museums 

(sex  undetermined ) 21'6  3-3 

SmaUest  of  ditto  (ditto) 19-7  3-0 

Aquila  vindhiana : 

S .  India  (W.  Ewer)  :  Norwich  Mu- 
seum    19'8  3'0 

$.  Ditto  (ditto):  ditto  21-1  3-0 

Presumed  $ .    N.W.  India  (W.  E. 

Brooks):  Norwich  Museum    ....  21-8  3-1 

For  tlie  sake  of  comparison  I  may  quote  the  following 
measurements  of  A.  vindhiana  from  Mr.  Hume's  '  Scrap- 
book/  p.  178 : — 

Length  of 
wing, 
in. 

Largest  of  five  males    20'4 

Smallest  of  ditto    19-5 

Largest  of  seven  females  . . . ' 21  '75 

Smallest  of  ditto    20-75 


XX. — Notices  of  Recent  Publications. 

[Continued  from  p.  127.] 

13.  Mosenthal  and  Harting's  '  Ostrich -farming.' 

[Ostriches  and  Ostrich  Farming.  By  Julius  de  Mosenthal  and  James 
Edmund  Harting.     8vo,  pp.  246.     London  :  1876.] 

The  new  industry  of  Ostrich-farmings  and  the  exhibition  of 
the  various  sorts  of  feathers  in  the  late  Vienna  Exhibition^ 
appear  to  have  suggested  the  writing  of  this  book,  although 
other  motives  may  have  contributed  to  it.  Had  the  authors 
confined  themselves  to  their  original  limits,  or  extended  them 
only  to  include  an  account  of  the  Rheas,  the  feathers  of 
which  alone  of  the  other  Struthious  birds  have  any  commercial 
value,  the  purpose  for  which  the  work  Avas  undertaken  would 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  237 

have  been  fulfilled.  But  we  venture  to  think  that  the  history 
of  the  Emus,  Cassowaries,  and  Kiwis,  which  occupies  a  large 
portion  of  Mr,  Harting's  share  of  the  work,  while  of  no  use 
to  the  Ostrich-farmer,  will  scarcely  prove  of  much  service  to 
the  scientific  ornithologist.  The  matter  which  it  contains, 
so  far  as  we  can  see,  throws  no  new  light  on  the  subject^, 
and  is  chiefly  compiled  from  books  which  are  quite  amongst 
the  most  accessible  of  all  ornithological  literature. 

The  portion  of  this  work  relating  to  the  Ostriches  and  the 
Eheas,  as  well  as  to  the  system  of  farming  the  former,  con- 
tains many  useful  details,  and  will  doubtless  serve  the  purpose 
for  which  it  was  written. 

Several  spirited  drawings  accompany  this  book ;  but  the 
scenes  depicted,  to  a  great  extent,  illustrate  hunting  these 
birds  rather  than  the  more  peaceful  occupation  of  farming 
them.  Perhaps  in  these  early  days  of  the  latter  process  Os- 
trich-catching forms  a  prominent  feature. 

14.  'Bulletin'  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  France. 

[Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Zoologique  de  France  pour  I'anuee  1876.  Pre- 
miere Annee,  1"^,  2*^  et  3*^  parties.  PariS;  au  siege  de  la  Societe,  Quai 
des  Grands- Augustins  55.     1876.] 

The  institution  of  a  new  Zoological  Society  in  France  must 
be  a  subject  of  much  congratulation  among  naturalists^  of 
whom  all,  we  are  sure,  will  wish  the  founder  and  promoters 
every  sort  of  success.  We  see  several  ornithologists  named 
in  the  "  bureau  "  of  the  new  Society,  and  may  therefore  ex- 
pect ornithological  contributors  to  the  journal,  of  which, 
indeed,  there  are  several  in  the  first  number. 

The  president,  M.  Jules  Viau,  commences  the  new  journal 
with  an  article  on  the  specimen  of  Phaleris  psittacula  which 
was  captured  in  Sweden  in  1860  (Ibis,  1869,  p.  221),  and  gives 
a  figure  and  description  of  its  skeleton.  The  second  portion  of 
M.  Viands  paper  relates  to  Mormon  grab(B  of  Brelim,  which 

*  The  statement  (p.  102)  concerning  the  breeding  of  Castiarius  aus- 
tr.'ilis  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes  might  claim  to  be  an  exception  to  this 
remark ;  but  we  believe  this  is  an  error,  and  that  the  ''  Casoar  de  Nouvelle 
Hollande,^''  i.  e.  DromcBus  novce  hollandice,  was  the  bird  that  really  bred  at 
Paris,  as  it  has  in  many  other  places  in  England  and  on  the  Continent. 


238  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

has  recently  occurred  ou  the  west  coast  of  France_,  and  of 
which  he  vindicates  the  claims  to  be  recognized  as  a  valid 
species'^.  Here  are  two  new  subjects  for  Mr,  Dresser  to 
consider. 

Next  we  have  (p.  36)  a  joint  paper  by  Mr.  Sharpe  and  M. 
Bouvier  (the  Secretary  of  the  new  Society)  on  a  collection  of 
birds  made  by  M.  Petit  in  Congo,  containing  representatives 
of  abovit  100  species,  and  amongst  them  anew  Psalidoprocne, 
which  is  described  and  figured  as  P.petiti.  M.  Louis  Bureau 
follows  with  a  good  essay  upon  the  vexed  question  of  the  dif- 
ferent plumages  of  Aquila  pennata,  of  which  he  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  obtain  five  nests  on  the  Lower  Loire.  In 
parts  ii.  and  iii.  MM.  A.  Besnard  and  A.  Lacroix,  each,  con- 
tribute notes  on  some  of  the  rarer  birds  of  France,  such  as 
Turdus  varius  of  Pallas,  Falco  concolor,  and  a  Stonechat  re- 
ferred by  the  latter,  somewhat  doubtfully,  to  Saxicola  squalida 
of  Eversmann.  But  the  most  important  ornithological  paper 
in  the  number  is  the  first  portion  of  a  "  Revue  critique  de  la 
Faune  Ornithologique  de  la  Siberie  Orientale,"  by  M.  Tac- 
zanowski  of  Warsaw.  This  is  mainly  based  upon  the  large 
collections  made  l)y  Dr.  Dybowski,  who,  as  is  well  known  to 
ornithologists,  has  been  actively  engaged  in  collecting  birds 
in  Eastern  Siberia  during  the  past  ten  years,  and  embraces  a 
revised  resume  of  the  memoirs  upon  his  investigations  akeady 
published  in  the  '  Journal  fiir  Ornithologie." 

15,  D'Hamonville's  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Eui'ope. 

[Catalogue  des  Oiseaux  d'Europe  ou  enumeration  des  especes  et  races 
d'oiseaux  dout  la  presence,  soit  habituelle,  soit  fortuite,  a  ete  duinent  con- 
statee  dans  les  limites  geograpliiques  de  I'Europe,  par  J.  0.  L.  T.  D'Ha- 
monville.     8vo,  pp.  74.     Paris,  Bailliere  ;  London,  Quaritch :  1876.] 

This  contains  the  names  of  the  birds  of  Europe  in  Latin 
and  French,  according  to  the  nomenclature  of  Degland  and 
Gerbe,  with  a  slight  indication  of  their  distribution,  A  few 
footnotes  on  doubtful  species  and  rare  occurrences  are  added. 
M.  D'Hamonville  means  well^  but  is  hardly  "  up  to  the  mark/^ 
we  fear. 

*  See  Mons.  Olphe-Galliard's  letter  on  this  bird,  Ibis,  1875,  p.  267. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  239 

16.  Brown's  Travels  in  British  Guiana. 

[Canoe  and  Camp-life  in  British  Guiana.  By  C.  Barrington  Brown, 
Assoc.  R.S.M.,  late  Government  Surveyer  in  British  Guiana.  1  vol.  8vo. 
London,  Stanford :  1876.] 

This  interesting  narrative  of  Mr.  Brown's  various  excur- 
sions while  executing  his  office  of  Surveyor  of  British  Guiana 
is  replete  with  notes  and  observations  on  natural  history. 
Many  of  these  relate  to  birds,  such  as  those  on  Rhynchops 
(p.  95)  J  Chasmorhynchus  variegatus  (p.  123)"^^  Sturnella  ludo- 
viciana  (p.  167),  Acanthylis  collaris  (p.  219),  Canci^oma  co- 
chlearia  (p.  257),  and  Opisthocomus  cristatus.  Mr.  Brown 
is  well  known  to  geographers  as  the  discoverer  of  the  cele- 
brated Kaieteur  waterfall  on  the  Upper  Essequibo,  which 
appears  to  be  frequented  by  ''  myriads  of  millions  "  of  a  large 
Swift  [Acanthylis  collaris  sive  zonaris).  The  nesting-place 
of  Steatornis,  in  a  cave  on  the  Upper  Mazaruni  (see  p.  286), 
is,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  quite  a  new  discovery,  as  are  like- 
wise the  nesting-habits  of  Ortalida  motmot  and  Odontophorus 
guianensis  (p.  371) .  The  explanation  of  the  curiously  formed 
wing-feathers  of  Penelope  pipile  (p.  387)  is  likewise  new  to  us. 

17.  Ornithological  Results  of  the  'Gazelle'  Expedition. 

[Uebersicht  der  auf  der  Expedition  Sr.  Maj.  Schiif '' Gazelle '  gesam- 
melten  Vogel.  Zusammengestellt  von  J.  Cabanis  und  A.  Reiclienow. 
Journ.  f.  Oru.  1876,  p.  .3191.] 

The  German  S.S.  ^  Gazelle '  conveyed  the  astronomers  of 
that  nation  to  Kerguelen's  Land  for  the  observation  of  the 
Transit  of  Venus  in  December  1875.  A  large  collection  of 
birdskins,  birds  in  spirit,  skeletons,  and  eggs  was  formed 
during  the  voyage,  principally  by  Dr.  Hiisker,  the  medical 
officer,  in  the  above-named  island,  and  in  other  places  visited 
during  the  voyage  round  the  world  (Fiji  Islands,  ISTew  Ire- 
land, New  Hanover,  Timor,  and  New  Guinea).  Altogether 
examples  of  143  species  of  birds  were  obtained,  which  are 
enumerated  by  Messrs.  Cabanis  and  Beichenow  in  the  present 

*  On  the  discovery  of  this  species  in  British  Guiana,  see  Ibis,  1869, 
p.  462. 

t  We  may  remark  that  the  number  containing  this  paper,  although 
dated  "  July  1876,"  was  not  issued  to  the  subscribers  uutil  January  1877  ! 


240  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

paper.  Five  species  are  characterized  as  new  to  science, 
namely  : — Rhipidurafuscovirens,  from  New  Guinea ;  Gracula 
gnathoptila,  from  New  Hanover ;  Trichoglossus  flavicans ,  from 
New  Hanover  ;  CEdirhinus  globifer  (new  genus  and  species 
of  Fruit-Pigeons),  from  New  Ireland;  and  Megapodius  hues- 
keri,  from  New  Hanover.  A  new  genus,  Melidipnus,  is  made 
for  Ptilotis  megarhynchus,  Gray,  from  New  Guinea.  New 
Hanover,  which,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  not  been  previously 
visited  by  a  collector,  lies  just  to  the  west  of  New  Ireland,  and 
belongs,  no  doubt,  to  the  Papuan  subregion.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  species  procured  in  this  new  locality  : — 

1.  Sauloprocta  melauoleuca.  11.  Lorius  liypoeuochrous. 

2.  Monarcha  cordensis.  12.  Trichoglossus  flavicans. 

3.  Monarcha  lucida.  13.  Carpophaga  (Globicera)  pacifica. 

4.  Lalage  karu.  14.  Macropygia  turtur. 

6.  Campephaga  plumbea.  15.  Lamprotreron  superba. 

6.  Lamprotornis  metallicus.  10.  CEdirhinus  globifer. 

7.  Gracula  gnathoptila.  17.  Megapodius  hueskeri. 

8.  Halcyon  sacra.  18.  Totanus  incanus. 

9.  Calyptorhynchus  banksii.  19.  Anas  superciliosa. 
10.  Eclectus  polychlorus. 

18.  Bulletin  of  the  Nuttall  Ornithological  Club. 

[Quarterly  Bulletin  of  the  Nuttall  Ornithological  Club,  Cambridge, 
Mass.     Nos.  1-4  (1876).     Cambridge,  Mass.     Published  by  the  Club.] 

We  see  with  pleasure  that  our  American  friends  have  estab- 
lished a  new  ornithological  club,  called  after  one  of  the  most 
classical  and  revered  names  in  American  ornithology.  Four 
numbers  of  its  '  Bulletin,'  forming  the  first  volume,  are 
now  before  us.  Mr.  J.  A.  Allen  is  its  editor,  assisted  by 
Prof.  Baird  and  Dr.  E.  Coues,  than  whom,  we  need  hardly 
say,  three  more  efficient  persons,  qualified  for  the  task,  could 
not  have  been  found. 

The  papers  in  the  first  four  numbers  of  the  Bulletin  are 
mostly  short,  and  principally  devoted  to  local  matters.  Mr. 
W.  Brewster  (p.  1)  describes  and  figures  a  new  Helmintho- 
phaga,  of  which  a  single  specimen  was  procured  in  Massa- 
chusetts in  1870.  It  is  named  H.  leucobronchialis,  and  is 
most  nearly  allied  to  H.  chrysoptera.     In  the  second  number 


Becently  published  Ornithological  Works,  241 

(p.  46)  Dr.  T.  H.  Streets  describes  a  new  Duck  from  Wash- 
ington Island,  one  of  the  Fanning  group  in  the  Pacific,  which 
he  proposes  to  call  Chaulelasmus  couesi.  It  is  in  plumage 
like  C.  strepei'us  in  winter  dress,  but  much  smaller  in  size. 
In  the  third  number  Dr.  E.  Coues  gives  some  interesting  re- 
marks on  the  number  of  the  primaries  in  the  Oscines.  In 
the  fourth  number  is  an  excellent  paper  by  Mr.  Ridgway  on 
geographical  variation  in  Dendrceca  palmarum,  and  Dr.  Mer- 
rill, in  his  "  Notes  on  Texan  Birds,^^  introduces  several  species 
as  new  to  the  United  States.  Notices  of  new  publications 
are  given  in  the  last  three  numbers. 

19.  Palmm's  Migration-routes  of  Birds. 

[Ueber  die  Zugstrassen  der  Vogel  von  J.  A.  Palm(5n,  Decent  der  Zoo- 
logie  an  der  UniversitJit  Helsiugfors.  Leipzig,  Engelmann.  1  vol.  8vo, 
pp.  292.] 

Some  of  our  readers  may  be  acquainted  with  an  excellent 
academic  dissertation,  ^^Om  Foglarnes  Flyttnings  vagar,^^ 
published  by  Prof.  Palmeu  at  Helsingfors  in  1874.  We  have 
now  a  revised  and  augmented  translation  of  the  above-named 
work  in  a  tongue  better  known  to  most  English  naturalists, 
and  well  worthy  of  their  study.  It  is  an  attempt  to  answer 
the  question.  What  routes  are  taken  by  migratory  birds  from 
their  breeding-places  to  their  winter- quarters  and  back  again  ? 
For  good  reasons,  explained  by  our  author,  special  attention 
is  given  to  some  twenty  species  which  breed  in  the  Polar 
islands,  or  only  in  the  extreme  north  of  Europe,  in  order  to 
solve  this  problem ;  and  their  distribution  at  different  seasons 
throughout  the  Old  World  is  carefully  studied.  An  outline 
map  shows  at  a  glance  the  results  arrived  at  as  regards  the 
arctic  categories  of  migrants.  But  much  more  work  remains 
to  be  done  before  any  thing  like  a  complete  answer  can  be 
given  to  the  problem  which  Prof.  Palmen  is  studying. 

20.  Dr.  Streets' s  Account  of  the  Fanning  Islands. 

[Some  Account  of  the  Natural  History  of  the  Fanning  Group  of  Islands. 
By  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Streets,  U.S.  N.     Amer.  Nat.  xi.  pp.  65  (1877).] 

An  interesting  notice  of  the  birds  of  the  Fanning  group 
of  islands,  in  the  Pacific,  is  given  in  the  '  American  Naturalist ' 


242  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

for  February  last.  Fanning^s  group  consists  of  four  coral- 
islands^  lying  a  little  north  of  the  equator,  between  157°  and 
162°  W.  long.  One  of  them,  Washington  Island,  is  remark 
able  as  possessing  a  peculiar  species  of  Parrot  {Coriphilus 
Icuhli*)  and  another  land-bird,  probably  a  Flycatcher,  speci- 
mens of  which  were  obtained  by  Dr.  Streets,  but  have  disap- 
peared in  the  ^'  general  collection  of  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution." We  trust  they  may  be  rediscovered,  as  also  those 
of  an  allied  species  from  "  Christmas  Island,"  which  have, 
for  the  present,  met  with  a  similar  fate.  There  is  likewise  a 
Duck  {Chaulelasmus  couesi),  allied  to  our  well-known  Gad- 
wall,  peculiar  to  Washington  Island ;  and  this  and  the  other 
islands  are  resorted  to  by  several  species  of  oceanic  birds  for 
breeding-purposes. 

21 .  Dr.  Ogden  on  a  supposed  new  Paradise-bird. 
[Remarks  on  Ptilorliis  wilsonii,  Ogden.     By  J.  A.  Ogden,  M.D.     Proc. 

Acad.  Nat.  Sc.  Phil.  1876,  p.  182.] 

In  the  '  Proceedings '  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Phila- 
delphia for  1875  (p.  451)  Dr.  Ogden  described  and  figured  a 
new  Rifle-bird  as  Ptilorhis  ivilsonii,  from  a  mounted  speci- 
men in  the  Academy^s  collection.  Incited  to  further  inquiries 
by  Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot,  Dr.  Ogden  has  now  discovered  that  the 
legs  and  feet  of  the  specimen  are  "  those  of  another  bird,"  and 
it  remains  more  than  questionable  whether  this  supposed 
species  is  distinct  from  P.  magnifica. 

22.  Prejevalsky's  Mongolia  and  Northern  Thibet. 

[Mongolia,  the  Tangut  Country,  and  the  Solitudes  of  Northern  Tibet, 
being  a  Narrative  of  Three  Years'  Travel  in  Eastern  High  Asia,  by  Lieut.- 
Ool.  N.  Prejevalsky,  Translated  by  E.  Delmar  Morgan,  F.R.G.S. ;  with 
Introduction  and  Notes  by  Col.  Henry  Yule,  C.B.  Two  volumes.  Lon- 
don, 1876 :  Sampson  Low  &  Co.] 

Though  not  a  strictly  scientific  work,  no  naturalist  should 
omit  to  read  Col.  Prejevalsky's  narrative,  containing,  as  it 
does,  numerous  allusions  to  birds  and  other  animals  through- 
out its  interesting  pages.  Col.  Prejevalsky  started  from 
Pekin,  and,  travelling  south-west,  crossed  the  Hoang-ho  at 
*  Cf.  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  421. 


Recently  puhlished  Ornithological  Works.  243 

the  most  northern  part  of  its  great  bend.  Then  turning  along 
its  south  bank  for  250  miles,  he  recrossed  it  at  Ding-hu,  and 
proceeded  into  Alashan,  a  wild  and  barren  mountain-district, 
lying  to  the  south  of  the  Gobi.  Here,  we  believe,  most  of 
his  best  zoological  discoveries  were  made.  In  a  second  ex- 
pedition in  1872,  Col.  Prejevalsky  succeeded  in  penetrating 
far  beyond  Alashan,  through  the  little-known  Chinese  pro- 
vince of  Kansu,  to  the  large  lake  of  Kokonor,  the  original 
aim  of  his  journey.  In  a  winter-journey  from  Kokonor  he 
finally  penetrated  to  the  banks  of  the  Upper  Yang-tze,  only 
500  miles  from  L^hassa,  where  only  want  of  funds  stopped 
his  further  progress. 

23.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological,  Miscellany.' 

[Ornithological  Miscellany.  Edited  by  George  Dawson  Rowley,  M.A., 
F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  Member  of  tlie  British  Ornithologists'  Union.  Part  VI. 
London,  1877  :  Triibner  &  Co.] 

The  sixth  part  of  Mr.  Rowley^s  '  Ornithological  Miscel- 
lany,' a  work  of  the  general  character  of  which  we  have 
already  spoken,  contains  the  commencement  of  a  memoir  of 
much  importance  to  English  ornithologists.  We  have  just 
spoken  of  Col.  Prjeval sky's  '  Travels  in  Mongolia,'  and  of 
the  many  zoological  discoveries  Avhich  he  made ;  but  the  tech- 
nical portion  of  the  work  relating  to  the  birds  was  not  included 
in  Mr.  Morgan's  English  edition.  Aware  of  its  importance 
to  naturalists,  Mr.  Rowley  has  now  had  a  translation  of  this 
part  of  it  made  by  Mr.  E.  Carl  Craemers,  the  first  portion  of 
which,  embracing  an  account  of  117  species  met  with  by 
Colonel  Prjevalsky  in  Mongolia,  the  Tangut  country,  and  the 
solitudes  of  Northern  Thibet,  is  included  in  the  present  num- 
ber of  the  '  Ornithological  Miscellany,'  with  a  promise  of  the 
remainder  to  follow.  The  plates  of  the  original  work  are 
also  faithfully  reproduced.  The  new  species  described  by 
Colonel  Prjevalsky  are  : — Caprimulgus plumipes ,  from  China; 
Ruticilla  alaschannica,  from  the  Alashan  mountains ;  Calliope 
tschebaiewi,  from  the  Kansu  mountains ;  Pcecile  affinis,  from 
the  Alashan  and  Kansu;  and  P.  superciliosa,  Lophophanes 
dichroides,  and  Merula  kessleri,  all  from  the  Kansu  mountains. 


244  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

Mr.  Rowley  also  gives  us  in  his  present  number  excellent 
figures  of  Platycercus  rowleyi,  a  lately  described  species  from 
New  Zealand^  of  Chalcophaps  indica,  and  of  the  almost  extinct 
Labrador  Duck  {Somateria  labradoria) .  A  disquisition  on 
some  of  the  extinct  birds  of  the  Mascarenes  is  also  included 
amongst  the  varied  contents. 

24.  Mulsant's  '  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Oiseaux-Mouches.' 

*  [Histoire  Naturelle  des  Oiseanx-Mouches  ou  Colibris,  constituant  la 
famille  des  Trocliilides.  Par  E.  Mulsant  et  feu  Edouard  Verreaux.  4to, 
T.  ii.  Livr.  3  &  4 ;  T.  iii.  Livr.  1  &  2.     Lyon  :  1876.  J 

Since  our  last  notice  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  510)  Mons.  Mulsant 
has  made  steady  progress  with  his  work,  so  that  now  two 
thirds  of  it  have  been  issued,  six  more  Livraisons  alone  re- 
maining for  its  completion.  The  four  Livraisons  now  before 
us  seem  quite  equal  in  execution  to  those  which  have  preceded 
them ;  and  as  the  matter  contained  in  them  embraces  refer- 
ences to  the  most  recently  published  information  respecting 
the  Trochilidse,  they  give  evidence  to  M.  Midsant's  industry. 
The  author's  system  of  minute  generic  subdivisions  is  still 
further  carried  out,  and  we  notice  several  new  generic  names 
for  sections  of  the  microscopic  genera  into  which  the  Hum- 
ming-birds have  already  been  divided.  The  characters  upon 
which  these  would-be  genera  rest  prove,  upon  examination, 
to  be  drawn  solely  from  style  of  coloration,  and  are,  in  our 
opinion,  little  more  than  of  specific  value  in  a  wide  sense.  We 
notice  that  M.  Mulsant  maintains  the  old  position  assigned  to 
the  so-ea\\ed  Anthocephala  castaneive7itris  (iii.  p.  123),  having 
apparently  overlooked  the  remarks  in  the  'Proceedings'  of  the 
Zoological  Society  of  London  (1870,  p.  206),  where  this  sup- 
posed species  was  almost  conclusively  proved  to  be  the  female 
of  either  Oreopyra  lencaspis  or  O.  calolama — an  opinion  the 
correctness  of  which  all  subsequent  experience  has  tended  to 
confirm.  The  plates  accompanying  these  parts  include  figures 
of  Metallura  Jelskii  and  Heliangelus  barali,  species  which  had 
not  before  been  delineate'd. 


Recently  published  Urmtholoyical  Works.  245 

25.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Papers  on  African  Ornithology. 
Prof.  J.  V.  Barboza  du  Bocage  has  just  sent  us  several  of 

his  recently  published  papers  on  African  birds^  extracted  from 
the  '  Jornal  de  Sciencias  math.,  phys.  e  nat.'  no.  xx.  1876. 

The  first  is  the  "  Duorlecima  Lista  "  of  the  author's  ^  Aves 
das  Possessoes  Portuguezas  d' Africa  occidental/  and  contains 
an  account  of  seventy-three  species  of  birds  sent  from  Humbe 
and  other  places  in  Angola  by  Senhor  Jose  d'Anchieta,  whose 
labours  in  that  portion  of  Africa  have  served  so  largely  to 
enrich  the  Lisbon  Museum,  No  novelties  are  noticed  in  this 
collection ;  but  Prof,  Bocage  recognizes  several  birds  in  it  not 
before  noticed  from  this  part  of  Africa.  Appended  to  this 
paper  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  twenty-one  species  of  birds 
contained  in  a  collection  from  the  Quanza,  recently  sent  to 
the  Lisbon  Museum  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe. 

The  next  paper  contains  notes  on  a  small  collection  of  An- 
gola birds  made  by  the  well-known  botanical  traveller,  Dr. 
Welwitsch.  This  collection  contained  examples  of  only 
twenty  determinable  species  of  birds,  concerning  some  of 
which  Prof.  Bocage  has  written  interesting  notes.  As  all  the 
specimens  were  preserved  in  alcohol,  their  determination  has 
in  some  cases  proved  uncertain. 

In  a  continuation  of  his  "  Melanges  Ornithologiques," 
Prof.  Bocage  makes  some  critical  remarks  on  the  genus 
Sycobius,  with  special  reference  to  Mr.  Elliot's  paper  on 
this  genus,  published  in  our  last  year's  volume  (1876,  p.  456), 
and  takes  the  opportunity  of  describing  a  supposed  new  species 
of  the  genus,  allied  to  S.  nigerrimus,  as  S.  albinucha.  It  is 
stated  to  be  from  ^'  West  Africa,"  and  was  received  from  Mr. 
Whitely  through  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe. 

26.  Bureau  on  the  Booted  Eagle. 

[L'aigle  botte,  Aquila  pennuta  (Ouvier),  d'apres  des  observations  re- 
cueillies  dans  Touest  de  la  France.  Par  L.  Bureau.  Assoc,  franjaise  pour 
I'Av.  des  Sc,  Congres  de  Nantes,  1875.] 

We  are  indebted  to  Mons.  Louis  Bureau  for  a  copy  of  a 
very  interesting  paper  on  the  Booted  Eagle,  as  observed  by 
him  in  Western  France.     With  the  author's  own  notes  are 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  s 


246  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

incorporated  Count  Wodzicki's  observations  on  the  same  bird 
in  Poland^  andtliose  of  Mons.  Alleon  made  on  the  Bospliorus. 

The  memoir  is  full  of  interesting  details  respecting  the 
curious  dimorphic  condition  of  the  plumage  observable  in  this 
species,  the  true  interpretation  of  which  was  long  misunder- 
stood. Mons.  Bureau^s  conclusions  on  this  subject  are  best 
given  in  his  own  words  : — 

"  Les  males  et  les  femellcs  revetent  indifteremment  la 
livree  de  Pun  ou  de  Tautre  type. 

^'Tantot  il  y  a  alliance  entre  sujets  d\me  meme  livree, 
tantot  croisement  des  deux  races. 

"  De  Tune  ou  Pautre  de  ces  unions  naissent  habituellement 
des  jeunes  d'un  seul  type,  plus  rarement  on  trouve  dans  une 
meme  nicliee  des  jeunes  de  I'une  ou  de  I'autre  race. 

"  Le  plumage  des  deux  types  se  modifie  parallel ement  avec 
Fage  ;  mais  ces  changements  sont  plus  accuses  dans  le  type 
ordinaire  que  dans  le  type  negre. 

"  Les  sujets  des  tons  deux,  depuis  le  jeune  age  jusqu'k 
Page  adulte,  se  developpent  en  conservant  les  caracteres  de 
leur  type." 

In  addition  to  the  discussion  of  these  special  points,  the 
paper  also  contains  references  to  most  of  the  works  where 
the  Booted  Eagle  is  mentioned,  its  geographical  distribution, 
nidification,  eggs,  descriptions  of  birds  of  both  sexes  and  dif- 
ferent ages  from  young  in  down  to  the  adult,  and  habits ;  so 
that  the  monograph  of  the  species  is  a  very  complete  one. 
On  one  point  Mons.  Bureau  has  been  led  into  error  by  Dr. 
Schlegel,  where  he  gives  (p.  3)  Australia  as  coming  within 
the  range  of  the  species.  Aquila  morphnoides  of  Gould, 
though  allied  to  A.  pennata,  is  a  distinct  species. 

27.   Vennor's  '  Canadian  Birds  of  Prey.' 

[Our  Birds  of  Prey,  or  the  Eagles,  Hawks,  and  Owls  of  Canada.  By 
Henry  Gr.  Vennor,  F.G.S.  With  30  Photographic  Illustrations  by  Wm. 
Notman.     4to.     Montreal :  1876.] 

Ornithology  has  never  taken  deep  root  as  a  scientific  study 
in  Canada,  and,  as  yet,  we  have  few  books  treating  of  its 
birds  ;  we  would  gladly,  then,  say  as  many  good  words  as  possi- 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  247 

ble  for  this  work  of  Mr.  Vennor^s,  were  we  justified  in  doing  so. 
Though  the  author  has  apparently  had  before  him  the  standard 
works  on  his  subject,  he  has  used  them  to  little  profit,  judg- 
ing from  the  first  page  of  his  book — where  the  main  divisions 
of  the  birds  of  prey  are  treated  of,  and  these  are  divided  into 
two  ^^  suborders/^  those  with  stout  bills  which  catch  their 
prey  alive,  and  those  with  feeble  bills  which  feed  on  carrion 
&c.,  and  a  few  lines  lower  down  into  '^^  three  great  sub- 
families.^^ The  Vulturidse,  one  of  the  latter,  are  said  to  con- 
tain three  genera,  of  which  Cathartes  alone  reaches  Canada  ! 
The  Old  World  is  evidently  omitted  from  consideration.  The 
species  treated  of  probably  include  all,  or  nearly  all,  those 
that  are  to  be  found  in  Canada ;  and  the  most  valuable  part 
of  the  text  consists  in  the  accounts  given  of  the  occurrences 
and  distribution  of  each  species.  Of  the  photographs  which 
illustrate  the  book,  we  can  only  say  that  they  are  good  pho- 
tographs of  wretchedly  stuffed  specimens,  though  Mr.  Vennor 
appears  to  be  quite  satisfied  with  their  any  thing  but  life- 
like attitudes. 

28.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers. 

[(1)  Catalogo  di  una  coUezione  di  Uccelli  delF  Isola  di  Buru,  inviata 
al  Museo  Civico  di  Genova  dal  signer  A.  A.  Bruijn.  Ann.  Mus.  Civ. 
Genoa,  viii.  p.  367. 

(2)  Catalogo  degli  Uccelli  raccolti  dai  sigg.  A.  A.  Bruiju  ed  0.  Beccari 
durante  il  viaggio  del  trasporto  da  guerra  olandese  "  Surabaia  "  dal  No- 
vembre  1875  al  Gennaio  1876.     Ann.  Mus.  Civ,  Genoa,  viii.  p.  395. 

(3)  Intorno  alia  supposta  femmina  del  Dicceum  retrocinctum,  Gould. 
Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Genoa,  viii.  p.  509. 

(4)  Catalogo  di  una  seconda  collezione  di  Uccelli  raccolti  dal  sig.  L.  M. 
D'Albertis  nell'  Isola  Yule  e  sulla  vicina  costa  della  Nuova  Guinea  e  di 
una  piccola  collezione  della  regione  bagnata  dal  Fiume  Fly.  Ann.  Mus. 
Civ.  Genoa,  ix.  p.  7- 

(5)  Intorno  a  due  piccole  collezioni  di  Uccelli,  I'una  di  Petta  (Isole 
Sanghir)  e  I'altra  di  Tifore  e  di  Batang  Keteil,  inviate  dal  signor  A.  A. 
Bruijn  al  Museo  Civico  di  Genova.     Ann,  Mus.  Civ.  Genoa,  ix.  p.  51.] 

Dr.  Salvador!  sends  separate  copies  of  five  more  of  his  valu- 
able papers  on  the  birds  of  the  Malayan  and  Papuan  Archi- 
pelago, all  published  during  the  latter  part  of  1876. 

s  2 


248  Recently  published  Ornitholoyical  Works. 

Tlie  first  gives  us  an  account  of  a  collection  made  in  Bouru 
by  one  of  the  collectors  of  Mr.  Bruijn,  and  sent  to  the  Museo 
Civico  of  Genoa.  It  contains  180  individuals,  referable  to 
53  species,  some  of  which  are  not  included  in  the  excellent 
memoir  of  Mr.  Wallace  on  the  birds  of  that  island  (P.  Z.  S. 
1863,  p.  18).     Aprosmictus  buruensis  is  described  as  new. 

The  second  contains  a  list  of  the  birds  collected  by  Mr. 
Bruijn  and  Dr.  Beccari  during  their  voyage  in  the  Dutch 
warship  '  Surabaia '  along  the  north  coast  of  New  Guinea"^. 
Forty-nine  species  Avere  represented  in  the  collection  by  about 
100  individuals.  Nasiterna  beccarii  is  described  as  ncAV,  but 
based  on  a  single  female  only.  The  Goura  of  Humboldt  Bay, 
is  hypothetically  named  G.  beccarii ;  but  only  a  crest  was  ob- 
tained, which  most  resembles  that  of  G.  victoria  ! 

In  a  third  short  paper  Dr.  Salvadori  shows  that  the  bird 
figured  by  Mr.  Gould  in  part  viii.  of  the  '  Birds  of  Asia'  as 
the  female  oi  Dicaum  retrocinctum,  really  belongs  to  another 
species,  of  which  the  correct  name  is  D.  rubriventer  (Less.) . 

The  subject  of  our  author's  next  study  is  the  second  col- 
lection made  by  D'Albertis  on  Yule  Island  and  on  the  neigh- 
bouring coast  of  New  Guinea,  and  a  small  collection  made 
by  the  same  diligent  naturalist  on  the  banks  of  the  Fly  river. 
In  the  first  series,  containing  examples  of  112  species,  8 
are  described  as  new,  namely  Chalcopsittacus  chloropterus, 
Polophilus  nigricans,  Dacelo  intermedius ,  Ptilotis  albo-notata, 
Pycnonotus  stictoceplialus,  Splienceacus  macrurus,  Eupetes  ni- 
gricrissus,  and  Munia  canicepsf. 

The  Fly-river  collection  contained  only  12  species,  of  which 
Cyclopsittacus  fuscifrons,  Cyanalcyon  stictolama,  and  Goura 
sclateri  are  described  as  new. 

Dr.  Salvadori's  last  contribution  relates  to  two  more  col- 
lections sent  by  Mr.  Bruijn  to  Genoa,  one  from  Pettfl  (Sanghir 
group),  and  the  other  from  Tifore  and  Batang  Keteil,  two 
islets  lying  between  Halmahera  and  Celebes.     From  Pettk 

*  See  '  Cosmos,'  vol.  iii.  p.  349,  for  an  account  of  the  voyage. 

t  Besides  these,  D'Albertis  obtained  two  new  Parrots  at  Naibui  (Q/- 
clopsitta  suavissima  and  Trichoylossus  subj'lacens),  which  have  been  de- 
scribed by  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  187fi,  p.  519. 


Letters,  Announcements,  &;c.  249 

Pitta  cceruleitorques,  Dicaum  sanghirense,  Prionochilus  san- 
ghirensis,  and  Calornis  sanyhirensis  are  described  as  new. 
From  Tifore  and  Batang  Keteil  only  six  species  were  obtained, 
which,  however,  tend  to  show  that  these  islets  belong  zoolo- 
gically rather  to  Halmahera  than  to  Celebes. 

29.  Salvaclori's  Prodromus  of  Papuan  Ornithology. 

[Prodromus  Ornitliologise  Papuasise  et  Moluccarum.  Aiictore  Thonia 
Salvadori.  Pars  I.  Paradiseidfe.  Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  di  St.  Nat.  di  Genova, 
vol  ix.  p.  188.     Pars  II.  Colimibfe,  ibid.  p.  194.] 

As  a  prelude  to  his  grand  work  on  the  birds  of  the  Papuan 
subregion,  which  is  to  be  based  on  the  extensive  collections 
of  Beccari,  D'Albertis,  and  Bruijn,  Dr.  Salvadori  has  com- 
menced a  series  of  lists  of  the  species  of  the  principal  groups 
of  this  avifauna,  with  an  account  of  their  distribution,  of 
which  these  two  papers  are  the  first. 

Of  the  Paradiseidse,  Dr.  Salvadori  enumerates  31  species, 
of  Pigeons  90,  as  belonging  to  the  Papuan  subregion.  Of 
the  last-named  group  three  are  described  as  new  in  the  pre- 
sent paper,  namely  Ptilopus  zonurus,  from  the  Aroo  Islands, 
Macropygia  keiensis,  from  the  Key  Islands,  and  M.  griseinucha, 
from  Jobi  and  Mysore.  Gouri  beccarii  is  established  provi- 
sionally upon  the  crest  of  a  bird  of  this  genus,  obtained  by 
Beccari  at  Humboldt  Bay. 


XXI. — Letters,  Announcements,  ^c. 

The  following  letters,  addressed  "  To  the  Editors  of  '  The 
Ibis,^ "  have  been  received  : — 

Sirs, — In  my  recently  published  account  of  the  zoology  of 
Persia^  {'  Eastern  Persia,'  vol.  ii.  p.  128),  I  classed  Caprimulgus 
unwini,  Hume,  as  a  synonym  of  C.  mahrattensis,  Sykes.  My 
reason  for  so  doing  was  that  Mr.  Hume  described  C.  unwini 
(Ibis,  1871,  p.  406)  as  distinguished  from  all  other  Indian  Goat- 
suckers by  the  following  leading  characteristics  : — The  upper 

*  The  whole  zoological  portion  of  this  work  was  in  print  before  the 
end  of  ]  874 ;  hence  the  oimssion  of  all  notices  of  subsequent  publications. 


250  Letters,  Announcements,  &,t. 

three  fourths  of  the  tarsus  are  feathered  in  front ;  the  two 
outer  tail-feathers  on  each  side  are  tipped  with  white^  more 
broadly  in  the  male ;  and  both  sexes  have  white  spots  on  the 
first  three  primaries.  Now  C.  mahrattensis  is  distinguished 
by  precisely  these  characters,  except  that  the  tarsus  is  only 
about  half  concealed  by  feathers  in  the  specimens  I  have  ex- 
amined. I  should  add  that  Lord  Tweeddale  first  pointed  out 
to  me  the  close  agreement  between  the  description  of  C.  un- 
wini  and  the  characters  of  C.  mahrattensis. 

When  I  told  Mr.  Hume  of  the  conclusion  at  -which  I  had 
arrived,  he  assured  me  I  was  mistaken,  and  placed  the  whole 
of  his  specimens  at  my  disposal  for  examination.  He  at  the 
same  time  said  that  his  only  doubt  was  whether  C  unwini 
might  not  prove  to  be  a  variety  of  C.  europaus.  At  the  time 
he  described  the  former,  his  only  specimen  of  C.  eurojjaeus  was 
a  large  English  female.  A  male  specimen,  from  Europe,  but 
without  precise  locality,  has  since  been  added  to  his  collec- 
tion ;  and  I  find  that  this  agrees  well  with  the  types  of  C, 
ujuvini. 

The  conclusion  at  which  I  have  arrived,  after  examining  all 
the  specimens,  is,  that  the  sex  of  one  of  the  types  of  C.  unwini 
was  probably  w^rongly  determined,  and  that,  instead  of  being 
male  and  female,  both  skins  are  those  of  males,  that  they  are 
quite  distinct  from  C.  mahrattensis,  but  that  they  belong  to  the 
pale-grey  race  of  C.  europcEus,  of  which  I  obtained  specimens 
in  South-eastern  Persia,  and  that,  whilst  the  name  of  C  un- 
wini must  become  a  synonym,  C.  europceus  must  be  added  to 
the  Indian  fauna.  Besides  the  two  original  types  from  the 
Agror  valley,  in  Hazara,  in  the  extreme  north  of  the  Punjab, 
Mr.  Hume  has  since  obtained  a  female  without  any  white  on 
the  tail  from  Mari  (the  sanitarium  somewhat  further  east) ; 
and  he  is  inclined  to  refer  to  the  same  species  two  other 
females,  one  from  Sirsa,  in  the  Punjab,  the  other  from  Etawah, 
in  the  north-west  provinces.  These  latter,  however,  are 
doubtfully  identified,  being  smaller  in  all  their  dimensions ; 
one  of  them  is  certainly  immature.  It  Avill  be  curious  if 
this  proves  to  be  a  resideiit  race,  and  not  migratory,  like  the 
western  form.  , 


Letters,  A?inouncements,  ^c.  351 

I  have  also  examined  the  types  of  the  two  species  of  Batra- 
chostomus  described  as  new  by  Mr.  Hume  {'  Stray  Feathers/ 
ii.  p.  348)  by  the  names  of  B.  castaneus  and  B.  punctatus. 
These  have  been  referred  by  Lord  Tweeddale,  in  Biyth^s  "Ca- 
talogue of  the  Mammals  and  Birds  of  Burma"  (J.  A.  S.  B. 
1875,  pt,  ii.  extra  number,  p.  84),  the  former  to  B.  affinis, 
Blyth,  the  latter  to  B.  moniliger,  Layard.  There  are  in  Mr. 
Hume's  collection  the  following  specimens  representing  this 
genus  : — 

Batrachostomus  affinis,  Blyth,  three  specimens  (sex  not 
noted)  from  Malacca.  These  have  been  compared  with  Blyth's 
original  type  in  Calcutta. 

B.  castaneus,  Hume,  three  specimens,  from  Sikkim,  sex 
doubtful. 

B.  sp.,  two  specimens,  one  adult  and  marked  female,  the 
other  immature,  from  Sikkim,  closely  agreeing  in  general 
coloration  with  the  figure  of  Otothrix  liodgsoni  (P.  Z.  S.  1859, 
p.  101,  pi.  clii.),  but  having  the  same  bill  as  B.  castaneus. 

B.  moniliger,  Layard,  three  specimens — a  male,  female,  and 
nestling  (sexes  carefully  determined  by  Mr.  Bourdillon) — from 
Travancore. 

B.  punctatus,  Hume,  the  type  from  Ceylon,  sex  un- 
determined. 

It  is,  in  the  first  place,  quite  clear  that  B.  castaneus  is  a 
diff'erent  bird  from  B.  affinis,  despite  so  close  a  general  re- 
semblance that  one  bird  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  the 
other.  The  coloration  above  is  nearly  the  same,  B.  castaneus 
being  a  little  paler  chestnut,  and  wanting  entirely  the  con- 
spicuous white  spots  which  occur  on  the  wing-coverts  of  B. 
affinis,  though  both  birds  have  the  white  black-edged  spots 
on  the  scapulars,  and  the  narrow  white  collar  edged  with 
black.  Beneath  there  is  more  difference,  B.  affinis  being 
much  paler,  and  having  the  feathers  of  the  breast  and  abdo- 
mine  pale  isabelline,  with  rufous  edges,  which  are  broader  on 
the  breast.  In  B.  castaneus  the  greater  portion  of  the  lower 
surface  is  the  same  colour  as  the  back,  chestnut ;  but  many- 
feathers  on  the  throat,  breast,  and  upper  abdomen  are  white, 
with  black  margins.  The  number  of  these  feathers  and  their 
distribution  appear  to  vary  slightly  in  the  different  specimens. 


252  Letters,  Announceinents,  ^c. 

The  great  distinction,  hoAvever,  between  B.  castaneus  and 
B.  affinis  is  in  the  form  of  tlie  bill,  which  is  much  smaller  in 
the  former,  measuring  in  all  three  specimens  about  1'05  in. 
across  at  the  gape,  whilst  in  the  three  specimens  of  B.  affirms 
it  measures  1*4  in.  B.  castaneus,  however,  is  rather  the 
larger  bird  of  the  two,  the  wing  measuring  5-2  to  5-5,  whereas 
in  none  of  the  specimens  of  B.  affinis  examined  does  the  wing 
exceed  5'  1,  and  in  one  it  is  only  4-5,  as  in  Blyth's  original  type. 

The  female  bird  already  noticed  as  agreeing  in  general 
coloration  with  Otothrix  hodgsoni  agrees  fairly  in  all  its  di- 
mensions with  Batrachostomus  castaneus,  and  may  be  the 
female  of  it.  Otothrix  was  separated  from  Batrachostomus  by 
Mr.  Gray  on  account  of  its  smaller  bill  and  different  colora- 
tion ;  and  although  the  shape  of  the  bill  in  the  figure  (P.  Z.  S. 
1859,  pi.  clii.)  is  totally  different  from  that  of  J5«/racAo5^om^<s, 
no  mention  of  any  such  startling  difference  is  made  in  the 
text,  and  I  see  that  Lord  Tweeddale,  in  Blyth's  Catalogue  of 
the  Birds  of  Burma,  p.  83,  has  referred  0.  hodgsoni  to  Batra- 
chostomus, so  that  it  is  probable  that  the  representation  of  the 
bill  in  the  figure  is  defective.  On  the  whole  I  think  that 
Mr.  Hume's  suggestion  that  B.  hodgsoni  and  B.  castaneus 
are  the  two  sexes  of  one  bird  is  highly  probable.  The  young 
bird  has  the  grey  mottled  plumage  of  B.  hodgsoni,  which  is 
in  favour  of  the  latter  being  the  female. 

Of  the  two  specimens  from  Travancore,  referred  by  Mr. 
Hume  to  B.  moniliger,  the  female  agrees  on  the  whole  fairly 
with  Mr.  Blyth's  description  (J.  A.  S.B.  xviii.  p.  806)  both 
in  coloration  and  dimensions.  These  skins  will  be  fully  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Hume  in  a  forthcoming  number  of  '  Stray 
Feathers.'  Both  differ  greatly  from  B.punctatus,  being  much 
larger,  with  bills  measuring  fully  1"4  across  at  the  gape, 
whilst  the  breadth  in  B.  punctatus  is  1*25.  In  the  latter  the 
wing  measures  4<"35,  and  the  tail  3"9 ;  in  the  female  of  B.  mo- 
niliger, which  approaches  nearest  in  plumage  to  B.  punctatus, 
the  wing  measures  4"8  and  the  tail  4  inches.  The  whole 
plumage  in  the  latter  is  browner ;  and  although  the  difference 
is  much  less  than  in  the  case  of  B.  affinis  and  B.  castaneus, 
I  certainly  think  that  B.  moniliger  and  B.  punctatus  are  dis- 
tinct forms. 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  253 

It  is,  however,  a  curious  circumstance  that  the  female  of 
B.  moniliger  is  more  uniform  in  colour  and  more  rufous  than 
the  male,  the  reverse  of  what  is  svipposed  to  be  the  case  in 
B.  hodgsoni.  Mr.  Hume,  who  called  my  attention  to  this, 
suggested  that,  after  all,  perhaps  B.  castaneus  is  the  female 
of  B.  hodgsoni.  This  I  rather  doubt,  because  the  plumage  of 
the  young  bird  agrees  with  the  latter ;  but  the  two  plumages 
(the  rufous  and  the  brown)  differ  too  much  for  it  to  be  pro- 
bable that  they  are  merely  red  and  grey  phases,  irrespective 
of  sex. 

Since  writing  the  above,  however,  I  see  that  Dr.  Jcrdon 
(Ibis,  1871,  p.  356)  has  already  stated  that  Mr.  Blyth  consi- 
dered Otothrix  to  be  the  male  oi Batrachostomus .  All  that  Mr. 
Blyth  stated,  in  his  commentary  on  the  '  Birds  of  India,^  was 
that  Otothrix  is  merely  the  adult  phase  of  certain  Batra- 
chostomi.  The  fragments  of  two  specimens  oi Batrachostomus , 
from  Darjeeling,  briefly  described  by  Mr.  Blyth  in  1849 
(J.  A.  S.  B.  xviii.  p.  806),  were  at  first  referred  by  him  to 
B.  affinis ;  but  subsequently,  in  his  '  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in 
the  Museum  of  the  Asiatic  Society,^  p.  81,  he  ascribed  them 
to  "  di  nearly  allied  but  distinct  species.^^  From  the  descrip- 
tion it  appears  probable  that  these  specimens  belonged  to  the 
two  forms  subsequently  described  as  Otothrix  hodgsoni  and 
B.  castaneus. 

Yours  &c., 

W.  T.  Blanford. 

Simla,  Octol)er  22nd,  1876. 


Sirs, — As  there  has  been  of  late  considerable  confusion  in 
the  nomenclature  of  the  species  of  Tetraogallus,  perhaps  a  few 
words  on  the  subject  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

The  type  of  the  genus  Tetraogallus  is  generally  admitted 
to  be  a  bird  which  was  obtained  by  S.  G.  Gmelin  at  Astrabad, 
in  Northern  Persia,  and  was  called  by  him  Tetrao  caspius 
(Reise  d.  Russl.  th.  iv.  p.  67,  pi.  x.).  Pallas  subsequently 
described  and  figured  a  bird  procured  in  the  Caucasus  under 
the  name  Tetrao  caucasica  (Zoogr.  Rosso- As.  vol.  ii.  p,  7Q, 
pi.).     Now,  as  the  species  of  Tetraogallus  found  in  the  Cau- 


254  Letters,  Announcements,  i^c. 

casus  is  totally  different  from  that  which  occurs  in  Persia 
and  Asia  Minor^  and  as  these  two  species  have  not  been  found 
inhabiting  the  same  mountain-range,  it  is  evident  that  T.  cau- 
casicus  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  synonym  of  T.  caspius,  but 
must  stand  by  itself. 

The  Lophophorus  nigelli  of  Jardine  and  Selby  (111.  Orn. 
pi.  7Q)  appears  to  have  been  founded  on  a  female  obtained 
from  the  same  district  as  the  bird  described  by  Gmelin ;  and 
as  the  descriptions  and  figures  agree  suflSciently  well,  this 
name  must  be  referred  (as  it  already  has  been  by  various 
authors)  to  T.  caspius. 

Other  s]3ecimens  which  have  of  late  attracted  attention 
are  : — (1)  a  bird  in  the  jSIuseum  of  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  ori- 
ginally received  from  Erzeroum,  and  described  by  M.  Oustalet 
under  the  name  of  Tetraogallus  challayei   (Bull.   Soc.  Phil. 

1875,  p.  54,  and  Journ.  de  Tlnst.  1875,  p.  353) ;  (2)  A  series 
of  specimens  collected  in  the  Taurus  by  myself,  and  upon 
which  Mr.  Dresser  has  based  his  Tetraogallus  tauricus  (P.  Z.  S. 

1876,  p.  675) ;  and  (3)  a  bird  mentioned  as  inhabiting  Ar- 
menia (?)  by  Herr  Radde,  and  referred  to  without  description 
by  HH.  BoUe  and  Brehm  as  Megaloperdix  raddei  (Journ.  fiir 
Orn.  1873,  p.  4). 

All  these  three  names  are,  without  any  doubt,  synonymous. 
Specimens  of  Tetraogallus  tauricus  which  have  been  com- 
pared with  L.  nigelli  have  been  found  to  agree  with  that  bird, 
and  consequently  with  -  T.  caspius.  The  three  names  given 
above  are  therefore  synonyms  of  the  original  T.  caspius; 
and,  unless  the  specimen  recently  obtained  in  the  Manrack 
Mountains  by  Messrs.  Finsch  and  Brehm  should  prove  to  be 
new,  the  genus  Tetraogallus  at  present  consists  of  five  species, 
viz.  Tetraogallus  caspius  (Gm.),  T.  caucasicus  (Pall.),  T. 
himalayensis,  G.  R.  Gray,  T.  altaicus  (Gebler),  and  T.  ti- 
betanus,  Gould. 

Yours  &c., 

C.  G.  Danford. 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  255 

Gentlemen, — I  send  you  the  following  note  on  Dr.  B. 
Radakoff^s  recently  published  Hand- Atlas  ^,  believing  that  it 
will  not  be  uninteresting  to  the  readers  of  '  The  Ibis ' : — 

About  a  week  ago  I  was  informed  of  the  issue  of  the  above 
work ;  and  I  received  the  first  seven  sheets  to  day.  These  in- 
clude two  title-pages,  introduction  (one  page) ,  four  sheets  of 
the  Atlas,  being  four  maps  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa  on 
Mercator^s  projection,  the  whole  elephant-folio  size,  and  open- 
ing at  the  end.  The  land  is  shown  edged  with  blue;  and  all 
the  principal  towns,  rivers,  mountains,  &c.  are  shown.  Upon 
these  four  maps  there  are  marked  the  respective  geographical 
ranges  of  Tinnunculus  alaudarius,  Tetrao  bonasia,  Tetrao 
tetrix,  and  Upupa  epops,  in  red,  thus : — 

(1)  Zur  Bezeichnung  der  Gegenden  im  denen  die  Art 
nistet    .     .     .   _ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

(2)  Zur  Bezeichnung  der  Gegenden  welche  die  Art  bloss 
durchzieht =-  =  -  = 

(3)  Zur  Bezeichnung  der  Gegenden  in  denen  die  Art  nur 
iiberwintert xxxx 

(4)  Zur  Bezeichnung  der  Gegenden  in  denen  man  mit 
Wahrscheinliclikeit  das  Vorhandensein  einer  Art  voraussetzen 
kann,  obgleich  dafiir  keine  literarischen  Beweise  existiren. 

The  work  is  to  be  continued,  I  understand,  upon  the  same 
plan,  giving  a  map  for  each  of  the  species,  and  is  issued  by 
A.  Lang  of  Moscow.  As  a  valuable  addition  to  our  know- 
ledge of  geographical  distribution,  this  exhaustive  work  should 
be  in  the  library  of  every  student  of  the  subject. 

My  object  in  sending  you  this  notice  is  not  only  that  I 
may  draw  general  attention  to  it,  but  also  to  point  out  that 
a  series  of  papers,  upon  which  I  have  myself  been  engaged, 
seem  to  me  to  supplement  in  an  admirable  way  this  larger  and 
more  elaborate  work ;  and  the  symbols  used  by  me,  if  added 
to  those  upon  the  maps,  could  be  easily  utilized  to  show  the 
more  minute  particulars  of  distribution  in  minor  areas  upon 
a  larger  scale.  I  would  in  this  connexion  refer  you  to  the 
following  papers  by  me  : — 

*  Hand-Atlas  der  geogr.  Ausbreitung  der  im  europaisclien  Russlaud 
iiistenden  Vogel,  zusammengestellt  von  Dr.  B.  Radakotf  (H.  Berghaus's 
\tlas  der  Thier-Geograpliie).     First  7  sheets.     Moscow:  1876. 


256  Letters,  Announcements,  ^c. 

"  Oil  an  uniform  Method  of  Registration  for  Observations 
on  Natural  History^  especially  as  regards  Distribution  and 
Migration  ^^  (Proc.  Glasg.  Nat.-Hist.  Soc.  1876-77).  In  the 
press. 

"  On  the  Distribution  of  the  Birds  of  N.  Russia. — Part  I. 
The  Latitudinal  Distribution  of  Birds  of  N.E.  Russia.  Part 
II.  The  Longitudinal  Distribution  of  Birds  of  N.  Russia, 
north  of  64°  30'  N.  lat.^'  (Annals  &  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  1877.) 
Part  i.  in  the  press,  part  ii.  in  MS.,  part  iii.  in  preparation"^. 

John  A.  Harvie  Brown. 

P.S.  I  may  be  allowed  to  add  that  I  knew  nothing  of  Dr. 
RadakoflF^s  work  until  about  a  week  ago,  when  I  heard  of  it 
from  Messrs.  Friedlander  &  Sohn,  Berlin. 


Cobham,  March  12,  1877. 

Sirs, — As  a  very  recently  elected  and  extremely  unsci- 
entific member  of  the  B.  O.  U.,  it  is  with  great  diffidence 
that  I  ask  leave  to  call  attention  to  a  neglected  point  in  the 
natural  history  of  the  Wheatear  [Saxicola  oenanthe) . 

I  allude  to  the  two  very  distinct  races  of  that  bird,  which 
I  cannot  help  thinking  fully  as  worthy  of  scientific  recog- 
nition as  the  two  races  of  Bullfinch  [Fyrrhula  eurojjcea  and 
P.  major) . 

Indeed,  as  I  propose  to  show,  there  is  considerable  analogy 
between  the  two  cases,  the  larger  race  being  in  each  case 
distinguished  by  a  deeper  colouring  as  well  as  by  size. 

The  only  authorities  that  I  have  been  able  to  discover  on 
the  subject  are  Gould  and  Schlegel,  other  authors  having 
failed  to  recognize  any  variation  in  the  individuals  of  Saxicola 
osnanthe  as  generally  recognized.  Of  these  two  authors 
Gould  is  the  only  one  who  gives  exact  measurements  of  the 
larger  race ;  I  therefore  quote  the  following  from  his  '  Birds 
of  Great  Britain ' : — 

Length.       Spread,  of  wing.       Wing, 
in.  in.  in. 


Large  race      .     . 

.     61                  llf                  4 

Small  race       .     . 

.     5f                 lOi                 31 

*  Part  iii.  Longit.  Dist. 

of  Birds  of  N.  Russia,  between  60°  and  64<^ 

30'  N.  lat, 

Letters,  Announcements,  &;c.  257 

Without  giving  his  other  measurements,  these  will  be 
enough  to  show  the  proportions  of  the  two  forms.  As  re- 
gards the  difference  in  colouring,  that  is  easily  stated.  Both 
races  assume  in  spring  a  grey  back,  a  white  forehead  and 
eye-streak,  and  a  darker  wing ;  but  while  the  smaller  race 
changes  from  a  reddish  buff  on  the  lower  surface  to  pale 
yellow-buff  on  the  throat  and  breast,  and  whitish  on  the  ab- 
domen, the  larger  race  retains  the  deep  reddish  buff  on  the 
throat  and  breast,  and  if  there  is  any  difference  between  the 
autumn  and  spring  colouring  of  these  parts,  it  is  that  there 
is  a  richer  glow  of  red  about  them  in  spring  than  in  autumn. 

It  is  clear  therefore  that,  independently  of  size,  the  rich 
reddish  throat  of  the  larger  bird  distinguishes  it  at  once  from 
the  paler  bird. 

It  remains  to  say  what  little  I  know  of  the  separate  range 
and  migration  of  this  large  race.  It  is  soon  told.  I  know 
nothing  of  the  bird^s  occurrence  west  of  Sussex ;  but  it  cer- 
tainly appears  every  May  on  the  shores  of  Sussex  and  Kent, 
and  also  on  the  opposite  shores  of  the  Continent  (see  Schlegel's 
^  Birds  of  Europe^).  Schlegel  says  it  aj)pears  ^"^in  the  month 
of  May.^^  Gould  obtained  two  specimens  from  Dungeness 
on  May  9.  My  brother,  Mr.  Ivo  Bligh,  shot  one  in  Cobham 
Park,  near  Gravesend,  on  May  1st.  This  last  specimen  agrees 
exactly  in  size  and  colour  with  Gould's  life-size  figure,  and 
also  with  specimens  at  Swaysland^s,  the  Brighton  bird- 
preserver's. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  I  am  unable  to  see  why  such  a 
distinctly  large  race,  that  retains  a  red  breast  in  summer,  and 
arrives  on  our  south-east  coast  in  May  instead  of  March, 
should  not  be  as  worthy  of  recognition  as  the  large  brightly 
coloured  Bullfinch  of  Eastern  Europe. 

Yours  &c., 

Clifton, 


Nortlirepps,  Norwich, 

20th  March,  1877. 

Sirs,— In  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1860,  p.  171,  for  1 862,  p.  207,  for 
1873,  p.  32-1, 1  recorded  the  laying  of  a  series  of  eggs  in  confine- 


258  Letters,  Announcements ,  ^c. 

ment  by  a  specimen  of  Vultur  auricularis  in  my  possession ; 
and  I  am  now  desirous  of  recording  the  death  of  this  bird, 
which  occurred  on  17th  March,  1877.  This  Vulture  was 
purchased  by  me  at  the  sale  of  the  collection  at  the  Surrey 
Zoological  Gardens  in  1855,  and  was  then  a  fully  adult  and, 
apparently,  rather  an  old  bird.  During  the  period  that  this 
Vulture  lived  in  my  possession  she  laid  twelve  eggs,  but  never 
more  than  one  in  a  year ;  the  earliest  date  of  laying  was  that 
of  the  first  egg,  laid  on  15th  February,  1859,  and  the  latest, 
of  her  last  egg,  laid  18th  March,  1872. 

I  am  yours,  &c., 

J.  H.  GURNEY. 


Sirs, — In  some  interesting  remarks  on  Anthus  gustavi, 
Swinhoe  {antea,  p.  128),  Mr.  Seebohm  observes  that  this 
Pipit  should  be  looked  for  in  winter  in  the  Philippine  Islands, 
in  the  Malay  archipelago.  At  page  117  of  the  Zoological 
Society's  '  Transactions,'  vol.  viii.,  the  occurrence  of  this 
species  in  Celebes  is  noticed,  and  its  identity  with  Pipastes 
batchianensis ,  G.  R.  Gray,  is  recorded. 

Yours  truly, 

TWEEDDALE. 

Chislehurst,  March  1,  1877. 


Neiv  Work  on  Madagascar  and  Mascarene  Birds  by  Dr.  Hnrt- 
laub'^-. — Under  the  title  given  above,  the  veteran  ornithologist. 
Dr.  G.  Hartlaub  of  Bremen,  has  just  issued  a  new  and  complete 
revision  of  the  ornis  of  Madagascar  and  the  Mascarene  Islands. 
It  is  now  fifteen  years  since  the  appearance  of  Dr.  Hartlaub's 
former  work  on  this  subject,  entitled  '  Ornithologischer  Bei- 
trag  zur  Fauna  Madagascars.'  During  this  period  great  ad- 
vances have  been  made  in  our  knowledge  of  the  ornithology 
of  these  countries,  especially  by  the  researches  of  A.  Gran- 
didier.  Pollen  and  Van  Dam,  Edward  Newton,  and  Crossley, 
nearly  the  whole  of  which  Dr.  Hartlaub  has  been  able,  through 
the  kind  aid  of  these  naturalists,  or  that  of  the  authorities  of 

*  Die  Vogel  Madagascavs  und  der  Mascarenen,  ein  Beitrag  zur  Zoologie 
der  aethiopisclien  Rt'giou. 


Letters,  A7inouncements,  S^c.  259 

the  museums  in  which  their  specimens  have  been  deposited, 
to  incorporate  into  the  present  work. 

As  a  frontispiece  of  the  work  (which  consists  of  an  octavo 
volume  of  400  pages),  a  copy  of  a  newly  discovered  original 
picture  of  the  Dodo  by  Savary  is  given.  We  hope  to  give  a 
more  extended  notice  of  this  important  publication  in  our 
next  number. 


New  Work  on  Indian  Birds. — Messrs.  A.  O.  Hume  and  Gr. 
F.  L.  Marshall  send  us  a  prospectus  of  '  The  Game  Birds  of 
India/  with  ^"^  hand-coloured  illustrations  of  all  the  known 
species,"  to  be  published  early  in  1878.  The  size  will  be 
that  of  Shelley's  'Birds  of  Egypt.'  There  will  be  four 
volumes,  each  with  about  forty  plates,  the  price  to  sub- 
scribers in  advance  being  £4)  14*.  6d.,  paid  in  England,  or 
Rs.  54  in  India.  The  first  will  contain  the  Peafowl,  Phea- 
sants, Jungle  Fowl,  and  Spur  Fowl ;  the  second  the  Par- 
tridges, Quail,  Bustard,  and  Florikin ;  the  third  the  Pigeons 
and  Sandgrouse  ;  the  fourth  the  Water-birds,  Cranes,  Geese, 
Duck,  Teal,  Snipe,  Woodcock,  &c.  A  fifth  volume  may, 
perhaps,  be  subsequently  added,  containing  the  Plovers  and 
Waders,  which, ''  though  not  actually  Game  Birds,  often  afford 
very  excellent  eating ; "  but  only  the  four  volumes  enumerated 
above  will  be  put  in  hand  at  once. 


Exploration  of  Tenasserim. — Major  Godwin-Austen,  who 
is  temporarily  engaged  in  arranging  the  collection  of  birds  in 
the  new  Imperial  Museum  at  Calcutta,  writes  to  us  of  a  plan 
which  has  been  started  there  for  the  collection  of  zoological 
specimens  in  the  Tenasserim  provinces.  The  services  of  a 
young  Swedish  collector,  named  Ossian  Limborg,  who  had 
lately  arrived  in  Calcutta,  had  been  obtained  with  this  object. 
After  previous  instruction,  Mr.  Limborg  had  been  despatched, 
in  company  with  a  taxidermist  and  a  native  collector,  on  the 
11th  of  December  last  to  his  destination.  His  first  triji  was 
to  the  high  range  of  Moule,  east  of  Moulmain,  about  5000 
feet  high,  the  base  of  which  he  reached  on  the  31st  of  De- 
cember.    Major  Godwin-Austen  writes  on  February  1,  that 


260  Letters,  Announcements,  6fC. 

Limborg  had  hitherto  done  very  well.  His  "  first  consign- 
ment_,  of  some  200  birdskins^  a  few  small  mammals,  reptiles, 
and  fisheSj  and  a  lot  of  good  insects,  arrived  a  feM'  days  since, 
showing  that  he  mnst  have  worked  hard.  We  are  going  to 
send  him  another  and  better  taxidermist.  The  duplicates 
will  be  sold  to  help  expenses ;  and  those  who  apply  first  will 
have  the  first  choice.'" 


Pitta  versus  Brachyurus. — Mr.  Elliot,  in  his  well-known 
monograph,  uses  the  generic  term  Brachyurus  for  the  great 
body  of  Pittas,  i.  e.  those  with  short  tails,  and  confines  Pitta 
to  the  sharp-tailed  section,  containing  P.  cyanura  and  others. 
But  there  is  no  doubt  this  practice  is  indefensible.  Pitta, 
as  originally  established  in  1816  by  Vieillot  (Analyse,  p.  42), 
is  defined  as  =" Breve"  of  Buff'on.  Now  Buffon^s  "Breve" 
contained  only  four  species,  all  belonging  to  the  short-tailed 
division. 

Again,  the  type  of  Brachyurus,  founded  by  Thunberg  in 
1821  (K.  Yet.  Ak.  Handl.  1821,  p.  370),  is  Turdus  triostegus 
of  the  Museum  Carlsonianum,  which  =  Pitta  bengalensis 
of  the  short-tailed  section.  Therefore  Brachyurus  =  Pitta, 
and  these  names  cannot  be  used  for  different  genera. 


Name  of  Falco  dickinsoni. — In  the  first  volume  of  his  Cata- 
logue of  Birds  (p.  447)  Mr.  Sharpe  has  altered  the  specific 
name  of  the  Falcon  described  and  figured  in  '  The  Ibis '  for 
1864,  and  called  dickinsoni  (after  its  discoverer,  the  late  Dr. 
John  Dickinson,  of  the  Oxford  and  Cambridge  Central- African 
Mission),  to  '' dicker soni."  This  he  appears  to  have  done  in 
consequence  of  what  Mr.  Gurney  has  stated.  Ibis,  1869,  p.  444. 
But  I  believe.  Mr.  Gurney  must  have  been  mistaken.  With 
the  late  Dr.  Dickinson  himself  I  never  had  the  good  fortune 
to  be  acquainted,  but  on  referring  to  the  correspondence  Avhich 
I  had  with  his  brother,  Mr.  R.  Dickinson,  of  Jarrow-upon- 
Tyue,  I  find  that  my  version  of  the  family  name  is  undoubt- 
edly correct.  I  must  add  that  Mr.  Sharpe  ought,  in  my 
opinion,  to  have  stated  in  his  '  Catalogue '  the  grounds  upon 
which  the  change  was  made,  as  it  might  otherwise  have  been 
supposed  to  be  a  typographical  error. — P.  L.  S. 


THE    IBIS. 


FOURTH   SERIES. 


No.  III.     JULY  1877. 


XXII. — A  Contribution  to  the  Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor. 
By  C.  G.  Danford. 

The  following  notes  result  from  a  trip  to  Asia  Minor  during 
the  winter  of  1875-76  and  the  ensuing  spring.  The  list  given 
in  no  way  pretends  to  be  exhaustive,  and  is  only  intended  as 
a  contribution  towards  the  singularly  scanty  ornithological 
literature  appertaining  to  this  country.  The  number  of  species 
enumerated  will  probably  appear  small^  considering  the  geo- 
graphical position  of  the  peninsula.  It  must,  however,  be 
borne  in  mind  that,  with  the  exception  of  a  month''s  journey 
across  the  interior,  the  entire  time  was  spent  among  the 
Cilician  mountains,  at  elevations  of  above  3000  feet,  and 
in  districts  devoid  of  marshes,  and  principally  consisting  of 
rocks  and  coniferous  woods — conditions  very  unfavourable  to 
the  existence  of  an  avifauna  rich  in  species.  Had  we  collected 
on  the  sea-coast-plains  during  winter,  and  remained  until 
later  in  the  mountains,  a  large  number  of  waders,  swimmers, 
and  migrants  would  have  been  added  to  the  list,  as,  indeed, 
previous  experience  had  already  shown  us. 

Altogether  138  species  of  birds   were  found  in  the  raoun- 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  T 


262  Mr.  C.  G.  Danford  on  the 

tains,  and  47  more  in  the  interior,  making  a  total  of  185.  Of 
156  of  these  species  specimens  were  shot ;  and  of  the  remainder 
examples  were  so  closely  observed  as  hardly  to  admit  of  any 
mistake  in  their  identification  having  been  made.  Doubtful  ob- 
servations of  Eagles,  Hawks,  &c.  have  not  been  included,  most 
birds  of  those  classes  being  extremely  difficult  to  distinguish 
with  certainty  beyond  a  short  distance.  In  the  following  rough 
sketch  of  the  line  of  march  it  will  be  seen  that  the  fauna  and 
flora  of  the  mountain-districts  is,  on  the  whole,  very  European 
in  character,  though  connected  by  various  well-marked  forms 
with  those  of  countries  lying  further  to  the  east. 

We  left  Smyrna  Dec.  3rd,  and  after  a  very  stormy  passage 
arrived  at  Mersina  early  in  the  morning  of  Dec.  7th. 

There  was  still  a  heavy  swell  on,  which  made  the  landing 
rather  difficult ;  sometimes,  when  the  south  wind  blows  strong, 
it  is  impossible.  However,  thanks  to  the  kind  offices  of  Mr. 
Tattarachi  (H.B.M.Vice-Consul),we  ourselves  and  our  baggage 
were  landed,  the  customs  passed,  and  horses  got  ready  for  the 
afternoon  ride  to  Tarsus.  The  distance  to  that  town  can, 
at  a  sharp  pace,  be  got  over  in  three  hours,  the  road  being  a 
good  one,  passing  over  a  level  plain,  some  of  which  is  devoted 
to  cotton-cultivation,  but  the  greater  part  is  waste  land. 
Among  the  myrtles,  rushes,  and  low  scrub  which  cover  it 
Francolins  {Francolinus  vulgaris)  are  reported  to  be  very 
plentiful ;  and  the  large  lagoons  in  the  distance,  which  in  old 
times  connected  Tarsus  with  the  sea,  are  said  to  swarm  with 
wildfowl.  On  the  wayside  Eagles,  Buzzards,  Harriers, 
Ravens,  Hooded  Crows,  Rooks,  various  Larks,  and  a  few 
flights  of  Plover  were  the  principal  birds  seen. 

From  Tarsus  excursions  were  made  to  the  Dunek  Tash,  the 
reported  tomb  of  Sardanapalus,  and  the  waterfalls  of  the  Cyd- 
nus.  About  the  orange-gardens  surrounding  the  former  a  few 
small  Warblers  were  observed ;  and  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
latter  was  frequented  by  Kingfishers  [Ceryle  rudis  and  Alcedo 
ispida)  and  Wagtails  {Motacilla  melanope  and  M.  alba) .  Above 
these  celebrated  falls  most  of  the  water  is  led  off  for  mill-pur- 
poses; the  remainder,  after  a  fall  of  about  15  feet  over  the 
conglomerate  rock,  flows  on  through   a  deep  narrow  channel 


Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.  263 

of  the  same  formation.     The  water  is  certainly  remarkably 
cold^  and  seems  to  hold  plenty  of  fish. 

A  couple  of  days  sufficed  to  get  things  in  order ;  and  we 
then  left  Tarsus  for  Gozna^  a  village  in  the  mountains,  the 
"  yaila  "  or  summer-quarters  of  the  richer  city-people  during 
the  pestilential  summer  heat.  The  way  lies  at  first  parallel  to 
the  Mersina  road  along  the  plain,  but  soon  turns  oft'  into  a 
country  made  up  of  a  number  of  small  hills,  partly  rocky 
and  partly  earthy.  Here  the  little  flats  between  the  hills 
were  gay  with  pale  mauve  colchicums,  and  the  slopes  were 
thickly  covered  with  tall  heaths,  daphne  bushes  just  coming 
into  flower,  arid  myrtles  already  in  bloom.  The  birds  seen 
on  the  way  were  principally  Larks  (Calandra  and  Crested), 
Chaffinches,  and  large  flocks  of  Corn-Buntings.  A  birdcatcher 
whom  we  encountered  had  his  net  full  of  live  Starlings. 

After  passing  a  small  stream  and  a  ruined  tower  the  road 
became  rougher,  and  rapidly  ascended  into  a  higher  country, 
over  alternate  hills  and  ravines,  both  well  covered  with  thorny 
bushes,  myrtles,  and  other  evergreens.     A  few  fir  trees  were 
scattered  about ;  and  occasional  glimpses  were  caught  of  the 
sea  on  one  side  and  the  snow-hills  on  the  other.     As  evening 
came  on.  Partridges  [Caccabis  chukar)  enlivened  the  way  with 
their  cackling,  Jays  {Garrulus  kryjiickii)  screamed,  and  num- 
bers  of  Blackbirds  and   Thrushes  fed  busily  on  the  sweet 
aromatic  myrtle-berries.     These  berries  ai'e  by  no  means  bad, 
the  white  and  scarcer  kind  being,  as  white  fruits  usually  are, 
much  the  best.     A  hunt  after  a  flock  of  strange-looking  birds, 
which  turned  out  to  be  Bulbuls  [Fycnonotus  xanthopygius), 
took  up  so  much  time  that  the  last  two  hours  of  the  way  were 
done  by  moonlight,  which  made  the  scenery  of  the  woods  and 
great  rocky  ravines,  by  which  we  led  our  horses,  look  doubly 
wild  and  mysterious.     Gozna  is  at  a  high  elevation,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  the  good  stone  building  kindly  placed  at  our 
disposal  by  Mr.  Debbas  (American  Consul  at  Tarsus),  con- 
sists of  a  number  of  straggling  wooden  houses.     Its  posi- 
tion in  a  draughty   gap  of  the  hills  is,  no  doubt,  agreeable 
in  summer,  but  makes  it  any  thing  but  a   pleasant   winter 
residence.     Birds  seem  to  be  pretty  much  of  this  opinion  too, 

T  2 


264  Mr.  C.  (i.  Daiiibrd  o/i  the 

as  the  species  found  in  the  surrounding  woods  were  few  and 
far  between.  These  woods  mostly  resemble  the  coverts  in 
the  hilly  parts  of  Devonshire.  Oak  trees,  ivy-bound  and 
clematis-hung,  form  the  staple  growth.  Mixed  with  these 
are  a  good  many  evergreens  and  an  undergrowth  of  thorn 
and  bramble,  which  creeps  and  twists  about  a  debris  of  bluish 
grey  limestone  patched  with  rich  green  moss.  Higher  up 
are  tall  spruces  and  junipers  {Juniperus  drupacea,  Labill.). 
The  fruit  of  the  latter  species  is  abundant  and  very  orna- 
mental, almost  as  large  as  a  walnut,  and  covered  with  a  pale 
blue  bloom,  like  a  ripe  plum. 

These  woods  are  doubtless  in  summer  well  stocked  with 
birds.  In  winter  they  are  principally  inhabited  by  Wood- 
peckers [Gecinus  vlridis,  Fiais  medius,  P.  lilfordi,  P.  minor), 
Nuthatches  [Sitta  cassia,  S.  krueperi) ,  a.nd  Tits  {Parus  major, 
P.  lugubris,  P.  caruleus,  P.  ater,  and  Aeredula  tephronota) . 
The  last-named  species,  and  also  the  Gold-  and  Fire- crested 
Wrens,  were  veiy  common  in  a  wood  of  mixed  beech  and  oak 
to  the  east  of  Gozna.  This  wood  was  further  remarkable  as 
being  of  a  singularly  weird  appearance,  the  rocks  and  the 
lichens  upon  them,  the  branches  and  stems  of  the  trees,  and 
the  long  beard-like  mosses  which  hung  from  them,  being 
all  of  an  almost  unvarying  tint  of  pale  grey. 

During  our  stay  at  Gozna  there  was  plenty  of  hard  frost 
and  several  heavy  falls  of  snow,  and  it  was  Avith  great  diffi- 
culty that  horse-owners  were  induced  to  go  further  up  into 
the  hills.  However,  the  chief  of  a  small  village  near  by  did 
at  last  get  together  the  necessary  men  and  animals,  and  we 
left  for  Zebil  on  January  3rd.  The  distance  to  that  village 
is,  as  the  Crow  flies,  short ;  but  the  snow  which  lay  on  the 
upper  levels,  and  the  crossing  of  the  deep  valleys  of  Der- 
men  deresi  (mill  valley)  and  Pambouk  deresi  (cotton  valley), 
made  the  tramp  rather  a  long  one.  Flocks  of  Hawfinches, 
Goldfinches,  Skylarks,  and  Pipits  were  met  with  on  the  way ; 
and  numbers  of  Fieldfares  and  a  couple  of  Eagle  Owls  were 
seen  in  a  great  forest  of  firs,  through  which  the  path  led  by 
a  descent  of  2400  feet  to  the  bottom  of  the  Pambouk  deresi, 
along  which  flows  the  western  bjanch  of  the  Cydnus.     The 


Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.  265 

stream  was  crossed  by  a  picturesque  bridge ;  near  by  were 
some  wet  rocks  covered  with  Hart^s-tongue  fern  {Scolopen- 
drium  vulgare) — a  very  rare  species  in  Asia  Minor.  A  rise  of 
1700  feet  by  zigzags  up  the  one  practicable  cleft  in  the  rocks 
of  the  north  side  brought  us  near  Zebil^  in  which  village  much 
time  was  destined  to  be  lost  through  the  occurrence  of  certain 
casualties^  and  in  fruitless  efforts  to  obtain  Tetraogallus. 

Zebil  is  the  westernmost  village  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Bulgar  dagh.  Its  elevation  is  about  3500  feet.  Close  be- 
hind it  rise  the  high  hills  ;  and  in  front  is  the  deep  ravine  and 
river  just  alluded  to.  Though  unnamed  on  the  maps^  this 
stream  has  certainly  a  larger  body  of  water  and  quite  as  long 
a  course  as  the  branch  to  the  eastward,  and  therefore  seems 
as  fully  entitled  to  the  classic  name  of  Cydnus.  Its  origin  is 
reported  to  be  in  the  wall-like  barrier  of  the  Bulgar-dagh  at 
the  head  of  the  Chojak  deresi.  There  it  is  said  to  spring 
from  the  rock  in  great  volume,  with  a  fall  of  about  20  feet. 
The  deep  snow  prevented  a  visit  to  this  spot,  which  is  further 
remarkable  for  the  remains  of  an  ancient  town,  as  yet  appa- 
rently unexplored.  The  natives  say  that  the  position  of  the 
streets  can  be  clearly  traced,  and  that  other  ruins  exist  among 
the  hills. 

The  river  itself  bears  no  name  in  this  district,  but  is  called 
by  those  given  to  the  different  bends  of  the  ravine  through 
which  it  flows.  These  are  Chojak  deresi,  Jeharinum  deresi, 
Pambouk  deresi,  and  so  on.  After  entering  the  plain  it  is 
known  as  the  Tersous-tchai.  Vertically  considered,  these 
ravines  are,  in  their  lower  depths,  clothed  with  vai;ious  oaks 
and  evergreen  shrubs,  which  higher  up  give  place  to  spruces, 
red  firs,  white  firs,  and  finally  to  cedars  and  junipers.  There 
is  but  little  life  in  the  upper  regions — the  winter  resort  of 
the  ibex  and  a  few  predatory  animals.  An  occasional  Lam- 
mergeyer  or  Golden  Eagle  swoops  about  the  crags ;  the  cries 
of  the  Peregrine  and  Raven,  or  the  aerial  consultations  of  a 
party  of  Alpine  Choughs,  are  heard  now  and  again.  Often 
nothing  breaks  the  stillness  but  the  tapping  of  a  stray  Wood- 
pecker or  the  notes  of  Kriiper's  ubiquitous  Nuthatch.  The 
part  of  the  ravine  immediately  below  Zebil  is  called  Jehannum 


266  Mr.  C.  G.  Danfonl  on  the 

deresi  (Valley  of  Hell).  The  only  path  to  the  bottom  leads 
by  sharp  zigzags  down  to  a  small  mill.  The  aneroid  gave 
the  depth  of  the  descent  as  nearly  2000  feet.  The  scenery  of 
the  valley  itself  is  beautiful ;  and  it  is  probably  with  reference 
to  the  return  ascent  that  it  has  received  its  name.  The  change 
of  temperature  on  reaching  the  river  was  great.  Above  was 
winter  and  snow,  below  warm  spring,  with  butterflies  {Gone- 
pteryx  rhamni,  var.  farinosa)  flitting  aboiit,  and  primroses, 
violets,  and  snowdrops  in  full  bloom.  The  stream  is  about  the 
size  of  a  good  Scotch  burn,  and  in  some  places  tumbles  wildly 
about  among  large  boulders,  and  in  others  forms  long  gravelly 
runs  and  deep  rock-shadowed  pools.  The  water  is  very  clear 
and  of  a  greenish  colour.  It  absolutely  swarms  with  trout 
{Salmo  fario,  var.  ausoni),  called  by  the  natives  '  Pulu  baluk ' 
(spotted  fish) .  They  are  very  good-shaped  fish,  running  about 
three  to  the  pound,  and  are  of  a  most  unsophisticated  nature, 
taking  freely  any  fly  oftered  to  them.  A  mile  below  the  mill 
the  stream  enters  an  impassable  gorge  and  emerges  into  the 
Pambuk  deresi.  Here  the  trout  are  much  less  numerous, 
no  doubt  owing  to  the  presence  of  numbers  of  mountain- 
barbel  or  '  Jonuz '  [Capoeta  syriaca).  Birds  are  scarce  in  this 
region.  A  few  Water-ouzels  hurry  up  and  down;  troops  of 
Long-tailed  Tits  disport  themselves  in  the  tops  of  the  plane 
trees,  whose  green-grey  stems  are  here,  contrary  to  their 
ordinary  habit  of  growth,  tall  and  slim.  Add  to  the  above 
birds  some  common  Tits,  Hedge- Sparrows,  Thrushes,  a  soli- 
tary Kingfisher  or  Sandpiper  [Totanus  ochropus),  with  a  few 
Wild  Ducks,  and  the  winter  ornithological  resources  of  the 
place  may  be  regarded  as  nearly  exhausted. 

The  country  about  Zebil  between  the  ravine  and  the  moun- 
tains is  irregular,  and  made  up  of  low  hills,  chiefly  formed  of 
conglomerate  and  limestone.  Fossils,  especially  oysters  and 
echinoderms,  are  abundant.  Deep  earthy  gullies  intersect 
the  ground  between  the  small  flats,  which  are,  for  the  most 
part,  cultivated.  Tracts  of  heath  and  brushwood  aftbrd 
shelter  to  numerous  Hares  [Lepus  syriacus),  Partridges,  and 
a  sprinkling  of  Woodcocks.  Most  of  the  large  game  inhabit 
the  lower  and  warmer  districts.     The  natives  of  the  Zebil  arc 


Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.  267 

all  Turks ;  and  great  reputation  attaches  to  a  good  sportsman. 
On  most  Fridays  there  is  a  general  hunt^  in  which  all  the 
boys  and  able-bodied  men  are  expected  to  join.  Any  one 
who  absents  himself  is  made  to  ride  round  the  village  on  a 
donkey,  and  has  mud  put  on  his  face.  In  aggravated  cases  his 
house  is  pulled  down. 

We  left  Zebil  February  26th,  having  up  to  that  time  iden- 
tified eighty  species  of  birds.  These,  with  one  or  two  excep- 
tions, were  all  either  residents  or  winter  visitors. 

On  leaving  Zebil  our  way  lay  through  hilly  ground,  past 
the  isolated  rock  of  Nimrouu,  on  the  summit  of  which  is  an 
old  Armenian  castle.  The  village  is  at  the  base  of  the  rock, 
and  is  a  favourite  "  yaila  "  of  the  people  of  the  plain.  Scattered 
all  round  are  numerous  "  chardaks "  (wooden  houses),  each 
standing  in  its  own  ground,  and  surrounded  by  vineyards, 
and  orchards  of  plum,  cherry,  apricot,  peach,  and  walnut 
trees.  Further  on,  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Cydnus  was 
crossed.  This  stream  flows  through  a  deep  ravine,  also  called 
"  Jehannum  deresi ;"  but  the  scenery,  though  wild  and  pictu- 
resque, is  not  so  grand  as  that  of  the  other  branch  described 
above. 

The  ascent  of  the  opposite  side,  through  fir- woods,  brought 
us  to  the  village  of  Gsensin,  a  small  place  prettily  situated  in 
a  well-wooded  country,  and  commanding  fine  views  of  the 
highest  peaks  of  the  Bulgar-dagh.  Here  we  remained  a  few 
days,  without  adding  much  to  our  collection,  until  the  morn- 
ing of  our  departure,  when  a  man  arrived  with  a  pair  of  Te- 
traogallus.  He  had  been  out  three  days  on  the  snow,  and 
was  as  much  delighted  at  beating  all  other  competitors  as 
with  receiving  the  promised  reward. 

The  birds   were  at  once  recognized  as  not  being  identical 
with  the  species  from  the  Caucasus ;  and  as  we  were  not  then 
acquainted  with  the  Persian  bird  [T.  casjnus)  we  took  them" 
to  be  a  new  species,  and  accordingly  went  on  our  way  with 
much  rejoicing. 

The  road  lay  by  the  celebrated  pass  of  Gulek  and  the  now 
abandoned  castles  and  earthworks  constructed  by  Ibrahim 
Pasha  for  the  defence  of  this  important  position,  which  com- 


268  Mr.  C.  G.  Danford  on  the 

mands  the  defile  of  the  Taurus  known  as  the  Cilician  gates 
(Pylse  Cilicise) .  Cannon  and  cannon-balls  lay  half  imbedded 
in  the  ground^  attempts  to  remove  them  having  failed.  The 
road  is  here  along  a  valley,  the  north  side  of  which  is 
bounded  by  the  Bulgar  dagh^  and  the  south  by  the  rocky  moun- 
tains of  Anascha.  The  village  of  the  same  name  is  situated 
on  the  north  face  of  the  mountain  overlooking  the  valley  of 
the  Sihoun.  The  elevation  is  about  4000  feet;  and  the  views 
on  all  sides  ai"e  very  fine,  especially  to  the  north-east,  where 
rise  the  rocky  walls  and  peaks  of  the  Ala  dagh.  The  latter 
range  is  divided  from  the  Anascha  dagh  by  a  branch  of  the 
Sihoun  {Sarus).  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  only 
firs  grow,  and  it  has  rather  a  burnt-up  look ;  but  on  the 
Anascha  mountains  vegetation  is  much  more  luxuriant,  and 
almost  all  the  kinds  of  trees  found  in  the  Taurus  are  there 
represented.  Conifers  hold  the  chief  place.  The  most  abun- 
dant of  these  are  "  kizil  cham  ^'  (red  fir,  P'mus  laricio,  Poir.) 
and  the  silvery  barked  "  ak  cham^^  (white  fir,  P.fenzilii,  Ant, 
et  Key),  which  takes  the  place  of  the  former  at  about  4000 
feet  elevation.  Clumps  of '^'  eladin  "  (spruce^  Abies  cilicice)  are 
pretty  numerous  ;  and  higher  up  on  the  steep  rocky  slopes  are 
the  dark  silent  "kartaran,"  or  cedar-woods.  These,  together 
with  scattered  stems  of  "ardytch^^  [Juniperus  excelsa),  form 
the  uppermost  growth.  This  juniper  is  often  of  enormous  size, 
some  measured  at  Zebil  having,  at  a  yard  above  the  ground, 
a  circumference  of  more  than  18  feet.  The  wood  is  of  a  red- 
brown  colour,  highly  scented,  and  splits  with  great  ease  and 
smoothness.  Two  other  smaller  junipers  are  also  common — 
the  red-berried  "  tikian  ardytch  "  (/.  rufescens)  in  the  lower, 
and  the  strong-smelling  juniper  (J.  fcetidissima)  in  the  upper 
elevations. 

Next  in  importance  are  the  oaks,  here  in  great  variety,  but 
very  difficult  to  distinguish  when  devoid  of  leaves  and  fruit. 
At  the  opening  of  spring,  flowers  appear  in  wonderful  profu- 
sion. Of  Crocus,  at  least  five  kinds  are  common  ;  and  other 
beautiful  genera,  such  as  Scilla,  Bellevalia,  Muscari,  Hya- 
cinthus,  and  Xiphion,  are  well  represented. 

We  remained   at   Anascha  from  March  8rd  to  April  18th, 


Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.  269 

adding  during  that  time  thirty-seven  species  to  our  list. 
Most  of  these  were  migrants,  the  first  to  arrive  being  Chats 
(Saxicola  erythrasa  and  S.  isabeUina) .  These  were  quickly 
followed  by  Hoopoes  and  Thrushes  {Monticola  cyanus  and  M. 
saxatilis),  more  Chats  [S.  cenanthe  and  S.  melanoleuca) ,  Swifts 
{Cypselus  nielba),  and  Warblers  {Sylvia  rueppelli  and  S.  gar- 
rula).  Birds  were  most  numerous  about  the  mixed  woods, 
least  plentiful  at  the  river-side,  which  one  would  have  ex- 
pected to  have  been  the  natural  highway  of  immigration. 

The  next  halting-place  after  leaving  Anascha  was  Giaour- 
keui,  at  the  base  of  the  Karanfil  dagh.  This  mountain  is  lofty, 
narrow,  and  very  precipitous,  the  direction  of  its  mass  being 
transverse  to  the  general  chain  of  the  Ala  dagh,  of  which  it 
forms  part. 

The  week  spent  at  this  little  village  was  chiefly  devoted  to 
seeking  for  the  nests  of  Ehrenberg^s  Redstart  [Ruticilla  me- 
soleuca),  the  Red-fronted  Serin  [Serinus  pusillus) ,  and  the 
Snow-Partridge  {Tetraogallus  caspius).  All  of  these  quests 
were  happily  successful ;  and  as  fuller  details  of  the  character 
of  this  part  of  the  country  will  be  given  in  connexion  with  the 
above-mentioned  birds,  there  is  no  necessity  to  enlarge  upon  it 
here.  We  left  Giaour-keui  April  29th,  and  joined  the  main 
track  to  Kaisariy eh  at  the  bridge  of  Melimen .  From  this  point 
the  road  follows  the  south  bank  of  the  river  Korkun,  passing  by 
the  isolated  hill  of  Masmeno  and  under  the  huge  walls  of  the 
Demir-kasek  (iron  rod) .  Heavy  mists  hung  low  down  the 
mountain-sides  and  prevented  us  seeing  the  full  grandeur  of 
the  scenery.  The  country  was  here  much  colder  and  barer, 
and  the  vegetation  far  less  advanced.  The  low  hills  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river  were  quite  barren ;  but  their  local 
colouring  was  striking  and  very  beautiful,  being  a  harmony 
of  rich  brown- purples  and  grey-greens. 

We  diverged  from  the  track  to  pass  the  night  at  Bereketlu 
(place  of  blessing),  formerly  celebrated  for  its  lead-mines. 
From  here  the  view  of  the  Apisch-kar  and  the  other  wild  and 
jagged  mountains  of  the  Ala  dagh  is  very  fine.  The  place 
itself  is  divided  into  two  parts.  Christian  and  Turkish.  It  is 
well-watered,  having  willow  trees  and  hedges,  in  which  a  few 


270  Mr.  C.  G.  Danford  on  the 

Turtledoves  and  Cetti^s  Warblers  were  observed ;  and  our 
house  was  the  abode  of  hundreds  of  Rock- Sparrows  {Passer 
petronius) .  On  the  bare  hills  near  by  a  good  many  Horned 
Larks  {Otocorys penicillata)  were  met  Avith.  They  were  evi- 
dently breeding  here ;  but  having  a  long  stretch  to  make  that 
day,  and  expecting  to  find  them  further  on,  we  did  not  stop 
to  look  for  nests.  As  often  happens  in  such  cases,  we  never 
saw  them  again. 

From  Bereketlii  to  DevelU-kara  Hissar  (the  Black  Castle 
of  the  Place  of  Camels)  is  two  good  days'  march.  The  way 
is  at  first  over  low  hills^  chiefly  barren,  but  having  a  few  trees 
and  hedges  near  the  villages.  Little  marmot-like  animals 
{Spermophilus  xanthoprymnns)  swarmed  everywhere,  and 
nearly  (b'ove  our  retriever  Polo  to  distraction;  he  evidently 
taking  them  for  a  small  species  of  rabbit.  Magpies  built 
wherever  they  could  find  a  place ;  and  in  a  small  marsh  were 
plenty  of  Black-headed  Wagtails,  Red-throated  Pipits,  some 
Lapwings,  and  a  few  Ruddy  Sheldrakes,  which  waddled  about 
in  a  most  unconcerned  fashion.  After  passing  the  village  of 
Enehiil  the  country  becomes  more  grassy,  and  is  traversed  by 
long  lines  of  dark  igneous  rocks,  in  which  breed  numbers  oi 
Raptorial  birds. 

We  halted  at  the  curious  little  village  of  Gordilas,  which 
is  built  half  in  and  half  out  of  the  rocks,  and  plastered  every- 
where with  "  kerpez "  (round  dung-cakes)  for  winter  fuel. 
Before  leaving  in  the  morning  we  visited  a  nest  of  Sea-Eagles, 
which  was  not  yet  laid  in^  one  of  Buteo  ferox,  which  con- 
tained four  deeply  incubated  eggs,  and  a  Golden  Eaglets,  in 
which  was  a  very  young  nestling  and  a  yelkless  egg.  The 
female  was  knocked  over  with  a  broken  wing,  and  made  with 
her  claws  deep  impressions  on  an  incautious  member  of  our 
party.  Small  birds,  particularly  of  the  Lark  and  SwalloAv 
tribes,  swarm  in  this  locality ;  and  the  Crimson-winged  Bull- 
finch [Erytlirospiza  sanguined)  was  here  first  observed.  Pass- 
ing through  a  small  rocky  valley  frequented  by  Arabian 
Chats  [Saxicola  erythraa),  one  suddenly  comes  in  sight  of  the 
Erjdias  dagh,  the  highest  mountain  of  Asia  Minor.  Its  sharp 
snow-covered  cones,   and   the  broad   expanse  of  water   and 


Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.  271 

marshy  levels  at  its  base,  form  a  splendid  picture.  Mount 
Argseus  is  isolated  from  the  range  of  the  Antitaurus,  and  is  of 
volcanic  origin.  Its  height  is  12,000  to  13,000  feet*,  being 
above  the  limit  of  perpetual  snow.  There  are,  however,  no 
glaciers,  either  on  the  Argseus  or  in  any  part  of  the  country. 
Develii-kara  Hissar  is  a  small  place  overlooked  by  a  ruined 
castle.  It  would  make  a  capital  collecting-station,  being 
surrounded  by  large  gardens,  and  close  to  the  lake  and  the 
rocky  steppe  country. 

Beyond  the  town  the  track  passes  at  first  near  the  water 
over  a  monotonous  dead  level,  which  is  thickly  covered  with 
grass  and  stubby  plants.  Red-backed  and  Lesser  Shrikes 
were  common  here.  Myriads  of  Calandra  and  Short-toed 
Larks  sprung  up  at  every  step  ;  and  flocks  of  Orange-legged 
Hobbies  hovered  overhead  or  pitched  on  the  little  hillocks 
which  dotted  the  plain.  A  few  hills  have  to  be  crossed  before 
reaching  Inje-su  (Narrow  Water).  This  town  fills  up  a  rift 
in  the  volcanic  rock,  and  must  in  summer  be  a  perfect  furnace. 
In  the  beginning  of  May  it  was  more  like  an  oven  than  any 
thing  else.  From  Inje-su  to  Kaisariyeh  the  way  lies  over  low 
lava- covered  hills,  and  sometimes  by  the  side  of  a  large 
marsh.  Here  Ducks,  Pratincoles  [Glareola pratincola) ,  and 
a  species  of  Tern,  probably  Sterna  nigra,  were  seen.  There 
were  also  a  few  Stork^s  nests,  in  the  foundations  of  which 
numbers  of  Spanish  Sparrows  were  building.  This  marshy 
lake  is  principally  fed  by  a  number  of  large  springs,  which 
rise  round  its  margin. 

Kaisariyeh,  the  ancient  Csesarea  Mazaca,  is  situated  upon 
the  level  ground  to  the  north  of  Mount  Argseus.  It  contains 
many  mosques,  very  well-built  bazaars,  and  a  large  battle- 
mented  castle,  the  inside  of  which  is  filled  up  with  houses. 
Just  outside  the  town  are  some  curious  ruins  ;  and  the  feet 
of  the  hills,  a  couple  of  miles  off,  are  covered  with  gardens 
containing  vines,  apricot-,  pear-,  and  apple-trees,  and  a  sweet- 
smelling  shrub,  from  the  red  berries  of  which  a  tamarind- 
tasted  sherbet  is  made.     They  are   also   well-stocked   with 

*  The  mean  of  Hamilton's  and  Tcliihatcheff's  measurements  is  12,666 
feet. 


272  Mr.  C.  G.  Dauford  oti  the 

birds,  especially  with  Buntings  {Emberiza  melanocephala  and 
E.  hortulana)  and  Warblers  [Sylvia  orphea  and  Cossypha  gut- 
turalis) .  A  fishing-excursion  to  the  small  lake  of  Kabat-geul 
resulted  in  the  capture  of  sundry  pike  with  dark  purple  fins 
and  a  lot  of  ordinary  roach.  Numbers  of  snakes  were  swim- 
ming about;  and  frogs  and  tortoises  were  in  legions.  Speci- 
mens of  Great  Sedge- Warblers,  Spotted  Flycatchers,  and 
Penduline  Tits  were  the  additions  to  our  collection. 

We  left  Kaisariyeh  May  8th,  and  made  a  direct  march  north 
to  Samsoun,  on  the  Black  Sea.  At  Erkelet  and  Kemer,  the 
first  villages  on  the  way,  flocks  of  Bee-eaters  [Merops  api- 
aster)  made  their  appearance,  and  a  few  Woodpeckers  were 
seen,  which  we  could  neither  shoot  nor  identify.  They  seemed, 
from  their  size,  to  be  Picus  lilfordi ;  but  the  locality  is  an 
unlikely  one  for  that  species.  Here  were  a  few  vineyards  and 
orchards,  and  by  the  wayside  grew  patches  of  wild  yellow 
roses  and  jasmines ;  but  as  the  valley  of  the  Kizil  Irmak  (Red 
River)  was  neared  the  country  became  more  barren.  The 
river  is  dirtj'^  and  rapid,  and  about  eighty  yards  wide  where 
it  is  crossed  by  the  long  stone  bridge,  at  the  north  end  of 
which  is  a  singular-looking  village.  The  houses  are  mostly 
excavated  in  the  rocks ;  and  it  is  very  aptly  called  by  the 
Turks  "  Chock-guez  "  (many  eyes) . 

Beyond  this  river  the  country  as  far  as  Aladja  is,  for  the 
most  part,  a  dreary  undulating  plateau,  covered  with  grass 
and  stones.  Here  and  there  are  miserable  villages,  with  a 
little  cultivation  and  a  few  small  trees  about  them  ;  and  on 
the  better  pasture-lands  one  meets  with  large  encampments 
of  black  Kurdish  tents. 

In  other  districts  there  are  plenty  of  flowers,  especially  in 
narrow  defiles,  where  there  is  some  shade  from  the  fierce  sun. 
In  such  places  grow  quantities  of  beautiful  short-stalked 
irises  of  two  colours  (dull  buff  and  maroon),  gladioli,  wild 
scentless  mignonnette,  a  pale  slate-coloured  flax,  large  patches 
of  convolvulus,  the  rare  Iwiolirion  montanum,  and  many 
other  plants.  Butterflies  are  very  numerous,  most  of  the 
European  genera  being  well  represented  by  only  slightly 
varying  forms. 


OrnUholoyy  of  Asia  Minor.  273 

The  stock  birds  are  the  Isabelline  Chat  and  Larks  (Short- 
toed,  Crested,  and  Calandra).  Jackdaws  live  about  the  vil- 
lages ;  and  numbers  of  Sand-Grouse  {Pterocles  arenar'ius)  cut 
the  air  with  their  sharp  swift  wings.  A  few  of  their  nests 
were  taken,  all  containing  the  usual  complement  of  three  eggs. 
The  way  was  further  enlivened  by  the  plundering  of  a  Bus- 
tard's nest  [Otis  tarda)  and  those  of  certain  Eagles,  chiefly 
Aquila  imperialis.  After  passing  the  wretched  village  of 
Aladja,  the  character  of  the  landscape  changes ;  the  hills  are 
higher,  and  are  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  oak-scrub. 
At  our  halting-place  of  Baba  Eyoub-tekessi  there  was  capital 
ground  for  Warblers ;  and  after  a  shower  the  hills  resounded 
with  the  songs  of  Nightingales,  Barred  and  Orphean  Warblers, 
and  Robin  Chats,  all  performers  of  the  first  order. 

From  here  to  the  old  Mussulman  town  of  Tchorum  num- 
bers of  Rollers,  Bee-eaters,  and  Rosy  Pastors  were  met  with: 

Tchorum  was  reached  May  15th.  Hitherto  the  weather 
had  been  fine  and  very  warm.  Frequent  showers  now  fell, 
which  soon  increased  to  tremendous  thunderstorms,  accom- 
panied by  hailstones  and  heavy  rains.  This  state  of  things, 
which  lasted  all  the  way  to  the  coast,  made  travelling  diflScult 
and  roadside  collecting  impracticable.  Between  Tchorum  and 
Mersiwan  we  crossed  hills  covered  with  oaks,  hazels,  Syringa, 
barberry,  roses  (pink,  yellow,  and  white),  and  hawthorn  in 
full  bloom. 

The  latter  town  is  the  ancient  Phasemon.  It  is  prettily 
situated  at  the  base  of  a  range  of  mountains,  and  surrounded  by 
large  gardens  and  fine  old  walnut-trees.  Beyond  it  the  mud 
had  made  the  roads  so  difficult  that  our  guides  diverged  from 
the  ordinary  path  and,  by  long  detours  over  the  hills,  brought 
us  to  the  watering-place  of  Kausa.  Here  half  a  dozen  enor- 
mous khans,  crowded  with  a  motley  assemblage,  were  grouped 
round  the  baths.  These  hot  springs,  which  were  well  known 
to  the  ancients,  are  said  to  be  very  effectual  in  curing  many 
complaints.  They  are  protected  by  domed  buildings,  are 
large  in  volume,  and  have  a  temperature  of  125°  Fahr. 
Leaving  the  hubbub  and  dirt  of  Kausa  behind  us  with  much 
pleasure,  we  rode   to   the   prettily   situated  khan  of  Ak  Soo 


274-  Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  on  the 

deresi  (white- water  valley).  The  country  is  covered  with 
copses ;  and  numerous  Circassian  villages  are  scattered  about. 
Cirl  Buntings  and  Rosy  Finches  {Carpodacus  erythrinus) 
were  for  the  first  time  met  with^  and  a  good  many  birds  of 
prey  seen. 

On  the  descent  to  the  Black  Sea,  which  occupied  two  days 
more,  our  road  lay  through  large  forests,  principally  composed 
of  beech  and  oak,  with  an  undergrowth  of  the  golden-flowered 
Azalea  jiontica.  Samsoun  was  reached  on  May  22ncl.  Our 
intention  had  been  to  stop  here  and  collect ;  but  finding  that 
little  or  nothing  was  to  be  done  in  that  way,  we  left  for 
Constantinople  by  the  first  steamer. 

Before  passing  to  the  next  part  of  this  paper  we  must  ac- 
knowledge the  hospitality  and  courtesy  received  from  all 
races  and  classes,  especially  from  the  mountain-tribes  of  Turks 
and  Yorouks,  among  whom  most  of  our  time  Avas  passed. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  unvarying  kindness  of  Mr.  Tat- 
tarachi,  H.B.M.  Vice-Consul  at  Mersina,  to  whom  we  take 
this  opportunity  of  tendering  our  most  hearty  thanks,  as  also 
to  Mr.  Dresser  and  to  Mr.  Baker  of  Kew,  for  the  aid  tliey 
have  rendered  us  in  naming  our  birds  and  plants.  We  would 
further  beg  leave  to  recommend  to  the  ornithological  world 
our  assistant,  Mr.  William  Pearse,  of  Haskeui,  Constanti- 
nople, who  accompanied  us,  and  to  whose  diligence  and. care 
the  good  preservation  of  our  collection  is  entirely  due. 
[To  be  continued.] 


XXIII. — Recent  Observations  on  the  Parrots  of  the  Germs 
Eclectus.     By  W.  A.  Forbes,  F.Z.S. 

The  large  red  and  green  Parrots  forming  the  genus  Eclectus 
of  Wagler  have  long  been  well  known  to  naturalists,  who 
have,  until  recently,  entertained  no  sort  of  doubt  that  the 
red  species  were  perfectly  distinct  from  the  green  ones.  So 
much  was  this  the  case,  that  a  subgenus,  denominated  Poly- 
chlorus  in  1857  by  Sclater*,  has  been  formed  for  the  reception 
of  the  green  species,  the  red  ones  being  retained  under  Eclectus 
«  P.  Z.  S.  1857,  p.  22G. 


Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus. 


275 


proper.  Dr.  Finsch^  whose  excellent  work,  '  Die  Papageien/ 
must  be  regarded  as  our  "  Standpunkt "  in  all  matters  con- 
cerning Parrots,  recognizes  (/.  c.  vol.  ii.  p.  332)  seven  species 
of  the  genus  (as  restricted  by  Wagler),  and  gives  the  following 
table  of  them  : — 

a.   Green  Eclecti. 

1.  polychlorus,  Scop.     Under   wing-coverts   and   sides   red. 

Wing  10"  5'". 

2.  intermedius,  Bp.    Like  the  last,  but  green  darker  and  size 

smaller.     Wing  8"  9"'. 

3.  westermanni,  Bp.     Like  the  last,  but  without  red  on  sides. 

b.  Red  Eclecti. 

4.  grandis,  Gm.     Band  over  the  upper  back  and  the  under 

surface  violet-blue ;  tail-feathers  and  under  tail-coverts 
yellow.     Wing  10"  3'". 

5.  cardinalis,  Bodd.     Like  the  last,  but  darker  red;  under 

tail- coverts  orange-red.     Wing  8"  5'". 

6.  linnm,  Wagl.     Like  the  last,  but  with  a  narrow  blue  ring 

round  the  eye  ;  under  tail-coverts  red. 

7.  Cornelia,  Bp.     Without  any  blue  at  all. 

The  distribution  of  the  species  (as  given  by  Finsch)  is  re- 
presented in  the  following  table,  the  habitat  of  two  species 
[E.  westermanni  and  E.  Cornelia),  both  originally  described  by 
Bonaparte  from  specimens  living  in  the  "  Natura-Artis-Ma- 
gistra"  Gardens  at  Amsterdam),  being  still  unknown. 


1 

Amboyna. 
Ternate. 

6^ 
'o 

'6 

'i 

p 
o 

o 

m 

a5 

h- ( 
t 

'S 

to 

a 

g 

< 

.9 
'a 

<6 

1 

Eclectus 

* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 

* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 

* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

intermedius   

*  * 

* 

cardinalis 

*  * 

* 

linnsei     

27G  Mr.  W.  A.  LV^rbes  on  the 

This  being  the  case,  ornithologists  were  not  a  little  sur- 
prised when  Dr.  A.  B.  Meyer  announced,  on  his  return  to 
Europe  from  his  adventurous  travels  in  New  Guinea  and  the 
adjacent  islands,  that  the  green  species  of  Eclectus  were 
simply  the  males  of  the  red  ones — also  that  all  the  so-called 
species  were,  in  his  opinion,  referable  to  one  species,  and 
one  only,  namely  Eclectus  polychlorus.  In  his  paper  on  this 
subject  in  the  '  Zoologischer  Garten  ^  for  May  1874,  p.  161, 
Dr.  Meyer  says  that  his  attention  was  first  called  to  the  matter 
by  finding  that  he  had  determined  all  the  specimens,  six  in 
number,  of  the  E.  polychlorus  (green)  that  he  had  procured  in 
the  Papuan  island  of  Mafoor  (in  Geelvink  Bay)  as  males, 
whilst  nine  E.  linnai  (red)  were  aW.  females.  Struck  by  this 
curious  coincidence,  he  inquired  of  his  Malay  hunters  if  they 
knew  any  thing  of  the  matter.  They  replied  that  it  was  a  well- 
known  fact  that  these  green  and  red  Parrots  were  man  and 
wife.  One  asserted  that  he  had  seen  parents  of  both  colours 
engaged  in  incubation,  one  replacing  the  other.  Though 
Dr.  Meyer,  warned  by  former  experience,  did  not  trust  im- 
plicitly to  any  statements  made  by  his  native  hunters,  these 
accounts  strengthened  him  in  his  suspicions  ;  and  he  deter- 
mined to  investigate  the  matter  thoroughly.  Three  green 
Eclecti  he  obtained  in  Jobie  were  all  males,  three  red  all 
females.  These  results  were  afterwards  fully  confirmed  by 
the  examination  of  a  great  number  of  specimens  on  the  main- 
land of  New  Guinea.  These  were  too  numerous  to  bring  all 
back  to  Europe ;  but  he  returned  with  thirty  specimens  of  the 
genus,  four  of  which  were  preserved  entire  in  spirits  of  wine, 
as  well  as  a  living  pair  of  birds  (green  and  red) .  To  place 
the  parallelism  in  the  distribution  of  the  red  and  green  forms 
(already  noted  by  Finsch,  /.  c.)  in  a  stronger  light,  he  divides 
the  Eclecti  into  three  groups,  of  which  E.  cornelice  ar.d  wester- 
manni  (the  habitats  of  Avhich  are,  as  already  remarked,  un- 
known) constitute  one.     The  other  two  are  : — ■ 

po  ycioriis  (green)  |^^^  Guinea,  Waigu,  Mysol,  Gebe, 

'     .     ,     ,,  \       Gilolo,  Batian,  Morotai. 

granais  (red)  J 


Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus.  277 

intermedius  (screen)  ~)  ^  .     .  _, 

,.     ,.     ,     ,,  r  Leram,  Amboyna,  Buru. 

caramalis  (red)        J  '' 

From  this  it  is  clear  that  ''  the  range  of  one  green  form 
{E.  polychlorus)  corresponds  Avith  that  of  two  red  ones  [E. 
linnai  and  E.  grandis).  "As  I  cannot  hesitate  a  moment/' 
says  Dr.  Meyer^  "in  ascribing  the  conditions  found  in  E. 
polychlorus  and  E.  linncei  from  New  Guinea,  Mafoor,  and 
Jobi  to  the  other  allied  form  (namely,  that  the  green  are  the 
males  and  the  red  the  females  of  one  and  the  same  species), 
the  interesting  fact  comes  out  (unparalleled,  so  far  as  I  know, 
in  the  ornis  of  the  whole  world),  that  differently  coloured 
females  correspond  to  one  and  the  same  male  in  different  loca- 
lities ;  for  E.  linncei  and  E.  grandis  show  at  first  sight  such 
differences,  that,  so  long  as  we  did  not  know  their  true 
relations  to  E.  polychlorus,  they  were  universally  considered 
different  species.  Thus,  therefore,  the  male  remains  con- 
stant, whilst  the  female  varies. '^  Dr.  Meyer  then  proceeds 
to  show  that  no  theories  of  "  sexual "  or  "  natural  selection  " 
can  account  for  these  facts,  of  the  causes  of  which  we  are  com- 
pletely ignorant.  Schlegel  (Ned.  Tijd.  v.  d.  Dierk.  iii.  p.  332, 
1866),  he  observes,  has  already  united  E.  intermedius  and  E. 
polychlorus  into  one  species,  the  examples  from  Gebe  and  Wai- 
giou  being  intermediate  in  their  characters  between  these  two 
forms.  Moreover  an  authentic  specimen  of  E.  intermedius 
from  Ceram,  received  from  the  Leyden  Museum,  and  now  in 
the  Imperial  Cabinet  at  Vienna,  quite  agrees  with  Dr.  Meyer's 
series  from  New  Guinea,  Mafoor,  and  Jobi.  Hence  E.  poly- 
chlorus (including  under  this  term  E.  intermedius)  possesses 
in  different  islands  three  females,  differently  coloured  accord- 
ing to  the  locality,  viz.  : — 

(1)  linnm,  in  New  Guinea,  My  sol,  Waigiou,  and  Gebe ; 

(2)  grandis,  in  Gilolo,  Batjan,  and  Morotai; 

(3)  cardinalis,  in  Ceram,  Buru,  and  Amboyna. 

Dr.  Meyer  then  goes  on  to  argue  that  E.  westermanni  and 
E.  cornelicB,  both  remarkable  for  being  nearly  uniform  in 
colour,  must  also  be  regarded  as  forms  of  E.  polychlorus.  He 
urges  that  E.  Cornelia  may  well  be  a  fourth  female  of  E.  poly- 
chlorus, as  we  already  know  that  the  females  of  this  species 

SER.  IV. VOL.   I.  u 


2v8  Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  on  the 

are  variable, whilst  E.  westermanni,  he  considers,  is  probably  an 
individual  that  has  retained  \ts  juvenile  plumage  and  has  been 
unable  to  assume  its  adult  colouring  owing  to  captivity. 

Here  I  must  join  issue  with  Dr.  Meyer  on  several  grounds. 
First  of  all,  several  examples  of  each  of  these  condemned  species 
have  lived  at  various  times  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  London 
and  Amsterdam,  and  no  noteworthy  difference  has  been  detec- 
ted in  these  specimens.  Again,  specimens  of  both  species  have 
lived  for  considerable  periods  at  Amsterdam  without  undergo- 
ing any  change  in  coloration  [vide  Finsch,  I.  s.  c.) .  Moreover 
Parrots,  as  a  rule,  including  those  of  the  present  genus,  do  re- 
markably well  in  captivity,  and  show  no  tendency  to  lose  or 
to  fail  to  acquire  their  brilliant  colours  or  to  retain  their 
immature  dress.  Eclectus  cornelice  and  E.  westermanni  can 
hardly  be  man  and  wife,  owing  to  their  disparity  in  size  (the 
wing  of  the  former  being  given  by  Finsch  as  9"  5'",  of  the 
latter  7"  8'"  to  8"  5'",  and  other  measurements  in  proportion) . 
Hence  we  may  conclude  that  in  the  former  case  the  male,  in 
the  latter  the  female,  remains  to  be  discovered,  as  well  as  the 
exact  habitat  of  each.  When  we  reflect  on  the  little  know- 
ledge we  still  have  of  the  great  mass  of  New  Guinea,  as  well 
as  of  some  of  the  neighbouring  islands,  it  is  evident  that 
ample  area  for  such  a  discovery  is  still  left.  This  conclusion 
is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  certain  other  Parrots  belong- 
ing to  the  same  region,  likewise  first  described  from  captive 
specimens,  and  undoubtedly  distinct  (e.  g.  Lorius  tibialis,  Scl. 
P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  499,  and  Trichoglossus  mitchelli,  G.  R.  Gray), 
have  their  exact  habitat  still  unascertained.  The  recent  dis- 
covery of  Loriinse  (a  group  of  which  the  geographical  range 
coincides  remarkably  with  that  oi  Eclectus,  as  has  been  pointed 
out  by  Mr.  Wallace)  in  such  unexpected  localities  as  Ponape 
(in  the  Caroline  group),  where  Chalcopsitta  rubiginosa  occurs"^, 
and  Fanning  Island,  in  the  mid  Pacific  f,  renders  it  even  pos- 
sible that  an  Eclectus  may  turn  up  in  some  equally  ''  unlikely  " 
locality  %  ■ 

*  Vide  Finsch,  '  Journal  des  Museum  Godeffroy,'  Heft  xii.  1876. 
t   Coriphilus  kiihli,  P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  421. 

X  Prof.  Rietmann's  "shining-red  Parrots  "  in  Pruadalcanar  (P.  Z. S.  1869, 
J).  127)  might  well  be  E.  corneKoe. 


Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus.  279 

Dr.  Meyer  then  goes  on  to  show  that  Bernstein's  determi- 
nations of  the  sexes  of  the  specimens  he  forwarded  to  the 
Leyden  Museum  are  probably  erroneous,  as  in  his  three 
years'  experience  he  found  the  sexes  about  equally  numerous, 
whereas  Bernstein's  determinations  would  show  great  disparity 
in  their  relative  abundance  (in  one  case  six  males  to  one 
female,  in  the  other  twelve  females  to  two  males).  The  ju- 
venile plumage  of  Eclectus  is  unfortunately  still  unknown ;. 
but  Dr.  Meyer  concludes  that  it  is  probably  green,  from  the 
fact  that  twelve  out  of  fourteen  of  his  red  specimens  still 
preserve  evident  traces  of  green  feathers. 

In  reply  to  these  arguments  Prof.  Schlegel^not  unnaturally 
hesitates  to  accept  Dr.  Meyer's  conclusions,  because,  of  72  spe- 
cimens of  red  Eclecti  in  the  Leyden  Museum,  20  have  been 
determined  by  the  collectors  as  males,  and  the  remainder  (52) 
as  females,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  77  green  specimens  in 
the  same  museum,  56  are  marked  as  males  and  21  ns  females. 
Hence,  if  Dr.  Meyer  be  right,  a  considerable  proportion  of 
these  specimens  must  have  been  wrongly  sexed  by  the  four 
travellers  by  whom  they  were  collected,  viz.  Salomon  Miiller, 
Bernstein,  Hoedt,  and  Von  Rosenberg. 

Dr.  Meyer  returns  to  the  charge  in  a  paper  in  the  '  Mitthei- 
lungen  aus  dem  k.-k.  zoologischen  Museum  zu  Dresden'  (/.  c. 
p.  1 1-13) .  He  repeats  his  former  observations,  and  gives  some 
additional  ones,  amongst  which  are  some  remarks  on  a  living 
pair  of  Eclectus  in  his  possession,  green  and  red,  the  green  bird 
on  being  introduced  to  the  red  at  once  having  become  friendly 
with  the  latter.  A  green  Eclectus  that  died  soon  after  it  came 
into  his  possession  was  dissected  and  turned  out  to  be  a  male. 
As  regards  the  specimens  in  the  Leyden  Museum,  Dr.  Meyer 
disposes  of  them  by  saying  that  those  collected  by  S.  Miiller 
have  been  long  in  the  Museum,  and  may  very  probably  have 
had  their  labels  transposed — that  Bernstein,  during  the  latter 
part  of  his  residence  in  the  Malay  archipelago  (as  he  himself 
learned  from  one  of  his  hunters,  who  had  also  collected  for 
Bernstein,  and  knew  the  latter  well),  suffered  severely  from 
illness,  and  therefore  may  well  have  made  mistakes  in  the 
*  Mus.  Pays-Eas,  Psittacidas,  1874,  p.  17. 

u  2 


280  Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  on  the 

determination  of  the  sexes  of  his  specimens — that  Hoedt  had 
no  pretensions  to  any  seientific  knowledge — and  that  Rosen- 
berg has  in  other  iiistanccs  made  blunders  of  a  similar  kind — 
so  that  their  evidence  counts  for  little.  Dr.  Meyer  adds 
some  mathematical  calculations  showing  that  the  chances 
are  32,700  to  1  against  his  having  killed  six  all  males  of  the 
green  Eclectus,  and  nine  all  females  of  the  red  one  in  the 
same  island,  if  they  really  were  distinct  species. 

So  far  Dr,  Meyer.  Important  evidence  in  corroboration 
of  part  of  his  theory  is  given  by  the  Italian  naturalists  who 
have  lately  visited  New  Guinea.  Beccari,  in  his  Ornitholo- 
gical Letters  to  Count  Salvadori"^,  says,  ^'  Though  it  seems 
strange,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  green  Eclectl  are 
males  of  the  red  ones.  I  learnt  this  at  Aru  from  my  hunters ; 
and  the  young  have  the  same  differences."  Salvadori  says 
again  (/.  c.  pp.  756,  757),  speaking  of  the  sexual  differences  in 
E.  grandis,  that  there  is  "  no  longer  any  doul)t  on  this  sub- 
ject. D'Albertis  has  assured  me  that  it  is  a  well-known  fact 
amongst  the  natives  of  the  Moluccas  and  New  Guinea."  In 
his  various  papers  on  Papuan  ornithology  in  the  same  journal, 
the  green  specimens  of  Eclectus  are  always  determined  as 
males,  the  red  as  females. 

Prof.  Garrod  also  tells  me  that  during  his  prosectorship 
the  only  two  Eclecti  that  have  died  in  the  Zoological  Society^s 
Gardens  were  one  E.  polychlorus  and  one  E.  grandis,  respec- 
tively male  and  female.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Rev.  George 
Brown,  C.M.Z.S.,  who  has  lately  sent  over  to  this  country  such 
interesting  collections  from  New  Britain  and  the  adjacent 
islands,  says,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Sclater,  dated  Sydney,  Oc- 
tober 22,  1876,  "  This  "  {i.  e.  the  green  and  red  Eclecti  being 
specifically  identical)  "  is  a  gross  error.  Our  attention  was 
directed  to  this  subject ;  and  I  am  quite  sure  they  are  two  dif- 
ferent birds.  We  shot  the  green  ones,  both  male  and  female." 
Two  skins  in  the  collection  are  referable  to  E.  polychlonis 
and  li7in<si ;  the  latter  is  marked  female.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
Mr.  Brown  will  renew  his  investigations  into  this  subject,  as 

*  Ann.  Mas.  Civ.  Rtoria  Natur.  Genova,  vol.  vii.  p.  704,  1875,  and  Ibis, 
|S7(i.  n.  25;',. 


Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus.  281 

the  determination  of  the  sexes  is  not  always  very  easy  with- 
out careful  dissection,  the  suprarenal  bodies  in  birds  being 
particularly  liable  to  be  mistaken  for  the  testes  when  the  latter 
are  not  developed  to  the  extent  that  they  are  during  the  breed- 
ing-season. On  the  whole,  I  think,  we  must  conclude,  in 
company  with  Dr.  Meyer  and  Count  Salvadori,  that  the  green 
Eclecti  are  really  males,  the  red  females. 

With  regard  to  Dr.  Meyer^s  conclusion  that  all  the  species 
hitherto  described  must  be  regarded  simply  as  forms  of  one 
species  [E.  polyclilorus) ,  I  have  already  adduced  reasons  for 
believing  that  E.  westermanni  and  E.  cornelia  are  good  species. 
As  regards  the  other  five,  a  careful  examination  of  a  large 
series  of  skins  from  different  localities  (we  now  know  that 
Eclectus  extends  east  as  far  as  Yule  Island  and  Duke-of-York 
Island)  wall  be  necessary  before  coming  to  any  definite  con- 
clusion on  the  subject.  Count  Salvadori,  however,  who  has 
probably  had  as  large  a  series  of  specimens  from  dift'erent 
Papuan  islands  of  this  genus  as  anybody,  recognizes  three 
distinct  species  (besides  the  two  of  unknown  habitat),  which 
he  says  may  always  be  recognized  as  distinct  at  any  age  or 
in  either  sex.  He  gives  the  following  table  of  these  species 
as  understood  by  him  (/.  c.  p.  756) : — 

1.  Virides  :  lateribus  rubro-pimiceis.     (Mares.) 

a.  Majores. 

a'.  Viridis,  colore  obscuriore,  cauda  minus  C8erulea.  .  1.  jwlychlorus. 

b'.  Viridis,  colore  laetiore,  cauda  magis  cserulea  ....  2.  ca?-dinalis* 

b.  Minores.     Cauda  vix  cserulea    .3.  grancUs*. 

2.  Rubrse :  fascia  inter scapulari  et  abdoinine  cyaneo  vel 

violaceo.     (Feminas.) 

a.  Annulo  periophthalmico  cj'aneo    ] .  poli/cklorus. 

b.  Annulo  periopbtlialmico  millo 

a'.  Subcaudalibus  auroreis  vel  rubro-flavis 2.  cardtnali>i. 

b'.  Subcaudalibus  pure  flavis 3.  grandis. 

In  this  table  the  green  E.  cardinalis  is,  I  suppose,  the  inter- 
medius  of  most  authors,  whilst  the  red  E.polychlorus  is  clearly 
what  is  usually  called  E.  linnm. 

*  In  the  original  paper  Count  Salvadori  has  accidentally  transposed 
these  two  names,  as  I  have  ascertained  from  a  corrected  copy  of  his  paper 
that  he  forwarded  to  Mr.  Sclater. 


282  On  the  Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus. 

On  the  whole  it  seems  probable  that  we  must  be  content 
with  ascribing  to  Eclectus  the  most  marked  sexual  differences 
in  colour  of  any  Parrots  hitherto  known.  Aprosmictus  (at 
least  in  some  species,  e.  g.  A.  scapulatus)  also  pi-esents  very 
well-marked  sexual  differences  in  coloration,  and,  as  Prof. 
Garrod  has  shown  (P.  Z.  S.  1874,  p.  494),  agrees  very  closely 
with  Eclectus  in  anatomical  structure.  Eclectus,  however, 
differs  from  all  known  Parrots  in  having  the  female  more 
gaudily  coloured  than  the  male.  Can  it  be  possible  that,  as 
in  the  few  other  analogous  instances  where  the  female  is  the 
more  brightly  coloured  (e.g.  Turnix,  Rhynch(Ba,  &c.^),  the 
duties  of  incubation  devolve  on  the  male  ?  If  such  be  the 
case,  we  can  easily  understand  the  use  of  the  green  coloration 
being  retained  by  the  male.  Unfortunately  we  are  still 
totally  ignorant  of  the  habits,  nidification,  and  immature 
plumage  of  these  Parrots.  Let  us  hope  that  Signor  D'Albertis 
or  Mr.  Brown  will  soon  throw  some  light  on  this,  as  well  as 
on  the  other  interesting  points  noted  above,  which  still  re- 
quire further  examination. 

In  conclusion,  supposing  that  we  assume  the  new  views  as 
to  the  sexual  differences  of  the  Eclecti  to  be  correct,  the  fol- 
lowing list  of  the  species  will  show  concisely  their  sexual 
differences  and  geographical  distribution. 

1.  Eclectus  polychlorus  (Scop.). 

Maximus  :    mas  viridis   colore  obscuriore,   lateribus    rubro- 

puniceis,  cauda  minus  crerulea :  femina  rubra,  fascia  in- 

terscapulari,  abdomine  et  annulo  periophthalmico  cyaneis. 

Hab.  in  insulis  Papuanis  et  Moluccanis  Ternate,   Gilolo, 

Batchian,  Morotai,  Guebe,  Waigiou,  Mysol,  Gage,  Ke,  Aru, 

Papua,  Nova  Hibernia,  et  Nova  Britannia. 

2.  Eclectus  grandis  (Gm.). 

Major :  mas  viridis,  lateribus  rubro-puniceis,  cauda  vix  cse- 
rulea :  femina  rubra,  fascia  interscap.  et  abdomine  cy- 
aneis, subcaudalibus  pure  flavis. 
Hab.  in  insulis  Ternate,   Gilolo,    Batchian,    Morotai,   et 

Gage. 

»  Vide  Darwin's  'Descent  of  Man,"  vol,  ii.  p.  200  et  seq.  (1871). 


On  Birds  from  the  District  of  Lampong.  283 

3.  ECLECTUS  CARDINALIS    (Bodd.)  . 

Minor :  mas  viridis,  E.  polychloro  similis,   at  colore  Isetiore 
caudaque  magis  cserulea  distinguendus :    femina  rubra, 
fascia  interscapulari  et  abdoraine  cyaneis  ;  subcaudalibus 
auroreis  vel  rubro-flavis. 
Hab.  in  insulis  Moluccanis  Ceram,  Bouru,  et  Amboyna. 

4.  EcLECTUS  WESTERMANNI,  Bp. 

Minor :  mas  viridis,  lateribus  concoloribus.     Femina  adhuc 
ignota. 
Hab.  ?     (Viv.  Nat.  Art.  Mag.  et  Zool.  Soc.  Lond.) 

5.  EcLECTUS  CORNELI.E,  Bp. 

Mas  ignotus ;  femina  punicea,  colore  cyaneo  neque  dorsi  neque 
lateris  inferioris  ullo. 

Hab.  ?      (Viv.  Nat.  Art.  Mag.  et  Zool.  Soc.  Lond.) 


XXIV. — On  a  Collection  of  Birds  made  by  Mr.  E.  C. 
Buxton  in  the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  By 
Arthur,  Marquis  of  Tweeduale,  M.B.O.U. 

(Plates  V.  &  VI.) 

The  first  systematic  account  of  the  Avifauna  of  Sumatra  was 
written  by  Sir  Stamford  Raffles'^'  at  Fort  Marlborough,  near 
Bencoolen,  of  which  settlement  Sir  Stamford  was  Lieutenant- 
Governor.  Bencoolen  is  situated  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
southern  half  of  the  island  of  Sumatra ;  and  most  of  the  birds 
enumerated  were  obtained  in  the  vicinity  of  Bencoolen  itself, 
or  during  short  trips  made  into  the  interior  of  the  district  of 
that  name  during  the  years  1819  and  1820,  partly  by  Sir 
Stamford  assisted  by  Dr.  Joseph  Arnold,  and  partly  by 
Messrs.  Diard  and  Duvaucel.  These  two  gentlemen  (the 
first  a  pupil,  the  other  the  step-son  of  the  great  Cuvier) 
were  French  naturalists,  whose  services  Sir  Stamford  had 
secured  while  on  a  visit  to  Bengal. '  The  unfortunate  misun- 
derstanding that  soon  after  their  arrival  in  Sumatra  occurred 

*  Tr.  L.  S.  xiii.  pp.  277,  330;  Appendix,  pp.  339,  340  (dated  June  1, 
1820;  read  March  20,  1821).     The  date  of  the  volume  is  1822. 


284  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

between  tlic  Lieutenant-Governor  and  these  two  Frenchmen 
ledj  in  about  twelve  months,  to  a  cessation  of  their  labours 
and  to  their  departure  from  Bencoolen ;  and  Sir  Stamford  was 
obliged  to  undertake  the  description  of  the  materials  col- 
lected himself,  or  to  allow  the  results  to  be  published  in 
France.  Hence  his  papers  in  the  "^  Linnean  Transactions^"^. 
The  number  of  species  therein  catalogued  and  more  or  less 
described  is  about  168.  But  some  birds  obtained  in  the 
Prince-of- Wales  Island  and  Singapore  are  included;  and  a 
few  species,  such  as  Psittacus  ornatus  and  P.  sumatranus, 
appear  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  list  through  oversight 
and  on  the  strength  of  caged  birds. 

In  1830  Lady  Raffles  publishedamemoirf  of  her  late  hus- 
band, to  which  was  appended  a  catalogue,  by  Vigors,  of  the  zoo- 
logical specimens  collected  in  Sumatra  under  the  superinten- 
dence of  Sir  S.  Raffles,  and  by  Dr.  Horsfield  of  those  in  Java. 
About  194  species  from  Sumatra  are  enumerated,  that  locality 
being  stated  in  each  instance;  and  some  species  additional  to 
Sir  Stamford^s  list  are  discriminated  and  described  as  new  by 
Vigors.  This  catalogue  would  have  been  more  useful  had  its 
author  identified  all  tlie  species  on  which  Sir  Stamford  had 
previously  bestowed  new  titles,  and  had  the  invalid  titles  been 
reduced  to  synonyms — a  work,  however,  subsequently  ac- 
complished in  the  most  thorough  manner  by  Mr.  F.  Moore  % . 

Since  1830  no  attempt  at  a  complete  account  of  the  birds 
of  Sumatra  has  been  published ;  but  a  good  many  species  not 
contained  in  Vigors^s  list  have  been  discovered  and  described, 
principally  by  the  Dutch  zoologists,  more  particularly  by 
Temminck§  and  by  Salomon  Muller||.     Mr.  Wallace,  during 

*  The  collection  of  birds  was  sent  to  the  E.I.  C. Museum  in  Loudon 
in  1820,  aud  of  drawiug-s  in  1821. 

t  Memoir  of  the  Life  and  Public  Services  of  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  by 
his  Widow  (1830)  ;  Cat.  Zool.  Specimens,  Jves,  pp.  648,  687. 

X  A  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  Museum  of  the  Hon.  E.I.  Company, 
in  two  vols. :  vol.  i.  (1854),  vol.  ii.  (1856-58). 

§  Nouveau  Recueil  de  Planches  Coloriees  d'Oiseaux,  in  five  volumes. 
Date  of  completed  work  1838. 

II  Tijdschrift  voor  Naturlijke  Geschiedenis  en  Physiologic,  ii.  pp.  315, 
354  (1835).     Vpvhandelingen  over  de  Natiunlijke  Ge&chiedenis  der  Ne- 


the  District  of  Lainpong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  S-85 

a  stay  of  about  three  months,  collected  some  birds  in  the 
district  of  Palembang,  penetrating  a  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  inland ;  but  no  separate  account  of  his  collection  has 
appeared. 

During  a  period  of  a  little  over  five  months,  commencing 
the  30th  of  May,  1876,  Mr.  Edmund  Charles  Buxton  travelled 
in  the  Lampong  district,  situated  at  the  south-eastern  ex- 
tremity of  Sumatra,  and  there  made  a  large  collection  of 
birds,  which  he  has  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal,  and  of  which 
I  now  propose  to  give  an  account.  He  started  from  Telok 
Betang  and  went  inland  to  Sockedana,  a  distance  of  about 
80  miles,  and  obtained  in  all  152  species,  of  which  two  appear 
to  be  undescribed.  The  general  character  of  the  birds  in 
this  part  of  Sumatra  is  Malaccan.  Of  Mr.  Buxton's  collec- 
tion only  twelve  species  are  not  inhabitants  of  the  Malaccan 
peninsula  as  at  present  known ;  and  of  these  eleven  are  Javan 
species,  some  of  them  recurring  in  Burma  and  one  in  India. 
They  are  Dendrotypes  analis,  Batrachostomus  cornutus,  Xan- 
tholama  rosea,  Dicceum  flammeum,  Rublgula  dispar,  Oriolus 
coronatus,  Prinia  familiaris,  Buchanga  leucophoia,  Pericro- 
cotus  xantJwgaster,  Munia  leucogastroides,  Crypsirhina  vari- 
ans,  Sturnopastor  contra.  One,  Batrachostomus  cornutus,  is 
known,  ouf  of  Sumatra,  to  occur  in  Borneo  only. 

The  proportion  of  species,  seventy-nine,  which  have  also  a 
Javan  habitat  is  large,  as  might  be  inferred  would  be  the  case 
from  the  narrowness  of  the  straits  which  separate  South- 
eastern Sumatra  from  the  western  extremity  of  Java.  This 
number  may  eventually  be  shown  to  be  still  greater  when  the 
ornis  of  Java  is  better  known. 

Some  notes  were  kept  by  Mr.  Buxton ;  but,  as  they  are 
chiefly  descriptive  of  the  plumage,  I  have  only  incorpo- 
rated the  few  observations  which  relate  to  the  soft  parts 
or  to  habits.  The  chief  value  of  the  collection  consists 
in  its  enabling   us  to   establish  positively,  by  critical  com- 


deiiandsche  overzeesche  bezittingen :   Land-  en  Volkenkunde  (1839-44) 
Zoologie  (1839-44). 


286  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

parison^  the  identity  or  non-identity  of  a  large  number  of 
Sumatran  species  with  those  inhabiting  Java,  Borneo,  and 
Malacca,  and  of  enabling  us  to  add  a  little  to  our  knowledge 
of  geographical  distribution. 

1.  MiCROHIERAX  FRINGILLARIUS. 

Falco  fr'mgiUarius ,  Drapiez,  Diet.  Class.  d'Hist.  Nat.  vi. 
p.  412,  t.  v.,  "des  Indes^^  (1824). 

A  series  of  four  individuals,  identical  with  Malaccan  ex- 
amples.   ["  Sits  on  naked  branches  at  top  of  trees. '^ — Buxton.] 

2.  Haliastur  intermedius. 

Falco  pondicerianus,  Gm. ;  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  278. 
Haliastur  intermedius,  Gurney,  Ibis,  1865,  p.  28. 

3.  ASTUR  TRIVIRGATUS. 

Falco  trivirgatus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  203,  "  Sumatra''  (1824). 

4.  Pernis  ptilorhynchus. 

Falco ptilorhynchus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  44,  ''Java,  Sumatra'' 
(1823). 

An  example  of  a  Honey-Buzzard  was  obtained  by  Mr. 
Buxton  which  has  the  feathers  of  the  breast,  abdomen,  flanks, 
ventral  region,  and  the  thigh-coverts  white  or  tawny  white, 
transversely  barred  with  two  or  three  brown  broad  bands, 
the  terminal  band  being  narrowly  fringed  with  tawny  white 
or  pure  white.  The  feathers  of  the  fore  neck  have  darker 
brown  drops,  which  occupy  the  terminal  part  of  each  plume, 
these  drojDS  being  set  between  a  rufo-fulvous  and  a  white 
ground.  The  under  wing-coverts  are  banded  like  the  breast. 
The  upper  plumage  is  dark  brown,  the  terminations  of  the 
feathers  being  darkest.  The  head  and  crest  are  black,  the 
latter  measuring  about  two  and  a  quarter  inches.  The  face 
is  grey.  The  throat  is  white,  with  a  central  and  two  lateral 
dark  brown  streaks.  Two  broad  dark  brown  bands  traverse 
the  middle  rectrices,  the  latter  being  terminal.  A  third 
narrower  band  near  the  base  of  the  tail  is  of  a  paler  shade  of 
brown.  The  intervening  spaces  are  of  a  dirty  yellowish  white, 
much  mottled  with  earthy  brown. 

The  plumage  of  the  under  surface  very  closely  resembles 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  287 

that  of  P.  celebensis  in  it's  markings  ;  but  the  colouring  differs 
in  being  dark  brown,  and  the  chest  is  not  tawny  rufous. 

5.  NiNOX  SCUTULATA. 

Strix  scutulata,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  280,  "  Sumatra''  (1821). 

Mr.  Buxton  obtained  two  adult  examples  of  this  long- 
wished-for  species  at  Tarahan,  S.E.  Sumatra.  They  are  ab- 
solutely identical  with  Malaccan  individuals  in  mus.  nostr. 
["  Iris  yellow  ;  bill  dark  slate,  nearly  black.'' — Buxton.l 

6.  Rhopodytes  erythrognathus. 

Cuculus  melanognatlms,  Horsf.  apud  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  287, 
"  Sumatra." 

PliCRnicophaus  erythrognathus,  Hartl.  Verz.  Mus.  Brem. 
p.  95,  "Sumatra"  (1844). 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples  do  not  differ  from  typical 
specimens. 

7.  Rhopodytes  diardi. 

Melius  diardi.  Less.  Tr.  d'Orn.  p.  133,  "Java"  (1831). 
Malaccan  individuals  do  not  dift'er  from  Sumatran. 

8.  Zanclostomus  javanicus. 

Phmnicophausjav aniens,  Horsf.  /.  c.  p.  178,  "  Java  "  (1820)  ; 
Zool.  Res.  Java,  t.  5. 

Typical  specimens  not  separable  from  Sumatran  and  Ma- 
laccan. 

9.  RhINORTHA  CHLOROPHiEA. 

Cuculus  chloroph(Bus ,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  288,  (J ,  "  Sumatra  " 
(1821). 

PhcenicophcEus  caniceps,  Vigors,  App.  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  671, 
?,  "Sumatra"  (1830). 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples  do  not  differ  from  Su- 
matran. 

10.  SURNICULUS  LUGUBRIS. 

Cuculus  lugubris,  Horsf.  ^.  c.  p.  175,  "  Java  "  (1820)  ;  Zool. 
Res.  Java,  t.  58. 

Identical  with  typical  specimens. 

11.  Chrysococcyx  xajvthorhynchus. 

Cuculus  xanthorhynchus,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  179,  "^Java"  (1820); 
Zool.  Res.  Java,  t.  59. 

Undistinguishable  from  typical  specimens. 


288  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

12.  HiEROCOCCYX  FUGAX. 

Cuculusfugax,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  178,  "Java"  (1820). 
Sumatran,  Bornean,  and  Malaccan  examples  offer  no  points 
of  difference. 

13.  Centropus  eurycercus. 

Cuculus  bubulus,  Horsf.  apud  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  286^  "  Su- 
matra." 

Centropus  eurycercus,  A.  Hay;  Blj-th,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1845, 
p.  551,  "Malacca." 

Sumatran  and  Bornean  individuals  agree  with  typical  spe- 
cimens. As  yet  I  have  not  been  able  to  compare  them  with 
the  Javan  form,  which  is,  according  to  Blyth  (/.  c),  a  smaller 
species, 

14.  Thriponax  javensis. 

Picusjavensis,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  172,  "Java"  (1820). 
The  examples  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton  in  no  respect  differ 
from  Malaccan,  with  which  the  type  is  said  to  agree. 

15.  Ttga  rafflesi. 

Picus  raffiesii,  Vigors,  App.  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  669,  "  Su- 
matra" (1830). 

Bornean  and  Malaccan  individuals  are  inseparable. 

16.  TiGA  JAA^ANENSIS. 

Picus  javanensis,  Ljungh,  Act.  Stockh.  xviii.  p.  134,  "Java" 
(1797);  Walden,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  164. 

Picus  tiga,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  177  "Java"  (1820). 

"  Tiga  rvfa,"  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  290,  "  Sumatra"  (1821). 

Sumatran,  Malaccan,  and  Javan  individuals  do  not  speci- 
fically differ.  Of  somewhat  smaller  dimensions  than  the  race 
which  inhabits  the  Burmese  countries. 

17.  Callolophus  mentalis. 

Picus  mentalis,  Temm.  PL  Col.  384,  "Java"  (1826). 
Sumatran  and  Malaccan  examples  do  not  vary. 

18.  Callolophus  puniceus. 

Picus  puniceus,  Horsf.  /.  c.  p.  176,  "Java"  (1821) ;  Raffles, 
t.  c.  289,  "  Sumatra"  (1821). 

Malaccan,  Bornean,  and  Sumatran  individuals  do  not  differ. 


the  District  of  Lampony,  S.E.  Sumatra.  289 

19.  Callolophus  malaccensis. 

Picus  malaccensis,  Lath.  Incl.  Oni.  i.  p.  241^  '^^  Malacca  ^^ 
(1790). 

Count  Salvador!  has  remarked  [t.  c.  p.  51)  that  this  species 
and  C.  miniatus  of  Java  are  distinct^  and  that  I  had  erred 
(Ibis^  1871,  p.  165)  when,  following  Malherbe  and  others,  I 
regarded  them  as  belonging  to  tbe  same  species.  Dr.  Sclater 
appears  to  be  the  first  author  who  distinguished  the  Javan 
on  account  of  its  uniform  red  crest  and  back  from  the  Bornean 
and  Malaccan  form  (P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  211);  but  I  may  ob- 
serve that  I  have  an  example  collected  in  East  Java  by  Mr. 
Wallace,  and  marked  a  male,  which  has  the  more  elongated 
crest-plumes  red,  mingled  quite  as  much  with  yellow  as  is  to 
be  found  in  true  C.  malaccensis.  The  feathers  also  of  the  inter- 
scapular region  exhibit  green  mixed  with  red,  and  are  matched 
by  an  example  from  Malacca  collected  by  Mr.  Maingay.  Mr. 
Buxton  has  two  Sumatran  examples  in  his  collection  :  one 
has  .the  dorsal  feathers  green^  largely  dashed,  centred,  and 
tinged  with  red ;  the  other  has  these  feathers  dull  olive-green 
washed  with  red. 

20.  MiCROPTERNUS  BADIUS. 

Picus  baclius,  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  289,  "Sumatra''  (1821). 

I  provisionally  retain  the  above  title  for  the  Sumatran 
Micropternus  in  preference  to  that  of  brachyurus,  Vieill.  (N. 
Diet.  xxvi.  p.  103,  1818),  because  the  type  of  Vieillot's  species 
is  said  to  have  come  from  Java,  and  we  cannot  rely  on  Mal- 
herbe's  statement  that  the  two  are  specifically  identical.  Be- 
tween Malaccan  and  typical  examples  I  am  unable  to  detect 
any  good  distinction.  Many  Malaccan  specimens  have  the 
crown  very  pale  ;  but  this  is  also  to  be  observed  in  one  of  Mr. 
Buxton's  birds.  The  Bornean  (south-east  and  north-east) 
species,  M.  badiosus,  appears  to  differ  in  having  the  terminal 
portions  of  the  rectrices  uniform  unhanded  brown  and  a  some- 
what longer  bill.  Count  Salvador!  (t.  c.  p.  59)  mentions  as  a 
distinctive  character  the  eye  of  the  male  being  completely 
surrounded  by  red  points  or  dots.  In  a  N.E.  Bornean  male 
collected    by  Mr.    Everett,    and    in   another    by  Mr.   Lowe 


290  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

(mus.  nostr.),  this  is  the  case  ;  and  I  have  not  observed  the 
same  character  in  the  multitude  of  Malaccan  birds  I  have  ex- 
amined^ nor  is  it  to  be  found  in  Mr.  Buxton^s  Sumatran 
males  ;  but  it  is  to  be  observed  in  examples  from  Malabar,  and 
it  may  merely  indicate  the  full  breeding  male  plumage  of  all 
the  members  of  the  genus. 

21.  Meiglyptes  tristis. 

Picus  tristis,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  177,  "Java''  (1820);  Raffles, 
t.c.  p.  290,  "Sumatra"  (1821). 

Not  distinguishable  from  Bornean  and  Malaccan  indi- 
viduals. The  length  of  wing  is  very  variable  in  adults  of  tliis 
species ;  and  in  one  of  Mr.  Buxton's  specimens,  an  adult  male, 
the  bill  is  remarkably  short. 

22.  Meiglyptes  tukki. 

Picus  tukki,  Lesson,  Rev.  Zool.  1839,  p.  167,  "  Sumatra," 
Malaccan  examples  {Hemicercus  brunneus,  Eyton,  P.  Z.  S. 
1839,  p.  106)  do  not  differ. 

23.  Dendrotypes  analis. 

Picus  analis,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  177,  "Java"  (1820) , 
Bill  longer,  otherwise  identical  with  typical  examples.     This 
Woodpecker  also  inhabits  the  island  of  Madura. 

24.  YUNGIPICUS  FUSCO-ALBIDUS. 

Picus  variegatus,  Latham,  apud  Wagler,  Syst.  Av.  Picus, 
no.  27  (1827),  nee  Lath. 

Yungipicus fusco-albidus,  Salvadori,  t.c.  p.  42  (1874). 

Picus  sondaicus,  Wallace,  Gray,  Hand-1.  no.  8589,  1870; 
Salvadori,  t.  c.  p.  43,  note,  "  Java." 

Mr.  Buxton's  Sumatran  series  of  this  small  Woodpecker 
consists  of  examples  undistinguishable  from  Malaccan  and 
Javan  individuals.  Wagler  described  the  species  from  Javan 
examples  only  [conf.  Cab.  Mus.  Hein.  iv.  ii.  p.  54,  note);  but 
he  adopted  for  it  Latham's  (Gmelin's)  title  of  Picus  varie- 
gatus, bestowed  on  a  South-American  Woodpecker,  and  Count 
Salvadori  has  therefore  superseded  the  title  by  a  new  one 
{I.e.).  The  title  P.  sondaicus,  Wallace,  is  founded  solely 
on  the  Javan  bird,  and  must  fall,  no  description  having  accom- 
panied the  title  when  first  published.     Whatever  Picus  mo- 


the  Distinct  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  291 

luccensis,  Gm.  (ex  PI.  Enl.  748.  f.  2),  may  be^  it  cannot  apply 
to  Y.  fusco-albidus ;  for  the  bird  figured  by  D'Aubenton  is 
without  any  mandibular  stripes. 

25.  Hemicercus  sordidus. 

Dendi'Dcopus  sordidus,  Eyton^  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  Hist.  xvi. 
p.  229,  "  Malacca '^  (1845). 

Hemicercus  brookeanus,  Salvadori,  Atti.  R.  Ac.  Sc.  Tor.  iii. 
p.  525,  ''  Borneo  "  (1868) ;  Ucc.  Born.  p.  44. 

Hemicercus  concretus  (Reinw.),  apud  Salvadori,  ex  Borneo, 
Ucc.  Born.  p.  47,  nee  Reinw. 

Mr.  Buxton^s  series  consists  of  three  males  and  two  females. 
These  last  are  undistinguishable  from  Javan  (P.  concretus  ?  ) 
and  Malaccan  examples  in  the  plumage  of  the  female.  One 
male  is  adult,  and  is  identical  with  adult  males  from  Malacca — 
that  is,  with  the  crest  on  the  crown  of  the  head  deep  crimson, 
he  postoccipital  crest-plumes  being  dark  greyish  olive.  A 
second  example,  that  of  a  young  male,  has  the  whole  of  the 
crown  and  all  the  crest-plumes  dingy  reddish  buff  or  yellowish 
red.  The  third  is  intermediate,  the  coronal  plumes  being 
almost  all  pure  crimson,  and  the  postoccipital  plumes  passing 
over  from  the  reddish  tawny  colour  to  olive-grey.  I  possess 
Malaccan  shins  which  match  these  three  Sumatran  males. 
Iij  all  the  under  surface  is  dark  olive-grey.  The  coronal 
plumes  in  other  Malaccan  examples  of  young  males  are  ruddy 
buff,  while  the  elongated  occipital  crest-feathers  are  all  flame- 
red,  with  a  yellowish  buff  shaft-line  and  tip  to  each  plume. 
In  another  Malaccan  male  the  postoccipital  plumes  are 
dark  greyish  olive,  while  the  coronal  feathers  are  mixed  bright 
crimson  and  pale  ruddy  buff. 

The  adult  male  of  ^.  concretus  (Reinw.),  ex  Java  (PI.  Col. 
90,  f.  1),  differs  from  H.  sordidus  by  having  the  entire  crest 
crimson,  although  not  of  so  dark  a  shade  as  in  H.  sordidus. 
The  occurrence  of  this  species  beyond  Java  rests  on  no  good 
authority.  It  is  figured  by  Malherbe  (Picidse,  t.  41,  f.  5) 
under  the  title  of  Micropicus  hartlaubi.  The  curious  fact 
that  in  H.  sordidus  ^ ,  when  immature,  the  whole  crest 
is    huffy  flame-coloured   (anyhow  the  postoccipital   crest) — 


292  Lord  Twcoddalc  on  B'lnls  from 

and  that  as  the  bird  reaches  maturity  the  flame-coloured 
postoccipital  crest  becomes  olive-grey^  not  having  been  recog- 
nized, has  led  to  some  confusion. 

26.  Sasia  abnormis. 

Picumnus  abnormis,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  371.  f.  3,  "  Java  " 
(1825). 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples  in  no  respect  differ  from 
the  Sumatran  individuals  in  Mr.  Buxton^s  collection. 

27.  LoRICULUS  GALGULUS. 

Psittacus  galgulus,  Linn.  S.  N.  i,  p.  150  (1766)  ;  Raffles, 
t.  c.  p.  281,  "  In  the  interior  of  Bencoolen." 

28.  PsiTTINUS  INCERTUS. 

Psittacus  incertus,  Shaw^  Nat.  Misc. ;  O.  Finsch,  Papag. 
ii.  p.  612. 

Psittacus  malaccensis ,  Lath.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  281. 

The  variation  in  plumage  tliis  species  undergoes  remains 
still,  as  when  Dr.  O.  Finsch  wrote,  not  fully  explained.  Un- 
fortunately the  sexes  of  the  four  individuals  brought  home  by 
Mr.  Buxton  were  not  determined  by  dissection. 

29.  Anorrhinus  galeritus. 

Buceros galeritus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  520,  '^^Sumatran''  (1831). 

["  Naked  shin  surrounding  eyes  and  throat  white,  with  a 
blue  tint.  Very  common  in  flights  of  about  eight  or  ten."" — 
Buxton.^  Dr.  Cantor  describes  the  same  parts  of  the  Ma- 
laccan bird  as  being  black  (Horsf.  &  Moore,  /.  c.  p.  594) . 

30.  Rhytidoceros  undulatus. 

Le  Calao  a  casque  festonne,  Le  Vaill.  Ois.  Rares,  i.  p.  41, 
t.  20,  21,  ?,"Batavia'^  (1801). 

Buceros  undtdatus,  Shaw,  Gen.  Zool.  viii.  p.  26  (1811),  ex 
Le  A^aill.  t.  20,  21 ;  Vigors,  App.  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  666  (1830) . 

Le  Calao  javan,  Le  Vaill.,  t.  c.  p.  45,  t.  22,  ^  juv.  '' Ba- 
tavia." 

Buceros  javanicus,  Shaw,  t.c.  p.  28  (1811),  ex  Le  Vaill. 
t.  22. 

Le  Calao  javan  ou  Calao  annuaire,  Le  Vaill.  Ois.  d'Afr. 
t.  239,  S  adult  (1806). 


the  District  of  Lainpong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  293 

Buceros  niger,  Vieillot,  N.  Diet.  iv.  p.  592  (1816),  ex  Le 
VailL  t.  20,  21. 

Buceros  annulatus,  Dumont,  Diet.  Se.  Nat.  vi.  p. 21 0(1817), 
ex  LeVaill.  t.  20,  21. 

Buceros pusar an,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  293,  $  juv.,  "Sumatra^' 
(1821). 

Buceros  annulatus,  Drapiez,  Diet.  Class.  d'Hist.  Nat.  iii. 
p.  32  (1828),  exLevaill.  t.  20,  21. 

Buceros  ruficolJis,  Vieill.  apud  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  xii.  p.  176 
(1843),  nee  Vieill. 

Buceros pucoran,  Raffles,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1843,  p.  990. 

Buceros  plicat us,  Lath,  apud  Sundev.  Om  Le  Vaill.  Ois. 
d'Afr.  p.  50  (1857),  nee  Lath. 

Calao  plicatus  (Lath.),  Bp.  Consp.  i.  p.  90  (1854),  nee  Lath. 

Rhyticeros  plicatus  (Lath.),  Horsf.  &  Moore,  Cat.  E.I.  C. 
Mus.  ii.  p.  598  (1856-58),  nee  Lath.;  Moore,  P.Z.S.  1859, 
p.  451. 

Rhytidoceros  obscurus  (Gra.),  Salvad.  Ucc.  Born.  p.  85, 
"  Sarawak  "  (1874),  nee  Gm. 

An  adult,  seemingly  an  aged  male,  is  in  Mr.  Buxton^s 
Lampong  colleetion.  That  gentleman,  in  his  notes,  describes 
the  naked  gular  skin  as  being  yellow,  "  with  a  blaek  bar  and 
greenish  tinge. ^^  This  bar  is  evident  on  the  dried  skin.  Dr. 
Cantor  has  described  the  gular  pouch  of  the  Malaccan  male  as 
being  '^rich  gamboge-yellow,  with  two  transverse  blaek  bars  " 
(Horsf.  &  Moore,  /.  c.*),  that  of  the  female  as  ''dirty  azure, 
with  two  transverse  black  bars,^^  of  the  young  male  as  "  yellow, 
with  the  transverse  black  bars  indistinct."  In  a  Malaccan 
example  of  an  adult  male  I  find  traces  of  only  one  black  bar. 
Schlegel  (Mus.  P.-Bas.  Buceros,  p.  2)  states  that  the  Javan 
bird  has  an  oblique  blue  bar  across  the  throat  of  the  male, 
but  does  not  mention  any  bar  on  that  of  the  female. 

The  title  of  this  Hornbill  has  been  by  most  ornithologists, 
commencing  with  Latham,  confounded  with  that  of  the  strictly 
and  only  Papuan  member  of  this  family,  Buceros  ruficoUis, 
Vieill.     The  first  notice  of  the  Papuan  species  occurs  in  Bon- 

*  In  his  later  account  (I.  c.)  Mr.  Moore  omits  all  mention  of  the  two 
transverse  black  bars. 

SER.  IV. VOL.  1.  X 


.294  Lord  Tvveeddale  on  Birds  from 

tius ;  and  his  account  was  ti'anscribed  by  Ray  in  his  English 
translation  (1678)  of  Willughby's  '  Ornithology.'  By  Ray 
it  is  called  "  Bontius  his  Indian  Crow/^  and  is  said  to  come 
from  the  "  Molucca  Islands,  especially  Banda."  An  outline 
drawing  of  the  bill  is  given  (t.  Ixxviii.),  which  accurately  re- 
sembles the  bill  of  an  adult  example  of  the  Papuan  B.  rvficollis. 
It  may  here  be  mentioned,  parenthetically,  that  while  it  is 
not  always  easy  to  recognize  a  species,  or  to  differentiate  one 
from  another  nearly  allied  species,  through  the  means  of  a 
complete  drawing  of  a  bird  made  at  the  early  date  of  Ray's 
edition,  still  the  art  of  outline-drawing  was  as  perfect  then 
as  it  is  now,  and  that  such  delineations  are  quite  reliable. 
The  bold  broad  folds  on  the  posterior  part  of  the  culmen 
of  the  bill  which  characterize  the  Papuan  Hornbill,  are 
plainly  and  accurately  rendered  in  Ray's  plate ;  and  the  total 
absence  of  lateral  grooves  and  ridges  on  the  basal  walls  of  the 
two  mandibles  enables  us  to  determine  without  doubt  that 
the  bill  represented  belonged  to  the  Papuan,  and  not  to  its 
near  ally,  the  Malayan  species. 

On  Ray's*  outline  drawing  of  the  bill  Latham  founded  his 
Wreathed  Hornbill  (Synop.  i.  p.  858,  1781).  Gmelin  gave 
to  this  species  the  title  of  Buceros  obscurus  (S.  N.  i.  p.  362, 
1788).  In  his  first  supplement  to  his  'Synopsis,'  Latham 
(p.  70,  1787t)  added  a  reference  to  a  passage  in  Dampier's 
'Voyage'  (iii.  pt.  2,  p.  165 J,  t.  3),  and  identified  the  bird, 
there  described  as  having  been  killed  in  Ceram  and  on  New 
Guinea,  with  his  "  Wreathed  Hornbill."  In  the  '  Index 
Ornithologicus  '  (i.  p.  116,  1790),  Latham  gave  his 
"  Wreathed  Hornbill "  a  Latin  title,  and  called  it  Buceros 
plicatus.  It  seems  therefore  that  the  Gmelinian  title  of  ob- 
scurus and  Latham's  title  of  plicatus  apply  to  the  Papuan 

*  I  have  not  been  able  to  consult  an  original  copy  of  Willug-hby's  work. 
It  may  be  that  in  it  Willughby  gives  an  account  of  the  Hornbill  described 
by  Bontius. 

t  Can  any  learned  bibliographer  explain  how  Latham,  in  his  first  Sup- 
plement (1787),  was  able  to  quote  from  Gmelin's  edition  of  the  '  Systema,' 
published  in  1788  ? 

X  The  coiTect  number  of  the  page  is  231,  and  Latham,  as  well  as  J.  R. 
Forster  before  him,  transcribed  the  misprint  on  Dampier's  plate  no.  8. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  295 

Hornbill,  and  not  to  the  Malayan.  In  tlie  '  General  History ' 
(ii.  p.  323,  1822)  Latham  mixed  up  his  original  species  with 
Le  Vaillant's  Calao  javan  {I.e.)  and  Shawns  species  founded 
on  Le  Vaillant's  plate  (Ois.  d'Afrique) ;  but  the  plate  (xxxiv.) 
given  by  Latham  plainly  refers  to  the  Papuan  species. 

In  D'Entrecasteaux's  'Voyage'  (ix.  p.  304,  t.  xi.),  a  Horn- 
bill  obtained  in  the  Papuan  island  of  Waigiou  is  figured,  on 
which  the  title  of  Buceros  ruficollis,  Vieillot  (N.  Diet.  iv. 
p.  600,  1816),  was  founded  (Temm.  PL  Col.  557).  But  J. 
R.  Forster  had  already.  (Zool.  Indica,  p.  40,  1781)  bestowed 
the  title  of  B.  jMcatus  on  Dampier's  Ceram  Hornbill. 
Vieillot's  title,  usually  adopted  for  the  Papuan  species,  there- 
fore ought  to  fall ;  and  that  of  plicatus,  Forster,  having  pri- 
ority, should  supersede  Gmelin's  title  of  obscurus,  and.  La- 
thatn^'s  title  plicatus,  and  stand  for  the  Papuan  Hornbill. 
Gmelin's  title  obscurus  and  its  synonjui plicatus,  Lath.,  being 
thus  restored  to  their  original  owner  (i.  e.  B.  plicatus,  For- 
ster), the  oldest  available  title  for  the  Malayan  bird  becomes 
undulatus,  Shaw. 

A  form  very  closely  allied  to  the  Malayan  B.  undulatus 
occurs  in  Tonghoo,  which  Mr.  Blyth  separated  (J.  A.  S.  B. 
1843,  p.  177)  under  the  title  of  subruficollis ,  the  synonymy 
of  the  Papuan  bird  and  of  the  Malayan  being  at  that  time 
exceedingly  involved,  and  the  species  themselves  not  well 
known.  Mr.  Blyth  subsequently  twice  identified  his  B.  sub- 
ruficollis with  Malayan  B.  plicatus  [op.  cit.  xii.  p.  991,  xvi. 
p.  998),  but  eventually  returned  to  his  original  view,  and 
retained  B.  subruficollis  as  distinct  (Cat.  Calc.  Mus.  p.  320, 
no.  191). 

R.  subruficollis  is  only  to  be  distinguished  from  R.  undu- 
latus by  wanting,  in  the  two  sexes,  the  lateral  ridges  on  the 
base  of  both  mandibles,  and  by  the  bill  not  being  so  deep 
and  massive.  It  does  not  possess  a  black  transverse  bar  on 
the  naked  gular  skin  of  either  sex"^,  but  that  part  in  the  male 
is  yellow,  and  in  the  female  blue,  as  in  R.  undulatus.  It  is 
remarkable  that  two  such  closely  allied  forms  should  coexist 

*  Mr.  Wardlaw  Ramsay,  who  paid  special  attention  to  this  Hornbill 
when  in  Burma,  is  quite  positive  on  this  point. 

->  x2 


296  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

in  the  same  area;  and  yet  there  seems  no  doubt  that  both 
inhabit  Tenasserim ;  and  an  example  of  a  young  male  ob- 
tained at  Tonghoo  by  Mr.  W.  Ramsay  belongs  to  B.  undu- 
latus,  while  the  remainder  of  a  very  large  series  from  that 
district  consist  of  nothing  but  B.  suhruficollis.  There  is 
little  or  no  difference  in  the  general  dimensions,  although  Mr. 
Blyth  considered  that  the  body  of  B.  imdulatus  was  heavier 
than  that  of  its  ally. 

B.  narcondami,  Hume  (Str.  F.  i.  p.  411),  as  described, 
seems  to  be  another  closely  allied  form.  No  mention  is 
made  of  lateral  ridges  on  the  mandibles. 

31.  Carcineutes  pulchellus. 

Dacelo pulchella,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  175,  "Java"  (1820). 
Carcineutes  pulchellus  (Horsf.);  Sharpe,  Mon.  Alced.  t.  96. 
This  bird  is  not  separable  from  Malaccan  and  Peguan  ex- 
amples. 

32.  Halcyon  pileata. 

Alcedo  pileata,  Bodd.  Tab.  PL  Enl.  p.  41  (1783). 

Alcedo  atricapilla,  Gm. ;  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  293,  "  Sumatra."" 

33.  Sauropatis  chloris. 

Alcedo  chloris,  Bodd.  Tabl.  PI.  Enl.  p.  49  (1783). 

Alcedo  chlorocephala,  Gm.,  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  293,  ^^  Sumatra." 

34.  Pelargopsis  fraseri,  Sharpe,  P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  65, 
"Java,  Sumatra,  Malacca;'^  Mon.  Alced.  t.  33,  "Sumatra." 

Alcedo  leucocephalus ,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  293,  "  Sumatra." 
The  four  examples  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton  most  closely 
resemble  the  Bornean  form  referred  by  Mr.  Sharpe  in  his 
monograph  to  P.  leucocephala,  the  cap,  however,  being  more 
pronounced.  They  differ  from  the  great  majority  of  Malaccan 
individuals  with  which  I  have  made  a  comparison  in  wanting 
the  very  dark  distinct  brown  cap  of  that  peninsular  form.  But, 
in  truth,  this  group  of  Kingfishers  requires  further  study  ;  for 
the  variations  in  colouring  of  the  cap,  on  which  Mr.  Sharpe 
partly  relies  (P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  62),  do  not  always  seem  to  offer, 
as  I  once  believed,  stable  characters  when  a  large  series  of 
individuals  from  different,  or  even  similar,  localities  are 
examined. 


the  District  of  Lampony,  S.E.  Sumatra.  297 

* 

35.  Alcedo  euryzona. 

Alcedo  cyanocephala,  Shaw,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  293,  "  Su- 
matra/' nee  Shaw. 

Alcedo  euryzona,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  livr.  83,  "  Java''  (1830) ; 
Sharpe,  Mon.  Alced.  t.  8  ;  Schlegel,  Vog.  Neder.  Ind.  Mar- 
tins pecheurs,  p.  45,  t.  1.  f.  1,  2. 

A  single  example  of  this  rare  Kingfisher  was  obtained  by 
Mr.  Buxton.  The  extreme  rarity  of  the  species  has  prevented 
me  comparing  it  with  typical  and  Malaccan  specimens. 

36.  Alcedo  meninting. 

Alcedo  meninting,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  172,  "Java"  (1820). 

Alcedo  asiatica,  Sw.  Zool.  111.  (1)  t.  50  (1821). 

Alcedo  ispida,  var.  bengalensis,  apud  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  293, 
"  Sumatra." 

Examples  of  this  well-marked  species  from  Java,  Borneo, 
and  Malacca  agree  with  those  from  the  Lampong  district. 

37.  Alcedo  bengalensis. 

Alcedo  bengalensis,  Gm.  S.  N.  i,  p.  450  (1788). 

38.  Ceyx  rufidorsa. 

Alcedo  tridactyla,  Linn.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  293,  "  Sumatra." 

Ceyx  rufidorsa,  Strickl.  P.  Z.  S.  1846,  p.  99,  "Malacca;" 
Sharpe,  Mon.  Alced.  t.  41. 

Ceyx  innominata,  Salvadori,  Atti  R.  Ac.  Sc.  Tor.  iv.  p.  465 
(1869). 

Identical  with  Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples. 

39.  Merops  sumatranus.  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  294,  "  Sumatra" 
(1821). 

Merops  bicolor,  Bodd.,  Salvadori,  Ucc.  Borneo,  90,  nee 
Bodd.;  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  33,  et  1877,  p.  5;  conf.  Wal- 
den,  Tr.  Z.  S.  ix.  p.  150,  t.  26. 

Sumatran,  Malaccan,  and  Bornean  examples  do  not  differ. 
Are  not  examples  with  the  chestnut  plumage,  washed  with 
green,  immature  birds,  of  both  sexes,  in  transition  from  the 
dark  green  of  the  young  to  the  full  dress  of  the  adult,  rather 
than  representatives  of  the  adult  female  form  only,  as  stated 
by  Mr.  Sharpe  (/.  c.)  ? 


298  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

40.  Nyctiornis  amicta. 

Merops  amicta,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  310,  "Sumatra"  (1824). 

Boruean  and  Malaccan  examples  in  no  respect  diflFer. 
Count  Salvador!  (/.  c.  p.  91)  refers  iV.  malaccensis,  Cab.,  to 
the  female,  thus  assuming  that  the  female  wants  the  crimson 
pectoral  and  pink  frontal  plumes.  I  rather  incline  to  the 
belief  that  the  adult  birds  of  both  sexes  are  alike,  and  that 
the  uniform  green  birds  belong  to  a  younger  stage  of  plumage. 
One  of  the  examples  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton  is  in  plain  green 
dress  {N.  malaccensis) ,  but  has  one  small  frontal  plume  pink. 

41.  Harpactes  kasumba. 

Troffon  kasumba,  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  282  (1821), partim;  Gould, 
Mon.  Trog.  t.  10. 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples  do  not  differ.  I  retain 
the  title  now  usually  adopted,  although  Sir  S.  Raffles  con- 
founded two  species  in  his  description. 

42.  Harpactes  duvauceli. 

Troffon  duvaucelii,  Temm.  PL  Col.  291  (1824),  "  Sumatra/' 
Gould,  Mon.  Trog.  t.  12. 

Trogon  kasumba,  Raffles,  I.e., partim. 

Identical  with  examples  from  Malacca,  where  it  occurs 
along  with  H.  rutilus  (conf.  Walden,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  161).  Sir 
S.  Raffles  described  (/.  c.)  this  species  as  being  the  young  of 
H.  kasumba. 

43.  Batrachostomus  cornutus. 

Podargus  cornutus,  Tevava..  PI.  Col.  159,  '*' Bencoolen  "  (26 
July,  1823). 

The  example  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton  is  in  full  rufous  plu- 
mage.    It  agrees  with  Bornean  individuals. 

44.  Lyncornis  temmincki. 

Lyncornis  temmincki,  Gould,  Icones  Avium,  t.  6,  '^  Borneo  " 
(1838). 

Identical  with  Malaccan  and  typical  examples. 

45.  Macropteryx  comatus. 

Cypselus  comatus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  268,  "  Sumatra"  (1824). 
Malaccan  examples  do  not  differ. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  299 

46.  Macropteryx  longipennis. 

Hirundo  longipennis,  Rafin.  Bull.  Sc.  Soc.  Philom.  iii.  an.  ii. 
p.  158,  ^^Java"  (1804). 

Hirundo  klecho,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  143,  "Java"  (1820). 
Identical  with  typical  examples. 

47.  MegaljEMa  mystacophanes. 

Bucco  niystacophanos,  Temm.  PL  Col.  315,  "Sumatra" 
(1824)  ;  Marshall,  Mon.  Capit.  t.  19 ;  Salvadori,  t.  c.  p.  34, 
t.  1. 

Megalaima  humei,  Marshall,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  536,  "  Borneo  j" 
Mon.  Capit.  t.  21. 

Malaccan  examples  are  identical.  Among  the  large  series 
collected  by  Mr.  Buxton  are  examples  in  the  transition  plu- 
mage on  which  Mr.  Marshall  founded  M.  humei. 

48.  Megal^ma  chrysopogon. 

Bucco  chrysopogon,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  285,  ''Sumatra"  (1824); 
Marshall,  Mon.  Capit.  t.  18. 

Agrees  with  Malaccan  specimens. 

49.  Megal^ma  versicolor. 

Bucco  versicolor,  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  284,  ''Sumatra"  (1821)  ; 
Marsh.  Mon.  Capit.  t.  22. 

Bornean  and  Malaccan  individuals  belong  to  the  typical 
species. 

50.  XantholjEma  rosea. 

Bucco  roseus,  Dumont,  Diet.  Sc.  Nat.  iv.  p.  52  (1806)  ; 
Marshall,  Mon.  Capit.  t.  43. 

The  two  examples  collected  by  Mr.  Buxton  are  identical 
with  Javan  and  Negros  individuals.  Hitherto  not  recorded 
from  Sumatra. 

51.  XaNTHOLjEMA  HjEMACEPHALA. 

Bucco  hcemacephalus,  L.  S.  Miiller,  Suppl.  p.  88  (1776)  ; 
Marshal,  Mon.  Capit.  t.  42. 

Bucco  philippensis,  Linn,,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  283,  "  Sumatra." 

52.  Xanthol^ema  duvauceli. 

Bucco  duvaucelii,  Less.  Tr.  d'Orn.  164,  "  Sumatra"  (1831); 
Marshall,  Mon.  Capit.  t.  33.  f.  1,  2. 


300  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

Bucco  australis,  Horsf.,  EalHes,  t.  c.  p.  285^  "  Sumatra/^ 
nee  Horsf. 

Sumatran,  Bornean^  and  N.E.  Malaecan  examples  exhibit 
no  difference. 

53.  Arachnothera  longirostra. 

Certhia  longirostra,  Lath.  Ind.  Orn.  i.  p.  299,  "  Bengal  ^' 
(1790). 

Arachnothera  affinis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1846,  p.  43,  "  East- 
ern coast.  Bay  of  Bengal,  from  Arracan  to  Malacca,  Mysore 
district. 

Arachnothera  pusilla,  Blyth,  Cat.  Calc.  Mus.  App.  p.  328. 
no.  1348  (1849). 

Sumatran  examples  are  identical,  both  in  size  and  plnmage, 
with  Javan.  The  only  difference  I  am  able  to  detect  between 
Javan  individuals  and  those  from  Malabar,  Assam,  and  coun- 
tries south  to  Malacca,  including  British  Burma,  and  also 
those  from  Borneo,  is  one  of  dimensions,  these  last  being 
smaller  and  having  shorter  and  perhaps  slenderer  bills.  But 
I  possess  Javan  examples,  in  perfect  plumage,  as  small  as 
any  from  the  other  localities  named — that  is,  with  a  difference 
of  three,  and  even  nearly  four,  eighths  in  the  length  of 
the  wing  of  the  largest  and  smallest  Javan  species.  These 
differences  in  size  may  be  characteristic  of  sex ;  but  a  fully 
plumaged  Bornean  male  (Busan),  sex  ascertained  by  Mr. 
Everett,  has  the  short  wing  of  my  smallest  Javan  examples. 
A  Tonghoo  male,  with  bright  orange  pectoral  tufts,  has  a 
shorter  wing  and  bill  than  a  Javan  male  in  like  breeding- 
plumage.  There  is  not,  therefore,  sufficient  ground  for  sepa- 
rating specifically  any  one  or  more  races  of  this  spider-hunter ; 
and  if  there  were,  the  Javan  and  Sumatran  race  would  require 
the  new  title,  and  not  the  race  named  affinis  (subsequently 
pusilla)  by  Blyth ;  for  it  supplied  Latham  with  the  type  of 
his  C,  longirostra. 

54.  Arachnothera  flavigastra. 

Anthreptes  flavigaster,  Eyton,  P.  Z.  S.  1839,  p.  105,  "Ma- 
lacca.'' 

Arachnothera  eytonii,  Salvador!,  t.c.  p.  182  (1874). 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  301 

Identical  with  typical  examples.  Count  Salvadori  has  be- 
stowed a  fresh  title,  on  acconnt  of  the  hybrid  construction  of 
the  name  given  by  Eyton. 

55.  Arachnothera  chrysogenys. 

Nectarinia  chrysogenys,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  388.  f.  1,  "  Java  " 
(1826) . 

Certhia  longirostra,  Lath.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  299,  "  Sumatra," 
nee  Lath. 

Sumatran,  Bornean  (N.E.),  and  Malaccan  examples  do  not 
differ. 

56.  Arachnothera  temmincki. 

Arachnothera  temmincki,  Moore,  Cat.  E.I.  C.  Mus.  ii. 
p.  728,  "  Malacca  ?  "  (1856-58) . 

One  Lampong  example,  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton,  is  insepa- 
rable from  Malaccan  individuals. 

57.  Arachnophila  simplex. 

Nectarinia  simplex,  S.  Miiller,  Verb.  Nat.  Gesch.  Ned. 
Overz.  Bez.,  Land-  en  Volkenk.  p.  172,  note,  ''Sumatra, 
Borneo'-'  (1843)  ;  op.  cit.  Zool.  Aves,  p.  62,  t.  8.  f.  4  (1846) ; 
Walden,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  31. 

Arachnophila  simplex  (S.  Miiller)  ;   Salvadori,  t.  c.  p.  172. 

A  single  example  of  this  rare  Sun-bird  {^)  is  in  the  collec- 
tion. Reichenbach's  generic  title,  Arachnor aphis,  cannot  be 
used,  being  partly  founded  on  a  Malaccan  Arachnothera  {A. 
flavigastra,  Eyton)  and  partly  on  the  New-Ireland  Nectarinia 
flavigastr a, Gould  {  =  A.frenata) .  A.  *mj9Ze<r,Miill.&Schlegel, 
ex  Lombock,  Gray's  Hand-1.  no.  1370,  is  a  true  Arachno- 
thera from  Lombock,  discovered  by  Mr.  Wallace,  and  has 
nothing  to  do  with  the  species  it  is  there  referred  to. 

58.  ^thopyga  siparaja. 

Certhia  siparaja,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  299,  "Sumatra"  (1821)  ; 
Walden,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  33. 

^thopyga  eupogon.  Cab.  Mus.  Hein.  i.  p.  103,  note,  "Ma- 
lacca, Borneo '^  (1850-51). 

The  examples  from  S.E.  Sumatra  are  identical  with  Ma- 
laccan, Pinang,  and  Bornean  specimens.  Cabanis's  title  of 
eupogon  must  therefore  fall. 


302  Lord  Tweeddalc  on  Birds  from 

59.  Arachnechthra  pectoralis. 

Nectarinia pectoralis,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  167,  "Java"  (1820). 
Undistinguishable  from  Javan  examples. 

60.  Anthreptes  malaccensis. 

Certhia  malaccensis,  Scopoli,  Del.  Fl.  et  Faun.  Insubr.  ii. 

p.  90  (1786). 

Nectariniajavanica,  Horsf.,  Raffles,  ^.c.  p.  299/' Sumatra." 
Apparently  very  numerous.     Does  not  differ  from  typical 

examples. 

61.  Nectarophila  hasselti. 

Nectarinia  hasseltii,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  376.  f.  3,  "  Java " 
(1825). 

Certhia  brasiliana  auct. 

Certhia  sperata,  Linn.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  298,  "Sumatra,"  nee 
Linn. 

Cinnyris  ruber,  Lesson,  Tr.  d'Orn.  p.  296,  "  Sumatra,  ^c?e 
Pucheran"  (1831). 

Many  examples,  which  do  not  dil5:er  from  Malaccan  and 
Bornean. 

62.  Chalcostetha  insignis. 

Nectarinia  insignis,  Jardine,  Nat.  Lib.  xxxvi.  p.  274  (1842), 
ex  Temm.  PL  Col.  138.  f.  3,  "  Java." 

Identical  with  Malaccan  individuals,  which  Count  Salva- 
dori  informs  us  {t.  c.  p.  178)  are  not  to  be  distinguished  from 
Rornean  (Sarawak).  Sal.  Miiller  has  identified  Sumatran 
with  Javan  typical  examples. 

63.  Dictum  flammeum. 

Motacilla  flammea,  Sparrm.  Mus.  Carls,  fasc.  iv.  t.  98, 
"Java"  (1789). 

Identical  with  Javan  examples. 

64.  Dictum  olivaceum. 

Dicaeum  olivaceum,  Walden,  Ann.  &  M.  N.  H.  (ser.  4)  xv. 
p.  101,  Tonghoo  hills  (1875). 

A  single  skin  of  a  Dicamn  was  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton 
which  is  identical  with  the  type  specimen  of  D.  olivaceum. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  303 

65.  DlCMVM  TRIGONOSTIGMA. 

Certhia  trig ono stigma,  Scopoli^  Del.  Fl.  et  Faun.  Insubr. 
ii.  p.  91  (1786),  ex  Sonnerat,  "Malacca.'' 

Dicceum  croceoventre,  Vigors,  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  673,  "  Su- 
matra" (1830). 

The  Lampong  individuals  in  no  respect  differ  fromMalaccan. 

66.  Prionochilus  percussus. 

Pardalotus  percussus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  394.  f.  2,  "Java"' 
(1826) . 

Identical  with  Malaccan  specimens.  I  have  not  been  able 
to  compare  it  with  typical  examples. 

Q7.  Chalcoparia  phcenicotis. 

Motacilla  singalensis,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  964  (1788). 

Nectarinia  phcenicotis,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  108.  f.  1,  388.  f.  2, 
"Java,  Sumatra''  (1824). 

A  single  specimen  in  immature  plumage  belongs  to  this 
species.  Now  that  the  knowledge  of  the  geographical  range 
of  most  species  of  birds  has  become  so  much  more  defined 
and  accurate,  the  time  appears  to  have  arrived  when  inap- 
propriate and  misleading  geographical  titles  may  be  with 
safety  suppressed.  This  bird  is  certainly  not  found  in  Ceylon ; 
nor  does  it  occur  on  the  Asiatic  continent  to  the  westward  of 
the  Brahmaputra.  I  have  therefore  adopted  Temminck's 
title,  which  is  next  in  priority.  It  is  true  that  Count  Salva- 
dori  (Ucc.  Born.  p.  180)  makes  Certhia  rectirostris,  Shaw, 
apply  to  this  species ;  but  that  title,  founded  on  plate  Ixxv. 
of  Vieillot's  '  Oiseaux  Dores,'  belongs  to  an  African  bird, 
Cinnyris  elegans,  Vieillot  (N.  Diet.  d'Hist.  Nat.  xxxi. 
p.  506,  1819),  which  was  also  figured  by  Vieillot  under  the 
same  title  some  years  later  (Galerie  des  Ois.  i.  p.  292, 
t.  clxxviii.). 

68.  Zosterops  lateralis. 

Zoster  ops  lateralis,  Temm.  Mus.  Lugd. ;  Hartlaub,  J.  fiir 
O.  1865,  p.  15,  "  Java  and  Sumatra." 

Very  near  to  continental  Z.  palpebrosus,  but  of  a  more 
saturated  green  above,  and  with  a  longitudinal  streak  of  bright 


304  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

yellow  on  the  abdomen  ;  the  tail  dark  brown.     It  is  also  the 
form  found  at  Malacca. 

69.  Parus  atriceps. 

Parus  atriceps,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  160,  "Java"  (1820). 

Le  Mesange  grise  a  joue  blanche,  Le  Vaillant,  Ois.  d'Afr. 
iii.  p.  171,  t.  139*.  fig.  superior,  "  Batavia." 

Parus  cinereus,  Vieill.  Tabl.  Encyl.  Meth.  ii.  p.  506  (1823), 
ex  Le  Vaillant. 

Identical  with  typical  examples. 

70.  JEgithina  scapularis. 

lora  scapularis,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  152,  "Java"  (1820)  ;  Zool. 
Res.  Java,  t. 

Turdus  scapularis,  Horsf.,  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  311,  "  Sumatra." 

A  young  male,  procured  by  Mr.  Buxton,  is  not  separable 

from  Javan  examples  of  the  female,  except  that  all  the  new 

rectrices  are  black.     Javan  and  Sumatran  females  are  identical. 

71.  ^GiTHiNA  viRiDissiMA.     (Plate  V.  fig.  1  ( (^  ),  2  (  ?  ) .) 
lora  viridissima,  Bp.  Consp.  i.  p.  397, ''  Sumatra,  Borneo  " 

(1850). 

Two  fuU-plumaged  males  and  one  female  were  obtained  by 
Mr.  Buxton ;  and  I  am  thus  enabled  to  give  a  description  of 
the  female  of  this  somewhat  rare  species.  The  upper  plu- 
mage of  the  female  is  like  that  of  the  male,  only  not  so  dark 
green.  In  yS.  scapularis  ?  ,  ex  Java,  and  in  jE.  zeijlonica  ? 
and  typhia  $  ,  the  dorsal  plumage  is  yellow-green.  The 
colouring  of  the  rectrices  in  ^.  viridissima  ?  is  likewise 
darker  green  than  in  ^.  scapularis.  Underneath  the  plu- 
mage has  a  yellow  tint,  but  not  so  bright  and  pure  as  in  M. 
scapularis  and  its  allies.  From  the  plumage  of  the  head 
being  dark  green,  the  yellow  orbits  contrast  more  conspicu- 
ously in  jE.  viridissima  ?  than  in  the  females  of  the  other 
species.  The  edgings  to  all  the  quills  are  greenish  yellow, 
and  not  pure  yellow  or  whitish  yellow. 

Bornean  and  Malaccan   examples  do  not  differ  from  the 
Sumatran. 

*  Lc  Vaillaut,  in  error,  misuumbered  the  figures  on  tliis  plate. 


ILis  1877.P1,V 


J.GKe-alemans  litli-  M(5:"N  HanhaTt  imp. 

^GITHINA  VIRIDISSIMA,1$,2?.     ' 


the  District  of  Lamporig,  S.E.  Sumatra.  305 

72.  Phyllornis  viridis. 

Turdus  viridis,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  148,  "Java"  (1820), 
nee  Gm. 

Meliphaga  javensis,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  152. 

Turdus  cochinchinensis ,  Gm.,  var.^  Raffles,  t.  c,  p.  309, 
''  Sumatra." 

Chloropsis  zosterops,  Vigors,  App.  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  674, 
"Sumatra"  (1830). 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  individuals  do  not  differ  from  Su- 
matran.  Although  there  is  no  doubt  that  M.  javensis,  Horsf., 
refers  to  this  species,  for  the  types  were  compared  [vide  Horsf. 
&  Moore,  Cat.  Mus.  E.I.  C.  i.  p.  261),  still  I  concur  with 
Count  Salvadori  in  rejecting  the  name ;  for  it  was  published 
without  any  diagnosis,  and  the  titles  of  two  other  very  dis- 
tinct species  of  Phyllornis  were  given  as  explanatory  syn- 
onyms. The  description  of  T.  viridis  has,  moreover,  pre- 
cedence in  the  list,  and  is  perhaps  a  better  title  i\\a?a.  javensis, 
which  tends  to  circumscribe  the  geographical  range.  Count 
Salvadori,  however,  passes  over  the  title  of  viridis  also,  and 
adopts  that  of  sonneratii,  Jard.  &  Selby. 

73.  Phyllornis  icterocephala. 

Turdus  cochinchinensis,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  309,  "  Su- 
matra." 

Phyllornis  malabaricus ,  Gm.,  Temra.  PI.  Col.  512.  f.  2, 
"Sumatra"  (1329). 

Phylloi'nis  icterocephalus ,  Lesson,  Rev.  Zool.  1840,  p.  164, 
ex  Temm. 

Malaccan  individuals  offer  no  points  of  difference.  But  a 
Bornean  male  from  Simanjou  has  the  blue  o£  the  shoulders 
of  a  perceptibly  darker  shade,  and  belongs  to  P.  viridinucha, 
Sharpe,  a  species  the  validity  of  which  I  am  somewhat 
doubtful  of. 

74.  Phyllornis  cyanopogon. 

Phyllornis  cyanopogon,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  512.  f.  1,  "  Su- 
matra" (1829). 

Specimens  from  Malacca  are  not  separable.     P.  mystacalis, 


306  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

Sw.  (2 J  Cent.  p.  296),  is  either  the  female  or  young  male  of 
this  species. 

75.    IXUS  ANALIS. 

Turdus  analis,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  147,  "  Java''  (1820)  ;  Raffles, 

t.  c.  p.  310,  "  Sumatra." 

Otocompsa  per  sonata,  Hume,  Str.F.1873,p.456,  ''Aclieen.'' 
Inseparable    from    typical  specimens,   and  identical  with 

Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples. 

TQ.  Criniger  ph^ocephalus. 

Ixos phaocephalus,  Hartl.  Rev.  Zool.  1844,  p.  401,  ''Ma- 
lacca;'' Walden,  Ibis,  1871,  p.  169,  t.  vi.  f.  2. 
Sumatran  and  typical  examples  are  identical. 

77.  Tricholestes  criniger. 

Brachypodius  {"?)  criniger,  A.  Hay,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1845, 
p.  577,  ''  Malacca." 

Tricophorus  minutus,  Hartlaub,  J.  fiir  O.  1853,  p.  156, 
/'Malacca." 

Tricholestes  minutus  (Hartlaub),  Salvadori,  t.  c.  p.  265, 
t.  V.  f.  1,  "Sarawak"  (1874). 

Mr.  Buxton  procured  one  specimen,  which  in  no  way  differs 
from  Sarawak  individuals.  Why  has  Count  Salvadori  (/.  c.) 
preferred  Hartlaub's  title,  minutus,  for  the  Malaccan  bird  to 
mine  of  criniger,  published  seven  years  previously  ? 

78.  Alcurus  ochrocephalus. 

Turdus  ochrocephalus,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  821  (1788) ;  Walden, 
Ibis,  1872,  p.  379. 

79.  RUBIGULA  DISPAR. 

Turdus  dispar,  Horsf  t.  c.  p.  150,  "Java"  (1820);  Raffles, 
t.  c.  p.  310,  "Sumatra;"  Temm.  PL  Col.  137. 

80.  Brachypus  euptilosus. 

Brachypus  euptilosus,  Jard.  &  Selby,  111.  Orn.  t.iii.,  "  Singa- 
pore" (1825?). 

Malaccan  examples  do  not  differ. 

81.  Brachypus  plumosus. 

Pycnonotu^s  plumosus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1845,  p.  567,  (^ , 
^^  Singapore." 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Swnatra.  307 

Pycnonotns  brunneus,  Blyth,  t.  c.  p.  568;,  ?  ,  "  Malacca." 

Brachtjpus  modestus,  A.  Hay ;  Blyth,  t.  c.  p.  568,  ?  ,  "  Ma- 
lacca/^ 

The  single  example  in  Mr.  Buxton's  collection  is  passing 
from  the  brown  plumage  of  the  immature  B.  brunneus  to  the 
greener  plumage  of  the  adult.  Count  Salvadori  {t.  c.  p.  199) 
states  that  the  brown  birds  are  females  and  young  males, 
while  the  adult  males  are  distinguished  by  the  green  colour- 
ing of  the  wings  and  tail.  In  a  large  series  of  the  species, 
with  sexes  ascertained  by  dissection,  and  collected  at  Ma- 
lacca by  Mr.  W.  Ramsay,  I  find  females  fully  as  green  in 
plumage  as  males.  An  example  collected  by  Mr.  Maingay 
at  Malacca,  with  green  wings  and  tail,  is  marked  by  that 
collector  as  being  a  female ;  and  he  was  a  most  competent 
authority.  A  large  series  from  Java  consists  of  examples 
undistinguishable  from  Malaccan.  Labuan  individuals  also 
belong  to  the  same  species. 

Pycnonotus  pusillus,  Salvadori  (/.  c.  p.  200)  seems  to  be 
the  bird  described  by  Moore  under  the  title  of  Microtarsus 
olivaceus  (Cat.  E.I.  C.  Mus,  i.  p.  249),  ex  Malacca,  where 
it  is  not  uncommon.  I  have  compared  Bornean  examples 
and  can  detect  no  diff'erence. 

82.  Brachypodius  melanocephalus. 

Lanius  melanocephalus,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  309.  no.  51  (1788). 

Turdus  melanocephalus,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  310,  "Sumatra'' 
(1820). 

Brachypodius  immaculatus,  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  39,  "Sibu, 
Borneo." 

Identical  with  Malaccan  and  Bornean  individuals ;  all  the 
rectrices  with  a  dark  transverse  band.  B.  immaculatus, 
Sharpe,  cannot  be  separated. 

83.  loLE  OLIVACEA. 

lole  olivacea,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1844,  p.  386,  "Malacca." 
A  single  Sumatran  example  of  a  bird  was  obtained  by  Mr. 

Buxton,  which  agrees  well  with  the  Malaccan  form  I  refer  to 

lole  olivacea,  Blyth. 


308  Lord  Tweeddalc  on  Birds  from 

84.  Oriolus  xanthonotus. 

Oriolus  xanthonotus,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  152,  "Java^^  (1820); 
Zool.  Res.  Java,  t.  46. 

Javan,  Sumatran,  Malacean,  and  Bornean  examples  ex- 
hibit no  specific  differences. 

85.  Oriolus  coronatus. 

Oriolus  chinensis,  Linn.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  303,  "  Sumatra," 
nee  Linn. 

Oriolns  coronatus,  Sw.  2i  Cent.  p.  342,  "Java"  (1837). 

Mr.  Buxton  obtained  a  large  series,  which  are  identical  with 
typical  examples. 

86.  Cyanoderma  erythropterum. 

Timalia  erythroptera,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1842,  p.  794,  "  Sin- 
gapore." 

Timalia  pyrrhophfsa,  Kartl.  Rev.  Zool.  1844,  p.  402,  "  Su- 
matra." 

On  comparing  examples  obtained  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Ophir,  Malacca,  by  Mr.  W.  Ramsay,  who  carefully,  by  dis- 
section, ascertained  the  sexes,  I  can  find  no  difference  of 
plumage  whereby  the  male  can  be  distinguished  from  the 
female. 

87.  Macronus  ptilosus. 

Macronus  ptilosus,  Jard.  &  Selby,  111.  Orn.  t.  150  (1835). 

Timalia  trichorros,  Temm.  PL  Col.  594.  f.  1,  ''  Borneo, 
Sumatra"  (1836). 

Malaccan,  Bornean,  and  Sumatran  examples  belong  to  one 
species. 

88.  Brachypteryx  buxtoni.      (Plate  VI.  fig.  2.) 
Brachypteryx    buxtoni,    Tweeddale,    P.  Z.  S.    1877    (April 

17th). 

89.  Drymocataphus  nigricapitatus. 

Brachypteryx  nigrocapitata,  Eyton,  P.  Z.  S.  1839,  p.  103, 
^'Malacca." 

The  Sumatran  bird  in  no  way  differs  from  the  type  species. 


Ibis. 1877. PI  .VI, 


J  G.KeulemaTis  liLli 


'M.fcW,Haiiliart  imp 


l.PRINIA  RA.FFLESI. 

2 ,  BR  AC  HYP  TERYZ  B  UXT  ONI 


^  CENTRAL  PARK,  "^ 


a^     NEW  YORK.   -><. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  309 

90.  Malacopteron  majus. 

Malacopteron  majus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  184<7,  p.  461, ''  Ma- 
lacca;^' Salvadori,  Ucc.  Born.  p.  225. 

Napothera  pileata,  Miill.,  Bp,  Consp.  i.  p.  359,  "  Sumatra, 
Borneo"  (1850).  ,  .^ 

Sumatran  and  Malaccan  examples  are  identical ;  and  I  may 
add  that  examples  of  the  nearly  allied  M.  magnum,  Eyt., 
from  Sumatra  and  Malacca,  in  my  collection  in  no  way  differ. 

91.  Pitta  boschii. 

Fitta  boschii,  Miill.  &  Schl.  Verhandl.  Nat.  Gesch.  Ned. 
Ind.  Aves,  pp.  5,  16,  t.  1,  "Sumatra''  (1839-44). 

There  are  no  specific  differences  between  Malaccan  and 
typical  examples. 

92.  CiTTOCINCLA  MACROURA. 

Turdus  macrourus,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  820  (1788). 
The  Sumatran  examples  do  not  differ  from  Malaccan,  Javan, 
Burman,  Indian,  Ceylonese,  and  Hainan  individuals. 

93.  COPSYCHUS  MUSICUS. 

Lanius  musicus,  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  307,  '''Sumatra"  (1821)  ; 
Walden,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  102. 

Copsychus  problematicus,  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  36, "  Borneo." 

Some  years  ago  (/.  c.)  I  endeavoured  to  show  that  the  Ma- 
layan and  Javan  Copsychus,  belonging  to  the  C.-saularis 
section,  differed  from  C  saularis  in  having  the  under  wing- 
coverts  "  white  centred  with  black ; "  and  I  suggested  that,  as 
the  Sumatran  species  would  in  all  probability  be  found  to 
agree  with  them,  they  would  fall  under  the  title  of  musicus, 
given  by  Sir  S.  Raffles  to  the  Sumatran  Dayal.  Comparing 
the  specimens  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton,  I  find  that  this  sur- 
mise was  correct.  They  also  possess  only  six  pairs  of  white 
rectrices,  as  against  eight  in  true  C.  saularis — a  character 
which  is  almost  constant  in  Malaccan  birds  also. 

The  Javan  race  has  a  very  short  bill,  but  is  otherwise  iden- 
tical with  Sumatran  C.  musicus.  Swainson  long  ago  (2j  Cent, 
p.  292)  distinguished  it  under  the  title  of  brevirostris*.     Mr, 

*  Erroneously   identified    with    C.   amoenus   ia   Horsfield   &    Moore's    . 
Catalogue. 

SEK.  IV. VOL.   I.  Y 


;3lO  Lord  Tvveeddale  un  Birds  from 

Sliarpe  [I.e.)  has  recently  bestowed  a  new  title, //roA/ewa^icMS, 
on  the  Bornean  form,  giving  as  its  distinctive  character  the 
black-centred  under  wing-coverts. 

94.  Henicurus  frontalis. 

Enicurus  frontalis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1847,  p.  156,  '^  Ma- 
lacca;" Elwes,  Ibis,  1872,  p.  259,  t.  ix. 

Hitherto  only  recorded  as  inhabiting  Malacca.  Closely 
allied  to  H.  leschenaulti,  but  of  smaller  dimensions.  In  one 
of  Mr.  Buxton^s  examples  the  white  tips  of  the  fourth  pair  of 
outer  rectrices  overlap  the  black  portion  of  the  third  outer  pair. 
In  another  individual  the  fourth  pair  is  much  shorter,  and 
the  white  bars  on  the  tail  appear  as  represented  in  Mr.  Elwes''s 
plate.  Both  birds  are  otherwise  alike  and  in  full  plumage, 
the  frontal  plumes  being  much  developed  and  fully  equalling, 
if  not  exceeding,  the  frontal  crest  of  Javan  H.  leschenaulti. 

In  all  Ningpo  examples  of  fully  plumaged  specimens  of  H. 
leschenaulti  {E.  chinensis)  I  have  examined,  the  outer  pair  of 
tail-feathers  are  about  an  incii  shorter  than  the  second  pair, 
whereas  in  typical  (Jayan)  H.  leschenaulti,  the  outer  pair 
equals  the  next  pair ;  and  this  holds  good  in  individuals  from 
the  Dafla  hills  and  Tenasserim.  The  Javan  bird  is  also  con- 
siderably smaller  than  the  Chinese  species. 

95.  Calobates  melaxope. 

Motacilla  melanope,  Pallas,  It.  iii.  p.  69G  (1776). 
Motacilla  bistrigata,  Haffles,  t.  c.  p.  [M2,  "Sumatra"  (1821). 

96.  Budytes  viridis. 

Motacilla  viridis,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  962  (1788). 

97.  CORYDALLA  MALAYENSIS. 

Anthus  malayensis,  Eyton,  P.  Z.  S.  p.  104,  "  Malacca." 

(?)  Anthus  hasseltii,  Temm. ;  Schlegel,  Handleiding  Dierk. 
i.  p.  263,  "Java"  (1857). 

Alauda  pratensis,  Linn.,  apud  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  315,  "Su- 
matra," nee  Linn. 

One  Sumatran  example  is  in  the  collection,  and  does  not 
differ  from  the  common  Malaccan  C.  malayensis.  Count 
Salvadori  has  suggested  that  C.  hasselti  =  C.  malayensis  ;    but 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  311 

the  former  is  more  nearly  allied  to  C.  luyubris,  if  the  Bornean 
specimen  marked  C.  hasselti  in  the  British  Museum  is  cor- 
rectly determined. 

Corydalla  lugubris,  Walden,  differs  from  C.  malayensis  in 
having  white  superciliary  patches  before  the  eye^  in  the  breast- 
markings  consisting  of  a  few  sparse  narrow  brown  lines,  and 
not  broad  brown  centres  to  the  feathers,  and  in  the  ground- 
colour of  the  breast  being  albescent,  and  not  pale  rufous. 
Above,  the  colouring  and  markings  of  the  two  species  are 
very  similar. 

98.  Prinia  familiaris. 

Prima  familiaris ,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  165,  "  Java"  (1820) ;  Zool. 
Res.  Java,  t.  52. 

MotaciUa  olivacea,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  313,  ''  Sumatra"  (1821). 

Mr,  Buxton's  Sumatran  examples  are  identical  with  typical 
specimens.  One  of  the  Sumatran  birds  possesses  white  lores. 
The  species  also  occurs  in  the  island  of  Madura. 

99.  Prinia  rafflesi,  sp.  nov.     (Plate  VI.  fig.  1.) 

Mr.  Buxton's  collection  contains  two  examples  of  a  species 
of  Prinia  I  am  unable  to  identify.  It  may  be  the  same  as  M. 
olivacea,  Raffles  (/.  c.);  but  that  bird  has  been  determined 
by  Horsfield  and  Moore  (Mus.  E.I.  C.  i.  p.  320)  to  be  P. 
familiaris. 

Above  olive-green,  front  of  head  ashy.  Lores,  which  ex- 
tend partly  over  the  eye,  white.  Chin,  throat,  cheeks,  and 
upper  breast  white.  Lower  breast,  abdomen,  flanks,  ventral 
region,  and  under  tail-coverts  pure  canary-yellow.  Thigh- 
coverts  yellow,  tinged  with  ferruginous.  Carpal  edge  and 
under  carpal  coverts  yellow- white.  Quills  brown,  with  olive- 
green  edgings.  Rectrices  pale  brown,  washed  with  green, 
and  with  an  obscure  darker  brown  subterminal  spot  and  pale 
tips.  Bill  black  and  slender  as  compared  with  that  of  P. 
familiaris.  Bill  from  forehead  0*72,  wing  1'18,  tarsus  0*75, 
tail  2-50. 

Differs  from  P.  familiaris  in  wanting  the  conspicuous  white 
tips  to  the  minor  and  major  wing-coverts,  in  being  darker 
olive-green  above,  in  the  olive-green  fringings  of  the  quills 

y2 


312  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

and  colouring  of  the  rectrices,  in  wanting  a  distinct  brown 
cap,  and  in  the  brown  snbterminal  tail-bands  being  indistinct 
and  obscure^  and  the  pale  apical  bands  being  narroAver  and 
ill  defined.  It  is  more  nearly  allied  to  P.  flaviventris,  bu+ 
diflFers  in  having  a  longer  stouter  bill,  by  being  of  a  much 
darker,  less  yellow,  green  above,  and  by  the  possession  of 
subterminal  brown  spots  on  the  rectrices,  a  character  which 
is  seemingly  never  present  in  P.  flaviventris.  I  have  com- 
pared it  with  twenty  examples  of  P.  flaviventris  from  loca- 
lities ranging  from  Rangoon  to  Bootan,  and  with  nine  spe- 
cimens of  P.  familiaris. 

100.  Orthotomus  cineraceus. 

Orthotomus  cineraceus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  xiv.  p.  589,  "  Ma- 
lacca" (1845). 

Orthotomus  sepium,  Horsf.,  var.  ex  Sumatra,  Temra.  Re- 
cueil  d'Ois.  livr.  101. 

Orthotomus  borneo'ensis,  Salvadori,  t.  c.  p.  247,  "  Sarawak  " 
(1874);  Sharpe,  Ibis,  1876,  p.  41,  t.  ii.  f.  1;  idem.  op.  cit. 
1877,  p.  116. 

Sumatran  individuals  do  not  differ  from  typical  and  Bornean 
examples.  True  O.  sepium  extends  to  the  island  of  Madura. 
0.  edela  is  the  Javan  form  of  0.  sutorius,  but  wants  the  white 
lores  and  superciliary  stripe  of  the  continental  species. 

101.  Graucalus  sumatrensis. 

Ceblepyris  ?ioi7<e-^Mmetf',S.Miill.Verhand.Land-  enVolkenk. 
p.  190,  nee  Lath. 

Ceblepyris  sumatrensis,  S.  Mull.  t.  c.  p.  191,  "Sumatra" 
(1829-44). 

Graucalus  concretus,  Hartl.  J.  f.  O.  1864,  p.  445,  "Borneo." 

Identical  with  Malaccan  and  Bornean  examples.  None  of 
the  birds  obtained  by  Mr.  Buxton,  old  males  included,  possess 
a  black  lorum  and  ocular  stripe. 

102.  Volvocivora  culminata. 

Ceblepyris  culminatus,  A.  Hay,  Madr.  J.  L.  &  Sc.  xiii.  p.  157, 
"Malacca"  (1844). 

Volvocivora  schierbrandi,  v.  Pelzeln,  "  Novara,"  p.  80,  t.  2. 
f.  1  (1865) . 


the  District  of  Lampony,  S.E.  Sumatra.  313 

Volvocivora  borneo'ensis ,  Salvad.  Atti  R.  Ac.  Sc.  Tor.  iii. 
p.  532  (1868). 

Bornean,  Sumatran,  and  typical  examples  in  plumbeous- 
coloured  plumage  do  not  differ. 

103.  LaLAGE   DOMINICA. 

Turdus  dominicus,  L.  S.  Miiller,  Suppl.  p.  145  (1776). 

Turdus  terat,  Bodd.  Tabl.  PL  Enl.  p.  17  (1783). 

Lanius  striga   (Horsf.),   Raffles,  t.  c.   p.  305  "Sumatra" 

(1821). 

104.  Hemipus  obscurus. 

Muscicapa  obscura,  Horsf.  t.  c.  xiii.  p.  146,  "  Java "(1820); 
Zool.  Res.  Java,  t.  39.  f.  2. 

Lanius  no.  12,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  308,  "  Sumatra." 
Malaccan,  Sumatran,  and  typical  examples  are  alike. 

105.  Artamus  leucorhynchus. 

Lanius  leucorhynchus,  Linn.  Mantissa  Plant,  p.  524,  "Ma- 
nilla" (1771);  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  306,  "Sumatra." 
Does  not  differ  from  typical  examples. 

106.  DiSSEMURUS  PLATURUS. 

Le  Drongo  a  raquette,  Le  Vaillant,  Ois.  d'Afr.  iv.  p.  73, 
t.  175  (1805). 

Dicrurus  platurus,  Vieillot,  N.  Diet.  d'Hist.  Nat.  ix.  p.  558 
(1817),  ex  Le  Vaill. 

Lanius  malabaricus,  Lath.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  306,  "Sumatra," 
nee  Lath. 

Edolius  retifer,  Temm.  Rec.  d'Ois.  livr.  30,  sub  Edolius 
remifer,  "  Malacca,  Java,  Sumatra"  (1823),  partim,  ex  Le  Vaill. 

(?)  Edolius  intermedins,  Less.  Tr.  p.  380,  "  des  Moluques," 
(1831). 

Edolius  rangoonensis,  Gould,  P.  Z.  S.  1836,  p.  5,  "Ran- 
goon;" J.&S.  Illustr.  Orn.  t.  xxxviii.  (1840),  ex  Gould. 

Edolius  malayensis,  Blyth,  Jerd.  B.  Ind.  i.  p.  438  (1862). 

Four  examples  of  the  genus  Dissemurus  contained  in 
Mr.  Buxton's  collection  cannot  be  separated  from  the  crest- 
less  Malaccan  species.  But  the  difficult  question  arises, 
What    is    the   correct    title  of   the  Malaccan    Racket-tailed 


314  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

Drongo  ?     Sumatra,  Borneo,  and  Malacca  are  the  only  three 
areas,  so  far  as  is  now  known,  which  are  inhabited  by  full- 
plumaged  birds  devoid  of  a  frontal  crest ;  but  Sonnerat  figured 
and  described  a  species  of  Dissemurus  without  a  crest  from  the 
Malabar  coast  (Voy.  Indes,  ii.  p.  195,  t.  111).  On  this  Scopoli 
founded  the  title  of  Muscicapa  malabarica  (Del.  Fl.  Faun.  In- 
subr.  ii.  p.  96, 1786),  and  later  on  Latham  tbe  title  of  Lanius 
malabaricus  (Ind.  Om.  i.p.  66, 1790) .  It  has  consequently  been 
contended  by  some  authors  that  Sonnerat  described  from  and 
figured  a  Malaccan  bird,  and  that  therefore  the  title  of  mala- 
baricns  does  not  belong  to  the  Malabar  bird;  by  others  {e.g. 
Temmiuck,  /.  c),  that  the  Malabar  bird  belonged  to  the  same 
species  as  the  Javan  and  Sumatran  ;  and  as  the  title  of  mala- 
baricus was   inappropriate,   Temminck  altered  the  name  to 
retifer  (lege  setifer) ,  a  title  restricted  by  recent  authors  to  the 
Javan  crested  bird.     Sonnerat^s  figure,  from  whatever  species 
it  may  have  been  taken,  is,  without  doubt,  most  inaccurate ; 
and  Le  Vaillant  {I.  c.)  severely  criticised  it ;  but  Sonnerat  dis- 
tinctly leaves  it  to  be  understood  that  his  type  was  from  the 
Malabar  coast ;  and  Buftbn  (Hist.  Nat.  iv.)  alludes  to  Sonne- 
rat having  sent  him  the  bird  from  the  coast  of  Malabar,  Son- 
nerat (/.  c.)  stating  that  the  bird  he  describes  and  figures  is  the 
one  he  sent  to  Buffon.     The  crest  in  adult  Malabar  birds  is 
not  largely  developed ;  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  Sonnerat 
figured  a  young  bird,  or  else  that  he  overlooked  the  short  im- 
pending nasal  plumes.    Le  Vaillant  [I.e.)  was  the  next  author 
who  wrote  on  a  species  of  Racket-tail  Drongo ;  and  he  gave  a 
description  and  plate  of  a  crestless  species  of  Dissemurus.    The 
origin  of  his  type  it  is  now  impossible  to  discover;  for  he  merely 
tells  us  that  it  came  from  the  collection  of  a  Mons.  Dorcy.    The 
description  and  plate  most  accurately  represent  the  Malaccan 
and  Sumatran  form  ;  and  as  Vieillot  founded  his  title  ofpla- 
turus  {I.  c.)  on  Le  Vaillant^s  description  and  plate,  I  adopt  it 
for  that  species.     It  could  not  well  have  been  taken  from  a 
Javan ;  for  that  race  is  crested,  and  great  care  is  exhibited  in 
the  drawing. 

The  only  other  crestless  form  inhabits  Borneo,  and  was 
separated  by  Temminck  under  the  title  of  brachyphorus  (Bp. 


the  Dutrict  of  Lampony,  S.E.  Sumatra.  315 

Consp.  i.  p.  351).  Couut  Salvador!  {t.c.  p.  154)  somewhat 
doubts  the  propriety  of  separating  the  Bornean  from  the  Ma- 
laccan  Dissemurus;  but  the  much  smaller  spatulate  termination 
of  the  outer  pair  of  rectrices  seems  to  be  a  constant  character 
in  the  adults  of  the  Bornean  species ;  and  I  have  examined  a 
very  large  series,  both  at  Leiden  and  in  my  own  collection, 
from  Labuau,  Sarawak,  and  Banjarmassing.  Rangoon  adult 
birds  have  a  crest,  and  belong  to  true  D.  paradiseus. 

107.  Chaptia  malayensis. 

Chaptia  malayensis,  A.  Hay,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1846,  p.  294,  "  Ma- 
lacca/^ Walden,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1875,  extra  number,  pt.  ii.  p.  128. 

Edolius  picinus,  S.  Miiller,  Bp.  Consp.  i.  p.  352,  "  Sumatra  ""^ 
(1854). 

Malaccan  and  Sumatran  individuals  do  not  differ. 

108.  BUCHANGA  LEUCOPHjEA. 

Dicrurus  leucophoius ,  Vieillot,  N.  Diet.  d^Hist.  Nat.  ix. 
p.  587  (1817). 

Edolius  cineraceus,  Horsf.  t.c.  p.  145,  ''Java"  (1820). 
Javan  and  Sumatran  examples  are  identical. 

109.  Pericrocotus  ardens. 

Turdus  flammeus  (Gm.),  Raffles,  /.  c.  j).  310,  "  Sumatra.'^ 

Pkoenicornis  ardens,  "  Boie,^^  Mus.  Lugd. ;  Bp.  Consp.  i. 
p.  357,  "Sumatra"  (1850);  Salvad.  t.  c.  p.  143,  t.  ii.  f.  1,  2. 

Pericrocotus  flammifer,  Hume,  Str.  F.  iii.  p.  321,  note, 
"Mergui"  (1875). 

Bornean  and  Malaccan  examples  agree  with  typical.  Hors- 
field  and  Moore  (Cat.  E.I.  C.  Mus.  ii.  p.  142)  refer  T.  flam- 
meus, apud  Raffles,  and  P.  ardens  to  P.  xanthog aster. 

110.  Pericrocotus  peregrinus. 

Parus peregrinus,  L.  S.  N.  i.  p.  342  (1766). 

One  specimen,  seemingly  belonging  to  this  species,  was  ob- 
tained by  Mr.  Buxton ;  but  as  it  is  in  immature  plumage 
it  is  difficult  to  determine  with  certainty. 

111.  Pericrocotus  X.VNTHOGASTER. 

Lanius  x anthog aster ,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  309,  "  Sumatra"  (1821) . 
The  small  section  of  the  Pericrocotida*  of  which  P.  flam- 


316  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

mens  may  be  considered  the  type,  is  represented  both  in  Su- 
matra and  Java  by  a  race  which  it  may  perhaps  be  proper  to 
separate  as  a  distinct  species.  Of  this  form  two  representa- 
tives are  contained  in  Mr.  Buxton's  collection.  It  is  a  smaller 
bird  than  P.  flammeus,  and  it  diifers  in  the  oranj^e  edgings 
of  the  outer  webs  of  some  of  the  secondaries  uniting  with  the 
orange-coloured  mark  lower  down,  as  is  to  be  found  in  P. 
brevirostris.  The  female  of  this  form  appears  to  have  sup- 
plied the  type  of  Lanius  xanthogaster,  Eaflles. 

112.  Philentoma  pyrrhopterum. 

Muscicapa  j)yrrhoptera,  Temm.  PL  Col.  t.  596,  ''  Sumatra, 
Borneo '^  (1836). 

Examples  from  Borneo  and  Malacca  perfectly  agree  with 
the  one  obtained  in  the  Lampong  district  by  Mr.  Buxton. 

113.  Hypothymis  azurea. 

Muscicapa  a::urea,  Bodd.  Tabl.  PI.  Enl.  p.  41  (1783). 
Muscicapa  ccerulea,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  312,  "  Sumatra.^* 

114.  MUSCIPETA  AFFINIS. 

Tchitrea  affims,k.  Hay,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1846,  p.  292,  "Malacca.'' 
Sumatran  specimens  similar  to  typical. 

115.  Cyornis  elegans. 

Muscicapa  elegans,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  596,  f.  1,  '^Sumatra" 
(1836). 

The  species  obtained  by  Mr.  Everett  at  Marup,  in  North 
Borneo,  and  provisionally  identified  by  me  with  C.  elegans 
(Ibis,  1872,  p.  373),  is  not  to  be  specifically  distinguished 
from  the  typical  example  in  Mr.  Buxton's  collection. 

116.  Leucocerca  javanica. 

Muscicapa  javanica,  Sparrm.  Mus.  Carls,  fasc.   iii.   t.  75, 
''Java"  (1789);   Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  312,  ''Sumatra." 
Agrees  with  typical  and  Malaccan  specimens. 

117.  HiRUNDO  JAVANICA. 

Hirundo  javanica,  Sparrm.  Mus.  Carls,  fasc.  iv.  t.  100, 
"Java"  (1789). 

Neilgherry  examples  {H.  domicola,  Jerd.)  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  317 

118.  Cymborhynchds  macrorhynchus. 

Todus  macrorhynchus,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p,  446  (1788). 

Eurylaimus  lemniscatus,  Raffles,  t.c.  p.  296,  "Sumatra" 
(1821). 

Cymborhynchus  malaccensis,  Salvador!,  Atti  R.  Ac.  Sc.  Tor. 
ix.  p.  425,  "Malacca"  (1874). 

Six  examples  are  in  Mr.  Buxton^s  collection,  and  they  all 
possess  the  three  outer  pair  of  rectrices  more  or  less  marked 
with  white  on  their  inner  webs.  Therefore,  according  to 
Count  Salvadori's  view,  the  Sumatran  bird  should  fall  under 
C.  malaccensis,  Salvad.  But  if  the  Sumatran  and  Malaccan  birds 
are  really  specifically  distinct  from  theBornean,  and  if  the  Bor- 
nean  is  the  true  Great- billed  Tody  of  Latham,  a  title  already 
exists  in  lemniscatus,  Raffles;  and  that  of  malaccensis,  Salva- 
dori,  is,  in  any  case,  unnecessary. 

119.  CaLYPTOMENA  VIRIDIS. 

Calyptomena  viridis,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  295,  "  Singapore,  Su- 
matra'^ (1821). 

Raffles  affirms  that  the  sexes  do  not  differ;  but  this  state- 
ment has  not  been  supported  by  recent  research  (conf.  Sal- 
vadori,  t.c.  p.  107).  The  species  inhabits  the  Malay  pen- 
insula and  Borneo,  specimens  from  these  regions  not 
differing  from  Sumatran. 

120.  EuryljEmus  ochromelas. 

Eurylaimus  ochromalus.  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  297,  "  Sumatra  and 
Singapore"  (1821). 

Bornean,  Pinang,  and  Malaccan  individuals  are  not  to  be 
distinguished  from  Sumatran. 

121.  Corydon  sumatranus. 

Coracias  sumatranus.  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  303,  '^  Sumatra'^ 
(1821). 

Birds  from  Karen  hills,  Tenasserim,  Malacca,  and  Borneo 
exhibit  no  departure  from  the  typical  examples  obtained  by 
Mr.  Buxton. 

122.  Padda  oryzivora. 

Loxia  oryzivora,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  302  (1766). 


318  Lord  Tweeddale  oa  Birds  front 

123.  MUNIA  MAJA. 

Loxia  maja,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  301  (1766). 

Count  Salvador!  (/.  c.  p.  265)  has  controverted  a  sugges- 
tion of  mine  that  this  bird  is  replaced  in  Java  by  M.  ferru- 
ginea  (Sparrm.)  =M.  majanoides,  Temm.,  on  the  ground  that 
an  undoubted  example  was  obtained  in  Java  by  the  "  Ma- 
genta "  Expedition.  This  evidence^,  however,  appears  hardly 
sufficient;  for  hundreds  of  Munias  of  almost  every  species 
may  be  bought  at  the  different  ports  in  the  east,  far  away 
from  their  origin. 

124.  MuNIA  LEUCOGASTROIDES. 

Munia  leucogastroides,  Moore,  Cat.  E.I.  C.  Mus.  ii.  p.  510. 
no.  777,  '^  Java''  (1856-58);  Walden,  Ibis,  1874,  p.  145. 
The  Sumatrau  examples  do  not  differ  from  Javan. 

125.  Ploceus  maculatus. 

Loxia  maculata,  L.  S.  Miiller,  Suppl.  p.  150.  no.  56  (1776). 

Loxia philippina,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  305  (1766)  ;  Walden, 
Tr.  Z.  S.  ix.  p.  209. 

Ploceus  bay  a,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  xiii.  p.  945. 

Mr.  Buxton's  collection  only  contains  examples  of  females 
or  non-breeding  males  of  the  Malayan  race  of  P.  baya,  Blyth. 
As  there  seems  to  be  little  doubt  that  the  species  does  not  oc- 
cur in  the  Philippines,  I  have  adopted  the  next  published  title. 

126.  Platysmurus  leucopterus. 

Glaucopis  leucopterus,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  265,  "Sumatra" 
(1824). 

Malaccan  examples  are  identical. 

127.  Crypsirhina  varians. 

Corvus  varians,  Lath.   Ind.  Orn.,  Suppl.   p.  26,   "Java" 

(1801). 

Examples  from  Burma,   Java,   and   Sumatra   are   of   one 

species. 

128.  Calornis  chalyb^a. 

Ttirdus  chalybcEUS,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  148,  "Java"  (1820). 
Lanius  insidiator,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  307,  ''  Sumatra"  (1821), 
Javan,  Malaccan,  and  Bornean  individuals  are  not  specifi- 
cally separable  from  those  obtained  in  South-east  Sumatra. 


the  District  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  319 

129.  Sturnopastoh  contra. 

Sturnus  contra,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  290  (1766). 
Pastor  jalla,  Horsf.  /.  a.  p.  155,  "Java''  (1820). 
Javan  and  these  Sumatran  examples  are  not  separable  from 
the  Indian  and  Burman  forms. 

130.  Gracula  javanensis. 

Corvus  javanensis,  Osbeck,  Voy.  China  &  E.  Ind.  i.  p.  157^ 
"Java''  (Eng.  Tr.  1771). 

Gracula  religiosa,  Linn. ;  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  303,  "  Sumatra." 
The  Sumatran  examples  from  Lampong  district  are  iden- 
tical with  others  from  East  Java. 

131.  Corvus  validus. 

Corvus  validus,  Temin.,Bp.  Consp.  i.  p.  385  (1854). 

Malaccan  and  Sumatran  birds  do  not  differ. 

Wemust  accept  Prof.  Schlegel's  assurance (Bij dr.  t.  d.  Dierk. 
pp.  8  and  13,  and  Mus.  Pays-Bas,  Coraces,  p.  29)  that  Prince 
Bonaparte  did  not  describe  the  Gilolo  (Halmahera)  bird  under 
the  title  of  C.  validus,  but  the  Bornean  and  Sumatran  and 
Timor  (?)  species.  Still  the  Prince's  words  (/.  c),  "  rostro 
capite  multo  longiore,  valido,  curvato,"  read  as  if  he  were  de- 
scribing the  Gilolo  species,  subsequently  entitled  C.  validis- 
simus  by  Schlegel.  Little  is  known  of  the  C.  validus,  as  the 
learned  Professor  tells  us  (/.  c.)  ;  and  consequently  its  range 
has  not  been  well  defined.  The  Sumatran  bird  is  identical  with 
one  of  the  Malaccan  Crows ;  and  Professor  Schlegel  identi- 
fied Bornean  examples  with  the  Sumatran.  He  further  gives 
the  island  of  Timor  as  its  habitat,  and  asserts  that  C.  timori- 
ensis,  Bp.,  is  but  a  synonym.  But,  by  the  context,  the  Prince 
appears  to  have  bestowed  this  title  on  C.  macrorhynchus, 
Temm.  apud  Wagler,  which  is  the  only  species  of  Corvus 
enumerated  by  Mr.  Wallace  in  his  list  of  Timor  birds.  Pro- 
fessor Schlegel,  it  is  true^  includes  Timor  within  the  range  of 
C.  validus^  only  on  the  strength  of  a  single  example  (  ?  ) 
brought  from  there  by  S.  Miiller,  which  may  well  have 
been  but  an  imperfectly  grown  example  of  C.  macrorhynchus. 
The  C.  validus,  var.,  of  Wallace,  ex  Sula  Islands  (P.  Z.  S, 
1862,  p.  343),  is  certainly  only  a  race  of  C.  enca,  a  species 


320  Lord  Tweeddale  on  Birds  from 

apparently  confined  to  Java,  Celebes,  and  the  Sula  Islands  ; 
and  C.  annectens,  Briiggemann,  ex  Celebes  (Abhandl.  natur- 
wissenschaft.  Ver.  Bremen,  p.  64.  no.  89),  is  not  of  the  same 
type  as  C.  enca.  C.  corax,  apud  Raffles  (/.  c),  has  been  re- 
ferred by  Wagler,  Schlegel,  and  others  to  C.  macrorhynchus  ; 
bnt  there  is  no  evidence  whatever  that  that  species  inhabits 
Sumatra,  and  it  is  much  more  probable  that  Sir  Stamford 
alluded  to  C.  valiclus.  Blyth  (Ibis,  1870,  p.  171)  made  the 
extraordinary  identification  of  C.  macrorhynchus,  Temm.,  with 
C.  culminatus,  Sykes.  In  the  Javan  bird  the  bill  is  full  three 
inches  in  length,  and  the  basal  portion  of  the  body-plumage 
is  pure  white.  Mr.  Blyth  has  also  stated  that  C.  culminatus 
extends  to  Malacca  (Cat.  Calc.  Mus.  p.  89.  no.  448 ;  Ibis, 
1863,  p.  368),  and  that  there  also  occurs  C.  macrorhynchus, 
Vieillof^.  This  last  species  Mr.  Blyth  identified  with  C. 
tenuirostris,  Moore,  ex  Bombay,  but  which  Mr.  Blyth  (/.  c.) 
asserts  Avas  founded  on  a  Malaccan  skin.  Two  Malaccan 
examples  (mus.  nostr.)  belong  to  C.  ienuirosiris ;  and  I  am 
not  prepared  ofi'-hand  to  identify  them  with  C.  validus.  Their 
chief  character  is  the  form  of  the  bill.  In  C.  tmlidus  the 
bill  gradually  and  regularly  diminishes  from  the  base  to  the 
apex,  and  is  much  bulged  tliroughout  the  course  of  the  com- 
missure. The  culmen  is  rather  acute  than  broad  and 
rounded,  and  the  height  of  the  bill  is  considerable  t-  In  C. 
tenuirostris  the  bill  is  longer,  very  much  compressed,  and 
flattened  on  the  sides  ;  the  culmen  is  broad  and  rounded,  and 
not  acute.  The  height  is  also  less,  0'70  as  against  0'91. 
The  length  of  the  gonys  is  greater.  In  colouring,  the  lower 
plumage  is  of  a  more  ashy  tint ;  and  the  general  dimensions 
are  less.  The  base  of  the  feathers  is  white,  as  in  C.  validus. 
The  British  Museum  possesses  examples  of  C.  tenuirostris 
from  both  Borneo  (Banj ar massing  and  Labuan)  and  Sumatra. 

*  What  is  C.  macrorhynchus^  Vieillot  ?  I  cannot  find  that  Vieillot  ever 
bestowed  such  a  title,  although  Jerdon,  Bljth,  and  Bonaparte  have  all 
used  it.  Mr.  Blyth  is  clearly  referring  to  C.  valiclus;  for  later  (Ibis,  1870, 
p.  171)  he  identified  C.  temiirostris  with  C.  validus. 

t  The  contour  of  the  bill  of  C.  validus  is  very  much  that  of  C.  levail- 
lanti  (C.  culminatus) ;  but  the  culmen  is  not  quite  so  much  arched. 


the  District  of  Lamyong,  S.E.  Sumatra.  321 

Corvus  vaJidus. 

Bill  from 

Wing.         Tail.         nostril.  Gonys-  Tarsus. 

Lampong 12-80         8-75  1-75  l-o6         2-37 

„        12-75         8-62  1-62  087         2-30 

Malacca   12-75         8-50  1-62  1-00         2-25 

Corvus  tenuirostris. 

Malacca   1250         7-00  1-75  1-18         200 

„         12-25  7-00  2-12  1-25  200 

132.  TkERON   NIPALENSIS. 

Columba  curvirostra,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  318, ''  Sumatra." 

Toria  nipalensis,  Hodgs.  As.  Res.  xix.  p.  164,  ^^Nipaul" 
(1836). 

Treron  nasica,  Schlegel,  Nederl.  Tijdschr.  Dierk.  i.  p.  67, 
'^Borneo''  (1863). 

Assam,  Sumatran,  and  Malaccan  examples  are  identical. 

133.  BUTRERON  CAPELLEI. 

Columba  capellei,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  143.  "Java"  (1823). 

Vinago  gigantea,  Vigors,  App.  Mem.  Raffles,  p.  674,  "  Su- 
matra (1830j. 

Malaccan  individuals  do  not  differ.  Raffles  does  not  appear 
to  have  ever  published  the  title  of  Columba  gigantea  attributed 
to  him  by  Mr.  G.  R.  Gray  {Columba,  B.  Mus.  p.  13). 

134.  OSMOTERON  VERNANS. 

Columba  vernans,  Linn.  Mantissa,  p.  526,  "  Philippines  " 
(1771)  ;  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  318,  "  Sumatra  ;"  Walden,  Tr.  Z.  S. 
ix.  p.  210. 

Treron  griseicapilla,  Schlegel,  Nederl.  Tijdschr.  Dierk.  i. 
p.  70,  "  Sumatra,  Bangka"  (1863). 

Notwithstanding  Professor  SchlegeFs  remarks  (/.  c),  1 
am  unable  to  detect  any  specific  difference  between  Su- 
matran and  typical  examples. 

135.  OsMOTRERON  OLAX. 

Columba  olax,  PI.  Col.  241.  "  Sumatra"  (1823). 
Sumatra  supplied  the  type  of  this  species ;  and  Malaccan 
examples  in  no  way  differ. 


322  On  Birds  from  the  District  of  Lampong. 

136.  Spilopelia  tigrina. 

Columba  tigrina,  Temm.  Knip^  Pig.  t.  43  (1811). 

The  S.E.  Sumatran  examples  do  not  differ  from  Javan, 
Malaccan^  Bornean^  and  Celebean  individuals.  Temminck 
has  left  us  in  doubt  as  to  the  origin  of  the  bird  figured  by 
Madame  Knip. 

137.  Geopelia  striata. 

Columba  striata,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  282  (1766). 
Columba  bantamensis ,  Sparrm.,   Raffles,  t.  c.   p.  319,  "  Su- 
matra.'^ 

138.  Chalcophaps  indica. 

Columba  indica,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  284  (1766). 

Columba  javanic a,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  317,  "  Sumatra." 

139.  Argusianus  argus. 

Phasianus  argus,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  272  (1766)  ;  Raffles, 
/.  c.  p.  320,  "  Sumatra.'' 

Sumatran  and  Malaccan  birds  do  not  differ. 

140.  ROLLULUS   ROULOUL. 

Phasianus  rouloid,  Scopoli,  Del.  Fl.  Faun.  Insubr.  ii.  p.  93, 
"Malacca"  (1786). 

Tetrao  vii'idis,  Gm.,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  322,  "  Sumatra." 
Identical  with  Bornean  and  typical  examples. 

141.  Charadrius  fulvus. 

Charadrius  fulvus,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  687  (1788). 
Charadrius  pluvialis,  var.,  Raffles,  /.  c.  p.  328,  "  Sumatra.'' 

142.  ^Egialites  geoffroyi. 

Charadriiis  geoffroyi,'W2Lg\er,Syst.  Av.  Charadrius,  no.  19 
(1827);  Harting,  Ibis,  1870,  p.  378,  t.  xi. 

143.  Glareola  orientalis. 

Glareola  orientalis,  Leach,  Tr.  L.  S.  xiii.  p.  132,  t.  13.  f.  1, 
2,  "Java"  (1820). 

144.  Tringoides  hypoleucus. 

Tringa  htjpoleucos,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  250  (1766). 

145.  Totanus  glareola. 

Tringa  glareola,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  250  (1766). 


On  Additions  to  the  British  Museum.  323 

146.  Erythra  phcenicura. 

Rallus  phmnicurus,  Forster^  Zool.  Ind.  p.  19,  t.  9,  "Ceylon^^ 

(1781). 

i^)  Rallus  sumatranus,  Raffles,  t.  c.  p.  328,  "Sumatra" 
(1821). 

147.  BUTORIDES  JAVANICA. 

Ardeajavanica,  Horsf.  t.  c.  p.  190,  "Java"  (1820) ;  Raffles, 
/.  c.  p.  326,  "  Sumatra.'' 

148.  Ardea  purpurea. 

Ardea purpurea,  Linn.  S.  N.  i.  p.  236  (1766). 

149.  Demiegretta  sacra. 

Ardea  sacra,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  640  (1788). 

150.  Sterna  media. 

'  Sterna  media,  Horsf.  I.e.  p.  198,  "Java"  (1820);   Saun- 
ders, P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  655. 

151.  Sterna  bergii. 

Sterna  bergii,  Lichtenst.  Verzeich.  p.  80,  "  South  Africa  " 
(1823);  Saunders,  t.c.  p.  657. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Saunders  for  the  identification  of 
these  two  Terns. 


XXV. — Report  on  the  Additions  to  the  Collection  of  Birds  in 
the  British  Museum  in  1875^. 

With  the  exception  of  the  year  1874,  in  which  Mr.  Wallace's 
collection  was  purchased  by  the  Trustees,  the  last  year  shows 
a  greater  increase  in  this  branch  of  the  department  than  any 
of  the  preceding  years,  the  total  number  of  acquisitions 
amounting  to  4277  specimens,  among  which  were  152  species 

*  Extracted  from  a  Return  to  an  Order  of  the  Honourable  The  House 
of  Commons,  dated  G  April  1877  ; — for  an  Account  ^'  of  the  Income  and 
Expenditure  of  the  British  Museum  (Special  Trust  Funds),  for  the  Finan- 
cial Year  ended  the  31st  day  of  March  1877;  and  a  Return  of  the  Num- 
ber of  Persons  admitted  to  visit  the  Museum  in  each  Year  from  1871  to 
1876,  both  years  inclusive  ;  together  with  a  Statement  of  the  Progress 
made  in  the  Arrangement  of  the  Collections;  and  an  Account  of  Objects 
added  to  them  in  the  year  1876." 


324     On  the  Additions  of  Birds  to  the  British  Museum. 

new  to  the  collection  and  47  typical  specimens.  The  follow- 
ing may  be  specially  mentioned  : — 

The  collection  of  Corvidse  made  by  John  Gould,  Esq.,  and 
consisting  of  100  specimens,  amongst  them  the  types  of  seven 
species  described  by  that  ornithologist. 

A  series  of  Cormorants  from  the  Cornish  coast ;  presented 
Dr.  Giinther. 

Two  hundred  and  ninety-nine  specimens,  obtained  by  the 
North- American  Boundary  Commission  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
49th  parallel. 

A  series  of  110  skins,  nests,  eggs,  and  skeletons,  selected 
from  the  collection  made  by  Messrs.  Slater  and  Gulliver, 
Naturalists  of  the  ''Transit-of-A^enus  ^'  Expedition,  in  Rodri- 
guez. 

The  fourth  portion  of  the  collection  of  African  Birds  formed 
by,  and  formerly  in  the  possession  of,  11.  B.  Sharpe,  Esq. ; 
it  consists  of  750  specimens,  and  contains  12  types,  and  56 
species  previously  not  represented  in  the  British  Museum. 

A  collection  from  the  Transvaal ;  presented  by  J.  H. 
Gurney,  Esq.,  and  including  specimens  of  Turdus  gurneyi. 

Seven  specimens  from  the  Victoria  Falls,  amongst  them 
the  types  of  a  new  genus  {Pinarornis)  and  Saxicola  shelleyi ; 
purchased. 

The  type  of  Bradyornis  woodwardi,  from  Natal ;  presented 
by  J.  D.  S.  Woodward,  Esq. 

The  type  of  Dromaocercus  brunneus,  from  Madagascar; 
presented  by  Algernon  Peckover,  Esq. 

A  selected  series  of  136  skins  and  eggs,  from  the  collection 
made  by  the  Rev.  A.  E.  Eaton,  Naturalist  to  the  "  Transit-of- 
Venus  "  Expedition,  in  Kerguelen  Land. 

A  most  valuable  collection  of  1303  specimens  from  North- 
ern Bengal,  North-western  India,  Burma,  and  Malacca  ;  pre- 
sented by  Captain  Stackhouse  Pin  will. 

Ten  specimens  from  Burma,  new  to  the  collection ;  pre- 
sented by  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale,  F.R.S. 

A  series  of  200  specimens  selected  from  the  collections 
made  by  Dr.  J.  Anderson  during  the  expedition  to  Yunnan. 


Notes  on  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.    325 

Typical  specimens  of  Garrulax  galbanus  and  Suthora  mu- 
nipurensis ;  presented  by  Major  H.  H.  Godwin- Austen. 

The  type  of  Horeites  pallidipes  from  Sikkim ;  presented  by 
L.  Mandelli,  Esq. 

Two  collections  of  246  specimens  from  N.W.  Borneo  ;  one 
made  by  H.  Low,  Esq.,  the  other  by  Mr.  A.  Everett. 

A  series  of  77  specimens  collected  by  Dr.  Steere  in  the 
Philippine  Islands,  by  which  20  species  were  added  to  the 
British-Museum  collection. 

Six  species  new  to  the  collection,  and  represented  by  12 
specimens  from  Taviuni,  Fiji  Islands ;  collected  by  E.  L. 
Layard,  Esq. 

The  type  of  Casuarius  westermanni,  and  specimens  of  C. 
picticollis  and  C.beccarii;  purchased  of  the  Zoological  Society. 

A  series  of  the  lately  described  new  species  of  Bird  of  Para- 
dise {Paradisea  raggiana) ;  purchased. 

A  small  collection  from  South-eastern  New  Guinea;  pur- 
chased. 

Specimens  of  Paradigalla  cariinculata  from  the  Arfak 
Mountains,  and  of  Tanysiptera  Carolina  from  Mafoor ;  ob- 
tained by  exchange. 

Thirteen  specimens  from  the  Galapagos  Islands ;  collected 
by  Commander  W.  E.  Cookson. 


XXVI. — Notes   on    a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres    in  the 
British  Museum,'  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H. 

GURNEY. 

[Continued  from  p.  236.] 

The  next  Eagle  which  I  propose  to  consider  is  that  figured 
in  plate  29  of  the  late  Dr.  Gray's  '  Illustrations  of  Indian 
Zoology '  under  the  name  of  "  Aquila  fulvescens."  The  type 
of  this  species  is,  I  believe,  not  now  in  existence ;  and  Mr. 
Sharpe  quotes  "  fulvescens"  as  a  synonym  of  "  vindhiana;" 
but,  as  already  mentioned  {antea,  p.  225),  I  cannot  agree  with 
him  in  this  view. 

In  'The  Ibis'  for  1871,  at  p.  245,  the  late  Dr.  Jerdon  stated 

SE».  IV. VOL.  1.  7. 


326  Mr.  J.  H.  Giimey's  Notes  on 

that  he  considered  it  "  not  improbable ''  that  the  figure 
of  Aquila  fulvescens,  above  referred  to,  represented  the  same 
North-west  Indian  Eagle  which  had  then  been  recently  (but, 
as  was  subsequently  shown,  erroneously)  identified  with  A. 
rapax.  Such  I  believe  to  be  the  fact ;  and  I  now  agree  with 
the  view  which  was  enunciated  in  1873  by  Mr.  W.  E.  Brooks*, 
that  this  Eagle,  which  Dr.  Jerdon  correctly  identified  with 
Dr.  Gray^s  Aquila  fulvescens,  is  specifically  distinct  both  from 
A.  rapax  and  from  A.  vindhiana,  and  tliat  A.  fulvescens  must 
be  recognized  as  a  good  and  valid  species. 

Of  two  specimens,  one  adult  and  the  other  immature,  which 
Mr.  Brooks  sent  to  England  in  1869,  I  saw,  if  my  memory 
serves  me  correctly,  the  adult  only  ;  this  specimen,  which 
Mr.  Brooks  informs  me  is  the  only  one  in  adult  plumage 
which  has  been  obtained  since  the  rediscovery  of  the  species, 
was  sent  back  to  India,  where  it  now  remains  in  the  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  Hume.  I  have  therefore  had  no  opportunity  of 
reexamining  it ;  but,  through  the  obliging  intervention  of  Mr. 
Brooks,  I  have  recently  had  the  loan  of  an  immature  male 
and  female  belonging  to  Mr.  John  Hancock ;  and  I  found 
them  so  very  different  from  the  immature  stage  of  any  other 
Eagle  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  that  I  could  not  hesitate 
to  acknowledge  them  as  quite  distinct  both  from  A.  rapax 
and  from  A.  vindhiana.  Coupling  this  fact  with  that  of  the 
agreement  of  these  specimens  with  the  bird  figured  by  Gray 
under  the  name  of  Aquila  fulvescens,  I  cannot  doubt  that  this 
name  is  rightly  applicable  to  the  present  species,  and  is  not, 
as  has  been  supposed,  a  synonym  of  A.  vindhiana. 

Previously  to  the  identification  of  this  species  with  A.  ful- 
vescens, some  interesting  descriptive  notes  respecting  it  were 
contributed  by  Mr.  Brooks  to  '  The  Ibis '  for  1868,  p.  351,  and 
for  1870,  p.  290,  and  by  Mr.  Anderson  to  the  P.Z.S.  for  1871, 
p.  687.  These  notes  may,  I  think,  be  appropriately  supple- 
mented by  the  following  description  of  the  adult  specimen 
already  referred  to,  for  which  I  am  indebted  to  the  kind- 
ness of  Mr.  Brooks  : — 

*   Vide  Proc.  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal  for  November  1873,  p.  173, 
and  Ibis,  1874,  p.  84. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  o/Accipitres.         337 

"  Female  adult^  shot  near  Cawnpore,  3rd  February,  1869. 
The  top  of  the  head  is  a  light  reddish  brown,  of  a  foxy  tinge, 
extending  to  the  upper  part  of  the  back,  but  with  the  extreme 
tips  of  most  of  the  feathers  of  a  darker  tone,  and  not  so  red 
as  the  body  of  the  feather,  giving  the  appearance  of  a  small 
clouded  spot  or  drop  at  the  tip  of  the  feather ;  the  back  and 
all  the  wing- coverts  are  dull  brown,  rather  inclined  to  rufous, 
but  with  the  edges  of  all  the  feathers  a  few  shades  paler ; 
some  of  the  new  feathers  on  the  upper  part  of  the  back  have 
moderately  dark-brown  centres  edged  with  rather  bright 
reddish  brown ;  from  the  carpal  joint  along  the  ridge  of  the 
wing  to  its  junction  with  the  body,  the  feathers  are  of  a 
light  rufous  similar  to  the  head,  but  centred  with  darker 
brown ;  the  primaries  are  dark  blackish  brown  and  free  from 
all  bars,  whether  looked  at  from  above  or  below ;  the 
secondaries  are  not  so  dark  a  brown,  and  are  slightly  glossed 
with  purple ;  the  tertials  a  still  paler  brown,  and  decidedly 
glossed  with  purple  ;  the  middle  and  lower  part  of  the  back 
exhibit  a  mixture  of  light  tawny  and  pale  brown,  the  tawny 
prevailing  at  the  sides  near  the  flanks,  and  the  browH  towards 
the  centre  of  the  back.  The  upper  tail-coverts  are  brown  at 
the  centre  and  tawny  at  the  sides,  the  middle  coverts  being 
brown,  and  the  lateral  ones  tawny,  the  colours  passing  rather 
abruptly  into  each  other;  the  lowest  row  of  the  upper  tail- 
coverts,  however,  is  white.  The  tail  is  brown,  becoming  much 
paler  towards  the  tip ;  the  basal  portion  of  the  shafts  is  pure 
white ;  on  the  inner  webs  of  some  of  the  feathers  there  are 
faint  indications  of  bars,  which  are  square  to  the  shaft  of  the 
feather ;  these  bars  are  only  observable  when  the  tail  is  closely 
examined,  and  do  not  appear  on  the  central  feathers.  There 
is  a  narrow  black  supercilium ;  the  sides  of  the  head  are  dull 
rufous  brown,  the  chin  and  throat  the  same,  passing  into 
light  reddish  or  foxy  brown  over  the  rest  of  the  lower  surface 
with  the  exception  of  the  terminal  portion  of  the  lower  tail- 
coverts,  which  are  more  whitish  with  a  mixture  of  pale  tawny; 
the  tarsus  is  not  quite  so  dark  and  bright  a  rufous,  but  more 
inclined  to  light  sandy  reddish  brown ;  the  upper  portion  of 
the  wing-lining  is  very  rufous,  especially  at  the  bend   and 

z2 


328  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

ridge;  lower  down,  towards  the  hases  of  the  primaries,  it 
changes  into  dusky  brown ;  most  of  the  feathers  of  the  breast 
and  upper  abdomen  are  cloudily  tipped  with  dull  brown ;  and 
on  the  lower  abdomen  the  centre  of  most  of  the  feathers  is 
clouded  with  brown  throughout  the  entire  length  of  the 
feather :  these  brown  marks  are  seen  when  the  bird  is  closely 
examined ;  otherwise  the  general  tone  of  the  lower  surface  at 
a  little  distance  is  tolerably  bright  rufous,  and  of  a  somewhat 
darker  tone  than  that  of  the  head.  The  iris  was  clear  light 
brown  ;  bill  pale  bluish  grey  with  dark  tip,  cere  and  gape 
cream-colour,  the  former  having  a  faint  tinge  of  green ;  feet 
yellowish.  Total  length  27*5  inches,  wing  21,  tail  11-25,  tar- 
sus 4*25,  from  the  end  of  the  tibia  to  the  end  of  the  tarsus 
9*75;  the  nostril  a  broad  oval,  placed  obliquely  as  in  the 
larger  Spotted  Eagle." 

Mr.  Brooks  adds : — "  In  most  of  the  immature  birds  pro- 
cured in  the  buff  plumage,  the  nostril  is  quite  circular;  I 
have,  however,  a  buff  bird  almost  changed  to  the  adult  tawny- 
red,  which  has  the  nostrils  shaped  as  in  the  adult  female  above 
described.  In  this  changing  specimen  a  good  many  pale  buflF 
feathers  remain,  showing  the  connexion  between  the  buff  and 
the  rufous  stage,  and  many  of  the  half-opened  feathers  show 
the  darker  plumage  to  be  the  new  one.  Aquila  fulvescens  is 
not  a  robust  Eagle  like  A.  iKEvioides,  but  is  long-legged  like 
A.  hastata  ;  it  is  a  marsh-frequenting  and  migratory  Eagle, 
coming  to  the  plains  of  India  only  in  the  cold  season  ;  it  is 
very  rare,  and  its  summer  quarters  are  unknown.''^ 

I  am  also  informed  by  Mr.  Brooks  that  the  male  bird  of  the 
immature  pair  of  A.  fulvescens  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Hancock,  and  to  which  I  have  already  referred,  was  shot  by 
him  in  February  1868,  and  was  then  supposed  to  be  a  speci- 
men of  the  larger  Spotted  Eagle  in  an  undescribed  state  of 
plumage.  Mr.  Brooks  also  informs  me  that  this  is  the  speci- 
men which  was  described  at  p.  168  of  Mr.  Hume^s  '■  Scrap- 
book^  as  '^  Aquila  ncevia,  no.  1,"  and  the  measurements  of 
which  are  there  given  in  detail  on  the  preceding  page.  This 
description  must  therefore  be  taken  as  applying  to  the  imma- 
ture plumage  of  A .  fulvescens,  and  the  measurements  as  those 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharps' s  Catalogue  of  Aceipitres.  329 

of  the  male  of  that  species.  These  measurements  (e.  g.  wing 
19'25  inches^  tarsus  4"06)  are  decidedly  smaller  than  those  of 
the  female  above  described  by  Mr.  Brooks,  and  show  a 
considerable  diiference  in  size  between  the  sexes  of  this 
Eagle. 

The  immature  stage  of  Aquila  fulvescens  has,  if  I  mistake 
not,  been  twice  figured  in  the  '  Journal  fiir  Ornithologie ' — 
first  in  the  volume  for  1853,  on  plate  4,  under  the  name  of 
"  Aquila  navia,  var.  pallida,"  and  subsequently  in  the  volume 
for  1874,  on  plate  3,  under  that  of  '^ Aquila  boeckii  ■/'  the  first- 
named  of  these  representations,  however,  seems  to  me  to  ap- 
proach more  nearly  than  the  second  to  the  tone  of  colouring 
that  prevails  in  the  two  immature  specimens  of  A.  fulvescens 
which  I  have  examined.  If  I  am  correct  in  these  identifica- 
tions, it  will  follow  that  the  western  range  of  A.  fulvescens 
sometimes  extends  to  Europe,  as  the  original  of  "  Aquila 
ntsvia,  var.  pallida/'  was  captured  near  Pillau,  on  the  coast 
of  Eastern  Prussia,  during  very  stormy  weather  in  November 
1851 ;  and  of  the  two  specimens  described  under  the  name  of 
Aquila  boeckii  one  is  said,  on  the  authoi'ity  of  the  late  Jules 
Verreaux,  to  have  been  obtained  in  Russia,  the  locality  of  the 
other  being  unknown. 

Respecting  the  three  Eagles  to  which  I  have  next  to  refer, 
so  much  has  of  late  years  been  written  that  I  shall  have  the 
less  reason  to  dwell  upon  them  at  any  great  length.  Their  or- 
dinary appellation  of  "  Spotted  Eagles  "  is  very  applicable  to 
the  immature  plumage  of  all  three ;  but  with  regard  to  their 
specific  names  considerable  confusion  has  arisen.  Mr.  Sharpe 
applies  to  the  larger  and  most  widely  spread  species  Pallas^s 
name  ''  clanga  ; "  and  of  the  two  smaller  races,  he  designates 
the  Eastern  as  "  hastata "  of  Lesson,  and  the  Western  as 
"  maculata  "  of  Gmelin,  this  last  being  the  only  name  of  the 
three  which  appears  to  me  to  be  open  to  objection. 

Mr.  Sharpe  abandons  the  specific  name  of  "  navia,"  which 
by  many  ornithologists  has  been  applied  indiscriminately  to 
both  the  Spotted  Eagles  found  in  Europe,  and  by  others 
to  the  lesser  species  only,  and,  in  so  doing,  follows  the 
course    suggested  by   Mr.    Dresser    in    the    '  Annals    and 


330  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

Magazine  of  Natural  History '  for  1874,  p.  373;,  and  there 
supported  by  reasons  which  appear  to  me  to  be  quite 
satisfactory.  I  am  not,  however,  so  well  satisfied  with  the  view 
advocated  by  Mr.  Dresser  in  the  paper  above  referred  to,  and 
adopted  by  Mr.  Sharpe,  that  the  lesser  Spotted  Eagle  of  Europe 
should  bear  the  specific  name  of  "maculata."  An  able  article 
on  these  three  Eagles  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Brooks  will  be 
found  in  vol.  iv.  p.  268  of  '  Stray  Feathers,'  in  which  cause  is 
shown  for  believing  that  the  term  "maculata"  may  have  been 
intended  to  apply  to  the  larger  species ;  and  I  believe  that 
Mr.  Dresser  now  agrees  with  me  that  sufficient  uncertainty 
exists  on  this  point  to  render  it  incumbent  on  ornithologists 
to  drop  the  term  "  maculata "  in  the  same  way  that  Mr. 
Sharpe  has  already  very  properly  dropped  that  of  "  neevia." 

I  am  indebted  to  the  kind  assistance  of  Mr.  Dresser  for 
enabling  me  to  analyze  the  remaining  synonyms  quoted  by 
Mr.  Sharpe  as  referring  to  the  lesser  Spotted  Eagle  of  Europe, 
and  have  arrived  at  the  following  result : — "  melanaetus  "  of 
Savigny,  and  also  "  bifasciata^^  and  "fusca'''  of  Brehm,  ap- 
pear to  appertain  without  doubt  to  the  larger  Spotted  Eagle; 
"  nmvia,  var.  pallida,"  of  Lichtenstein,  I  believe,  as  I  have 
already  mentioned,  to  be  A.  fulvescens ;  "  subncevia  "  and 
" fulviventris  "  of  Brehm  are  so  imperfectly  described  that  it 
is  impossible  to   decide  with  any  certainty  to  what  species 
these  two  names  were  intended  to  apply.    There  remains  but 
one  other  synonym  to  be  accounted  for,  viz.  " pomarina'^  of 
•   Brehm.    This,  I  think,  was  probably  founded  on  the  European 
lesser  Spotted  Eagle ;  but  if  so,  the  description  is  inaccurate 
in  one  important  particular,  the  nostril  being  described  as 
"  ear-shaped;"  and  this  discrepancy  must,  I  think,  forbid  the 
use  of  "  pomarina''''  as  a  specific  name  for  the  lesser  Spotted 
Eagle  of  Europe.    Under  these  circumstances,  I  am  of  opinion 
that  this  species  ought  to  bear  the  specific  appellation  of 
"  rvfonuchalis  "  proposed  for  it  by  Mr.  Brooks  in  the  paper 
above  referred  to ;  and  I  think  that  Mr.   Brooks  has  done 
good  service  in  providing  a  name  that  is  liable  to  no  doubt 
for  this  well-known  species,  which,  by  the  laches  of  previous 
authors,  had  practically  lapsed  into  an  anonymous  position. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  q/"  Accipitres.  331 

Mr.  Brooks's  paper  is  also  valuable  as  containing  a  clear 
statement  of  the  differences  which  exist  between  the  A.  rufo- 
nuchalis  and  A.  hastata. 

Mr.  Sharpe  treats  A.  clanga  and  A.  hastata  as  both  being 
subspecies  of  A.  rufonuchalis  (his  A.  maculata)  ;  but  as  A. 
clanga  has  by  far  the  widest  geographical  distribution  of  the 
three,  I  think  it  would  be  better  to  consider  that  Eagle  as  the 
leading  species  of  the  trio,  and  to  allow  A.  rufonuchalis  and 
A.  hastata  to  occupy  the  position  of  subspecies. 

The  confusion  which  has  so  long  existed  between  A.  clanga 
and  A.  rufonuchalis  renders  it  difficult  to  decide  with  certainty 
to  which  of  these  two  species  many  of  the  existing  records  of 
Spotted  Eagles  in  reality  apply  ;  and  consequently  it  is  by  no 
means  easy  to  define  the  respective  geographical  areas  over 
which  the  two  species  range ;  but,  independently  of  such  am- 
biguous records,  I  believe  that  some  definite  and  reliable  in- 
formation on  this  head  may  be  added  to  that  supplied  in  Mr. 
Sharpe's  volume,  and  I  will  refer  in  the  first  instance  to  the 
geographical  distribution  of  A.  clanga,  which  is  even  more 
extended  than  the  wide  range  recorded  by  Mr.  Sharpe. 

With  regard  to  the  eastern  range  of  this  species,  the  third 
volume  of  the  '  Nouvelles  Archives  du  Museum  d^Histoire 
Naturelle  de  Paris  '  contains,  at  p.  29,  a  list  of  birds  observed 
in  Mongolia  and  Northern  China  by  the  Abbe  Armand  David, 
in  which  the  following  notes  occur,  of  which  perhaps  both, 
but,  I  think,  certainly  the  last,  relate  to  this  species  : — 

"  No.  5.^'  An  Eagle  not  named  in  the  text,  but  identified 
in  a  footnote  as  "  Aquila  planga,  Pallas.^'  , 

''  No.  7.  Aquila  ncevia,  Br.,  de  passage.^^ 

In  '  Stray  Feathers,^  vol.  iii.  p.  25,  "  Aquila  clanga,  Pall.," 
is  included  in  a  list  of  the  birds  of  Upper  Pegu  on  the 
authority  of  a  communication  made  to  the  editor  by  Captain 
Feilden. 

There  is  also  in  the  Norwich  Museum  an  immature  ex- 
ample of  this  species,  which  was  formerly  in  the  museum  of 
the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  where  it  was  recorded  as 
having  been  obtained  in  Sumatra  by  the  late  Sir  Stamford 
Raffles. 


332  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

With  reference  to  the  western  range  of  Aquila  clanga,  I 
may  mention  that  I  recently  had  an  opportunity  of  examin- 
ing the  two  immature  Spotted  Eagles  killed  in  Cornwall,  and 
recorded  in  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1861,  pp.  7311  and  7817,  and 
found  them  both  to  be  examples  of  this  species. 

It  seems  certain  that  the  larger  Spotted  Eagle  has  occurred 
both  in  France  and  in  Spain;  and  I  am  indebted  to  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  Howard  Saunders  for  permission  to  quote 
the  following  remarks,  from  a  letter  with  which  he  has 
favoured  me,  on  this  subject : — 

"  I  was  very  much  hurried  during  my  visit  to  the  Bayonne 
Museum ;  still  I  think  I  may  state  pretty  positively  that  the 
two  Spotted  Eagles  there,  as  also  the  one  in  the  Bordeaux 
Museum,  killed  in  the  environs  (all  three  young  birds),  are 
of  the  larger  form,  much  larger  than  the  small  Pomeranian 

bird Speaking   from   memory,  I  should  say  that  the 

spotted  specimen  in  the  Valencian  (Eastern  Spain)  Museum  is 
a  very  large  female.  As  regards  the  Seville  and  Jerez  specimens 
I  am,  after  this  lapse  of  time,  barely  sure  of  their  existence. 
But  of  this  I  am  sure ;  all  those  that  I  recollect  seeing  in 
South  Europe  were  young,  and,  I  fancy,  all  of  the  large  form. 
I  am  sorry  I  did  not  take  measurements." 

The  southern  range  of  this  Eagle  is  also  somewhat  more  ex- 
tended than  has  been  recorded  by  Mr.  Sharpe;  it  is  a  regular 
winter  visitant  to  Egypt^,  and  it  extends  its  migrations  still  far- 
ther southward.  Von  Heuglin,  in  his  'SystematischeUeber- 
sicht,^p.6,has  a  note,  of  which  the  following  is  a  translation: — 
"Aquila  ncevia,  Linn.,  is  very  common  on  the  great  lakes  in 
Lower  Egypt.  In  March  and  October  it  is  travelling,  often 
in  companies  of  as  many  as  ten  individuals,  throughout  the 
whole  of  North-eastern  Africa ;  the  variety  A.  clanga  (Pall. 
and  Naum.)  is  as  frequent  as  the  genuine  A.  n(evia"-f. 

Last  year  I  saw  an  adult  pair  of  A.  clanga  living  in  the 
Zoological  Gardens  at  Antwerp,  which  I  was  assured  had 
been  brought  from  Seunaar,  and  which  are  the  most  southerly 

*  Conf.  '  Rambles  of  a  Naturalist,'  by  J.  H.  Gurney,  jun.,  pp.  132 
and  244. 

t   Conf.  Von.  Heuglin's  '  Orn.  Nordost-Afrika's,'  vol.  i.  p.  47. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharps' s  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  338 

examples  of  this  species    that  have  come  under  my  personal 
observation. 

The  geographical  distribution  of  A.  rufonuc halts  is,  as  I 
have  already  observed,  somewhat  more  limited  than  that  of 
A.  clang  a ;  the  most  northerly  locality  for  A.  rufonuchalis 
with  which  I  am  acquainted  is  the  neighbourhood  of  Dantzic. 
Like  A.  clanga  it  migrates  southward  in  winter ;  and  from  Von 
Heuglin^s  remark,  quoted  above^  it  would  appear  to  extend 
its  migrations  as  far  to  the  south  as  that  species.  The  Norwich 
Museum  possesses  a  specimen  from  Nubia  and  another  from 
Beyrout,  the  former  being  the  most  southern  and  the  latter  the 
most  eastern  locality  for  this  Eagle  that  I  have  personally  veri- 
fied ;  the  most  westerly  specimen  that  I  have  seen  is  one  from 
Switzerland,  which  is  preserved  in  the  Museum  at  Brussels. 

A.  rufonuchalis  is  a  decidedly  less  numerous  species  than 
A.  clanga,  and  has  of  late  years  become  remarkably  scarce, 
much  more  so  than  ,was  formerly  the  case. 

The  nearly  allied  A.  hastata  appears,  as  stated  by  Mr. 
Sharpe,  to  be  limited  to  the  Indian  peninsula. 

The  only  remaining  species  of  the  genus  Aquila  \^A.  wahl- 
bergi,  respecting  which  I  have  merely  to  mention  that  Mr. 
Sharpens  remark,  "  Hah.  The  whole  of  Africa,"  appears  to  me 
to  be  too  sweeping.  The  Norwich  Museum  possesses  speci- 
mens from  Bissao,  the  White  Nile,  Abyssinia,  and  Nubia, 
which  are  the  only  localities  for  this  species  with  which  I  am 
acquainted  to  the  north  of  the  Equator ;  whilst  to  the  south 
of  the  Line,  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has  been  obtained  except 
in  the  localities  mentioned  in  Mr.  Sharpe's  edition  of  Mr. 
Layard^s  '  Birds  of  South  Africa,''  at  p.  36,  viz.  CaflFraria, 
Kuruman,  Mossamedes,  and  on  the  river  Cunene,  and  also 
in  Damara  Land,  if,  as  I  think  most  probable,  it  be  an  in- 
dividual of  this  species,  which  is  cited  as  from  that  country 
under  the  title  of  "  Aquila  clanga,  Pallas,  No.  23,"  in  the 
Supplementary  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the  Leyden 
Museum,  15^. 

*  Since  writing  the  above  I  have  observed  that  the  occurrence  of  a 
second  Damara  example  of  this  Eagle  is  recorded  in  the  *  Journal  fiir 
Ornithologie '  for  1876,  at  p.  308. 


334  Dr.  G.  Hartlaub  on  the  Avifauna  of 

XXVII. — General  Remarks  on  the  Avifduna  of  Madagascar 
and  the  Mascarene  Islands.     By  Dr.  G.  Hartlaub^. 

FivE-ANi)-THiRTY  ycars  ago,  Isidore  Geoffroy  St.-IIilaire 
remarked  that,  ii'  one  had  to  classify  the  Island  of  Madagas- 
car exclusively  on  zoological  considerations,  and  without  re- 
ference to  its  geographical  situation,  it  could  be  shown  to  be 
neither  Asiatic  nor  African,  but  quite  different  from  either, 
and  almost  a  fourth  continent.  And  this  fourth  continent 
could  be  further  proved  to  be,  as  regards  its  fauna,  much 
more  different  from  Africa,  which  lies  so  near  to  it,  than  from 
India,  which  is  so  far  away.  With  these  words,  the  correct- 
ness and  pregnancy  of  which  later  investigations  tend  to  bring 
into  their  full  light,  the  French  naturalist  first  stated  the 
interesting  problem  for  the  solution  of  which  an  hypothesis 
based  on  scientific  knowledge  has  recently  been  propounded ; 
for  this  fourth  continent  of  Isidore  Geoffroy  is  Sclatcr's 
"Lemuria^^ — that  sunken  land  which,  containing  parts  of 
Africa,  must  have  extended  far  eastwards  over  Southern 
India  and  Ceylon,  and  the  highest  points  of  which  we  recog- 
nize in  the  volcanic  peaks  of  Bourlion  and  Mauritius,  and  in 
the  central  range  of  Madagascar  itself — the  last  resorts  of  the 
mostly  extinct  Lcmurine  race  which  formerly  peopled  it. 
"  The  Farquhar  Islands  and  the  Seychelles  in  the  north  and 
the  Coral-reef  of  Rodriguez  and  Calvados  seem,^^  says  a  re- 
cent writer,  "  to  unite  the  ranges  of  its  granitic  hills  with  the 
Laccadivcs  and  Maldives  and  so  on,  with  those  mighty  mani- 
festations of  Nature  which  the  Neilgherrics  and  adjoining 
ranges  present  to  us  in  Southern  India.^^  When  Wallace, 
whoso  utterances  on  this  subject  every  one  must  read  with 
the  greatest  interest,  puts  forward  a  former  junction  of  Mada- 

*  Aljstracted  from  the  introduction  to  Dr.  Ilartlaub's  new  work  *  Die 
Vogel  Madagascars  und  der  bonachbarten  Insolgi'uppeu,'  announced  in  our 
last  issue  (anten,  p.  258).  These  remarks  give  a  summary  of  Dr.  Ilart- 
laub's conclusions  as  to  the  general  aspect  of  the  "  Lemurian  "  Avifauna, 
which  according  to  this  excellent  and  most  useful  handbook,  is  now  known 
to  contain  284  species.  Of  the  220  species  found  in  Madagascar  itself, 
104  are  peculiar,  and  of  these  .30  so  abnormal  that  they  require  to  bo  re- 
ferred to  peculiar  genera. 


Madagascar  and  the  Mascarene  Islands.  335 

gascar  with  Africa  as  beyond  doubt — a  junction  which,  how- 
ever, must  have  terminated  before  the  inroad  into  Africa  of 
the  more  highly  organized  Mammals — every  one  will  allow 
this  opinion  to  be  at  all  events  well  founded.  But  when  he 
proceeds  to  state  that  the  fauna  of  Madagascar  is  manifestly 
of  African  origin  his  assurances  are  based  upon  very  slender 
grounds.  In  truth  the  individuality  of  the  fauna  of  Mada- 
gascar is  so  unique  that  even  that  of  New  Zealand  can  hardly 
be  compared  with  it.  Wallace's  attempted  parallel  between 
Madagascar  and  Africa^  and  the  Antilles  and  South  America, 
is,  in  our  eyes,  sufficiently  disproven  by  the  occurrence  in  the 
Antilles  of  Trochilidse,  one  of  the  most  characteristic  forms 
of  South  America.  But  in  Madagascar  not  a  single  one  of 
the  genera  most  characteristic  of  Africa  occurs.  This  origi- 
nality of  the  fauna  is  much  too  pronounced  to  allow  Mada- 
gascar to  be  treated  only  as  a  "  Subregion^'  or  as  an  "  aber- 
rant part "  of  the  ^Ethiopian  Region. 

As  already  remarked,  Isidore  Geoffroy  St.-Hilaii-e  rightly 
put  forward  the  remarkable  relations  of  the  fauna  of  the 
Madagascarian  Subregion  to  India,  at  a  time  when  it  was 
very  imperfectly  known.  To  our  astonishment  we  meet  with, 
in  both  its  subdivisions  (Madagascar  and  the  Mascarenes), 
the  truly  Indian  genus  Hypsipetes.  Not  less  strange  is  the 
appearance  of  the  genus  Copsychus  in  Madagascar  and  the 
Seychelles,  of  the  Indian  type  of  Dicrurus  (as  represented  by 
D.  waldeni)  on  the  Comoros,  and  of  Plotus  melanog aster  in- 
stead of  its  African  representative  in  Madagascar.  Two  birds 
of  this  island,  Ninox  lugubris  and  a  Cisticola,  are  hardly  sepa- 
rable from  Indian  species.  Two  others,  Scops  rutilus  and 
Anas  bernieri,  are  so  like  Scops  menadensis  and  Anas  gibberi- 
frons  that  they  are  not  easily  distinguishable.  The  Indian 
Charadrius  geoffroyi  is  no  rarity  in  Madagascar.  Dramas 
and  Gygis,  two  characteristic  forms  of  this  subregion,  one  of 
Indian,  the  other  of  Oceanic  origin,  estrange  it  from  Africa. 
A  typical  Ploceus  of  Madagascar  (P.  sakalava)  belongs  to  the 
lndi\2in  philippinus  group.  The  peculiar  Hartlaubia  is  nearer 
to  the  Upper-Indian  Psaroglossa  than  to  any  African  form. 
The  Indo-Australian  group  of  the  Artamida  surprises  us  in 


336  On  the  Avifauna  of  Madagascar  ^c. 

Madagascar  witli  four  modified  representatives.  Mesites, 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  scarcest  birds  of  Madagascar, 
can  only  be  naturally  placed  near  the  Indian  Eupetes.  Lastly, 
the  occurrence  of  the  Polynesian  Rail  [Rallus  pectoralis)  on 
Mauritius  deserves  special  notice,  although  but  a  single  ex- 
ample of  it  has  been  yet  obtained. 

In  contrast  to  these  important  facts  the  points  of  con- 
nexion of  the  avifauna  with  Africa  fall  far  into  the  back- 
ground. The  only  species  of  the  order  Passeres  certainly 
known  to  be  common  to  Africa  and  the  Lemurian  Region  is 
Corvus  scapulatus.  Besides  this  we  can  only  reckon  about  6 
or  7  Birds  of  Prey,  3  Pigeons,  15  Waders,  and  1  Palmiped  as 
of  African  origin. 

But  the  negative  evidence  is  still  stronger  in  the  same  di- 
rection. The  groups  of  Musophagidse,  Coliidse,  Lamprotor- 
nithinse,  Buphagidse,  Capitonidse,  ludicatoridae,  Bucerotidae, 
and  Otidinse,  so  eminently  characteristic  of  Africa,  are  entirely 
absent  here,  besides  the  genera  Gypogeranus,  Helotarsus, 
Coracias,  Crateropus,  Irrisor,  Bradyornis,  Dryoscopus,  Lani- 
arius,  Telephonus,  Prionops,  Platystira,  Saxicola,  Picathartes, 
Balceniceps,  and  others,which  are  remarkably  rich  inindividuals 
and  species  in  Africa.  Besides  this.  Larks  and  Chats,  which 
in  the  African  fauna  are  specially  prominent  on  account  of 
their  numerous  forms  as  well  as  their  individual  and  specific 
abundance,  are  only  represented  by  a  single  species  in  Ma- 
dagascar itself,  and  in  the  rest  of  the  Subregion  not  at  all. 

In  conclusion,  if  we  take  a  glance  at  the  families  of  the 
Madagascar  Subregion  as  compared  with  those  of  Africa,  four 
of  these  (Mesitidse,  Paictidse,  Eurycerotidse  and  Leptosomidae) 
are  peculiar,  whilst  the  Diurnal  Accipitres,  Pigeons,  Honey- 
eaters,  and  Cuckoos  are  richest  in  species.  In  a  considerable 
degree  this  is  also  the  case  with  the  orders  Grallse  and  An- 
seres.  As  contrasted  with  Africa,  the  Fringillidae,  INIeropidse, 
and  Sturnidae  (represented  by  only  one  genus)  are  extra- 
ordinarily poor ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  Coraciidse,  Laniidae, 
Artamidse,  Turdidse,  Muscicapidse,  Pycnonotidse,  and  Lus- 
ciniidse  are  remarkable  for  their  peculiarly  modified  types, 
and  the  Sittida?,  which  are  quite  unrepresented  in  Africa,  for 
the  anomalous  form  Hypherpes. 


Dr.  A.  von  Pelzeln  on  a  new  Species  of  Calliste.      337 

XXVIII. — Description  of  a  new  Species  of  Calliste,  and  of 
a  new  Humming-bird  of  the  Genus  Heliangelus.  By  A.  von 
Pelzeln,  Hon.  Memb.  B.O.U. 

Calliste  albertinte. 
C.  clare  viridis,  capite  et  mento  summo  rufo-castaneis,  nucha 
flavescente,  torque  distincta  nulla,  campteriis  rufo-cas- 
taneis,  dorso  postico  et  gastrseo  caeruleis,  tibiis  pallide 
rufis,  rostro  superiore  nigrescente,  inferiore  corneo,  pedi- 
bus  cserulescenti-cinereis.  Longit.  b" ,  alae  2"  W", 
caudffi  1''  10'^'. 

Tanagra  gyrola  ?  (part.),  Natterer,  MS.  Catal.  n.  804. 

Calliste  gyroloides  (part.),  Pelzeln,  Orn.  Bras.  p.  207 
(Salto  do  Girao.) 

Hab.  Brasilia,  Rio  Madeira  (Salto  do  Girao)  {Natterer). 

C.  gyroloidi  (Lafr.)  similis,  sed  differt  capite  magis  rufes- 
cente,  nucha  flavescente  absque  torque  distincta,  et  prseser- 
tim  campteriis  rufo- castaneis  nee  aureis;  a  C.  gyrola  dorso 
posteriore  cseruleo  et  campteriorum  colore,  a  C.  desmaresti 
iisdem  characteribus  et  gastraeo  cseruleo  discrepat;  cum 
C  lavinia,  Cassin,  colore  campteriorum  convenit,  sed  tectri- 
cibus  alarum  et  remigibus  viridibus  et  gastrseo  cseruleo  di- 
versa. 

Head,  cheeks,  and  chin  rufous  chestnut,  upper  surface 
generally  green  ;  neck  yellowish  green,  but  without  a  distinct 
collar ;  shoulders  bright  reddish  chestnut ;  rump  and  under 
surface  blue;  under  tail-coverts  green;  thighs  pale  reddish. 

The  bright  reddish  chestnut  colour  of  the  shoulders  distin- 
guishes this  bird  from  all  known  species  of  the  gyrola  group, 
with  the  exception  of  C.  lavinia ;  but  the  latter  diff'ers  in 
having  the  wing-coverts  and  outer  edges  of  the  secondary  and 
shorter  primary  quills  rufous,  and  the  undersurface  green, 
with  exception  of  a  longitudinal  stripe  of  pale  blue  on  the 
throat  and  another  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen. 

During  a  recent  visit  of  Herr  Taczanowski  to  Vienna,  when  I 
showed  him  Natterer^s  collection  of  birds'*  skins,  he  pointed 
out  the  difference  of  this  red-shouldered  bird  from  the  indi- 
viduals of  C.  gyroloides,  under  which  name  it  had  been  pre- 
viously comprised. 


338         Dr.  A.  von  Pelzeln  on  a  neiv  Humming-bird. 

Subsequent  careful  examination  of  this  bird  and  compari- 
son with  the  allied  species  persuaded  me  that  it  was  really  of 
a  distinct  species^  not  yet  described. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  dedicating  this  species  to  Countess 
Albertina  Marschall,  daughter  of  Count  August  jMarschall, 
to  whom  science  owes  so  many  important  contributions. 

Natterer^s  notes  on  the  unique  specimen  (a  male)  are 
the  following  : — 

"  Salto  do  Girao,  October  8,  1829,  in  high  forest  on  a  lofty 
tree,  together  with  other  little  birds.  The  bird  was  some- 
what moulting.  Iris  dark  brown.  Bill  black,  not  glossy, 
the  under  maxilla  light  corneous  grey.  Feet  dark  bluish 
ash-grey,  nails  of  the  same  colour.  Length  5|",  breadth  8^" ; 
the  tail  surpasses  the  wings  13'"." 

For  comparison  I  add  Natterer^s  notes  on  a  specimen  of 
C.  gyroloides. 

"  Male,  adult,  moulting,  Marabitanas,  March  1,  1831,  in 
a  high  forest  with  other  Tanagers.  Iris  dark  brown.  Bill 
blackish  brown,  the  under  maxilla  on  the  basal  half  greyish. 
Feet  dark  bluish  grey,  washed  with  violet,  nails  dark  grey. 
Length  5"  10"',  breadth  8"  2'" ;  the  tail  surpasses  the  wings 
13'''." 

Besides  the  male  from  Marabitanas,  Natterer  collected  three 
other  specimens  of  C.  gyroloides  on  the  Rio  Xie. 

Heliangelus  taczanowskii. 

H.  corpore  supra  viridi,  pileo  obscuriore,  nucha  et  uropygio 
nitore  aurescente,  gula  juguloque  brunneo-nigris,  plumis 
stricte  albido,  versus  pectus  latins  viridi  marginatis ;  gulas 
macula  rufo-violacea  metallica  vivide  splendente,  vitta 
pectorali  transversali  alba,  circa  2'"  lata ;  abdomine  viri- 
di medio  ochraceo  admixto,  tectricibus  caudae  inferiori- 
bus  albis,  centro  nigro-brunneis ;  caudse  parum  rotun- 
datse  rectricibus  mediis  aureo-viridibus,  reliquis  brunne- 
scenti-chalybeis,  nonnullis  macula  terminali  minutissima 
alba ;  rostro  nigro,  pedibus  nigrescentibus.  Long.  3^', 
alse  2"  4"',  rostri  a  fronte  8'",  caudse  19'";  rectrices  ex- 
timse  2'"  breviores  quam  mediae, 

Hab.  Bogota  [Herr  M'dnsberg). 

Nearly  allied  to  H.  clarissce ;  but  the  wings  are  considerably 


On  the  Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  339 

shorter ;  the  bill,  on  the  contrary,  is  rather  longer  (in  the  male 
and  young  male  of  H,  clarissce  the  wing  measures  2\" ,  the 
bill  7^'") ;  the  colour  of  the  throat  is  darker  in  the  female 
of  H.  clarissee,  and  the  metallic  spot  more  bluish  violet^. 

From  H.  strophianus,  Gould,  the  bird  here  described  differs 
in  its  inferior  dimensions,  considerably  longer  bill,  and  tail  not 
emarginate,  but  somewhat  rounded :  the  uropygium  is  not 
brownish.  It  is  distinguished  from  H.  spencii  by  its  somewhat 
superior  size  and  by  the  want  of  the  silver-green  spot  on  the 
front ;  the  metallic  colour  has  not  a  faint,  but  an  extremely 
vivid  gloss. 

I  have  named  this  species  after  Mr.  L.  Taczanowski,  the 
eminent  ornitholoerist  of  Warsaw. 


XXIX. — Additional  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  the  Republic 
of  Transvaal.  By  Thomas  Ayres.  Communicated  by 
John  Henry  Gurney. 

(Plate  VII.) 

[It  will  be  seen  by  a  reference  to  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1876,  p.  433, 
that  Mr.  Ayres  has  already  recorded  192  species  of  birds  as 
observed  by  him  in  the  Republic  of  Transvaal ;  the  additional 
species  contained  in  the  following  list  are  numbered  con- 
secutively with  the  above,  and  have  all  been  identified  by  me 
from  specimens  sent  over  by  Mr.  Ayres,  except  where  the 
contrary  is  stated. — J.  H.  G.] 

193.  Circus  cineraceus  (Mont.).     Montagues  Harrier. 

Circus  pygargus  (Sharpens  Layard,  p.  12). 

I  found  these  Harriers  very  plentiful  on  my  brother^s  farm, 
about  fifteen  miles  from  Potchefstroom,  where  they  were 
hunting  a  large  plot  of  ground  from  which  the  grass  had 
been  lately  burnt,  no  doubt  for  insects  or  lizards  killed  by 
the  fire ;  one  of  these  Harriers  which  I  opened  had  made  a 
good  meal  of  some  Lark^s  eggs,  shell  and  all. 

*  I  have  no  females  of  H.  darisscs  for  comparison,  and  must  therefore 
rely  on  IVir.  Gould's  representation  in  the  '  Monograph  of  Trochilidse,' 
and  Mulsant's  dissertation  (Hist.  Nat.  Ois.  Mouch.  iii.  86). 


340  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

ScELOSPiziAs  POLYzoNoiDEs  (Smith).  Smithes  Many- 
banded  Hawk, 

The  stomach  of  one  of  the  specimens  sent  contained  the 
remains  of  mice. 

Melierax  musicus  (Daud.).  Chanting  Hawk, 
There  is  no  donbt  that  these  birds  catch  and  devour  hares  ; 
for  a  neighbour  of  mine  brought  me  one  of  these  Hawks 
which  he  shot  on  3rd  October  in  the  act,  and  I  found  its 
stomach  crammed  with  the  flesh,  and  the  claws  covered  with 
the  fur  of  the  hare. 

They  generally  seem  to  keep  to  the  low  rocky  ridges  a  few 
miles  from  Potchefstroom, 

194.  BuTEO  JAKAL  (Daud.),     Jackal  Buzzard, 

One  that  I  opened  contained  the  remains  of  a  Snipe,  no 
doubt  a  wounded  bird  that  he  had  picked  up  easily,  another 
a  large  toad. 

[Five  specimens  sent  were  all  immature. — J.  H.  G.] 

195.  BuTEO  DESERTORUM  (Daud.).     Desert-Buzzard, 
[One  specimen  sent,  an  adult  female  shot  on  24th  April. — 

J.  H.  G.] 

196.  Gypohierax  angolensis  (Gmel.).  Vulturine  Sea- 
Eagle. 

The  specimen  sent  is  the  only  one  that  has  come  under  my 
notice ;  it  was  shot  on  a  willow  tree  in  the  town  of  Potchef- 
stroom ;  the  stomach  was  quite  empty. 

[This  specimen  is  in  immature  plumage.  I  believe  that 
this  species  has  never  before  been  recorded  from  so  southern 
a  locality. — J.  H.  G.] 

Haliaetus  vocifer  (Daud.).     Vociferous  Sea-Eagle. 

This  Eagle  only  makes  its  appearance  in  this  part  of  the 
country  occasionally,  and  then  invariably  feeds  on  carrion, 
such  as  dead  oxen  or  horses,  though  there  are  plenty  of  fish 
in  the  Vaal  river,  which  I  should  fancy  it  might  very  easily 
live  upon  if  it  had  the  inclination  to  do  so. 


Ornithology  oj  Transvaal.  341 

CiRCAETus  PECTORALis,  Smith.  Black-crestcd  Harrier 
Eagle. 

One  of  the  specimens  sent  contained  a  large  toad,  swal- 
lowed whole. 

Falco  biarmicus,  Temm.     South-African  Lanner. 

This  Falcon  breeds  in  the  Lydenberg  district  in  June 
and  July.  My  brother  has  two  young  ones  now  (October) 
nearly  full-fledged  and  able  to  fly ;  they  are  exceedingly  tame 
and  intelligent,  and  certainly  might  be  very  easily  trained  to 
capture  game  for  their  owner. 

Erythropus  amurensis  (Radde).  Eastern  Red-footed 
Hobby. 

[Mr.  Ayres  forwards  three  specimens  of  this  Falcon,  all 
obtained  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Potchefstroom,  and  all 
males — two  adults  and  one  immature  :  one  of  the  former  is 
labelled  as  shot  29th  January,  the  others  have  no  dates  at- 
tached to  them.  The  males  of  this  species  are  certainly  more 
often  sent  to  this  country  from  South  Africa  than  the  females, 
which  looks  as  if  the  latter  less  frequently  extended  their 
migrations  to  the  southern  part  of  the  A.frican  continent  than 
the  males. — J.  H.  G.] 

197.  TiNNUNCULUs  RUPicoLA  (Daud.).  Lesser  South- 
African  Kestrel. 

This  Kestrel  has  been  rather  more  plentiful  in  this  district 
the  last  season  or  two  than  formerly ;  possibly  the  mice  have 
increased. 

Scops  LEUcoTis  (Temm.).     White-faced  Scops  Owl. 

I  met  with  four  of  these  Owls  last  winter,  and  got  three  of 
them :  the  stomach  of  one  was  well  filled  with  the  remains 
of  mice ;  the  others  were  empty.  They  are  decidedly  scarce 
here,  and,  I  rather  think,  leave  the  neighbourhood  in  the 
summer. 

Caprimulgus  rufigena.     Rufous-cheeked  Goatsucker. 
One  specimen  sent,   sex  not  ascertained,  shot  20th  No- 
vember. 

[Mr.  Sharpe,  in  his  article  on  this  species,  in  the  second 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  2  a 


342  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

edition  of  Mr.  Layard's  work,  says,  "  Four  primaries  are  al- 
ways spotted  with  white ; "  but  in  the  present  specimen  only 
the  first  three  primaries  show  a  white  spot,  the  corresponding 
spot  on  the  fourth  being  a  rufous  buff;  the  pale  tips  to  the 
two  external  rectrices  are  also  not  white,  but  pale  buff,  with 
fine  mottlings  of  dark  brown. — J.  H.  G.] 

198.  Edrystomus  AFER  (Latli.) .     Cinnamon  Roller. 

This  Roller  my  brother  shot  on  his  farm,  where  it  was  ob- 
served for  some  days,  among  the  mimosa  trees,  before  he  killed 
it ;  it  was  solitary,  and  is  the  only  one  of  the  kind  that  we 
have  seen. 

Male  shot  26th  November :  bill  yellow  ;  irides,  tarsi,  and 
feet  brown. 

[I  believe  this  to  be  the  most  southerly  occurrence  of  this 
Roller  which  has  yet  been  rccorded.^ — J.  H.  G.] 

199.  CucuLUS  CANORUs,  Linn.     European  Cuckoo. 

Male  in  change,  shot  27th  December  1875,  at  which  time 
this  species  was  exceedingly  plentiful  on  my  brother's  farm, 
though  the  birds  were  shy  and  difficult  to  approach.  Their 
flight  was  rapid  ;  they  were  all  amongst  the  mimosa  trees. 

[The  specimen  sent  was  changing  from  the  ordinary  nest- 
ling plumage  to  the  adult  dress,  apparently  without  passing 
through  the  intermediate  hepatic  phase  which  is  incident  to 
some  individuals  of  this  species. — J.  H.  G.] 

CoccYSTEs  jAcoBiNUS  (Bodd.) .     Black-and-whitc  Cuckoo. 
These  birds  are  summer  visitors ;  I  saw  the  first  this  year 
at  the  end  of  September. 

200.  PoGONORHYNCHUs  LEUCOMELAS  (Bodd.).    Picd  Barbet. 
This  species  is  not  uncommon  amongst  the  low  trees  and 

scrub  on  the  ranges  in  this  neighbourhood,  where  its  note 
soon  attracts  the  collector's  attention. 

201.  Dendropicus  hartlaubi,  Malh.  Hartlaub's  Wood- 
pecker. 

Male.  Iris  rose-colour;  bill  bluish  horn;  tarsi  and  feet 
dark  bottle-green.  Total  length  Q\  inches,  bill  \i,  wing  3f , 
tail  2,  tarsus  f^ 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  343 

This  Woodpecker  frequents  the  same  localities  as  the  Pied 
Barbet^  but  is  less  plentiful  than  that  species. 

TuRDus  LETsiTsiRUPA  (Smith).     Ground-scraper  Thrush. 
This  Thrush  is  not  uncommon  amongst  the  mimosas. 

202.  Saxicola  GALTONi  (Strickland).     Familiar  Chat. 
The  specimen  sent  was  killed  on  a  farm  about  fifteen  miles 

from  Potchefstroom. 

203.  Saxicola  tephronota^  n.  sp.     Ash-backed  V/heatear. 
A  single  specimen  sent^  which  was  shot  on  the  low  rocky 

ranges  three  miles  from  Potchefstroom ;  very  few  are  to  be 
found  in  this  locality ;  sex  not  ascertained. 

[I  am  not  able  to  identify  this  Wheatear  with  any  species 
hitherto  described ;  and  I  therefore  suggest  for  it  the  specific 
name  of  tephronota,  which  is  in  keeping  with  its  ashy  grey 
back.     The  following  is  a  description  of  this  specimen  : — 

Dimensions  taken  from  the  skin — total  length  7"4  inches, 
culmen  0'8,  wing  from  carpal  joint  4"6,  tail  2'6j  tarsus  1'3. 

The  crown  of  the  head  is  brownish  grey,  but  shows  a  single 
dirty  white  feather,  which  difi'ers  from  the  adjoining  plumage ; 
the  entire  mantle,  except  the  wing-coverts,  clear  pale  bluish 
ash-grey ;  the  lesser  wing-coverts  pure  white  -,  but  some  of 
the  external  feathers  of  these  coverts  have  a  black  shaft-mark, 
and  are  tinged  with  slaty ;  the  remaining  coverts  are  black, 
more  or  less  broadly  edged  with  grey  on  the  external  web, 
but  with  one  feather  at  the  edge  of  the  wing  black,  and  im- 
mediately below  this  a  small  white  spot ;  the  quill-feathers 
of  the  wing  dull  black,  very  narrowly  edged  and  tipped  with 
grey,  which  is  most  conspicuous  on  the  tertials ;  rump  white ; 
upper  tail-coverts  white,  tipped  with  slaty ;  tail  with  the  four 
central  feathers  wholly  black,  the  two  external  pairs  of  rec- 
trices  entirely  white;  of  the  intermediate  pair  one  feather 
is  quite  white,  but  the  corresponding  feather  is  slightly  tinged 
with  blackish  grey  on  both  webs  towards  the  tip  and  for  the 
last  three  quarters  of  an  inch  of  its  length,  this  tinge  becoming 
stronger  as  it  approaches  the  tip  of  the  feather,  which  is  white 
elsewhere. 

The  entire  plumage  of  the  underparts  (other  than  the  tail) 

2a2 


344  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

is  gi'ey,  dark  at  the  base  of  the  feathers,  but  pale,  and  slightly 
tinged  with  brown,  towards  the  tips ;  there  is,  however,  one 
white  feather  visible  on  the  throat ;  the  bill,  tarsi,  and  feet 
are  black. 

Mr.  Sharpe,  at  page  250  of  his  new  edition  of  Mr.  Layard^s 
'  Birds  of  South  Africa,'  under  the  head  of  Saxicola  anders- 
soni,  has  the  following  remark  : — ''  The  British  Museum  also 
possesses  a  pair  of  wholly  grey  birds  (males) ,  killed  at  Koy's 
Fountain^  on  the  18th  and  21st  June,  1862,  and  marked  by 
Mr.  Andersson  as  the  young  of  this  species."  Mr.  Sharpe 
has  been  good  enough  to  compare  the  present  specimen 
(which  has  been  added  to  the  collection  of  the  British  Mu- 
seum) with  the  two  examples  from  Koy's  Fountain,  above 
referred  to,  and  agrees  with  me  in  considering  that  the  three 
belong  to  the  same  species,  and  that  this  is  distinct  from 
S.  anderssoni,  and  has  not  previously  been  described. 

Both  the  Namaqua  specimens,  however,  are  of  a  somewhat 
darker  grey  on  the  mantle  than  the  one  obtained  by  Mr. 
Ayres,  and  especially  so  about  the  lower  part  of  the  back ; 
one  of  the  Koy's-Fountain  birds  has  also  more  conspicuous 
black  shaft-marks  visible  amongst  the  white  feathers  of  the 
lesser  wing-coverts  than  is  the  case  with  the  Transvaal  bird ; 
it  has  also  the  following  coloration  of  the  tail :  on  one  side 
the  two  outer  rectrices  are  pure  white,  whilst  the  correspond- 
ing pair  on  the  other  side  of  the  tail  are  black  and  white ; 
of  these  the  exterior  feather  is  white,  with  the  tip  and  the 
terminal  half  of  the  outer  web  black,  the  four  central  feathers 
entirely  black,  and  the  intermediate  rectrices  also  black,  but 
with  the  extreme  base  and  the  basal  half  of  the  inner  web 
white.  The  other  Namaqua  specimen  has  the  lesser  wing- 
coverts  greyish  white,  instead  of  pure  white,  and  with  some 
black  feathers  intermixed ;  the  tail  of  this  example  has  on 
one  side  the  oritermost  feather  pure  white,  and  the  next  fea- 
ther white  with  the  terminal  third  black  on  both  webs  ;  on 
the  other  side  of  the  tail  the  outermost  feather  is  black, 
with  the  basal  half  white,  while  the  next  feather  is  entirely 
white ;  the  four  central  rectrices  are  entirely  black,  and  the 
*  Great  Namaqua  Land.         « 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.     •  345 

intermediate  ones  black,  with  two  thirds  of  the  outer  webs 
white.— J.  H.  G.] 

204.  Stenostira  scita  (Vieiil.).     Mignard  Flycatcher. 
Stenostira  longipes  (Swains.). 

This  is  a  very  scarce  bird  here ;  but  a  pair  are  very  occa- 
sionally to  be  seen  in  winter,  busily  hunting  for  insects  in 
the  rose-hedges ;  like  most  of  the  smaller  Flycatchers,  they 
are  exceedingly  restless  in  their  habits. 

205.  Bradyornis  siLE.Ns  (Shaw).     Silent  Flycatcher. 

Total  length  7  inches,  bill  from  gape  ||,  ditto  from  fore- 
head \,  wing  4f^,  tail  3 J,  tarsus  1.  Sex  uncertain ;  shot  20th 
June;  irides  dusky  hazel;  bill,  tarsi,  and  feet  black.  This 
is  also  a  winter  visitant,  appearing  either  singly  or  in  pairs. 

206.  DicRURUs  Musicus,  Vieiil.     Musical  Drongo. 

The  specimen  sent  is  the  only  one  I  ever  met  with  about 
here  ;  it  was  observed  about  a  garden  for  many  days  before 
it  was  killed. 

[This  specimen  is  remarkable  for  the  presence  of  one  pure 
white  feather  on  the  crown  of  the  head  ;  the  abdomen  and 
wing-linings  are  also  slightly  spotted  with  white. — J.  H.  G.] 

207.  CoRvus  CAPENsis,  Liclit.     South- African  Rook. 
[One  specimen  sent. — J.  H.  G.] 

Hyphantornis  mariquensis  (Smith).  Mariqua  Weaver- 
bird. 

These  birds  eat  meat  when  they  can  get  it ;  I  saw  them 
feeding  on  a  lump  of  buck  which  was  hanging  up  under  mv 
verandah. 

Alauda  conirostris,  Sund.     Pink-billed  Lark. 

Irides  light-hazel ;  bill  light  reddish  brown  ;  tarsi  and  feet 
pale.  The  two  specimens  sent,  which  are  probably  a  pair, 
were  killed  at  one  shot  on  14th  June,  whilst  feeding  on  the 
open  flats  amongst  the  short  grass. 

CoLUMBA  PHyEONOTA,  Gray.     Roussard  Pigeon. 

Columha  trigonigera,  Bon. 

This  species  has  been  exceedingly  plentiful  this  last  season  ; 


346  •        Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

the  following  are  the  measurements  of  a  male — total  length 
13  inches,  bill  |f,  tarsus  If,  wing  8|,  tail  4|. 

[The  length  of  the  wing  given  above  by  Mr.  Ayres  agrees 
with  the  measurements  stated  by  Mr.  Layard  in  the  first 
edition  of  his  work  (p.  257),  but  is  considerably  less  than 
that  of  a  male  from  Damara  Land,  as  noted  by  Mr.  Andersson 
in  the  'Birds  of  Damara  Land/  p.  232. — J.  H.  G.] 

TuRTUR  SENEGALENsis  (Liuu.) ,     Senegal  Dovc. 

A  pair  of  these  Doves  built  a  nest  in  a  rose-hedge  in  June 
and  laid  two  eggs ;  these  I  took,  and  in  a  fortnight  they  had 
built  another  nest  and  laid  two  more  eggs.  Their  eggs  are  pure 
white,  beautifully  delicate  and  pretty. 

208.  NuMiDA  coRONATA  (Gray).     Crowned  Guinea-fowl. 

The  specimen  sent,  a  male,  weighed  3  lb.  2  oz.,  and  mea- 
sures as  follows — entire  length  22  inches,  bill  1  {,  tarsus  3|, 
wing  lOf,  tail  7\.  Casque  pale  yellowish  ash-colour;  bill 
pale  ashy  horn-colour,  yellowish  on  the  ridge  of  the  upper 
mandible,  and  reddish  at  the  gape ;  cere  and  bare  skin  round 
the  nostrils  and  round  the  horn  crimson ;  bare  skin  of  the 
neck  and  round  the  eyes  bright  light  blue ;  wattles  blue,  with 
crimson  tips ;  tarsi  and  feet  dusky,  almost  black. 

[I  may  add  to  the  above  description  that  the  upper  moiety 
of  the  blue  circle  round  the  eyes  is  surrounded  by  an  outer 
simicircle  of  crimson,  formed  by  the  edge  of  the  crimson  skin 
which  surrounds  the  casque  ;  the  shape  of  the  casque  agrees 
with  the  description  given  by  me  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1868, 
p.  253.— J.  H.  G.] 

Francoltnus  swainsoni.  Smith.     Swainson^s  Francolin. 

The  specimen  sent  was  found  breeding  in  the  Waterberg 
district,  and  was  brought  to  me  with  two  of  the  eggs,  the 
shells  of  which  were  exceedingly  thick,  approaching  those  of 
the  Guinea-fowl. 

EupoDOTis  CRISTATA  (Scop.).     Kori  Bustard. 

Though  I  often  hear  of  40-lb.  Bustards  being  shot,  I  have 
never  seen  one  any  thing  like  this  weight.  The  specimen  sent, 
though  a  male,  only  weighed  16  lb. ;   it  measured  as  follows — 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  347 

total  length  46  inches,  wing  25,  tail  14,  bill  from  gape  4^, 
tarsus  10  ;  it  was  shot  25th  October,  and  had  the  pouch  very 
apparent,  commencing  at  the  base  of  the  tongue,  where  it 
was  some  three  inches  wide,  and  extending  about  five  inches 
down  the  throat  in  the  form  of  an  isosceles  triangle. 

[Mr.  E.  C.  Buxton  informs  me  that  he  shot  one  of  these 
Bustards,  near  the  Lambomba  Mountains,  which  weighed 
'^nearly  40lb.^^— J.  H.  G.] 

209.  EuPODOTis  AFRoiDES  (Smith).  Black-and-white- 
winged  Bustard. 

[I  suspect  that  in  this  species  the  male  is  subject  to  a  sea- 
sonal change,  and  only  assumes  the  dress  represented  in  Sir 
A.  Smith's  figure  (pi.  19.  fig.  a)  at  the  approach  of  the  breed- 
ing-season. Of  two  males  sent  by  Mr.  Ayres,  one  shot  31st 
January  is  in  very  nearly  full  dress,  but  the  other,  killed  on 
4th  May,  is  evidently  in  change,  having  a  large  portion  of  its 
plumage  like  that  of  the  female,  and  apparently  having  been 
killed  while  in  the  course  of  assuming  a  dress  resembling  that 
ofthehenbird.— J.  H.  G.] 

CuRSORius  RUFUs,  Gould.     Burchell's  Courser. 

Male.  Bill  dusky,  but  the  under  mandible  pale  at  the  base ; 
irides  very  dark  hazel ;  tarsi  and  feet  white. 

This  species  breeds  in  November  on  the  open  flats  outside 
the  town  of  Potchefstroom. 

[Mr.  Ayres  forwards  one  specimen  killed  in  November,  and 
two  killed  in  June,  the  former  of  which  was  labelled  as  fol- 
lows : — "  18th  November.  A  small  mound  of  sand  and  gravel ; 
eggs  placed  in  a  small  depression  in  the  centre ;  two  eggs  much 
incubated. — J.  H.  G.] 

CuRSORius  BiciNCTUs,  Tcmm.     Double-collared  Courser. 

Male.  Shot  near  Potchefstroom  29th  March.  Bill  black  ; 
irides  dark  hazel ;  tarsi  and  feet  white. 

This  is  a  much  scarcer  bird  than  C.  rufus. 

Glareola  nordmanni,  Fisch.     Nordmann's  Pratincole. 

Bill  black,  with  the  base  and  the  edges  of  the  mandibles 
red  ;  tarsi  and  feet  dusky ;  one  specimen  sent,  shot  1st  of 
October. 


348  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

210.  iEoiALiTEs  TRicoLLARis  (Vicill.).  Three-collarcd 
Plover. 

The  specimen  sent  was  shot  on  24th  March. 

Balearica  regulorum,  Licht.     Southern  Crowned  Crane. 

Immature.  This  and  three  other  young  birds  of  the  same 
agCj  and  evidently  from  the  same  nest,  were  feeding  together 
in  a  bit  of  swampy  ground. 

[This  specimen,  which  was  nearly  full-grown,  had  the  irides 
light  ash-colour ;  the  bill  black,  but  with  the  base  of  the  lower 
mandible  pale ;  the  bare  skin  between  the  bill  and  the  eye 
black,  the  adjacent  space,  which  is  occupied  by  the  wattles  in 
the  adult,  thickly  clothed  with  short  yellowish  white  down ; 
and  the  legs  and  feet  ashy  black.  Its  plumage  differs  from 
that  of  the  adult  bird  in  the  following  particulars  : — The  front 
part  of  the  head,  instead  of  being  black,  as  in  the  adult,  is 
a  rich  fulvous,  with  a  very  few  small  black  spots  intermixed ; 
the  crest,  which  is  about  half-grown,  the  back  of  the  head, 
and  the  upper  part  of  the  neck  and  throat  are  of  a  similar 
hue ;  but  the  colour,  especially  on  the  neck  and  throat,  is  paler 
than  on  the  forehead,  and  is  varied  on  the  sides  of  the  neck 
by  the  dark  bases  of  the  feathers  being  apparent ;  the  mantle 
is  slaty  black,  with  narrow  tips  to  the  feathers,  some  of  these 
tips  being  rufous,  others  (especially  those  nearest  the  wings) 
being  pale  brown  ;  the  wing-coverts  are  Avhite,  but  with  most 
of  the  feathers  variegated  by  a  subterminal  slate-coloured 
mark  and  a  much  narrower  rufous  brown  tip,  and  with  the 
further  exception  of  the  coverts  of  the  tertials,  in  which  each 
feather  is  wholly  banded  with  alternate  transverse  bars  of 
slate-colour  and  rufous ;  on  the  bastard  wing  the  feathers  are 
more  slate-coloured  than  in  the  adult,  but  have  not  also,  as 
in  the  adult,  a  tinge  of  rufous  ;  the  lower  back  is  of  a  dark 
slate-colour  intermingled  with  white,  and  with  rufous  tips  to 
those  feathers  which  lie  nearest  to  the  thighs  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  the  latter  of  which  are  black,  tipped  with  fulvous ; 
the  under  tail-coverts  are  composed  of  long  downy  feathers 
of  a  pale  buff-colour,  transversely  barred  with  dull  black,  the 
abdomen  and  thighs  are  pale  buff,  slightly  mingled  Avith  black  ; 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  349 

the  breast  and  flanks  are  slaty  black,  with  narrow  pale  bufl* 
edges. 

This  specimen  is  now  preserved  in  the  British  Museum. — 
J.  H.  G.] 

Ardea  GOLIATH,  Tcmm.     Goliath  Heron. 

This  is  one  of  the  scarcest  Herons  here ;  it  is  wonderful 
the  size  of  the  fishes  these  fellows  can  swallow  ;  the  one  sent 
had  a  2-lb.  carp  in  him. 

211.  Ardea  cinerea,  Linn.     Common  Heron. 

[The  specimen  sent  was  shot  7th  April ;  it  is  evidently  a 
young  bird  which  had  very  recently  left  the  nest.— J.  H.  G.] 

212.  Herodias  intermedia  (Wagl.) .     Short-billed  Egret. 
Female  killed  17th  June.     Total  length  28  inches,  bill  from 

gape  3|,  ditto  from  forehead  3,  wing  12^,  tarsus  5,  tail  h\. 

Irides  gamboge-yellow ;  bill  orange-yellow ;  bare  skin  ad- 
joining the  eyes  pale  greenish  yellow;  tarsi  and  feet  bluish. 

Female  killed  14th  September.  Total  length  27  inches, 
bill  from  gape  3^,  ditto  from  forehead  2|,  wing  llf,  tarsus  4^, 
tail  5^. 

Irides  tawny  yellow ;  bill  chrome  yellow,  darker  at  the 
base ;  bare  skin  adjoining  the  eyes  bright  verdigris  green ; 
shanks  chrome  yellow ;  tarsi  dusky,  almost  black,  except  the 
upper  portion,  which  was  chrome  yellow. 

[I  imagine  that  this  is  the  species  included  in  Mr.  Bar- 
ratt's  list  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1876,  p.  210,  under  the  name  of 
Ardea  eyretta,  a  designation  to  which  I  believe  it  is  not  cor- 
rectly entitled. — J.  H.  G.] 

Herodias  garzetta  (Linn) .     Little  Egret. 

Shot  18tli  January,  not  in  nuptial  dress;  irides  pale  yel- 
low ;  bill  dusky,  but  the  under  mandible  pinkish  at  the  base ; 
shanks  and  tarsi  dusky  black ;  feet  pale  yellowish  green. 

Ardeola  comata  (Pall).     Squacco  Heron. 

Male,  killed  15th  January,  not  in  nuptial  dress  ;  irides  pale 
yellow,  orange  on  the  outer  edge ;  bare  skin  between  the  eye 
and  the  bill,  and  also  the  base  of  the  bill,  greenish,  upper 
mandible  dusky,  lower  mandible  and  commissure  yellow ;  bill 


350  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

from  gape  3j  inches,  ditto  from  forehead  SfV,  wing  8|,  tail 
3^,  tarsus  2|. 

[On  comparing  the  above  measurements  with  a  male  and 
female  previously  sent  from  Transvaal,  I  find  that  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  male  of  this  pair  agree  almost  exactly  with  the 
above,  bnt  the  female  is  decidedly  smaller,  measuring  as  fol- 
lows— bill  from  forehead  2^-^  inches,  wing  7|,  tarsus  2*. 

As  this  is  the  only  species  of  this  restricted  group  which  I 
have  seen  from  Transvaal,  I  suspect  that  it  may  be  the  same 
as  that  quoted  in  Mr.  Barratt's  list  as  "  Ardea  leucoptera," 
vide  Ibis,  1876,  p.  210t.— J.  H.  G.] 

213.  NuMENius  ARQUATus  (Liuu.).     Commou  Curlew. 
Female  shot  9th  October  ;  total  length  25  inches,  bill  from 

forehead  6f,  wing  12j,  tarsus  4. 

This  is  a  very  scarce  bird  indeed  in  these  parts ;  two  spe- 
cimens were  seen  last  year,  of  which  this  is  one ;  I  did  not 
hear  either  of  them  utter  the  usual  cry  of  the  Curlew ;  both 
were  silent. 

214.  NuMENius  PHiEOPus  (Liuu.).     Common  Whimbrel. 

I  shot  a  Whimbrel  during  the  month  of  November,  the  only 
one  I  have  ever  seen. 

[This  identification  rests  on  Mr.  Ayres^s  authority,  the  spe- 
cimen not  having  been  forwarded. — J.  H.  Gr.] 

Philomachus  pugnax  (Linn.).     Ruff. 

The  male  sent  was  shot  from  a  flock  on  24th  August;  it 
is  the  most  nearly  in  full  plumage  of  any  specimen  that  I 
have  seen. 

[This  example  retains  the  remains  of  the  two  occipital  tufts 
and  of  the  portion  of  the  ruff  between  them ;  the  remaining 
tuft-plumes  are  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  length,  the 
intervening  feathers  being  much  shorter;  it  also  retains  con- 

*  A  similar  disparity  in  the  size  of  the  sexes  has  been  noticed  in  an 
allied  Indian  species,  Ardeola  grayi,  Sykea,  vide  '  Stray  Feathers,'  vol.  iv. 
p.  .350. 

t  Mr.  Barratt  also  includes  in  his  list  "  Ardetta  minuta,''''  which  I  ven- 
ture to  think  may  be  an  eiTor,  as  I  have  never  seen  this  species  from  South 
Africa,  but  only  the  nearly  allied  but  smaller  species,  A.  podiceps,  Bon. 
ifonf.  Ibis,  187.3,  p.  2.=)7).— J.  H.  G. 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  351 

siderable  remains  of  nuptial  dress,  both  on  the  mantle  and 
on  the  under  surface.  Mr.  Ayres  sends,  as  well,  a  female  in 
winter  dress,  shot  7th  January. — J.  H.  G.] 

ToTANUS  GLAREOLA  (Liuu.).     Wood-Sandpiper. 

Found  on  the  Snipe-ground. 

[Mr.  Ayres  forwards  two  females — one  shot  25th  February, 
which  has  partly  assumed  the  nuptial  dress,  the  other,  killed 
25th  March,  which  has  fully  attained  it. — J.  H.  G.] 

215.  Rhynch^a  capensis  (Linn.) .    African  Painted  Snipe. 
Of  sixty  Snipe  shot  by  some  friends  of  mine,  only  two  were 

of  this  species,  two  Gallinago  major,  and  the  remainder  G. 
(squatorialis . 

Gallinago  major  (Gmel.).     Solitary  Snipe. 
Of  the  three  specimens  sent,  a  male  and  female  were  shot 
on  26th  March,  and  a  female  on  20th  April. 

Rallus  c^rulescens,  Gmel.     Caffre  Rail. 

Male,  shot  4th  June.  Irides  blood-red  ;  bill  the  same,  but 
dusky  along  the  ridge ;  tarsi  and  feet  dull  brownish  red,  tinged 
with  dusky. 

Female,  shot  17th  May.  Irides  reddish  hazel ;  bill  scarlet, 
but  dusky  on  the  ridge;  tarsi  dull  brick-red,  tinged  with 
dusky. 

This  is  the  commonest  Rail  we  have,  and  a  most  noisy 
little  fellow,  making  wonderfully  loud  and  startling  cries  for 
his  size ;  the  stomach  of  one  sent  contained  legs  of  a  crab. 

216.  Crex  pratensis  (Bechst.).     Corn- Crake. 

This  species  is  very  scarce  here ;  the  specimen  sent  was  shot 
on  10th  March. 

PoRZANA  PYGMiEA,  Naum.     Baillou's  Crake. 

Male,  shot  20th  April,  in  immature  plumage  on  the  throat 
and  breast.  Irides  tawny ;  bill  greenish,  but  dusky  on  the 
ridge,  j  tarsi  and  feet  pale  dusky  greenish. 

Female,  shot  22nd  January,  in  adult  dress.  Irides  reddish 
orange;  bill  grass-green,  but  dusky  on  the  ridge;  tarsi  and 
feet  pale  greenish. 


353  Mr.  T.  Ayres  on  the 

These  Crakes  are  occasionally  to  be  got  whilst  Snipe- 
shooting. 

217.  PoRZANA  EGREGiA,  Pet.     Greater  African  Crake. 
Male^  shot  14th  May.     Irides  orange,  eyelids  bright  red ; 

bill  pale  bluish  horn-colour,  dusky  on  the  ridge,  and  pale  at 
the  base  of  the  under  mandible ;  tarsi  and  feet  dusky  pale ; 
total  length  9|  inches,  bill  1,  tarsus  1,  wing  4f,  tail  If. 

The  only  specimen  I  have  seen ;  I  shot  it  whilst  trying  for 
Snipe  in  the  marsh  close  by  Potchefstroom ;  it  must  be  ex- 
ceedingly rare  here. 

[This  scarce  Crake  is  described  in  Finsch  and  Hartlaub''s 
'  Vogel  Ost-Afrika's,^  p.  778,  where  the  details  of  its  synonymy 
will  be  found  in  extenso. — J.  H.  G.] 

218.  CoTURNicops  AYREsi,n.  sp.  Avrcs'Crake.    (Plate VII.) 
This  pretty  little  fellow  we  call  the  White-winged  Rail, 

from  the  white  patch  on  the  wing,  which  is  very  conspicuous 
when  it  is  flushed  and  making  away.  I  have  only  noticed 
this  species  here  the  last  two  seasons ;  it  is  very  scarce  ;  the 
two  sent  are  the  only  specimens  I  have  obtained,  though  I 
have  seen  one  or  two  others. 

The  bird  shot  the  4th  October  contained  water-insects  in 
its  stomach. 

Female  (apparently  adult)  shot  24th  November.  Total 
length  G^  inches,  bill  y\j  tarsus -ff,  wing  3,  tail  If;  irides 
ashy  hazel ;  bill  dusky,  under  mandible  pale ;  tarsi  and  feet 
dusky. 

Female  (apparently  immature)  shot  4th  October.  Total 
length  6 J  inches,  bill  \,  tarsus  1,  wing  3,  tail  1|;  bill  pale 
dusky,  darkest  on  the  ridge ;  tarsi  and  feet  dusky  pink. 

[On  receiving  the  two  Crakes  above  mentioned  I  was  unable 
to  refer  them  to  any  species  with  which  I  was  acquainted, 
and  I  therefore  sought  the  kind  assistance  of  Mr.  Salvin,  who 
confirmed  me  in  the  belief  that  they  belong  to  a  species 
hitherto  undescribed,  which  I  propose  should  bear  the  name 
of  my  valued  correspondent  Mr.  Thomas  Ayres,  to  whose 
researches  we  are  indebted  for  this  interesting  acquisition. 

Mr.  Salvin  has  also  been  so  good  as  to  point  out  to  me  that 


Ornithology  of  Transvaal.  353 

the  present  species  forms  a  third  in  the  restricted  subgenus 
Coturnicops,  the  two  previously  known  being  the  North- 
American  C  noveboracensis  (GmeL),  and  the  Asiatic  C.  ex- 
quisita,  Swinhoe^  figured  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1875,  pi.  iii.,  both 
of  which  are,  like  their  southern  congener,  remarkable  for  the 
conspicuously  white  secondary  feathers  of  the  wing. 

The  two  specimens  are  both  marked  by  Mr.  Ayres  as  females, 
the  one  being  apparently  adult,  and  the  other  immature ;  the 
latter  I  have  placed  in  the  British  Museum,  retaining  the 
former  in  my  own  collection. 

Both  examples  are  represented  in  the  annexed  plate,  which 
will  enable  them  to  be  readily  recognized ;  but  I  may  add  the 
following  description  of  their  coloration  and  marking  : — 

Female  adult.  Crown  of  head  and  back  of  neck  blackish 
brown,  interspersed  with  dark  rufous-brown  spots,  which  are 
more  numerous  on  the  neck  than  on  the  head ;  sides  of  head 
mottled  with  pale  and  dark  brown,  the  former  slightly  pre- 
ponderating ;  sides  of  neck  rich  rufous  brown,  with  narrow 
blackish-brown  tips  to  the  feathers ;  back  black,  with  nar- 
row white  edgings  to  the  sides  of  the  feathers,  beyond  which, 
in  some  of  the  feathers,  an  outer  edging  of  olive-brown  is 
perceptible ;  similar  but  more  conspicuous  brown  edgings 
occur  on  the  feathers  of  the  greater  and  median  wing-coverts, 
which,  with  this  exception,  are  blackish  brown,  as  are  also 
the  least  coverts,  all  the  coverts  being  more  or  less  spotted 
with  white  ;  the  primaries  dull  brown,  the  fifth  and  subsequent 
ones  being  very  slightly  tipped  with  white ;  all  the  secondaries 
pure  white,  except  a  brown  shaft-mark,  slightly  spreading  on- 
to the  webs  at  the  base  and  tip,  and  excepting  also  the  last 
feather,  which  is  slate-coloured,  mottled  with  Avliite ;  upper 
tail-coverts  transversely  marked  with  alternate  bars  of  dark 
rufous  and  blackish  brown,  the  latter  being  the  broader ;  chin 
white,  slightly  tinged  with  rufous ;  and  the  throat  the  same, 
but  with  the  feathers  very  narrowly  edged  with  blackish 
brown ;  breast  rufous  brown,  but  paler  than  the  sides  of  the 
neck ;  flanks  and  abdomen  mingled  black  and  white,  the  black 
predominating  on  the  flanks,  the  white  on  the  abdomen ;  tibi£e 
resembling  on  the  sides  the  coloration  of  the  flanks,  and  on 


354  On  the  Ornithology  of  Transvaal. 

the  front  that  of  the  abdomen  ;  under  tail-coverts  transversely 
and  alternately  barred  with  pale  rufous  and  black ;  wing- 
linings  white,  slightly  mottled  about  the  edges  of  the  wing 
with  blackish  brown  ;  axillaries  white,  mingled  with  slaty 
brown. 

The  immature  female  resembles  the  above,  but  shows  more 
of  the  olive-brown  edgings  to  the  feathers  of  the  mantle, 
and  wants  the  rufous  tint  on  the  breast  and  sides  of  the  neck, 
the  former  being  a  dirty  white,  the  latter  two  shades  of  brown, 
the  centres  of  the  feathers  being  darker  than  the  edges. — 
J.  H.  G.] 

219.  Alecthelia  dimidiata  (Smith).  South-African 
Rufous-chested  Crake. 

Alecthelia  ruficollis,  Gray. 

This  species  inhabits  the  Snipe-grounds,  but  is  scarce  and 
difficult  to  flush. 

[In  'The  Ibis'  for  1859,  p.  249,  and  for  1868,  p.  261,  I 
incorrectly  applied  to  this  species  the  English  name  of  "  Jar- 
dine's  Crake,"  which  properly  belongs  to  its  smaller  congener, 
A.jardinei  (Smith). — J.  H.  G.] 

220.  Nettapus  madagascariensis  (Gmel.).  Madagascar 
Dwarf-Goose. 

A  pair  of  these  little  G  eese  were  shot  in  April  on  the  Vaal 
river,  fourteen  miles  from  Potchefstroom,  and  are  in  the 
possession  of  Dr.  Exton  of  Bloemfontein. 

221.  Graculus  africanus.  Gray.  Long- tailed  African 
Cormorant. 

Male  in  winter  plumage,  shot  near  Potchefstroom  17th 
May.  Irides  light  ashy  brown ;  bill  pale,  but  dusky  on  the 
ridge ;  tarsi  and  feet  black. 

[I  take  this  opportunity  of  correcting  a  clerical  error  which 
occurred  in  '  The  Ibis '  for  1876  at  p.  430.  For  "  Enneoctonus 
collaris"  read  E.  collurio. — J.  H.  G.] 


On  the  Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  355 

XXX. — Notes  on  the  Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  By 
Edgar  L.  Layard,  C.M.G.,  F.Z.S.,  &c.,  H.B.M.  Consul, 
and  E.  Leopold  C.  Layard,  Vice-Consul^  at  Noumea. 

We  tope  the  readers  of  '  The  Ibis '  will  not  think  us  pre- 
sumptuous if,  after  a  residence  of  only  six  months  in  New 
Caledonia^  where  even  our  excursions  have  been  confined  to 
the  neighbourhood  of  Noumea,  we  make  so  bold  as  to  write 
some  ''Notes  on  the  Avifauna ^^  of  the  island. 

We  should  premise  that  we  believe  ourselves  to  be  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  literature  extant  on  the  ornithology  of  the 
island  and  the  "  Loyalty  Group/^  which  we  shall  always 
include  in  our  "  Notes. ^^  We  have  the  articles  in  the  '  Revue 
Zoologique/  1860,  by  MM.  Verreaux  and  Des  Murs.  While 
in  Sydney  for  his  health,  Mr.  E.  L.  Layard  was  fortunate 
enough  to  find  in  the  extensive  and  valuable  library  of  that  well- 
known  naturalist  Dr.  George  Bennett  (the  contents  of  which 
were  most  liberally  placed  at  his  disposal  by  his  old  and  valued 
friend)  an  excellent  paper  by  M.  Henri  Jouan,  entitled 
"Notes  sur  la  Faune  Ornithologique  de  la  NouvelleCaledonie,^' 
in  the  '  Memoires  de  la  Societe  Imperiale  des  Sciences  Na- 
turelles  de  Cherbourg/  tome  ix.,  p.  197  (1863) .  Erom  this  he 
copied  descriptions  of  all  the  named  species,  a  few  others  being 
alluded  to  without  any  designation  ;  it  is  therefore  impossible 
to  say  to  what  they  refer.  Then  we  have  Brenchleys^s  '  Cruise 
of  the  "  Curayoa,'^ '  G.  R.  Gray^s  '  Birds  of  the  Tropical  Is- 
lands,' and  Finsch  and  Hartlaub's  'Ornithology  of  Fiji,  Tonga, 
and  Samoa.^  A  small  Colonial  Government  Library  here  has 
a  fine  series  of  the  travels  and  voyages  of  all  the  old  French 
navigators ;  and  Mr.  F.  W.  Hutton,  of  the  Otago  Museum 
in  New  Zealand,  has  been  kind  enough  to  copy  out  for  us 
descriptions  of  New-Caledonian  birds  from  works  accessible 
to  him,  such  as  Forster's  '  Voyage '  &c.  We  thus  think  we 
are  in  a  position  to  speak  with  some  show  of  authority  on  the 
subject. 

Our  catalogue  of  species  known  in  or  said  to  inhabit  New 
Caledonia  and  the  Loyalty  Islands,  amounts  to  just  100. 
MM.  Verreaux  and  Des  Murs  catalogued  (1860)  76  species; 


356  Messrs.  Layard  on  the 

M.  Jouan  (1863)  about  40  species^  of  which  5  do  not  seem 
to  be  included  in  MM.  Verreaux  and  Des  Murs's  list. 

If  any  of  our  readers  can  tell  us  where  we  can  find  infor- 
mation on  New-Caledonian  birds,  other  than  that  we  have 
mentioned,  we  shall  be  most  thankful. 

Our  brethren  of  '  The  Ibis/  will  sympathize  with  us  when 
we  tell  them  of  the  horror  that  fell  like  a  thick  darkness  on 
our  minds  when,  in  conversation  with  the  gentlemen  who 
came  off  to  H.M.S.  "^  Barracouta ^  to  welcome  us  on  our 
arrival,  we  were  told  that  no  shooting  was  allowed  on  any 
pretext,  as  the  birds  were  wanted  to  kill  the  locusts ! 
Visions  of  dull  despair,  if  not  of  actual  suicide,  floated  over 
us !  With  ample  spare  time  to  work  to  be  condemned  to 
idleness  !  And  what  other  amusements  had  we  ?  Oh  ! 
there  are  billiard-tables  at  the  restaurants  and  hotels ! 
These  offered  no  attractions  to  either  of  us.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  A  day  or  two  after  our  landing,  a  kind  lady  friend 
offered  to  drive  us  out  to  a  pretty  spot  called  Ansevata, 
where  she  was  going  to  make  a  visit.  We  had  driven  there 
the  day  of  our  landing,  and  had  noted  with  hungry  eyes  some 
lovely  Rhipidura,  yellow-billed  Pachycephala,  an  Aplonis,  a 
Hawk,  and  ti  Gull  or  two,  and  various  small  "  unknowns. ^^ 

The  father  looked  at  the  son ;  the  son  divining  the  thought 
in  his  parentis  brain  pronounced  the  magic  name  "  Long 
Tom."  Parent,  in  his  blandest  and  most  insinuating  tones  : — 
"  My  dear  Madam  !  would  you  object  to  our  bringing  a  tiny 
little  collecting-gun  with  us  ?  it  makes  no  noise  hardly,  and,  as 
it  is  a  breechloader,  will  not  be  carried  loaded  in  the  carriage  !'* 
Son,  persuasively  : — "  We  can  pop  it  in  the  hood  behind 
there,  and  not  a  soul  can  see  it.^^  Lady,  graciously  : — "  Oh 
yes,  I  don't  mind  a  gun ;  and  you'll  get  me  a  bird  for  my  hat.'' 
Chorus  of  parent  and  son  : — "  Oh  yes,  the  loveliest  we  can 
find  !  "  In  a  few  minutes  the  faithful  "  Long  Tom  "  is  un- 
shipped from  his  stock,  rolled  up  in  a  bag,  and  stowed  away 
in  the  hood,  a  dozen  cartridges  dropt  into  our  pockets,  and 
we  are  off.  We  felt  as  gloriously  happy  as  two  school-boys 
out  of  bounds,  and  thoroughly  enjoyed  our  poaching  expedi- 
tion !     Our  fair  friend  dropped  us  by  a  nice  bit  of  bush,  and 


Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  357 

promised  to  give  us  one  hour ;  soon  the  long  gun  is  pointed 
well  up  in  a  tree-top,  the  trigger  pulled,  and  down  comes  a 
bird  new  to  us  ! 

It  belonged  to  a  species  that  frequents  the  bush,  poking 
about  branches,  searching  the  leaves  (chiefly  the  undersides) 
and  blossoms  in  search  of  their  insect  food.  Their  habits 
reminded  me  of  our  Fijian  Monarcha  ;  L.  L.  says  they  utter 
a  sharp  shrill  cry  or  note. 

While  in  New  South  Wales  I  procured  specimens  of  Gery- 
gone  albogularis,  Grould,  and  Acanthiza  pusilla  (Lath.) .  To 
the  former  our  bird  bears  a  close  resemblance  in  form  and 
colour ;  but  with  the  latter  it  shows  no  relationship.  In  the 
P.  Z.  S.  1859,  p.  161,  Mr.  G.  K.  Gray  described  a  New-Ca- 
ledonian bird  under  the  name  of  Acanthiza  flavolateralis ; 
and  the  description  accords  pretty  well  with  our  specimen ; 
but  if  Mr.  Gray^s  bird  is  a  true  Acanthiza,  our  bird  must  be 
of  a  difterent  species.  Only  a  comparison  with  the  type 
specimens  in  England  will  satisfactorily  determine  this ;  I  (E, 
L.  L.)  therefore  name  our  new  bird  Gerygone  flavolateralis ;  so 
that  I  shall  not  make  a  synonym  if  I  have  described  a  species 
already  known,  but  only  transferred  it  to  its  right  genus  ■^. 

The  next  shot  fell  to  L.  L.^s  turn,  and  produced  the  lovely 
yellow-billed  Pachycephala  xanthetrcRa.  These  pretty  Bush- 
Shrikes  appear  not  to  be  uncommon  round  Noumea  ;  they 
frequent  the  dense  bush,  not  affecting  the  open  Gum-tree 
forest.  Their  food  consists  of  insects  of  all  kinds,  which  they 
capture  at  rest  or  on  the  wing,  darting  at  them  as  they  pass 
their  perch. 

It  is  singular  that  the  sole  wA^^e-throated  Pachycephala  in 
Fiji  (P.  vitiensis)  should  be  found  in  Kandavu,  the  southern- 
most island  of  the  group,  and  almost,  if  not  quite,  in  the  same 
latitude  as  the  northern  part  of  New  Caledonia.  Here  all 
the  species  are  white-thro&ted.  In  Fiji,  moreover,  they  are 
all  yellow  on  the  underparts;  here  some  are  yellow,  some 
more  or  less  rufous,  approaching  in  this  respect  the  Australian 

[*  Mr.  Sliarpe  lias  kindly  compared  Mr.  Layard's  skin  for  us  with  Mr. 
Gray's  type,  and  pronounces  them  to  be  specifically  identical ;  but  Mr. 
Layard's  view  as  to  its  generic  affinities  is  undoubtedly  correct. — Edd.] 

SER.  IV. — VOL.  I.  2b 


358  Messrs.  Layard  on  the 

forms,  some  of  which  are  thus  coloured.  This  island  would 
seem,  therefore,  to  be  a  point  where  the  Polynesian  and  Aus- 
tralian forms  unite. 

While  we  were  cleaning  the  blood  from  our  prize,  stuffing 
its  mouth,  &c.  previous  to  suspending  it  on  the  stick,  a  Fan- 
tail  Flycatcher  came  and  chattered  the  usual  note  of  defiance 
at  us ;  so,  as  we  sat  on  a  fallen  tree-trunk,  E.  L.  L.  lifted  the 
long  gun ;  ''  crack,"  and  the  bird  came  fluttering  down ;  away 
scudded  L.  L.  through  the  tangled  bush,  now  dodging  round 
a  clump,  now  creeping  under,  till  he  was  lost  to  view  !  Pre- 
sently he  returned,  panting  and  blowing,  the  quarry,  only 
broken-winged,  having  led  him  a  chase  of  about  a  hundred 
yards,  right  down  to  the  sea-beach  !  and  this  a  weak-legged 
little  Rhipidura  !  but,  mirabile  dictu,  this  too  turns  out  to  be 
new  to  us  also  ! 

The  only  Rhipidura  we  can  find  described  from  here  is  R. 
albiscapa,  Gould.  Now  specimens  of  this  bird  lie  before  us, 
procured  by  E.  L.  L.  in  New  South  Wales,  and  they  are  quite 
difl'erent  from  the  New  Caledonian  bird ;  neither  will  it  at  all 
accord  with  the  description  in  Gould's  '  Hand-book '  *. 

In  general  appearance  this  bird  is  far  more  robust  than  R. 
albiscapa,  and  more  generally  rufous ;  and  I  should  think  it 
impossible  to  confound  the  two,  having  either  the  description 
or  specimens  before  one.  In  habits  it  is  similar ;  indeed  the 
whole  of  the  species  of  the  genus  that  I  have  met  with  re- 
semble each  other  in  this  respect. 

L.  L.  now  wandered  off  into  the  scrub ;  and  from  the  fre- 
quent sharp  cracks  emitted  by  '^  Long  Tom  "  it  was  evident 
he  was  not  idle.  After  a  Avhile  he  reappeared,  bringing  a 
couple  of  Aplonis,  apparently  of  different  species,  and  a  Red- 
breasted  Flycatcher,  Myiagra  caledonica.  He  reported  that 
he  had  undoubtedly  seen  a  Blackbird,  a  veritable  Mer-ulaf, 
scratching  among  the  dead  leaves ;  but  the  inopportune  snap- 

[*  Mr.  Layard  has  sent  us  a  specimen  of  this  bird,  and  we  have  no  doubt 
that  it  is  the  species  described  by  Mons.  E.  Marie  as  Wiipidura  verreauxi 
in  the  paper  referred  to  at  the  end  of  Mr.  Layard's  "  Notes." — Edd.] 

[t  Probably  Tardus  ximthopus,  Forst. — Edd.] 


Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  359 

ping  of  a  branch  underfoot  had  scared  it  before  a  shot  could 
be  obtained. 

We  had  now  six  birds  on  the  stick ;  and  it  was  time  we 
returned  to  the  rendezvous  for  our  fair  friend,  who  soon  hove 
in  sight  with  her  sable  "Jehu,"  and  immediately  claimed  the 
Myiagra  for  her  hat !  !  She  was  promised  a  far  lovelier  speci- 
men, Myzomela  sanguinolenta,  one  of  which  had  gleamed  like 
a  crimson  flash  before  our  eyes, — a  promise^  we  need  hardly 
say,  faithfully  kept. 

Such  was  our  first  hour's  collecting  in  New  Caledonia. 
Ill  health,  and  absence  in  Australia  in  consequence,  has  pre- 
vented E.  L.  L.  from  again  visiting  Ansevata ;  but  L.  L.  has 
has  frequently  made  it  the  scene  of  his  early  morning  pere- 
grinations, and  has  reaped  a  fair  harvest,  of  which  we  shall 
write  at  another  time. 

But  some  will  ask,  "  How  about  the  prohibition  ^  Here 
are  H.M.  Consul  and  the  V.-C.  breaking  the  laws  \"  Not 
so  fast,  good  brother  !  We  discovered  the  remains  of  a  mu- 
seum in  the  cellars  of  the  "  Maire  ; "  and  we  learned  that  the 
Government  was  going  to  build  two  rooms  for  its  reception ; 
so  we  made  the  following  offer  to  the  Grovernment : — 

"  If  you  will  give  us  a  special  permit  to  shoot,  we  will 
supply  the  museum  with  specimens,  arrange  and  clean  those 
you  have  got,  and  otherwise  help  you ;  and  we  will  carefully 
abstain  from  shooting  any  of  the  birds  you  have  imported 
to  eat  the  locusts — Sparrows  and  "^^  Merles  des  lies  Philippines" 
(whatever  these  latter  may  be)  ;  and  we  will  help  you  in  im- 
porting proper  species  for  this  work,  having  had  some  ex- 
perience in  this  matter.''  His  Excellency,  Admiral  Pritzbuer, 
immediately  acceded  to  our  request,  and  armed  us  with  a 
"•  permis  special ;"  and  so  we  don't  go  '^poaching  "  any  more  ! 

The  first  occasion  of  showing  the  "  permis  "  was  charming. 
Ij.  L.  was  returning  one  morning  with  some  birds  on  a  stick,  as 
usual,  when  he  was  accosted  by  a  gendarme,  who  requested 
him  to  sell  the  "  gibier  "  !  He  wanted  them  to  eat  (these 
fellows  have  eaten  all  the  imported  Pheasants,  &c.) .  On  L. 
L.'s  refusing,  the  man,  who  was  joined  by  the  commandant 
of  the  gendarmerie,  suddenly  bethought  him  of  the  illegality 

2b2 


360  Messrs.  Laj^ard  on  the 

of  the  shooting.  We  must  state  that  L.  L.  was  dressed  in 
one  of  our  collecting-suits,  which  we  had  made  for  Para  and 
the  Philippine  Islands,  thin,  blue  material,  fitting  close,  and 
full  of  pockets.  In  colour  it  resembles  the  stuff  worn  by  the 
peasantry  here. 

In  reply  to  his  now  angry  tone,  L.  L.  flourished  his  "  per- 
mis  "  at  him,  and  the  mien  of  "  Dogberry  "  was  instantly 
changed.  "  Par  bleu  !  it's  the  English  Vice-Consul  !  Mille 
pardones.  (Bows  and  scrapes.)  How  could  he  know 
Monsieur  in  that  dress.  (Handshaking  and  fraternite.) 
Monsieur  and  M.  le  Consul  were  great  zoologists.  He  had 
orders  to  help  MM.  in  every  thing  (in  truth,  orders  have 
been  sent,  by  our  kind  friend  the  Governor,  through  all  the 
provinces  that  in  case  we  travel  every  help  should  be  given 
us) .  Had  Monsieur  had  '  bon  succes,'  "  &c.  (More  bows 
and  scrapes,  and  exeunt  omnes.) 

The  most  interesting  bird  obtained  the  morning  we  visited 
Ansevata  was,  to  us,  a  novelty,  both  as  to  its  genus  and  spe- 
cies ;  nor  can  we  discover  any  clue  to  it  amongst  the  papers 
and  descriptions  already  referred  to. 

It  was  shot  by  L.  L.  in  thick,  low  scrub,  almost  on  the 
sea-beach,  where  it  was  observed.  It  progresses  rapidly  by 
short  powerful  leaps  from  bough  to  bough.  He  did  not  hear 
it  utter  any  note,  as  he  only  had  a  very  short  time  to  observe 
it  in*. 

P.S.  February  2nd. — Since  writing  the  above,  I  this  morn- 
ing paid  a  visit  to  Ansevata,  hoping  to  procure  another  Rhi- 
pidura ;  and  close  to  the  place  where  we  shot  the  other  I  soon 
found  a  pair  of  birds.  They  struck  me  as  very  small;  and 
my  astonishment  may  well  be  imagined  when,  on  picking  up 
one  that  fell  to  the  long  gun's  destructive  powers,  I  found  I 
had  the  bird  that  had  been  described  as  the  R.  albiscapa  from 

[*  This  specimen,  wliich  has  been  sent  to  us  for  examination  by  Mr. 
Layard,  seems  referable  to  the  species  described  by  J.  Verreaux  (Nouv. 
Arch,  du  Mus.  Bull.  v.  p.  17,  t.  i.  f.  2)  as  Mcjfalurulns  marice.  The  figure 
is  by  no  means  a  good  one,  and  shows  a  rather  more  rufous  tint  of  plu- 
mage than  Mr.  Layard 's  example;  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it 
is  intended  to  represent  an  individual  of  the  same  species. — Edb.] 


Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.  361 

New  Caledonia  !  but  which  was  about  one  third  less  in  size 
than  the  specimens  of  the  true  species  I  shot  in  Australia!! 
Other  peculiarities  struck  me  at  the  instant;  and  on  comparing 
the  two  together  I  found  my  suspicions  confirmed. 

The  underparts  are  more  rufous  than  in  the  true  R.  albiscapa 
of  Gould  ;  and  the  greyish  band  that  intervenes  between  the 
dark  gular  patch,  or  band,  and  the  dirty  nankeen  of  the  under- 
parts are  wanting.  If  these  differences  in  size  and  coloration 
are  constant  in  other  specimens,  I  propose  to  separate  the 
species  from  R.  albiscapa,  and  bestow  upon  it  the  cognomen 
R.  bulgeri,  to  perpetuate  the  name  of  an  old  friend  and  valued 
collaborateur  in  Ornithology  and  other  branches  of  Natural 
History. 

[Mr.  Layard  has  mentioned  above  the  principal  authorities 
on  New-Caledonian  Ornithology  known  to  him,  but  does  not 
appear  to  be  acquainted  with  the  most  recent  account  of  the 
birds  of  that  island,  which,  indeed,  seems  to  have  been  quite 
overlooked  by  ornithologists.  This  is  a  paper  by  Mons.  E. 
Marie,  published  in  the  '  Actes  de  la  Societe  Linneenne  de 
Bordeaux,^  tom.  xxvii.  (1870),  and  entitled  "  Melanges  Orni- 
thologiques  sur  la  Faune  dela  Nouvelle-Caledouie  et  descrip- 
tion d^une  espece  nouvelle.^^  It  gives,  besides  the  description 
of  the  new  Rhipidura  verreauxi  above  alluded  to,  a  long  note 
on  the  habits  of  Rhino chetus  jubatus.  Then  follows  a  catalogue 
of  New-Caledonian  birds  known  to  the  author,  which,  being 
the  most  complete  list  yet  drawn  out,  and  being  published  in 
a  not  very  accessible  work,  we  think  it  advisable  to  reprint 
here,  both  for  Mr.  Layard^s  convenience,  and  also  for  the 
benefit  of  others  who  may  be  interested  in  the  ornithology  of 
New  Caledonia.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  Mons.  Marie 
was  greatly  assisted  by  the  late  Jules  Verreaux  in  its  compi- 
lation.— Edd.] 

List  of  New-Caledonian  Birds.    By  E.  Marie. 

1.  Haliastiir  splienurus  (HetY/.).  4.  Urospizias    approximaas   {V. 

2.  Pandion  leucocephalus  Sf  H.). 

{Gould).  5, torquata  (Ct<w.). 

3.  Urospizias  haplochroa  {Scl).  6.  Circus  maillardi  (J.  Verr.). 


363 


On  the  Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia. 


7.  Circus  assimilis  (Kaup).  39. 

8.  Strix  castanops,  Gould. 

9.  delicatula,  Gould.  40. 

10.  Collocalia  linchi  (^or*/.).  41. 

11.  Nymphicus  cornutus  (G^w!.).  42. 

12.  Platycercus  caledonicus 

(G7n.).  43. 

13.  Cyanorbamphus  saisseti,  44. 

Verr.  ^  Desm.  4.5, 

14.  Psitteuteles  diadema,  Ve?-)-.  <§•  46. 

Desm.  47_ 

15.  Trichoglossus  deplanchei,  43. 

Verr.  4'  Desm. 

16.  Polychlorus  magnus  (Gm.).  49, 

17.  Eudynamys  taitensis 

(Span-m.).  50. 

18.  Oacomantis  bronzinus,  G.  H. 

Gray.  51. 

19.  Cbalcites  lucidus  ((?OT.).  52, 

20.  Todirhamplius  sanctus  (Bp.).  53, 

21.  Tui-dus  xanthopus,  Forst.  54. 

22.  Megaliu'ulus  mariae,  Verr.  65. 

23.  Petroeca,  sp.  ?  Gray. 

24.  Acanthiza    flavolateralis,     G.  56. 

R.  Gray.  57. 

25.  Myiagra  perspicillata,   G.  R. 

Gray.  58. 

26.  viridinitens,  G.  R.  Gray.  59. 

27.  Ehipidura  albiscapa  {Gould).  60. 

28.  verreauxi,  E.  Marie.  61. 

29.  Eopsaltria   variegata,  G.    R. 

Gray.  (52. 

30.  ?  caledonica,  (?.  R.  Gray. 

31.  flavigastra,      Verr.     ^  63, 

32.  PachycepbaJa  xanthetrsea  64. 

(Forst.). 

33.  morariensis,     Ve7-r.     ^  '     (35 

Desm. 

34.  assimilis,  Verr.  ^  Desm.  qq 

35. — ?sp.?  g^; 

36.  Artamus  melaleucus  (Forst.). 

37.  Campephaga  caledonica  go 

38.  analis,  Ferr.  .§-  Desm,  7Q 


Lalage  montrouzieri,  Verr.  ^ 

Desm. 

nee  via?  (Gm.). 

Corvus  coronoides  ?  Gould. 
Pbysocorax  moneduloides 

(Less.). 
Aplonis  striata  (Gm.). 

nigroviridis  (Less.). 

viridigrisea,  G.  R.  Gray. 

atronitens,   G.  R.  Gray. 

caledonicus,  £p. 

Leptoruis    aubryanus,     Ve7-r. 

c^  Desm. 

Tropidorbyncbus  lessoni,   G. 
R.  Gray. 

Glycipbila    modesta,    G.  R, 
Gray. 

poliotis,  G.  R.  Gray. 

fasciata  (Forst.). 

?  cbloropbasa  (ii'orsi^.). 

incaua  (Lath.). 

Myzomela  sanguinolenta, 
Goidd. 

erythrocepbala,  Gotdd. 

Zosterops  xantbocbroa,  G.  R. 
Gray. 

griseonota,  G.  R.  Gray. 

Erytbrura  psittacea  (Gm.). 
Ptilonopus  greyi,  G.  R.  Gray. 
Drepanoptila  bolosericea 
(Temm.). 

PhfEuorbina   goliatb,    G.   R. 

Gray. 
Carpopbaga     ajnea,       G.  R. 

Gray. 

lantboenas   bypoenocbroa, 
Gould. 

Cbalcopbaps  longirostris, 

Gould. 
Tm-nix  yarius  (Tetnm.). 
Rbinocbetus  jubatus,  Verr.  ^ 

Desm. 
Esacus  magnirostris,  Tem7n. 
Cbai-adrius,  sp.  ?  G.  R.    Gray. 
xantbocbilus,  Wagl. 


(hi  Birds  collected  along  the  Fly  River. 


363 


71.  Strepsilas  interpres  (X.). 

72.  Totauus  incauus  (Gm.) 

73.  Limosa  uropygialis,  Gould. 
74. novse-zealandise  ?  G.  R 

Gray. 

75.  Numenius  uropygialis,  Gould. 

76.  Sclioeniclus  australis  {Goidd). 

77.  Hypotsenidia   philippensis 

{Gm.). 

78.  Porzana  immaculata,  Goidd. 

79.  Zapornia  leucophrys,  Gould. 
.80.  Gallirallus  lafresuayanus, 

Verr.  8f  Desm. 
81.  Porphyrio   melanouotus, 

Ternm. 
82. bellus,  Gould. 

83.  Egi-etta    brevipes,     Verr.    ^• 

Desni. 

84.  Herodias  novse-liollandite 

{Lath.). 

85. albolineata,  G.  R.  Gray. 

86.  Nycticorax  caledonicus 

{Steph.). 


87.  CEstrelata  rostra ta  (Pea/e). 

88.  Larus  novae-hollandise,  Steph» 

89.  Sterna  gracilis,  Goidd. 

90.  melanauchen,  Temni. 

91.  Thalasseus  poliocercus,  Gould, 
Q2. pelecanoides  {King). 

93.  Haliplana  fuligiuosa  {Gm.). 

94.  Anous  melanops,  Gould. 

95.  Phaeton  candidiis  {Briss,). 

96.  Phaethon   rubricauda 

((tW2.). 

97.  Tachypetes  aquilus  (i.). 

98.  minor  {Gm.). 

99.  Phalacrocorax  melanoleueutf 

(  Vieill.). 

100.  Pysporus  sula  {L.). 

101.  Anas  superciliosa,  Gm. 

102.  Mareca  castanea,  Gould. 

103.  Nyroea  australis,  Gould. 

104.  Spatula  rhyncbotis  {Lath.). 

105.  Dendrocygna  gouldi  {Bp.). 

106.  Podiceps  gularis,  Gould, 


XXXI. — Notes  on  some  Birds  collected  during  the  Exploration 
of  the  Fly  River.     By  M.  L.  D'Albertis,  C.M.Z.S.^ 

It  is  more  than  a  century  since  New  Guinea  became  a  country 
of  great  interest  to  the  naturalist,  and  its  avifauna  attracted 
the  attention  of  students  and  travellers.  Yet,  up  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  we  may  say  that  much  ihore  has  to  be  done  to 
"bring  to  light  all  the  treasures  it  possesses.  Many  attempts 
have  been  made  to  explore  the  country,  and  collections  ob- 
tained by  which  we  may  guess  at  its  rich  fauna;  but  difficulties 
of  many  kinds  have  always  prevented  a  thorough  exploration. 
Nevertheless  of  late  years  we  may  congratulate  ourselves  on 
some  marked  results  having  been  attained  which  we  could 
hardly  have  expected. 

After  the  earlier  Dutch  and  French  explorations^  the  cele- 
brated Wallace  visited  Dorey,  on  the  north-west  coast,  and 
*  Keprinted  from  the  '  Sydney  Mail '  of  Feb.  24,  1877. 


364  M.  L.  D'Albertis  on  Birds  collected  during 

obtained  collections  and  made  many  observations  and  dis- 
coveries, for  which  science  will  always  be  indebted  to  him. 

In  1872  I  paid  my  first  visit  to  the  island  on  the  north 
coast;,  and  was  successful  enough  to  penetrate  into  the  interior, 
where  no  white  man  had  been  before,  and  my  exertions  have 
been  largely  beneficial  to  science. 

The  track  I  had  found  was  soon  trodden  again  by  Dr,  A. 
B.  Meyer,  in  1873,  and,  as  every  naturalist  knows,  with 
splendid  results.  In  1875  the  hunters  of  Mr.  Bruijn  and  Dr. 
Beccari  visited  the  same  localities,  and  still  found  an  abundance 
of  novelties ;  yet  I  think  much  more  is  to  be  discovered  in 
such  a  rich  country ;  but  no  doubt  the  north-western  penin- 
sula is  the  part  of  all  the  great  island  which  is  best  known. 
Only  very  recent  explorations  have  been  attemj)ted  on  the 
south-eastern  coast ;  and  they  have  been  attended  with  more 
or  less  marked  results. 

In  1875  I  set  myself  to  work  on  that  new  fiekl,  and  pre- 
pared to  explore  the  land  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Yule.  Without  speaking  of  other  rich  collections  I  made 
there,  I  may  mention  that  I  got  about  700  skins  of  birds, 
representing  186  species,  of  which  a  score  were  new  to  science, 
and  many  others  were  for  the  first  time  met  with  in  New 
Guinea,  while  a  large  proportion  belonged  to  the  Australian 
avifauna  both  in  genera  and  species.  In  the  same  year  other 
explorers  followed  me  to  that  new  field.  First,  Mr.  W. 
Macleay ;  a  little  later,  the  collectors  employed  by  Mr.  O. 
Stone  pushed  as  far  as  Port  Moresby;  and  Dr.  James  suc- 
ceeded me  at  Yule  Island,  where,  as  it  is  known,  he  lost  his 
life  by  the  hands  of  the  natives.  Lately  Mr.  Goldie  has 
been  at  Port  Moresby  collecting  living  plants  for  an  English 
nursery,  and  has  also  succeeded  in  gathering  a  small  collec- 
tion of  birds. 

From  all  these  collections  we  begin  to  have  an  insight  into 
the  fauna  of  the  southern  part  of  New  Guinea,  and  materials 
for  study  which  I  have  no  doubt  will  afibrd  sufficient  data  to 
show  the  intimate  connexion  between  the  Australian  and  so- 
called  Papuan  fauna,   as  well  as  precious  materials  for  the 


the  Exploration  of  the  Fly  River.  365 

study  of  the  geographical  distribution  of  species  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  evolution. 

It  remained  to  know  something  about  the  fauna  o£  the 
central  part  of  the  large  island  ;  and  in  1876,  by  the  liberality 
of  the  Government  of  New  South  Wales  and  some  gentle- 
men of  this  colony,  I  was  enabled  to  go  once  more  as  a  pioneer, 
as  I  had  been  at  Mount  Arfak  and  at  Hall  Sound,  to  find  a  new 
track  to  the  heart  of  this  mysterious  land,  which  no  doubt 
will  be  soon  followed  by  other  explorers,  to  the  advance- 
ment of  science,  and  probably  of  commerce. 

Although  collecting  specimens  of  natural  history  was  not 
the  principal  aim  of  the  voyage,  still,  from  the  list  of  the 
birds  collected  and  observed,  we  have,  I  may  say,  added  a 
new  link  to  the  chain  which  connects  the  northern  and 
southern  avifauna  of  New  Guinea  with  that  of  Australia. 
I  hope  that  the  few  notes  that  I  may  add  on  some  of  the 
more  interesting  species  will  be  acceptable. 

From  my  list  it  seems  that  rapacious  birds  are  scarce  in 
the  centre  of  New  Guinea  ;  but  if  we  consider  the  difficulty 
of  detecting  such  birds  in  their  native  forests,  and  when 
perched  on  the  branches  of  lofty  trees,  or  when  flying  above 
the  dense  mass  of  vegetation,  we  shall  consider  their  scarcity 
to  be  rather  an  apparent  than  a  real  one. 

Among  the  few  collected,  it  is  worth  while  to  mention  a 
pair  of  the  beautiful  and  rare  Henicopernis  longicauda,  which, 
although  inhabiting  the  Aru  Islands  and,  I  think,  also  the 
north-west  coast  of  New  Guinea,  is  still  very  rare  in  the 
museums  of  Europe. 

Among  the  Parrot  family,  of  which  my  list  is  a  little  richer, 
I  have  first  to  mention  the  Dasyptilus  pecqueti,  which,  judg- 
ing by  the  shape  of  its  bill  and  head,  is  almost  an  aberrant 
form  among  the  family.  This  bird  has  been  for  many  years 
very  rare  in  the  collections ;  and  only  one  or  two  skins  had 
reached  Europe  previous  to  1872,  when  I  got  four  fine  speci- 
mens on  the  Arfak  Mountains.  Subsequently  it  has  also  been 
found  by  following  explorers,  but  always  few  in  number. 
It  is  generally  an  inhabitant  of  the  mountains ;  but  it  is  seen 
occasionally  on  the  plain,  and  also  very  far  up  the  Fly  River. 


366  M.  I  J.  D'AlhiM'tis  «//  Birds  collcrlcd  (iKrin;/ 

I  MU^t  with  this  hird  whilf  f("in:iiniiit;  lor  two  (hiys  :it  the  same 
aiu-h()r;ii;(\  I  m;i\v  about  litty  coiniuf;-  to  sIrc|)ou  a  vory  hif^h 
tivo  in  tht>  (>V(M\in!;-,  and  start ini;-  in  the  niorninj^  a  little  after 
snni'isi^  ;  hut  the  hird  is  vei'y  shy,  and  tor  this  reason  not  easy 
to  be  killed.  The  C^i/r/opsiffdciis  fifsc/fronfi  is  a  very  small 
Parrot,  one  of  the  smallest,  and  dilHeult  to  tind  in  the  dense 
folia{j;e  of  the  trees;  hut  it  is  ot'leu  bronf;"ht  to  notice  by  its 
piereiug  whist  le.  1 1  is  not  shy  ;  and  onee  find  the  tree  on  which 
it  feeds,  and  it  is  easily  secured.  It  is  very  similar  to  an 
allied  s|)eeies  which  1  discovcnHl  at  Hall  Sound,  named  by 
Mr.  SelatcM-  ('i/c/<)/)s///<i  sKarissiiiKi,  and  i-i-stMublcs  it  in  its 
habits. 

Cltalcops'ittactis  cliloroptcrKs'  is  described  by  I'i'of.  Salvadori 
as  a  m^w  species;  but,  indeed,  1  camn>t  s(h>  how  this  bird  is 
to  hi'  distinguished  U'oxn  C.  sc/nft/Iii/i/s  ;  for  the  distinctive 
characters  pointed  out  by  Salvadori  1  consider  dependent 
only  on  the  ai;i\  and  not  constant  in  all  individuals  of 
dilhMvnt  aj;e  aiul  ditlcrcnt  sex.  Many  other  birds  of  this 
family  may  be  added  to  my  list  by  other  explorers ;  for  1  saw 
many,  especially  among-  the  Charmoatyme ;  but  as  I  did  not 
kill  them,  T  do  not  mention  thcni. 

liiiccros  riijirol/iti  is  a  cinnun)n  biril  all  over  New  (luinea, 
still  1  cannot  say  w  hethcr  in  the  interior  I  saw  this  species,  or 
another  one,  which  is  [)erhaps  intermediate  hctwccn B.rujjco/l is 
and  the  Biiccroaoi'thc  Solonuni  Islands;  for  I  found  some  beaks 
of  this  bird  in  the  houses  of  the  natives  so  much  smaller,  al- 
tho\iii;h  of  adnlt  birds.  Therefore  1  am  inclined  to  believe 
they  may  belonj;-  to  a  new  species. 

Amoui;-  the  Ivingfishcrs  there  is,  accordin<>:  to  Salvadori, 
another  new  species — Ci/diia/ri/o/)  sticioUvma  ;  but  1  do  not 
think  it  is  a  good  species,  and  I  believe  the  ditlcrcnccs  pointed 
out  by  him  between  this  bird  and  C.  nigrocyaiwa  only  de- 
pend on  the  sex  or  age  of  the  specimen  he  had  under  his  con- 
sideration. A  specimen  w  hich  1  got  in  the  sanu^ locality  where 
1  had  the  first  one  is  by  no  means  ditlcrcnt  from  C.  nigro- 
ct/anea  of  the  Am  Islands. 

An  elegant  bird  which  attracts  the  attention  of  the  traveller 
is  the  Dendrochelidon  uiystacco,  from  its  peculiar  shape,  and 
from  the  leuiith  of  its  winss  and  its  forked  tail.     It  is  seen  in 


the  Exploration  of  tint  FLij  River.  'M\7 

the  daytime  at  rest  on  some  high  dead  tree;  and  in  the  even- 
ing and  in  the  morning  it  flies  about  chasing  the  insects  on 
which  it  feeds. 

Flycatchers  were  very  scarce;  and,  indeed,  I  cannot  mention 
more  than  the  beautiful  Monurcha  chrysomelus,  which  I  had 
never  collected  before,  and  only  saw  once  from  New  Guinea''^ 
in  Mr.  Stone's  collection,  and  which  is  found  also  in  the 
Solomon  group.  Cumpephaya  sloetii  is  a  rare  bird  in  collec- 
tions; but  it  seems  to  be  distributed  all  over  New  Guinea,  as 
I  have  found  specimens  on  the  Arfak,  at  Hall  Sound,  and 
lately  far  up  the  Kly  llivcr,  and  there  the  most  numerous  ;  but 
I  could  not  get  more  than  one,  which  I  met  with  in  a  native^s 
garden,  feeding  on  the  small  berries  of  a  high  tree.  Along 
the  banks  of  the  river,  or  on  some  gravel-flat  of  the  river's 
bed,  when  the  water  was  low,  I  saw  another  interesting  small 
bird,  whicli  I  discovered  in  the  streams  of  Mount  Arfak,  in 
1872.  It  is  a  lively  bird,  and  is  often  seen  giving  chase  on 
the  wing  to  insects,  on  which  it  lives.  It  has  been  named 
by  Salvadori  Monachella  saxicolima.  The  Artamas  leuco- 
gaster  is  an  Australian  bird,  but  very  common  also  in  the 
eastern  and  central  part  of  New  Guinea.  Its  abode  is  on 
some  old  trunk  projecting  in  the  river^s  bed.  There  it  is 
often  seen  waiting  for  insects,  which  it  catches  in  flying,  not 
unlike  a  Swallow.  Near  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  I  found 
two  little  gems  of  the  feathered  family,  Nectarinia  frenata 
and  N.  aspusia.  The  first  one  is  an  Australian  and  Papuan 
bird;  the  second  inhabits  all  New  Guinea  and  many  islands 
east  and  west  of  the  same  island.  Perhaps  on  account  of  the 
flowcrless  season,  the  Meliphagidaj  were  scarce  in  number  and 
species ;  but  it  is  not  improbable  that  I  have  found  a  new 
genus  of  this  family.  Only  two  species  of  Eupetes  had  been 
known  for  many  years  as  inhabitants  of  New  Guinea.  Lately 
some  new  ones  have  been  added — one  from  the  west,  the 
other  from  the  east.  The  last  one  is  also  found  in  the  bush 
up  Fly  lliver,  and  it  has  been  named  Eupetes  niyrocrisms  by 
Salvadori.  Other  species  of  this  genus  will  be  found  in  New 
Guinea ;  so  I  think   it  will  not  be  considered  absolutely  a 

[*  The  species  from  New  Guinea  is  distinct — Monarcha  melanonotus, 
Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1877,  p.  IOO.-Edd.] 


368  M.  L.  D^Albertis  on  Birds  collected  during 

Malayan  form.  Only  two  Pittas^  P.  niackloti  and  P.  novae- 
guinea,  have  been  yet  recorded  among  the  Papuan  birds. 
Now  I  may  add  a  third  one,  which  I  found  for  the  first  time 
in  New  Guinea,  and  killed  at  Kataw  River ;  but  it  inhabit 
also  Cape  York,  and  is  plentiful  on  many  of  the  Torres-Straits 
islands ;  that  is,  Pitta  assimilis.  So  out  of  the  three  Pittas 
two  are  found  in  Australia  also. 

Large  flocks  of  a  Calornis  were  seen  on  the  Alice  river 
hunting  after  an  insect,  probably  of  the  Libellula  tribe,  which 
was  so  abundant  as  to  cover  almost  the  surface  o£  the  river 
from  bank  to  bank  for  many  miles.  They  were  so  plentiful 
that  when  seen  flying  about  a  little  above  the  water  they  con- 
veyed to  the  mind  the  recollection  of  a  heavy  fall  of  snow. 
I  could  not  identify  this  bird.  Many  other  birds  were  en- 
gaged in  a  similar  chase ;  and  I  remember  a  Graucalus,  the 
Gracula  dumonti,  the  Merops  ornatus,  and  a  Eurystomus, 
probably  E.  crassirostris.  Gracula  dumontii  is,  too,  a  common 
bird  all  over  New  Guinea ;  but  I  may  mention  that  I  never 
saw  it  so  plentiful  as  on  the  upper  part  of  Fly  River. 

Another  Grakle,  which  I  consider  to  be  new  to  science, 
was  very  scarce,  and  only  four  specimens  were  seen,  and  two 
killed.  Its  description  is  as  follows  : — Male.  Head,  neck, 
and  breast  rich  orange  golden  colour ;  throat  and  sides  of 
the  head  dark  blackish  green ;  abdomen,  above  and  below, 
hlack,  each  feather  margined  with  dark  shining  green;  rump 
and  tail-coverts  deep  golden  orange  ;  belly  yellow ;  under  tail- 
coverts  white,  tipped  with  light  yellow  ;  wings  and  tail  black  ; 
primaries  white-spotted;  bill,  eyes,  and  feet  yellow.  The 
female  is  very  similar  to  the  male.  I  name  this  bird  in 
honour  of  the  Hon.  John  Robertson,  Colonial  Secretary  of 
New  South  Wales,  Mino  robertsoni* . 

Manucodia  keraudreni  is  found  in  Australia  and  New 
Guinea.  The  specimens  from  Cape  York,  once  named  M. 
gouldi,  have  been  recently  regarded  as  identical ;  but  I  have 
before  me  specimens  from  New  Guinea  and  Cape  York,  and 
they  are  at  once  distinguishable  from  each  other.     The  speci- 

[*  Salvador!  identifies  this  uew  species  with  Melanojjyrrhus  orientalis, 
i.e.  Gracula  anais  orientalis  of  Schlegel,  Bijdr.  iv.  p.  52  (Anu.  Mus.  Civ. 
Genova,  v.  p.  12). — Edd.] 


the  Exploration  of  the  Fly  River.  369 

mens  from  Cape  York  are  of  a  uniform  dark  shining  green, 
while  specimens  from  New  Guinea  differ,  having  the  wings, 
tail,  and  back  of  a  rich  shining  purplish  violet.  Gymnocorvus 
senex,  a  very  common  bird  all  over  New  Guinea,  is  remark- 
able for  the  great  differences  of  its  plumage  at  different  ages. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  in  the  centre  of  New  Guinea 
many  species  of  Paradise-birds  were  to  be  found ;  but  only 
six  species  are  given  in  ray  list,  and  certainly  many  others 
are  to  be  discovered  there.  The  most  beautiful  of  them,  no 
doubt,  is  the  Seleucides  albus,  or  Twelve-wired  Bird  of  Para- 
dise, and  at  the  same  tin;ie  one  of  the  rarest.  On  the  upper 
part  of  the  Fly  River  I  saw  it  several  times  crossing  the  river 
very  slowly ;  and  often  in  the  morning  and  before  sunset  it 
was  seen  on  the  top  of  some  high  tree,  motionless  and  uttering 
its  mournful  note.  It  is  a  very  suspicious  bird,  and  for  this 
perhaps,  is  still  rare  in  museums.  It  is  found  also  on  the 
north-west  coast  of  New  Guinea  and  Salawatti  Island.  Ci- 
cinnurus  regius  is  a  too  common  bird  (also  of  the  north  coast 
and  Aru  Islands)  to  be  spoken  of.  Sericulus  aureus  is  found 
also  all  over  New  Guinea.  I  saw  it  on  the  Arfak  Mountains, 
at  Najabui,  in  the  eastern  peninsula,  and  now  also  up  the 
Fly ;  but  it  is  a  rare  and  shy  bird.  Salvadori  places  this  bird 
close  to  the  Chlamydoderce,  but  I  cannot  see  more  affinity  in 
this  bird  with  Chlamydodera  than  with  Cicinnurus ;  at  the 
same  time,  however,  from  its  head,  bill,  wings,  and  shortness 
of  the  tail,  I  think  it  nearer  to  Cicinnurus  than  to  the  Chlamy- 
dodera. To  say  that  it  has  not  the  same  habits  as  the  true 
Paradise-bird  is  not  of  much  value ;  for  nearly  every  species 
or  at  least  every  genus,  has  its  own  habits. 

Ptilorhis  magnifica  is  found  also  in  Australia  and  on  the 
west  coast  of  New  Guinea  and  Salwatti.  Paradisea  raggiana, 
discovered  at  Orangerie  Bay  in  1873,  by  myself,  extends  its 
habitat  up  to  the  centre  of  New  Guinea,  and  seems  to  be 
common  enough  ;  its  plumes  are  used  by  the  natives  as  head- 
dresses all  over  the  country  where  the  bird  is  found.  Another 
bird,  very  closely  allied  to  the  last  mentioned,  is  Paradisea 
apoda,  or  a  new  species  resembling  it  very  much.  If 
admitted  to  be  P.  apoda,  is  it  proper  to  say  that  it  is  the  first 


370  M.  L.  D'Albertis  on  Birds  collected  during 

time  this  bird  has  been  met  with  in  New  Guinea,  and  that  it 
was  believed  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  the  Am  Islands  only. 
The  fact  of  two  species  so  alike  living  in  the  same  locality  is 
of  some  interest,  and  suggests  some  remarks.  There  are  now 
four  species  of  the  known  genus  Paradisea — viz.  P.  apoda,  P. 
papuana,  P.  rubra,  and  P.  raggiana.  The  former  two  re- 
semble each  other  very  closely  in  the  long  yellow  plumes  at 
the  side  of  the  breast,  while  the  last  two  resemble  each  other 
in  the  red  colour  of  the  same  plumes,  but  differ  in  the  two 
middle  tail-feathers  &c.  So  far  as  we  know,  P.  apoda  in- 
habits the  Aru  Islands  and  the  mainland  of  New  Guinea, 
south  of  the  Charles-Louis  Mountains ;  Paradisea  papuana, 
the  west  to  131°  long.  E.,  and  north  of  the  above-mentioned 
range,  so  far  as  141°  long.  E.,  and  other  islands  north  of  New 
Guinea.  The  two  red  species,  on  the  other  hand,  are  living 
very  far  from  each  other;  the  P.  rubra  seems  confined  to 
Waigiou  Island,  and  P.  raggiana  to  the  centre  and  eastern 
peninsula  of  New  Guinea.  But  it  is  not  improbable  that 
P.  rubra  also  may  be  found  some  day  in  New  Guinea. 

From  the  first  insight  we  have  of  the  fauna  of  Southern 
New  Guinea,  we  have  learned  how  in  this  part  of  the  country 
Australian  forms,  genera,  and  species  are  abundant,  and  are 
generally  found  in  preference  to  allied  species  now  inhabiting 
the  north-western  coast ;  and  I  think  that  what  applies  to 
the  animals  will  be  also  found  in  a  less  degree  to  apply  to  the 
plants.  So  we  find  a  larger  number  of  species  inhabiting 
North  Australia,  Aru  Islands,  and  New  Guinea,  because  the 
narrow  sea  which  separates  the  three  countries  may  be  easily 
crossed  even  by  birds  of  not  very  great  power  in  the  wings. 

So  far  as  I  can  guess  from  my  last  visit  to  the  central  part 
of  New  Guinea,  as  well  as  from  some  fossils  there  collected, 
I  think  that  all  the  flat  land  from  the  coast  of  Torres  Strait 
up,  perhaps,  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains  has  been  submerged, 
and  raised  again  at  a  not  very  distant  time,  and  probably 
when  the  Aru  Islands  and  Australia  were  separated  from  New 
Guinea.  Plants  and  animals  which,  during  the  time  of  sub- 
sidence, could  live  on  the  mountains,  at  the  new  rising  of  the 
land  descended  to  populate  it  again,  more  or  less  modified ;  and 


the  Exploration  of  the  Fly  River.  371 

others  immigrated  from  the  nearest  land,  and  especially  from 
Australia,  and  established  themselves  there,  probably  under- 
going some  modifications,  but  at  all  events  retaining  much 
of  the  characters  of  the  primitive  type.  And  while  the  species 
inhabiting  the  lowlands  on  both  sides  of  the  mountains  differ 
much,  we  find  that  those  inhabiting  the  mountains  are  almost 
invariably  the  same  on  both  sides,  no  matter  Avhat  the  dif- 
ference of  latitude  or  longitude  may  be.  This  may  be  ex- 
plained ;  for  the  alpine  forms  were  not  subjected  to  sensible 
change  of  temperature,  soil,  &c.,  in  their  emigration,  so  long 
as  they  kept  to  the  mountains ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  forms 
of  the  plain  cannot  cross  the  high  mountains  without  mo- 
dification. 

The  geological  union  of  Australia,  the  Aru  Islands,  and 
New  Guinea  in  a  recent  time  is  to  me  a  certainty ;  and  I  can- 
not consider  the  granitic  peaks  of  Torres  Straits  but  as  the 
links  of  the  chain  which  for  a  time  joined  Australia  to 
New  Guinea.  Mount-Ernest  Island,  The  Brothers,  and 
Tawan  Island,  and  all  the  other  islands  of  Torres  Straits,  are 
faithful  witnesses  to  this.  When  the  fauna  and  flora  of  New 
Guinea  and  North  Australia  are  better  known  and  com- 
pared, especially  reptiles,  small  mammals,  freshwater  fish,  and 
other  small  animals  of  limited  power  for  emigration,  the  fact 
will  be  proved.  Although  I  propose  to  confine  myself  to  the 
subject  of  birds,  I  cannot  refrain  from  mentioning  the  existence 
of  an  Echidna  in  New  Guinea.  Very  far  up  the  Fly  River 
I  found  in  the  natives'  houses,  carefully  preserved,  the  quills 
of  an  Echidna,  and  also  many  arrows  whose  barbs  are  made 
with  such  quills.  It  is  within  my  knowledge  that  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lawes  obtained  at  Port  Moresby  a  young  animal  from 
the  natives,  which  was  described  to  me  as  like  a  Platypus ; 
but  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  was  a  young  Echidna"^.  The 
importance  of  such  a  discovery  needs  no  comment. 

Among  the  Pigeon  family  I  may  mention  Carpophaga  spi- 
lorrhoa,  C.  zoece,  C.  muellerii,  Megoloprepia  assimilis,  Ptilo- 

*  The  above  had  beeu  written  when  I  received  from  Italy  the  descrip- 
tion of  Tachyglossus  {Echicbia)  bruijnii  (W.  Peters  and  Doria),  founded 
on  a  portion  of  a  skull  found  on  the  Arfak  Mountains. 


372  Recently  published  Ornithological  IVorks. 

nopus  superbus,  P.  ionozonus,  P.  coronulatus ,  P.  aurantiifrons , 
and  Ptilonopus  nanus,  which  for  the  most  part  inhabit  New 
Guinea,  Aru  Islands,  and  North  Australia.  A  bird  strictly 
Papuan,  one  of  the  largest  of  this  family,  is  the  Crested  Pigeon, 
or  Goura,  of  which  four  species  are  known,  viz. — G.  victories, 
G.  coronata,  G.  albertisi,  and  G.  sclateri,  although  the  former 
has  not  been  yet  found  on  the  Papuan  continent.  G.  coro- 
nata is  found  on  the  north-west,  and  G.  albertisi  on  the  east- 
ern peninsulas,  and  G.  sclateri  in  the  central  part  of  New 
Guinea,  where  I  discovered  it  during  my  first  visit  to  the  Fly. 
During  my  second  trip  I  found  it  also  at  Kataw  River.  If 
in  the  Papuan  forest  lives  this  gigantic  form  of  the  family, 
there  we  also  find  a  dwarf  in  the  rare  and  pretty  Ptilonopus 
nanus.  Dendrocygna  guttata,  D.  vagans,  Nettapus  pulchellus, 
Pelecanus  conspicillatus,  Hamatopus  longirostris,  Mycteria 
australis,  and  Tachy petes  prion,  &c.  are  all  birds  common 
to  the  Aru  Islands  and  Australia,  and  only  lately  added  to 
the  list  of  New-Guinea  birds.  I  wish  I  could  give  the  specific 
name  of  a  beautiful  Cassowary,  of  which  I  possess  a  skin 
and  skeleton;  but  so  many  species  of  this  bird  have  been 
lately  described,  that  I  do  not  venture  to  say  to  which  it  be- 
longs, though  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  may  be  a  Casuarius 
australis^. 


XXXII. — Notices  of  Recent  Publications. 

[Continued  from  p.  249.] 

30.  Baldwin's  '  Large  and  Small  Game  of  Bengal.' 
[The  Large  and  Small  Game  of  Bengal  and  the  North-western  Pro- 
vinces of  India.     By  Captain  J.  H.  Baldwin,  F.G.S.     8vo.      London : 
Henry  S.  King  and  Co.] 

The  larger  portion  of  the  400  pages  which  compose  this 
handsome  volume  is  devoted  to  the  various  IVIammals  which  in 
India  attract   the  sportsman^s    first   notice;    but  some  150 

*  [It  is  more  probably  the  species  noticed  by  Sclater  (P.  Z.  S.  1875, 
p.  86)  as  C.  beccarii,  but  which,  we  believe,  Prof.  Salvador!  considers  not 
to  be  identical  with  C.  beccarii  of  the  Aru  Islands. — Edt).] 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  373 

pages  are  likewise  occupied  with  an  account  of  the  Pheasants, 
Pea-fowlj  Partridges,  Bustards,  Plovers,  and  other  so-called 
'^  Game-birds"  of  that  rich  and  varied  fauna.  There  is 
nothing  scientific  about  the  book ;  but  the  technical  names 
from  Jerdon  and  short  descriptions  of  each  species  are  given, 
and  the  many  interesting  notes  on  the  habits  of  the  birds  and 
sporting  adventures  with  them  will  no  doubt  render  it  very- 
popular, 

31.  '  Vagrancy  Acts.' 

[Vagrancy  Acts.  By  A..  C.  McM.,  2otli  March,  1875.  For  Private 
Circulation.  Trimulgberry :  printed  at  the  Military-Prison  Press.  1  vol., 
8vo,  260  pp.] 

Under  this  curious  title  a  well  known  Indian  sportsman, 
who  usually  rejoices  in  the  pseudonym  of  "  Vagrant,^^  has  re- 
printed a  series  of  his  papers  upon  the  field-sports  of  India, 
amongst  which  are  many  of  interest  to  the  ornithologist. 
They  contain  chiefly  observations  made  at  some  of  the  hill- 
stations  of  Madras  and  Central  India,  though  there  are  also 
some  notes  on  the  birds  of  Burmah. 

■    32.   Orion's  '  Andes  and  the  Amazon.' 

[The  Andes  and  the  Amazon  ;  or  across  the  continent  of  South  America. 
By  James  Orton,  A.M.  Third  edition,  revised  and  enlarged,  containing 
notes  of  a  second  journey  across  the  continent  from  Para  to  Lima  and 
Lake  Titicaca.     8vo.     New  York:  1876.] 

Professor  Orton  has  published  a  third  edition  of  this  in- 
structive work,  which  is  probably  well  known  to  most  of  our 
readers — though,  except  the  chapter  "  On  Condors  and  Hum- 
ming-birds," there  is  nothing  strictly  ornithological  in  it. 
In  his  second  journey  Prof.  Orton  ascended  the  Amazons  to 
Yurimaguas  on  the  Huallaga  (about  a  month^s  voyage,  not 
including  stoppages),  and  crossed  thence  to  the  Pacific  by 
Balsa  Puerto,  Moyobamba,  Chachapoyas,  and  Cajamarca. 
We  can  fancy  no  more  interesting  route  for  a  naturalist,  es- 
pecially when  we  bear  in  mind  that  Chachapoyas  is  the  home 
of  Loddigesia  mirabilis  I 

SER.   IV. VOL.    I.  2  C 


374  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

33.  '  Log-letters  from  the  Challenger.' 

[Log-letters  from  the  '  Challenger.'  By  Lord  George  Campbell.  1  vol. 
8vo,  1876,     London :  Macmillan  and  Co.] 

So  far  as  regards  science  the  author  of  these  letters  would 
not  seem  to  be  a  very  promising  son  of  his  respected  father ; 
but  he  has  written  a  very  pleasant  and  readable  book,  which,  as 
the  first  published  narrative  of  the  doings  of  the  greatest 
scientific  expedition  of  the  period,  will  command  the  atten- 
tion of  naturahsts.  The  account  of  the  Penguin-rookeries 
and  other  sea-birds^  breeding-peculiarities  at  Nightingale 
Island  (p.  60),  Marion  Island  (p.  76),  Kerguelen  Land 
(p.  83),  and  Heard  Island  (p.  96),  Avill  specially  interest  the 
ornithologist.  Admiralty  Island  was  perhaps  the  least-known 
place  visited,  and  produces  "Nutmeg- Pigeons'^  {Carpophag(2) 
in  great  abundance,  besides  other  birds,  of  which  we  shall 
doubtless  have  a  correct  account  in  due  time. 

34.  '  The  Cruise  of  the  Challenger.' 

[The  Cruise  of  H.M.S.  '  Challenger.'  Voyages  over  many  seas,  scenes 
in  many  lands.  By  W.  J.  J.  Spry,  R.N.  1  vol.  8vo,  1876.  London : 
Sampson,  Low,  and  Co.] 

]Mr.  Spry^s  account  of  the  '  Challenger^s '  voyage  is  not  in 
our  opinion  so  well  written  as  that  of  Lord  George  Campbell, 
and  contains  even  less  of  scientific  details ;  but  there  are  a  good 
many  well-executed  illustrations,  and  there  are  many  passages 
of  interest.  The  abstract  of  the  log  of  the  voyage  (pp.  385-8) 
will  be  of  use  for  reference  as  to  dates  and  localities. 

35.  '  Stray  Feathers.' 

['  Stray  Feathers.'  A  Journal  of  Ornithology  for  India  and  its  Depen- 
dencies.    Edited  by  Allan  Hume.     1876.     Vol.  iv.  nos.  4,  5,  6.] 

These  three  numbers  of  '  Stray  Feathers,^  issued  in  one 
part,  conclude  the  fourth  volume  of  this  journal,  which  has 
certainly  done  much  towards  the  advancement  of  our  favour- 
ite science  in  India.  The  most  important  articles  are  those 
by  Dr.  Armstrong  on  the  birds  of  the  Irrawaddy  delta,  by 
JMr.  F.  Bourdillon  and  JMr.  Hume  on  the  birds  of  the  Travan- 
core  hills,  and  IVIr,  Hume's  account  of  his  ornithological 
journey  to  the  Laccadives  and  west  coast.     As  regards  the 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  375 

Laccadives,  which  have  not  been  previously  examined,  the 
birds  and  other  animals  obtained  were  exclusively  common 
Indian  species,  and  the  general  conclusion  arrived  at  is  that 
"  the  Laccadives  have  no  distinctive  fauna  or  flora/'  The  fol- 
lowing "  novelties  "  are  described  : — Estrilda  burmanica  from 
Rangoon,  Alcippe  bourdilloni  from  Travancore,  and  Monti- 
fringilla  blanfordi  and  M.  mandellii  from  Sikim. 

36.  Sharpens  edition  of  Layard's  '  Birds  of  South  Africa.' 

[The  Birds  of  South  Africa.  By  E.  L.  Layard,  F.Z.S.  &c.  New  edi- 
tion, thoroughly  revised  and  augmented,  by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe,  F.L.S., 
F.Z.S.,  &c.,  Senior  Assistant,  Zoological  Department,  British  Museum. 
Part  iv.] 

After  what  has  been  said  on  the  subject  of  antedating  in 
^Nature'  (vol.  xiv.  pp.  309,  330,  351,  369,  392,  424,  474) 
in  reference  to  this  very  work,  we  are  certainly  rather  sur- 
prised that  Mr.  Sharpe  should  continue  in  the  face  of  the 
strictures  of  his  brother  naturalists  to  issue  another  number 
in  March  1877,  dated  ''  May  1875.''  It  is,  we  suppose,  the 
fault  of  the  publisher,  who  wishes  to  use  up  his  old  covers ; 
but  we  cannot  consider  the  author  otherwise  than  co-respon- 
sible. 

So  far  as  we  can  tell,  Saxicola  shelleyi  from  Victoria  Falls, 
S.  anderssoni  from  Great  Namaqua  Land,  Drymceca  hypoxan- 
tha  from  Natal,  and  Acrocephalus  fulvo -lateralis  from  Natal 
are  now  described  for  the  first  time.  But  we  must  again  re- 
peat [cf.  Ibis,  1875,  p.  506)  that  the  omission  of  all  syno- 
nyms is  in  our  opinion  a  very  great  demerit  in  the  present 
edition  of  Mr.  Layard's  work,  as  it  is  only  by  reading  the 
context  that  these  and  other  points  can  be  ascertained. 

37.  Heuglin's  'Journey  in  North-eastern  Africa.' 

[Reise  in  Nordost-Afrika.  Sehilderungen  aus  dem  Gehiete  der  Beni- 
Amer  und  Habab,  mit  zoologischen  Skizzen  und  einem  Fiihrer  fiir  Jagd- 
reisende,  von  M.  Th.  v.  Heuglin.     Zwei  Bande.     Braunschweig,  1877.] 

These  volumes  give  an  account  of  the  late  Th.  v.  Heuglin's 
last  African  journey.  In  January  and  February  1875  Heug- 
lin made  a  short  excursion   along  the  mountainous  district 

2c2 


376  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

which  borders  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea  between  Siiakira  and 
Massowah. 

In  the  first  volume  of  the  present  work  is  given  a  narra- 
tive of  the  expedition,  with  some  chapters  of  advice  to 
hunters  and  sportsmen  who  may  wish  to  resort  to  this  easily 
accessible  and  thoroughly  wild  district.  An  excellent  map 
is  added. 

The  second  volume  is  devoted  to  an  account  of  the  mam- 
mals and  birds  of  the  district,  and  forms  a  useful  handbook 
for  those  who  are  acquainted  with  German.  Of  birds  416 
species  are  enumerated.  Philothamna  minor  (p.  182)  and 
Batis  orientalis  (p.  194)  are  figured  and  described  as  new, 
we  believe,  for  the  first  time,  the  latter  having  been  previously 
referred  to  Platystira  pririt  and  P.  senegalensis. 

38.  Elliot's  Monograph  of  the  Hornbills. 

[A  Monograph  of  the  Bucerotidse,  or  Family  of  the  Hornbills.  By  D. 
G.  Elliot,  RR.S.E.,  F.L.S.,  &c.  Part  1,  small  folio,  1877.  Published 
by  the  Author.] 

Mr,  D.  G.  Elliot  has  commenced  the  issue  of  another  of 
his  beautifully  illustrated  monographs,  and  has  chosen  on 
this  occasion  the  singular  group  of  Hornbills  for  his  subject. 
The  six  plates  in  the  first  number  are  excellently  drawn  by 
Keulemans,  and  coloured  well.  They  represent  the  follow- 
ing species  according  to  Mr.  Elliotts  nomenclature  : — 

Rhinoplax  vigil.  Anorrhinus  albocristatus. 

Sphagolobus  atratus.  Bycanistes  subcylindricus. 

Cranorrhinus  waldeni.  Tockus  monteiri. 

We  hope  Mr.  Elliot  will  not  carry  his  subdivision  of  the 
genera  of  the  Bucerotidse  to  an  extreme  point,  and  that  he 
will  not  insist  on  adopting  more  antiquated  names  than  he 
can  help.  Does  any  ornithologist  (unless  he  has  just  referred 
to  Mr.  Elliot's  work)  know  what  Rhinoplax  vigil  is  ?  and  must 
we  necessarily  adopt  that  specific  name?  As  regards  the 
species  described  and  figured  by  T.  R.  Forster  himself  in  his 
'  Zoologica  Indica,'  there  can  be  no  question ;  and  his  names 
have  always  been  in  use ;  but  whether  we  are  obliged  to  em- 
ploy the  terms  assigned  to  the  Planches  Enluminees,  Edwards's 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  377 

plates,  &c.  in  the  '  Specimen  Faunulse  Indicae'  thereto  appended 
(of  which  not  Forster  but  Pennant  is  stated  to  be  the  author) , 
is  another  question.  TVe  are  of  opinion  that  they  should  be 
left  in  the  obscurity  in  which  they  have  remained  since  1781, 
because  to  resuscitate  them  would  cause  a  multitude  of  most 
inconvenient  changes  in  our  nomenclature ;  and  nomenclature 
is,  after  all,  a  matter  of  convenience,  not  of  right !  The  revi- 
val of  Boddaert's  ^'^  Table '^  was  a  great  injury  to  ornithologi- 
cal nomenclature ;  the  revival  of  Pennant's  '  Specimen  Fau- 
nulse Indicse '  would  be  another. 

Mr.  Elliot  does  not  state  in  his  text  where  the  specimens 
from  which  the  figures  are  taken  are  to  be  i'ound.  It  is 
always  desirable  to  give  this  information,  so  as  to  facilitate  sub- 
sequent identifications. 

39.  Gould's  '  Birds  of  New  Guinea.' 

■  [The  Birds  of  New  Guinea  aud  the  adjacent  Papuan  Islands,  including 
any  new  Species  that  may  be  discovered  in  Australia.  By  John  Gould, 
F.R.S.  &c.  Part  iv.  Folio,  1877.  Published  by  the  Author,  26  Char- 
lotte Street,  Bedford  Square,  VV.C] 

Of  Mr.  Gould's  'Birds  of  New  Guinea'  we  have  spoken 
on  former  occasions  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  363).  The  number 
already  issued  this  year  contains  figures  of 

Pitta  novfe-guinese.  Melipotes  gymnops. 

rosenbergii.  Machserirhynchus  albifrons. 

Paradisea  sanguinea.  nigripectus. 

raggiana.  Psittacella  brehmii. 

Melirrhophetes  leucostephes.  Malurus  alboscapulatus. 

ochromelas.  Parus  arfaki. 

Melidectes  torquatus. 

Of  great  interest  are  the  new  forms  of  Meliphagidse  {Melir- 
rhophetes and  Melidectes)  now  figured  for  the  first  time  from 
specimens  furnished  by  Dr.  Meyer.  Psittacella  is  a  scarce 
and  novel  form  of  the  Psittacidse ;  but  is  Parus  arfaki  a  true 
Parus  ? 

40.  Gould's  '  Birds  of  Asia.' 

[The  Birds  of  Asia.  By  J.  Gould,  F.R.S.,  &c.  Dedicated  to  the 
Honourable  East-India  Company.  Part  xxix.  Folio.  London :  1877. 
Published  by  the  Author,  26  Charlotte  Street,  Bedford  Square,  W.C.] 


378  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

Mr.  Gould^s  annual  number  of  the  '  Birds  of  Asia '  gives 
us  portraits  of  the  following  species  : — 

Rhodopechys  sanguinea.  Actenoides  hombroni. 

Erytlirospiza  obsoleta.  lindsayi. 

incarnata.  concretus. 

Pitta  baudii.  Sturnus  unicolor. 

gurueyi.  humii. 

steerii.  Sutbora  muiiipurensis. 

ussheri. 

The  red-stained  Mountain-Finches  of  the  genus  Erythro- 
spiza  and  its  allied  forms  are  of  great  interest^  but  have  been 
very  unnecessarily  cut  up  into  too  many  subdivisions.  Ery- 
throspiza  incarnata  of  Severtzolf  ought,  it  appears,  to  bear 
the  specific  name  mongolica  of  Swinhoe.  Sturnus  humii  of 
Mr.  Gould  and  of  Mr.  Brooiis  (Ibis,  1876,  p.  500)  appears 
to  be  the  species  just  named  S.  ambiguus  by  the  energetic 
ornithologist  after  whom  Messrs.  Brooks  and  Gould  have  in- 
dependently proposed  to  call  it^.  We  must  also  remark 
that  Mr.  Gould's  reasons  for  including  S.  unicolor  in  the 
'  Birds  of  Asia '  are  rather  inconsequent. 

41.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany .' 

[Ornithological  Miscellany.  Edited  by  George  Dawson  Rowley,  M.A., 
F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  Member  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Union.  Parts  vii. 
and  viii.     London  :  1877,  Triibner  and  Co.] 

Mr.  Rowley  continues  to  publish  fresh  numbers  of  his 
favourite  periodical.  Part  vii.  gives  us  excellent  figures  of 
Oriolus  formosus  of  the  Sangi  Islands  (we  really  cannot  use 
the  unnecessary  generic  term  which  Mr.  Rowley  gives  to  this 
true  Oriole) ,  of  the  nest  and  eggs  of  White's  Thrush,  from  ex- 
amples obtained  by  Mr.  Swinhoe  near  Ningpo,  China,  and  of 
Pitta  rosenbergi  of  the  Schouten  Islands.  Mr.  Rowley  also 
gives  us,  with  the  assistance  of  Dr.  Meyer,  an  excellent  article 
on  the  genus  Loriculus,  with  illustrations  of  four  of  these 
beautiful  little  Parrots — L.  catamene,  L.  regulus,  L.  exilis, 
and  L.  stigmatus. 

In  part  viii.  we  have  a  continuation  of  the  useful  transla- 
tion of  Prejevalsky^s  essay  upon  the  birds  of  Mongolia  and 

*  'Stray  Feathers,'  iv.  p.  512. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  379 

Eastern  Tibet^  and  illustrations  of  two  more  beautiful  Pittas — 
P.  cceruleitorquata  and  P.  sanghirana  of  the  Sangir  Islands, 
and  of  a  rare  and  curious  Pigeon — Ptilopus  insolitus. 

42.  Beccari's  Account  of  the  Playing-places  of  Amblyor- 
nis  inornata, 

[Le  Capanue  ed  i  Giardini  dell'  Amhlyornis  inornata.  Per  0.  Beccari. 
Ann.  Mils.  Civ.  Genova,  ix.  p.  383.] 

No  more  interesting  chapter  has  been  recently  written  in 
field-ornithology  than  Beccari^s  account  of  the  wonderful 
constructions  made  by  the  Bower-bird  of  New  Guinea,  Am- 
hlyornis inornata,  as  observed  by  himself  during  his  visit  to 
Mount  Arfak  in  1875.  Amblyoriiis  builds  for  its  amusement 
a  perfect  circular  cabin,  principally  of  the  dry  twigs  of  an  epi- 
phytous orch\(\.[Dendrobium) ,  measvmng  about  a  metre  in  dia- 
meter, and  supported  by  a  single  central  pillar.  Before  the 
entrance  is  a  beautiful  garden  of  dimensions  rather  greater 
than  the  cabin,  made  of  the  greenest  moss,  and  ornamented 
from  time  to  time  with  brilliantly  coloured  flowers  and  fruits, 
such  as  flowers  of  a  most  beautiful  species  of  Vaccinium. 
This  instinct  is  well  known  to  the  Malay  hunters,  who  call  the 
bird  "  Tukan  kobou  "  or  "  Gardener.''^  Had  space  permitted, 
we  should  have  been  glad  to  give  a  translation  of  Dr.  Bec- 
cari^s  most  interesting  paper,  although  we  cannot  quite  agree 
with  some  of  the  philosophical  deductions  which  he  appends 
to  it. 

43.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers. 

[(1)  Osservazioni  intorno  alle  specie  del  genere  Myristicivora,  Reiehb. 
Ann.  Mils.  Civ.  Geneva,  ix.  p.  268. 

(2)  Intorno  alle  specie  del  genere  Talegallus,  Less.  Ann.  Mus.  Civ. 
Geneva,  ix.  p.  327. 

(3 )  Note  intorno  ad  alcuni  uccelli  durante  1'  esplorazione  del  Fiiime 
Fly.     Per  L.  M.  D'Albertis,  C.M.Z.S.     Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Geneva,  x.  p.  5.] 

Our  ever-active  friend  Professor  Salvadori  continues  his 
papers  on  points  connected  with  the  ornithology  of  New 
Guinea.  In  the  first  of  those  now  before  us  the  specific  dif- 
ferences of  three  Fruit-Pigeons  of  the  genus  Myristicivora 
(M.  bicolor,  M.  spilorrhoa,  and  M.  melanura),  which  have 


380  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

been  recently  denied  by  Mr.  Sharpe  (P.  Z.  S.  1875,  p.  108 
et  seq.),  are  vindicated.  In  the  second,  two  new  species  of 
Talegallus  [T.  fuscirostris  from  Southern  New  Guinea  and 
the  Arru  Islands,  and  T.  arfakianus  from  Mount  Arfak)  are 
described,  the  latter,  however,  being  founded  only  on  chicks. 
The  third  gives  a  translation  with  notes  of  D' Albertis's  account 
of  his  collections  on  the  Fly  River,  which  we  have  reprinted 
above  (p.  363  et  seq.). 

44.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Thirteenth  List  of  African  Birds. 
[Aves  das  possessoes  portuguezas  de  Africa  occidental  por  J.  V.  Barboza 

du  Bocage.  (Decima  terceira  Lista.)  Jornal  de  Sciencias  math.,  pliys. 
e  nat.  no.  xxi.  1877.] 

In  this  article  Professor  Barboza  du  Bocage  gives  a  list  of 
a  collection  of  eighty-one  specimens  of  birds^  representing 
fifty-one  species,  recently  made  in  Benguela  by  Sr.  Anchieta. 
A  new  Barbet  is  described  as  Pogonorhynchus  leucogaster. 
It  is  nearest  to  P.  leucocephalus. 

45.  Homey er  upon  German  Mammals  and  Birds. 

[DeutscMands  Saugethiere  und  Vogel,  ihr  Nutzen  und  Schaden.  Von 
E.  r.  V.  Homeyer.  In  Commission  beiDr.  Rev  in  Leipzig.  8vo,  pp.  SI, 
n.  d.] 

Hr.  E.  F.  V.  Homeyer,  a  well-known  devotee  to  our  science, 
gives,  in  the  present  essay,  a  summary  of  the  useful  and 
noxious  qualities  of  the  mammals  and  birds  of  the  Father- 
land, in  relation  to  the  question  of  their  legislative  protection, 
a  topic,  in  all  civilized  countries,  of  rapidly  increasing  impor- 
tance. It  would  have  been  well  if  such  a  carefully  drawn-up 
series  of  observations  had  been  prepared  by  a  competent 
naturalist  in  this  country  before  the  recent  Acts  for  the  pro- 
tection of  such  birds  and  waterfowl  were  passed.  Hr.  v.  Ho- 
meyer states  that  the  Starling  [Sturnus  vulgaris)  is  the  most 
useful  bird  in  Germany;  and  as  regards  that  country  we 
may  well  accept  most  of  his  conclusions.  But  when  he  says 
"in  Engla7idgibt  es  seit  Idngerer  Zeit  keine  Filchse  mehr"  (!) 
we  must  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  does  not  know  much 
of  what  goes  on  in  England.  We  are  really  afraid  to  trans- 
late the  sentence,  lest  it  should  be  thought  suggestive  of  the 
horrible  idea. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works*  381 

46.  Allen's  '  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  the  United  States.' 

[Progress  of  Ornithology  in  the  United  States  during  the  last  century. 
By  J.  A.  Allen.     American  Naturalist,  vol.  x.  p.  536,] 

This  essay  of  Mr.  Allen^s  gives  a  succinct  account  of  the 
rise  and  progress  of  the  study  of  our  science  in  the  Uni- 
ted States  from  the  days  of  Alexander  Wilson  (1808)  to 
the  present  period,  and  is  well  worthy  of  the  attention  of  all 
ornithologists.  When  Bonaparte  finished  his  continuation 
of  Wilson^s  work  in  1833,  about  400  species  of  birds  had  been 
described  as  appertaining  to  the  avifauna  of  the  United  States. 
^' At  the  present  time  the  number  of  generally  accepted  species 
entitled  to  recognition  as  birds  of  that  portion  of  North 
America  north  of  Mexico  is  not  less  than  six  hundred  and 
fifty,  witii,  in  addition,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  commonly 
recognized  subspecies,  or  about,  eight  hundred  recognized 
forms. 

"  The  nests,  eggs,  and  general  habits  of  nearly  all  are  now 
well  known,  particularly  of  those  which  occur  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. ^^ 

"  Another  phase  of  progress,^^  Mr.  Allen  observes,  "  that 
should  not  pass  unnoticed  in  this  connexion  is  the  attention 
that  has  been  paid  to  the  geographical  distribution  of  the 
species,  with  especial  reference  to  the  determination  of  the 
different  faunal  areas  in  North  America,  many  of  which  are 
already  known  with  a  tolerable  degree  of  definiteness,  also  the 
tendency  to  study  the  various  subspecific  and  specific  forms 
from  a  geographical  and  evolutionary  standpoint.  Formerly 
the  study  of  our  birds  was  pursued  wholly  analytically,  and 
forms  from  distant,  little-known  localities  which  difter'ed 
slightly  from  their  near  affines  of  neighbouring  regions,  were 
looked  upon  as  distinct  '  species.'  Later,  as  the  material  for 
a  better  knowledge  of  the  subject  accumulated,  specimens  of 
an  intermediate  character  came  to  light,  which,  so  long  as 
they  were  few,  were  naturally  looked  upon  as  probably  hybrids 
between  the  forms  whose  characters  they  seemed  to  combine. 
Still  later,  however,  it  was  found  that  certain  strains  of  devi- 
ation from  pronounced  types  occurred  in  a  large  number  of 
species  belonging  to  widely  different  families  inhabiting  the 


382  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

same  areas.  This  led  to  the  discovery  of  laws  of  geographi- 
cal variation,  connecting  particular  phases  of  local  differenti- 
ation with  the  topographical  and  climatic  peculiarities  of  the 
regions  where  they  so  uniformly  occur.  Many  of  the  isolated 
facts  bearing  on  this  subject  had  been  observed  and  placed  on 
record  prior  even  to  1880;  but  their  full  import  was  not  rea- 
lized till  after  the  lapse  of  another  decade,  during  which  our 
stores  of  material  had  become  vastly  increased.  In  1871  the 
'  new  departure '  was  for  the  first  time  fairly  entered  upon, 
which  in  three  years  revolutionized  the  nomenclature  of 
North- American  ornithology,  adding  an  important  chapter 
on  philosophical  zoology,  and  exerting  great  influence  in 
many  other  departments  of  North-American  zoology.  Natu- 
rally a  view  that  threatened  either  to  assign  fully  one  sixth 
of  the  previously  recognized  species  to  the  limbo  of  syno- 
nymy, or  to  lower  them  to  the  grade  of  geographical  races, 
was  not  rashly  espoused  by  those  to  whom  belonged  the 
credit  of  the  recognition  and  description  of  these  previously 
supposed  specific  forms ;  but  so  overwhelming  were  the  facts 
in  its  favour  found  to  be,  that  one  after  another  of  our  leading 
writers  soon  gave  it  their  endorsement,  so  that  probably  a 
greater  degree  of  unanimity  of  opinion  respecting  any  pro- 
blem in  ornithology  never  obtained  than  now  exists  among 
our  ornithologists  respecting  the  sul)jcct  of  geographical  vari- 
ation among  our  birds,  and  the  subspecific  relationship  of 
many  forms  which,  when  first  made  known,  seemed  unques- 
tionably of  specific  rank. 

"■  The  next  step,  and  apparently  a  wholly  logical  one  in  the 
revolution,  will  doubtless  be  the  general  adoption  of  a  trino- 
mial system  of  nomenclature  for  the  more  convenient  expres- 
sion of  the  relationship  of  what  are  conventionally  termed 
'  subspecific,^  so  that  we  may  write,  for  instance,  Falco  com- 
munis anatum  in  place  of  the  more  cumbersome  Falco  com- 
munis, subsp.  anatum.  This  system  is  already,  in  fact,  to 
some  extent  in  use  here,  though  looked  upon  with  strong  dis- 
favour by  our  transatlantic  fellow-workers,  who  seem  as  yet 
not  fully  to  understand  the  nature  of  the  recent  rapid  ad- 
vance ornithology  has  made  in  this  country^  or  to  appreciate 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works .  383 

the  thoroughly  substantial  character  of  the  evidence  on  which 
it  is  based. 

"  The  constant  and  energetic  exploration  of  the  great  North 
and  North-west,  of  the  vast  trans -Mississippian  region,  and 
of  our  subtropical  borders,  during  the  last  two  decades,  by- 
scores  of  indefatigable  collectors  and  observers,  has  certainly 
not  been  in  vain,  as  witness  the  hundreds  and  often  thousands 
of  specimens  of  single  species,  representing  the  gradually 
varying  phases  presented  at  hundreds  of  localities,  that  have 
passed  through  the  hands  of  our  specialists/' 

47.  Pelzeln  on  Birds  from  Ecuador. 

[Ueber  eiue  weitere  Sendung  von  Vogeln  aus  Ecuador.  (Verb,  zool.- 
bot.  Gesellscb.  in  Wieu,  1876,  p.  765.)] 

This  paper  contains  a  short  list  of  birds,  in  continua- 
tion of  a  previous  memoir  on  the  same  subject  {op.  cit. 
1874,  p.  171).  Several  of  the  species  mentioned  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  recorded  before  from  Ecuador.  The 
Humming-birds  seem  to  have  come  in  for  a  large  share  of 
the  collectors'  attention ;  and  in  the  list  of  them  we  notice 
the  name  of  the  rare  Eutoxeres  condaminii,  of  which  very 
few  specimens  have  as  yet  reached  Europe.  One  species  is 
named  with  doubt  Steganura  underwoodi;  should  not  this 
rather  be  called  /S.  melananthera,  or  perhaps  Mr.  Gould's 
lately  described  S.  solstitialis  ?  The  female  of  the  latter  is 
distinguishable  by  its  rufous  thighs.  The  exact  locality  in 
the  Republic  where  these  specimens  were  obtained  is  not 
stated. 

48.  Pelzeln  on  Additions  to  the  Imperial  Museum  at  Vienna. 

[Ueber  sine  von  Herrn  Dr.  Richard  Ritter  von  Drasche  dem  k.k.  zoo- 
logischen  Ilofcabinete  zum  Gescbenk  gemachte  Sendung  von  Viigelbal- 
gen,     (Verb,  zool.-bot.  Gesellscb.  in  Wien,  1876,  p.  717.)] 

Unfortunately  the  exact  origin  of  the  ninety-seven  speci- 
mens treated  of  in  this  paper  was  not  recorded;  but  the 
greater  part  of  them,  it  is  stated,  came  from  Celebes,  the  re- 
mainder from  the  JMoluccas  and  Papuan  Islands.  One 
species  {Rectes  draschii),  allied  to  R.  dichrous,  is  described  as 
new ;  and  the  Pigeon  recently  characterized  by  Herr  Brugge- 


384  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

mann  (Abh.  Nat.  Ver.  z.  Bremen^  1876,  p.  84)  as  Carpophaga 
pcecilorrhoa  is  placed  in  the  genus  Gymnophaps,  and  a  figure 
(plate  xiii.)  of  it  given, 

49.  Pelzeln's  Report  on  the  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  1875. 

[Bericlit  liber  die  Leistungen  in  der  Natiirgeschichte  der  Vogel  wah- 
rend  des  Jahres  187o.     (Wiegm.  Arch,  xsxii.  pp.  144-208.)] 

This  report  upon  the  ornithological  work  of  the  year  1875, 
furnished  by  Herr  von  Pelzeln  to  Wiegmann^s  '  Archiv/ 
appears,  like  its  predecessors,  to  be  very  complete,  especially 
as  regards  the  list  of  publications  bearing  upon  the  general 
subject.  We  also  notice  that  several  past  omissions  are  now 
inserted  ;  so  that  the  report  is  perhaps  enlarged  somewhat 
beyond  the  dimensions  due  to  the  year  to  which  it  specially 
relates.  There  are  a  few  points  in  the  classification  of  the 
special  portion  which  seem  to  us  now  to  require  some  modi- 
fication. The  Hlrundinidce  and  the  Trochilidce  cannot,  we 
think,  properly  be  allowed  to  continue  in  the  positions  here 
assigned  to  them.  Though  the  Upupida  have  often  been 
classed  with  the  Passeres,  and  even  placed  near  the  Larks  by 
Sundevall,  their  retention  in  that  Order  cannot  be  seriously 
maintained  ;  still  less  the  junction  of  the  Bucerotida  with  the 
Passeres  Conirostres.  Is  it  not  time,  too,  to  remove  the  Stru- 
thiones  from  the  midst  of  the  Carinatse  ?  In  a  work 
like  the  present  it  would  be  unwise  to  adopt  every  new 
point  in  classification  as  it  appears  to  be  made  out ;  at  the  same 
time  we  venture  to  suggest  that  some  modification  is  oc- 
casionally necessary  to  avoid  the  prolonged  retention  of  an 
obsolete  system. 

50.  Baird's  '  Ornithology  of  Utah.' 

[Exploration  across  the  great  Basin  of  Utah.  Appendix  K,  pp.  373- 
381.  Ornithology.  A  List  of  Birds.  By  Prof.  Spencer  F.  Baird.  4to. 
Washington  :  1876.] 

This  is  a  list  of  the  birds  obtained  during  an  exploration  of 
the  great  basin  of  Utah,  as  long  ago  as  1859,  by  the  engineer- 
ing department  of  the  United-States  army,  in  charge  of  Cap- 
tain J.  H.  Simpson.  The  whole  collection  consisted  of  258 
specimens,  comprising  114  species.     These  have  been  classi- 


Letters,  Announcements,  l^c.  385 

fied  by  Prof.  Baird  according  to  the  system  prevailing  in  tlie 
United  States^  the  locality  of  each  specimen  being  given. 
None  of  the  species  appears  to  call  for  any  special  comment ; 
but  the  list  adds  to  our  knowledge  of  the  distribution  of  North- 
American  birds,  a  subject  which  our  Transatlantic  brethren 
have  long  laboured  at  with  great  industry  and  success. 

51.  Major  Godvnn- Austen's  List  of  Birds  from  the  Hills  of 
the  North-east  Frontier  of  India. 

[Fifth  List  of  Birds  from  the  Hill  Ranges  of  the  North-east  Frontier 
of  India.  By  Major  H.  11.  Godwin-Austen,  F.R.G.S.  &c.  (J.  A.  S.  B. 
xlv.  pt.  2,  p.  191.)] 

A  list  of  the  birds  collected  by  officers  of  the  Topographi- 
cal Survey  of  India  in  the  Munipur  and  Naga  hills,  and  by 
Major  Godwin-Austen  himself  in  the  Khasi  hills,  is  given  in 
this  paper,  which  adds  another  to  the  useful  series  of  memoirs 
Major  Godwin- Austen  has  published  on  the  birds  of  these 
remote  districts.  Most  of  the  new  species  obtained  during 
these  expeditions  have  already  been  described  in  this  Journal 
(Ibis,  1875,  p.  250  et  seqq.)  and  elsewhere ;  but  others  are 
characterized  in  this  article.  Thus  we  have  a  new  Alcippe 
from  the  Naga  hills  allied  to  A.  hueti  of  Pere  David,  and 
called  A.  fusca,  and  Neornis  albiventris,  a  new  Warbler  from 
the  Munipur  valley,  allied  to  N.  assimilis,  Hodgs.  Three 
species  are  figured  (plates  v.,  vi.,  vii.),  viz.  Acridotheres  al- 
bocincta,  Sphenocichla  roberti,  and  Pyctorhis  altirostris. 


XXXIII. — Letters,  Announcements,  ^c. 

The  following  letters,  addressed  "  To  the  Editors  of  '  The 
Ibis,^ "  have  been  received  : — 

Sirs, — In  1875  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal  did  me  the 
honoui"  of  intrusting  to  me  the  task  of  editing  the  post- 
humous Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Burma  written  by  Mr. 
Blyth.  While  in  no  degree  underrating  the  responsibility  of 
the  duty  I  was  asked  to  perform,  I  accepted  the  trust  with 
some  confidence,  because  Mr.  Blyth,  not  very  long  before 


386  Letters,  Announcements,  l^c. 

his  lamented  death,  had  gone  through  all  his  manuscript  with 
me  at  Chislehurst,  and,  while  inviting  the  freest  criticism, 
only  made  such  alterations  as  he  was  satisfied  in  his  mind 
were  well  founded.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  I  had  but  few 
corrections  to  suggest,  and  that  Mr.  Blyth  exhibited  all  that 
accuracy,  acuteness,  and  retentive  power  of  memory  for  which 
he  was  so  remarkable.  In  the  Catalogue  as  it  now  appears 
in  the  Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal,  all  the  ad- 
ditions or  observations  made  by  me  are  enclosed  in  brackets, 
as  stated  by  Mr.  Grote  in  his  introduction. 

On  page  114,  at  no.  359,  it  will  be  found  that  jNIr.  Blyth 
identified  Pellorneum  subochraceum,  Swiuhoe,  with  his  own 
species,  Pellorneum  tickelli,  Blyth.  Knowing  that  Mr.  Blyth 
would  not  hazard  such  an  identification  without  good  grounds, 
and  as  I  had  never  seen  the  type  of  P.  tickelli,  Blyth,  I  felt 
bound,  as  his  editor,  to  accept  Mr.  Blyth's  views  concerning 
his  own  species ;  and  I  therefore  allowed  the  synonymy,  as 
set  forth  by  Mr.  Blyth,  to  stand  without  alteration  or  remark. 
I  felt  that  it  would  be  somewhat  presumptuous  in  me,  with- 
out the  type  specimen  in  my  own  hand,  to  assume  that  Mr. 
Blyth  did  not  know  a  species  described  by  himself.  I  con- 
sequently accepted  the  title  P.  subochraceum,  Swinhoe,  it  being 
of  more  recent  date,  as  a  synonym  of  P.  tickelli,  Blyth. 

In  1873  Mr.  Hume  described  (Str.  F.  i.  p.  298)  a  species 
of  Pellorneum  from  Thayetmyo  under  the  title  of  P.  minor. 
This  is  undoubtedly  the  same  bird  as  P.  subochraceum,  Swin- 
hoe (Ann.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  1871,  vii.  p.  257).  In  the  Catalogue, 
no.  360,  I  therefore  remarked  that  P.  minor,  Hume,  was  ''  a 
synonym  of  P.  tickelli,"  accepting  that  title  on  Mr.  Blyth's 
authority  as  being  equal,  though  older,  to  P.  subochraceum. 
That  P.  minor,  Hume,  was  not  a  distinct  species  (I  happened 
to  possess  a  large  series  collected  by  Lieutenant  W.  Ramsay), 
that  it  had  been  described  two  years  previously  by  Mr.  Swin- 
hoe, was,  while  not  a  matter  of  great  surprise,  beyond  all 
doubt  when  I  wrote.  But  Mr.  Gates  has  recently  (Str.  F.  1876, 
p.  406)  endeavoured  to  show  that  I,  not  Mr.  Blyth,  have 
^'  made  a  strange  mistake  "  in  identifying  P.  tickelli  with  P. 
minor,  or,  in  other  words,  with  P.  subochraceum.  I  do  not 
admit  that  Mr.  Blyth  was  wrong  in  his  identification  of  P. 


Lettei's,  Announcements,  l^c.  387 

subochraceum  with  P.  tickelli ;  ior,  with  the  greatest  respect 
to  the  superior  knowledge  of  Mr.  Oates^  I  am  inclined  (per- 
haps from  mere  editorial  partiality)  to  believe  that  Mr.  Blyth 
was  as  likely  to  know  as  much^  I  will  not  say  more,  about 
the  specimen  and  species  he  himself  had  described,  than 
even  Mr.  Oates,  who  had  never  seen  it.  But  if  there  is  an 
error  on  my  part  in  referring  P.  minor,  Hume,  through  P. 
subochraceum,  Swinhoe,  to  P.  tickelli,  Blyth,  it  must  be  Mr. 
Blyth^s  "dictum/'  and  not  mine,  "that  will  not  be  readily 
accepted  by  those  who  are  conversant  with  local  Indian 
ornithology." 

Mr.  Oates  speaks  confidently  of  having  seen  and  shot  P. 
tickelli,  Blyth^  on  the  Pegu  bills.  Mr.  Hume,  in  his  "List 
of  the  Birds  of  Upper  Pegu"  {op.  cit.  1875,  p.  119),  goes  no 
further  than  to  "  suppose "  that  the  only  specimen  sent  to 
him  by  Mr.  Oates  belongs  to  P.  tickelli ;  and  Mr.  Oates  (/.  c.) 
remarks  that  that  "  specimen  agrees  pretty  well  with  Blyth^s 
meagre  description."  But  when  it  becomes  an  object  to 
impress  on  the  readers  of  '  Stray  Feathers  '  that  I,  in  my 
capacity  of  Mr.  Blyth^s  editor,  have  arrived  "  at  hasty  and, 
in  many  cases,  erroneous  conclusions,"  then  the  fact  that  it 
was  Mr.  Blyth,  and  not  I,  who  identified  his  own  species  with 
one  that  is  notoriously  the  same  as  P.  minor,  is  omitted,  Mr. 
Hume^s  bare  "supposition"  becomes  a  demonstrated  fact, 
and  "Blyth's  meagre  description,"  with  which  Mr.  Oatcs^s 
solitary  specimen  only  "  agrees  pretty  well,"  is  considered, 
along  with  TickelFs  (which  is  as  meagre,  and  was  also  before 
Mr.  Oates),  "to  give  us  all  the  really  essential  particulars  of 
the  plumage." 

But,  Sir,  what  will  probably  more  interest  you  and  your 
readers  is,  whether  I  was  justified  in  treating  the  title  of  P. 
minor,  Hume  (lege  minus) ,  as  a  synonym  of  some  previously 
described  species.  Upon  this  point  there  is  no  doubt ;  for  I 
have  taken  the  trouble  to  again  examine  the  type  of  P.  sub- 
ochraceum. 

I  remain,  yours, 

TWEEDDALE. 

Ohislehurst,  April  26,  1877. 


388  Letters,  Announcements,  S^c. 

Sirs, — In  my  additional  notes  to  Mr.  Blyth's  "Catalogue 
of  the  Birds  of  Burma/^  when  dealing  with  Otothrix  hodg- 
soni,  I  gave  a  bare  list  of  all  the  species  of  the  genus  Batra- 
chostomus  then  known  to  inhabit  the  Indian  region,  and 
their  synonymy.  With  regard  to  two  species  I  simply  wrote 
"no.  2.  B.  affinis,  ^]jth,=P. parvulus,  Tem.,=B.  castaneus, 
Hume.,"  and  "  no.  3.  B.  moniliger,  ljKyaYd,  =  B.  punctatus, 
Hume."  For  these  identifications  of  two  of  Mr.  Hume's 
new  (?)  species  "  the  editor  of  the  ornithological  part ''  [sic) 
"  of  Blyth's  Birds  of  Burma "  (Str.  F.  iv.  p.  376)  has  been 
assailed  by  Mr.  Hume  with  a  fretful  levity  and  poverty 
of  analytical  perception  which  would  have  rendered  it  un- 
necessary for  me  to  notice  his  remarks^  had  not  Mr.  Blanford 
addressed  you  a  letter  on  the  subject^  published  in  the  April 
number  of  '  The  Ibis  '  (antea,  p.  249)  ;  for  it  need  hardly  be 
said  that  I  receive  opinions  formed  by  Mr.  Blanford  on  orni- 
thological questions  with  the  respect  that  those  who  know 
him  personally  or  through  his  writings  cannot  fail  to  entertain. 

The  general  conclusions  I  had  arrived  at  (/.  c.)  were  formed 
after  repeated  and  anxious  study  of  a  comprehensive  series 
of  specimens  and  of  the  literature  on  the  subject.  But  Mr. 
Blanford,  I  observe,  makes  a  statement  so  diametrically  at 
variance  with  one  of  my  principal  conclusions  that,  if  it  can 
be  established"^",  my  assertion  (I.e.)  that  B.  castaneus,  Hume, 
=  B.  affinis,  Blyth,  must  be  erroneous.  Its  accuracy  or  in- 
accuracy turns  on  the  fundamental  question.  What  is  B. 
afjinis,  Blyth  ?  Mr.  Blanford  asserts  that  "  conspicuous 
white  spots  "  "  occur  on  the  wing-coverts  of  i?.  affinis  "  (/.  c), 
and  that  the  "  feathers  of  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  pale 
isabelline,  with  rufous  edges,  which  are  broader  on  the  breast/' 
but  that  "in  B.  castaneus  the  greater  portion  of  the  lower 
surface  is  the  same  colour  as  the  back,  chestnut ;  but  many 
feathers  on  the  throat,  breast,  and  upper  abdomen  are  white, 

*  [Since  this  letter  has  been  in  type  we  have  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Blanford  requesting  that  his  former  letter  (already  published  in  our  last 
number,  p.  249)  should  be  cancelled.  lie  has  "  looked  at  one  of  Blyth's 
types  of  Batrachostomus,  and  fouxid  that  Lord  Tweeddale  is  right  and 
Mr.  Hume  wrong  !'^ — Edc] 


Letters,  Announcements,  S^c.  389 

with  black  margins."  Now,  on  the  other  hand,  Blyth  dis- 
tinctly stated,  in  his  original  description  of  B.  affinis  (J.  A. 
S.  B.  1847,  p.  1180),  that  it  "has  no  white  spots  on  the 
wing,"  that  the  "  throat  and  breast "  are  "  plain  rufous, 
with  a  few  white  feathers,  having  a  subterminal  dusky  border 
on  the  fore  neck  and  sides  of  the  breast."  Mr.  Biyth  intro- 
duces B.  affinis  as  being  "  very  similar  to  B.  javensis  in  the 
plumage  figured  by  Horsfield  "  (Zool.  Res.  Java,  t.  37) — that 
is,  with  unspotted  wings — but  "smaller."  Again,  two  years 
later  [op.  cit.  1849,  p.  807),  Mr.  Blyth,  when  detailing  the 
characters  which  distinguish  B.  moniliger,  Layard,  from  P. 
javensis,  Horsf.  apud  Blyth  (nee  Horsf.,  sed  =P.  stellatus, 
Go\Ad,= B.stictopterus,  Cab.),  and  from  B.  affinis,  remarks  : — 
"the  bright  white  spots  on  the  wings"  (of  B.  moniliger) 
"distinguish  it  as  readily  from  B.  affinis^  Indeed  it  is 
the  uniform  chestnut-coloured  unspotted  wing  which  at 
once  distinguishes  B.  affinis,  Blyth  (when  in  rufous  plumage) , 
from  both  B.  moniliger,  Layard,  ex  Ceylon,  and  B.  javensis, 
Horsf.  apud  Blyth,  ex  Malacca,  nee  Horsf.  It  is  essential 
to  the  argument  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  larger  of  the 
two  Malaccan  forms  (I  am  excluding  B.  auritus)  is  the  bird 
always  referred  to  as  B.  javensis,  Horsf.,  by  Blyth,  except 
where  he  quotes  Horsfield's  plate  (Zool.  Bes.  Java),  and  that 
Blyth,  like  every  one  else,  until  Dr.  Cabanis  descriminated 
and  clearly  described  the  Malaccan  species  (for  Mr.  Gould's 
diagnosis  is  too  vague,  and  he  gave  Java  as  the  habitat), 
assumed  the  latter  to  belong  to  the  same  species  as  the 
Javan  bird.  The  Malaccan  bird,  B.  stellatus=B.  stictopterus , 
has  spotted  wing-coverts  in  both  its  rufous  and  brown  phases 
of  plumage  (  ?  (^  ?) ;  and  from  Mr.  Blanford's  clear  descrip- 
tive remarks,  it  is  evidently  the  species  identified  by  him  in 
Mr.  Hume's  museum  as  belonging  to  B.  affinis,  Blyth.  It  is 
a  bird  of  which  examples  occur  in  almost  every  Malaccan 
collection  of  any  importance,  either  in  the  bright  rufous  or 
in  the  brown  phase  of  plumage,  while  B.  affinis  does  not  appear 
to  be  so  common.  The  difference  in  the  width  of  the  gape 
noted  by  Mr.  Blanford  is  just  the  difference  observable  be- 
tween the  gape  of  P.  javensis,  apud  Blyth,  ex  Malacca  (=P. 
stellatus,  Gould),  and  B.  a  finis,  Blyth. 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  2d 


390  Letters,  Announcements,  i^c. 

Mr.  Blanford  inadvertently  makes  a  slip  when  he  states 
(p.  253)  that  "the  fragments  of  two  specimens  of  Batra- 
chostomus,  from  Darjeeling,  briefly  described  by  Mr.  Blyth 
in  1849   (J.A.  S.B.  xviii.  p.  806),  were  at  first  referred  by 
him  to  B.  affinis  ;  but  subsequently,  in  his  '  Catalogue  of  the 
Birds  in  the  Museum  of  the  Asiatic  Society,'  p.  31,  he  as- 
cribed them  to  '  a  nearly  allied  but  distinct  species.'  "     The 
facts  are  exactly  the   reverse.       Mr.  Blyth  announced  the 
receipt  of  the  fragments  from  Darjeeling  and  his  opinion, 
above  quoted,  first,   and  not  "  subsequently,"  in  the  Cata- 
logue. Afterwards,  in  his  "  Supplemental  note  to  the  Catalogue 
of  the  Birds  in  the  Asiatic  Society's  Museum  "  (J.  A.  S.  B. 
1849,  p.  806.  no.  405,  paper  quoted  by  Mr.  Blanford),  no.  405, 
being  the  number  under  which  B.  affinis  stands  in  the  '  Cata- 
logue,' Mr.  Blyth  published  his  matured  opinion  along  with 
a  description  of  the  two  specimens.     His  words  are,  "two 
specimens  of  what  we  now  consider   to   be  the   young   of 
this  species  ""  {B.  affinis) .     If  this  were  not  a  slip,  Mr.  Blan- 
ford's  version  would  deprive  me  of  the  support  of  one  of  the 
many  facts  which  led  me  to  the  inference  that  B.  castaneus, 
Hume,  =B.  affinis,  Blyth.    Mr.  Blyth's  last-published  opinion 
about  B.  affinis  is   contained  in  a  footnote  to  page  83  (B, 
Burma) ,  where  he  alludes  to  B.  affinis  being  "  probably  Oto- 
thrix  hodgsoni,  G.  R.  Gray,  if  the  two  really  diff'er."     Ma- 
laccan  examples  of  B.  affinis,  in  grey  and  brown  spotted 
dress,  are  difficult  to  distinguish  from  the  type  of  0.  hodg- 
soni-, but  I  did  not  venture  to  identify  (B.  Burma,  no.  162) 
Gray's  species  with  B.  affinis  and  B.  castaneus  in  the  face  of 
Mr.  Hume's  positive  statement  (Str.  F.  ii.  p.  349)  that  "  Mr. 
Hodgson's  bird ""   (type  of  O.  hodgsoni)   "  was  certainly  an 
adult  female  by  dissection ;"  for  Lieutenant  W.  Ramsay  (B. 
Burma,  no.  162)   had  determined  by  dissection  that  the  sex 
of  a  species  of  Batrachostomus,  ex  Burma,  hardly  diff'ering 
from  O.  hodgsoni,  was   a  male.     This  statement  Mr.  Hume 
has  now  reduced  to  "  It  is  true,  when  I  formerly  wrote,  I 
thought  it  (relying  upon  what  Hodgson  recorded)  probable 
that  hodgsoni  was  the  female  ^^   (Str.  F.  iv.  p.  378).      The 
certainty  of  the  fact  arrived  at  by  Mr.  Hodgson  after  dis- 
section, as  first  stated  by  Mr.  Hume,  being  thus  minimized 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  391 

to  only  a  probability,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  exact  words 
used  by  Mr,  Hodgson  when  recording  the  fact  of  having  dis- 
sected the  bird  (if  any  such  exist) ,  there  need  be  little  hesi- 
tation in  now  reframing  the  synonymy  of  the  species  thus  : — 
B.  affinis,  Blyih,  =Podargus  parvulus,  Temm.,  =  Otothrix 
hodgsoni,  G.  R.  Grayj=5.  castaneus,  Hume. 

But  the  key-stone  of  Mr.  Blanford^s  contention  is  the 
statement  that  the  three  specimens  in  Mr.  Hume^s  collec- 
tion, of  what  Mr.  Blanford  identifies  with  B.  affinis  (but 
which  I  venture  to  contend  are  B.  javensis,  apud  Blyth,= 
B.  stellatus  —  B.  stictopterus)  'Miave  been  compared  with 
Blyth's  original  type  in  Calcutta."  I  do  not  quite  gather 
whether  Mr.  Blanford  himself  personally  compared  Mr. 
Hume^s  three  specimens  with  the  type  of  B.  affinis,  or  whether 
Mr.  Blanford  accepted  the  correctness  of  the  identification  at 
second  hand.  Will  Mr,  Blanford  kindly  investigate  the 
history  of  the  specimen  he  alludes  to  as  being  Mr.  Blyth^s 
type  of  B.  affinis  ?  Mr.  Bly th  described  the  species  from  a 
Malaccan  skin  obtained  through  Mr.  Frith  in  1847.  If  my 
own  personal  knowledge  of  B.  javensis,  apud  Blyth  (dating 
back,  and  continued  since,  some  thirty  years),  and  if  the  pub- 
lished descriptions  and  remarks  of  Mr.  Blyth  did  not  irre- 
sistibly oblige  me  to  doubt  the  authenticity  of  the  specimen 
Mr.  Blanford  (as  described  by  him)  accepts  as  the  type  of 
B.  affinis,  I  would  refrain  from  asking  him  to  take  the  trouble 
of  re-examining  it.  If  it  be  the  type  specimen  of  B.  affinis, 
what  is  B.  javensis,  apud  Blyth,  ex  Malacca  ?  for  neither 
B.  javensis,  Horsf.,  nor  its  ally,  Podargus  cornutus,  Temm., 
occur  in  Malacca,  so  far  as  is  at  present  known. 

Mr,  Blanford  further  states  his  opinion  that  B.  punctatus, 
Hume,  is  distinct  from  B.  moniliger,  Layard.  Specimens  of  a 
species  of  Batrachostomus,  from  Travancore,  are  identified  by 
Mr.  Hume  with  5,  moniliger,  a  species  described  from  a  Ceylon 
example,  while  B.  punctatus,  Hume,  ex  Ceylon,  is  assumed  not 
to  belong  to  B.  moniliger,  but  to  be  a  new  species.  Four  phases 
of  B.  moniliger  are  represented  in  my  series  of  Batrachostomi 
ex  Ceylon  j  and  one  of  the  phases,  that  assumed  by  the  almost 
adult  male,  agrees,  feather  for  feather,  with  Mr.  Hume's  de- 
tailed description.     Mr.  Hume's  single  example  and   type 


392  Letters,  Announcements,  i^c. 

was  obtained  from  Mr.  H.  Nevill;  so  were  some  of  my  spe- 
cimens, and  another  from  Malabar  is  in  the  British  Museum. 
Yet  Mr.  Hume  remarks,  "  I  do  not  think  that  the  learned 
editor  in  question  should  have  so  positively  asserted  what  he 
had  no  means  of  verifying  "  (Str.  F.  1876,  p.  377).  If  Mr. 
Bourdillon's  Travancore  examples  specifically  differ  from  the 
Ceylon  B.  moniliger,  they,  not  the  Ceylon  bird,  require  a  new 
title ;  but  the  male,  as  described  by  Mr.  Hume,  but  slightly 
differs  from  a  Ceylon  male  of  B.  moniliger  in  my  collection. 
I  trust.  Sir,  whether  my  argument  appears  to  you  convincing 
or  not,  that  it  will  enable  my  fellow  Members  of  the  B.  O.  U., 
and  whose  favourable  opinion  I  prize,  to  judge  of  the  scien- 
tific value  of  the  criticism  contained  in  the  following  reckless 
passage  Mr.  Hume  has  ventured  to  print  (/.  c.) : — "  It  does 
seem  a  pity  that  such  very  erroneous  assertions  [that  B. 
castaneus  =  B.  affinis,  and  that  B.  punctatus  =  B.  moniliger] 
"  should  be  put  forward  so  authoritatively  without  the  re- 
motest apparent  grounds.'"  Is  it  uncharitable  to  suggest  that 
"grounds"  which  may  not  be  apparent  to  Mr.  Hume  may 
yet  be  self-evident  to  any  ornithologist  who  takes  the  trouble 
to  acquire  the  rudiments  of  the  subject  on  which  he  professes 
to  instruct  others  ? 

I  remain  yours, 
Chisleluirst,  May  16,  1877.  Tweeddale. 

P.S.  Mr.  Blanford  (/.  c.)  mentions  a  specimen  of  an  adult 
{B.  sp.)  in  Mr.  Hume's  possession,  ex  Sikim,  "closely  agreeing 
in  general  coloration  with  the  figure  oiOtothrix  hodgsoni,^''  as 
being  "  marked  female."  Is  this  the  same  example  alluded 
to  by  Mr.  Hume  {op.  cit.  ii.  p.  349),  the  only  one  of  his  four 
"  noted  as  a  female,  with  a  note  of  interrogation,"  by  its  col- 
lector, Mr.  W.  Mason  ?  If  it  is  not,  we  have  some  evidence 
of  dimorphism  in  B.  affinis.  If  it  be  the  same  individual 
the  note  of  interrogation  must  have  escaped  Mr.  Blanford's 
attention.; — T.  

Sirs, — Mr.  W.  R.  S.  Ralston  has  kindly  called  my  atten- 
tion to  an  account  of  the  Petchora  expedition  of  our  friends 
Messrs.  Seebohm  and  Harvie  Brown  which  lately  appeared  in 
the  correspondence  of  the  '  Novoc  Vremya '  or  '  New  Times  ' 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  393 

of  St.  Petersburg ;  and  I  think  a  few  extracts,  translated  by 
Mr,  F.  C.  Craemers,  will  amuse  and  interest  stay-at-home 
members  of  the  B.  O.  U.  After  alluding  to  one  or  two 
former  travellers,  the  writer  comes  to  "  Messrs.  John  Brown 
&  Co./'  of  whom  he  reports  as  follows : — 

"  The  principal  object  of  the  foreigners  appears  to  have 
been  the  formation  of  a  large  collection  of  skins  of  all  species 
of  Birds  and  Mammals,  and  also  to  obtain  a  large  series  of 
eggs.  They  showed  such  great  carefulness  in  their  work  that 
they  minutely  examined  the  smallest  difiPerences  between  spe- 
cimens of  one  and  the  same  species,  and  used  every  endeavour 
to  obtain  examples  of  all  the  species  and  varieties  ....  The 
inquisitive  and  naive  Petchora  people  relate  that  before 
shooting  a  bird,  the  English  travellers  carefully  examined  it 
through  a  telescope  or  some  other  optical  instrument,  then 
they  fired.  They  spent  several  months  in  the  Petchora 
country,  and  were  evidently  satisfied  with  their  expedition, 
having  obtained  nearly  1000  specimens  of  birds  and  beasts 
and  also  a  great  number  of  eggs — very  solid  material  for  a 
scientific  zoologist.  They  also  discovered  a  new  species  of 
bird  (belonging,  if  I  mistake  not,  to  the  Sandpiper  tribe), 
which  according  to  them,  does  not  occur  in  Europe  or  Ame- 
rica, rich  as  they  are  in  animal  life. 

"Judging  from  the  statements  of  the  people,  these  foreigners 
seem  to  have  made  a  very  favourable  impression  by  their 
liberal  payment  for  specimens  collected  for  them,  and  by  the 
good  works  in  which  they  appear  to  have  distinguished  them- 
selves. It  is  said  that  they  had  a  travelling  medicine-chest 
with  them,  with  which  they  willingly  and  gratuitously  cured 
the  sick ;  and  so  earnest  were  they  in  this,  that  whenever  they 
heard  of  any  one  being  ill  they  hastened  to  render  medical 
aid,  unmindful  of  either  time  or  weather. '^ 

It  is  very  satisfactory  to  find  that  the  good  name  of  the 
brotherhood  was  so  well  supported  by  "  John  Brown  &  Co.  •/' 
but  the  writer  goes  on  to  regret  that  the  investigation  of  the 
country  should  be  left  to  strangers.  He  points  out  that  the 
trade  and  produce  of  the  western  parts  of  the  Government  of 
Archangel  is  already  mainly  in  foreign  hands ;  and,  fearing  a 
similar  result  in  the  north-east,  he  concludes  : — 


394  Letters,  Announcements,  ifc. 

"  All  these  expeditions  and  explorations  of  natural  resources 
are  not  without  a  purpose  !  In  ]  873,  the  Petchora  was  visited 
by  Austrian  travellers  under  Wilchek,  in  1875-6  by  the 
English  zoologists  ;  and  now  the  advent  of  the  English  mer- 
chants Bell  and  Gardins  is  expected,  arising  solely  from  John 

Brown  &  Co/s  expedition Why  do  Russian  naturalists 

not  care  for  the  Petchora?  So  many  foreigners — scientific 
men  and  merchants — visit  the  country,  and  no  Russians ;  it 
is  strange ! " 

The  discovery  of  Anthus  gustavi  and  Phylloscopus  tristis 
in  the  Petchora  country  is  of  course  quite  sufficient  to  ac- 
count for  this  impending  rush  of  British  traders. 

I  am,  &c., 

Edward  R.  Alston. 

London,  May  26,  1877. 


Sir, — I  send  you  the  following  notes,  trusting  they  will 
interest  the  readers  of  '  The  Ibis.^ 

I  have  recently  received  from  a  gentleman  temporarily 
stationed  in  the  mountains  of  upper  Colorado  the  very  inter- 
esting nest  and  eggs  of  Dendroeca  auduboni.  It  is  only  the 
second  nest  of  this  bird  of  which  any  record  has  been  made, 
and  differs  from  the  first  in  many  respects  :  it  also  shows  the 
most  eastern  and  southern  point  to  which  the  bird  has  been 
traced  in  the  breeding-season.  The  nest  was  taken  and  the 
parentage  of  the  eggs  identified  by  Mr.  Edward  Carter,  a 
gentleman  investigating  the  ornithology  of  upper  Colorado, 
near  Breckenridge  Pass  in  Summit  County. 

The  two  eggs  I  have,  from  a  set  of  five,  are  said  to  repre- 
sent the  extremes  in  their  markings.  They  are,  however, 
very  much  alike.  Their  ground-colour  is  a  very  light  green 
or  greenish  white.  One  is  spotted  and  blotched,  only  about 
the  larger  end,  with  a  wreath  of  mingled  shadings  of  very 
light  lilac,  purple,  and  brown,  the  extreme  ends  having  a 
circle  nearly  bare  of  spots ;  a  waving  line  of  umber,  almost 
black  in  its  integrity,  extends  almost  entirely  round  the  egg, 
just  within  the  corona ;  and  there  are  a  few  minute  dots  of  the 
same.     The  other  egg  has  a  similar  crown,  but  none  of  the 


Letters,  Announcements,  S^c.  395 

umber  lines  or  dots,  but  has  a  few  light-lilac  dots  scattered 
over  the  rest  of  its  surface.  They  are  of  a  rounded  oval  shape^ 
and  measure  '70  by  '58  of  an  inch. 

The  nest  was  in  a  grove  of  pines  bordering  the  river-bottom, 
and  well  concealed  in  the  fork  of  a  horizontal  limb,  and  about 
eight  feet  from  the  ground.  No  description  can  do  justice  to 
the  elaboration  and  artistic  elegance  of  its  construction.  It 
is  large  for  the  bird,  being  3|-  inches  high  by  2f  wide ;  and 
the  hollow  is  2  inches  deep  by  2j  wide,  the  walls  varying 
from  ^  to  1^  inch  in  thickness.  The  framework  is  beauti- 
fully wrought  of  fine  vegetable  stems  and  roots,  into  which 
are  woven  the  feathers  of  various  birds,  those  of  the  winter 
plumage  of  Lagopus  leucurus  being  most  conspicuous,  and  in 
strong  contrast  with  the  sooty  feathers  of  the  Calamospiza 
bicolor. 

Neither  its  eggs  nor  its  nest  have  any  resemblance  to  those 
of  D.  coronata,  as  one  would  naturally  expect  to  see.  Mr. 
Hepburn  found  a  single  nest  built  in  the  forked  branches  of 
a  small  shrub ;  but  he  states  that  they  generally  frequent  high 
trees  and  construct  their  nests  in  the  upper  branches. 

The  bird  is  very  abundant  in  Montana,  in  Washington  Ter- 
ritory, and  parts  of  Oregon ;  Dr.  Cooper  thinks  they  breed 
in  the  higher  Sierra-Nevada,  and.  Dr.  Coues  also  believes,  as 
far  south  as  the  mountains  of  Arizona. 

In  the  absence  of  large  blotches  scattered  over  the  e^^ 
generally,  in  the  paleness  of  its  marking,  and  in  the  general 
lightness  of  its  coloring,  this  egg  bears  no  resemblance  to  the 
egg  of  any  other  species  of  this  genus  that  I  have  ever  met 
with. 

I  am  yours  &c., 

T.  M.  Brewer. 

Boston,  U.  S. 

April  27,  1877. 


Sir, — Mr.  Yarrell,  in  his  'British  Birds'  (1st  ed.),  writing 
of  the  Long-tailed  Duck,  says  that  in  the  male  bird  there  are 
"  four  window-like  apertures  "  at  the  bottom  of  the  trachea  j 
but  in  his  vignettes  five  are  represented  (B,  B.  iii.  p.  261); 


396  Letters,  Announcements,  5fC. 

and  in  several  specimens  prepared  by  me  there  have  been 
five.  Five  must  therefore  be  considered  the  normal  num- 
ber. Comparing  his  vignettes  of  the  tracheal  enlargements 
in  the  Duck-tribe  with  the  specimens  which  I  have  prepared, 
I  have  only  in  a  few  instances  found  mine  to  differ  from  his. 
Perhaps  the  most  difference  I  have  observed  is  in  the  Shel- 
duck,  the  lobes  in  mine  being  a  good  deal  larger  than  they 
were  apparently  in  his  ;  but  it  is  possible  that  his  picture  may 
have  been  purposely  done  on  a  small  scale. 

In  allied  species  of  Ducks,  where  the  outward  marks  of 
shape  and  colour  conform,  one  would  naturally  expect  a  con- 
formity of  trachea  ;  but  any  naturalist  who  has  dissected 
birds  can  at  once  lay  his  hand  on  a  remarkable  exception. 

The  Garganey  and  Teal  are  very  near  cousins;  but  the 
Garganey^s  windpipe  in  no  way  resembles  a  TeaPs ;  it  is 
vastly  larger  in  the  labyrinth.  In  a  specimen  now  before  me 
this  labyrinth,  or  cartilaginous  box,  if  one  may  so  term  it, 
measures  2\  inches  in  circumference,  whereas  in  a  Teal  the 
same  part  measures  only  \\  inch;  yet  neither  of  these  speci- 
mens was  selected  as  being  unusually  large  or  small. 

J.  H.  GuRNEY,  Jun., 

Northrepps  Cottage,  Norwich. 
May  12,  1877. 


Sirs, — A  few  months  ago  I  had  an  opportunity  of  examin- 
ing a  large  collection  of  Phylloscopi  which  had  been  lent  to 
my  friend  Mr.  Seebohm  by  different  collectors.  One  bird  in 
particular  attracted  my  attention. 

It  belonged  to  the  collection  of  Von  Homey er,  and  was 
labelled  "  Phylloscopus  middendorffi  ^  juv.,  Tjabuk,  16th 
August  1872  :"  on  the  back  of  the  label  was,  "Ural,  No.  9.'' 

I  found  it  to  be,  beyond  all  doubt,  Phylloscopus  viridanus 
of  Blyth  in  its  first  plumage,  before  the  slight  wing-bar  loses 
its  colour  and  becomes  whitish.  Two  of  my  examples  that  I 
had  with  me,  early  autumn  birds,  matched  it  most  perfectly. 

The  southern  part  of  the  Ural  Mountains  is  in  Russia  in 
Europe,  and  does  not,  like  the  northern  portion,  form  the 
boundary  between  Europe  and  Asia  ;  and  this  being  the  case. 


Letters,  Announcements,  S^c.  397 

Tjabuk  must  be  in  Europe.  It  must  be  a  little-known  place ; 
for  none  of  the  maps  that  I  have  seen  show  it.  In  Mr. 
Dresser's  '  Birds  of  Europe/  part  38^  and  under  the  head  of 
Hypolais  caligata,  I  find  the  place  referred  to  as  being  in  the 
South-eastern  Ural. 

I  think  the  species  ought  to  be  added  to  the  European  list. 

An  addition  may  be  also  made  to  the  Asiatic  list ;  for  I 
have  seen  an  example  of  Acrocephalus  turdoides  obtained  by 
Capt.  Henry  St.  John,  R.N.,  in  China. 

The  length  of  its  wing  is  3'65.  The  wing  of  A.  orientalis 
is  generally  about  3'25  inches  long. 

The  form  of  the  wing  of  the  Chinese  example  above  re- 
ferred to  agrees  perfectly  with  that  of  an  Astracan  example 
I  have,  the  second  primary  being  almost  as  long  as  the  third 
(which  is  the  longest)  and  much  longer  than  the  fourth.  In 
the  allied  Eastern  species  A.  stentorius  {A.  brunnescens) , 
the  second  primary  is  about  the  same  length  as  the  fifth,  and 
is  often  between  the  fifth  and  sixth. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  separate  undersized  examples  of 
A.  turdoides  from  large  ones  of  A.  orientalis  by  appearance 
only.  There  may  be  differences  of  voice,  song,  nest,  and  eggs  ; 
but  of  these  I  have  not  any  knowledge. 

The  nest  of -^.  stentorius  is  a  deep  cup,  substantially  built  of 
grass  and  long  leaves  of  water-plants,  and  is  firmly  attached 
to  a  few  reeds,  like  the  nest  of  A.  streperus.  It  is  generally 
placed  about  eighteen  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  water. 
The  eggs  are  very  similar  to  those  of  its  European  ally.  It 
breeds  plentifully  around  the  lakes  of  Cashmere,  where  I  found 
several  nests.  I  did  not  see  any  other  Reed-Warbler  about 
these  lakes. 

Yours  &c., 

W.  Edwin  Brooks. 


29  May,  1877. 

Sirs, — Having  recently  had  an  opportunity  of  inspecting, 
in  the  Gardens  of  the  Zoological  Society,  the  interesting  Fal- 
con taken  ofi"  Socotra  (mentioned  anteh,  p.  149)  I  trouble  you 
with  the  following  remarks  respecting  it. 

SEE.  IV. VOL.  I.  2  b 


398  Letters,  Announcements,  &^c. 

The  bird  is  still  iu  immature  plumage ;  and  until  after  its 
next  moult  it  will,  I  think,  be  impossible  to  determine  (ex- 
cept by  dissection  in  case  of  death)  whether  it  is  a  male  of 
Falco  jieregrinus  or  a  female  of  either  F.  barbarus  or  F.  minor  ; 
but  1  am  decidedly  of  opinion  that  it  is  not  an  example  of 
F.  peregrinator,  as  that  species,  when  in  immature  dress,  al- 
ways has,  so  far  as  I  have  observed,  the  longitudinal  dark 
marks  on  the  breast  and  abdomen  narrower  than  they  are  in 
this  specimen,  and  the  paler  interspaces  decidedly  tinged  with 
rufous.  I  am,  &c., 

J.   H.  GURNEY. 


Sirs, — In  the  last  number  of  'The  Ibis'  {antea,  p.  164) 
Mr.  Seebohm  gives  a  detailed  description  of  the  rufous-tailed 
Shrike,  which  has  been  shot  on  Heligoland.  After  having 
examined  the  specimen  and  collated  with  other  skins,  he  says, 
''  I  submit  that  the  Heligoland  bird  is  Lanius  isabellinus, 
Hempr.  &  Ehr.  (1828),  =  i>.  arenarius,  Blyth  (1846),  =  L. 
phoenicuroides,  Sev.  {1876)." 

I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  examining  this  Heligoland 
Shrike  ;  but  I  have  received,  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Gaetke, 
a  longer  description,  which  I  have  published  (Journ.  fiir  Or- 
nithologie,  1875),  and  from  which  I  suppose  the  bird  not  to 
be  Lanius  phoenicurus,  Pall.,  but  a  nearly  allied  species,  pro- 
bably L.  phoenicuroides  of  Severtzoif.  In  identifying  the 
Heligoland  Shrike  with  L.  isabellinus,  Hempr.  &  Ehr.,  Mr. 
Seebohm  is  perhaps  right;  but  in  identifying  this  last-named 
bird  with  L.  phoenicuroides,  Sev.,  he  is  not  right.  These  two 
Shrikes  are  nearly  allied,  but  not  the  same.  In  a  little  ac- 
count of  the  genus  Otomela,  Bp.  (Journ.  fiir  Ornithologie, 
1875),  I  have  referred  to  the  specific  differences  between 
these  rufous-tailed  Shrikes.  The  examination  of  the  large 
series  of  L.  isabellinus  and  L.  phoenicuroides  which  Mr.  Mo- 
dest Bogdanow  has  collected  in  Turkestan  has  confirmed  my 
opinion. 

I  am,  &c., 

H.  SCHALOW. 

Berlin,  N.,  Nieder-Schonhausen, 
6th  June,  1877. 


Letters,  Announcements,  S^c.  399 

Sirs, — Mr.  Gould,  in  part  xxix.  of  'The  Birds  of  Asia/ 
treating  of  Sturnus  unicolor,  quotes  from  part  xxvi.  of  Dresser's 
work  '  The  Birds  of  Europe '  a  passage  where  it  is  said  that 
Sturnus  unicolor  is  "  common  in  Italy/'  This  is  not  exactly 
the  case;  and  I  suppose  that  Dresser,  by  a  lapsus  calami, 
wrote  "  Italy  "  instead  of  "  Sardinia."  When  I  wrote  my 
work  on  the  Birds  of  Italy  I  did  not  know  of  any  instance 
of  S.  unicolor  having  been  met  with  in  the  Italian  peninsula  ; 
but  since  then  I  heard  from  my  friend  the  Marquis  G.  Doria, 
of  Genoa,  that  in  1867  two  specimens  of  it,  caught  near  Genoa, 
had  come  into  his  hands.  In  any  case  the  appearance  of 
S.  unicolor  in  Italy  is  quite  accidental,  while  both  in  Sardinia 
and  in  Sicily  S.  unicolor  is  a  common  and  stationary  bird. 

I  am,  yours  &c., 

T.  Salvadori. 
Zoological  Museum, 

Turin,  June  8th,  1877. 

Roraima  and  its  Mysteries. — The  '  Spectator '  speaks  very 
appositely  of  Roraima,  in  noticing  Mr.  Brown's  recent  work 
(see  antea,  p.  239)  : — 

"  One  of  the  greatest  marvels  and  mysteries  of  the  earth 
lies  on  the  outskirt  of  one  of  our  own  colonies ;  and  we  leave 
the  mystery  unsolved,  the  marvel  uncared  for  !  A  great  table 
of  pink  and  white  and  red  sandstone,  '  interbedded  with  red 
shale,'  rises  from  a  height  of  5100  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  2000  feet  sheer  into  the  sapphire  tropical  sky.  A  forest 
crowns  it ;  the  highest  waterfall  in  the  world  tumbles  from 
its  summit,  2000  feet  at  one  leap.  As  far  as  I  can  make  out, 
only  two  parties  of  civilized  explorers  have  touched  the  base 
of  the  table — Sir  Robert  Schomburgk  many  years  ago,  Mr. 
Brown  and  a  companion  in  1869 — each  at  different  spots. 
Mr.  Brown  cannot  help  speculating  whether  the  remains  of  a 
former  creation  may  not  be  found  at  the  top.  At  any  rate, 
there  is  the  forest  on  the  summit.  Of  what  trees  is  it  com- 
posed ?  They  cannot  well  be  the  same  as  those  at  the 
base  ....  For  millenniums  this  island  of  sandstone  must  have 
had  its  own  distinct  flora.     What  may  be  its  fauna?     Very 


400  Letters,  Announcements,  ^r, 

few  birds  probably  ascend  to  a  height  of  2000  feet  in  the  air, 
the  vulture  tribe  excepted.  Nearly  the  whole  of  its  animated 
inhabitants  are  likely  to  be  as  distinct  as  its  plants.  Is  it 
peopled  with  human  beings  ?  Who  can  tell  ?  Why  not  V 
The  summit,  Mr.  Brown  says,  is  inaccessible,  except  by 
means  of  balloons.     Well,  that  is  a  question  to  be  settled  on 

the  spot  between  an  engineer  and  a  first-rate  '  Alpine ' 

But  put  it  that  a  balloon  is  required,  surely  it  would  be  worth 
while  for  one  of  our  scientific  societies  to  organize  a  balloon 
expedition  for  the  purpose.  No  one  can  tell  what  problems 
in  natural  science  might  not  be  elucidated.  We  have  here 
an  area  of  limited  extent,  within  which  the  secular  variation 
of  species  by  natural  selection,  if  any,  must  have  gone  on  un- 
disturbed since,  at  least,  the  very  beginning  of  the  present 
age  in  the  world^s  life.  Can  there  be  a  fairer  field  for  the 
testing  of  those  theories  which  are  occupying  men^s  minds  so 
much  in  our  days  ?  " 

We  hear  with  great  pleasure  that  a  young  ornithologist, 
already  known  to  fame  (Mr.  Everard  F.  im  Thurn),  has  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  Director  of  the  Natural-History 
Museum  at  Georgetown,  Demerara,  with  liberty  to  travel 
and  explore  for  a  certain  portion  of  the  year.  We  trust  he 
will  turn  his  attention  to  the  mysteries  of  Roraima. 


Translation  of  Milller's  Memoir  on  the  Voice-organ  of  the 
Passeres. — We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  announce  the  approach- 
ing publication,  by  the  Delegates  of  the  Oxford  University 
Press,  of  a  translation,  by  Mr.  Bell,  of  Miiller's  Classical  Essay 
upon  the  organs  of  voice  of  the  Passeres.  Prof.  Garrod  has 
undertaken  to  supply  a  series  of  notes  to  bring  the  work  up 
to  the  level  of  our  present  knowledge  of  this  important  sub- 
ject. The  Academy  of  Berlin  has  most  liberally  granted  the 
use  of  the  original  copper-plates,  to  which,  however,  we  be- 
lieve, additions  will  be  made. 


THE    IBIS. 


FOURTH  SERIES. 


No.  IV.     OCTOBER  1877. 


XXXIV. — List  of  Birds  observed  in  Smith  Sound  and  in  the 
Polar  Basin  during  the  Arctic  Expedition  of  \^7 '6-7 Q.  By 
H.  W.  Feilden. 

In  tlie  following  notes  I  have  confined  myself  to  an  enume- 
ration of  the  various  species  of  birds  met  with  by  the  recent 
Arctic  Expedition  in  Smith  Sound  and  northward,  between 
the  seventy-eighth  and  eighty-third  degrees  of  north  latitude. 
All  of  the  birds  noted  are  well-known  arctic  forms  ;  and  the 
chief  interest  lies  in  the  record  of  their  great  northern  exten- 
sion in  the  western  hemisphere.  The  only  other  part  of  the 
globe  lying  within  nearly  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  with 
which  we  are  well  acquainted  is  Spitsbergen;  and  though 
that  group  of  islands  has  been  frequently  visited  by  accom- 
plished and  painstaking  naturalists,  yet  the  number  of  species 
of  birds,  including  stragglers,  at  present  known  to  have  oc- 
curred there  is  under  thirty.  Were  I  to  include  in  this  list 
species  recorded  by  Dr.  Bessels  *  from  Thank-God  Harbour, 
not  met  with  by  me,  the  list  of  the  avifauna  of  Smith  Sound 
and  Spitsbergen  would  be  about  numerically  equal,  thus  ac- 

*  Bulletin  de  la  Societe  de  Geographie :  Paris,  1875. 

SER.   IV. VOL.  I.  2f 


402  Capt.  H.  W.  Feilden  on  the  Birds  observed 

cording,  as  far  as  numbers  are  concerned^  with  the  opinion  pub- 
lished before  the  Expedition  left  England  by  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  members  of  our  Society^ ;  and^  except  amongst 
those  sanguine  persons  who  may  still  cling  to  a  belief  in  the  ex- 
istence of  an  "  open  polar  sea/'  I  think  it  is  impossible  to  doubt 
that,  both  specifically  and  numerically,  bird-life  must  rapidly 
decrease  with  every  degree  of  northern  latitude  after  passing 
the  eighty-second  parallel.  If,  however,  there  be  an  extension 
of  land  to  the  northernmost  part  of  our  globe,  I  see  no  reason 
why  a  few  species  of  birds  should  not  resort  there  to  breed ; 
and  those  most  likely  to  proceed  there  are  Plectrophanes  ni- 
valis, Strepsilas  interpres,  Calidris  arenaria,  Tringa  canutus, 
and  Sterna  macrura.  There  would  still  be  sufficient  summer, 
if  such  a  term  may  be  used,  for  the  period  of  incubation ;  and 
from  what  I  have  seen  of  the  transporting  powers  of  the  wind 
in  drifting  seeds  over  the  frozen  expanse  of  the  polar  sea,  I 
cannot  doubt  that  a  scanty  flora  exists  at  the  pole  itself,  if 
there  be  any  land  there,  and  that  the  abundance  of  insect-life 
which  exists  as  high  as  the  eighty-third  degree  will  be  present 
at  the  ninetieth,  sufficient  to  provide  for  a  few  Knots,  Sander- 
lings,  and  Turnstones.  The  arctic  sea  at  the  most  northern 
point  reached  abounds  with  Amphipoda,  such  as  Anonyx  nu- 
gax,  which  doubtless  extend  all  through  the  polar  sea ;  and 
these  crustaceans  supply  Sterna  macrura  with  food  in  those 
parts  where  the  continual  presence  of  ice  prevents  fish 
coming  to  the  surface ;  for  wherever  there  is  land  there  must 
be  tidal  ice-cracks,  which  allow  these  minute  animals  to  work 
tbeir  way  up  between  the  floes.  The  range  of  the  Brent- 
Goose  is  probably  coincident  with  the  range  of  Sawifraga  op- 
positifolia ;  and  this  plant  also  sujiplies  subsistence  to  the  Knot 
and  Turnstone,  and  probably  the  Sanderling,  before  the  long 
arctic  day  has  awakened  the  insect-life. 

Ross's  Gull  {Rhodostethia  rosea)  not  having  been  met  with 
in  Smith  Sound,  either  by  our  expedition  or  that  of  the 
'  Polaris,'  its  absence  from  Spitsbergen,  Franz- Joseph  Laud, 
and,  as  far  as  we  know,  the  northern  shores  of  Siberia,  its 
not  having  been  noticed  by  any  of  our  arctic  or  Franklin- 
*  Newtou,  'Arctic  IVFanual,'  p.  114:  London,  1875. 


during  the  Arctic  Expedition  1875-76.  403 

search  expeditions  that  entered  Lancaster  Sound,  or  skirted 
the  northern  shores  of  America  from  Behring's  Straits,  nor 
by  observers  in  Alaska  or  the  fur- countries,  leads  to  the  sup- 
position that  it  must  be  a  species  of  limited  distribution, 
having  its  breeding-haunts  to  the  north  of  Hudson^ s  Bay. 
I  would  suggest  that  inquiries  about  this  bird  should  be  made 
among  the  Esquimo  of  Cumberland  Gulf;  and  as  it  is  chiefly 
American  vessels  that  winter  there,  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion would,  I  think,  have  very  little  difficulty  in  inducing 
some  person  employed  there  to  investigate  this  subject.  Dr. 
Horner,  of  the  yacht  'Pandora,'  kindly  informed  me  that  in 
July  1876  he  saw  an  example  of  Saxicola  mnanthe  at  Port 
Foulke,  a  far  more  northern  range  of  this  species  than  had 
previously  been  recorded. 

I  was  much  struck  with  the  extreme  shyness  of  all  the  birds 
we  met  with  in  the  far  north ;  and  until  they  had  settled  down 
to  nesting  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  get  within  gun-shot  range. 

1.  Falco  candicans.     Greenland  Falcon. 

The  white  form  of  Great  Northern  Falcon,  though  seen  on 
several  occasions,  was  not  procured  by  us  in  Smith  Sound. 
Mr.  Hart  noticed  a  pair  of  these  birds  nesting  in  the  lime- 
stone clifiFs  near  Cape  Hayes,  Grinnell  Land  (lat.  79°41'N.), 
but  was  unable  to  secure  a  specimen.  From  this  point  to  our 
most  northern  extreme  this  Falcon  was  not  observed  by  any 
member  of  the  expedition.  On  the  24th  August,  1876,  near 
Cape  Fraser  (lat.  79°  47' N.),  when  on  our  return  southwards, 
a  bird  of  this  species  flew  round  our  vessels.  The  following 
morning,  when  on  shore  between  Cape  Hayes  and  Cape  Na- 
poleon, I  saw  a  magnificent  example  of  F.  candicans  seated 
on  a  rock  ;  it  permitted  me  to  get  within  seventy  or  eighty 
yards ;  but  I  failed  in  trying  to  procure  it. 

2.  Nyctea  scandiaca.     Snowy  Owl. 

This  Owl  is  a  common  spring  and  summer  migrant  to  the 
northern  part  of  Grinnell  Land.  On  the  2nd  October,  1875, 
I  observed  an  individual  of  this  species  seated  on  a  hummock 
in  the  vicinity  of  our  winter-quarters  (lat.  82°  27'  N.) .  On 
the  29th  March,  1876,  an  example  was  seen  by  Lieutenant 

2f2 


404  Capt.  H.  W.  Feiklcu  on  the  Birds  observed 

Parr  some  three  miles  north  of  the  ship.  15th  May,  whilst 
travelling  up  a  valley  (lat.  83°  40'  N.)  in  Grinnell  Land,  our 
party  disturbed  a  Snowy  Owl  from  the  ground.  Subsequently 
this  species  was  not  unfrequently  observed ;  a  pair  seemed  to 
frequent  and  breed  in  each  large  valley  running  down  to  the 
sea-shore.  On  the  24th  June  we  found  a  nest  of  these  birds 
containing  seven  eggs  (lat.  82°  33'  N.)  ;  the  nest  was  a  mere 
hollow  scooped  out  of  the  earth,  and  situated  on  the  summit 
of  an  eminence  which  rose  from  the  centre  of  the  valley. 
Several  other  nests  were  found  in  the  vicinity  of  winter- 
quarters,  and  at  one  time  there  were  six  or  seven  fine  young- 
birds  caged  on  board.  In  the  vicinity  of  Discovery  Bay 
(lat.  81°  44'  N.)  this  Owl  bred  abundantly.  During  the 
month  of  August,  while  proceeding  southwards,  it  was  no 
uncommon  circumstance  to  see  one  or  more  of  these  birds 
occupying  a  conspicuous  post  on  the  bold  headlands  we  were 
passing  under.  By  the  end  of  the  month  all  had  disappeared. 
The  food  of  the  Snowj^  Owl  in  Grinnell  Land  appears  to  con- 
sist entirely  of  the  lemming  {My odes  torquatus).  Hundreds 
of  their  cast  pellets,  which  I  picked  up  and  examined,  con- 
sisted of  the  bones  and  fur  of  these  little  animals ;  and  the 
stomachs  of  all  I  opened  contained  the  same. 

3.  Plectrophanes  nivalis.     Snow-Bunting. 

After  passing  the  78°  of  north  latitude  this  species  is  not 
met  with  in  the  same  numbers  as  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  Danish  settlements  of  West  Greenland,  but  is  dispersed 
generally  along  the  shores  of  Smith  Sound  and  the  Polar 
Basin.  On  the  28th  August,  1875,  at  Shift-rudder  Bay 
(lat.  81°  52' N.),  I  observed  a  flock  of  about  eighty,  and  a 
second,  in  which  I  counted  over  twenty,  flying  south.  14th 
September,  Lieutenant  Parr  met  with  a  solitary  individual  in 
lat.  82°  35'  N. ;  and  the  last  one  I  observed  that  season  flew 
past  the  ship  on  the  24th  September. 

I  first  heard  the  note  of  this  bird  when  travelling,  on  the 
13th  May  1876,  in  lat.  82°  35'  N. ;  the  following  day  I  ob- 
served one ;  and  after  that  day  they  were  frequently  met  with. 
On  the  27th  May  Lieutenant  Parr,  on  his  journey  from  the 


during  the  Arctic  Expedition  1875-76.  405 

north  over  the  ice^  saw  a  Snow-Bunting  near  to  the  83°.  I 
found  a  nest  of  this  species  on  the  24th  June  (lat.  82°  33'  N.), 
containing  four  eggs,  within  twenty  feet  of  the  nest  of  a 
Snowy  Owl ;  it  was  neatly  constructed  of  grasses,  and  lined 
with  the  Owl's  feathers.  On  another  occasion  I  found  a 
nest  lined  with  the  soft  wool  of  the  musk-ox. 

4.  CoRvus  coRAX.     Raven. 

A  pair  of  these  birds  were  observed  by  Dr.  Coppinger  to 
be  nesting  in  the  cliffs  of  Cape  Lupton  during  the  month  of 
July.  While  this  officer  was  detained  at  Polaris  Bay  by  the 
sickness  of  some  of  the  sledge-crews,  he  noticed  these  birds 
visit  their  camp  daily  in  search  of  offal.  The  Baven  was  not 
observed  by  any  of  our  expedition  along  the  shores  of  the 
Polar  Basin;  so  that  I  consider  Cape  Lupton  (lat.  81°  44'  N.) 
the  northernmost  settlement  of  this  species.  29th  August, 
1876,  at  Dobbin  Bay  (lat.  79°  36'  N.),  a  female,  one  of  a 
pair,  was  shot  by  Dr.  Moss,  who  enticed  it  within  range  by 
laying  down  a  dead  hare  and  concealing  himself  near  at  hand. 
South  of  Dobbin  Bay  I  observed  this  species  at  several  points 
in  Smith  Sound — namely,  at  Cape  Hayes,  Norman-Lockyer 
Island,  and  Cape  Sabine. 

5.  Lagopus  rupestris.     Rock-Ptarmigan. 

This  Ptarmigan  was  obtained  by  our  sledging  parties  as 
far  north  as  82°  46',  two  or  three  couples  having  been  killed 
in  the  end  of  May  on  Feilden  Peninsula.  Lieutenant  Aldrich 
found  traces  of  Ptarmigan  on  Cape  Columbia  (lat.  83°  6' N.), 
the  most  northern  land  yet  visited  by  man.  On  the  29th 
September,  1875,  Captain  Markham,  in  lat.  82°  40'  N.,  ob- 
served four  of  these  birds ;  and  the  earliest  date  on  which 
they  were  noticed  in  the  spring  of  1876  was  on  the  11th 
March. 

6.  Strepsilas  interpres.     Turnstone. 

This  bird  is  tolerably  abundant  in  Smith  Sound  and  the 
region  north  of  it  visited  by  the  Expedition.  It  was 
observed  as  late  as  the  5th  September,  1875,  in  lat.  82°  30' 
N.,  and  was  first  noticed  on  the  5th  June,  1876,  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  winter-quarters  of  H.M.S.  'Alert.'  By  the 
12th  August  the  young  broods  Avere  able  to  fly. 


■  406  Capt.  H.  W.  Feilden  on  the  Birds  observed 

7.  ^GiALiTis  HiATicuLA.     Ringed  Plover. 

Only  a  single  example  of  this  species  was  observed  in  Smith 
Sound,  It  was  obtained  4th  August,  1875,  on  the  beach 
bordering  the  valley  of  the  Twin  glacier,  in  Buchanan  Strait 
(lat.  78°  48'  N.).  My  attention  was  drawn  to  the  bird  by 
its  note ;  and  I  then  observed  it  threading  its  way  among 
the  stones  and  stranded  blocks  of  ice  near  the  water^s  edge. 
It  was  probably  nesting  in  the  neighbourhood,  as  it  proved 
on  examination  to  be  a  female,  with  the  feathers  worn  off 
the  underparts  from  incubation. 

8.  Calidris  arenaria.     Sanderling. 

I  first  observed  this  species  in  Grinnell  Land  on  the  5th 
June,  1876,  flying  in  company  with  Knots  and  Turnstones ; 
at  this  date  it  was  feeding,  like  the  other  Waders,  on  the  buds 
of  Saxifraga  oppositifolia.  This  bird  was  by  no  means  abun- 
dant along  the  coasts  of  Grinnell  Land  ;  but  I  observed  several 
pairs  in  the  aggregate,  and  found  a  nest  of  this  species  con- 
taining two  eggs,  in  lat.  82°  33'  N.,  on  24th  June,  1876. 
This  nest,  from  which  I  killed  the  male  bird,  was  placed  on 
a  gravel  ridge,  at  an  altitude  of  several  hundred  feet  above 
the  sea ;  and  the  eggs  were  deposited  in  a  slight  depression 
in  the  centre  of  a  recumbent  plant  of  arctic  willow,  the  lining 
of  the  nest  consisting  of  a  fewwithered  leaves  and  some  of  the 
last  year's  catkins.  8th  August,  1876,  along  the  shores  of 
Robeson  Channel,  I  saw  several  parties  of  young  ones,  three 
to  four  in  number,  following  their  parents,  and  led  by  the 
old  birds,  searching  most  diligently  for  insects.  At  this  date 
they  were  in  a  very  interesting  stage  of  plumage,  being  just 
able  to  fly,  but  retaining  some  of  the  down  on  their  feathers. 

9.  Phalaropus  fulicarius.     Grey  Phalarope. 

I  obtained  an  example  of  this  species,  a  female,  near  our 
winter-quarters  (lat.  82°  27'  N.)  on  the  30th  June  1876;  and 
during  the  month  of  July  I  observed  a  pair  on  a  small  fresh- 
water pond  in  lat.  82°  30'  N.  ;  they  were  apparently  breeding. 
The  female  of  this  species  is  larger  and  brighter-coloured  than 
the  male  bird.  Several  other  examples  were  observed  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  our  winter-quarters  by  various  members 
of  the  expedition. 


during  the  Arctic  Expedition  1875-76.  407 

10.  Tringa  canutus.     Knot. 

I  was  not  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  the  eggs  of  this  species 
during  my  stay  in  the  polar  regions^  though  it  breeds  in  some 
numbers  along  the  shores  of  Smith  Sound  and  the  north  coast 
of  Grinnell  Land.     It  appears  to  be  common  throughout  the 
Parry   Islands   during   summer,  as  Sabine  found  it  (1820) 
nesting  in  great  numbers  on  Melville  Island.     I  find  it  enu- 
merated in  a  list  of  birds  (preserved  in  the  archives  of  the 
Admiralty)  as  procured  by  Dr.  Anderson,  of  H.M.S.  'Enter- 
prise/ at  Cambridge  Bay  (lat.  69°  10'  N.)  in  July  1853.     On 
the  28th  July,  1875,  Dr.  Coppinger  came  across  a  party  of 
six  Knots  several  miles  inland  from  Port  Foulke  :  these  birds 
were  feeding  near  a  rill,  and  were  very  wild ;  but  he  managed 
to  secure  a  single  specimen,  a  male  in  full  breeding-plumage. 
August  25,  1875,  I  observed  several  of  these  birds  near  the 
water-edge  in  Discovery  Bay  (lat.  81°  44'  N.) .     The  rills  and 
marshes  were  by  this  time  frozen,  and  the  birds  were  feeding 
along  the  shore  on  the  small  crustaceans  so  common  in  the 
arctic  seas ;  in  pursuit  of  their  food  they  ran  breast-high  into 
the  water.     By  this  date  they  had  lost  their  breeding-plumage. 
On  5th  June,  1876,  when  camped  near  Knot  Harbour,  Grin- 
nell Land  (lat.  82°  33'  N.),  we  noticed  the  first  arrival  of  these 
birds ;   a  flock  of  fourteen  or  more  were  circling  over  a  hill- 
side, alighting  on  bare  patches,  and  feeding  eagerly  on  the 
buds  of  Saxifraga  oppositifolia.     Subsequently  we  met  with 
this  bird  in  considerable  numbers ;  but  they  were  always  very 
wild  and  most  difficult  of  approach.     The  cry  of  the  Knot  is 
wild,  and  something  like  that  of  the  Cuj'lew.     Immediately 
after  arrival  in  June  they  began  to  mate,  and  at  times  I  noticed 
two  or  more  males  following  a  single  female ;  at  this  season 
they  soar  in  the  air,  like  the  common  Snipe,  and  when  de- 
scending from  a  height  beat  their  wings  behind  the  back  with 
a  rapid  motion,  which  produces  a  loud  whirring  noise.    During 
the  month  of  July  my  companions  and  I  often  endeavoured 
to  discover  the  nest  of  this  bird ;  but  none  of  us  were  suc- 
cessful; however,  on  the  30th  July,  1876,  the  day  before  we 
broke  out  of  our  winter-quarters,  where  we  had  been  frozen- 
in  eleven  months,  three  of  our  seamen,  walking  by  the  border 


408  Capt.  H.  W.  Feilden  on  the  Birds  observed 

of  a  small  lake_,  not  far  from  the  ship^  came  upon  an  old  bird 
accompanied  by  three  nestlings_,  which  they  brought  to  me. 
The  old  bird  proved  to  be  a  male;  its  stomach,  and  those  of 
the  young  ones,  were  filled  Avith  insects.  The  following  de- 
scription of  the  newly  hatched  birds  was  taken  down  at  the 
time : — Iris  black ;  tip  of  mandibles  dark  brown,  bill  dark 
olive ;  toes  black,  soles  of  feet  greenish  yellow ;  back  of  legs 
the  same ;  underpart  of  throat  satin-white ;  back  beautifully 
mottled  tortoise-shell.  Dr.  Coppinger  informed  me  that  this 
bird  was  not  uncommon  at  Thank-God  Harbour  during  July. 
In  the  first  week  of  August,  I  saw  family  parties  of  Knots 
at  Shift-rudder  Bay  (lat.  81°  52'  N.)  ;  they  were  then  in  the 
grey  autumn  plumage.  The  Knot  bred  in  the  vicinity  of 
Discovery  Bay ;  but  no  eggs  were  found  there,  although  the 
young  were  obtained  in  all  stages  of  plumage. 

11.  Sterna  macrura.     Arctic  Tern. 

Is  not  uncommon  in  Smith  Sound,  and  we  found  it  breeding 
at  several  localities  we  visited  on  our  way  north .  1 1th  August^ 
1875,  on  Norman- Lockyer  Island,  I  noticed  several  pairs,  and 
picked  up  a  bleached  egg,  probably  an  addled  one  of  a  former 
season.  August  21st,  we  found  eight  or  ten  pairs  breeding 
on  a  small  islet  oflF  the  north  end  of  Bellot  Island  (lat.  81°  44' 
N.) :  the  land  at  this  date  was  covered  with  snow ;  and  on  the 
islet  it  lay  about  three  inches  deep.  In  one  nest  I  found  a  , 
newly  hatched  Tern  ;  it  seemed  quite  well  and  lively  in  its 
snow  cradle.  The  parent  birds  had  evidently  thrown  the  snow 
out  of  the  nest  as  it  fell ;  for  it  was  surrounded  by  a  border 
of  snow  marked  by  the  feet  of  the  old  birds,  and  raised  at 
least  two  inches  above  the  general  level.  The  Terns  on  this 
islet  were  rather  shy,  none  coming  within  range  until  I  had 
handled  the  young  one.  There  seemed  to  be  abundance  of 
fish  in  the  pools  between  the  floes,  as  the  old  birds  were  flying 
with  them  in  their  mandibles.  The  stomach  of  the  female 
which  I  killed  was  empty ;  but  that  of  the  nestling  contained 
remains  offish.  On  the  16th  June,  1876,  three  of  these  birds 
appeared  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  winter-quarters  of  the 
^  Alert.'     By  the  end  of  June  pairs  of  these  birds  were  scat- 


daring  the  Arctic  Expedition  1875-76.  409 

tered  at  intervals  along  the  coast ;  and  a  nest,  scraped  in  the 
gravel  and  containing  two  eggs,  was  found  27tli  June,  about 
three  miles  north  of  our  winter-quarters.  During  the  first 
week  in  August  we  found  a  pair  of  young  birds  nearly  ready 
to  fly  in  lat.  81°  50'  N. 

12.  Pagophila  eburnea.     Ivory  Gull. 

One  of  the  Gulls  most  frequently  observed  in  Smith  Sound, 
but  not  beyond  latitude  82°  20'  N.  I  found  a  pair  nesting 
in  a  lofty  and  inaccessible  cliff  near  Cape  Hayes  on  the  16th 
August,  1875.  On  1st  September  a  single  example  flew 
around  the  '  Alert '  when  she  lay  moored  to  the  ice  in  Lincoln 
Bay  (lat.  82°  6'  N.).  On  the  2nd  August,  1876,  I  observed 
one  of  this  species  near  Cape  Union ;  on  the  12tli  August 
they  were  common  in  Discovery  Bay,  and  from  there  south- 
ward to  the  north  water  of  Baffin  Bay. 

13.  RissA  TRiDACTYLA.     Kittiwakc. 

I  saw  a  few  examples  of  this  species  flying  over  the  open 
water  in  the  vicinity  of  Port  Foulke,  28th  July,  1875  ;  but  we 
did  not  observe  it  to  the  northward  after  entering  the  ice  of 
Smith  Sound ;  and  in  1876  no  specimen  was  seen  as  the  ex- 
pedition returned  south,  until  the  north  water  of  Baffin  Bay 
was  reached. 

14.  Larus  glaucus.     Glaucous  Gull. 

We  did  not  find  this  species  breeding  north  of  Cape  Sabine ; 
but  stray  individuals  were  observed  as  far  north  as  lat.  82°  34'. 
The  1st  September,  1875,  was  the  latest  date  in  the  autumn 
on  which  I  noticed  this  species  ;  and  it  reappeared  in  the  vici- 
nity of  wdnter- quarters  (lat.  82°  27'  N.)  in  the  middle  of  June. 

15.  Stercorarius  longicaudatus.     Buffon's  Skua. 

This  was  the  only  species  of  Skua  Gull  that  I  met  with  in 
Smith  Sound  ;  it  arrived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  our  winter- 
quarters  during  the  first  week  of  June,  and  in  considerable 
numbers.  After  that  date  it  was  to  be  seen  during  every  hour 
of  the  day  quartering  the  fells  and  searching  for  lemmings. 
It  lays  its  two  eggs  in  a  small  hollow  in  the  ground,  and  de- 
fends its  nest  with  the  utmost  bravery.     On  several  occasions 


410  Capt.  H.  W.  Feilden  on  the  Birds  observed 

I  have  struck  the  old  birds  with  my  gun-barrel  when  warding 
off  their  attacks  as  I  plundered  their  nests.  This  species  can 
easily  be  distinguished  from  its  near  ally,  S.  parasiticus,  at 
every  age,  by  the  mottled  colour  of  the  tarsus  and  webs  of 
the  feet,  which  in  S.  parasiticus  are  black. 

16.  Procellaria  glacialis.     Fulmar. 

Common  in  the  north  water  of  Baffin  Bay ;  and  individuals 
followed  our  ships  until  we  entered  the  pack  off  Cape  Sabine. 
On  the  26th  June,  1876,  Lieutenant  Parr  and  I,  when  travel- 
ling on  the  coast  of  Grinnell  Land  (lat.  82° 30'N.),  observed  one 
of  these  birds ;  and  a  few  days  later  Lieutenant  Egerton  found 
one  dead  on  the  shore  some  two  miles  further  to  the  north- 
ward. We  did  not  observe  this  species  again  till  our  return 
to  Baffin  Bay  in  September  1876. 

17.  Uria  grylle.     Black  Guillemot. 

The  Dovekie  was  found  breeding  at  various  spots  along  the 
shores  of  Smith  Sound  and  northward,  notably  at  Washington- 
Irving  Island,  Dobbin  Bay,  Cape  Hayes,  and  Bessels  Bay  ;  it 
does  not,  I  think,  breed  north  of  Cape  Union.  I  saw  two  or 
three  examples  feeding  in  pools  on  the  floe  as  far  north  as 
lat.  82°  33' ;  but  they  were  evidently  mere  stragglers. 

18.  Mergulus  alle.     Little  Auk. 

The  north  water  of  Baffin  Bay  is  the  summer  home  of 
countless  numbers  of  these  birds ;  they  do  not,  however,  pene- 
trate in  any  numbers  far  up  Smith  Sound,  the  most  northern 
point  where  I  observed  them  being  in  Buchanan  Strait  (lat. 
79°) .  I  do  not  think  that  they  breed  to  the  north  of  Foulke 
Fiord ;  but  the  talus  at  the  base  of  the  cliffs  that  flank  that 
inlet  is  occupied  by  myriads  of  them  during  the  nesting-season. 
On  the  28th  July,  we  found  the  young  just  hatched ;  they  are 
in  that  stage  covered  with  black  down.  From  the  large  amount 
of  bones  and  feathers  lying  around  the  huts  of  the  Esquimo 
village  of  Etah,  it  is  evident  that  these  birds  contribute  largely 
to  the  support  of  the  Arctic  Highlanders  during  summer. 

19.  Alga  bruennichii.     Bruennich's  Guillemot. 

1  observed  two  individuals  of  this  species  in  August  as  far 


during  the  Arctic  Expedition  1875-76.  411 

north  as  Buchanan  Strait  (lat.  79°) ;  but  this  bird  was  not  seen 
again  by  me  until  our  return  southward  in  September  1876^ 
after  regaining  navigable  water  south  of  Cape  Sabine.  The 
north  water  of  Baffin  Bay  is  evidently  the  limit  of  the  north- 
ern range  of  the  species  in  that  direction ;  and  I  doubt  if 
there  are  any  breeding-haunts  of  this  species  north  of  Cape 
Alexander. 

20.    COLYMBUS  . 


On  the  2nd  September,  1875,  at  Floeberg  Beach  (lat.  82° 
27'  N.),  a  Diver,  I  think  C.  septentrionulis ,  alighted  in  a  pool 
about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  ship.  A  boat  was  instantly 
lowered ;  but  the  noise  made  by  pushing  the  boat  through  the 
young  ice  alarmed  the  bird,  which  rose  and  flew  to  another 
pool  half  a  mile  to  the  southward.  I  tried  to  make  my  way 
over  the  floe  towards  the  bird ;  but  the  ice  was  unsafe,  so  I  had 
to  give  up  the  pursuit.  The  numerous  lakes  and  ponds  in 
Grinnell  Land  abound  with  a  species  of  char  [Salmo  arcturus, 
Giinther) ,  which  doubtless  might  afibrd  good  living  to  birds  of 
this  family. 

21.  Harelda  glacialis.     Long-tailed  Duck. 

We  observed  a  flock  of  this  species  swimming  in  the  pools 
of  water  between  the  floes  on  the  1st  September,  1875,  near 
Floeberg  Beach  (lat.  82°  27'  N.).  On  the  16th  September 
two  were  shot  not  far  from  the  ship.  During  the  summer  of 
1876  a  few  of  these  birds  visited  the  northern  shores  of  Grin- 
nell Land ;  we  found  them  in  pairs  on  lakes  and  ponds,  where 
they  were  evidently  breeding.  From  the  rapidity  with  which 
they  dive  they  are  very  difficult  to  shoot,  and  when  secured  do 
not  repay  the  outlay  in  powder  and  lead. 

22.  SoMATERiA  MOLLissiMA.     Eider. 

This  species  breeds  in  great  numbers  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Port  Foulke,  but  decreased  in  numbers  as  we  advanced 
northwards.  It  became  rare  after  passing  Cape  Fraser,  the 
meeting-place  of  the  polar  and  Baffin-bay  tides,  but  was  re- 
placed to  some  extent  by  the  next  species.  I  did  not  obtain 
an  Eider  north  of  Cape  Union.  Dr.  Coppinger  procured  both 
Eider  and  King-Duck  at  Thank-God  Harbour  (lat.  81°  38'  N.) 
in  the  month  of  July,  1876. 


412       Messrs.  P.  L.  Sclater  and  W.  A.  Forbes  on  the 

23.  SOMATERIA  SPECTABILIS.       Killg-Duck. 

I  did  not  obtain  this  bird  in  Smith  Sound  during  the  autumn 
of  1875  ;  but  in  the  end  of  June  1876  scA^eral  flocks  of  males 
and  females,  numbering  from  ten  to  twenty  individuals,  were 
seen  near  Floeberg  Beach  (lat.  82°  27'  N.).  Most  of  these 
fell  a  prey  to  our  gunners ;  but  those  that  escaped  settled  down 
to  breed  along  the  coast,  and  several  nests  were  found  with 
fresh  eggs  in  them  from  the  9th  to  the  middle  of  July. 

24.  Bernicla  brenta.     Brent-Goose. 

During  the  first  week  of  June,  parties  of  these  birds  arrived 
in  the  vicinity  of  our  winter-quarters  (lat.  82°  27'  N.)  ;  for 
some  days  they  continued  flying  up  and  down  the  coast-line, 
evidently  looking  out  for  places  bare  of  snow  to  feed  on. 
They  were  very  wary,  and  kejit  well  out  of  gun-shot  range. 
On  the  21st  June  I  found  the  first  nest  with  eggs,  in  lat.  82° 
33'  N. ;  subsequently  many  were  found.  When  the  young  are 
hatched  the  parent  birds  and  broods  congregate  on  the  lakes  or 
in  open  water  spaces  near  the  shore  in  large  flocks ;  by  the  end 
of  July  the  old  birds  were  moulting  and  unable  to  fly,  so  that 
they  were  easily  secured,  and  afforded  most  valuable  change 
of  diet  to  our  sick.     The  flesh  of  this  bird  is  most  excellent. 

The  gander  remains  in  the  vicinity  of  the  nest  while  the 
goose  is  sitting,  and  accompanies  the  young  brood.  In  one 
instance  where  I  killed  a  female  as  she  left  her  nest  the  gander 
came  hissing  at  me. 


XXXV. — On  the  Nesting  of  the  Spoonbill  in  Holland. 
By  P.  L.  Sclater  and  W.  A.  Forbes. 

That  the  Spoonbill  {Platalea^  leucorodia)  breeds  in  Holland 
is  a  fact  well  known  to  every  ornithologist ;  and  most  egg- 
collectors  are  aware  that  specimens  of  its  eggs  obtained  in  that 
country  are  to  be  purchased  at  a  very  cheap  rate  in  the 

*  Mr.  Dresser  (B.  Eur.  pt.  2o-24)  uses  Pkdea  as  the  generic  uame  of 
the  Spoonbill  instead  of  Platalea.  It  may  be  hoped,  however,  that  this 
is  a  mere  oversight,  and  that  Mr.  Dresser  is  not  prepared  to  dissent  from 
the  canon  that  Linnean  names  are  to  remain  inviolate. 


Nesting  of  the  Spoonbill  in  Holland.  413 

London  egg-shops.  But  we  are  not  sure  that  any  orni- 
thologist^ at  least  of  this  country,  has  actually  visited  the 
nesting-places  of  this  bird,  or,  at  any  rate,  has  published  any 
account  of  them.  In  May  1867,  as  is  recorded  in  Gould^s 
^  Birds  of  Great  Britain'  (vol.  iv.  part  30),  Sclater  paid  a 
visit  to  a  nesting-place  of  the  Spoonbill  at  Nieuwer-kerk, 
near  Rotterdam;  but  though  he  saw  many  Spoonbills,  the 
nesting  had  not  then  begun ;  and  the  lake  which  he  visited 
is  said  to  have  been  drained  since  that  time.  We  hope  there- 
fore that  it  may  interest  readers  of '  The  Ibis '  to  have  an 
account  of  our  recent  experiences  on  this  subject. 

Being  in  Holland  in  the  first  week  of  May  this  year,  Sclater 
made  many  inquiries  as  to  where  the  Spoonbills  could  be  seen 
performing  the  duties  of  reproduction,  and  finally  ascertained 
from  Hr.  A.  A.  Van  Bemmelen,  Director  of  the  Zoological 
Gardens  at  Rotterdam,  that  the  most  likely  place  to  witness 
this  interesting  phenomenon  was  the  Horster  Meer,  between 
Amsterdam  and  Utrecht.  At  Amsterdam  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  first  week  in  July  would  be  a  convenient 
period  for  the  proposed  excursion  with  this  object,  as  about 
that  time  the  birds  would  have  commenced  incubation. 

On  the  3rd  of  July,  therefore,  we  found  ourselves  at  the 
Amstel  Hotel,  at  Amsterdam ;  and  upon  visiting  Mr.  Hegt, 
the  Assistant-Director  of  the  Zoological  Society's  Gardens 
there,  found  that  he  had  kindly  made  every  necessary  arrange- 
ment for  our  proposed  expedition  next  day.  No  railway- 
station  being  very  convenient  for  the  Horster  Meer,  he  had 
ordered  a  carriage  to  take  us  from  Amsterdam  to  the  scene 
of  action. 

Next  morning  we  started  about  8  o'clock,  and  had  about 
three  hours'  drive,  passing  the  villages  of  Abgouda  and  Vree- 
land  before  arriving  at  Overmeer  an  de  Vecht,  the  little 
village  in  which  Hr.  van  Dyk,  the  lessee  of  the  Horster  Meer, 
resided.  The  Horster  Meer  consists  o£  a  large  tract  of  water 
reed-beds  and  swamp,  lying  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Vecht, 
and  immediately  to  the  south  of  the  Zuyder  Zee.  It  is 
between  the  railways  going  from   Amsterdam  to  Utrecht  on 


414       Messrs.  P.  L.  Sclater  and  W.  A.  Forbes  on  the 

one  side_,  and  from  Amsterdam  to  Amersfoort  on  the  other. 
It  belongs  to  a  rich  proprietor  in  Amsterdam^  but  is  farmed 
out  at  a  considerable  rent  for  the  sake  of  the  fish^  reeds,  and 
bird^s  eggs  which  it  produces.  The  last-mentioned  objects 
are  collected  from  the  nests  in  which  they  are  laid,  twice  a 
week  during  the  months  of  May  and  June,  and  sold  in  Am- 
sterdam to  such  persons  as  require  a  large  supply  of  fresh 
eggs  without  being  particular  as  to  the  source  from  which 
they  are  derived. 

On  arriving  at  Overmeer  we  were  received  by  Hr.  van 
Dyk  and  escorted  to  a  boat,  which  conveyed  us  along  a  short 
canal  into  the  Horster  Meer.  No  sooner  had  we  arrived  on 
the  lake  than  the  air  above  us  was  filled  with  an  enormous  flight 
of  Cormorants,  who  well  knew  what  a  visit  to  their  domain 
portended.  A  few  minutes  afterwards  about  500  Spoonbills 
were  circling  in  the  air  over  our  heads,  their  long  legs 
stretched  behind  them,  and  their  white  bodies  glistening  in 
the  sun.  The  Meer,  so  far  as  visible,  was  not  a  very  ex- 
tensive piece  of  water,  being  closed  in  on  all  sides  by  enor- 
mous reed-beds,  the  homes  of  these  and  other  aquatic  birds. 
Having  landed  at  the  end  of  a  ditch  which  penetrated  into 
one  of  these  beds  of  reeds,  we  pursued  a  track  which  led  us 
first  to  a  breeding-place  of  the  Cormorants.  Here  was  a 
circular  space,  perhaps  fifty  yards  in  diameter,  cleared  of 
reeds,  in  which  the  Cormorants'  nests  stood  thick  together 
on  the  swampy  soil.  They  were  formed  of  rather  large  sticks, 
piled  somewhat  loosely  together  to  a  height  of  about  18  inches 
above  the  surface.  The  top  of  the  nest  was  only  slightly 
hollowed  out,  and  lined  with  a  few  broken  reeds.  The  eggs 
were  in  no  case  more  than  two  in  number,  the  poor  birds 
having  been  robbed  continuously  up  to  that  time,  and  only 
within  the  last  few  days  allowed  to  commence  incubation. 

Having  inspected  the  Cormorants'  breeding-place,  we  pro- 
ceeded about  fifty  yards  further  through  the  reed-beds,  over 
a  still  more  treacherous  swamp,  to  the  breeding-place  of  the 
Spoonbills.  The  nests  of  these  birds  ^  were  not  situated  so 
near  together  as  those  of  the  Cormorants,  but  scattered  about 
two  or  three  yards  from  each  other,  with  thin  patches  of 


Nesting  of  the  Spoonbill  in  Holland.  415 

reeds  growing  between  them.  There  was,  however,  a  clear 
open  space  in  the  neighbourhood,  formed  of  broken-down 
reeds,  in  which  the  birds  were  said  to  congregate.  The 
SpoonbilFs  nest,  in  the  Horster  Meer  at  least,  is  a  mere 
flattened  surface  of  broken  reed,  not  elevated  more  than  two 
or  three  inches  above  the  general  level  of  the  swamp ;  and  no 
other  substance  but  reed  appears  to  be  used  in  its  construc- 
tion. What  the  proper  complement  of  eggs  would  be  if  the 
birds  were  left  undisturbed  we  cannot  say ;  for,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Cormorants,  the  nests  are  robbed  systematically  twice 
a  week,  until  the  period  when  it  is  known  by  experience  that 
they  cannot  produce  any  more  eggs.  Then  at  last  the  birds 
are  allowed  to  sit  undisturbed.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  the 
season  for  collecting  eggs  was  just  past ;  but  we  helped  our- 
selves to  eight  fresh  eggs,  from  different  nests,  laid  since  the 
last  collection  had  been  made.  During  all  the  time  that  we 
were  in  the  reed-beds  the  Cormorants  and  Spoonbills  were 
floating  about  over  our  heads,  fully  aware  that  there  was  an 
enemy  in  the  camp.  We  were  told  that  there  were  several 
other  nesting-places  of  the  Spoonbill  in  diff'erent  parts  of  the 
Horster  Meer,  containing  altogether  several  thousand  nests ; 
so  that  we  may  hope  that  it  will  be  some  time  before  this  fine 
bird  becomes  extinct  in  this  locality. 

The  only  other  bird  we  found  nesting  in  the  Horster  Meer 
was  the  Black  Tern,  of  which  we  captured  two  young  chicks. 

After  refreshing  ourselves  at  the  hostelry  of  Overmeer, 
we  returned  to  Amsterdam  in  the  evening  by  a  difierent  route, 
highly  satisfied  with  our  day  with  the  Spoonbills. 

We  may  observe,  in  conclusion,  that  on  looking  over  Mr. 
Dresser^s  account  of  the  Spoonbill  in  his  'Birds  of  Europe,' 
we  find  him  quoting  from  Schlegel  that  this  bird  "  is  found 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  large  rivers,  at  Biesboch,  Nieuw- 
erkerk,  on  the  Yssel  at  Bozenburg,  and  on  the  Maas :  and 
breeds  in  Holland,  arriving  there  in  April  and  leaving  in 
September.''^  Again,  a  few  pages  further  on,  Mr.  Dresser 
says,  "  It  breeds  in  Holland ;  but  I  do  not  find  any  record  of 
its  having  of  late  been  found  nesting  elsewhere  in  Northern 
Europe,  though  in  Hungary  and   South-Eastern  Europe  it 


416         Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot  on  Buceros  bicornis,  Linn. 

breeds  numerously/^  In  Mr.  Gould's  folio,  too,  no  more 
detailed  account  is  given,  with  the  exception  of  the  record 
of  Sclater's  unsuccessful  expedition  ten  years  ago.  Now  our 
experiences  as  to  the  position  of  the  SpoonbilPs  nest  certainly 
agree  with  the  details  given  by  Messrs.  Dickson  and  Ross, 
who  met  with  it  breeding  near  Erzeroum  (P.  Z.  S.  1839, 
p.  134) ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  the  fullest  account  known 
f  to  Mr.  Dresser  at  the  time  of  writing  his  article.  So,  although 
there  seems  to  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  in  some  cases  it 
nests  in  lofty  trees,  we  may  claim  to  have  established  the  fact 
that  in  Holland  it  breeds  on  the  ground  among  the  reed-beds, 
and  to  be  able  to  assure  those  naturalists  who  happen  to  be 
in  Amsterdam  at  the  right  time  that  there  is  no  better  way 
of  spending  a  spare  day  than  an  excursion  to  the  Spoonbills' 
nesting-place  on  the  Horster  Meer. 

We  cannot  conclude  this  short  account  of  a  most  delightful 
day  without  thanking  Mr.  Hegt  most  heartily  for  his  kind 
arrangements  for  our  trip,  without  which  we  should  pro- 
bably have  encountered  considerable  diflEiculty  in  reaching  our 
destination.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  in  England  we  could  hardly 
promise  to  show  our  friends  an  equally  interesting  sight  in 
such  close  proximity  to  our  metropolis  ! 


XXXVI. — Remarks  on  the  Buceros  bicornis  of  Linnseus. 
By  D.  G.  Elliot,  F.R.S.E.  &c. 

In  'Stray  Feathers'  for  1876,  p.  385,  Mr.  Hume  expresses 
the  opinion  that  the  name  of  Buceros  bicornis,  bestowed  by 
Linnaeus  upon  a  species  of  Hornbill,  belongs  properly  to  the 
B.  convexus,  Temminck,  described  in  the '  Planches  Coloriees,' 
and  figured  on  plate  no.  530.  In  order  to  test  the  correct- 
ness of  this  view,  it  will  be  advantageous  to  ascertain,  as  far 
as  may  be  possible,  the  material  at  Linnseus's  command  when 
he  estabUshed  the  name  of  bicornis ;  and  to  accomplish  this 
satisfactorily  it  will  be  necessary  to  examine  the  older  authors 
cited  by  him,  and  whom,  it  is  very  evident,  he  mainly  followed. 
Willughby  is  among  the  first  of  those  quoted  by  Linnaeus ;  and 


Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot  on  Buceros  bicornis,  Linn.         417 

on  turning  to  plate  17.  fig.  1  of  the  '  Ornithology,'  we  find 
a  very  recognizable  representation  of  the  head  and  bill  of  the 
HoTurai,  or  ''  Great  Hornbill/'  as  it  is  called  by  Jerdon,  with 
its  broad  flat  casque,  having  the  anterior  margin  curved  up- 
wards, and  terminating  on  both  sides  in  miniature  "  horns." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  species  this  figure 
is  intended  to  represent.  Brisson  is  another  of  the  more 
important  of  the  authors  referred  to,  who  preceded  the  twelfth 
edition  of  Linnseus's  great  work  (1766),  which  is  the  one  now 
quoted.  We  here  find,  as  stated  by  Mr.  Hume,  some  con- 
siderable confusion  existing  between  the  description  of  the 
head  and  casque  and  that  of  the  body  and  tail.  Brisson, 
however,  expressly  states  that  he  had  only  seen  the  head 
and  bill  of  the  species  called  by  him  Hydrocorax  philip- 
pensis ;  and  his  description  of  this  portion  of  the  bird,  which 
was  at  that  time  in  the  collection  of  M.  de  Reaumur,  evidently 
proved  that  it  was  of  the  same  species  as  the  one  figured  by 
Willughby  in  his '  Ornithology.'  Brisson  does  not  state  where 
he  got  the  idea  of  the  colour  of  the  plumage  of  the  body  and 
tail ;  but  as  he  had  never  seen  the  bird  itself,  he  must  either 
have  copied  it  from  some  other  description,  and  unfortunately 
hit  upon  the  wrong  bird,  or  else  have  drawn  upon  his  imagi- 
nation, from  which  source,  however,  it  must  in  justice  be 
said,  Brisson  seldom  derived  any  assistance.  The  tail  of  the 
bird,  stated  to  be  composed  of  twelve  feathers,  ten  black  and 
two  white,  is  very  properly  characterized  by  Mr.  Hume  as  one 
"  which  no  Hornbill  in  the  world  has,''  so  far  as  we  know  at 
present,  and  could  not  have  been  described  from  any  speci- 
men. But  the  parts  which  Brisson  did  see,  the  casque  and 
bill,  are  accurately  described ;  and  it  is  on  this  description  and 
and  on  Willughby 's  figure  that  Linnaeus  based  the  name  of 
Buceros  bicornis,  to  which  the  diagnosis,  "  B.  fronte  ossea, 
plana,  antrorsum  bicorni,"  applies.  In  his  description  of  the 
plumage  Linnaeus  is  as  wide  of  the  mark  as  was  Brisson ;  and 
he,  too,  evidently  had  no  specimen  of  the  bird  before  him, 
but  in  a  great  degree  copied  Brisson's  imaginary  description. 
As,  therefore,  it  is  perfectly  well  established  that  the  portions 
known  to  have  been  in  the  possession  of  the  authors  men- 
SER.  IV. — VOL.  I.  2g 


418  Mr.  J,  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

tioned  belonged  to  the  Homrai;  or  Great  HornbiU,  with  the  flat 
casque,  curved  upwards  anteriorly,  that  bird  should  stand  as 
the  B.  bicornis,  Linn.,  of  which  name  B.  cavatus,  Shaw,  is  a 
synonym.  The  descriptions  given  by  Brisson  and  Linnaeus 
of  the  plumage  of  the  body,  not  answering  to  any  known 
species,  cannot  receive  any  consideration  in  connexion  with 
B.  bicornis.  That  of  Linnaeus  applies  best  to  Buceros  {An- 
thracoceros)  malabaricus  of  Gmelin ;  but  the  description  of 
the  casque  shows  that  this  species  was  not  intended. 


XXXVII. — Notes  on  a  'Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the 
British  Musemn/  by  U.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H. 

GURNEY. 

[Continued  from  p.  333.] 

In  my  last  paper  I  alluded  {antea,  p.  332)  to  the  occurrence 
of  Aquila  clanga  in  Spain.  Since  then  the  Norwich  Museum 
has  been  enriched  by  the  gift,  from  Lieut. -Col.  L.  H.  Irby, 
of  an  adult  male  of  that  species,  killed  near  Seville  on  the 
11th  February  last,  which  I  take  this  opportunity  of  re- 
cording*. 

The  typical  Eagles  (those  of  the  genera  Uroaetus  and 
Aquila)  to  which  I  am  disposed  to  limit  the  term  "  Aquilinse," 
pass  by  an  almost  imperceptible  gradation  into  the  next  group, 
the  Hawk-Eagles,  for  which  the  designation  of  Thrasaetinse,^' 
suggested  by  the  late  Mr.  Blythf^  may,  I  think,  be  con- 
veniently adopted. 

The  Hawk-Eagles  are  all,  more  or  less,  distinguished  from 
the  typical  Aquilinse,  as  above  restricted,  by  one  or  more  of 
the  following  peculiarities,  all  of  which  seem  to  me  to  be  in- 
dicative of  Asturine  affinities,  viz.  wings  proportionally 
shorter,  tail  relatively  longer,  very  large  and  generally  much 

*  Col.  Irby  informs  me  that  auotlier  Seville  specimen  of  A.  clanya,  a 
nearly  adult  bird,  is  in  the  collection  of  Lord  Lilford. 

t  Vide  '  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  Muaeiun  of  the  Asiatic  Society,' 
p.  24. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  419 

curved  inner  and  hinder  claws,  culmen  comparatively  shorter 
and  more  rounded,  also,  in  many  species,  an  occipital  crest, 
and^  in  many,  yellow  irides. 

In  the  large  majority  of  Hawk-Eagles  the  tarsi  are  fea- 
thered ;  but  in  a  few  instances,  to  which  I  shall  have  occasion 
subsequently  to  refer,  they  are  bare  of  feathers  and  are 
scutellated. 

Those  of  the  Hawk-Eagles  which  differ  least  from  the 
typical  Aquilinse  are  comprised  in  the  genus  Nisaetus ;  but 
this  genus  is  composed  of  three  very  distinguishable  minor 
sections,  of  which  I  should  arrange  as  the  first  the  Dwarf 
Eagles  N.  pennatus  and  N.  morphnoides — two  species  which 
form  the  subgenus  Hieraetus  of  Kaup,  and  which,  perhaps, 
might  properly  be  kept  distinct  under  that  designation; 
secondly,  N.  fasciatus  (the  type  of  the  genus  Nisaetus)  and 
N.  spilogaster ;  and,  thirdly,  N.  bellicosus,  which  is  placed  by 
Mr.  Sharpe  amongst  the  Spizaeti,  but  which  (following  the 
examples  of  Blyth'^  and  Jerdonf)  I  refer  to  the  genus  Ni- 
saetus, considering  it  decidedly  too  long  in  the  wing  to  be 
appropriately  arranged  among  the  more  short- winged  of  the 
Hawk-Eagles,  in  which  company  it  appears  in  Mr.  Sharpens 
volume. 

Subsequently  to  the  publication  of  Mr.  Sharpe's  work, 
very  full  accounts  of  Nisaetus  pennatus  have  appeared  in  Mr. 
Dresser^s  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  and  also  in  M.  Bureau''s  inter- 
esting brochure,  which  has  already  been  noticed  in  'The 
Ibis  •"  [antea,  p.  245) ;  and  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  the 
information  there  supplied,  except  to  record  that  the  Norwich 
Museum  possesses  a  specimen  from  Moulmein,  which  is  a 
more  eastern  locality  than  any  recorded  either  by  Mr,  Sharpe 
or  by  Mr.  Dresser. 

To  Mr.  Sharpe  ornithologists  are  indebted  for  pointing  out 
an  excellent  criterion  for  distinguishing  this  Eagle  from  its 
nearly  allied  Australian  congener,  N.  morphnoides,  in  the  fact 
that  in  the  latter,  and  not  in  the  former,  the  under  surface 

*  Vide  'Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society/  vol.  xiv.  p.  174. 
t  Vide  '  Birds  of  India,'  vol.  i.  p.  67  (note). 

2g  2 


420  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

of  the  primaries  is  conspicuously  "  barred  throughout  with 
greyish  buff"*. 

The  localities  quoted  by  Mr.  Sharpe  for  iV.  morphnoides 
are  South  Australia  aud  Queensland^  to  which  West  Australia 
should  be  added;  as  the  Norwich  Museum  contains  an  ex- 
ample from  the  Swan  Rivcr^  and  as  others  from  King  George^s 
Sound  are  recorded  at  page  29  of  Mr.  Ramsay^s  '  Catalogue 
of  Australian  Accipitres/  where  some  interesting  information 
will  also  be  found  relating  to  the  variations  of  plumage  inci- 
dent to  this  species^  which  may  be  compared  with  Mr.  Sharpens 
additional  observations  on  the  same  subject  in  the  P.  Z.  S. 
1875,  p.  338. 

Nisaetus  fasciatus,  like  N.jjennatus,  has,  subsequently  to  the 
issue  of  Mr.  Sharpens  volume,  been  the  subject  of  an  article 
in  Mr.  Dresser's  '  Birds  of  Europe  :'  much  valuable  and  de- 
tailed information  respecting  the  geographical  distribution  of 
this  Eagle  is  contained  in  this  article ;  but  by  some  oversight 
the  author  erroneously  cites  Damara  Land  as  a  locality  for 
this  species,  and  quotes,  as  applying  to  it,  the  late  Mr.  Anders- 
son's  remarks  on  its  more  southern  congener,  N.  spilogaster-\. 

In  reality  there  is,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  no  trustworthy 
record  of  the  occurrence  of  N.  fasciatus  in  South  A.frica ;  and 
with  regard  to  its  occurrence  at  Biballa  and  Huilla,  in  the  Por- 
tuguese possessions  in  South- Western  Africa,  recorded  in  the 
'  Journal  fiir  Ornitliologie '  for  1876,  p.  308,  it  seems  proba- 
ble, as  suggested  by  Mr.  Sharpe  at  page  38  of  his  edition  of 
Layard's  '  Birds  of  South  Africa/  that  an  error  of  identi- 
fication may  have  occurred,  and  a  further  investigation  may 
show  that  N.  spilogaster  has  been  mistaken  for  N.  fasciatus — 
a  mistake  which,  as  I  have  already  pointed  out  at  p.  138  of 
' The  Ibis'  for  1868,  may  readily  arise  from  the  resemblance 

*  In  Mr.  Dresser's  article  on  N.  pemiattis,  he  speaks  of  the  "  under 
surface  of  the  wings  being  mottled  "  in  N.  morphnoides ;  but,  judging  from 
the  specimens  I  have  examined,  I  should  say  that  the  word  "  barred " 
describes  the  peculiarity  more  accurately  than  "  mottled." 

t  Vide  'Notes  on  the  Birds  of  Damara  Land,'  pp.  7  &  8,  where  the 
original  error  on  this  point,  which  arose  from  a  mistake  of  my  ovav,  will 
be  found  corrected ;  Mr.  Dresser,  no  doubt,  quoted  from  the  first  edition 
of  Mr.  Layard's  'Birds  of  South  Africa,'  p.  11. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  421 

between  the  females  of  N.  spilogaster  and  the  males  of  N. 
fasciatus,  in  size  as  well  as  in  general  coloration. 

There  is,  however,  a  variation  in  the  markings  of  the  under 
surface  in  specimens  of  N.  spilogaster,  to  which  I  am  desirous 
of  briefly  alluding.  Two  distinct  phases  of  such  markings 
occur  in  adult  specimens,  or  at  least  in  specimens  which 
are  so  far  adult  as  to  have  passed  beyond  the  stage  of  plumage 
which  characterizes  this  Eagle  in  its  first  year ;  and  one  of 
these  phases  is  much  more  analogous  to  the  character  of 
the  lower  portions  of  the  plumage 'in  A^'./asda^M^  than  the 
other.  Thus,  in  some  individuals  the  white  of  the  underparts 
is  merely  interspersed  with  sparse  and  narrow  dark  shaft- 
marks,  slightly  more  conspicuous  than  the  corresponding 
markings  in  N.  fasciatus,  but  otherwise  of  a  similar  cha- 
ractei',  whilst  in  other  specimens  the  dark  markings  on  the 
under  surface  are  much  more  numerous  and  also  very  much 
broader. 

Whether  this  difference  is  due  to  sex  or  to  disparity  of  age 
I  am  unable  to  say  :  the  Norwich  Museum  possesses  two 
nearly  adult  females  of  the  former  type  from  the  Zambesi, 
and  two  adult  males  of  the  latter,  one  from  the  Zambesi  and 
the  other  from  Natal;  on  the  other  hand,  the  specimen 
figured  on  pi.  1  of  Miiller's  '  Oiseaux  d'Afrique,^  which  is  there 
stated  to  be  a  male,  is  represented  in  the  less  conspicuously 
variegated  plumage,  resembling  that  of  the  two  females  pre- 
served at  Norwich. 

As  Mr.  Sharpe  states  that  this  species  is  an  inhabitant  of 
'^  North-eastern  Africa,"  it  may  be  well  to  add  that,  so  far 
as  I  am  aware,  it  has  never  been  obtained  to  the  north  of  the 
20th  degree  of  north  latitude. 

With  reference  to  the  remaining  species  of  this  genus,  N. 
bellicosus,  I  may  remark  that  the  darker  portions  of  the  plu- 
mage in  the  adult  bird  appear  somewhat  liable  to  fade ;  and 
Mr.  Sharpens  description  seems  to  me  to  have  been  taken 
from  a  partially  faded  specimen.  In  a  very  fine  adult  example 
in  perfect  plumage,  which  I  examined  last  year  in  the  Zoolo- 
gical Gardens  at  Antwerp,  all  the  darker  portions  of  the 
plumage  were   slaty  black,  with   the   feathers   of  the  upper 


422  Mr.  J.  H.  Gumey's  Notes  on 

parts,  except  the  head  and  neck_,  broadly  barred  transversely 
with  grey,  those  of  the  mantle  also  showing  dark  shaft-marks 
and  being  narrowly  tipped  with  white. 

I  may  further  observe  that  Mr.  Sharpens  note  as  to  the 
habitat  of  this  Eagle  implies  that  it  is  restricted  to  South 
Africa,  which  is  not  the  case  :  on  the  western  side  of  that 
continent  it  has  been  obtained  as  far  north  as  Bissao,  spe- 
cimens from  that  locality  being  preserved  in  the  Museums  at 
Leyden"^  and  Norwich;  whilst  to  the  east  it  has  certainly 
occurred  as  far  north  as  Zanzibar  f,  and  probably  in  Abys- 
sinia and  on  the  White  Nile  J. 

From  the  genus  Nisaetus  we  may  naturally  pass  to  the 
consideration  of  the  more  typical  Hawk-Eagles ;  but  before 
doing  so  it  will  be  convenient  to  refer  to  three  aberrant  genera, 
Spiziastur,  Lophoaetus,  and  Neopus,  each  consisting  of  but  a 
single  species. 

Sjnziastur  melanoleucus,  a  native  of  tropical  America,  is 
remarkable  for  the  extraordinary  development  of  its  inner 
and  hind  claws,  which  are  the  most  powerful,  in  proportion 
to  the  size  of  the  bird,  of  those  of  any  species  of  this  group  ; 
but  for  this  peculiarity  it  might  very  well  be  included  in 
the  genus  Nisaetus,  which  it  resembles  in  the  circum- 
stance of  its  wings  being  proportionally  longer  than  those 
of  the  more  typical  Hawk-Eagles,  and  also  in  the  very 
slight  development  of  its  occipital  crest;  in  common  with 
the  majority  of  the  Hawk-Eagles  it  possesses  the  Astiunne 
yellow  iris  §. 

Lophoaetus  occipitalis  is  an  African  form,  and  remarkable  for 
the  extraordinary  development  of  the  occipital  crest,  which 
is  greater,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird,  in  this  than 

*  Vide  'Museum  des  Pays-Bas/  Accipitres,  p.  50. 

t  Vide  Fiuscli  and  Hartlaub's  '  Vog-el  Ost-Afrika's,'  p.  47. 

I  Vide  Vou  Ileuglin's  '  Systematisclie  Uebersiclit,'  p.  7,  and  '  Oruitlio- 
logie  Nordost-Afrika's/  p.  59;  it  seems,  however,  not  impossible  that  the 
species  referred  to,  doubtfully,  by  Von  Heuglin  may  have  been  Sinzaettis 
coronattis. 

§  My  authority  for  the  colour  of  the  iris  is  a  memorandum  attached  to 
a  specimen  obtained  in  Guatemala  by  Mr.  Skinner,  and  preserved  in  the 
N(ii'wich  Museum. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  423 

in  any  other  Hawk-Eagle :  it  also  has  a  very  bright  yellow 
iris ;  but  in  other  respects  its  Asturine  affinities  appear  to  be 
but  slight,  its  wings  being  proportionally  more  elongated 
than  in  the  typical  members  of  the  group,  and  its  bill  and 
talons  being  comparatively  feeble. 

Mr.  Sharpe  describes  this  species  as  having  for  its  "  range 
the  whole  of  Africa,"  which  is  not  quite  accurate.  I  believe 
that  Drs.  Finsch  and  Hartlaub  are  correct  in  stating,  at  p,  51 
of  the  '  Vogel  Ost-Afrikas,''  that  its  northward  range  does  not 
extend  beyond  the  16th  degree  of  north  latitude.  Mr. 
Sharpe  also  omits  to  mention  that  this  species  is  found  in 
Madagascar,  a  circumstance  which  appears  to  be  satisfactorily 
established"^. 

The  third,  and  perhaps  the  most  remarkable,  of  these 
three  aberrant  forms  is  the  oriental  Neopus  malayensis,  a  spe- 
cies which  is  Aquiline  in  the  form  of  its  bill,  in  the  length 
of  its  wings,  and  in  the  dark  colour  of  the  iris,  but  which  is 
allied  to  the  Hawk-Eagles  by  its  largely  developed  tail,  and 
in  a  still  greater  and  (if  the  phrase  may  be  permitted)  in  an 
exaggerated  degree  by  its  powerful  inner  toe  with  an  enor- 
mous claw,  which,  together,  are  more  than  twice  the  length 
of  the  outer  toe  and  claw,  the  latter  being  comparatively  di- 
minutive. The  claws  in  this  species  are  proportionally  longer 
and  less  curved  than  those  of  any  other  Hawk -Eagle ;  and 
their  comparatively  slender  shape  probably  renders  them 
somewhat  less  powerful  than  would  otherwise  be  the  case. 

Mr.  Sharpe  amalgamates  the  genera  Spizaetus  and  Lim~ 
7iaetus ;  but  I  think  it  better  to  separate  the  shorter- winged 
species,  S.  ornatus-f,  S.  tyr annus,  and  S.  coronatus,  under 
the  title  of  Spizaetus,  of  which  genus  S.  ornatus  is  the  type, 
and  to  allow  the  remaining  species  included  by  Mr.  Sharpe 

*  Vide  Ilartlaub's  '  Ornithologischer  Beitrag  sur  Fauna  Madagascars,' 
p.  16,  and  '  Vogel  Madagascars,'  p.  4. 

t  Mr.  Sharpe  substitutes  for  the  specific  name  of  '^ornatus"  commonly 
in  use,  that  of"  mauduyti" — which  I  consider  undesirable,  as  the  two  names 
were  published  simultaneously,  and  as  the  description  given  under  the 
head  of  "  ornatics  "  is  the  clearer  of  the  two,  being  evidently  taken  from 
a  more  adult  example. 


424  iMr.  J.  H.  Gumey's  Notes  on 

in  that  genus  to  stand  under  the  generic  name  of  Limnaetus, 
of  which  L.  cahgatus  is  the  type,  and  under  which  I  would 
also  include  L.  kieneri  and  L.  isidori,  wdiich  Mr.  Sharpe  has 
separated  under  the  generic  name  of  Lophotriorchis,  hut,  as 
I  venture  to  think,  on  somewhat  insufficient  grounds. 

I  propose  to  refer  first  to  the  genus  Limnaetus,  and  subse- 
quently to  Spiza'etus. 

In  the  *  Proceedings  '  of  the  Zoological  Society  for  1860, 
p.  342,  my  late  friend,  Mr.  G.  R,  Gray,  described  and  figured, 
under  the  name  of  Aquila  gurnerji,  a  very  fine  Eagle,  which 
was  first  obtained  by  Mr.  Wallace  in  Batchian,  but  which  also 
occurs  in  several  other  islands  of  the  eastern  ocean,  as  enu- 
merated in  Mr.  Sharpens  volume.  Mr.  Sharpe  includes  this 
species  in  the  genus  Spizaetus  ;  I  am,  myself,  disposed  to 
agree  in  this  view  so  far  as  to  consider  it  a  somewhat  ab- 
normal species  of  that  portion  of  Mr.  Sharpe's  genus  Spi- 
zaetus, for  which  I  would  use  the  more  restricted  title  of  Lim- 
naetus. I  think,  however,  that  there  is  a  considerable  degree 
of  truth  in  the  remark  made  by  Mr.  Gray  in  his  original 
description  of  this  species,  that  "^this  fine  bird  partakes  of 
the  form  of  Aquila  malayensis ;"  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that 
I  allude  to  it  as  next  in  order  to  that  species,  which  it  recalls 
by  its  very  large  (though  more  curved)  inner  claw,  by  its 
somewhat  elongated  bill  and  wings,  and  by  its  largely  de- 
veloped and  narrowly  barred  tail ;  the  iris,  however,  is  of  a 
different  character,  being  stated  by  Mr.  Wallace  to  be  "  yel- 
low-olive^''^. 

Limnaetus  gurneyi  appears  to  be  always  destitute  of  a 
crest,  in  which  respect  it  resembles  another  and  much  more 
typical  species,  Limnaetus  lanceolatus,  of  Celebes,  respecting 
which  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  the  notice  contained  in  Mr. 
Sharpe's  volume,  except  to  mention  that  it  also  inhabits  the 
Sula  Islands  f ;  and  I  will  therefore  proceed  now  to  consider  its 
nearly  allied  but  more  widely  distributed  congener,  Limnaetus 

*  Vide  Ibis,  1868,  p.  13. 

t  Vide  Sclilegel's  '  Valk-Vogels,'  pi.  7.  fig.  3 ;  also  the  Marquis  of  Tweed- 
dale's  paper  on  the  Birds  of  Celebes,  in  the  '  Transactions '  of  the  Zoo- 
ogical  Society,  vol.  viii.  p.  34. 


Ml'.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  425 

caligatus  (the  Spizaetus  limnaetusoi  Mr.  Sharpens  Catalogue), 
which  is  also  usually,  though  not  invariably,  a  crestless  species, 
or  with  the  crest  but  very  slightly  developed"^. 

This  Hawk -Eagle  occurs  under  two  very  distinct  phases 
of  plumage,  if,  indeed,  both  be  really  referable  to  one  species  : 
these  are  the  white-  or  pale-fulvous-headed  and  white -breasted 
phase  figured  at  ph  127  of  TemmincVs  '  Planches  Coloriees,' 
under  the  name  of  Falco  niveus,  and  the  fuliginous  or  melan- 
istic  phase  figured  at  pi.  134  of  the  same  work,  and  also  on 
pi.  36  of  Horsfield^s  '  Zoological  Researches  in  Java '  under 
that  of  Falco  limnaetus ;  besides  which,  specimens  occur  appa- 
rently intermediate  between  these  two  extremes  of  coloration. 

All  three  of  the  above-mentioned  phases  are  also  figured 
in  SchlegeFs  '  V alk- Vogels,^  in  which  very  useful  work  the 
pale-headed  phase  is  represented  on  pi.  6.  fig.  2,  from  Floresf, 
and  on  pi.  8.  fig.  2,  from  Java  ;  the  intermediate  on  pi.  6.  fig.  3, 
from  Java,  and  on  pi.  7.  fig.  1,  from  Borneo  ;  and  the  wholly 
fuliginous  on  pi.  8.  fig.  1,  from  Java. 

Mr.  Sharpe  describes  the  latter  phase  as  the  adult  plumage 
of  the  species ;  but  it  appears  to  be  certain  that  it  is  sometimes 
assumed  from  the  nest :  one  of  the  figures  in  SchlegeFs  '  Valk- 
Vogels'  (pi.  8.  fig.  3)  represents  a  nestling  from  Java  in 
which  the  fuliginous  plumage  is  immediately  succeeding  the 
down ;  this  is  probably  the  same  specimen  which  is  thus  de- 
scribed in  the  'Museum  des  Pays  Pas^  (Astures,  p.  11): — 
"  No.  30,  tres-jeune  individu  retire  du  nid,  revetu  en  partie 
du  duvet,  en  partie  de  plumes,  le  duvet  blanc,  les  plumes  d^un 
brun-noir  uniforme,  Java.^' 

*  I  have  never  seen  a  specimen  of  either  phase  of  colouring  with  a 
crest  exceeding  an  inch  in  length  ;  but  instances  of  longer  crests  have  been 
recorded. 

t  This  is  the  only  specimen  I  am  acquainted  with  from  any  locality 
east  of  Java;  Professor  Schlegel  remarks  respecting  it  (' Valk-Vogels/ 
p.  55),  "il  ressemble  en  general  a  la  variete  a  teintes  claires  de  Java,  mais 
il  a  le  blanc  beaucoup  plus  pur,  tandis  que  le  bran  du  dos,  des  ailes,  et  de 
la  queue  est  beaucoup  plus  fence  et  presque  noir."  In  the  Supplementary 
Catalogue  of  the  Museum  des  Pays  Bas  (Accipitres,  p.  57)  the  follow- 
ing measurements  are  given  of  this  specimen — "aile  16  ponces  3  lignes, 
queue  11  pouces  3  lignes." 


426  Mr.  J,  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

Dr.  Horsfield^  in  the  article  on  "  Falco  limnaetus,"  in  his 
*  Zoological  Researches  in  Java/  writes  thus, — "Both  the  testi- 
mony of  the  natives  and  the  remarks  I  personally  made  on  the 
manners  of  our  bird  have  fully  convinced  me  that  F.  niveus 
is  a  species  distinct  from  F.  limnaetus."  The  same  view  was 
taken  by  Dr.  Bernstein,  who  also  resided  for  some  years  in 
Java,  and  the  substance  of  whose  remarks  on  this  subject, 
extracted  from  his  article  in  vol.  viii.  of  the  '  Journal  fiir 
Ornithologie '  (pp.  419-425),  I  here  subjoin: — "It  is  cer- 
tainly not  to  be  deaied  that  there  is  not  any  difference  be- 
tween the  measurements  of  F.  niveus  and  F.  limnaetus,  and 
that  very  dusky-coloured  individuals  of  F.  niveus  occur  which 
seem  to  form  the  transition  from  that  species  to  F.  limnaetus. 
Nevertheless,  having  shot  numerous  individuals  and  compared 
them  anatomically,  having  observed  others  at  the  nest,  taken 
the  young  from  it,  reared  and  kept  them  for  years,  I  cannot 
do  otherwise  than  express  myself  against  the  identity  of  the 
two  species.  I  have  found  the  nest  of  i^.  limnaetus  nine  times, 
and  observed  the  old  ones  at  it ;  both  always  belonged  to  the 
same  species :  the  young  are  at  first  covered  with  fine  white 
down,  between  which,  here  and  there,  the  brown  feathers  of 
the  perfect  plumage  begin  to  appear;  and  three  which  I  brought 
up  corresponded  perfectly  with  the  old  ones.  The  nest  of  F, 
niveus  I  found  four  times ;  and  two  of  these  contained  a  single 
half-fledged  young  bird,  both  of  which  I  took  and  reared : 
in  their  first  plumage  the  throat  was  pure  white,  but  with 
three  more  or  less  distinct  dusky  streaks  (wliich  are  also  per- 
ceptible on  the  throat  of  F.  limnaetus) .  The  breast  and  abdo- 
men are  also  white,  but  with  large  blackish  brown  longitudinal 
spots,  whilst  the  thighs  have  rather  lighter  narrow  transverse 
streaks ;  the  feathers  of  the  head  and  nape  are  dirty  white, 
assuming  a  brownish  hue  towards  the  tip,  and  with  blackish 
brown  shaft-marks ;  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  scapulars 
are  grey-brown,  darker  towards  the  tip,  and  lighter,  and  ulti- 
mately white,  towards  the  base ;  the  quill-feathers  are  brown, 
with  lighter  transverse  bars,  and  the  rectrices  similar  but 
paler :  with  increasing  age  the  dusky  shaft-marks  on  the 
head,  neck,  and  breast  seem  gradually  to  disappear  till  these 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharps' s  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  427 

parts  become  at  length  pure  white ;  such  pure  white  birds 
are  much  rarer  than  the  variegated  ones,  and  are,  from  their 
greater  shyness,  less  easily  shot.  I  obtained  two  specimens 
of  a  darker  variety,  in  which  the  white  on  the  back  and  under- 
parts  is  replaced  by  a  dirty  yellow-brown,  which  is  lighter  on 
the  throat  and  belly  than  on  the  breast  and  back ;  these  spe- 
cimens, however,  may  be  recognized  as  belonging  to  F.  niveus 
by  the  very  distinct  transverse  bars  on  their  wings  and  tail. 

"  On  a  minute  anatomical  comparison  of  i^.  limnaetus  and  F. 
niveus  some  differences  in  the  structure  of  the  skeleton  may 
be  observed,  which,  however  insignificant,  enable  me  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  skeletons  in  my  possession.  Thus,  for 
example,  the  space  between  the  processus  maxillares  of  the 
two  bones  of  the  palate  is  less  in  F.  limnaetus  than  in  F. 
niveus,  and  in  consequence  the  mussel-shaped  apophysis 
of  the  palate  of  the  upper  mandible-bone  contribute  more  to 
the  formation  of  the  hard  palate  in  the  latter  than  in  the 
former ;  also  in  the  skull  of  F.  limnaetus,  where  the  outer 
edge  of  the  palate-bone  passes  over  to  the  ossa  omoidea, 
there  is  on  each  side  a  sharp  angle  or  corner,  directed  out- 
ward and  backward,  whilst  in  F.  niveus  the  outer  edge  bends 
gradually  into  the  backward  one.  All  these  differences,  as 
well  as  the  general  anatomy  of  these  birds,  I  have  described 
more  minutely  in  a  separate  article  in  the  sixth  volume  of  the 
Treatises  of  the  Society  of  Natural  Philosophy  of  Batavia.^^ 

Mr.  Sharpe  gives  the  description  of  a  Sumatran  nestling 
of  the  paler  race  in  the  British  Museum,  which  seems  not  to 
differ  materially  from  the  Java  specimens  described  by  Dr. 
Bernstein. 

Whether  the  two  races  are  really  specifically  distinct,  or 
only  different  in  the  darker  being  an  hereditary  melanism  of 
the  paler,  and  whether  the  pale  birds  ever  assume  a  plumage 
resembling  those  which  are  melanistic  ab  ovo^',  must,  I  think, 
remain  an  open  question.     Should  the  two  races  be  admitted 

*  A  fuliginous  specimen  from  Java  in  the  Norwicli  Museum  has  some 
yellowish  white  feathers  scattered  about  the  lower  portion  of  the  tarsi ; 
and  some  wholly  fuliginous  specimens  certainly  show  more  variation  of 
tint  than  others. 


428  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

as  specifically  distinct,  the  paler  must  stand  as  Limnaetus 
caligatus  (Raffles) ,  and  the  fuliginous  as  L.  horsfieldi  (Vigors) . 
The  irides  in  both  races  are  said  by  Dr.  Bernstein  to  be 
dusky  brown ;  Dr.  Horsfield,  however  (probably  describing  an 
older  specimen),  speaks  of  the  irides  in  L.  horsfieldi  as  being 
yellow ;  those  of  L.  caligatus  he  does  not  mention. 

In  a  living  specimen  of  L.  caligatus  from  Upper  Burmah, 
presented  to  the  Zoological  Society  of  London  by  Captain  H. 
Feilden,  by  whom  it  was  taken  from  the  nest  near  Thayetmyo 
in  May  1871,  the  colour  of  the  irides  and  of  the  plumage  was 
thus  noted  by  me  when  I  saw  the  bird  in  November  1874 : — 
"  Iris  hazel ;  crest  very  slight ;  back  dark  (blackish  brown)  ; 
breast  and  abdomen  white,   with  large  longitudinal  brown 
marks ;  transverse  bars  of  a  lighter  brown  on  the  thighs ; 
tarsi  white  ;  upper  surface  of  tail  dark  brown,  with  four  darker 
bars  besides  the  terminal  one.^"     Captain  Feilden  was  so  good 
as  to  inform  me  that  up  to  the  date  when  he  last  saw  it 
(November  1873)   the  bird  had  undergone  no  change  from 
its  nestling-plumage,  "  except  losing  the  paler  edge  of  the 
wing-  and  tail-covert  feathers  common  to  all  Hawk-Eagles.^' 
Between  November  1874  and  October  1875,  when  the  bird 
died   whilst  moulting,    the   only  change  which  I   observed 
in  its  plumage  was  that  on  the   abdomen    and   flanks  the 
dark  brown  lanceolate  marks  had  considerably  extended  in 
breadth  towards  the  end  of  each  feather,  and  also  over  the 
whole  lower  part  of  the  feather  in  some  cases,  and  the  greater 
part  of  it  in  others. 

The  skin  of  this  specimen  is  now  preserved  in  the  Norwich 
Museum  ;  it  proved  on  dissection  to  be  a  male.' 

Captain  Feilden  wrote  to  me  that  he  had  frequently  shot 
adult  males  of  this  species,  which  were  all  very  similar  and 
not  unlike  the  specimen  presented  by  him  to  the  Zoological 
Society,  except  that  the  spots  on  the  breast  were  much  fewer 
and  smaller. 

I  have  measured  seventeen  specimens  of  L.  caligatus  from 
Java,  Borneo,  Malacca,  and  Nepal "^ :  the  largest  specimen 

*  The  specimen  from  Upper  iJm'mah,  described  above,  is  not  included 
in  these  measurements,  owing  to  the  imperfect  state  of  its  wings. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpes  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  429 

has  the  wing  17*2  and  the  tarsus  4*2  ;  in  the  smallest  the  wing 
is  13"5  and  the  tarsus  is  3'3  inches. 

I  have  also  measured  eight  specimens  of  L.  horsfieldi  from 
Java^  Borneo,  and  Malacca :  in  the  largest  of  these  the  wing 
measures  17  and  the  tarsus  4  ;  in  another  specimen  the  wing 
measures  16*4  and  the  tarsus  4*5  ;  in  the  smallest  of  the  eight 
the  wing  is  15"4  and  the  tarsus  3'6  inches. 

In  neither  race  does  there  appear  to  be  any  constant  dif- 
ference in  size  between  specimens  from  different  localities^. 

I  have  been  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  the  Marquis  of 
Tweeddale  for  an  opportunity  of  examining  a  specimen  in  his 
collection  of  the  Hawk-Eagle  inhabiting  the  Andaman  Islands, 
L.  andamanensis  (Tytler),  which  appears  to  differ  but  little, 
except  in  its  smaller  dimensions,  from  L.  caligatus  as  dis- 
tinguished from  L.  horsfieldi.  The  colour  of  the  iris  in  this 
species  appears  to  be  "  reddish  brown  "  f  in  some  specimens, 
and  "deep  yellow ^^ J  or  " amber "§  in  others. 

Since  the  publication  of  Mr.  Sharpens  volume  notices  of 
this  species  have  appeared  in  'The  Ibis'  for  1874,  p.  127, 
also  in  '  Stray  Feathers '  for  1874,  p.  142,  and  for  1876, 
p.  280,  which  should  be  consulted  for  further  information 
respecting  it. 

I  propose  now  to  refer  to  a  Hawk- Eagle  which  I  believe  to 
be  exclusively  Indian,  Limnaetus  cirrhatus,  respecting  the 
geographical  distribution  of  which  Mr.  Hume  has  the  fol- 
lowing remark  in  *  Stray  Feathers,''  vol.  iii.  p.  46  : — "  It  is  a 
Peninsular  species ;  and  a  line  drawn  from  Aboo  to  Etawah, 
and  thence  by  Shergotty  to  Calcutta,  indicates  very  fairly  its 
northern  limits. '' 

Mr.  Sharpe  records  two  immature  specimens  from  Nepal 

*  Since  writing  the  above  I  have  received  No.  1  of  vol.  v.  of '  Stray 
Feathers,'  which  contains  at  p.  9  an  important  note  on  Limnaetus  cali- 
gatus, that  should  by  all  means  be  consulted,  especially  as  showing  the 
gi'eat  rarity  of  the  fuliginous  bird  (Z.  horsfieldi)  in  India,  which,  con- 
sidering its  comparative  abundance  in  Malacca  and  Java,  is,  I  think,  an 
argument  in  favour  of  its  specific  distinctness  from  L.  caligatus. 

t  Vide  Hume's  '  Rough  Notes,'  vol.  i.  p.  205. 

X  Vide  '  Stray  Feathers,'  1874,  p.  142. 

§  Vide  Ibis,  1874,  p.  127. 


430  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

as  existing  in  the  British  Museum,  which  I  recently  had  an 
opportunity  of  examining,  and  respecting  which  I  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  they  were  both  referable  to  L.  caligatus. 

L,  cirrhatus  appears  chiefly  to  differ  from  from  L.  caligatus 
in  possessing  an  elongated  occipital  crest,  which  varies  much 
in  length,  but,  I  believe,  is  never  entirely  absent,  except, 
perhaps,  very  rarely  in  moulting  specimens. 

So  far  as  I  know,  L.  cirrhatus  is  not  subject  to  melanism. 

In  '  Stray  Feathers,'  vol.  iv.  p.  356,  Mr.  Hume  gives  an 
account  of  the  changes  of  plumage  and  colouring  incident  to 
this  Hawk-Eagle  in  its  progress  to  maturity.  These  changes 
appear  to  occur  almost  entirely  in  the  reverse  order  to  those 
observed  by  Dr.  Bernstein  in  the  case  of  Javan  specimens  of 
L.  caligatus — a  difference  which,  should  it  prove  constant,  will 
strongly  confirm  the  entire  distinctness  of  the  two  species ; 
I  suspect,  however,  that  the  changes  through  which  L.  cali- 
gatus passes  will  prove  somewhat  variable,  and  that  the  dif- 
ferences between  it  and  L.  cirrhatus  in  this  respect  will  not 
prove  altogether  constant.  The  plumage  of  a  Sumatran  nest- 
ling of  L.  caligatus,  which  is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum 
and  described  in  Mr.  Sharpens  volume,  appears  to  indicate 
that  such  is  the  fact. 

I  have  not  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  many  examples 
of  the  Indian  L.  cirrhatus ;  but  of  four,  respecting  which  I 
have  preserved  memoranda,  the  largest  measured  17*4  inches 
in  the  wing  and  4-5  in  the  tarsus,  the  smallest  16'3  in  the 
wing  and  3*5  in  the  tarsus. 

Limnaetus  ceylonensis  {Falco  ceylonensis  of  Gmelin),  the 
ordinary  Hawk-Eagle  of  Ceylon,  which  Mr.  Sharpe  identifies 
with  L.  cirrhatus,  is  a  decidedly  smaller  bird ;  I  have  mea- 
sured ten  Ceylonese  specimens,  of  which  the  largest  had  the 
wing  15'2  inches  in  length  from  the  carpal  joint,  and  the 
tarsus  3*6,  and  the  smallest  had  the  wing  14  inches  and  the 
tarsus  3*4. 

Judging  from  the  specimens  which  I  have  seen,  I  should 
say  that  the  ordinary  plumage  of  L.  ceylonensis  varies  but 
little,  and  much  resembles  the  first  dress  of  L.  cirrhatus  as 
described  by  Mr.  Hume  in  '  Stray  Feathers,'  vol.  iv.  p.  356. 


Ml'.  R.  B.  Sharpens  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.  431 

Mr.  Layard,  in  his  papers  on  the  ornithology  of  Ceylon, 
published  in  the  '  Annals  of  Natural  History '  for  1851,  refers 
to  the  ordinary  Hawk-Eagle  of  that  island*  under  the  title 
of  "  Spizaetus  limnaetus,  Horsf./^  and  appends  to  his  account 
of  it  the  following  remark : — "  There  is  a  singularly  dark 
variety  of  this  species  which  I  have  only  seen  at  Port  Pedro, 
and  that  but  very  rarely /■"  The  only  Ceylonese  specimen 
which  I  have  seen  that  could  at  all  be  called  a  "  dark  variety/^ 
is  a  living  one  recently  presented  by  Captain  W.  V.  Legge 
to  the  Zoological  Society  of  London.  This  bird  much  resem- 
bles in  plumage  that  of  Captain  Feilden's  Thayetmyo  speci- 
men of  L.  caligatus,  which  I  have  already  described ;  but  it 
seemed  to  me  to  be  decidedly  smaller,  and  it  has  an  occipital 
crest  which,  though  not  now  much  elongated,  is  slender  and 
well  defined ;  the  irides  in  this  specimen  are  a  pale  greyish 
straw-colour.  I  understand  that  it  is  now  five  years  old,  and 
was  taken  from  the  nest  near  Point  de  Galle  by  Captain  Legge, 
who  informs  me  that  he  intends  to  favour  the  readers  of '  The 
Ibis '  with  some  notes  on  the  changes  of  plumage  which  it 
has  undergone,  and  on  those  of  the  Ceylon  Sjnzaeti  generally. 
I  understand  from  Captain  Legge  that  the  colour  of  the  iris 
in  this  specimen  is  that  usual  to  the  young  bird  of  both  the 
paler  and  the  darker  phases  of  plumage,  and  that  both  these 
have  a  yellow  iris  when  adult,  which  this  individual  has 
probably  not  acquired  in  consequence  of  having  been  kept 
in  captivity. 

Mr.  Hume's  description  of  his  L.  sphijnx,  from  Travancoref, 
seems  to  me  to  be  probably  referable  to  a  specimen  of  L. 
ceylonensis  intermediate  in  coloration  between  the  ordinary 
pale-chested  Ceylon  bird  and  the  darker  plumage  exhibited 
in  the  specimen  lately  presented  by  Captain  Legge  to  the 
Zoological  Society. 

I  propose  now  to  refer  to  Limnaetus  nipalensis,  respecting 
which  I  have  to  remark  that  Japan  and  Formosa  should  be 
added  to  the  localities  quoted  for  this  species  by  Mr.  Sharpe. 

*  One  of  Mr.  Layard's  Ceylon  specimens  is  preserved  in  the  Norwich 
Museum. 

t  Vide  '  Stray  Feathers/  vol.  i.  p.  321. 


432  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney's  Notes  on 

Specimens  from  both  Formosa  and  Japan  are  preserved  in  the 
Norwich  Museum ;  and  the  only  figure  of  this  fine  species 
yet  published  is,  I  believe^  that  of  a  Japanese  specimen,  not 
fully  adult,  which  is  given  on  pi.  3  of  the  '  Fauna  Jajjonica.^ 
L.  nipalensis  has  thus  a  more  northern  range  than  any  other 
species  of  the  genus. 

I  may  here  mention  that  by  an  accidental  error  the  de- 
scription of  a  nestling  of  Spilornis  cheela,  preserved  in  the 
British  Museum,  has  been  inserted  at  p.  267  of  Mr.  Sharpe's 
volume  as  that  of  a  nestling  of  Lhnnaetus  nipalensis.  The 
tarsi  in  this  very  young  specimen  are  greatly  decayed,  which 
probably  led  to  this  mistake. 

It  is  remarkable,  as  has  been  already  pointed  out  by  the 
Marquis  of  Tweeddale  *,  that  the  peculiarity  which  appears  in 
this,  the  largest  of  the  Limnaeti,  of  the  tarsal  feathering  extend- 
ing onto  the  first  joint  of  the  middle  toe,  is  shared  by  only  one 
other  species,  and  that  the  smallest  of  the  genus,  L.  alhoniger, 
respecting  which  I  have  nothing  further  to  add  to  Mr.  Sharpe's 
account,  except  to  observe  that  the  Avhite  tip  to  the  crest  in 
the  adult  plumage  is  not  a  constant  character,  and  also  that 
the  Hawk-Eagle  from  Java,  figured  in  Schlegel's  'Valk- 
Vogels,'  pi.  6.  fig.  1,  appears  to  me  to  be  probably  an  imma- 
ture example  of  this  species,  judging  from  this  figure  and 
from  the  measurements  of  the  bird  quoted  in  the  '  Museum 
des  Pays-Bas,'  Astures,  p.  11. 

Another  of  the  smaller  eastern  Limnaeti  is  L.  philippensis, 
which  appears  to  be  confined  to  the  Philippine  Islands.  Tliis 
species  is  well  figured  in  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale's  valuable 
paper  on  the  Birds  of  the  Philippine  Archipelago  f  from  an 
adult  specimen  in  the  Norwich  Museum ;  a  slightly  younger 
bird  in  the  same  collection  is  somewhat  paler,  especially  about 
the  head,  and  is  less  distinctly  barred  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  tarsi. 

There  is  but  one  other  eastern  Hawk-Eagle,  L.  kieneri, 
which  Mr.  Sharpe  makes  the  type  of  his  genus  Lophotriorchis. 
This  bird  certainly  differs,  in  the  character  of  its  coloration,  both 

*  Vide  Ibis,  1874,  p.  128. 

t  Vide  '■  Transactions  of  the  Zoological  Society,'  vol.  ix.  pi.  24. 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres.  433 

when  immature  and  when  adult,  from  the  other  eastern  Lim- 
naeti ;  and  it  also  has  a  somewhat  less  development  of  the  tail ; 
I  doubt^  however^  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  its  being  really 
generically  separable  from  the  genus  Limna'etus. 

The  immature  plumage  of  this  Hawk-Eagle  will  be  found 
described  in  the  addenda  to  Mr.  Sharpens  volume  at  p.  458, 

To  the  localities  quoted  by  Mr.  Sharpe  for  this  species, 
Batchian,  Java,  and  Ceylon  must  be  added,  a  specimen  from 
each  of  these  islands  being  preserved  in  the  Norwich  Museum. 
In  '  Stray  Feathers,'  vol.  v.  p.  10,  Mr.  Hume  records  this 
species  from  N.E.  Cachar,  and  adds  that  "  in  N.E.  India,  as 
In  Sikkim,  for  instance,  it  is  far  from  uncommon;  "  it  is, 
however,  a  decidedly  rare  species  in  European  Museums. 

Mr.  Sharpe  associates  with  L.  kieneri,  in  his  genus  Lopho- 
triorchis,  L.  isidori  of  N.W.  South  America,  a  much  larger 
species,  of  similar  colouring,  both  in  its  first  and  last  stages 
of  plumage,  but  with  a  more  largely  developed  tail. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  A.  Dubois,  I  had  the  op- 
portunity, last  year,  of  examining,  at  the  Royal  Museum  of 
Natural  History  at  Brussels,  the  two  type  specimens  of  "  Spi- 
zuetus  devillii,"  figured  and  described  by  that  gentleman  in 
the  '  Bulletins  de  PAcademie  Royal  de  Belgique,"  2nd  series, 
vol.  xxxviii.  pts.  1  &  2,  and  found  them  to  be  immature  ex- 
amples of  L.  isidori — that  figured  by  Dr.  Dubois  on  pi.  1  as 
"  S.  devillii,  adult,''''  being  the  first  yearns  plumage  of  L.  isi- 
dori, and  that  represented  on  pi.  2  as  "  S.  devillii,  jeune," 
being  a  very  curious  stage,  intermediate  between  the  first 
dress  of  L.  isidori  and  the  fully  adult  plumage  figured  by 
Des  Murs  in  the  '  Iconographie  Ornithologique,^  pi.  1. 

Neither  of  these  immature  stages  are  described  by  Mr. 
Sharpe ;  but  they  may  be  readily  recognized  by  a  reference 
to  the  figures  and  descriptions  supplied  by  Dr.  Dubois. 

The  Norwich  Museum  contains  a  specimen  of  L.  isidori 
in  its  first,  and  also  one  in  its  last  stage  of  plumage ;  but  I 
have  never  seen  the  intermediate  dress,  except  at  Brussels. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  this  intermediate  dress  has  no  cor- 
responding phase,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  in  L.  kieneri. 

The  two  specimens  of  this  rare  species  preserved  in  the 

SER.  IV. — VOL.  I.  2  H 


434  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney^s  Notes  on 

Brussels  Museum  are  from  Baiza,  in  Ecuador ;  those  in  the 
Norwich  Museum  are,  like  the  type  specimen  figured  by 
Des  Murs,  from  New  Granada ;  and  an  adult  example  in 
the  collection  of  Messrs.  Salvin  and  Godman  is  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  Medelhn^  in  the  Columbian  province  of 
Antioquia. 

Of  the  Hawk-Eagles  with  feathered  tarsi  there  remain  but 
three  to  notice,  those  to  which  I  propose  to  restrict  the  generic 
name  Spizaetus,  viz.  S.  ornatus  and  S.  tyr annus  of  Tropical 
America,  and  S.  coronatus  of  Africa.  These  three  species 
exhibit  to  a  still  greater  extent  than  those  of  the  genus  Lim- 
naetus  the  short  wings  and  largely  developed  tails  which  are 
more  or  less  conspicuous  in  the  large  majority  of  the  group 
which  I  would  (as  already  mentioned)  designate  imder  the 
title  of  Thrasaetinse.  All  these  three  Hawk-Eagles  have  a 
yellow  iris  when  adult ;  but  it  is  of  a  brighter  and  deeper 
yellow  in  the  two  American  species  than  in  their  African 
congener. 

With  regard  to  the  two  first-named  species,  I  have  nothing 
to  add  to  Mr.  Sharpens  account,  except  to  remark  with  refer- 
ence to  the  definition  of  the  principal  colour  of  the  adult  of 
S.  tyr annus  as  'HDlack  above  and  below,''^  that  a  specimen 
now  living  in  the  Gardens  of  the  Zoological  Society  exhibited, 
when  it  first  acquired  its  adult  dress,  a  decided  slaty  tinge  on 
the  black  portions  of  the  plumage,  and  especially  on  the 
head  and  underparts,  which  probably  disappears  as  the  fea- 
thers become  worn,  and  in  specimens  which  have  been  long 
preserved. 

Mr.  Sharpe  defines  the  habitat  of  S.  coronatus  as  "  South 
and  West  Africa,^^  and  in  his  edition  of  Layard^s  ^  Birds  of 
South  Africa,'  p.  39,  gives  Senegal  as  its  north-west  and 
Natal  as  its  north-eastern  limit,  so  far  as  has  at  present  been 
ascertained.  It  is  curious  that  this  noble  species  has  not  yet 
been  recognized  further  to  the  northward  in  East  Africa ;  but 
such  is,  I  believe,  the  fact. 

Spizaetus  coronatus  bears  a  remarkable  resemblance  in  its 
general  conformation  to  the  Great  Harpy  Eagle  of  Tropical 
America  {Thrasaetus  harpy ia);  but  the  latter  differs  from  it 


Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  0/ Accipitres.         435 

and  from  the  other  Hawk-Eagles  to  which  I  have  hitherto 
referred^  in  having  its  extraordinarily  powerful  tarsi  scutel- 
lated  instead  of  feathered — a  peculiarity  which  it  shares  with 
the  remaining  species  of  this  group. 

I  have  nothing  to  add  to  Mr.  Sharpens  account  of  the 
Harpy  Eagle,  except  to  suggest  a  doubt  as  to  whether  the 
young  bird  described  by  him  may  not  have  made  some  pro- 
gress towards  the  assumption  of  adult  dress.  I  have  a  strong 
impression  that  I  have  seen  young  birds  of  this  species  with 
much  less  black  about  them  than  that  described  by  Mr. 
Sharpe ;  but  I  am  not  able  at  the  present  moment  to  refer  to 
such  a  specimen,  or  to  give  the  description  of  such  a  one  in 
detail,  and  I  will  therefore  pass  to  an  allied  species  from 
Tropical  America,  Morplmus  guianensis,  which  appears,  from 
its  elongated  tarsi  and  short  toes,  to  lead  naturally  to  the 
next  group  which  I  shall  have  to  notice,  the  Circaetince,  or 
Harrier-Eagles. 

As  Mr.  Sharpe  does  not  describe  the  immature  plumage  of 
M.  guianensis,  I  add  the  following  particulars,  which  I  noted 
from  an  immature  specimen  in  the  Brussels  Museum : — 
Entire  head,  back  of  neck,  and  crest  pure  white;  entire 
mantle  very  pale  brownish  grey,  finely  vermiculated  with 
darker  markings  of  the  same ;  these  on  the  scapulars  assume 
the  form  of  six  irregular  transverse  bars,  and  of  three  similar 
bars  on  the  primary  coverts ;  lower  back  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  pure  white ;  bastard  wing  blackish  slate-colour,  with 
two  transverse  bars  and  a  tip  of  pale  mottled  brownish  grey ; 
primaries  with  four  to  five  such  bars  (the  uppermost  partly 
white)  and  a  light  tip ;  the  secondaries  and  tertials  with  similar 
bars  and  a  broad  pale  tip ;  tail  with  ten  dark  transverse  bars, 
between  which  are  narrow  interspaces  mottled  with  two 
shades  of  brownish  grey,  tip  of  tail  whitish  ;  similar  bars  are 
apparent  on  the  under  surface  of  the  tail ;  entire  remainder 
of  the  under  surface  of  the  bird  pure  white. 

Before  concluding  my  remarks  on  the  Thrasaetinse,  I  must 
allude  to  two  large  birds  of  prey  [Harjjyopsis  nova-guinece  and 
Megatriorchis  dorice)  recently  discovered  in  New  Guinea  by 
Signor  D'Albertis,  which  I  have  not  seen,  but  which,  I  think, 

2h  2 


436    Notes  on  Mr.  R.  B.  Sharpe's  Catalogue  of  Accipitres. 

most  probably  belong  to  the  Hawk-Eagles,  judging  from  the 
description  of  them  contributed  in  November  1875  by  Count 
T.  Salvadori  to  the  seventh  volume  of  the  '  Annali  del  Mus. 
Civ.  di  St.  Nat.  di  Genova.' 

As  but  few  English  ornithologists  possess  the  work  con- 
taining these  descriptions,  it  may  not  be  improper  here  to 
reproduce  them : — 

''  Gen.  nov.  Harpyopsis  :  genus  novum  ex  subfamilia  Acci- 
pitrinarum,  rostro  robustissimo,  valde  alto  et  adunco ;  naribus 
oblongis,  verticalibus ;  loris  et  regione  circumocu  lari  fere 
nudis,  rare  pilosis;  alis  brevissimis,  valde  rotundatis,  remigibus 
primariis  paulo  longioribus  quam  secundariis ;  cauda  longis- 
sima,  rotundata;  tarsis  mediocribus,  robustis,  scutis  latis  trans- 
versis  anticeet  postice  obtectis,  tertio  superiore  antice  plumosis; 
digitis  mediocribus,  externo  paulo  longiore  quam  interno, 
medio  longiusculo ;  unguibus  permagnis,  validissimis,  inferne 
sulcatis ;  plumis  cervicis  copiosis,  longiusculis,  latis,  apice 
rotundatis. 

"  H.  nova-guinea.  Supra  fusco-brunnea,  plumarum  limbo 
apicali  albido;  subtus  sordide  alba,  jugulo  et  pectore  summo 
sordide  griseo-tinctis;  alis  supra  dorso  concoloribus;  remigibus 
fusco-brunneis,  fasciis  transversis  latis  obscurioribus,sed  parum 
conspicuis  notatis,  fascia  apicali  latiore,  pogonio  interno  re- 
migum  albo-marmorato,  remigibus  subtus  magna  ex  parte 
albo-  et  griseo-marmoratis,  parte  apicali  grisea  fusco  trans- 
fasciata,  apice  ipso  late  fusco ;  cauda  supra  dorso  concolore, 
fasciis  sex  obscurioribus  undulatis  parum  conspicuis  notata, 
fascia  apicali  latiore,  limbo  apicali  rectricum  albido  ;  cauda 
subtus  grisea,  albido  marmorata,  fasciis  tribus  tantum  fuscis 
notata,  fascia  apicali  latiore,  rectricibus  rachidibus  supra 
fuscis,  subtus  partim  albis,  partim  fuscis ;  rostro  plumbeo  fere 
nigro,  pedibus  griseis,  iride  obscure  flava. 

''  Long.  tot.  O^i-SZO,  al.  0«i-480,  caud.  0^-4<10,  rostri  culm. 
0™-058,  rostri  hiat.  O'^-OSS,  rostri  alt.  0™-036,  tarsi  O'^'IM, 
digiti  med.  cum  ungue  0'"*094,  ung.  post.  0'°'045. 

"  Megatriorchis,  gen.  nov.  Megatriorchis  novum  genus  ex 
subfamilia  Accipitrinarum,  alis  brevissimis,  remigibus  prima- 
riis paulo  brevioribus  quam  secundariis ;   cauda  longissima. 


Mr.  P.  L,  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  437 

rotundata^  tarsis  mediocribus,  robustis,  antice  et  postice  scutis 
transversalibus  obtectis,  digitis  validis^  interne  breviore  quam 
externo,  unguibus  digiti  interni  et  posterioris  validissimis. 

"  Megatriorchis  doria,  fern.  Plumis  pilei  et  cervicis  nigris, 
rufescente  marginatisj  plumis  cervicis  partim  albo-marginatis 
dorso,  uropygio  et  supracaudalibus  fusco-nigris,  fasciis  trans- 
versis  fusco-griseo-mfescentibus  ornatis,  plumarum  margini- 
bus  apicalibus  griseo-rufescentibus;  genis  et  fascia  later  ali  occi- 
pitis  utrinque  albis^  longitudinaliter  fusco-lineatis ;  plumis 
auricularibus  postice  fusco- nigris,  fasciam  postocularem  latam 
nigramconstituentibus;  subtus  albus,  maculis  longitudinalibus 
fuscis  ornatus,  guise  et  subcaudalium  maculis  linearibus  striatis^ 
pectoris  summi  et  imi  latis  brunneo-nigris,  pectoris  medii  valde 
pallidioribus,  sed  linea  scapuli  nigra  :  remigibus  et  rectricibus 
supra  fasciis  alternis  fusco-nigris  et  fusco-griseis  notatis,  subtus 
griseis  fusco  transfasciatis,  caudse  limbo  apicali  griseo,  caudse 
fasciis  supra  24 ;  rostro  nigro,  ceromate  cinereo ;  iride  cas- 
taneaj  pedibus  cinereis,  pallidis. 

"  Long.  tot.  circa  0"^-680,  al.  O'^-SSO,  caud.  0'^-320,  rostri 
culm.  Oi^-038,  rostri  hiat.  0^-038,  tarsi  0«i-090,  digit  med. 
cum  ungue  0™"074^  ung.  dig.  post.  0'^*036.^' 

It  appears  that  one  specimen  of  each  of  these  remarkable 
Raptores  was  procured  on  Yule  Island,  on  the  south  coast  of 
New  Guinea,  and  that  one  other   example  of  Harpyopsis 
novee-guinece  has  been  obtained  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Arfak. 
[To  be  continued.] 


XXXVIII. — Description  of  two  new  Ant-birds  of  the  Genus 
Grallaria,  with  a  List  of  the  known  Species  of  tJie  Genus. 
By  P.  L.  Sclater,  M.A.,  F.R.S. 

(Plates  VIII.,  IX.) 

While  introducing  to  science  a  fine  new  Ant- bird  of  the 
genus  Grallaria,  recently  discovered  by  Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  in 
Antioquia,  together  with  another  apparently  unrecognized 
form  of  the  genus,  I  take  the  opportunity  of  giving  a  complete 
list  of  the  species  of  this  group,  to  which  many  important  addi- 


438  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

tions  have  been  made  since  the  puUication  of  my  ''  Synopsis 
of  the  American  Ant-birds"  in  1858*. 

The  genus  Grallaria  f — one  of  the  best-marked  forms 
amongst  the  Formicariidae^  and  offering  many  points  of  ex- 
ternal resemblance  to  the  Pittce  of  the  Old-World  tropics — 
may  be  conveniently  divided  into  four  sections^  as  follows : — 

a.  Squamigerae,  containing  the  two  species  G.  squamigera 
and  G.  gigantea,  which  are  easily  distinguishable  from  the 
rest  of  their  congeners  by  their  large  size  and  strong  thick 
bill. 

b.  Reges,  containing  the  seven  representative  forms  of  the 
G.  rex  sive  varia,  some  of  which  are  well  defined,  while  others 
scarcely  deserve  specific  separation.  These  I  take  geogra- 
phically from  north  to  south. 

c.  Uniformes,  those  with  the  plumage  generally  of  a  uni- 
form character,  without  flammulations  upon  the  breast  and 
belly.  This  group  consists  exclusively  of  high-ranging  Andean 
species. 

d.  Flammulatie,  containing  the  remaining  nine  species, 
all  of  which  have  the  under  surface  more  or  less  flammulated, 
and  lead  us  on  to  the  group  of  diminutive  species  which  I 
have  separated  under  the  name  GrallariculaX. 

The  genus  Grallaria  therefore,  as  thus  arranged,  contains 
twenty-seven  species  known  to  me.  The  diagnoses  added  under 
each  head  are  taken  from  examples  in  my  own  collection  and 
that  of  Messrs.  Salvin  and  Godman,  in  which  are  to  be  found 

*  "  Synopsis  of  the  Americau  Ant-birds,"  pts.  i.,  ii.,  iii.,  P.  Z.  S.  1858, 
pp.  202,  232,  272.     See  also  supplement,  P.  Z.  S.  1868,  p.  671. 

t  The  genus  Grallaria  was  founded  by  Vieillot  in  1816,  on  Buffon's 
"  J2oi  des  FourmilUers  "  (=  G.  varia).  According  to  my  views  it  is  equi- 
valent to,  or  should  comprehend  the  following  generic  terms : — 

3Iyioturdus,  Boie,  Isis,  1820,  p.  972,     Type  G.  varia. 

Myiotrichas,  Boie,  Isis,  1831,  p.  r)42  =  My ioturdus, 

Colohathris,  Gloger,  Hand.  u.  Ililfsb.  d.  Nat.  p.  304  (1842).  Type  G. 
varia. 

Codonistris,  Gloger,  Hand.  u.  Hilfsb.  d.  Nat.  p.  303  (1842).  Type  G. 
hrcvicatida. 

Iti/psibcmon,  Cabanis,  Wicgm.  Archiv,  1847,  pt.  i.,  p.  217.  Type  G. 
ruficapilla. 

t  P.  Z.  S.  1858,  p.  283. 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  439 

examples  of  every  species  except  Grallaria  gigantea,  G.  varia, 
G.  modesta,  and  G.  ochroleuca. 

In  his  Kst  of  Grallaria,  published  in  1842  (Rev.  Zool. 
1842,  p.  333)  J  Lafresnaye  was  able  to  include  only  nine 
species  of  this  genus.  In  the  *^  Nomenclator  ■'  (1873)  Mr. 
Salvin  and  I  gave  twenty. 

Sect.  A.  Grallari^e  squamiger^. 

1.  Grallaria  squamigera. 

Grallaria  squamigera,  Prev.  Voy.  Venus,  Ois.  pi.  1 ;  Lafr. 
Rev.  Zool.  1842,  p.  333  ;  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204 ;  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S. 
1855,  p.  145,  et  1858,  p.  280,  et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192;  Scl. 
et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1874,  p.  678,  1875,  p.  235,  et  Norn.  Av. 
Neotr.  p.  75. 

Myiotrichas  squamigera.  Cab.  et  Hein.  Mus.  Hein.  ii.  p.  6. 
Colobathris  squamigera,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  i.  p.  217. 
Suprk  cineracea,  olivaceo  in  alis  tincta,  remigibus  et  rectri- 
cibus  fuscescentibus ;  loris  et  corpore  toto  subtus  cum 
subalaribus  saturate  fulvo-rufis,  prsecipue  in  gutture  et 
in  pectore  fasciolis  nigris  irregulariter  aspersis  ;    ventre 
medio  et  crisso  immaculatis  ;  rostri  mandibula  inferiore 
ad  basin  pallida ;  pedibus  clare  corylinis  :  long.  tota9'5, 
alee  5*8,  caudse  2*4,  tarsi  2*4. 
Hah.  Venezuela,  Columbia,  ^quatoria,  Peruvia  et  Bolivia. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

The  series  of  nine  specimens  of  this  bird  in  the  collections 
above  named  presents  no  great  amount  of  variation.  In  two 
skins,  collected  by  Mr.  Buckley  in  Ecuador,  the  throat  is 
nearly  white  ;  but  I  observe  a  tendency  to  this  in  other  ex- 
amples from  different  localities,  and  one  of  the  same  collector's 
specimens  from  Yungas,  Bolivia,  agrees  in  every  way  with 
typical  examples  from  Columbia.  Mr.  Goering  obtained  this 
species  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  of  Merida ;  so  that  it  appears  to 
extend  throughout  the  Andes  from  Venezuela  to  Bolivia. 

2.  Grallaria  gigantea. 

Grallaria  gigantea,  Lawr.  Ann.  L.N.  H.  New  York,  viii. 
p.  346  (1866) . 

Supra  saturate  brunnea,  nucha  cineracea;  loris  et  corpore 
subtiis  cum   subalaribus   fulvo-rufis,  fasciis  transversis 


440  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

nigris  frequenter  transvittatis  :  long,  tota  9*0,  alse  QO, 
caudae  2*6,  tarsi  2'7. 

Hab.  ^Equatoria. 

Obs.  Sp.  a  prsecedente  colore  dorsi^  fasciis  corporis  subtus 
crebrioribus  et  crassitie  majore  diversa. 

Until  I  had  actually  seen  the  typical  example  of  this  fine 
Ant-Thrush,  which  has  been  most  liberally  intrusted  to  my 
examination  by  the  authorities  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, I  was,  I  confess,  rather  unwilling  to  believe  in  its  dis- 
tinctness from  its  near  ally,  G.  squamigera,  which  actually 
traverses  Ecuador,  and  extends  into  Peru  and  Bolivia.  But 
I  was  quickly  convinced  at  the  first  sight  of  the  bird. 

The  only  known  example  of  this  species  was  obtained  in 
Ecuador  by  Mr.  John  Akhurst.  It  bears  the  number  35101 
in  the  Smithsonian  Catalogue.  It  is  not  known  more  exactly 
where  the  specimen  was  procured. 

Sect.  B.  Grallaria  reges. 

3.  Grallaria  mexicana. 

Grallaria  guatemalensis,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1856,  p.  294,  et 
1858,  p.  280  (pt.) . 

Grallaria  mexicana,  Sclater, P. Z.  S.  1861, p.  381, 1863, p.  175, 
et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  191 ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  75. 
Supra  olivaceo-brunnea,   nucha  cineracea,  plumis  omnibus 
margine  angusto  nigro  prseditis  ;  rectricibus  externe  et 
Cauda  tota  rufis :  subtus  pallide  fulva^  in  gutture  et  in 
ventre   medio  albicans,  torque  colli  interrupto  nigro  ; 
subalaribus  et  remigum  margiuibus  inteniis  pallide  cas- 
taueis :  long,  tota  7'5,  alse  5'1,  caudse  2*0,  tarsi  2*1. 
Hab.  Mexico  merid.  terra  calida. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

The  larger  size  and  lighter  colour  below  induced  me  to 
separate  the  Mexican  from  the  Guatemalan  form  of  this 
species ;  but  I  rather  doubt  whether  the  separation  will  be 
ultimately  maintainable,  as  there  is  considerable  variation  in 
G.  guatemalensis  when  a  large  series  is  examined. 

4.  Grallaria  guatemalensis. 

Grallaria  guatemalensis,  Prevost,  Zool.  Voy.  Venus,  Ois, 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  441 

pi.  2;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Ibis,  1859,  p.  119,  et  Norn.  Av.  Neotr. 
p.  75 ;  Salvin,  Ibis,  1861,  p.  354 ;  Scl.  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  191. 

ChamcBza  guatemalensis ,  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204. 
Similis  prsecedenti,  sed  crassitie  rainore,  et  abdominis  colore 
saturatiore  distinguenda  :  long,  tota  7"0,  alee  4'5,  caudse 
1-5,  tarsi  2-0. 

Hab.  Guatemala. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

This  Ant-Thrush  was  obtained  by  Mr.  Salvin  in  the  forests 
of  Vera  Paz,  in  those  of  Western  Guatemala,  and  also  on  the 
slopes  of  the  Volcan  de  Fuego^  where  it  ascends  to  a  height 
of  8000  feet  above  the  sea-level.  In  the  young  bird.the  head 
and  breast  are  blackish,  curiously  variegated  with  fulvous 
centre-spots. 

5.  Grallaria  princeps. 

Grallaria  guatemalensis,  Salvin,  P.  Z.  S.  1867,  p.  146. 
Grallaria  princeps,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1869,  p.  418 ;  Salv. 
P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  196. 

Supra  oleaginea,  plumis  nigro  marginatis ,-  pileo  et  collo  pos- 
tico  valde  obscurioribus  et  cineraceo  tinctis;  loris  et 
oculorum  ambitu  rufescentibus ;  alis  obscure  fuscis, 
extus  et  intiis  castaneo  limbatis ;  cauda  omnino  fusces- 
centi-castanea  :  subtus  saturate  ferruginea,  pectore  paulo 
obscuriore,  gutturis  medii  plumis  nigro  variegatis ;  rostro 
obscure  corneo,  mandibulse  basi  albicante ;  pedibus  cory- 
linis  :  long,  tota  6*5,  alse  4*3,  caudse  1*7^  tarsi  1*9,  rostri 
a  rictu  1*3. 
Hab.  Veragua,  Chiriqui  [Arce). 
Mus.  S.-G. 

Obs.  Similis  G.  guatemalensi,  sed  rostro  robustiore,  altiore^ 
colore  corporis  superi  obscuriore,  ventris  autem  rubiginoso 
saturatiore  distinguenda. 

6.  Grallaria  regulus. 

Grallaria  regulus,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1860,  p.  66,  et  Cat.  A. 

B.  p.  192;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Norn.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  196. 

Brunnescenti-olivacea,  pileo  cinerascentiore ;  dorsi  plumis 
nigro  circumcinctis ;  alis  iiigricantibus,  extiis  bruimeo 
limbatis  ;  cauda  brevissima,  unicolore  brunnea  :  subtus 
saturate  ferruginea,  gutture  et  pectore  nigricantiore  per- 


442  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

fusis;  torque  guttural!  pallide  cinnamomeo,  hujus  plu- 
marum  apicibus  nigris;  tectricibus  subalaribus  cum 
ventre  concoloribus ;  rostro  corneo,  supra  obscuriore ; 
pedibus  coryliuis;  long,  tota  6'3,  alse  4'0^  caudse  1'2, 
tarsi  1'6. 

Hab.  ^Equatoria  ct  Columbia. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

Obs.  Sp.  a  G.  principe  crassitie  minore,  gutture  nigrican- 
tiore,  et  abdomine  magis  flavicante  distinguenda. 

7.  Grallaria  haplonota,  sp.  nov. 

Supra  olivacea,  fere  unicolor^  pileo  vix  cinerascentiore  et  plu- 
marum  marginibus  angustissimis  nigricantibus ;  cauda 
rufescente  :  subtus  fulva,  in  pectore  et  lateribus  olivaceo 
adumbrata  ;  gula  media  albicante^  torque  colli  angusto 
et  lateribus  guise  indistincte  nigricantibus ;  subalaribus  et 
crisso  castaneis :  long. tota  7*3^al8e  4'3, caudse  1'5, tarsi  1*8. 
Hab.  Venezuela, 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

My  diagnosis  of  this  apparently  new  species  is  from  an 
example  obtained  in  Venezuela  by  Mr.  Spence.  Salvin  and 
Godman's  single  specimen  is  likewise  Venezuelan^  having  been 
procured  in  the  wood-region  of  the  coast  near  Puerto  Cabello 
by  Mr.  Goering  in  1873.  The  uniform  dark  olive-colour  of 
the  back  renders  it  easily  distinguishable  from  its  allies ;  but 
it  is  otherwise  nearly  related  to  G.  regulus. 

8.  Grallaria  varia. 

Le  roi  des  Fourmilliers  de  Cayenne,  Buff.  PL  Enl.  702. 

Formicarius  varius,  Bodd.  Table  d.  PI.  Enl.  p.  44. 

Turdus  rex,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  828. 

Turdus  grallarius,  Lath.  Ind.  Orn.  i.  p.  3G1. 

Grallaria  fusca,  Vieill.  Gal.  Ois.  pi.  154;  Tsch.  Faun.  Per. 
p.  181. 

Pitta  grallaria,  Temm.  PL  Col.  sub  tab.  217. 

Myioturdus  rex,  Menetr.  Mon.  Myioth.  p.  462. 

Grallaria  varia,  Gray^,  Gen.  i.  p.  213;  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1858^ 
p.  280,  et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192 ;  Pelz.  Orn.  Bras.  p.  91 ;  Scl.  et 
Salv,  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  75. 

Colobathris  rex,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  p.  217. 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  443 

Grallaria  rex,  Lafr.  R.ev.  Zool.  1842,  p.  333 ;  Bp.  Consp. 
p.  204. 

Suj)rk  olivacea,  pileo  cineraceo,  plumarum  marginibus  an- 
gustis  nigris,  scapis  clare  fulvis ;  cauda  rufa ;  loris,  mys- 
tacibus  et  maculis  quibusdam  in  gula  media  albis ;  gutture 
brunneo,  albo  striolato ;  abdomiue  sordide  albo,  briinneo 
variegato ;  ventre  medio  et  crisso  cum  subalaribus  pallide 
fulvis  :  long,  tota  7*5,  alse  4'6j  caudse  1'7 ,  tarsi  2*0. 
Hab.  Cayenna  et  Guiana. 

My  diagnosis  of  this  species,  whicb  is  scarce  in  collections, 
is  taken  from  an  example  kindly  lent  to  me  by  Mr.  John 
Trotter,  who  has  recently  procured  it  in  Demerara.  Natterer 
obtained  an  example  of  this  bird  at  Marabitanas,  E-io 
Negro. 

9.  Grallaria  imperator. 
Myioturdus  rex,  Max.  Beitr.  iii.  p.  1027. 
Grallaria  rex,  Burm.  Syst.  Ueb.  iii.  p.  50. 
Myiothera  grallaria,  Licht.  Doubl.  p.  43. 
Grallaria  imperator,  Lafr.  Eev.  Zool.  1842,  p.  333 ;  Sclater, 
P.  Z.  S.  1858,  p.  280,  et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  191 ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Norn. 
Av.  Neotr.  p.  75  ;  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204. 

Colobathris  imperator,  Cab.  Orn,  Not.  i.  p.  217. 
Myiotrichas   imperatrix.    Cab.    et   Hein.   Mus.    Hein.    ii. 
p.  6. 

Supra  olivacea,  nucha  cineracea,  plumis  nigro  limbatis  et 
lineis  scapas  occupantibus  fulvis  ornatis ;  cauda  rufa ; 
loris  et  mystacibus  latis  et  macula  cervicali  albis ;  gut- 
ture nigro ;  abdomine  sordide  albo,  fulvo  mixto,  et  nigri- 
cante  frequenter  transfasciolato ;  subalaribus  et  crisso 
Isete  fulvis ;  rostro  corneo,  pedibus  rubellis  :  long,  tota 
8"0,  alse  4'9,  caudse  1*7,  tarsi  1*9. 
Hah.  Brasilia  merid.-orientalis. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

This  is  at  least  a  well-marked  species,  easily  distinguished 
from  most  of  the  other  forms  of  this  section,  as  here  de- 
scribed, by  its  black  throat,  conspicuous  white  neck-spot,  and 
the  strong  black  edgings  to  the  upper  plumage.  It  comes 
nearest  to  G.  varia,  but  may  be  recognized  by  its  black  throat 
and  larger  size. 


444  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

Sect.  C.    GRALLARIiE  UNIFORMES. 

10.  Grallaria  nuchalis,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  If  59,  p.  441, 
et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  75. 
Saturate  brunnesccnti-oleaginea,  pileo  rufescentiore,  nucha  et 

regione  postoculari  clare  castaneis  :    subtus  nigricanti- 
schistacea ;    remigum    marginibus    internis   fulvo-rufis ; 
rostro  et  peclibus  nigris  :  long,  tota  7*5,  alae  4" 5,  caudse 
2'1,  rostri  a  rictu  1*2,  tarsi  2*15. 
Hab.  ^quadoria. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S,  et  S.-G. 

Since  I  described  this  species  I  have  obtained  a  second  ex- 
ample, not  quite  mature,  from  the  vicinity  of  Quito.  Messrs. 
Salvin  and  Godman  have  a  specimen  from  the  same  district. 

11.  Grallaria  ruficeps.     (Plate  VIII.) 
Grallaria  ruficeps,  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1873,  p.  729. 

Supra  brunnea,  pileo  toto  et  capitis  lateribus  ferrugineo-rufis  : 
subtus  cinerea ;  subalaribus  et  remigum  pogoniis  internis 
cervinis ;  rostro  nigro,  pedibus  corylinis  :  long,  tota  8, 
alee  4*5,  caudae  2,  tarsi  2*5 . 
Hab.  Status  Antioquise,  rcipubl.  Columbianae. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  for  the  discovery  of 
this  fine  species,  of  which  a  figure  is  now  given,  taken  from 
the  typical  specimen. 

12.  Grallaria  monticola. 

Grallaria  monticola,  Lafr.  Rev.   Zool.   1847,  p.  68;  Des 
Murs,  Icon.  Orn.  pi.  53;  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1858,  p.  281,  et 
Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  75. 
Cham<2za  monticola,  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204. 
Grallaria  quitensis,  Less.  (ubi?). 
Supra  olivaceo-brunnea  cineraceo  adumbrata,  uropygio  ful- 
vescente  ;  loris,  superciliis  et  corpore  toto  subtus  pallide 
flavicanti-fulvis  olivaceo  mixtis ;  subalaribus  et  remigum 
marginibus  internis  clare  cervinis  ;  rostro  nigro,  pedibus 
cornels  :  long  tota  6'5,  alae  4*0,  caudse  2"0,  rostri  a  rictu 
1-2,  tarsi  2-0. 
Hab.  Montes  reipubl.  ^quatorianae. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 
This  species  seems  to  be  common  in  the  Andes  of  Ecuador, 


Ibis.l877,PlVIII 


G.Ke-alemaiis  Hth. 


MiW  Ea-riha-rt  imp. 


GRALLARIA  RUFICEPS. 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  445 

but  not  to  be  found  far  outside  the  limits  of  that  republic. 
I  have  specimens  obtained  near  Pasto  by  Delattre^  and  on 
Pichincha  by  Fraser.  Mr.  Buckley  has  recently  transmitted 
several  skins  of  it  from  Sical  in  Ecuador. 

13.  Grallaria  flavotincta,  sp.  nov.     (Plate  IX.) 
Supra,  inclusis  capitis  lateribus,  saturate  brunnea  fere  uni- 

color :  subtiis  sordide  alba,  in  ventre  medio  clarior, 
gutture  toto  flavescenti  perfuso  ;  hypochondriis,  tibiis  et 
crisso  dorso  concoloribus  ;  subalaribus  fulvis ;  rostro  et 
pedibus  nigris  :  long,  tota  6" 8,  alse  3*6,  caudae  1'5,  rostri 
a  rictu  1'2,  tarsi  1*9. 

Hab.  St.  Antioquise  in  republ.  Columbiana. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

Obs.  Sp,  forma  et  crassitie  G.  monticolee,  sed  colore  supr^ 
saturatiore  et  gutture  flavescente  prorsiis  dignoscenda. 

This  is  another  discovery  of  Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  since  his 
recent  return  to  Medellin.  The  single  example  sent,  marked 
male,  was  obtained  near  Frontino,  in  Antioquia,  in  1876. 

14.  Grallaria  erythroleuca. 

Grallaria  erythroleuca,  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1873,  p.  783. 
Supra  Isete  rufa,  pileo  et  lateribus  capitis  cum  Cauda  saturati- 
oribus,  ferrugineis :  subtus  gutture  et  ventre  medio  albis, 
pectore  et  lateribus  dorso  concoloribus,  plumis  quibusdam 
albo   anguste  terminatis ;  subalaribus  ferrugineis,  remi- 
gum  pogoniis  internis  schistaceis,  ferrugineo  vix  margi- 
natis ;  rostro  et  pedibus  corneis  :  long,  tota  7*2,  alse  3*6, 
caudae  2,  tarsi  2*1. 
Hab.  Peruvia  alta,  Huasampilla  {Whitely). 
Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

This  is  a  very  well-marked  species,  readily  recognizable  by 
the  chestnut  colour  of  the  body  above,  which  extends  onto 
the  breast  and  flanks. 

15.  Grallaria  erythrotis. 

Grallaria  erythrotis,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  357. 
Supra  obscure  olivacea,  cinereo  tincta :  subtus  valde  dilutior 
et  rufescenti  lavata,  ventre  medio  paene  albo  ;  regione 
auriculari  tota  vivide  rufa,  fronte  et  superciliis  hoc  colore 
tinctis ;  rostro  nigro,  ad  apicem  albicante,  pedibus  clarfe 
corylinis :  long,  tota  6'0,  alse  3*5,  caudae  2"0,  tarsi  2*0. 


446  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

Hab.  Prov.  Yungas,  Bolivia. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

This  species  is  easily  known  by  the  red  colour  being  con- 
fined to  the  sides  of  the  head. 

16.  Grallaria  hypoleuca. 

Grallaria  hypoleuca,  Scl.  P.  Z.  S,  1855,  p.  88,  1858,  p. 
281,  et  1868,  p.  575. 

G.  supra  ferruginea,  loris  albidis  :  subtiis  alba,  lateribus  magis 
cinerascentibus ;  tibiis  et  hypochoudriis  brunnescentibus  : 
long,  tota  6"5,  alse  3*5,  caudse  1*8. 

Hab.  Columbia  int.  (Bogota)  et  ^quatoria. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

Mr.  Buckley  has  recently  transmitted  a  skin  of  this  well- 
marked  species  from  San  Jose,  near  Cuenca,  in  Ecuador.  My 
specimen  is  of  the  usual  "  Bogota ''  make. 

17.  Grallaria  griseonucha. 

Grallaria  griseonucha,  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  786. 
Supra  rufescenti-brunnea,  alis  intus  nigricantiljus,  loris  et 
nucha  lata  obscure  griseis ;  colli  lateribus  et  corpore  subtiis 
intense  ferrugineis,  lateribus  obscurioribus ;  cauda  bre- 
vissima,  subcaudalibus  abscondita  ;  rostro  et  pedibus  ob- 
scure corneis :  long,  tota  6,  alse  3"5,  caudse  1,  tarsi  1*9, 
rostri  a  rictu  1. 
Hab.  Merida  in  rej).  Venezuelana. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

This  is  likewise  a  very  distinctly  marked  species.  Its  cine- 
reous nape  and  deep-red  under  plumage  render  it  quite  dis- 
tinct from  all  its  congeners. 

18.  Grallaria  rufula. 

Grallaria  rufula,  Lafr.  Rev.  Zool.  1843,  p.  99;  Sclater, 
P.  Z.  S.  1855,  p.  145,  1858,  p.  283,  1873,  p.  780,  et  Cat.  A. 
B.  p.  193 ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Norn.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  7Q>. 

Hypsibemon  rufulus,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  p.  218 ;  Bp.  Consp. 
p.  204. 

Obscure  ferruginea,  fere  unicolor,  subtus  dilutior,  ventre 
medio  interdum  alljicante ;  rostro  corneo,  pedibus  cory- 
liiiis :  long,  tota  5*0,  alse  3'1,  caudse  1*1,  tarsi  1*7. 

Hab.  Columbia  int.  et  Peruvia. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  447 

Peruvian  skins  of  this  species  from  Cachupata  {Whitely) 
are  rather  duller  above,  and  show  less  of  the  paler  colour  of 
the  abdomen  ;  but  I  cannot  undertake  to  separate  them  from 
the  Columbian  form. 

Prom  the  skin  of  an  immature  bird  (from  Bogota)  in  my 
collection  the  young  plumage  of  this  species  would  appear 
to  be  of  a  blackish  grey,  with  long  white  shaft- spots. 

Sect.  D.  Grallaria  PLAMMULATiE. 

19.  Grallaria  ruficapilla. 

Grallaria  ruficapilla,  Lafr.  E,ev.  Zool.  1842,  p.  333;  Sclater, 
P.  Z.  S.  1855,  p.  145,  1857,  p.  18,  et  1858,  p.  282,  et  Cat.  A. 
B.  p.  192;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1870,  p.  781,  et  Nom.  Av. 
Neotr.  p.  75. 

Hypsihemon  ruficapillus,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  i.  p.  217;  Bp. 
Consp.  p.  204. 

Olivaceo-brunnea,  pileo  toto  et  lateribus  capitis  castaneo-rufis  : 
subtus  alba,  pectore  et  lateribus  nigricanti-brunneo 
flammulatis ;  subalaribus  pallide  rufis :  long,  tota  8*0, 
alae  4*0,  caudse  2*0,  tarsi  1*9. 

Hab.  Venezuela,  Columbia  et  ^Equatoria. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

This  fine  and  well-marked  species  has  a  wide  distribution. 
Goering  obtained  it  in  the  wood-region  of  Merida,  Sal- 
mon in  Antioquia,  and  Buckley  more  recently  in  Ecuador. 
It  is  also  not  uncommon  in  collections  from  Bogota  and 
Quito.  There  is  no  apparent  difference  in  skins  from  these 
several  localities. 

A  nestling  of  this  species  [Mus.  S.-G.)  is  of  a  nearly  uni- 
form pale  fulvous,  crossed  above  and  on  the  chest  with  nu- 
merous transverse  bars  ;  throat  and  lower  belly  white ;  wings 
and  tail  olivaceous.     It  is  a  most  singular-looking  bird. 

20.  Grallaria  brevicauda. 

Le  Beffroi  de  Cayenne,  BuflP.  PI.  Enl.  706.  fig.  1. 

Formicarius  brevicauda,  Bodd.  Table  d.  PI.  Enl.  p.  44. 

Tardus  tinniens,  Gm.  S.  N.  i.  p.  827. 

Grallaria  tinniens,  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204;  Burm.  Syst.  Ueb. 
iii.  p.  51;  Lafr.  Rev.  Zool.  1842,  p.  334;  Tsch.  Faun.  Per. 
p.  182. 


448  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

Grallana  brevicauda,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1855,  p.  89,  et  1858, 
p.  282 ;  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192 ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1867,  p.  978, 
1876,  p.  277,  et  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  75  ;  Pelzeln,  Orn.  Brasil. 
p.  91. 

Colobathris  tinniens,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  i.  p.  217. 

Myioturdus  tinniens,  Menetr.  Mon.  Myioth.  p.  469. 

Pitta  tiniens,  Temm.  PI.  Col.  sub  tab.  217. 
Cinnamomeo-brunnea  :  subtus  alba,  griseo  flammulata ;  gula 
et  ventre  medio  immaculatis,  albis ;  subalaribus  pallide 
rufis  :  long,  tota  5*0,  alse  3*3,  caudse  1'3,  tarsi  1'8. 

Hab.  Cayenna  et  vallis  Amazonum  usque  ad  ^Equatoriara 
et  Peruvian!  orientalem. 

Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

I  have  examples  of  this  species  from  Cayenne  and  Eastern 
Ecuador,  and  an  immature  specimen,  apparently  of  "  Bogota  " 
make.  Hauxwell  has  transmitted  it  from  Pebas,  and  Bartlett 
from  Chamicuros,  while  Castelnau  and  Deville  obtained  it 
on  the  Rio  Javari ;  so  that  it  is  certainly  widely  distributed 
over  the  Amazonian  subregion. 

21.  Grallaria  modesta. 

Grallaria  modesta,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1855,  p.  89,  pi.  94,  et 
p.  145;  1858,  p.  281;  List  Bog.  B.  p.  17;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom. 
Av.  Neotr.  p.  75. 

Supra  intense  brunnescenti-olivacea,  alis  caudaque  nigri- 
canti-brunneis  olivaceo  tinctis  :  subtus  olivacea,  flaves- 
centi-albido  flammulata ;  ventre  medio  flavescenti-albido ; 
tectricibus  subalaribus  pallide  castaneis ;  mandibula  su- 
periore  plumbea,  hujus  apice  et  tomiis  et  mandibula  in- 
feriore,  nisi  basi,  albicantibus ;  pedibus  pallide  brunneis  : 
long,  tota  6"2,  alse  3*2,  cauda  1'8,  tarsi  1-75. 
Hab.  Columbia  int.  Bogota. 

The  type  in  the  British  Museum  is  the  only  example  that 
I  have  yet  met  with  of  this  well-marked  species. 

22.  Grallaria  andicola. 

Grallaria  andicola.  Cab.  Journ.  f.  O.  1873,  p.  318,  tab.  i. 
fig.  3  ;  Tacz.  P.  Z.  S.  1874,  p.  531. 

Supra  fusca,  in  capite  cervice  postica  et  interscapulio  striis, 
scapas  plumarum  occupantibus,  pallide  fulvis  utrinque 
nigro  limbatis,  variegata  :  subtus  alba,  nigro  squamata. 


Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria.  449 

loris,  gula  media  et  ventre  imo  fere  unicoloribus ;  sub- 
alaribus  et  remigum  marginibus  iiiternis  pallide  rufis  : 
long,  tota  5*0,  alse  3"5,  caudee  \'T ,  tarsi  1"8. 
Hah.  Peruvia  interior. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

I  am  much  indebted  to  Dr.  Taczanowski  for  a  duplicate 
example  of  this  peculiar  species,  which  was  discovered  near 
MaraynioCj  Peru,  by  Mr.  Jelski  in  1873. 

23.  Grallaria  perspicillata. 

Grallaria perspicillata,  Lawr.  Ann. L.N. H.N.  Y.vii.pp.303 
et  326  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1864,  p.  357,  et  Nom.  Av.  Neotr. 
p.  7Q>',  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1867,  p.  146,  1870,  p.  196. 
Supra  olivaceo-brunnea,  pileo  supero  cineraceo  -,  interscapulii 
striis  paucis,  tectricum  maculis    apicalibus,    campterio 
et  remigum  primariorum  marginibus    externis   pallide 
fulvis  :  subtus  alba,  in  pectore  et  lateribus  fulvo  tincta 
et  nigro  conspicue  flammulata ;  subalaribus  et  remigum 
marginibus  internis  fulvis ;  rostro  superiore  corneo,  infe- 
riore  cum  pedibus  flavis ;  long,  tota  4*5,  alse  3'0,  caudse 
1*3,  rostri  a  rictu  1*0,  tarsi  1'3. 
Hab.  Panama  et  Veragua. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S.  et  S.-G. 

Messrs.  Salvin  and  Godman^s  collection  contains  a  good 
series  of  this  species  from  Veragua  [Arce)  and  Panama 
[M'Leannan) .  I  have  an  example  from  Panama,  kindly  pre- 
sented to  me  by  Mr.  G.  N.  Lawrence.  It  is  certainly  nearly 
allied  to  the  next  two  species,  but  is  much  more  strongly 
marked  on  the  breast,  and  has  distinct  rufous  terminal  spots 
on  the  wing-coverts.  A  single  skin  from  Costa  Rica  [Mus. 
S.-G.  ex  Carmiol)  is  remarkable  for  having  the  back  grey, 
like  the  head,  and  the  flanks  strongly  fulvous.  It  is  perhaps 
distinct. 

24.  Grallaria  macularia. 

Pitta  macularia,  Temm.  sub  PI.  Col.  tab.  217. 

Colobathris  macularia,  Cab.  Orn.  Not.  p.  217,  et  in  Schomb. 
Guian.  iii.  p.  685. 

Grallaria  macularia,  Lafr.  R.  Z.  1842,  p.  334  ;  Burm.  Syst. 
Ueb.  iii.  p.  50 ;  Bp.  Consp.  p.  204 ;  Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1858,  p.  282 ; 
Pelzeln,  Orn.  Bras.  p.  91  :  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  A  v.  Neotr.  p.  75. 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I.  2 1 


450  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  on  the  Genus  Grallaria. 

Olivaceo-bniunea,  alisextus  rufo  variis,  remigibas  extus  rufis  : 
subtus  alba,  pectore  confertira  nigro  maculato ;  lateribus 
ochraceis ;  regione  auriculari  nudiuscula ;  ungue  pos- 
tico  brevi  et  valido :  loug.  tota  5*4,  alse  3'4,  caudne  1'3, 
tarsi  1*4. 

Hub.  British  Guiana  {Schomb.),^^  Negro  {Natt.). 

Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

My  single  specimen  o£  this  species  is  not  very  perfect ;  and 
I  cannot  say  any  thing  very  positive  about  it.  It  is  believed 
to  have  been  obtained  at  Oyapok,  Cayenne,  by  M.  Jelski, 

25.  Grallaria  fulviventris. 

Grallaria  fulviventris,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1858,  pp.  68,  282, 
et  Cat.  A.  B.  p.  192;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Norn.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  1(S. 
Olivaceo-brunnea,  pileo  obscuriore,  alis  extus  raagis  rufescen- 
tibus,  loris  albidis  :  subtus  gula  et  abdomine  medio  albis ; 
pectore,  ventris  lateribus  et  crisso  cum  tectricibus  alarum 
inferioribus  saturate  fulvis;   pectore   lineis    quibusdam 
nigris  variegato  ;  rostro  supcriore  nigro,  inferiore  praeter 
apicem  flavo;  pedibus  pallide  brunneis :  long,  tota  5'5, 
ahe  3'2,  caudse  1*4,  tarsi  1*5,  rostri  a  rictu  0'95. 
Hab.  /Equatoria  occideutalis. 
Mus.  P.  L.  S. 

I  am  at  present  uncertain  whether  this  species  is  really  sepa- 
rable from  the  preceding.  My  single  specimen  is  darker  on  the 
back  and  rather  longer  in  the  leg  than  that  of  G.  macularia, 
and  has  but  few  indications  of  the  black  markings  on  the 
breast.     In  general  size  there  is  little  difference. 

26.  Grallaria  dives. 

Grallaria  dives,  Salv.  P.  Z.  S.  1864,  p.  582;  Lawr.  Ann.  L. 
N.  H.  N.  Y.  viii.  p.  183  ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  7Q. 
G.  supra  pileo  et  dorso  cinereis,  plumis  omnibus  nigro  mar- 
ginatis ;  uropygio  obscure  olivaceo ;  remigibus  extiis 
rufis  ;  gula  et  ventre  medio  albis  ;  loris  pallide  ochraceis ; 
pectore,  corporis  lateribus,  crisso  et  tectricibus  suba- 
laribus  saturate  fulvis,  pectoris  plumis  nigro  marginatis ; 
ungue  postico  longo  et  gracili;  rostri  mandibula  supcriore 
brunnea,  inferiore  albida,  apice  brunnea ;  pedibus  pal- 
lide fuscis :  long,  tota  5'5,  alai  3"1,  caudse  1'4,  tarsi  1*5, 
rostri  a  rictu  1. 

Hab.  Costa  Rica  [Arce)  ;  Nicaragua  [Holland) . 

Mus.  S.-G. 


Lord  Tvveeddale  on  Pellorneum  tickelli^  Blyth.        451 

The  two  type  specimens  of  this  species  are  the  only  ex- 
amples I  have  yet  seen.  They  were  collected  by  Arce  in 
1864^  at  Tucurriqni,  on  the  Atlantic  slope  of  Costa  Rica. 
The  species  is  included  by  Mr.  Lawrence  in  a  list  of  birds 
obtained  near  Grey  town. 

This  Grallaria  is  nearest  to  G.  fulviventris,  but  is  greyer  on 
the  backj  has  the  outer  margins  of  the  primaries  rufous  and 
the  lores  fulvous^  instead  of  white. 

27.  Grallaria  ochroleuca. 

Myioturdus  ochroleucus,  Max.  Beitr.  iii.  p.  1032;  Menetr. 
Mon.  p.  464. 

Grallaria  ochroleuca,  Sclater,  P.  Z.  S.  1858^  p.  282 ;  Pelzeln, 
Orn.  Bras,  p.  91 ;  Scl.  et  Salv.  Nom.  Av.  Neotr.  p.  7Q. 
Similis  G.  macularicB,  sed  rostro  multo  angustiore  et  magis 
compresso,  maculis  externis  tectricum   nullis ;  maculis 
solum  in  lateribus  pectoris  et  ventris,  et  his  minoribus  et 
rotundis ;  ungue  postico  gracili,  elongato ;  oculorum  am- 
bitu  nudo  :  long,  tota  5"5,  alae  3"0_,  caudse  1"5,  tarsi  1"4. 
Hab.  Prov.  Bahia,  Brazil  [Max.);  S.  Paulo  [Natt.). 
Some  years  ago  I  took  the  above  notes  from  an  example 
of  this  species  in  the  Ley  den  Museum.     I  have  never  yet  been 
able  to  obtain  one  for  my  own  collection,  nor  have  I  seen 
the  species  elsewhere. 


XXXIX.— iVo/e  on  the  Pellorneum  tickelli  of  Blyth.     By 
Arthur,  Marquis  of  Tweeddale,  M.B.O.U. 
(Plates  X.,  XI.) 
Since  I  addressed  a  letter  relating  to  this  species  to  the  Editors 
of  'The  Ibis'  on  the  26th  of  April  [v.s.,  p.  385),  I  have 
received  from  Tenasserim  specimens  of  true  Pellorneum  tickelli, 
obtained  at  Meetan  by  Mr.  Limborg.     These  have  been  com- 
pared by  Lieut. -Col.  Godwin- Austen  with  Blyth's  types,  still 
extant  in  the  Calcutta  Museum,  and  identified  by  him  as 
belonging  to  Blyth's  species.     These  examples  enable  me  to 
state  that  Blyth's  identification  of  P.  tickelli  with  P.  sub- 
ochraceum,  Swinhoe   (B.  of  Burma,  no.  359),  is   erroneous. 
I  am  unable  even  to  class  P.  tickelli  under  the  genus  Pellor- 

2i  2 


452  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

neum.,  although  in  his  original  description  (J.  A,  S.  B.  1859, 
p.  414)  Blytli  described  it  as  being  a  typical  Pelloi-neiim  in 
structure.  It  seems  to  me  to  fall  more  nearly  under  the  genus 
Drymocatctphus.  On  comparing  the  type  of  Drymocataplms 
/w/t7z<^',  Walden  (Ann.  &Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xv.  p.  401),  with  true 
P.  tickelli,  I  find  that  my  species  cannot  be  specifically  sepa- 
rated. And  I  observe  that  Mr.  Hume  (Str.  Feath.  1877, 
p.  59)  expresses  an  almost  confident  opinion  that  D.  fulvus, 
^Q\^di&n,=  Tnchostoma  minus,  Hume,  in  which  case  T.  minus 
will  also  become  a  synonym  of  D.  tickelli,  and  not,  as  I  had 
suggested  (Blyth,  B.  Burma,  no.  366),  of  Trichostoma  abbotti. 

The  figure  (Plate  X.)  of  P.ellorneum  subochraceum,  Swinh., 
=-Pellorneum  minus,  Hume,  is  taken  from  an  example  ob- 
tained by  Lieutenant  Wardlaw  Ramsay  on  the  Karen  hills ; 
and  examples  of  this  species  collected  by  Mr.  Limborg  above 
Meetan  do  not  differ. 

The  figures  of  Drymocataphus  tickelli  (Plate  XL  f.  1)  and 
of  Trichostoma  abbotti  (Plate  XL  f.  2)  are  from  Tenasserim 
examjDles,  obtained  by  Mr.  Limborg. 


XL. — Notes  on  some  Burmese  Birds.     By  Lieutenant 
Wardlaw  Ramsay,  67th  Regiment,  M.B.O.U. 

(Plates  XII.,  XIII.) 

The  following  remarks,  which  are  partly  extracts  from  my 
note-book  kept  during  a  three  years'  residence  in  Burma,  I 
venture  to  publish.  As  Mr.  A.  O.  Hume,  in  his  "List  of 
the  Birds  of  Upper  Pegu"  (S.  F.  ii.  p.  1),  and  Mr.  Gates 
(S.  F.  iii.  J).  335)  have  already  contributed  copious  notes  on 
the  birds  of  Burma,  derived  from  various  sources,  I  have 
endeavoured  as  much  as  possible  to  avoid  repetition  of  facts 
which  have  already  been  made  known  by  these  gentlemen 
and  other  writers.  A  few  ornithological  occiuTcnces  have 
come  under  my  notice  which  I  cannot  find  recorded  else- 
where; and  some  of  these  may  prove  of  interest  to  readers 
of  '  The  Ibis.' 


Ibis  1877.  Pl.X 


HanhaTt 


imp 


PELLORNEUM  SUBOCHRACEUM 


Ibis, 1877. Pi.  XL 


J.&feulemans  litt 


Hanhapt  irap. 


1  DRYMOCATAPHUS    TICKELLI 
2.TRICH0ST0MA  ABBOTTL 


^h^AJLA^j 


>  CENTRAL  PARK,  ^ 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  453 

1*.   PaLvEORNIS  magnirostris. 

Palceornis  magnirostris ,  Ball. 

Far  from  being  a  mountain  species  in  Burma,  as  stated 
by  Blytli  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1875,,extra  number,  p.  51),  it  is  rather 
scarce  in  the  hills,  ascending  to  no  great  elevation ;  but  it  is 
found  in  vast  numbers  in  the  plains ;  at  least  such  is  my  ex- 
perience in  the  Tonghoo  and  Rangoon  districts. 

About  the  middle  of  October  they  invade  gardens  where 
there  ha]3pen  to  be  guava  trees  in  fruit,  by  hundreds,  and  make 
a  terrible  noise. 

2.  Paljjornis  torquatus. 

I  only  once  met  with  this  Parakeet,  and  then  on  the  lower 
slopes  of  the  Karen  hills.  It  must  be  rare,  although  I 
can  give  no  reason  for  its  being  so. 

6.  Pal^ornis  melanorhynchus. 

Palceornis  melanorlixjnchus,  Wagler. 

The  allied  species  which  Mr.  Blyth  mentions  (J.  A.  S.  B. 
1875,  p.  57),  from  the  Tenasserim  provinces,  must  have  been 
founded  on  females  of  the  common  red-breasted  Parakeet. 
In  a  large  series  of  some  sixty  or  seventy  specimens  from 
India,  the  Andaman  Islands,  the  Tenasserim  provinces,  and 
other  parts  of  British  Burma,  all  the  females  (whose  sex  has 
been  so  determined)  are  in  the  plumage  which  Blyth  describes 
as  that  of  the  allied  race,  but  none  of  the  males,  with  one 
exception,  a  black-billed  adult,  marked  ''  male  "  by  Mr.  Lim- 
borg.  This  specimen  being  the  only  adult  male  with  both 
mandibles  black  out  of  a  very  large  series,  inclines  me  to  think 
that  Mr.  Limborg^s  determination  was  incorrect.  From 
Blyth^s  statement  (p.  58)  it  would  appear  that  he  had  never 
seen  males  of  his  allied  race ;  for  he  surmises  that  the  male 
will  be  found  to  possess  a  coral-red  maxilla. 

12.    TiNNUNCULUS  ALAUDARIUS. 

The  Kestrel  is  very  abundant  in  Karen-nee,  where  the 
rocky  precipices  afford  it  good  nesting-places.  It  is  by  no 
means  common  in  the  plains. 

*  The  numbers  are  those  of  Blyth's  Catalogue  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1875). 


454  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

14.    POLIOHIERAX  INSIGNIS. 

Poliohierax  insignis,  Walden,  P.  Z.  S.  1871,  p.  627. 
This  beautiful  species  is  rare  at  Tonghoo,  whence  the  type 
came.     I  only  once  met  with  it  during  a  space  of  two  years. 

20.  Spilornis  cheela. 

The  Crested  Serpent-Eagle  is  a  very  common  bird  in 
Burma ;  its  melancholy  whistle  may  be  heard  in  every  jungle 
on  the  plains.  Nearly  all  that  I  have  killed  have  had  the 
remains  of  snakes  in  their  stomachs.  At  the  Andaman 
Islands  I  killed  a  specimen  of  Sjnlorriis  elgini,  which  was 
sitting  on  a  mangrove  stump  in  a  tidal  swamp.  It  had  tried 
to  swallow  a  snake,  but  apparently  had  failed ;  for  about  four 
inches  of  the  snake's  body  was  hanging  out  of  its  mouth, 
whilst  the  part  which  had  passed  into  the  stomach  was  almost 
digested. 

ACCIPITER  NISUS. 

I  only  once  obtained  the  European  Sparrow-Hawk  at 
Tonghoo.  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  and  Lord  Tweeddale  have  seen 
the  specimen  and  confirmed  my  identification.  It  is  appa- 
rently an  old  female. 

45.    MiLVUS  GOVINDA. 

The  Pariah  Kites  are  only  found  in  Tonghoo  during  the 
dry  season,  arriving  at  the  termination  of  the  rains,  and 
leaving  at  the  first  burst  of  the  next  south-west  monsoon. 

I  regret  that,  not  having  preserved  specimens,  1  am  unable 
to  say  whether  I  am  right  in  referring  the  Tonghoo  bird  to 
M.  govinda,  Sykes. 

58.  AsiO  ACCIPITRINUS. 

I  obtained  one  specimen  of  the  Short-eared  Owl  at  Tonghoo. 

59.  Athene  cuculoides. 

Very  common  in  most  parts  of  the  plains  that  I  have  visited, 
especially  at  Rangoon.  Its  note  is  sometimes  not  unlike  that 
of  XantholcEma  hcemacephala. 

68.    DiCHOCEROS  BICOKNIS. 

(Burmese  "  Ouk-chin-gyee.'') 

The  large  Hornbill  is  very  common  in  the  Tonghoo  district^ 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  455 

and  found  in  pairs  or  parties  of  five  or  six^  but  frequently  in 
considerable"  flocks.  Its  hoarse  croak  may  be  heard  at  a  dis- 
tance of  more  than  half  a  mile.  At  a  place  called  Hmon, 
on  the  Sittang  river,  in  January  1874,  I  found  it  very 
abundant  and,  for  a  wonder,  very  tame,  so  that  I  was  able  to 
secure  seven  fine  specimens  in  the  course  of  an  hour  by 
waiting  under  a  large  banyan  tree,  to  which  the  birds  were 
continually  coming  to  feed  on  the  ripe  fruit.  Some  of  the 
birds  I  shot  had  seven  or  eight  banyan  fruits  clasped  between 
the  mandibles  on  either  side.  This  tree  was  also  the  resort 
of  numbers  of  Crocopus  viridifrons,  of  which  more  than  a 
dozen  fell  to  my  gun  within  the  hour. 

At  Tonghoo,  towards  the  end  of  the  hot  weather  (April), 
these  birds  pass  over  the  cantonments  in  straggling  flocks 
every  morning  and  evening,  going  to  and  returning  from 
their  feeding-grounds.  I  have  frequently  seen  forty  or  fifty 
of  this  species  in  a  single  flock. 

The  iris  of  the  male  is  lake-red,  that  of  the  female  greyish 
white,  and  of  an  immature  male  brown. 

69.  Hydrocissa  albirostris. 

The  Pied  Hornbill  is  extremely  common,  but  never  seen 
in  such  large  parties  as  the  last  species,  with  which  it  some- 
times, but  rarely,  associates. 

I  kept  a  pair  alive  for  many  months  at  Tonghoo :  they 
used  to  fly  about  the  house  and  garden,  and  frequently  would 
alight  on  the  shoulder  of  a  small  native  boy  who  was  in  the 
habit  o£  feeding  them.  They  were  extremely  partial  to  dead 
snakes.  On  one  occasion  I  found  them  on  the  ground,  each 
trying  to  swallow  the  same  snake,  one  at  the  head  and  the 
other  at  the  tail.  The  usual  method  of  procedure,  however, 
was  to  munch  the  snake  until  it  was  reduced  to  a  suffi- 
ciently ragged  and  pulpy  condition  to  admit  of  its  being  torn 
into  small  pieces  and  so  swallowed. 

72.  Rhyticeros  subruficollis. 
Buceros  subruficollis,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  xii.  p.  177. 
This  is  a  local  but,  where  found,  abundant  species.     These 
birds  are  to  be  seen  in  the  same  manner  as  D.  bicoruisj  but 


456  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay^s  Notes 

in  far  larger  flocks,  flying  to  and  returning  from  their  feeding- 
places  at  dawn  and  dusk.  One  of  my  specimens  (immature) , 
from  its  large  size_,  may  be  R.  undulatus  (Shaw)  [Buceros  ru- 
ficollis,  BL,  J,  A.  S.  B.  xii.  p.  176),  which  appears  to  differ 
from  the  present  bird  only  in  its  slightly  superior  size,  and  in 
having  when  adult  a  ribbed  plate  on  either  side  of  the  base 
of  the  mandible,  which  does  not  exist  in  the  immature  bird. 

An  old  Burman  one  day  brought  me  a  lump  of  earthy 
composition  which  he  had  taken  from  the  nest-hole  of  a 
Hornbill,  and  told  me  that  he  had  been  attracted  to  the  nest 
by  seeing  the  bird  thrust  out  its  bill  and  snap  at  a  large 
iguana  which  was  running  up  the  tree.  The  Burmese  have 
an  idea  that  the  plaster  which  the  birds  use  for  shutting 
up  the  entrance  to  their  nest-holes  is  made  of  earth  brought 
from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe  and  mixed  with  a  gum 
extracted  from  trees.  This  composition  is  much  thought  of 
for  its  supposed  medicinal  properties ;  but  in  what  way  it  is 
used  I  was  unable  to  discover.  The  Burmese  have  endless 
legends  about  the  Hornbill ;  and  in  their  poetry  and  plays  the 
name  is  continually  occurring.  The  female  Hornbill  is  re- 
garded by  the  Burmese  as  the  model  of  virtue.  Iris  [S), 
lake ;  bill  greenish  white,  with  ridges  cream-colour  and  fur- 
rows earthy ;  base  of  bill  and  ribbed  part  of  maxilla  vinous 
brown  ;  facial  skin  and  a  rim  round  the  eye  also  vinous  brown, 
but  brighter  ;  eyelids  pale  greenish  ;  skin  of  the  throat  bright 
lemon-yellow ;  legs  black. 

The  female  has  the  gular  pouch  turquoise- blue. 

75.  Carcineutes  pulchellus. 

In  the  Madras  Museum  is  a  specimen  labelled  ^'Burmah''^ 
which  has  the  rufous  collar  nearly  half  an  inch  broad. 

78.  Halcyon  pileata. 

Extends  only  a  very  short  distance  up  the  Sittang  from  the 
sea ;  it  is  unknown  in  the  Tonghoo  district. 

79.  Halcyon  coromanda. 

I  never  saw  the  Ruddy  Kingfisher  in  the  Tonghoo  district ; 
but  the  late  lamented  Lieut.  Colonel  Lloyd,  who  has  con- 
tributed so  largely  to  our  knowledge  of  Burmese  birds,  ob- 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  457 

tained  specimens  in  tlie  hills^  whichj  unfortunately,  were  lost, 
together  with  a  valuable  collection,  in  transit  to  Lord  Tweed- 
dale's  residence  at  Chislehurst. 

83.  Alcedo  bengalensis. 

I  found  a  nest  in  the  side  of  an  old  well  in  some  thick 
jungle  near  Rangoon,  at  about  five  feet  from  the  surface ;  it 
contained  seven  eggs. 

A  specimen  shot  at  Tonghoo  in  October  has  a  broad  but 
faint  pectoral  band  of  dull  blue  feathers. 

88.    EURYSTOMUS  ORIENTALIS. 

I  never  saw  this  bird  in  Burma  until  the  month  of  April 
1875,  when  descending  the  western  slopes  of  the  Karen  hills, 
at  an  elevation  of  about  700  feet.  I  afterwards  found  them 
common  at  about  2000  feet.  The  birds  may,  however,  be 
considered  generally  scarce. 

94.  MegaLjEma  marshallorum. 

This  large  Barbet  is  very  common  in  the  Karen  hills,  and 
very  noisy,  keeping  up  its  call  almost  incessantly  during  the 
night  at  certain  seasons.  Iris  hair-brown  ;  bill  dull  yellow, 
tinged  with  green,  culmen  blackish ;  legs  dusky  green. 

96.  MegaLtEma  asiatica. 

98.  Megal^ema  ramsayi. 

Megalama  ramsayi,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xv. 
p.  400,  June  1875. 

These  two  species  are  very  common  in  the  hills,  where  they 
take  the  place  of  M.  hodgsoni,  so  abundant  in  the  plains. 

104.  Alophonerpes  pulverulentus. 

This  large  Woodpecker  is  extremely  common  in  the  wooded 
country  between  Tonghoo  and  the  Pegu  Yoma  range.  I  have 
seen  as  many  as  twelve  in  one  tree.  Gecinus  erythropygius 
also  has  a  habit  of  going  about  in  flocks;  for  I  have  seen  as 
many  as  nine  or  ten  following  one  another  out  of  a  tree,  after 
the  manner  of  the  Chatterers  [Garrulax). 

The  Slaty  Woodpecker  is  found  up  to  a  considerable  ele- 
vation in  the  Karen  hills,  unlike  Thriponax  crawfurdi,  which 
I  have  never  seen  except  on  the  plains. 


458  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

131.    YUNX  TORQUILLA. 

Arrives  in  October,  and  remains  throughout  the  cold  season, 
both  in  the  hills  and  plains. 

135.    CUCULUS  CANORUS. 

The  European  Cuckoo  is  abundant  on  the  open  tableland 
of  Karen-neCj  but,  as  far  as  I  know,  does  not  occur  in  the 
plains.  Mr.  Hume,  however,  has  received  it  from  Prome 
(S.  F.  iii.  78). 

138.  Cacomantis  rufiventris. 

The  Rufous-bellied  Cuckoo  is  a  very  common  bird  in  the 
plains  and  at  moderate  elevations  in  the  hills.  In  Karen-nee  it 
is  especially  abundant.  In  nearly  every  garden  in  Tonghoo 
a  pair  of  these  birds  are  to  be  found.  The  note  is  a  long 
mournful  whistle,  which  is  kept  up  throughout  the  day  and 
sometimes  the  greater  part  of  the  night. 

140.  Chrysococcyx  maculatus. 

A  specimen  obtained  in  the  Karen  hills  at  4200  feet  has 
the  whole  throat,  neck,  and  part  of  the  breast  uniform  emerald- 
green  like  the  back. 

141.  Chrysococcyx  xanthorhynchus. 

Ins  lake-red.  Bill  dull  orange,  reddish  at  base  and  gape. 
The  rim  round  the  eye  vermilion.     Legs  dull  olive-green, 

Karen-nee,  1600  feet,  March  1874 ;  this  locality  is  not 
given  in  Blyth's  catalogue, 

144.    COCCYSTES  JACOBINUS, 

Does  not  occur  as  far  as  I  know  to  the  eastward  of  the  Pegu 
Yoma  range. 

169,  Macropteryx  coronatus. 

The  following  is  a  description  of  a  young  bird  shot  uear 
Tonghoo : — Plumage  above  shining  dark  green,  with  a  faint 
trace  of  ashy  on  the  head  and  back  ;  primaries  tipped  Avith 
white ;  tertiaries  greyish,  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  throat, 
cheeks,  and  some  of  the  tips  of  the  feathers  of  the  back  of 
the  neck  ferruginous;  crest  dark  bottle-green,  tipped  with 
rusty  white ;  lower  surface  ashy,  with  the  feathers  dark  at 
the  tips. 


071  some  Burmese  Birds.  459 

155.  Lyncornis  cerviniceps. 

This  fine  Nightjar  is  plentiful  in  the  Pegu  Yoma  hills, 
where  I  obtained  a  considerable  series  during  a  march  from 
Thyetmyo  to  Tonghoo.  Whenever  the  camp  was  pitched  on 
a  cleared  place  of  any  size  in  the  jungle,  they  were  sure  to  be 
seen  at  dusk. 

163.    ACANTHYLIS  GIGANTEA. 

The  specimens  which  Major  Lloyd  sent  to  Lord  Tweeddale 
were  obtained  in  the  Karen-nee  hills,  far  beyond  the  British 
boundary.  I  have  never  seen  this  Swift  in  the  Tonghoo 
district. 

171.    CORVUS  SPLENDENS. 

Corvus  insolens,  Hume  (S.  F.  ii.  p.  480). 

The  common  Burmese  Crow  seems  to  me  to  have  every  right 
to  specific  distinction;  but  many  ornithologists,  Mr.  Blyth 
and  Lord  Tweeddale  among  others,  have  considered  it  merely 
a  melanoid  race  of  C.  splendens. 

174.  Dendrocitta  himalayensis. 

I  obtained  two  eggs  of  this  species  at  an  elevation  of  4200 
feet  in  the  Karen  hills  on  the  16th  April  1875. 

The  eggs  are  described  by  Mr.  A.  O.  Hume  at  page  424 
of  his  'Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds."" 

This  species  is  universally  distributed  in  the  hills.  The  note 
sounds  as  if  the  bird  first  cleared  its  throat  and  then  whistled 
a  long  note  through  its  nostrils. 

175.  Crypsirhina  varians. 

Common  at  Tonghoo  and  Rangoon.  It  is  very  fond  of 
sitting  on  the  telegraph-wires  or  on  the  dead  branch  of  a  tree, 
from  which  it  darts  at  insects  like  the  Bee-eaters. 

The  irides  are  pale  blue. 

176.  Crypsirhina  cucullata. 

Having  never  in  the  course  of  two  years^  careful  observa- 
tion met  with  this  bird  in  Burma  to  the  eastward  of  the  Pegu 
Yoma  range,  I  was  under  the  impression  that  it  did  not 
cross  that  range,  but  I  find  a  skin  sent  by  Major  Lloyd  from 
Tonghoo  in  Lord  Tweeddale's  collection.      This  specimen. 


460  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

after  all,  may  have  been  shot  iu  the  Thyetmyo  district,  where 
it  is  very  common ;  for  Major  Lloyd  had  natives  collecting 
in  several  parts  of  Burma. 

180.  Garrulus  leucotis. 

Garrulus  leucotis,  Hume,  P.  A.  S.  B.  1874,  p.  106. 

This  beautiful  species  is  a  common  bird  in  both  the  hills 
and  the  plains  of  the  Tonghoo  district.  I  first  met  with  it 
in  Karen-nee,  not  far  from  the  Salween  river,  at  an  elevation 
of  about  3500  feet,  100  miles  north  of  where  it  was  first  dis- 
covered by  Mr.  Davison. 

178.  Urocissa  magnirostris. 

Psilorhinus  magnirostris,  Blyth  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1846,  p.  27). 

I  have  compared  a  very  large  series  of  this  bird  from 
Burma  with  nearly  as  large  a  series  from  the  Himalayas. 
Although  many  of  the  Burmese  specimens  have  the  enormous 
bill  on  which  Blyth  chiefly  founded  the  species,  several  fine 
specimens  from  exactly  the  same  localities  have  the  bill  quite 
as  small,  if  not  smaller  than  Himalayan  examples. 

The  only  constant  point  of  difl:erence  between  the  Burmese 
and  Indian  bu'ds  is  in  the  colouring  of  the  bill,  feet,  and  irides, 
as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Hume  on  Captain  Feilden's  authority 
(S.  F.  iii.  p.  145). 

Mr.  Blyth,  in  his  original  description  of  U.  magnirostris, 
states  that  it  has  the  wing  more  richly  coloured  than  U.  occi- 
pitalis ;  but  I  have  seen  a  good  specimen  of  the  latter  bird 
with  plumage  in  all  respects  as  -fine  as  the  best  of  my  Bur- 
mese skins. 

181.  EULABES  INTERMEDIA. 

Very  common  in  the  Tonghoo  district,  extending  far  into 
the  plains.  Mr.  Hume  says  that  Mr,  Gates  (S.  F.  iii.p.  152) 
doubts  whether  it  occurs  in  the  plains  on  the  Thyetmyo 
side. 

186.    ACRIDOTHERES  SIAMENSIS. 

Acridotheres  siamensis,  Swinhoe,  P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  303. 
This  is   the  only  representative  of  the  genus  that  1  found 
on  the  Karen-nee  plateau. 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  461 

197.  Saraglossa  spiloptera. 

This  bird  is  tolerably  abundant  on  the  thickly  wooded 
slopes  of  the  Karen  hills^  where  it  is  generally  found  in  small 
flocks. 

ESTRELDA  FLAVIDIVENTRIS. 

Estrelda  flavidiventris,  Wallace,  P.  Z.  S.  1863,  p.  495. 

Estrilda  burmanica,  Hume,  S.  F.  iv.  p.  484,  1876. 

Specimens  from  Burma  are  absolutely  identical  with  ex- 
amples from  the  islands  of  Flores  and  Timor.  1  have  com- 
pared birds  shot  at  various  seasons  in  Burma  with  a  large 
series  of  Mr,  Wallace^s  skins  in  the  British  Museum  and  in 
the  collection  of  Lord  Tweeddale. 

The  Yellow-bellied  Red  Waxbill  is  very  locally  distributed 
in  Burma,  but,  where  found,  always  common.  I  found  it 
especially  so  at  Yey-tho,  near  Rangoon,  on  the  Prome  road, 
in  some  parts  of  the  Pegu  plain,  and  again  on  the  Karen-nee 
tableland.  I  have  unfortunately  no  specimens  from  the  latter 
country;  so  that  I  am  unable  to  ^ay  to  what  species  they 
may  belong. 

Specimens  from  Saigon  are  a  little  smaller  than  Indian 
birds,  but  otherwise  identical. 

212.  Carpodacus  erythrinus. 

The  Rose-Finch  is  found  in  flocks  in  the  bamboo  jungles 
that  have  run  to  seed.  In  the  month  of  April  1874  I  found 
them  particularly  abundant  at  between  1000  and  2000  feet 
in  the  Karen  hills. 

213.  EuspizA  aureola. 

These  Buntings  are  found  in  vast  flocks  during  the  cold- 
weather  months.  On  the  Pegu  plain  in  December  1873  they 
were  spread  over  the  ripe  padi-fields  in  such  countless  numbers 
that  men  or  boys  had  to  be  kept  incessantly  on  the  look-out 
to  scare  away  the  birds  that  alighted.  Each  look-out  man 
was  posted  on  a  raised  platform  of  bamboo,  and  was  provided 
with  a  sling  and  a  basket  of  stones.  I  have  seen  these  slings 
used  with  great  eff'ect,  several  birds  being  killed  by  the  dis- 
charge of  a  single  stone.  I  saw  a  boy  kill  a  Heron  [Ardea 
cinerea)   with  a  stone  from  one  of  these  slings.     At  the  end 


46.2  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

of  February  1876  I  found  these  birds  very  numerous  in  a 
seeding  bamboo  jungle  near  Pegu. 

They  migrate  northwards  in  April^  soon  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  hot  weather. 

In  Karen-nee  they  are  also  common. 

214.  Emberiza  rutila. 

The  common  Bunting  of  the  higher  Karen  hills,  but  also 
found,  but  rarely,  in  the  plains  of  the  Tonghoo  district. 

216.  Emberiza  pusilla. 

Also  common  enough  at  all  elevations.  I  obtained  a  spe- 
cimen in  the  Andaman  Islands  in  March  1873. 

217.  Melophus  melanicterus. 

I  found  the  Crested  Bunting  very  common  in  the  Karen 
hills  up  to  3000  feet,  particularly  so  on  the  Karen-nee  plateau 
in  March  1874.  This  is  by  far  the  commonest  Bunting  in 
the  Karen-nee  country,  where  the  rocky  scrub-covered  hill- 
sides seem  to  suit  it.  It  is  particularly  fond  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  tiny  streams  covered  over  with  bushes  in  the 
open  country.  Their  note,  which  is  uttered  on  the  wing,  is 
a  rather  pleasing  whistle,  quite  unlike  that'  of  any  other 
Bunting. 

230.    MOTACILLA  LUZONENSIS. 

The  White-faced  Wagtails  arrive  in  Tonghoo  in  the  early 
part  of  September,  and  are  then  found  in  considerable  flocks 
on  the  parade-ground  and  other  open  spaces ;  but  after  a  few 
days  they  disperse,  and  are  then  invariably  to  be  seen  in 
pairs,  male  and  female,  about  the  rocks  and  houses.  At  this 
period  the  male  has  the  head  and  upper  parts  black ;  whilst  in 
the  female  the  head  is  black  or  grey,  or  mottled  with  both 
coloui's,  but  the  back  always  ashy.  On  examining  a  very 
large  series,  of  which  the  sexes  have  all  been  carefully  ascer- 
tained by  myself,  it  appears  that  in  the  months  of  September 
and  October,  although  the  head  of  the  female  is  liable  to 
variation  in  colour,  yet  its  back  is  invariably  ashy,  whilst 
that  of  the  male  is  black.  By  the  end  of  the  year  the  head 
of  the  female  is  always  grey,  of  the  same  colour  as  the  back ; 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  463 

but  that  of  the  male  is   still  black,  whilst  the  black  of  the 
back  becomes  mottled  with  grey  in  some  specimens. 

It  leaves  Burma  in  April,  before  the  commencement  of 
the  rains. 

MOTACILLA  ALBA. 

Lord  Tweeddale  identified  two  of  my  Wagtails  as  M.  duk- 
hunensis ;  but  I  am  unable  to  detect  them  in  my  collection. 

Indian  examples  seem  difficult  to  separate  from  Motacilla 
alba  of  Europe.  Blyth  remarks  (Ibis,  1865,  p.  49)  of  this 
Wagtail,  "  Like  the  European  M.  alba,  but  somewhat  larger, 
and  with  considerably  more  white  on  the  wings. '^  Specimens 
from  Spain  and  Asia  Minor,  in  both  summer  and  winter 
plumage,  have  the  wing  quite  as  white  as  examples  from 
Ahmadnagar. 

238.  Hydrornis  oatesi. 

Hydrornis  oatesi,  Hume,  S.  F.  i.  p.  477. 

A  common  enough  bird  in  the  hills.  It  is  perfectly  fear- 
less. I  have  had  one  hopping  about  on  the  ground  quite 
close  to  me,  and  turning  over  the  dead  leaves  in  the  most 
unconcerned  manner.  It  is  usually  found  in  the  evergreen 
forests. 

246.  Petrocossyphus  cyaneus. 

Arrives  in  Tonghoo  about  the  middle  of  October. 

247.  Orocetes  erythrogaster. 

The  Chestnut-bellied  Thrush  must  be  added  to  the  Cata- 
logue of  the  '  Birds  of  Burma '  as  I  obtained  a  specimen  from 
the  hills  in  January  1876. 

255.  Oreocincla  dauma. 

Both  this  bird  and  0.  mollissima  occur  at  Tonghoo  and  in 
the  hills.     I  obtained  it  at  5000  feet  in  April. 

263.  Cyanecula  suecica. 

I  obtained  two  specimens  in  the  Pegu  plain  in  December 
1873. 

313.  Garrulax  pectoralis. 

The  commonest  Chatterrer  of  Karen-nee,  where  I  never 


464  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay^s  Notes 

saw  or  shot  G.  belangeri  or  G.  moniliger.  I  have  not  observed 
the  former  to  the  eastward  of  the  Tonghoo  hills.  I  obtained 
a  nest  of  fledglings  in  March  in  Karen-nee. 

316.  Trochalopteron  melanostigma. 
Trochalopteron  melanostigma,  Blyth^,  J.  A.  S.  B.  xxiv.  p.  268. 
This  bird  was  very  abundant  in  Karen-nee  at  5000  feet. 

A  native  bird-catcher  snared  more  than  a  dozen  for  me  one 
day  in  a  few  hours,  besides  specimens  of  Turdus  sibir'icus,  T. 
pallidus,  Oreocincla  molUssima,  and  Sibia  picaioides,  using  as 
his  bait  the  larvse  of  some  insect.  In  some  specimens  the 
ferruginous-chestnut-colour  of  the  throat  and  breast  is  con- 
tinued over  the  whole  of  the  lower  surface. 

317.  AcTiNURA  RAMSAYi.     (Plate  XII.) 

Actinura  ramsayi,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xv. 
p.  402. 

I  found  this  bird  frequenting  the  jungle-covered  mountain- 
streams  in  the  open  country  of  Karen-nee,  at  an  elevation 
of  about  3000  feet ;  but  I  did  not  subsequently  meet  with  it. 

325.    LlOPTILA  SATURATA. 

Leioptila  saturata,  Walden,  Ibis,  1875,  p.  352. 

Only  observed  at  between  5000  and  60C0  feet  in  Karen-nee. 

328.    LlOTHRIX  STRIGULA. 

Obtained  on  Nat-toung,  about  40  miles  north-east  of  Shuay- 
gyeen,  at  an  elevation  of  7000  feet,  in  April. 

320.    LlOTHRIX  ARGENTAURIS. 

I  found  the  Silver-eared  Hill-Tit  very  common  in  the  Karen 
hills  at  a  height  of  2000  feet  and  upwards,  generally  dodging 
about  in  low  scrub-jungle,  but  sometimes  jumping  about  on 
trees,  like  the  true  Tits. 

I  have  always  found  that  the  females  differ  from  the  males, 
as  stated  by  Hodgson  {conf.  Jerd.  ii.  p.  252)  in  having  the 
upper  tail-coverts  yellowish  brown  instead  of  red. 

339.  Melanochlora  sultanea. 

On  one  occasion,  whilst  trying  to  secure  a  wounded  female 
of  this  species  which  was  fluttering  over  the  ground,  I  was 


Ibis.  1877. PI. XII. 


J.GKe^alemans  litli. 


Hanhart  imp 


ACTINURA  RAM3AYI. 


^  CENTRAL  PAR'., 
NEW  YORK.      ^•, 


Jbis.l877.Pl.>ai 


J.G.Keuleiaaris  juh  liaTihari  itcd. 

P OMAT ORHINUS   OCHR^\GE ICEP 3 . 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  465 

most  savagely  attacked  by  the  male  bird.  This  species 
is  very  common  on  the  lower  slopes  of  the  Karen  hills  and 
also  on  the  Yoma  hills. 

SiTTA  MAGNA. 

Sitta  magna,  Wardlaw-Ramsay,  P.  Z.  S.  1876,  p.  677. 

Described  from  a  single  specimen  obtained  by  my  collector 
during  an  expedition  from  Tonghoo  to  Karen-nee  in  January 
1876.  The  bird  described  an*l  figured  is  a  female,  not  a  male, 
as  stated,  by  a  printer's  error,  in  the  original  description. 

349.  PoMATORHiNus  ocHRACEicEPS.     (Plate  XIII.) 
Pomatorhinus  ochraceiceps,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H. 

ser.  4,  xii.  p.  487. 

Generally  distributed  in  the  hills,  but  not  nearly  so  com- 
mon as  the  following  species. 

350.  Pomatorhinus  leucogaster. 

All  my  specimens  belong  to  an  apparently  distinct  race ; 
in  fact  they  are  more  nearly  allied  to  P.  olivaceus,  Blyth, 
from  which  they  differ  in  having  the  lateral  breast-feathers 
and  flanks  ferruginous  chestnut,  as  in  P.  leucogaster,  Gould, 
and  P.  scMsticeps,  Hodgson,  and  in  having  a  broad  demi- 
coUar  of  the  same  colour,  formed  by  the  neck-spots  extend- 
ing across  the  nape.  In  specimens  of  P.  olivaceus  there  is, 
as  Mr.  Blyth  points  out  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1847,  p.  451),  a  rufes- 
cent  tinge  on  the  nape ;  but  the  ferruginous  flanks  alone  im- 
mediately distinguish  my  birds  from  that  species. 

Lord  Tweeddale  has  named  my  Karen- hill  birds  in  his  Col- 
lection P.  nuchalis. 

This  species  is  by  far  the  commonest  of  the  Scimitar  Bab- 
blers in  the  Karen  hills.  It  is  very  skulking  in  its  habits. 
I  have  often  had  to  wait  a  considerable  time  before  I  could 
even  get  a  sight  of  one  of  these  birds  in  a  bush  in  which  I 
knew  it  to  be. 

354.  Pomatorhinus  mari^. 

Pomatorhinus  marice,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4, 
XV.  p.  403. 

This  species,  if  not  absolutely  identical  with  P.  albigularis, 

SER.  IV. — VOL.  1.  2  k 


466  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

Blyth,  is  very  closely  allied,  judging  by  the  description  of 
the  latter  (J.  A.  S.  B.  1855,  p.  274). 

POMATORHINUS  OLIVACEUS. 

Pomatorhinus  olivaceus,  Blyth,  J.  A.  S.  B.  1847,  p.  451. 
This  species  has  been  recently  obtained  in  Tenasserim  by 
Mr.  Limborg. 

379.  Crateropus  gularis. 

Occurs  only  on  the  western  side  of  the  Pegu  Yoma  range. 

385.  Prinia  flaviventris. 

This  species  is  particularly  common  about  Monkey  Point, 
near  Rangoon,  where  I  found  its  nest.  It  does  not,  I  think, 
ascend  the  hills,  where  it  and  P.  gracilis  seem  to  be  re- 
placed by  P.  beavmii,  Wald.,  and  P.  hodgsoni,  Bl. 

428.  Hjrundo  tytleri. 

The  Rufous-bellied  Swallow  was  common  in  the  plains  of 
Karen-nee,  associating  with  H.  rustica. 

430.     HiRUNDO   FILIFERA. 

Occurs  at  Tonghoo. 

444.    TCHITREA  AFFINIS. 

I  only  once  observed  the  Paradise  Flycatcher  in  the  Karen 
hills,  and  never  in  the  plains  of  the  Tonghoo  district. 

450.  Leucocerca  albicollis. 

Plentifully  distributed  in  the  hills,  and  generally  near 
densely  wooded  streams. 

457.    loLE  VIRIDESCENS,  Blytli. 

462.  Alcurus  striatus,  Blyth. 

465.  Ixus  BLANFORDi,  Jcrdou. 

466.  Ixus  FLAVESCENS,  Blytli. 

These  four  species  are  extremely  common  in  the  Karen 
hills,  and  are  generally  found  in  small  flocks. 

464.    Ixus  ANNECTENS. 

Ixus  annectens,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xv. 
p.  401  (June  1st,  1875). 

Ixus  davisoni,  Hume,  S.  F.  iii.  p.  301. 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  467 

Lord  Tweeddale  described  this  bird  from  a  single  specimen 
which  I  obtained  at  Monkey  Point,  near  Rangoon.  So  far  as 
I  can  ascertain,  his  description  was  published  several  months 
before  that  of  Mr.  Hume,  although  the  number  of  '  Stray 
Feathers '  in  which  the  latter  appears  bears  the  publishing 
date  of  May. 

471.    RUBIGULA  FLAVIVENTRIS. 

This  species  is  very  common  in  the  plains,  and  also  in  the 
hills  up  to  a  moderate  elevation.  I  found  a  nest  containing 
two  eggs  in  April  at  the  foot  of  the  Karen  hills ;  but  they 
were  unfortunately  either  lost  or  broken  in  transit ;  so  I  am 
unable  to  give  a  description  of  them. 

480.  Irena  puella. 

The  Fairy  Bluebird  never  occurs  in  the  Karen  hills,  except 
on  their  western  slope,  according  to  my  experience.  There- 
fore it  would  appear  from  this  fact,  and  the  statement  of  Mr. 
Gates  (quoted  in  S.  F.  iii.  p.  131,  line  13),  that  it  is  confined, 
in  Northern  British  Burmah,  to  the  valley  of  the  Sittang 
river  and  the  adjacent  slopes  of  the  Yoma  and  Karen  hills. 

I  observe,  however,  that  (p.  130)  Mr.  Hume  has  examined 
specimens  from  Thyetmyo. 

481.  Analcipus  trailli. 

In  the  hills  only,  at  2000  feet  and  upwards. 

511.  Ducula  griseicapilla. 

Ducula  griseicapilla,  Walden,  Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4, 
xvi.  p.  228. 

Iris  greyish  white ;  orbital  skin  greyish  brown ;  bill  red- 
dish plum-colour,  whitish  at  the  tip. 

Confined  to  the  higher  parts  of  the  Karen  hills,  where  I 
found  it  very  difiicult  to  obtain. 

514.  Alsocomus  puniceus. 

This  is  a  most  stupid  and  easily  obtained  Pigeon  near 
Tonghoo.  In  a  grove  of  trees  where  they  happen  to  be  feed- 
ing, any  number  may  be  secured ;  for  they  will  return  almost 
immediately  to  the  same  spot  from  which  they  have  been 

2k2 


468  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

disturbed  by  a  shot,   and  will  frequently  alight   on  a  branch 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  firer's  head. 

Iris  bloodshot-amber;  orbital  skin  purplish  pink;  legs 
and  feet  carnation. 

521.  Macropygia  assimilis. 

Macropygia  assimilis,  Hume,  S.  F.  ii.  p.  441. 

Affects  bamboo  and  other  low  jungle.  I  found  it  most 
numerous  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Karen  hills,  and  gene- 
rally solitary  in  its  habits. 

523.  Macropygia  tusalia. 

I  found  a  nest  containing  two  wliite  eggs  at  4000  feet  in 
the  Karen  hills  on  the  18th  March.  The  eggs  measured 
roughly  1*4  by  I'O  inch. 

Iris  white,  surrounded  by  pale  lilac;  oi'bital  skin  grey, 
with  an  inner  rim  of  purple  round  the  eye  ;  bill  blackish ; 
legs  purplish  pink. 

528.  Gallus  ferrugineus. 

(Burmese,  "  Tau-kiet.'') 

I  took  eleven  eggs  from  a  nest  in  Karen-nce  on  the  14th 
March.  The  eggs  were  simply  laid  in  a  small  hollow  scratched 
out  by  the  bird  under  a  fallen  branch. 

532.  Francolinus  sinensis. 

(Burmese,  "Ka.") 

This  bird,  although  unknown  in  the  plains  of  the  Tonghoo 
district,  is  very  abundant  in  the  Karen-nee,  and  also  in  the 
Thyetmyo  district  to  the  westward  of  the  Yoma.  In  the  hills 
it  frequents  the  sides  of  rocky  hills  and  other  inaccessible 
places.  Its  whereabouts  may  always  be  known  by  its  extra- 
ordinary call,  which  it  is  continually  uttering,  and  which  may 
be  rend'ered  on  paper  by  the  syllables  kuk,  kuk,  kuich,  ka-kd. 

The  flesh  of  this  Francolin  when  cooked  in  the  ordinary 
way  is  singularly  tasteless. 

552.  Charadrius  fulvus. 

The  Eastern  Golden  Plover  arrives  in  Burma  about  the 
middle  of  September,  but  does  not  remain  very  long  after  the 
termination  of  the  rainy  season. 


on  some  Burmese  Birds.  469 

560.  Glareola  orientalis. 

Towards  the  end  of  April,  in  both  years  that  I  was  on 
the  frontier  of  British  Burma,  these  Pratincoles  came  into 
Tonghoo  in  large  numbers  for  a  few  days  on  their  way 
northwards.  They  might  be  seen  every  evening  at  dusk 
hawking  after  insects  among  the  houses  on  the  river-bank. 

561.  Glareola  lactea. 

The  Small  Pratincoles  breed  in  great  numbers  on  the  sand- 
banks of  the  Sittang  in  April  and  May,  just  before  the 
rains  commence.  In  the  year  1875  the  change  of  the  mon- 
soon took  place  nearly  a  month  before  the  usual  time,  and 
consequently  the  sandbanks,  on  which  were  lying  hundreds 
of  eggs  of  this  bird,  Seena  aurantia,  Sternula  javanica,  and 
Rhynchops  albicollis,  were  covered  with  water,  and  in  a  few 
days  every  e^^  was  swept  away. 

570.    LiMOSA  iEGOCEPHALA. 

I  only  once  saw  this  Godwit  in  Burma.  It  is  a  rare  bird, 
according  to  my  experience,  at  Tonghoo. 

583.    RhYNCH^A  BENGALENSIS. 

On  the  14th  September  1874  I  extracted  a  perfect  egg 
from  a  female  that  I  had  shot.  This  seems  a  late  date  for 
the  bird  to  be  breeding ;  but  I  observe  (Hume^s  '  Nests  and 
Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,'  p.  587)  that  Mr.  Layard  has  known 
an  egg  taken  from  a  Painted  Snipe  in  November  in  Ceylon. 

586.    GrUS  ANTIGONE. 

(Burmese,  "  Gyo-gya-gyee.'^) 

The  Sarus  Crane  is  tolerably  common  in  the  valley  of  the 
Sittang.  Mr.  Hume  does  not  include  it  in  his  paper  on  the 
birds  of  Upper  Pegu  (S.  F.  iii.),  nor  in  his  lists  of  the 
Tenasserim  birds  in  '  Stray  Feathers.'' 

It  breeds  near  Tonghoo ;  but  I  have  never  myself  found 
its  nest,  but  have  had  the  eggs  brought  to  me  by  the  Burmese. 
They  described  the  nest  as  a  pile  of  weeds  and.  mud,  situated 
generally  in  the  middle  of  a  swamp. 

On  the  29th  September  1876  a  Burman  brought  me  an 
egg  and  a  newly  hatched  Sarus  chicken.     He  had  taken  the 


470  Lieut.  Wardlaw  Ramsay's  Notes 

eggs  and  placed  them  in  the  nest  of  a  species  of  Ploceus  for 
safety ;  but  one  of  the  eggs  hatched  in  transit.  I  gave  the  little 
bird  into  the  charge  of  a  common  Hen,  little  thinking  that  she 
would  adopt  it.  She  took  the  greatest  care  of  it,  and  showed 
great  wrath  if  anybody  attempted  to  touch  it.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  eleventh  day,  however,  the  little  creature  died. 
When  just  out  of  the  shell  it  devoured  worms  greedily. 

The  young  bird  when  four  days  old  had  the  upper  surface 
of  the  body  intense  dark  chestnut  and  the  lower  parts  whitish 
brown.     Legs  livid ;  bill  fleshy  yellow,  whitish  at  tip. 

In  the  adult  specimens  the  irides  are  reddish  orange  ;  bill 
and  coronal  skin  greenish  glaucous ;  skin  of  the  face  and 
neck  pale  brick-red ;  legs  fleshy  pink,  brownish  in  front. 

594.  CicoNiA  EPiscopus. 
Tonghoo. 

596.  Leptoptilus  argala. 

The  Adjutant  is  extremely  abundant  in  certain  parts  during 
the  dry  season. 

In  January  1874  I  found  these  birds  very  abundant  on  the 
Pegu  plain,  which  is  intersected  in  all  directions  by  creeks, 
in  which  fishing  is  carried  on  on  a  large  scale  by  the  Burmese. 
The  fish  are  caught  in  weirs  made  of  bamboo ;  and  to  these 
weirs  the  Adjutants  resort  in  large  numbers  in  company  with 
crowds  of  other  birds,  the  whole  presenting  a  most  wonderful 
spectacle.  I  trust  I  may  be  excused  for  taking  the  following 
extract  from  my  note-book,  descriptive  of  one  of  these  fishing- 
places  : — 

"  Seena  aurantia  and  Sternula  javanica  are  hovering  about 
in  clouds  and  darting  into  the  water,  which  is  teeming  with 
fish,  the  Pariah  and  Brahminy  Kites  look  down  approvingly 
from  the  top  of  every  available  stake,  whilst  little  Alcedo 
bengalensis  sits  quietly  by  himself,  ever  and  anon  making  a 
dart  at  some  luckless  fish.  The  water  itself  is  covered  with 
Pelicans  and  Cormorants.  The  shore  is  white  with  Egrets ; 
but  here  and  there  an  old  Cormorant  may  be  seen  sitting 
among  them,  with  outspread  wings,  drying  himself  in  the  sun  ; 
and,  last  but  not  least,  the  huge  Adjutants  stalk  about  majes- 


(ju  so/lie  Burmese  Birds.  471 

tically  on  the  banks  among  the  fishermen's  houses  hard  by^ 
or  stand  motionless  on  the  water^s  edge^  whilst  others  are 
circling  and  wheeling  about  overhead  in  large  flocks  mingled 
with  innumerable  Pelicans.'' 

At  the  end  of  October  and  the  beginning  of  November 
Adjutants  pass  over  Tonghoo,  flying  southwards  in  incredible 
numbers.  Whence  they  come  I  cannot  say  ;  but  their  desti- 
nation we  know,  from  what  has  been  said  above,  to  be  the  creeks 
which  cut  up  the  greater  part  of  the  Pegu,  Rangoon,  and  other 
districts  bordering  on  the  sea,  where  they  spend  the  dry 
months  of  the  year. 

The  approach  of  one  of  these  migrating  armies  is  announced 
nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  it  arrives  by  the  loud 
noise  which  the  birds  make  with  their  wings.  Their  flight  is 
very  slow  -,  and  the  usual  order  is  single  file,  or  at  the  most 
four  abreast.  I  have  known  one  of  these  flocks  to  occupy 
more  than  twenty  minutes  in  passing  over  my  house.  Fre- 
quently in  the  course  of  a  flight  the  leading  birds,  or  sections 
of  birds,  may  be  seen  to  wheel  to  the  right  or  left  and  com- 
mence flying  round  and  round.  Each  bird  as  it  arrives  at 
the  wheeling-point  does  the  same,  until  the  whole  flock  is  one 
revolving  mass ;  and  shortly  afterwards  it  begins  to  unwind 
itself,  and  the  order  of  flight  is  resumed  as  regularly  as  before. 

616.  Gallicrex  cinereus. 

A  common  bird,  which  breeds  in  the  Tonghoo  district  in 
August  and  September,  when  I  have  found  its  nest. 

621.  HypotvEnidia  striata. 

The  Blue-breasted  Rail  breeds  at  Tonghoo  in  August  and 
September.  I  took  a  nest  on  the  20th  September  1874  con- 
taining five  eggs  of  a  dull  cream-colour,  speckled  and  blotched 
with  reddish  brown  and  purplish  stone-colour,  particularly 
towards  the  larger  end.  The  bird  is  common  at  Rangoon 
and  Tonghoo.  Jerdon's  description  (vol.  iii.  p.  726)  of  the 
soft  parts  does  not  tally  with  mine.  He  says,  '^  Bill  yellowish 
green,  irides  red,  legs  dull  green  /'  but  all  the  Blue-breasted 
Rails  that  I  have  examined  in  Burma  have  had  the  bill 
bright  plum-colour,  the  irides  red-brown,  and  the  legs  dirty 


472  Notes  on  some  Burmese  Birds. 

buff.  I  observe  that  I  have  recorded  my  sjDecimens  shot  in 
the  Andamans  as  having  the  bill  purplish  lake^  irides  red, 
and  legs  dull  pinkish  buff. 

626.    FULICA  ATRA. 

Occurs  at  Tonghoo. 

629.  Xema  brunneicephala. 

Rarely  found  so  high  up  the  Sittang  as  Tonghoo.  I  only 
once  obtained  a  specimen,  in  October. 

635.  Seena  aurantia. 

636.  Sterna  javanica. 

Both  these  species  breed  in  large  numbers  on  the  sand- 
banks of  the  Sittang  in  March,  April,  and  May. 

637.  Sternula  minuta. 

Breeds  on  the  sandbanks  of  the  Sittang. 

639.  Rhynchops  albicollis. 

The  eggs,  which  are  generally  deposited  on  a  sandbank, 
are  very  much  like  those  of  Seena  aurantia  ;  and  therefore  the 
most  careful  identification  of  the  bird  to  which  eggs  found  on 
the  sand  belong  is  necessary. 

I  have  found  the  remains  of  fish-bones,  mixed  with  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  grit  and  sand,  in  the  stomach  of  one  of 
these  birds. 

646.  Sarcidiornis  melanonota. 

The  Comb-Duck  breeds  in  the  Tonghoo  district  in  July 
and  August.  Burmese  have  assured  me  that  they  breed  on 
trees  in  colonies ;  but  I  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this 
statement,  as  I  have  never  myself  seen  the  nest^. 

On  the  21st  September  a  native  brought  me  three  live 
ducklings  which  he  had  caught  in  a  swamp.  He  stated  that 
the  nest  in  which  the  young  birds  were  hatched  out  was 
situated  on  a  low  bush  in  the  swamp. 

647.  Dendrocygna  arcuata. 
(Burmese,  "  Tse-se-le.^^) 

This  is  the  common  Whistling  Teal  of  the  Tonghoo  side 
of  the  Yomas,  D.  major  being  rare.     On  the  Thyetmyo  side 

*  [  Cy.  A.  Anderson,  Ibis,  1874,  p.  220,  where  the  nesting-habits  of  this 
species  are  fully  described. — Edd.] 


Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  on  a  new  Bird  from  Formosa.       473 

it  would  appear  that  the  latter  was  the  common  bird ;  for  Mr. 
A.  0.  Hume  does  not  include  D.  arcuata  at  all  in  his  ''Birds 
of  Upper  Pegu''  (S.  F.  iii.  p.  193). 

I  have  taken  the  eggs  in  August  and  September.  One 
sitting,  much  incubated,  which  I  found  on  the  14th  Sep- 
tember, was  very  much  stained ;  but  all  the  fresh  eggs  that  I 
have  seen  were  pure  white. 

The  Whistling  Teal  often  pretends  to  be  unable  to  fly 
when  disturbed  from  her  nest.  I  once  saw  an  Eagle  swoop 
at  a  female  Whistler  as  she  was  fluttering  along  the  ground 
in  front  of  me. 

For  some  general  remarks  on  the  district  of  Karen-nee  my 
previous  paper  (Ibis,  1875,  p.  348)  may  be  referred  to. 


XLI. — On  a  new  Bird  from  Formosa. 
By  R.  Swinhoe,  F.R.S.  &c. 

(Plate  XIV.) 

Dr.  Steere,  whose  ornithological  discoveries  in  the  Philip- 
pines have  lately  attracted  so  much  attention,  also  visited 
Formosa  during  his  travels  in  the  east.  The  portion  of  the 
island  traversed  by  him  lay  towards  the  southern  extremity, 
where  he  penetrated  into  the  mountains  of  the  interior,  not 
visited  by  me.  Amongst  several  interesting  species  ob- 
tained by  him  and  submitted  to  me,  such  as  Suthora  bulo- 
machus,  Sibia  auricularis,  Garrulax  taivanus,  &c.,  was  a  Lio- 
thrix-\\ke  bird,  which  is  quite  new  to  me.  Wishing  for 
further  information,  I  waited  until  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
showing  the  specimen  to  Lord  Tweeddale.  It  was  new  also 
to  him ;  and  he  writes,  "  It  is  another  evidence  of  the  close 
connexion  that  must  have  existed  formerly  between  Formosa 
and  the  Himalayan  chain."  I  will  therefore  bring  forward 
this  species  under  the  generic  name. 

LiociCHLA,  gen.  nov. 
In  general  characters  a  Liothrix,  but  with   the  stronger 
legs  and  shorter  wings  of  a  Garrulax,  and  somewhat  allied 
to  Sibia. 


474  Count  T.  Salvadori  on  the 

LiociCHLA  STEEiiii,  sp.  iiov.     (Plate  XIV.) 

Olivaceous  greeu  throughout ;  crown  and  occiput^  chin  and 
throat,  flanks  and  rump  smoky ;  patch  of  orange-yellow  on 
anterior  corner  of  eye ;  streaks  of  yellow  on  sides  of  the 
nape  and  vent-feathers,  broadly  tipjied  with  orange ;  breast, 
belly,  and  edge  of  wing  yellow ;  axillaries  smoky  ;  bill  and 
legs  light  wood-brown ;  tail  olive-green,  feathers  square 
at  the  ends  and  white,  four  central  rectrices  with  a  black  bar 
before  the  white  tips,  three  on  each  side  with  the  apical 
portion  of  outer  web  black  as  well ;  secondaries  washed  with 
maroon,  black  on  inner  webs  and  apical  half,  all  tipped 
with  white,  yellowish  green  on  outer  webs,  stems  black. 
Length  7'5,  wing  2'7,  tail  3*4. 


XLII. — A  few  Words  on  the  Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus, 
Wagl.     By  T.  Salvadori,  C.M.Z.S. 

In  the  last  number  of '  The  Ibis '  a  paper  by  Mr.  Forbes  has 
appeared  under  the  title  "  Recent  Observations  on  the  Parrots 
of  the  Genus  Eclectus  -y^'  and  I  wish  to  make  a  few  remarks 
on  it. 

It  seems  that,  although  Mr.  Forbes  is  inclined  to  believe 
Dr.  Meyer's  statement  that  the  green  Eclectus  are  the  males, 
and  the  red  ones  the  females,  still  he  does  not  consider  the 
fact  fully  established,  on  account  of  Mr.  Brown^s  state- 
ment that  it  "is  a  gross  error."  I  hope  that  those  who 
are  still  incredulous  about  Meyer's  discovery  will  know 
before  long  on  which  side  is  the  gross  error.  For  my  part  I 
have  not  the  least  doubt  that  Meyer  is  right.  My  experience 
is  as  follows: — I  have  examined  128  specimens  of  three  dif- 
ferent species  of  the  genus  Eclectus,  collected  by  D'Albertis, 
Beccari,  and  Bruijn's  men ;  and  the  green  ones  were  constantly 
marked  males,  and  the  red  ones  females.  Many  of  them 
were  dissected  by  D'Albertis  and  Beccari.  It  is  worth  while 
mentioning  that  some  of  D'Albertis's  birds,  and  all  those 
collected  by  Beccari  in  the  Aru  Islands,  were  obtained  before 
Meyer  made  his  startling  statement. 


Ibis.  18 77. PI  XIV 


\     ... 


J-GKeulsTnaTis  Tith 


Hanhart  imp. 


LIOCICHLA  STEERII. 


Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus.  475 

Mr.  Forbes  gives  the  diagnostic  table  published  by  me  in 
1875  (Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Gen.  vii.  p.  757)  of  the  three  better- 
known  species,  E.  polychlorus,  E.  grandis,  and  E.  cardinalis. 
He  mentions  that,  accidentally,  I  have  transposed  in  the  table 
two  names,  as  he  has  ascertained  from  a  corrected  copy  of  my 
paper  that  I  had  forwarded  to  Mr.  Sclater.  It  seems  that 
Mr.  Forbes  has  not  observed  that  the  correction  has  been 
also  properly  made  in  the  errata  at  the  end  of  the  volume 
in  which  my  paper  is  contained  ;  anyhow,  it  appears  to  me 
that,  knowing  my  accidental  mistake,  he  should  have  given 
my  table  in  the  right  way,  which  is  as  follows  : — 

1    Virides :  lateribus  rubro-puniceis.     (Mares.) 

a.  Majores. 

a'.  Viridis,  colore  obscuriore,  caiida  minus  cserulea  .  .  1.  polychlorus. 

b'.  Viridis,  colore  Isetiore,  cauda  magis  cserulea  ....  2.  grandis. 

b.  Minor,  cauda  vix  cferulea  3.  cardinalis. 

2.  Rubrae :  fascia  interscapulari  et  abdomine  cyaneis,  vel 

violaceis.     (Feminse.) 

a.  Annulo  perioculari  cyaneo 1.  polychlorus. 

b.  Annulo  perioculari  cyaneo  mdlo. 

a'.  Subcaudalibus  pure  flavis 2.  grandis. 

b'.  Subcaudalibus  auroreis,  vel  rubro-flavis 3.  cardinalis*. 

In  the  conclusion  of  his  paper  Mr.  Forbes  attempts  to  give 
the  sexual  differences  and  the  geographical  distribution  of 
the  different  species.  But,  according  to  my  views,  he  is 
wrong  on  both  points. 

As  regards  the  differences,  leaving  aside  for  the  present  E. 
westermanni  and  E.  cornelia,  it  seems  that  Mr.  Forbes  has 
been  misled  by  not  having  attended  to  the  correction  in  my 
table.  So  of  E.  grandis  he  says  "  cauda  vix  cserulea,^"  which 
characteristic  belongs  to  E.  cardinalis ;  and  of  this  he  says 
'^  cauda  magis  cserulea,^^  instead  of  "  cauda  vix  caerulea.^^ 

Not  less  important  is  the  mistake  as  regards  the  geogra- 
phical distribution.  Mr.  Forbes  says  that  E.  polychlorus 
"  Habitat  in  insulis  Papuanis  et  Moluccanis,"  while  in  fact 
it  is  only  to  be  found  in  the  Papuan  Islands.  The  three 
species  E.  polychlorus,  E.  grandis,  and  E.  cardinalis  are 
representative    forms  which  inhabit  each   a  peculiar  area  : 

*  I  have  altered  the  order  of  the  females  to  match  that  of  the  males. 


476  Recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 

E.  cardinalis  lives  in  the  group  of  Ceram  (Ceram,  Am- 
boina^  and  Buru),  E.  grandis  in  the  group  of  Gilolo^  and, 
lastj  E.  polychlorus  in  the  Papuan  Islands — from  Waigiou  to 
the  Solomon  Islands^  and  in  the  Kei  Islands^  which^  according 
to  my  views,  we  must  put  with  the  Papuan  Islands  rather 
than  with  the  Moluccas.  All  this  I  have  already  shown  in 
the  3rd  part  [Psittaci]  of  my  ''  Prodromus  Ornithologise  Pa- 
puasise  et  Moluccarum  "  (Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Gen.  x.  p.  31),  where, 
owing  to  an  omission  of  the  printer,  "  Ceram  ( Von  Rosenberg , 
Wallace)  "  has  been  left  out  from  the  localities  inhabited  by 
E.  cardinalis.  The  so-called  E.  polychlorus,  from  Ternate, 
Gilolo,  Batchian,  and  Morotay,  is  the  male  of  E.  grandis. 
We  have  an  evident  proof  of  this  in  the  fact  that  the  so-called 
E.  linncsi,  which  now  we  know  is  the  female  of  E.  polychlorus, 
is  not  to  be  found  in  the  islands  of  the  Gilolo  group,  but 
only  in  the  truly  Papuan  Islands. 

Turin,  Zoological  Museum,  July  25tli,  1877. 


XLIII. — Notices  of  recently  published  Ornithological  Works. 
[Continued  from  p.  385.] 
52.  Salvadori  on  the  Papuan  Parrots. 

[Prodromus  ornitliologise  Papiiasiae  et  Moluccarum  auctore  Thoma  Sal- 
vadori.    III.  Psittaci.     Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Genoa,  x.  p.  21.] 

The  third  j)art  of  Salvadori^s  '  Prodromus '  is  devoted  to  the 
Parrots — a  prominent  group  in  Papua  and  the  IMoluccas — no 
less  than  92  species  beiug  enumerated  in  the  present  list. 
D^Albertis,  Beccari,  and  Bruijn  have  transmitted  no  less 
than  1363  specimens  of  this  group  to  Genoa,  referable  to  69 
species. 

The  following  four  new  species  are  established  : — Geoffroyus 
keyensis,  ex  inss.  Key  ;  G.  schlegeli  {=rhodops,  Schl.,  nee 
G.  B.  Gray)  ;  Lorius  erythrothorax,  ex  Nov.  Guin.  merid.- 
orient. ;  L.  flavo-palliattis  ex  Obi  et  Batchian  :  and  two  new 
genera,  ''  Oreopsittacus  "  for  Trichoglossus  arfaki,  Meyer,  and 
"  Charmosynopsis  "  for  Charmosyna  pulchella,  G.  R.  Gray. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  -^77 

53.  Salvadori  on  Papuan  and  Moluccan  Nectarinians. — 

[Intorno  alle  specie  di  Nettarinie  della  Papuasia,  delle  Molucclie  e  del 
gruppo  di  Celebes.     Atti  d.  R.  Ace.  d.  Sc.  di  Torino,  xii.  p.  299.] 

This  paper  supplements  the  aiithor^s  former  memoir  on 
Hermotimia  (Atti  R.  Ac.  Sc.  Torino,  x.  p.  201),  but  includes 
also  notices  of  all  the  other  Nectarinice  of  Papuasia,  the  Mo- 
luccas, and  Celebes.  There  are,  according  to  Prof.  Salva- 
dori's  views,  14  Hermotimia,  3  species  oi  JEthopyga,  2  of  Cyr- 
tostomus,  and  1  Anthrothreptus  within  these  limits. 

54.  Salvadori  on  D^Albertis^s  Collections  of  1872. 

[Catalogo  della  prima  coUezioue  di  uccelli  fatta  nella  Nuova  Guinea 
nel  1872  dal  Siguor  L.  M.  D'Albertis.     Ann.  Mus.  Civ.  Genoa,  x.  p.  111.] 

Of  the  collections  made  by  D^Albertis  in  New  Guinea  in 
1872  only  a  portion,  principally  the  novelties,  have  been  yet 
described,  by  Sclater  in  the  Zoological  Society's  'Proceedings,' 
and  by  Salvadori  in  the  'Annali'  of  the  Museo  Civico  of 
Genoa.  Salvadori  now  gives  a  complete  account  of  theste 
collections,  made  at  various  points  along  the  northern  coast 
of  New  Guinea,  and  during  the  celebrated  excursion  to  Mount 
Arfak,  altogether  embracing  499  individuals,  referable  to  180 
species.  Of  these  25  were  new  to  science,  13  of  which  were 
described  by  Sclater,  and  12  by  Salvadori. 

55.  Sharpe's '  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  British  Museum,' 
vol.  iii. 

[Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  British  Museum,  vol.  iii.  Coliomorphte, 
containing  the  families  Corvidae,  Paradiseidte,  Oriolidae,  Dicruridse,  and 
Prionopidse.     By  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe.     8vo.     Loudon :  1877.] 

Mr.  Sharpe  has  now  entered  upon  the  most  difficult  portion 
of  his  task — the  reduction  into  systematic  order  and  the  de- 
scription of  the  extensive  group  of  Passeres,  or  Passeriformes, 
as  he  prefers  to  term  it,  which  contains  the  great  mass  of  living 
birds.  Since  the  time  of  Latham's  '  General  History '  no  natu- 
ralist has  attempted  such  a  work ;  and  it  is  only  one  who  has 
the  resources  of  a  central  position  and  a  great  national  col- 
lection at  his  back  who  could  undertake  it  with  any  chance 
of  success. 


■478  Recently  published  Oniithologlciil  Works.     ^ 

The  systematic  arrangement  adopted  by  Mr.  Sharpe  appears 
to  be  a  combination  of  those  of  Prof.  Garrod^  Prof.  Sundevall, 
and  Mr.  Wallace.  The  birds  treated  of  in  the  present  volume 
are  the  "  Coliomorphse '^ — a  term  applied  here  to  the  families 
Corvidse,  Paradiseidse,  Oriolidge,  Dicruridse,  and  Prionopidse. 
This,  it  may  be  remarked,  is  a  very  different  series  from  Prof. 
SundevalFs  "  Coliomorphse/^  which  embraces  the  Icteridie, 
Sturnidse,  Corvidse^  and  Paradiseidae  of  most  authors^  with 
some  minor  groups.  The  Prionopidse  of  Mr.  Sharpe  we  cannot 
regard  as  a  very  natural  family,  embracing,  as  it  does,  such 
diverse-looking  forms  as  Grallina,  Eurocephalus,  Hypocolius, 
and  Euryceros !  But  much  must  depend  on  whether  jNIr. 
Sharpens  new  character  of  the  production  forwards  of  the 
"  chin-angle,"  whereby  he  separates  the  ColiomorpliBe  from 
the  remaining  "  Turdiformes,"  will  stand  the  test  of  length- 
ened examination. 

As  regards  the  nomenclature  employed  by  Mr.  Sharpe,  we 
may  observe  that  the  Stricklandian  code  now  adopted  by 
most  English  naturalists  is  not  obeyed  in  several  particulars. 
It  is  enacted  thereby  that  "  specific  names,  when  adopted  as 
generic,  must  be  changed."  But  Mr.  Sharpe  maintains  Corone 
corone  and  Pyrrhocorax  pyrrhocorax  directly  in  the  teeth  of 
this  wholsome  regulation.  It  is  also  enacted  that  "  a  name 
glaringly  false  may  be  changed."  Yet  Mr.  Sharpe  rejects 
appropriate  names  in  order  to  call  an  Oriole  of  the  Philip- 
pines chinensis,  and  a  Bolivian  Crow  chilensis — the  evidence 
of  identification  in  both  these  cases  being,  to  say  the  least  of 
it,  very  doubtful. 

We  rejoice  to  see  that  in  the  present  volume  Mr.  Sharpe 
has  somewhat  curtailed  the  length  of  his  descriptions.  Short 
Latin  diagnoses  would,  we  think,  have  been  much  better  in 
a  work  of  this  kind,  with  a  few  observations  added  to  show 
the  relation  of  the  species  to  its  nearest  allies.  The  ''keys 
to  the  species,"  given  under  each  genus,  are  very  useful  in  their 
way,  but  break  down  when  you  come  to  use  them  for  the 
determination  of  specimens,  from  only  one  point  of  difference 
between  allied  species  being  given. 

The  total  number  of  species  recognized  by  Mr.  Sharpe  as 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  479 

belonging  to  the  five  families  treated  of  in  the  present  volume 
is  367,  of  which  315  are  represented  (by  2014  specimens)  in 
the  British  Museum.  The  new  generic  terms  used  are  7  in 
number — namely,  Heterocorax,  Rhinocorax,  Microcorax,  Ma- 
crocorax,  Pseudorectes,  Melanorectes,  and  Pinarolestes.  The 
species  described  as  new  are  Strepera  intermedia,  Psilo- 
rhinus  cyanogenys,  Phonygama  jamesii,  Oriolus  diffusus,  O. 
steerii,  Sphecotheres  salvadorii,  Irena  melanochlamys,  I.  cri- 
niger,  I.  tweeddalii,  Rectes  tibialis,  R.  aruensis,  CoUyriocincla 
paUidirostris,  Bradyornis  woodwardi,  and  B.  diabolicus — 14  in 
all,  besides  several  "  subspecies." 

In  concluding  this  short  notice  of  a  most  important  work, 
we  cannot  but  congratulate  Mr.  Sharpe  upon  the  energy  he 
has  displayed  in  attacking  the  formidable  task  of  a  general 
descriptive  catalogue  of  birds,  and  express  our  sincere  hopes 
that  he  may  be  able  to  bring  it  to  a  successful  conclusion. 

56.  Sharpens  Birds  of  Kerguelen's  Island. 

[Transit-of- Venus  Expedition.  Zoology. — Birds.  By  R.  Bowdler 
Sharpe,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  &c.     4to,  pp.  G2,  pis.  vi.-viii.] 

Mr.  Sharpe's  share  of  this  paper  relates  chiefly  to  the  no- 
menclature of  the  species  included  in  it,  and  to  the  labour  of 
getting  together  all  previous  information  respecting  the  birds 
of  Kerguelen  Island.  The  Rev.  E.  A.  Eaton,  the  naturalist 
attached  to  the  English  Transit  Expedition  to  this  place,  has 
furnished  copious  field-notes  on  the  species  observed  by  him, 
which  considerably  enhance  the  interest  of  the  paper.  The 
nesting-habits  of  many  of  the  birds  are  also  fully  described 
by  him ;  and  the  memoir  gives  a  very  complete  account  of  the 
ornithology  of  this  island,  A  good  deal  of  the  ground  traversed 
in  the  papers  on  the  same  subject  by  Drs.  Kidder  and  Coues, 
and  Drs.  Cabanis  and  Eeichenow,  the  former  of  whom  de- 
scribed the  ornithology  relating  to  the  American,  the  latter 
to  the  German  Transit  Expedition,  is  necessarily  gone  over 
again.  But,  besides  incorporating  the  labours  of  his  imme- 
diate predecessors,  Mr.  Sharpe  has  very  properly  added  an 
account  of  all  the  available  materials  collected  by  the  Ant- 
arctic Expedition  to  which  Sir  J.  Hooker  was  attached,  as 


480  Recently  published  Oniitholoyical  Works. 

well  as  notes  on  EUis^s  drawings^  made  during  Capt.  Cook^s 
third  voyage"^.  Cook^s  visit  to  Kerguelen  Island  is  related 
by  himself  in  the  first  volume  of  the  '  Third  Voyage  '  (chaps, 
iv.  &v.) .  At  the  end  of  chapter  v.  a  good  account  of  the  natural 
history  is  given  by  Mr.  Anderson^  the  siu'geon  of  the  '  Reso- 
lution,' which  includes  descriptions  of  the  birds  of  the  island. 
This  passage  seems  to  have  escaped  Mr.  Sharpens  notice. 

The  Procellariidse,  so  numerously  represented  in  this  island^ 
come  in  for  a  large  share  of  attention ;  and  Mr.  Sharpe  has 
given  important  notes  on  several  members  of  this  family.  He 
has  carefully  examined  a  large  series  of  specimens  of  the  genus 
Prion,  with  a  view  to  testing  the  validity  of  some  of  the  species 
for  which  recognition  has  been  claimed  ;  the  result  is  that  he 
admits  only  two,  P.  vittatus  and  P.  desolatus.  Again,  Tha- 
lassidroma  melanogaster,  Gould,  is  united  (somewhat  prema- 
turely, we  think)  with  T.  tropica  of  the  same  author,  and  the 
latter  name  adopted,  apparently  because  the  description  of  it 
precedes  that  of  the  former  by  a  page  in  the  paper  where  both 
are  described  t- 

(Estrelata  mollis  is  introduced  into  the  list  on  the  authority 
of  Drs.  Cabanis  and  Reichenow ;  but  the  specimen  brought 
home  by  the  '  Gazelle '  was  really  one  of  CE.  brevirostris ,  and 
(E.  mollis  must,  for  the  present,  be  erased  from  the  list  of  Ker- 
guelen birds.     For  this  error  Mr.  Sharpe  is  not  responsible  J. 

Mr.  Sharpe  has  also  discussed  fully  the  complicated  syn- 

*  Mr.  Sharpe  (p.  1)  speaks  of  Ellis  as  having  accompanied  Sir  J.  Banks 
and  Capt.  Cook ;  but  this  is  incorrect.  Sir  J.  Banks  only  accompanied 
Cook  during  his  Jiist  voyage,  when  Parkinson  and  Buchan  were  the 
artists  engaged.  Kerguelen  Island  was  not  then  visited — nor  yet  during 
the  second  voyage,  when  the  two  Forsters  were  on  board. 

t  Mr.  Sharpe  has  on  several  previous  occasions  introduced  changes  of 
nomenclature  on  similar  grounds.  In  our  opinion,  however,  the  practice  is 
a  perversion  of  the  law  of  priority,  which  means,  if  it  means  any  thing, 
priority  of  publication.  When  two  names  are  published  simultaneously, 
the  question  of  priority  does  not  arise,  and  therefore  the  claims  of  the  one 
in  most  frequent  use  are,  we  think,  too  obvious  to  need  asserting. 

J  [During  a  recent  visit  to  the  Berlin  Museum,  Dr.  Reichenow  kindly 
showed  me  this  specimen,  when  I  at  once  saw  that  it  belonged  to  CE. 
brevirostris. — 0.  S.] 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  48 i 

onymy  of  some  of  the  Penguins ;  but  here  space  prevents  us 
from  following  him  for  the  present. 

In  concluding  these  remarks,  we  cannot  help  thinking  that 
it  is  well  for  the  indigenous  fauna  of  this  island  that  Transits 
of  Venus  are  of  rare  occurrence;  for  such  facts  as  '^tlie 
bagging  of  2000  Querquedulce  eatoni  within  a  radius  of  eight 
miles/^  and  ''  the  conversion  of  a  whole  community  of  Pen- 
guins into  '^hare  soup/  for  the  officers  of  one  of  Her  Majesty^s 
vessels/^  read  ominously  for  the  welfare  of  the  birds  of  Ker- 
guelen  Island. 

57.  Lawrence  on  a  netv  Pitangus. 

[Descriptiou  of  a  new  Species  of  Bird  of  the  Genus  Pitangus.  By  G. 
N.  Lawrence.     Ann.  Lye.  N.  Y.  xi.  pp.  288-290,  Nov.  ISTG.] 

The  new  species  here  described  is  called  P.  gahbii,  after  its 
discoverer,  the  well-known  explorer  of  the  Talamanca  district 
of  Costa  Rica.  This  bird  comes,  however,  from  San  Domingo, 
where  Prof.  Gabb  spent  the  past  winter.  It  is  smaller  than 
either  P.  caiidifasciatus  of  Jamaica,  or  P.  taylori  of  Porto  Rico, 
its  nearest  allies,  and  differs  in  other  points  from  those  species. 
We  are  glad  to  note  that  Prof.  Grabb  purposes  to  spend  another 
winter  in  San  Domingo,  and  trust  he  will  not  fail  to  turn  his 
attention  to  its  avifauna,  our  knowledge  of  Avhich,  as  the  dis- 
covery of  the  present  species  shows,  is  by  no  means  complete. 

58.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany .'' 

[Ornithological  Miscellany.  Edited  by  George  Dawson  Rowley,  M.A., 
F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  Member  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Union.  Part  ix. 
London  :  1877,  Triibner  and  Co.] 

In  the  present  number  Mr.  Rowley  gives  us  his  usual  varied 
menu.  The  first  article  treats  of  certain  members  of  the  genus 
Ptilopus,  such  as  are  especially  related  to  the  curious  P.  inso- 
litus,  Schl.,  which  Drs.  Cabanis  and  Reichenow  have  recently 
elevated  to  a  genus,  (Edirhinus.  Sclater^s  notes  on  it  in  the 
'  Proceedings^  of  the  Zoological  Society,  1877,  are  reprinted, 
as  well  as  Schlegel's  original  remarks.  Dr.  Meyer,  too,  com- 
municates observations  on  the  same  subject.  To  these  are 
added  extracts  from  W.  MarshalPs  work  relating  to  the  bony 

SER.   IV. VOL.   I.  2  L 


482  Recently  pnhl'ixhed  Ornithological  WorJoi. 

protuberances  of  the  skull  of  certain  birds.  (E.  insolitus  was 
figured  in  part  viii.  Ptilopus  jobiensis  is  now  depicted  as  the 
nearest  ally  of  the  former  species. 

The  second  article  is  on  "  Bird-nets/'  in  treating  of  which 
Mr.  Rowley  reproduces  some  of  the  engravings  in  Wil- 
lughby's  '  Ornithology.^  Interesting  sketches  represent  bird- 
netting  as  jiractised  at  the  present  time  on  the  shores  of  the 
Wash.  Mr.  Rowley  gives  many  details  on  this  subject. 
Next  we  have  an  article  on  a  recent  addition  to  the  genus 
Loriculus,  by  Mr.  Sclater,  accompanied  by  a  plate^  whereon 
L.  aurantiifrons  and  L.  tener  are  represented — the  latter  being 
a  new  species  lately  described  in  the  ^  Proceedings/  from 
Duke-of-York  Island,  Finally,  we  have  a  further  instal- 
ment of  the  translation  of  Col.  Prejevalsky's  work  on  the  birds 
of  Mongolia,  to  which  we  have  before  alluded  [antea,  p.  378). 
A  plate  of  Grus  nigricoUis  is  now  given,  copied  from  the 
original  work. 

59.  E.  P.  Ramsay's  Papers  in  the  '  Proceedings  of  the 
Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales.' 

We  have  just  received  from  Mr.  Ramsay  some  papers  ex- 
tracted from  the  '  Proceedings '  of  the  above  Society  for  the 
current  year.     Those  relating  to  birds  are  as  follows  : — 

(1)  '^  On  a  new  Species  of  Platycercus  from  the  interior  of 
New  South  Wales."  This  species  is  described  as  P.  mas- 
tersianus. 

(2)  "  Description  of  a  new  Species  of  Gerygone,"  called 
G.  flavida.  Specimens  were  obtained  by  Mr.  Ramsay  him- 
self in  the  dense  scrub  of  Herbert  river  in  1874.  Its  nearest 
ally  is  G.  albogularis. 

(3)  "'  Some  further  remarks  on  Poephila  gouldce  and  P.  mi- 
rabilis.  The  question  of  the  distinctness  or  identity  of  these 
two  supposed  species  is  here  further  discussed;  but  Mr.  Ramsay 
hesitates  which  view  to  adopt. 

(4)  "  Description  of  some  new  Species  of  Birds  from  New 
Bi'itain,  New  Ireland,  Duke-of-York  Island,  and  the  South- 
east coast  of  New  Guinea. ^^  Here  Nasiterna  pusilla  is  de- 
scribed as  a  new  species  from  ''■  the  dense  forests  in  the  neigh- 


Recently  puhlished  Ornithological  Works.  483 

bourhood  of  Port  Moresby,  New  Gruinea/^  Ninox  novce- 
britannics,  sp.  ii.,  from  New  Britain,  probably  =N.  odiosa, 
Scl.  P.  Z.  S.  1877,  p.  108.  Myzomela  coccinea  and  M.  ery- 
thina  are  two  new  species,  tlie  former  from  Duke-of-York 
Island,  the  latter  from  New  Ireland. 

(5)  "  Description  of  some  rare  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds,  and 
a  Note  on  the  Eggs  of  certain  Species  of  Megapodius."  The 
eggs  of  the  following  species  are  described  : — JElurmdus 
smithi,  Hylacola  pyrrliopygia^  Elanus  axillaris,  Pardalotus 
rubricatus  and  P.  uropygialis,  Entomophila  rufigularis,  and 
Poephila  atropygialis,  Diggles.  The  egg  of  Megapodius 
cuvieri  is  also  described,  and  its  measurements  compared  with 
those  of  several  other  species. 

60.  Wharton'' s  '  List  of  British  Birds.' 

[A  List  of  British  Birds,  the  Genera  arranged  according  to  SiiudevaH's 
Method.  The  Nomenclature  revised  by  Henry  Thornton  Wharton,  M.A., 
M.R.C.S.,  F.Z.S.     12mo,  pp.  20.     London  :  1877,  J.  Van  Voorst.] 

A  useful  list  of  British  birds,  in  a  handy  form,  which  can 
be  either  used  as  a  check-list,  or  cut  up  for  labels.  In  the 
introduction  are  remarks  on  the  uses  of  this  list,  on  the 
limits  of  the  British  avifauna,  on  nomenclature,  and  on  classi- 
fication. Under  the  head  of  nomenclature  the  rules  of  the 
British  Association  are  given,  but  without  the  comments  on 
them  originally  printed.  The  classification  adopted  is  that 
of  the  late  Prof.  Sundevall.  Though  we  are  by  no  means 
sorry  to  see  the  stereotyped  arrangement  of  British  lists  broken 
through,  we  do  not  think  that  SundevalFs  system  can  be  ac- 
cepted in  its  entirety,  as,  owing  to  the  admission  of  external 
characters  alone  into  his  classification,  incongruities  occur  in 
it  (such  as  the  Hoopoe  being  placed  in  the  Oscines  next  to 
the  Larks)  which  have  little  chance  of  ultimate  acceptance. 
Without  in  any  way  detracting  from  the  value  of  the  '  Methodi 
naturalis  Avium  disponendarum  Tentamen,'  we  are  of  opinion 
that  the  arrangement  there  adopted  has  not  been  so  widely 
accepted  as  Mr.  Wharton  supposes.  Classification  has  never 
been  a  very  strong  point  with  ornithologists  who  confine 
themselves  to  the  study  of  British  birds.     Placed  side  by  side 

2l  2 


484  Recently  pablhhed  Ornitholoyicul  ll^orks. 

with  older  lists,  Mr.  Wharton's  will  not  fail,  we  trust,  to  pro- 
vide food  for  useful  reflection  on  this  important  subject. 

CI.  Marshall's  '  Birds' -nesting  in  India.' 

[Birds'-Nesting  in  India.  A  Calendar  of  the  Breeding-seasons,  and  a 
Popular  Guide  to  the  Habits  and  Haunts  of  Birds.  Illustrated.  By 
Capt.  G.  r.  L.  Marshall,  R.E.,  F.Z.S.  &c.  Crown  8vo,  pp.  184.  Cal- 
cutta: 1877.] 

For  publishing  this  useful  and  well-arranged  volume  all 
bird's-nesters  in  India  will^,  we  are  sure,  thank  Capt.  Marshall. 
In  it  the  time  of  breeding,  the  shape  and  position  of  the  nest, 
the  range  during  the  nesting-season  of  a  large  number  of  the 
birds  of  India,  and  other  details  are  given  in  a  concise  yet  clear 
manner.  To  afford  still  further  information,  a  calendar  is  added 
recording  the  doings  of  birds  as  regards  their  breeding  during 
every  month  of  the  year.  To  those  accustomed  to  search 
for  bird's-nests  in  more  temperate  countries  the  uncertainty 
of  the  nesting-time  of  tropical  species  is  very  perplexing, 
l^he  comparative  completeness  of  Capt.  MarshalFs  list  shows 
how  industriously  and  successfully  the  many  ardent  ornitho- 
logists who  have  of  late  years  explored  India  have  pursued 
their  favourite  study.  Still  there  are  gaps  to  till  up,  and  points 
yet  to  be  made  out,  before  the  subject  is  complete;  and  we 
trust  that  egg-collectors  in  India  will  freely  respond  to  Capt. 
MarshalFs  request  to  be  supplied  with  fresh  notes  and  infor- 
mation to  be  incorporated  in  a  future  edition. 

62.  M'Cauletfs  'Birds  of  the  Red  River  of  Texas.' 
[Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  the  Region  about  the  Source  of  the  Red 
River  of  Texas,  from  Observations  made  during  the  Exploration  con- 
ducted by  Lieut.  E.  H.  Ruifner,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.S.  A.  By  C.  A. 
H.  M'Cauley,  Lieut.  3rd  U.S.  Artillery.  Annotated  by  Dr.  Elliott  Coues, 
U.  S.  A.  Extracted  from  the  Bulletin  of  the  Survey,  vol.  iii.  no.  3.  8vo, 
pp.  655-695.     Washington :  1877.] 

This  paper  is  issued  as  part  of  the  Bulletin  of  Dr.  Hayden^s 
Survey,  and  relates  to  the  ornithology  of  the  little-known 
district  of  Texas  called  the  Llano  Estacado  or  Staked  Plain^, 
a  desolate  treeless  waste,  "  flat  beyond  comparison/'  situated 
at  an  elevation  of  4000  feet  above  the  sea- level. 


Recently  published  Ornithological  Works.  485 

The  species  mentioned  are  not  numerous^  nor  are  there  any 
amongst  them  calling  for  special  comment ;  but  the  list  helps 
to  swell  the  knowledge  of  the  distribution  of  North- American 
birds^  a  subject  which  has  been  been  so  thoroughly  Avorked 
up  of  late  years  by  our  American  brethren. 

63.  Lieut.  Wheeler's  Reports  upon  Surveijs  ivest  of  the  lOOth 
Meridian. 

[Report  upon  Geographical  and  Geological  Explorations  and  Surveys 
West  of  the  One  Hundredth  Meridian,  in  charge  of  First  Lieut.  George 
M.  Wheeler,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.S.  Army.  Vol.  v.  Zoology.  4to. 
Washington:  1875.     And 

Annual  Report  upon  the  Geographical  Surveys  West  of  the  One  Hun- 
dredth Meridian,  in  California,  Nevada,  Utah,  Colorado,  Wyoming,  New 
Mexico,  Arizona,  and  Montana,  by  George  M.  Wheeler,  First  Lieut,  of 
Engineers,  U.S.  Army  ;  being  Appendix  J  J  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the 
Chief  Engineers  for  1876.     8vo.     Washington  :  1876.] 

In  the  first  of  these  volumes  the  ornithological  results  of 
Lieut.  Wheeler's  Survey  are  incorporated  up  to  the  end  of 
the  collecting-season  of  1874.  The  second  treats  of  the  ob- 
servations and  collections  made  during  1875.  Both  are  by 
Mr.  W.  H.  Henshaw,  Avho  has  proved  himself  to  be  an  accurate 
observer  as  well  as  a  diligent  collector.  One  of  the  results 
of  the  exploration  of  the  southern  districts  of  the  United 
States  bordering  upon  Mexico  has  been  the  discovery  that 
several  species,  hitherto  only  known  as  inhabitants  of  the 
Mexican  highlands,  have  a  much  more  extensive  northern 
range.  Mr.  Henshaw's  labours  have  demonstrated  this ;  and 
his  notes  on  these  and  other  better-known  species  form  the 
most  important  part  of  the  volumes  before  us.  Amongst  the 
newly  annexed  birds  is  Dendrceca  olivacea,  originally  described 
as  a  Texan  species  by  the  late  Mr.  Giraud,  but  lately  believed 
to  be  solely  of  more  southern  origin,  being  common  in  the  high- 
lands of  Mexico  and  Guatemala.  For  this  bird  a  new  generic 
name,  Peucedramus,  is  proposed  by  Dr.  Coues,  as  it  differs 
in  some  respects  from  typical  Dendrcecce.  The  quarto  work 
is  illustrated  by  fifteen  chromolithographs  from  Mr.  Ridg- 
way's  pencil.  Though  the  ornithological  portion  of  these 
volumes  alone  demands  the  present  notice,  it  by  no  means 


486  Recently  published  Or'nithological  Works.    - 

occupies  more  than  its  share  with  other  zookigical  matter. 
Nearly  every  branch  of  Zoology  is  treated  of;  and  tlie  work 
shows  with  what  praiseworthy  energy  the  scientific  depart- 
ments of  these  surveys  have  been^  and  are,  supported  by  the 
United-States  Government. 

64.  Finsch's  Collections  from  Siberia. 

[  Westsibirisclie  Forscliimgsreise  1876  unter  Fuliriing  von  J  )r.  O.  Fiusch. 
Catalog  der  Ausstelhmg  ethnogi-aphiscber  und  naturwissenscliaftliclier 
Samnilungen.  Mit  erlauternden  Eemerkuugeu  von  Dr.  O.  Finscli.  8vo, 
pp.  42.     Bremen :  1877.] 

This  catalogue  is  issued  by  the  Geographical  Society  of 
Bremen,  and  contains  a  list  of  the  specimens  of  various  kinds 
obtained  by  the  expedition  sent  during  last  year  to  Western 
Siberia  under  the  direction  of  our  well-known  Foreign  Mem- 
ber, Dr.  Finsch.  In  the  earlier  part  of  this  volume  (pp.  48 
-66)  w411  be  found  ornithological  letters,  addresssd  to  us  by 
Dr.  Fiusch  from  various  points  of  the  route  taken.  In  the 
present  catalogue  lists  of  the  characteristic  birds  of  the  dif- 
ferent districts  visited  are  given,  divided  as  follows — the 
characteristic  birds  of  the  steppes,  of  the  steppc-lakes,  of  the 
high  mountains,  of  the  valley  of  the  Ob,  and  of  the  "  tundra  '^ 
region.  A  more  complete  account  of  the  collection  is,  we 
believe,  being  drawn  up. 

65.  Oustalet  on  new  Species  of  Ibis. 

["Sur  ime  nouvelle  espece  d'Ibis  (Ibis  yigantea)^'  and  "Description 
d'une  nouvelle  espece  d'Ibis  {Ibis  harmandi).''^  BuU.  Soc.  Pbilomatbique, 
7"'^  serie,  i.  pp.  25-30.     Paris :  Jan.  1877.] 

The  first  of  these  birds,  indeed  a  giant  amongst  its  kindred, 
is  described  from  a  specimen  in  the  Paris  IVIuseum,  which 
was  obtained  by  JMons.  Harmand  on  the  banks  of  the  jVie- 
kong  river,  in  Cambodia.  jVI.  Oustalet  compares  it  with 
Ibis  papulosa,  which,  however,  it  largely  exceeds  in  dimen- 
sions, in  this  respect  approaching  the  size  of  Tantalus.  The 
second  species  appears  to  have  l)een  long  represented  in  the 
gallery  of  the  Paris  JVTuseum  by  a  specimen  obtained  in  1862 
by  IM.  Bocourt  in  the  kingdom  of  Siam.     Additional  speci- 


Letters,  Announcements,  «Sff.  487 

mens^  procured  by  M.  Harmand,  enabled  M.  Oustalet  to  dis- 
tinguisli  the  species  from  Ibis  papulosa.  These  differences 
are  pointed  out,  and  the  species  referred  to  the  genus  Ge- 
ronticus  under  the  name  G.  harmandi.  Figures  of  these  ap- 
parently fine  novelties  would  be  very  acceptable. 


XLIV. — Letters,  Announcements,  S^c. 

The  following  letters,  addressed  "  To  the  Editors  of  '  The 
Ibis/  ''■'  have  been  received  : — 

Sirs, — Permit  me,  in  the  cause  of  scientific  exactness,  to 
remark  that  the  artist  has  coloured  the  crissum  of  JEgithina 
viridissima  (^  [antea,  pi.  v.)  green  instead  of  bright  yellow, 
and  that  he  has  made  the  subdued  brown  marks  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  rectrices  ofPrifiia  rajflesi  [antea,  pi.  vi.  f.  1)  ter- 
minal instead  of  subterminal. 

Yours,  &c., 

TWEEDUALE. 

Chislehiirst,  July  7,  1877. 


Sirs, — In  the  April  number  of  "^  Stray  Feathers'  for  this 
year  (p.  57,  note),  Mr.  Hume  remarks  that  Horeites  sericea, 
Walden  (Blyth,  B.  Burma,  no.  392),  from  the  Karen  hills,  is 
uncommonly  close  to  Phylloscopus  pallidi'pes ,  Blanford  (J.  A. 
S.  B.  1872,  pt.  ii.  p.  162,  t.  vii.  f.  1).  Since  describing  H. 
sericea  I  have  been  able  to  compare  it  with  Sikhim  examples, 
marked  P.  pallidipes,  Blanf. ;  and  I  find  that  the  two  birds 
are  identical.  The  widely  erroneous  generic  position  assigned 
to  his  species  by  Mr.  Blanford  is  my  only  excuse  for  being 
guilty  of  the  oflFence  of  bestowing  a  fresh  title  on  a  previ- 
ously described  and  admittedly  good  species.  Mr.  Hume 
also  observes  [t.  c.  p.  60)  that  Alcippe  magnirostris,  Walden, 
from  the  Karen  hills  [t.  c.  no.  369)  is  A.  phayrei,  Blyth 
(J.  A.  S.B.  1815,  p.  601).  Mr.  Blyth  may  have  been  in 
error  when  he  identified  (B.  Burma,  no.  368)  A.  phayrei  with 
A.  nipalensis ;  but  I   am  unable   for  the  moment  to  decide 


488  Letters,  Announcements,  6^c. 

whether  A.  magnirostris  is  the  same  as  the  Arakaii  species, 
my  collection  being  packed  up. 

Besides  several  birds  to  which  are  given  distinctive  titles 
in  this  number,  by  Mr.  Hume,  ''  if  really  new,^^*  or  "  if  con- 
sidered distinct,"  &c.,  jEthopyga  sanguinipectus,  Walden 
(Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xv.  p.  400,  1875,  &  B.  Burma, 
no.  494),  receives  the  additional  title  of^jE.  waldeni;  and  a 
bird  well  known  to  ornithologists,  certainly  to  all  those  who 
consult  the  ordinary  sources  of  reference  before  proceeding 
to  give  a  new  title,  Turdus  sibiricus,  Pallas  (1776),  finds  a 
place  among  the  "  if  really  new "  novelties,  and  in  its  old 
age  receives  the  title  of  Turdulus  davisoni,  Hume.  Mr. 
Davison  lately  obtained  it  in  Tenasserim,  whence  I  also  have 
received  it  from  Mr.  Limborg,  labelled  "  davisoni,  Hume.'^ 
In  March  1874,  Mr.  Wardlaw  Ramsay  found  it  in  Karen-nee, 
as  already  mentioned  by  me  (Blyth,  B.  Burma,  no.  252)  and 
by  Mr.  Dresser  (in  his  '  Birds  of  Europe ') .  In  the  last-named 
work  it  is  well  figured,  as  it  had  already  been  in  Gould^s  'Birds 
of  Europe,^  and  again  in  his  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  as  like- 
wise by  Schlegel  in  the  '  Fauna  Japonica." 

Yours,  &c., 

TWEEDDALE. 

Chislehui-st,  July  17,  1877. 


Sirs, — In  the  July  number  of  '  The  Ibis,^  in  the  remarks 
upon  the  first  part  of  my  monograph  of  the  Bucerotidse,  now 
in  course  of  publication,  you  object  to  the  names  in  the  '  Spe- 
cimen Faunulse  Indicse,'  given  in  the  'ludische  Zoologie"  of 
Eorster,  because  he  was  not  the  author,  and  ask  if  they  must 
be  necessarily  adopted — or,  to  be  absolutely  correct,  if  Uhi- 
noplax  vigil,  the  name  given  to  the  Helmeted  Hornbill,  must 
be  accepted.  It  is  true  that  Pennant  is  stated  to  be  the 
author ;  and  he  may  have  produced  an  English  version ;  but 
he  never  wrote  a  line  of  the  work  as  we  see  it  in  Forster's 
edition ;  and  I  derive  my  authority  for  this  statement  from 
Pennant  himself.  In  the  second  edition  of  his  'Indian  Zoo- 
logy,' printed  by  Henry  Hughs  for  E-obert  Faulder,  London, 
1790,  Pennant  says  that  this  ''work,  or  rather  fragment" 


Letters,  Announcements,  S^c.  489 

('Indische  Zoologie')^  "was  begun  in  the  year  1769.  The 
descriptive  part  fell  to  my  share  :  the  expense  of  the  plates 
was  divided  between  Mr.  Banks^  now  Sir  Joseph  Banks, 
Baronet :  John  Gideon  Loten,  Esq. ;  a  governor  in  Ceylon  ; 
and  myself.  Twelve  only  were  engraved  and  published  :  soon 
after  which,  the  undertaking  appeared  so  arduous  that  the 
design  was  given  over.^'  .  ..."  I  prevailed  on  my  two  friends 
to  unite  with  me  in  presenting  the  learned  John  Reinhold 
FoRSTER  with  the  plates.  I  also  bestowed  on  him  three  others, 
engraven  at  my  own  expense,  before  the  work  was  dropped. 
These  were  never  published  in  England ;  but  when  Dr.  Forster 
left  our  island,  he  took  the  whole  with  him,  and  in  1781  printed, 
at  Halle,  in  Saxony,  an  edition  very  highly  improved,  and 
translated  into  Latin  and  German.  He  prefixed  to  it  a  most 
elaborate  lucubration  de  Finibus  et  Indole  Aeris,  Soli,  Ma- 
risque  Indici ;  described  the  subjects  of  the  three  additional 
plates ;  and  inserted,  after  the  description  of  the  fifteenth  plate, 
a  most  learned  dissertation  on  the  genus  o£  the  Birds  of  Pa- 
radise, and  on  the  Phcenix.  He  added  several  notes ;  and 
at  the  end  ]3resented  his  readers  with  a  Faunula  of  the  qua- 
ydrupeds  and  birds  of  the  extensive  region  of  India  and  its 
Islands.^'  It  will  be  observed  that  Pennant  makes  no  claim 
whatever  to  be  the  author  of  this  '  Specimen  Faunulse  Indicse,' 
as  published.in  Latin  in  the  '  Indische  Zoologie;'  and  it  can 
only  be  regarded  as  an  act  of  courtesy  on  the  part  of  Forster 
that  Pennant's  name  was  inserted  as  author  of  this  Latin  list. 
The  descriptive  part  mentioned  by  Pennant  as  his  share,  must 
have  referred,  if  it  was  in  this  book  at  all  as  published  by 
Forster,  to  the  first  portion ;  for  there  is  no  "  descriptive  part  " 
in  the  list  of  names  of  quadrupeds  and  birds.  I  cannot  see, 
therefore,  how  it  will  be  possible  to  reject  this  portion  of  the 
'  Indische  Zoologie,'  when  the  rest,  containing  descriptions 
by  Forster  of  various  species,  is  accepted,  "  and  his  names 
have  always  been  in  use."  P.  L.  S.  Miiller  is  now,  I  believe, 
universally  quoted  for  the  species  named  by  him;  so  is  Bod- 
daert ;  and  so  also  should  be  Forster ;  and  whenever  an  intel- 
ligible reference  is  given  by  him  to  the  species  he  intends  to 
characterize,  it  appears  to  me  the  name  he  bestows  must  be 


490  Letters,  Announcements,  ^'c. 

received.  A  translation  of  Forster^s  Avork,  made  by  Dr.  Aiken 
of  Yarmouth,  was  reprinted  and  published  in  1795,  as  stated 
by  Pennant,  to  which  was  added  the  '  Faunula  ludica '  of 
Latham  and  Davies.  I  think,  therefore,  we  shall  be  obliged 
to  accept  Rhinoplax  vigil  as  the  only  proper  name  for  the 
Helmeted  Hornbill,  and  also  Rhytidoceros  pUcatus  for  the 
Papuan  Wreathed  Hornbill,  the  synonymy  of  which  was  so 
clearly  given  by  Lord  Tweeddale  in  the  July  '^Ibis.'  I  have 
always  considered,  Messrs.  Editors,  and  I  think  you  will  agree 
with  me,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  one  who  writes  a  monograph, 
to  state  all  the  facts  he  may  discover  in  regard  to  his  subject, 
no  matter  what  the  effect  may  be  on  its  nomenclature  (which 
may  previously  have  been  but  imperfectly  understood),  or 
what  preconceived  opinions  may  be  shown  to  be  erroneous, 
and  also  to  give  to  the  original  describer  of  a  species,  where- 
ever  he  may  be  found,  after  1766,  the  credit  due  to  his  work 
and  the  priority  which  is  his  right ;  and  it  is  to  carry  this  out 
in  all  fairness  that  I  have  accepted  Forster^s  work  (even  if  it 
be  only  a  Latin  or  German  translation  of  an  unpublished 
English  one)  in  its  entirety  as  that  of  a  thoroughly  reliable 
and  competent  author,  in  the  present  instance  to  the  dis- 
comfiture and  confusion  of  Boddaert  and  Gmelin,  who  mis- 
takingly  supposed  they  enjoyed  the  precedence. 

I  am,  &c.^ 

D.  G.  Eluot. 
Paris,  10th  July. 

[Pennant's  positive  statement,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Elliot, 
that  Forster  was  the  author  of  the  '  Faunula  Indica,'  and 
Forster's  equally  positive  assertion  that  Pennant  was  its  author, 
leave  us,  as  far  as  our  present  information  goes,  in  a  position 
of  complete  uncertainty  to  whom  to  ascribe  this  work — a  posi- 
tion from  which  we  have  no  wish  to  rescue  ourselves.  As 
regards  the  work  itself,  it  is  a  fragmentary  list,  and  intended 
as  a  prelude  to  a  more  formal  memoir.  Its  scientific  value 
is  slight  indeed,  as  it  is  merely  a  catalogue  of  names  (not 
always  binomial),  none  of  which  are  accompanied  by  any  de- 
scription and  to  many  no  i-efereuces  whatever  are  added.      We 


Letters,  Announcements,  ^c.  491 

therefore  see  nothing  to  regret,  but,  ou  the  contrary,  cause  for 
congratulation  that  the  uncertainty  of  the  authorship  of  this 
unfinished  paper  places  it  in  the  category  of  anonymous  works, 
and  renders  it,  in  our  opinion,  unusable  for  purposes  of  no- 
menclature.— Edd.] 


Dresden,  August  4,  1877. 

(R.  Zoological  Museum.) 

SiRs,^ — I  described  in  the  year  1874  (Sitz.  Akad.  Wien, 
Ixix.  p.  493)  a  new  genus  and  species  of  Dicruridse  from  New 
Guinea,  Ch(Btorliynchus  papuensis.  I  then  had  overlooked  a 
very  characteristic  large  spot  of  white  feathers  on  the  edge 
of  each  shoulder ;  also  Mr.  Sliarpe,  who  has  described  and 
figured  the  bird  in  his  Catalogue  (vol.  iii.  1877,  p.  242,  pi.  xiii.), 
does  not  mention  these  white  spots.  The  reason  why  they 
have  been  overlooked  by  both  of  us  is  this,  that  they  are  con- 
cealed by  the  feathers  of  the  mantle  when  the  bird  is  looked 
at  with  closed  wings.  But  just  having  had  a  specimen  stuffed 
with  the  wings  spread,  the  spots  appeared,  and  could  no 
longer  be  overlooked.  I  am  anxious  to  publish  this  valuable 
specific  character  of  Chtetorhynchus  papuensis,  because  I  am 
afraid,  if  I  do  not,  that  the  same  bird  will  soon  be  redis- 
cribed  under  a  new  specific  name. 

Yours  &c., 

A.  B.  Meyer. 


Northrepps  Hall,  Norwich. 
6tli  September  1877. 

Sirs, — Allow  me  to  correct  an  error  which  I  have  inad- 
vertently made  in  the  enumeration  of  the  Transvaal  birds 
recorded  in  '  The  Ibis '  by  Mr.  Thomas  Ayres. 

In  '  The  Ibis  '  for  1876,  p.  433,  is  the  following  sentence  : — 
"Mr.  Ayres^s  previous  papers  on  the  birds  of  Transvaal  recorfl? 
152  species,  vide  Ibis,  1874,  p.  107."  The  latter  part  of  the 
sentence  ought  to  have  run  thus, — "  record  213  species,  vide 
Ibis,  1874,  p.  105.^' 

As  the  result   of  this  correction,   the  number  of  the  last 


492  Letters,  Announceinents ,  !^c. 

species  [Graadus  africanus) ,  recorded  iu  the  present  volume 
of  'The  Ibis'  {antea,  p.  354),  should  stand  as  282,  instead 
of  221. 

Yours  &c., 

J.   H.  GURNEY, 


Sirs, — There  is  a  peculiar  white  stage  of  plumage  in  which 
the  Glaucous  Gull  is  not  unfrequently  found,  which,  while 
from  time  to  time  it  has  attracted  a  good  deal  of  notice,  has 
never  received  a  satisfactory  solution.  It  is  a  stage  at  which 
the  bird  is  wholly  white  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  a  very 
light  cream-colour.  The  idea  that  it  is  the  garb  of  extreme 
old  age  is  dismissed ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt,  I  think,  that 
it  is  a  state  which  most  Glaucous  Gulls  assume,  and  at  no 
very  juvenile  time  of  their  lives.  Some  time  ago  I  saw  at 
Bridlington  a  Glaucous  Gull  which  was  to  me  very  inter- 
esting; for  the  mantle  of  grey  was  blotched  with  white  in 
large  patches,  showing  that  it  Avas  passing  from  the  white 
stage  to  the  normal  adult  colour;  at  least  so  it  seemed  to  me 
after  examiniyg  it  as  well  as  I  could  through  the  glass  of 
the  case.  This  bird  had  been  kept  alive,  and,  what  was  very 
remarkable  about  it,  its  eye  was  as  Avhite  as  a  Jackdaw's. 

If  it  be  a  law  that  the  pure  white  phase  of  the  Glaucous 
Gull  is  a  phase  which  most  individuals  have  to  pass  through, 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  same  holds  good  of  the  Iceland  Gull, 
a  species  so  closely  approximate  that  many  good  naturalists 
are  puzzled  to  distinguish  a  large  specimen  of  the  one  sort 
from  a  small  one  of  the  other.  I  have  seen  two  pure  white 
Iceland  Gulls  which,  from  their  small  size,  I  am  sure  were 
Icelanders,  and  not  Glaucous  Gulls. 

Yours  &c., 

J.  H.  GuRNEY,  Jun. 

Northrepps  Cottage,  Norwich. 


June  23,  1877. 
Sirs, — During  a  recent  visit  to  Malaga   I   saw   two  live 
Trumpeter  Bullfinches   [Erythrospiza  rfithagineo),  both    ap- 


Letters,  Annoancemeats,  <Sfc.  493 

parently  males,  which  had  been  caught  by  some  birdcatchers 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  luckily  fell  under  the  notice  of 
Senor  Francisco  de  los  Rios,  Curator  of  the  Instituto  at  Ma- 
laga, to  whom  ornithologists  are  indebted  for  the  know- 
ledge of  the  occurrence  of  several  scarce  birds  in  the  vicinity 
of  that  city. 

I  succeeded  in  securing  these  birds  for  Lord  Lilford,  and 
trust  they  may  survive  the  passage  home. 

I  believe  this  North-African  bird  has  not  hitherto  been 
recorded  from  Spain,  and  only  in  three  or  four  doubtful  in- 
stances from  the  European  continent,  although,  according  to 
Mr.  Wright,  it  has  been  several  times  caught  alive  at  Malta. 

Francisco  de  los  Rios  having  met  with  so  many  rarities  at 
and  near  Malaga,  we  may  hope  that  other  North-African 
stragglers  will  yet  be  noticed  by  him,  as,  constantly  resident, 
lie  has  every  op])ortunity  of  observing  them. 

Yours  &c., 

L.  Howard  Irby. 


Bonaparte' s  "  Lophorhia  respublicaf' — In  the  new  volume 
of  his  Catalogue  of  birds  just  issued  Mr.  Sharpe  has  transferred 
the  name  Zo/?/iorm«  respublica  of  Bonaparte  (Compt.  Rend.xxx. 
p.  131)  from  Diphyllodes  rvilsoni  (to  which  it  has  been  hitherto 
always  referred)  to  the  newly  discovered  Diphyllodes  gidielmi- 
tertii,  and  has  assigned  to  it  precedence  over  the  latter  name. 
His  reason  for  doing  this  is  that  D.  guelielmi-tertii  is  the  only 
species  which  answers  Bonaparte^s  diagnosis.  But,  as  I  have 
already  stated  (P.  Z.  S.  1857,  p.  6),  and  as  Bonaparte  himself 
has  confessed  (Compt.  Rend,  xxxviii.  p.  262,  et  Not.  Orn. 
p.  54"^),  the  name  Lophorina  respublica  was  founded  upon  the 
same  individual  specimen  as  the  Paradisea  wilsom  of  Cassin  ; 
and  consequently  these  two  terms  cannot  possibly  be  applied 
to  two  different  species. 

The  fact  is,  I  believe,  as  I  was  informed  upon  the  best  autlio- 
rity  before  I  made  the  above-mentioned  statement,  that  the 
late  Prince  Bonaparte,  having  been  allowed  to  examine  the 

*  This  important  reference  appears  to  have  escaped  Mr.  Sharpe's  notice 
altogether. 


494  Letters,  Announcements,  &;€. 

(theu  unique)  type  specimen  in  question,  before  its  trans- 
mission to  Philadelphia,  thought  the  opportunity  of  describing 
a  new  Paradise-bird,  and  at  the  same  time  of  promulgating 
his  republican  sympathies,  too  good  to  be  lost,  and  in  spite 
of  the  injunctions  of  the  owner  of  the  specimen,  inserted  the 
name  "  respuhlica,"  with  a  short  diagnosis  (certainly  erro- 
neous, and  probably  drawn  up  from  recollection),  in  a  foot- 
note to  a  paper  which  he  was  at  the  time  engaged  upon  for 
the  '  Comptes  Rendus/  It  is  certainly  singular  that  another 
Paradise-bird  should  have  been  subsequently  discovered  that 
fits  Bonaparte's  diagnosis ;  bu.t  that  does  not  justify  the  trans- 
ference of  the  name  to  a  species  for  which  it  was  not  intended. 
Indeed,  under  any  circumstances,  Bonaparte's  Lophorina 
(sive  D'qjhyllodes)  respublica  should  be  rejected  for  insufficient 
definition.  It  cannot  be  too  often  repeated  that  the. term  to 
be  adopted  as  the  permanent  designation  of  a  species  should 
not  be  a  subject  of  conjecture,  or  even  of  disputed  evidence, 
but  the  first  term  that  is  certainly  applicable  to  if^.  Were 
this  wholesome  rule  adhered  to  more  strictly,  we  should  cease 
to  be  perplexed  by  such  startling  changes  in  our  ordinary 
nomenclature  as  have  lately  been  suggested  to  us  from  several 
quarters. 

P.   L.   SCLATER. 


In  the  3rd  number  of  '  Der  zoologische  Garten '  for  the 
present  year  (p.  213)  Dr.  F.  Briiggemann  gives  a  short  account 
of  a  very  fine  new  species  of  Polyplectron,  recently  discovered 
by  Dr.  G.  Fischer  in  theinterior  of  Borneo,  which  he  proposed 
to  call  P.  schleiermacheri.  It  is  nearest  to  P.  bicalcaratum, 
but,  as  we  can  testify  from  personal  observation,  very  markedly 
distinct.  Two  skins  of  this  fine  new  bird  have  been  lately 
received  by  the  Darmstadt  Museum.  When  we  think  of  this 
and  Lobiopliasis,  it  becomes  evident  that  there  is  still  much 
to  be  done  by  the  naturalist  in  the  interior  of  Borneo. 

*  Cf.  '  Stricklandiau  ('ode  of  Zoological  Nomenclature,'  sect.  11  (p.  lo 
of  edition  of  1803). 


INDEX. 


Abrornis,  66. 

affinis,  100. 

armandi,  85. 

chloronopus,  105. 

chloronotus,  107. 

erochroa,  106. 

• flaveolus,  78,  100. 

liigubris,  78. 

nitidus,  72. 

■  occipitalis,  81. 

•  pulchrala,  106. 

tenuiceps,  74. 

tristis,  97. 

trochiloides,  82. 

viridaua,  74. 

xanthogaster,  78, 

100. 
Acantliiza  flavolateralis, 

357,  362. 

pusilla,  357. 

trochiloides,  81.  --. 

Acanthopneuste,  161. 
Acantliylis  collaris,  239. 

gigantea,  459. 

zonaris,  239. 

Accipiter  nisus,  454. 
Acestrura  miilsanti,  136. 
Acredula    tephronota, 

264. 
Acridotheres  albocincta, 

385._ 

siamensis,  460. 

Acrocepbalus,  85,  152, 

153,  154,    155,    156, 
161. 

agricola,  152,  153, 

155,  156,  162. 

arundinaceus,  151. 

brunuescens,  397. 

certhiola,  162. 

dumetorum,  153, 

154,  156. 

fulvo-lateralis,  375. 

orientalis,  16,  397. 

paliLstris,  151,  152. 

153,  1.54,  155,  1.56. 


Acrocephalus  stentorius, 

397. 
streperus,  151,  152, 

1.53,    154,    155,     156, 

397. 

turdoides,  397. 

Actenoides  cGneretus,378. 

hombroni,  378. 

lindsayi,  378. 

Actinura  rarasayi,  464. 
Act'turus  bartramius, 

199. 
^cbmopboi-us  major, 

203. 
^gialitis,  31,  43. 

geofFroyi,  322. 

hiaticula,  31,  406. 

mastersi,  121. 

tricollaris,  .348. 

^githina  scapidaris,  304. 

typhi;.,  304. 

viridissima,  304, 

487. 

zeylouica,  304. 

jEluroedus  emithi,  483. 
jEthopyga  christinse,  125. 

eiipogon,  17,  301. 

sanguinipectus,  488. 

siparaja,  301. 

waldeni,  488. 

Agelseus  thilius,  33,  174. 
Agla;actes  pamela,  1.37. 
Alauda  albigula,  50,  51. 
— —  arvensis,  51,  145. 
brachydactyla,  50, 

51,  53. 

cantarella,  145. 

eonirostris,  345. 

japonica,  145. 

pispoletta,  .50. 

pratensis,  510. 

sibii'ica,  40,  51. 

tartarica,  49,  .50,  51, 

.53. 
Alca  briienniehii,  410. 
Aleedo  asiatica,  297. 


Alcedo  atricapilla,  296. 
bengalensis,  6,  297, 

457,  470. 

chloris,  296. 

clilorocephala,  296. 

cyanoeephala,  297. 

•  euryzona,  297. 

ispida,  262,  297. 

leucocephalus.  296. 

meninting,  297. 

pileata,  296. 

tridactyla,  297 

Alcij)pe  bourdilloni,  375. 

fusca,  385. 

hueti,  385. 

magnirostris,  487. 

nipalensis,  487. 

phayrei,  487. 

Alcurus  ocbrocephalus, 

306. 

striatus,  406. 

Alecthelia   dimidiata, 

354. 

jardinei,  354. 

rufieollis,  3.54. 

Alophonerpes  pvdveru- 

lentus,  457. 
Alsocomus  puniceus,  467. 
Amblyornis  inornata, 

379. 
Amblyrhamphus  holose- 

riceus,  174. 
Ana?retes  parulus,  34. 
Analcipus  trailli,  467. 
Anas   acuta,   50,  54,  57, 

61. 

angustii'ostris,  127. 

bernieri,  335. 

■ bosehas,  50,  54,  146. 

clypeata,  57. 

crecca,  50,  54,  57, 

61. 

fuligula,  57. 

gibberifrons,  335. 

leiicophthalma,  50. 

nyroea,  54. 


41)6 


INDEX. 


Anas  penelope,  50, 54, 57, 

61. 

querqiiedula,  50. 

rufina,  50. 

rutila,  50,  54. 

spinicauda,  41. 

.strepera,  50,  64. 

sLipereiliosa,  240, 

363. 
Anorrhinus  albocristatu.s, 

376. 

galeritus,  292. 

Anous  raelanops,  363. 
— —  stolidus,  25. 

tenuirostris,  150. 

Anser  albifVons,  60,  146. 
eiiiereus,    50,    59, 

62. 
erjthropus,  127. 

146. 

grandis,  53. 

— =•  minutus,  62. 

ruficollis,  62. 

Aathocephala  castanei- 

ventris,  244. 
Anthrepte.s  flavigaster, 

300. 

inalaecensis,  18.  .302. 

simplex.  18. 

Anthus,  54. 

aquaticus,  54. 

arboreus,  59. 

blakistoni,  206,  207. 

cervinus,  59,  61,  62, 

65. 

correndera,  32. 168. 

gustari,  129.  258, 

392. 

hasseltii,  310. 

japonieiis,  206,  207. 

ludovicianus,  165. 

maculatus,  207. 

malayensis,  310. 

negleotus,  206. 

pratensis,  54,  59,  61, 

62,  65. 
seebohmi,  58,  128. 

206. 

spinoletta,  206. 

Antrostomus  parviiliis. 

184. 
Anumbius  acuticaiidatus, 

181. 
Aplonis  atronitens,  362. 

caledonicus,  362. 

nigroviridis,  362. 

pelzelni,  124. 

striata,  362. 

viridigrisea,  362. 

Aprosniiptus  biiriionsis, 

248. 


Aprosinictus  scapulatus, 

282. 
Aqiiila,  210. 
adalberti,  216,  218, 

219,  227. 
albicans,  224,  225, 

226,  230,  231,  232,  233, 
234,  235,  236. 

barthelemyi,  211, 

21.5. 

boeckii,  329. 

canadensis,  212. 

clirysaetus,210, 212. 

clanga,  222,  331, 

332,  333,  418. 

. cnlleni,  228. 

fulva,  50,  52,  54. 

fulveseens,  225, 234, 

325,    326,    328,    329, 

330. 

gurneyi,  424. 

hastata,  328,  331, 

333. 

heliaca,  215. 

imperialis,  52,  54, 

55,  273. 

malayensis,  424. 

• mogiinik,  215,  220, 

222. 

inorphnoides,  246. 

ncevia,   328,   329, 

331,  332.   ■ 
nasvioides,  222,  223, 

227,  328. 

nipalensis,  223,  224, 

234. 
pennata,  238,  245, 

246. 

■ plauga,  331. 

i-apax,  54,  219,  222, 

224,  225,  226,  227,  228, 

229,  2;  !0,  231,232,233, 

234,  235,  326. 

rapax  (nsevioides), 

219. 

raptor,  224. 

rutbnuchalis,  331, 

333. 

verreauxi,  210. 

vindhiana,  225, 234, 

235,  2.36,  326. 

wahlbergi,  3.33. 

Araclinechthra  pectoralis, 

302. 
Araclmopbila  simplex, 

301. 
Araclmotbera  affinis,  300. 
cbrysogenys,  18, 

.301. 

cj^anogenys,  18. 

eytoni,  300. 


Arachnotliera  flavigastra, 

300.  .'301. 

frenata,  .301. 

— —  longirostra,  300. 

lougirostris,  18. 

pusilla,  300. 

simplex,  .301. 

temmiucki,  301. 

Aramides,  30. 

j'pecaha,  J  94. 

Aramus  scolopaeeus,  196. 
Ardea  alba,  50. 

candidissima,  189. 

cinerea,  349,  461. 

cocoi,  189. 

egretta,  189.  349. 

goliath,  349. 

javanica,  32-3. 

leucoptera,  149, 

350. 

purpurea,  24,  323. 

sacra,  .323. 

Ardeola  comata,  349. 

grayi,  3.50.  _ 

Ardetta  involucris,  189. 

miniita,  350. 

podiceps,  3.50. 

sinensis,  24. 

Argusianiis  argus,  322. 

gravi,  23. 

Artamus,'  124,  149. 

brevipes,  126. 

leucogaster,  124, 

367. 
leucorbynclius.  21, 

124,  313. 

melaleucus,  362. 

Asilus  sibilatrix,  88. 
Asio  accipitrinus,  454. 
Astur  tenuirostris,  126. 
- — -  trivirgatus,  286. 
Asturina  puoherani,  187. 
Athene  caculoides,  4.54. 
Atticora  cvanoleuca,  32, 

170. 

Babax,  118. 
Balearica  regulorum, 

348. 
Batis  orientalis,  376. 
Batrachostomus,  251, 

252.  253. 

affinis,  251. 252,  253, 

388,    389,    390,   391, 
392. 

auritus,  389. 

castaneus,  251,  252, 

253,  .388,    390,    391, 
392. 

cornutus,  285,  298. 

javensis,  389,  391. 


INDEX. 


497 


Batrachostomiis  monili- 

ger,  251,  252,  253,  388, 

389,  391,  392. 
punctatus,  251,  252, 

388,  391. 

stellatus,  389,  391. 

-^ stictopterua,  389, 

391. 
Bernicla  brenta,  412. 

poliocepbala,  190. 

Bolborhynchus  mona- 

cbus,  186. 
Bracbypodius(?)  criniger, 

306. 
immaculatus,  14, 

307. 
• melanocepbahis, 

307. 
Bracbypterj'x  biistoni, 

308. 

malaccensis,  12. 

nigrocapitata,  308. 

• umbratilis,  11. 

Bracbypus  brunneus, 

307. 

euptilosus,  306. 

modestus,  307. 

plumosus,  306. 

Bracbyurus,  260. 

granatinus,  10. 

moluccensis,  10. 

muelleri,  10. 

Bradyornis  diabolicus, 

479. 

silens,  345. 

woodward!,  324, 

479. 
Bucco  australis,  300. 

cbrysopogon,  299. 

duvaucelii,  299. 

- — —  hsemacepbalus,  299. 
mystacophanos, 

299. 

pbilippensis,  299. 

roseus,  299. 

versicolor,  299. 

Bucepbala  clangula,  147. 
Buoeros  annulatiis,  293. 

bicoruis,  416,  418. 

cavatus,  418. 

convexus,  416. 

galeritus,  292. 

javanicus,  292. 

( Antbracoceros)  ma- 

labaricus,  418. 

narcondami,  296. 

niger,  293. 

obscurus,  294. 

plicatus,  293,  294. 

— —  pucoran,  293. 

pusaran,  293. 

SER.  IV. VOL.  I. 


Buceros  ruficollis,  293, 

294,  295,  366,  456. 
subruficollis,   295, 

296,  455. 
undulatus,  292,295, 

296. 
Bucbanga  leucophsea, 

285,  315. 
Budytes,  207, 208. 
- — —  calcaratus,  208. 

citreoloides,  208. 

citreolus,  208. 

flavus,  207,  208, 

209. 
melanocepbalus, 

208. 

rayi,  207,  208. 

taivanus,  207. 

viridis,  208,  209, 

310. 
(cinereocapil- 

lus),  208. 
Buteo,  55. 

albicaudatus,  187. 

desertorum,  127, 

340. 
erytbronotus,  38, 

40. 
—  ferox,  270. 

jackal,  340. 

iagopus,  59, 61, 119. 

vulgaris,  119,  215. 

Butorides  javanica,  323. 
Butreron  capellei,  321. 
Bycanistes   subcyliudri- 

cus,  376. 

Caccabis  cbiikar,  263. 
Cacomantis  bronzina, 

362. 

merulinus,  7. 

— —  rufiventris,  458. 
Calamoberpe,  58. 

locustella,  50. 

Calamospiza  bicolor, 

395. 
Calao  plicatus,  293. 
Calidria  arenaria,  402 

406. 
Calliope   tschebaiewi, 

243. 
Calliperidia  angel£e,  137, 

184. 
Calliste  albertina?,  337. 

desmaresti,  337. 

gyrola,  337. 

gyroloides,  3.37, 

338. 

lavinia,  337. 

Callolopbus  malaccensis, 

289. 


Callolophus  raentalis,   9, 

288.  ■ 

miniatus,  289. 

■  puniceus,  288. 

Calobates  melanope,  310. 
Calodroaias  elegans,  45. 
Calorbampbus  fuligino- 

sus,  9. 
Calornis  cbalybsa,   21, 

318. 

sangbirensis,  249. 

Calvptomena  viridis,  22, 

317. 
Calyptorhyncbus  banksi, 

240. 
Campepbaga  analis, 

362. 

caledonica,  362. 

plumbea,  240. 

sloetii,  367. 

Campepbilus  boiaii,  185. 
.Cancroma  cocblearia, 

239. 
Caprimulgus  £egyptius, 

163. 

arenicolor,  163. 

europreus,  250. 

isabellinus,  163. 

macrui'us,  5. 

mabrattensis,  249, 

250. 

•  plumipes,  243. 

rufigena,  341. 

salvadorii,  4. 

■ unwini,  249,  250. 

Carbo  cornioranus,  54. 
Carcineutes  pulcbellus, 

296,  456. 
Garpococcyx  radiatus,  7- 
Carpodacus,  52,  165. 
erythrinus,  51,  55, 

165,  274,  461. 

gitbagineus,  52. 

lepidus,  118. 

roseus,  145,  165. 

Carpopbaga  senea,  362. 

muelleri,  371. 

poecilorrboa,  126, 

384. 

spillorboa,  371. 

zoere,  371. 

(Globicera)  pacifica, 

240. 
Casuarius  australis,  237, 

372. 

beccarii.  325,  372. 

picticollis,  325. 

•  westermanni,  325. 

Catbartes,  247. 
Ceblepyris  culminatus, 

312. 

2m 


498 


INDEX. 


Ceblepyris  noYEe-guineci', 

312. 

sumatrensis,  312. 

Ceiitrites  niger,  177. 
Centrococcyx  eurycercus, 

8. 
Ceiitropelma  inicro- 

pterum,  120. 
Centropus  eurycercus, 

Certhia,  04. 

brasiliana,  302. 

longirostra,  300, 

301. 

■ rectirostris,  303. 

siparaja,  301. 

sperata,  302. 

trigonostigma,  303. 

Ceryle  americana,  185. 

rudis,  262. 

Ceyx  innominata,  6.  297- 

rufidorsa,  6,  297. 

CliffitorlijTichus  papuen- 

sis,49i. 
Chalcites  lucidus,  362. 
Chalcoparia  phoenicotis, 

303. 
Clialcophaps  indica,  244, 

322. 

longirostris,  362. 

Chalcopsitta  rubiginosa, 

278. 
Chalcopsittacus  cliloro- 

pterus,  248,  366. 

scintillatus,  366. 

Cbalcostetha  insignis,  17, 

302 
Cbamffiza  guatemalensis, 

441. 
Cbaptia  malayensis,  315. 
Charadrius,  sp.  ?,  362. 

auratus,  59,  60, 61. 

fulvus,  322.  468. 

geofFroyi,  335. 

gregarius,  49. 

liiaticula,  59,  62. 

longipes,  165. 

morinellus,  61. 

pluTialis,  322. 

virginicus,  165, 197- 

xanthocbilui?,  362. 

Cbarmosj-na  pulchella, 

476. 
Cliasmorbynchus  varie- 

gatus,  239. 
Chaulelasmus  coiie9i.241, 

242. 

streperus,  241. 

Chauna  chavaria,  190. 
Chloropsis  zosterops, 

305. 


Chlorostilbon  prasina, 

139. 
spleiididus,  136, 

184. 
Chotorhea  chrysopis,  8. 
Clirysococcyx    xantbo- 

rhyncbus,  287. 
Cbrysoena  victor,  124. 
Cbrysomitris  barbata, 

172. 
Chrysuronia  cbrysura, 

140. 
Ciccaba  leptogrammica, 

4. 
Cicinniirus  regiiis,  369. 
Ciconia  episcopus,  470. 

maguari,  189. 

Cinclodes  fuscus,  179. 
Cinclus  leucogaster,  51. 
Cinnjris  elegans,  303. 

ruber,  302. 

Circaetus  pectoralis,  341. 
Circe  doubledayi,  139. 
Circus  assimilis,  .362. 

cineraceus,  127,339. 

— —  ciuereus,    30,   38, 

187. 

cyaneus,  49,  55. 

maillardi,  361. 

pygargus,  339. 

spilonotus,  2, 144. 

Cistothorus  platensis, 

168, 181. 
Cittocincla  macroura, 

309. 

suavis,  13. 

Clangula    bistrionica, 

147. 
Coccystes  jacobinus,  342. 

cinereus,  186. 

melauocorypbus, 

186. 
Collocalia  lincbi,  362. 
Colluricincla  supercili- 

osa,  122. 
Collyriocincla  pallidiros- 

tris,  479. 
Colobatbris  imperator, 

443. 

macularia,  449. 

rex,  442. 

squamigera,  439. 

tiiiniens,  448. 

Columba,  51. 

bantamensis,  322. 

capellei,  321. 

curvirostra,  321. 

gigantea,  321. 

indica,  322. 

javanica,  322. 

maculosa,  42,  193. 


Columba  olax,  321. 

palumbus,  51. 

phaeonota,  345. 

picazuro,  193. 

striata,  322. 

tigrina,  322. 

trigonigera,  345. 

vernans,  321. 

Columbula  picui,  193. 
Colymbus  —,411. 

adamsi,  146. 

arcticus,  146. 

glacialis,  61,  146. 

septentrionalis,  68, 

59,411. 
Cometes  pbaon,  135. 
sparganurus,  134, 

135. 
Conurus  patagonus,  37, 

186. 
Copsycbus  amcenus, 

309. 

brevirostris,  309. 

musicus,  309. 

problematicus,  12, 

309,  310. 

saularis,  309. 

Coracias  garrula,  52. 

indica,  217. 

sumatranus,  317. 

Coregonus,  59. 

albula,  59. 

Coripbilus  kuhli,  242, 

278. 
Corvus,  51. 
annectens,  126, 127, 

320. 

capensis,  345. 

corax,49,51,  62,64, 

320,  405. 
comix,  49,  55,  57, 

62,  64. 

corone,  49,  51. 

coronoides  ?,  362. 

culminatus,  320. 

enca,  319.  320. 

fallax,  126. 

frugilegus,  49,  64. 

insolens,  459. 

javaiiensis,  319. 

levaillanti,  320. 

macrorbyncbus, 

319,  320. 

modestus,  126. 

monedula,  49,  64. 

scapulatus,  336, 

splendens,  459. 

tenuirostris,  320. 

— —  timoriensis,  319. 
- — —  validissimus,  319. 
validus,  319,  320. 


INDEX. 


499 


Corydalla  hasselti,  310, 

311. 

■ lugubris,  311. 

■ malayensis,  310, 

311. 
Corydon  sumalranus,  21, 

317. 
Oorythus,  64. 
— —  enucleator,  57. 
Cossyplia  gutturalis,  272. 
Coturnicops  ayresi,  352. 

exquisita,  353. 

noveboracensis,  353. 

Coturnix  communis,  149. 

dactylisonaus,  130. 

japouica,  145. 

Cotyle  riparia,  56,  62. 

rupestris,  51. 

Cranorrliinus  waldeni, 

376. 
Crateropus  gularis,  466. 
Crex  pratensis,  54,  65, 

351. 
Criniger  gutturalis,  14. 
phseocephalus,  14, 

306. 
Crocopus  viridifrons, 

456. 
Crossoptilon  drouyni, 

129. 
Crypsirkina  cucuUata, 

459. 
varians,   285,   318, 

459. 
Cuculus  asturinus,  126. 

bubutus,  288. 

canorus,  50,  55, 

.   342,458. 

chlorophseus,  287. 

fugax,  288. 

— ■ —  lugubris,  287. 
melanognathus, 

287. 

virescens,  126. 

— —  xanthorhyncbus, 

287. 
Cuncuma  leucogaster,  3. 
Ourruca  platystoina,  94. 

sibilatrix,  88. 

Cursorius  bicinctus,  347. 

rufus,  347- 

Cyanalcyon  nigrocyanea, 

366. 
stictolasma,  248, 

366. 
Cyauecula  suecica,  49, 

463. 
Cyanoderma  bicolor,  11. 

erytbropterum,308. 

Cyanopolius    cyanus, 

145. 


Cyanoptila  cy  anomelsena, 
144. 

Cyanotis  azaras,  177. 

oranicolor,  34. 

Cyanorhamplius  saisseti, 

362. 
Cyclopsitta  suavissima, 

248,  366. 
Cyclopsittaeus  fuscifrons, 

'248,  366. 
Cygnus  coacoroba,  41, 

191. 

musicus,  59. 

• nigricollis,  41,  191. 

Cymbirhynchus  macro- 

rbynchua,  317,  22. 

malacceusis,  317. 

Cyornis  bauyuraas,  18. 

elegans,  316. 

Cypselus  apus,  54,  127. 

comatus,  298. 

melba,  2(j9. 

pallidus,  127. 

Dacelo  intermedius,  248, 

pulcbella,  296. 

Dafila  acuta,  24,  147. 

babameusis,  192. 

spinicauda,  41, 192. 

Daption  capeusis,  28. 
Dasyptilus  pecqueti,  365. 
Demiegretta  sacra,  323. 
Dendrocbelidou    mys- 

tacea,  366. 
Deudrocitta  bimalaj-eu- 

sis,  459. 
Dendrocygna  arcuata, 

472. 

gouldi,  363. 

— —  guttata,  372. 

major,  473. 

vagans,  372. 

Dendroeca  auduboni,  394. 

coronata,  395. 

olivacea,  483. 

palmarum,  241. 

\irens,  165. 

Dendropicus  bartlaubi, 

342. 
Dendrotypes  analis,  285, 

290. 
Dicaaum  cbrysorrboeum, 

17. 

croceoventre,  303. 

flammeum,  285, 

302. 

olivaceum,  302. 

— retrociuctum,  247, 

248. 

rubriventer,  248. 

sanghirense,  249. 


Dicseum  trigonostigma, 

17,  303. 
Dichoceros  bicoruis,  454, 

455. 
Dicrurus  leucophasus, 

315. 

musicus,  345. 

platuruB,  313. 

waldeni,  335. 

Dipbyllodes  gulielmi- 

tertii,  492. 

respubliea,  493. 

— - —  wilsoni,  492. 
Dissemurus    brachy- 

pborus,  20. 

paradiseus,  315. 

platurus,  313, 

Dolicbouyx  oryziTorus, 

165. 
Donacospiza  albifrons, 

171. 
Drepanoptila  bolosericea, 

362. 
Dromteocercus  bruuneus, 

324. 
Dromseus   novaj-hol- 

landiffi,  237. 
Drymocataphus  capistra- 

toides,  11. 

fulvus,  452. 

nigricapitatus,  .308. 

Drymoclisera  badiceps, 

121. 
Drymceca  liyposantha, 

375. 
Ducula  griseicapilla,  467. 
Dysporus  sula,  363. 

Eclectus  cardinalis, ,  275, 

277, 281, 283, 475, 476. 
cornelite,  275,  276, 

277,   278,   281,   283, 

478. 
grandis,    275,    276, 

277,  280,  281,  282,  475, 

476. 
intermedius,    275, 

276,  277. 
linnwi,  275, 276, 277, 

280,281,476. 
■ polycblorus,     240, 

275,  276,  277  ,280,  281, 

282,  283,  475,  476. 
westermanni,    275, 

277,278,281,283,475. 
Edolius  cineraceus,  315. 

intermedius,  313. 

malayensis,  313. 

picinus,  315. 

rangoonensis,  313. 

remifer,  313. 


500 


INDEX. 


Edolius  retifer,  313. 
Egretta  brevipes,  363. 
Elanus  axillaris,  483. 

leucurus,  188. 

Emberiza,  52,  53. 

aureola,  54,  55. 

citriuella,  49,  64. 

■ elegaus,  145. 

horLulaua,  272. 

■ icterina,  52. 

luteola,  165. 

melanocepkala, 

272. 

pithyoriiis,  54. 

platensis,  172. 

pusilla,  57,  62,  64, 

1.57,  462. 

pyrrhuloides,  53. 

rutila,  52,  5.3,  462. 

scbceniclus,  57. 

EniCLirus  cbinensis,  310. 
—  frontalis,  310. 
Bnneoctouus  coUaris, 
354. 

collurio,  354. 

Entoraophila  ruflgularis, 

483. 
Eopboua  melanura,  145. 

persouata,  145. 

Eopsaltria?  caledonica, 
362. 

ilavigastra,  362. 

variegata,  362. 

Epbialtes,  149. 

bakkamoeiia,  149. 

Eriocnemis,  136. 

d'orbigiiyi,  136. 

• glauoopoidcs,  136. 

Erismatiira  ferrugiuea, 

42, 192. 
Erytbra  pboeiiieura,  323. 
Erytbrura  p.sittacea,  362. 
Erytbropus  amurensis, 

341. 
Erytbrospiza  incarnata, 
378. 

. obsoleta,  378. 

sanguinea,  270. 

Esacus  maguirostris, 

362. 
Estrelda  flavidiventris, 

461. 
Estrilda  burmanica,  375, 

461. 
Eudromias  asiaticus, 

165. 
— --  modesta,  179,  197. 
Eudynamys  tailensis, 

362. 
Eulabes  intermedia,  460. 
Eunetta  forinosa,  147. 


Eupetes  uigricrissus,  248, 

367. 
Eupetomena  macrura, 

134. 
Eiiplocamus  pjronotus, 

23. 
Eupodotis  afroides,  347. 

cristata,  34(). 

Eurylajiuus  javanicus,  22. 

lemniscatus,  317. 

ocbromelas,  21,  317- 

Eurystomus  afar,  342. 

cras.sirostris,  368. 

orieutalis,  7,  457- 

Euspiza  aureola,  461. 
Eustepbanus  fernanden- 

sis,  137. 

galeritus,  138. 

Eutoxeres  condaminii, 

383. 

Falcinellusguarauna,  120. 

igneus,  189. 

ridgwayi,  120. 

Falco  fesalon,  59,  64, 144. 

alaudarius,  148. 

barbarus,  398. 

belisarius,  233. 

biai'raicus,  341. 

caudicans,  403. 

ceucbris,  49. 

ceylonensis,  430. 

communis,  382. 

— communis  anatum, 

382. 

concolor,  238. 

fringillarius,  286. 

gyrfalco,  64. 

limnaetus,  425, 426, 

427. 

minor,  398. 

•  niveus,  425,  426, 

427. 
peregrinator,  149, 

398. 
peregrinus,  59,  61, 

1.50,  398. 

pondicerianus,  280. 

ptilorbyncbus,  286. 

ruiipes,  49. 

subbuteo,  59,  64. 

tinnunculus,  55. 

trivirgatus,  286. 

vespertinus,  55. 

Ficedula  asilus,  90. 

bonelb,  94. 

corouata,  79. 

fltis,  90. 

fulvescens,  98. 

obsoura,  87. 

proregulus,  102. 


Ficedula  i-ufa,  95. 

sibilatrix,  88. 

trocbilus,  90. 

umbrovirens,  86. 

Formicarius  brevicauda, 

447. 

vai'ius,  442. 

Francolinus  sinensis, 468. 

swain.soni,  346. 

vulgaris,  2(>2. 

Fringilla  australis,  47. 

caniceps,  51. 

linaria,  57,  61,  62, 

64,  65. 

montifringilla,  57, 

.  64,  65. 
Fulica  armillata,  195. 

atra,  472. 

leueoptera,  195. 

leucopyga,  42. 

Fuligula  cristata,  147. 

marila,  62. 

mariloides,  147. 

• ■  nyroca,  62. 

Furnarius   rul'us,    173, 

179. 

Gallicrex  cinereus,  471. 
Gallinago  tequatorialis, 

351. 

major,  351. 

media,  58,  61. 

paraguaiiTJ,  198. 

solitaria,  146. 

stenura,  24. 

Grallinida  cbloropus,  25, 

27. 

galeata,  26,  27,  120. 

garraani,  120. 

lepida,  126. 

sandvicensis,  25. 

Gallirallus  lafresnayanus, 

3()3. 
Gallus  ferrugiueus,  468. 
Gambetta  llavipes,  43. 

199. 

melanoleuca,  199. 

Garrulax  belangei'i,  464. 

galbauus,  32.5. 

lauceolatua,  118. 

mouiliger,  464. 

pectoralis,  464. 

taivanus,  473. 

Gari'ulus,  57,  64. 

brandti,  144. 

japonicus,  144. 

krynickii,  263. 

leucotis,  460. 

Gecinus  eryfcliropygius, 

457. 
viridis,  2(i4. 


INDEX. 


501 


Geoffroyus  keyensis,  476. 

— —  schlegeli,  476. 

Geopelia  striata,  322. 

Geositta  cunicularia, 
178. 

Geranoaetus  nielanoleu- 
cus,  30,  38. 

Geronticus  harmandi, 
487. 

Gerygone  albogularis, 
367,  482. 

flavida,  482. 

flavolateralis,  357. 

simplex,  122. 

superciliosa,  83,  84, 

128. 

Glareola  lactea,  469. 

melanoptera,  63. 

nordmanni,  347. 

- —  orientalis,  23,  322, 
469. 

pratincola,  271. 

torquata,  62. 

Glaiicopis  leucopterus, 

318. 
Glyciphila?  clilorophaja, 
362. 

fasciata,  362. 

incana,  362. 

modesta,  362. 

poliotis,  362. 

Goura,  248,  249. 

albertisi,  372. 

beccarii,  248,  249. 

coronata,  372. 

sclateri,  248,  372. 

•  Tictoriffi,  248,  372. 

Gracula  anais  orientalis, 
368. 

dumonti,  368. 

gnathoptila,  240. 

jayanensis,  319. 

— religiosa,  319. 

Graculus  africanus,  354. 
Grallaria  andicola,  448. 

• brevicanda,  438, 

447,  448. 

dives,  400. 

erythroleuca,  445. 

erytbrotis,  445. 

flavotincta,446. 

fulviventris,  450, 

451. 

fusca,  442. 

gigantea,  438,  439. 

griseonucha,  446. 

haplonota,  442. 

hy]3oleuca,  446. 

imperator,  443. 

maciilaria,  449, 

450. 


Grallaria  mexicana,  440. 

modesta,  439,  448. 

monticola,  444. 

• nuchalis,  444. 

■ ocbroleuca,  439, 

4.51. 

perspicillata,  449. 

princeps,  441. 

guatemalensis,  440, 

441. 

quiteusis,  444. 

regulus,  441,  442. 

rex,  446. 

fiuficapilla,  438, 447. 

• ruficeps,  444. 

rufula,  446. 

squamigera,  438, 

439,  440. 

varia,  438,  439, 442, 

443. 
Graucalus    concretus, 
312. 

sumatrensis,  312. 

Grus  antigone,  469. 

cinerea,  50. 

nigricollis,  482. 

virgo,  52. 

Guira  piririgua,  185. 
Guiraca  glaucoc£erulea, 

170. 
Gymnocorvus  senex,  369. 
Gypaetus,  49,  210. 

barbatus,  210. 

Gypohierax  angolensis, 
340. 

Hffimatopus  longirostris, 

372. 
ostralegus,  49,  57, 

66. 
Halcyon    coromanda, 

456. 

cyanocephala,  126. 

— —  pileata,  296. 

sacra,  240. 

Haliaetus   albicilla,   53, 

56. 
—I —  leucogaster,  3. 
— —  leucorypbus,  53,  54. 
— —  vocifer,  340. 
Haliastur  indus,  3. 

intermedins,  3,  286. 

sphennrus,  361. 

Haliplana  fuliginosa, 

363. 
Hapalocercus  flayiven- 

tris,  34,  177. 
Harelda  glacialis,  69,  61, 

147,  411.     , 
Harpactes  duvauceli,  298. 
— ■ —  kasumba,  298. 


Harpactes  rutilus,  298. 
Harpyopsis  noyffi-guineae, 

435,  436. 
Heliangelus  amethysti- 

Collis,   141.  „|„,;.) 

barali,  244. 

Clarissa;,  338,  339. 

spencii,  339. 

strophianus,  339. 

taczanoyrskii,  338. 

Heliomaster  longirostris, 

138. 
Helminthopliaga  chry-  •■- 

soptera,  240. 
• leucobronchialis, 

240. 
Hemicercus  brunneus, 

290. 
— ■ —  concretus,  291. 

sordidus,  291. 

Hemipus  obscurus,  20,,.,, -'ii 

313.  .." 

Henicopernis  longicaudajjuj] 

365.  ,:  .;,,<.j; 

Henicurus  frontalis,  310. 

leschenaulti,  310.  ,  ^,j5£ 

Herodias  albolineata,     ,j 

363.  ,,;',., rr 

— —  garzetta,  349. 

intermedia,  349.    .,    .i 

noyaj-bollandiaB,  •;  i- 

363.    _  ,r:j_ 

Hiaticula  inornata,  12l, 

Hierococcyx  fugax,  7,  ndiS 

288.  . 

Himantopus  brasiIieusis^,.fT( 

198.  _     _       _  /  ,  __ 

nigricollis,  198. 

rufipes,  60.  r:.\-s'ii 

Hippolais  swainsoni,  72.'|. 
Hirundo,  149.       :,,  i;.,,]^.;.^^ 

■ domicola,  3l6. ,'..  i ,  ,'.   ; 

— —  filifera,  466. 

jayanica,  316 

klecbo,  299.  ,,,^j 

leucorrhoa,  32,  169j;^' 

longipennis,  299.    _L__ 

rufula,  64. 

—  rustica,  50,  57,  '^Mmi.'iL 


406. 


.S9S 


tytleri,  466.  .^^  j,\:,\,-,r]ea. 

■ — —  urbica,  57.  ■)<,, 

Homorus  gvitturalis,  36,-,  ,„'g 
Horeites  pallidipes,  326. 

sei'icea,  487. 

Horornis,  75,  204,  205. 

fuligiventer,  88.      

f uliginiy  entris,  88.  -    ^ 

Hydrocissa  albirostris, 

455.    ,  .:     - 

—  convexa,  7. 


502 


INDEX. 


Hydrocorax  philippensis, 

417. 
Hydropsalis  furcifera, 

185. 
Hydrornis  oatesi,  463. 
Hylacola  pyrrhopygia, 

483. 
Hylocharis  cyanea,  138. 

sapphirina,  184. 

Hyphantornis  mariquen- 

sis,  345. 
Hypolais,  66,  67,  85, 153, 

155,  156,  161. 
caligata,  152,  153, 

155,  156,  162,  397. 

graminis,  76,  128. 

opaca,  152. 

palUda,  152,  155. 

— ■ —  rama,    152,    153, 

155. 
HypotJEnidia  philippen- 
sis, 363. 

• striata,  471. 

Hypothymis  azurea,  18, 

316. 
Hypotriorchis  femoralis, 

187. 
Hypsibemon  ruficapillus, 

447. 

nifulus,  446. 

Hypsipetes  malaccensis, 

13,  14. 

lanthcenas  hypoenochroa, 

362. 
Ibis  albicollis,  190. 

falcinellus,  52,  189. 

gigantea,  486. 

harmandi,  486. 

— —  papillosa,  486. 
Idiina  salicaria,  162. 
Indicator  archipelagicus, 

8. 
lole  olivacea,  307. 

viridescens,  466. 

lora  scapularis,  14,  304. 

viridissima,  304. 

Irena  criniger,  479. 

melauochlamys, 

479. 
puella,  467. 

tweeddalii,  479. 

Iridornis  jelskii,  129. 

Ithaginis  sinensis,  118. 

Ixos  hainanus,  128. 

phseoceplialus,  306. 

Ixus  analis,  306. 

annectens,  466. 

■ blanfordi,  466. 

davisoni,  466. 

flavescens,  466. 


Lagopus  albus,  58,  60. 

alpinus,  49. 

leueurus,  395. 

rupestris,  40.5. 

Lalage  dominica,  313. 

karu,  240. 

montrouzieri,  362. 

uajvia?,  362. 

Lampornis  violicauda, 

141. 
Lamprolia,  121. 

klinesmithii,  121. 

minor,    121,   143, 

144. 

victorioe,  143,  144. 

Lamprotoruis  metallicus, 

240. 
Lamprotreron  superba, 

240. 
Lanius,  53. 

arenarius,  52,  64, 

398. 

borealis,  163. 

excubitor,  1(53. 

insidiator,  318. 

isabellinus,    164, 

398. 

lucionensis,  19. 

major,  163. 

malabaricus,  313, 

314. 

melanocephalus, 

307. 

musicus,  309. 

phoeuicuroides,  164, 

398. 

phoenicurus,o3, 163, 

398. 

striga,  313. 

xantliogaster,  316, 

Larus  canus,  50,  66. 

cirrhocephalus, 

201. 

dominicanus,44, 45, 

201. 

glaucus,  409. 

ichthyaetns,  50. 

ma(;ulipennis,43,44, 

201,  202. 
— —  marinus,  53,  56, 58, 
59,  61,  62,  66. 

minutus,  54,  66. 

novai-liollandia^ 

363. 

ridibnndus,  50,  54, 

62,  66,  202. 
Leioptila  saturata,  464. 
Leiothrix  argeutauris, 

464. 
Leiothrix  strigula,  464. 
Leistes  superciliaris,  175. 


Lepoeestes  porphyrome- 

las,  9. 
Leptasthenura  a^githaloi- 

des,  180. 
Leptoptila  chalcauchenia, 

193. 
Leptoptilus  argala,  470. 
Leptornis  aubryanus, 

362. 
Lesbia  gouldi,  135. 

nuna,  135. 

Lesti-is,  62. 

parasitica,  61. 

pomatorhina,  61. 

Leucocerca   albicollis, 

466. 

javanica,  316. 

perlata,  18. 

Leucochloris  albicollis, 

138. 
Liciienops  perspicillatus, 

34,  176. 
Limnaetus   alboniger, 

432. 

audamanensis,  429. 

caligatus,  424,  428, 

429,  430. 

ceylonensis,  430. 

cirrhatus,  429,  430. 

gurneyi,  424. 

horsfieldi,  428,  429. 

isidori,  424,  433. 

kieneri,  424,  432, 

433. 

lanceolatus,  424. 

nipalensis,  431, 

432. 

philippensis,  432. 

sphynx,  431. 

Limnornis  curvirostris, 

180,  182,  193. 
Limosa  a^gocephala, 

469. 

hudsonica,  43,  200. 

noviE-zealandia;, 

363. 

uropygialis,  363. 

Linaria,  52,  53. 
Liocichla  steerii,  474. 
Loddigesia  mirabilis,  373. 
Lophoaetus  occipitalis, 

422. 
Lophophanes  dichroides, 

243. 
Lophophorus   nigelli, 

254. 
Lophorhina  respublica, 

493. 
Loricvdus  aurantiifrons, 

482. 
catamene,  378. 


INDEX. 


503 


Loriculus  exilis,  378. 

galgiilus,  292. 

regulus,  378. 

stigmatus,  378. 

tener,  482. 

Lorius  erythrothorax, 

476. 

flavo-palliatus,  476. 

bypcenochrous,  240. 

tibialis,  278. 

Loxia,  64. 

maciilata,  318. 

maja,  318. 

oryzivora,  317. 

pMlippina,  318. 

Luscinia  pbilomela,  52, 

5.5. 
Lusciola  caligata,  162. 
suecica,  59,  61,  62, 

65,  82. 
Lyncoruis  cerviniceps, 

459. 
temmincki,  298. 

Machserirhynchus  albi- 

frons,  377. 

nigripectus,  377. 

Machetes  pugnax,  61. 
Macketornis  rixosa,  177. 
Maclilolopkus  rex,  118. 
Macronus  ptilosus,  11, 

308. 
Maoropteryx  comatus, 

298. 

longipennis,  299. 

Macropygia  assimilis,  468. 

griseinucha,  249. 

keiensis,  249. 

turtur,  240. 

tusalia,  248. 

Malacocincla  rufiventris, 

12. 
Malacopteron  magnum, 

11,  12,  309. 

majus,  11,309. 

Malurus  alboscapulatus, 

377. 
Manucodia  gouldi,  368. 
— - —  keraudreni,  368. 
Mareca  castanea,  363. 

chiloensis,  192. 

penelope,  24. 

sibilatrix,  41,  192. 

Megalsema  asiatica,  457. 

chrysopis,  8. 

chrysopogon,  299. 

duvauceli,  9. 

hodgsoni,  457. 

—  humei,  299. 

marshallorura,  457. 

mystacophanes,299. 


Megalsema  ramsayi,  457. 

vei'sicolor,  299. 

Megaloperdix,  52. 

altaicus,  52. 

raddei,  254. 

Megaloprepia  assimilis, 

371. 
Megalurulus  marise,  360, 

362. 
Megapodius  assimilis, 

122. 

hueskeri,  240. 

Megatriorchis  dorite,  435, 

437. 
Meiglyptes  tristis,  290. 
^—  tukki,  290. 
Melauocblora  sultanea, 

464. 
Melanoperdix  nigra,  23. 
Melanopyrrhusorientalis, 

368. 
Melias  diardi,  287. 
Melidectes  torquatus, 

377. 
Melidipnus,  240. 
Melierax  miisicus,  340. 
Meliphaga  javensis,  305. 
MeUpotes  gymnops,  377. 
Melirrhophetes  leucoste- 

phes,  377. 

ocliromelas,  377. 

Melophus  melanicterus, 

462. 
Mergulus  alls,  410. 
Meropogon  breweri,  129. 
Merops  amicta,  298. 

apiaster,  52,  272. 

bicolor,  5,  297. 

ornatus,  368. 

sumatranus,  297. 

Morula,  121. 

kessleri,  243. 

ruficeps,  121. 

Metallura  jelskii,  244. 
smaragdinicollis, 

139,  140. 
Metopiana    peposaca, 

192. 
Microhierax  fringillarius, 

21,  286. 
Micropicus  hartlaubi, 

291. 
Micropternus  badiosus, 

289. 

badius,  289. 

Microtarsus  olivaceus, 

307. 
Milvago  chimango,  40, 

188. 
Milvulus  tyrannus,  178. 
Milvus  govinda,  454. 


Milvus  melanotis,  53,  54. 

niger,  55. 

Mimus  calandria,  167. 

patagonicus,  31. 

Mino  robertsoni,  368. 
Mixornis  borneensis,  11. 
Molothrus  badius,  174. 

bonariensis,  33, 

174. 

rufoasillaris,  174. 

Monachella  saxicolina, 

367. 
Monarcha  chrysomelas, 

367. 

comrautata,  126. 

cordensis,  240. 

lucida,  240. 

melanonotus,  367.  " 

Monticola  cyanus,  269.  ^^ 

pandoo,  13. 

saxatilis,  269.         ^ 

Montifringilla  blanfordi, 

375. 

mandellii,  375. 

Mormon  grabie,  237. 
Morpkuus  guianeusis, 

435. 
Motacilla,  151.  ' 

affinis,  100. 

alba,  .51,  57,  59,  61, 

62,  65,  262, 463. 

bistrigata,  310. 

cinereocapilla,  50, 

53,  57. 
citreola,  49,  54, 58, 

62. 

dukhunensis,  150. 

fitis,  90. 

flammea,  302. 

ilava  (borealis),  62. . 

lugubris,  163. 

luzonensis,  462. 

melanocephala,  50. 

melanope,  262,  310. 

olivacea,  311. 

personata,  51. 

proregulus,  104. 

sibilatrix,  88. 

singalensis,  303. 

superciliosa,  102. 

trochilus,  90. 

vidua,  163. 

Tiridis,  310. 

Munia  caniceps,  248. 

ferruginea,  318. 

leucogastroides, 

285,  318. 

maja,  318. 

majanoides,  318. 

Muscicapa,  149. 
azurea,  316. 


504 


INDEX. 


Muscicapa  csenilea,  316. 

grisola,  52. 

gulai'is,  144. 

javanica,  316. 

pyrrhoptera,  316. 

Muscipeta  aliinis,  316. 
Muacylva  albigiilaris, 

143. 
Mycteria  australis,  372. 
Myiagra  creruleo-capilla, 
122. 

caledonica,  358. 

■  perspicillata,  362. 

•  pluto,  123. 

viridinitens,  362. 

Myiodynastes  solitariiis, 

'178. 
Myiolestes  obscurus,  20. 
Myiothera  grallaria,  443. 
Myiotheretes  rafiveatris, 

175. 
Myiotrichas  imperatrix, 
443. 

•  squamigera,  439. 

Myioturdu3  ochroleucus, 
451. 

rex,  442,  443. 

Myristicivora  bicolor, 
379. 

melanura,  379. 

spilorrhoa,  379. 

Myzomela  coccinea,  483. 

erytbriua,  483. 

erythrocepliala,362. 

sanguinolenta,  359, 

362. 

Napotkera  pileata,  309. 
Nasiterna  beccarii,  248. 

pusilla,  482. 

Nectarinia,  124. 

•  aspasia,  367. 

chrysogenys,  301. 

flavigastra,  301. 

frenata,  367. 

hasselti,  18,  302. 

insignis,  302. 

javanica,  302. 

pectoralis,  302. 

phoenicotis,  303. 

Nectaropliila  hasselti, 

302. 
Neophron,  150. 
Neopus  malaiensis,  423. 
Neornis,  205. 

. albiventris,  385. 

— —  assimilis,  385. 
.  Nestor  productus,  129. 
Nettapus  madagascari- 

ensis,  354. 
pnlchellus,  372. 


Ninox  lugubris,  335. 

novifi-britanniae, 

483. 

odiosa,  483. 

scutulata,  4,  5,  287. 

Nisaetus  bellicosus,  42, 
419. 

fasciatu3,420,  421. 

niorphnoides,  419, 

420. 

pennatus,  419,  420. 

spiloga3ter,419,420, 

421. 
Nisus  fringillarius,  62. 
Noctua  cunicularia,  38. 
Nothura  maculosa,  45, 

203. 
Nucifraga,  57. 

caryocatactes,  64. 

Niiraenius  arquata,  57, 
62,  350. 

pha3opus,  146. 350. 

uropygialis,    146, 

363. 
Nuuiida  coronata,  346. 

vulturina,  493. 

Nyctea  nivea,  61, 132. 

scandiaca,  403. 

Nycticorax  caledonicus, 
363. 

griseus,  146. 

obscurus,  40,  189. 

Nyctiornis   amicta,  6, 
298. 

malaceensis,  298. 

Nymphicus  cornutus, 

362. 
Nyroca  australis,  363. 

Odontophorus  guianensis, 

239. 
(Edemia  fusca,  58,  59, 

61. 

nigra,  58,  59,  61. 

CEdirhinus  globifer,  240. 

■  insolitus,  482. 

CEstrelata  brevirostris, 

480. 

mollis,  480. 

rostrata,  363. 

Opisthocomus  cristatus, 

239. 
Oreocincla  aurea,  144. 

dauraa,  463. 

raoUissima,  463, 

464. 
Oreophihis  ruficoEis,  42, 

197. 
Oreopneuste  davidii,  85. 
Oreopyra  caloltema,  244. 
leucaspis,  244. 


Oreotrochilus  adelaj,  142. 

estellfe,  142. 

Oriolus  ehinensis,  308. 

coronatus,  285,  308. 

diffusus,  479. 

formosus,  378. 

steerii,  479. 

xanthonotus,  20, 

308. 
Ornismya  albicollis,  138. 

■  amethysticollis, 

141. 

aureoventris,  136. 

bicolor,  139,  140. 

chrysurus,  134,  135, 

140. 

coriB,  141. 

cyana,  138. 

cyanopogou,  1-36. 

fernandeiisis,  137. 

furcata,  135. 

gigantea,  1.34. 

glaucopoides,  136. 

gouldi,  135. 

longirostris,  138. 

macrourus,  134. 

mellisuga,  139. 

mulsanti,  136. 

paraela,  137. 

petasophora,  137. 

prasina,  139. 

ruficoUis,  140. 

sephanoides,  138. 

superba,  138. 

vesper,  137. 

Orocetes  erythrogaster, 

463. 
Ortalida  motmot,  239. 
Orthorhynchus  amethys- 
ticollis, 141. 

pamela,  137. 

smaragdinicollis, 

141. 
Orthotomus,  108, 114. 

atrigularis,  16,  109, 

111,113. 

bennetti,  110. 

borneonensis,  114, 

312. 

castaneiceps,  109, 

114. 

eineraceus,  109, 114, 

11.5,312. 

cinereiceps,  109, 

11.3. 

coronatus,  109, 1 15. 

cucuUatus,  109, 115. 

derbianus,  109,  114. 

-edela,  108,  111,112. 

flavo-viridis,   16, 

113. 


INDEX. 


505 


Orthotoinus  frontelia, 

109,112. 

liugelii,  lU). 

lingoo,  110. 

longicauda,  115. 

loiigirostris,  116. 

inaculicoUis,  116. 

nitidus,  113. 

ruficeps,  109, 114. 

sepium,  109,  115, 

312. 
sutoriiis,  108,  109, 

111,112,116,312. 
Osmotreron  olax,  321. 

Teruans,  321. 

Otis  maequeeni,  53. 

tarda,  49,  273. 

tetrax,  49. 

Otocompsa  personata, 

306. 
Otocorys  alpestris,  61, 65. 

penicillata,  270. 

Otothrix,  253. 

hodgsoni,  251,  252, 

253,  388,  390,  391, 392. 
Otus  brachyotus,  58,  61, 

64,186. 

Pacbycephala?,  sp.?,  121, 

362. 

assimilis,  362. 

citreogaster,  121. 

kandavensis,  121. 

morariensis,  362. 

robusta,  122. 

vitiensis,  357. 

xanthetra'a,  357, 

362. 
Padda  oryzivora,  317. 
Pagopbila  eburnea,  409. 
Palaeornis  longicauda,  9. 
— —  magnii'ostris,  453. 
melanorhynchus, 

453. 

torquatus,  453. 

Pandion  leucocephalus, 

361. 
Panurus,  53.  ,,  s     , 

■ biarmicus,  53. 

Paradigalla  earunculata, 

325. 
Paradisea  apoda,  369, 

370. 

papuana,  370. 

raggiana,  325,  369, 

370,  377. 

rubra,  370. 

sanguinea,  377. 

wilsoni,  493. 

Pardalotuspercussus,303. 

rubricatiis,  483. 

SER.   ly. VOL.   I. 


Pardalotus  uropygialis, 

483. 
Paroaria  cucullata,  171. 
Parrajacana,  196. 
Parula  pitiayumi,  168. 
Parus  arfaki,  377. 

atriceps,  304. 

• borealis,  64. 

ciuctus,  64. 

cinereus,  304. 

cyaneus,  49. 

kamschatkeDsis,  (54, 

166. 

major,  64. 

palustris,  64, 

peregrinus,  315. 

Passer    campestris,    57, 

64. 

domesticus,  57,  52. 

montanus,  145. 

petronius,  270. 

rutilans,  145. 

Pastor  jalla,  319. 

roseus,  51,  52. 

Patagona  gigas,  134. 
Pelargopsis  i'raseri,  296. 

leucocephala,  296. 

Pelecanus  conspicillatus, 

372. 

onocro talus,  50. 

Pellorueum  minor,  386, 

387. 

minus,  452. 

— ■ —  subocbraceum,  .386, 

451,452. 
tickelli,  386,  387, 

451,  452. 
Penelope  pipile,  239. 
Pericrocotus    ardens, 

315. 

brevirostris,  316. 

cinereus,  19. 

flammeus,    315. 

316. 

flammifer,  315. 

peregrinus,  315. 

xauthogaster,  285, 

315. 
Perisoreus  infaustus,  64. 
Pernis  apivorus,  1 19. 

celebensis,  287- 

ptilorhynchus,  286. 

Petasophora  serrirostris, 

137. 
Petrocbelidon  pyrrho- 

nota,  169. 
Petroeincia,  51. 

saxatilis,  50. 

Petrocossypbus  cyaneus, 

463. 
Petrceea,  sp.  ?,  362. 


Petroeca  kleinsebmidti, 

124. 
Peucedramus  olivaceus, 

485. 
Phacellodomus  frontalis, 

183, 184. 

ruber,  183,  184. 

PhiEnorhiua  goliath,  362. 
Pbaetbornis  supereilio- 

sus,  141. 
Pbaetbusa  magnirostris, 

200. 
Pbaeton  candidus,  363. 

rubricauda,  363. 

Phalacrocorax   brasili- 

anus,  40,  188. 

uielanoleucus,  363. 

pelagicus,  147. 

Pbalaropus,  62. 

cinereus,  58. 

fulicarius,  406. 

■ wilsoni,  42, 198. 

Pbaleris  psittacula,  237. 
Pbasianus  argus,  322. 

rouloul,  322. 

Philentouia  pyrrbo- 

pterum,  19,  316. 

velatum,  19. 

Philouiachus  pugnax, 

350. 
Philotliamna  minor, 

376. 
Pbloeocryptes  melanops, 

35, 179. 
Pboenicopbaus  caniceps, 

287. 
erytkrognathus, 

287. 

javanicus,  287. 

Pboenicopterus  ignipal- 

liatus,  41. 
Pboenicornis  ardens,  315. 
Pboleoptynx  cunicularia, 

186. 
Phonygama  jamesii,  479. 
Pbyllobasileus  coronatus, 

76. 

proregidus,  104. 

superciliosus,  102. 

Pbyllopneuste  affinis,  74. 

alpestris,  94. 

arborea,  90. 

•  bonellii,  94. 

borealis,  69. 

coronata,  76,  79. 

fitis,  90. 

flaveolus,  78. 

fuscatus,  85. 

— —  intermedia,  74, 128. 
javanica,  16, 70, 77, 

161. 

2n 


50(3 


INDKX. 


Phyllopneuste  kennicotti, 

70. 

maacki,  85. 

magnirostris,  77. 

major,  92. 

megarhynchos,  89. 

• modestus,  102,  104. 

montana,  94. 

neglectus,  99,  100. 

occipitalis,  80. 

orieiitalis,  94. 

pinetoruru,  95. 

plumbeitarsus,  7f>. 

presbytis,  83. 

proregulus,    103, 

104. 

regaloides,    81, 

102. 

rufa,  73,  95. 

•  sibilatrix,  88. 

solitaria,  95. 

sylvestris,  95. 

sylvicola,  89. 

tristis,  97,  100. 

trochilus,  77,  90. 

umbrovirens,  86. 

viridanus,  74. 

Phyllopseustes  borealis, 

69. 

eversmanni,  69. 

middendorffi,  76. 

tristis,  97. 

Pliyllornis  cyanopogon, 

15,  305. 
icterocephala,  15, 

305. 

malabaricus,  305. 

— —  mystacalis,  305. 

sonnerati,  1.5. 

Tiridinucha,    15, 

305. 

viridis,  305. 

Phylloscopus,  55. 

abyssinicus,  96,  97, 

128. 

acredula,  90. 

affinis,  67,  100. 

boneUii,  94,  67. 

borealis,  16,  67,  69, 

72,  76,  161. 
brebmi,  96,  97,  98, 

128. 
brCTiroslris,  93,  97, 

98. 

brooksi,  84,  128. 

brunneus,  85. 

collybita,  67, 92,  93, 

95,  97,  99. 
coronatus,  67,  79, 

162. 
erochrous,  67,  106. 


Phylloscopus  «xeorona- 

tus,  76. 
fuliginiventris,  67, 

88. 
fuscatus,  67,  85,  99, 

156,  165. 

gffitkei,  67,  92,  94. 

griseolus,  87. 

habessiuicus,  96. 

— —  hylebata,  70. 

•  indicus,  67,  87. 

javanicus,  77. 

lugubris,  67,  78. 

maculipeniiis,  67, 

107. 
magnirostris,    67, 

77. 

major,  93,  94. 

middendorffii,  396. 

modestus,  102,  104. 

■ neglectus,    67,    98, 

99. 
nitidus,    67,    72, 

157. 

occipitalis,  67,  80. 

pallidipes,  75,  487. 

plumbeitarsus,  67, 

76. 

presbytis,  67,  83. 

proregulus,  67,  104, 

162. 

reguloides,  81. 

rufus,  57,  93. 

schwarzi,  67,  84. 

sibilatrix,  67, 71,  88, 

89,  94. 

subviridis,  67,  106. 

superciliosus,  67, 

102,  105,  157,  162. 

sylvicultrix,  69. 

• tenellipes,  67,  75, 

tristis.   49,   57,   59, 

65,  67,  97,  100,   165, 

394. 

trochiloides,  67,  81. 

trochilus,  57,  59, 65, 

67,    90,    92,    93,    96, 

100. 

tytleri,  67,  101. 

— —  umbrovirens,    67, 

86. 
viridanus,  67,93, 76, 

161,  396. 

viridipennis,  67,  82. 

xanthodryas,  67, 71, 

72. 
Physocorax  moneduloi- 

des,  362. 
Pica  caudata,  49,  65,  57, 

64. 
■ leucoptera,  51. 


Picumnus  abnormis,  292. 
Picus  analis,  290. 

ater,  264. 

badius,  289. 

cseruleus,  264. 

concretus,  291. 

javanensis,  288. 

lilfordi,  264,  272. 

lugubris,  264. 

martius,  64. 

medius,  264. 

mentalis,  288. 

minor,  57,  64,  264. 

moluccensis,  291. 

puniceus,  288. 

rafflesii,  288. 

sondaicus,  290. 

tiga,  288. 

tridactylus,  64. 

tristis,  290. 

tukki,  290. 

variegatus,  290. 

Pipastes  agilis,  144. 

batchianensis,  258. 

Pipra  beterocerca,  129. 
Pitangus  bellicosus,  178. 

caudifasciatus,  481. 

gabbii,  481. 

taylori,  481. 

Pitta,  260. 

assimilis,  368. 

baudii,  378. 

bengalensis,  260. 

boscbii,  309. 

cseruleitorquata, 

379. 

cseruleitorques,  249. 

cyanoptera,  10. 

cyanura,  200. 

grallaria,  442. 

granatina,  10. 

gurneyi,  378. 

kochi,  126. 

mackloti,  368. 

macidaria,  449. 

novse-guinese,  368, 

377. 

palliceps,  126. 

rosenbergi,   377, 

378. 

sanghirana,  379. 

steer ii,  378. 

tinniens,  448. 

ussheri,  378. 

Pityriasis  gymnocephala, 

20. 
Platalea  ajaja,  190. 

leucorodia,  412. 

Platycercus  caledonicus, 

362. 
mastersianus,  482. 


INDEX. 


507 


Platycercus  rowleyi,  244. 
Platyrhynchua  albicoUis, 
143. 

Platysmurus  aterrimus, 
20. 

leucopterus,  318. 

Platystira  pririt,  37fi. 

seuegulensis,  376. 

Plectrophanes  lapponica, 
69,  61. 

nivalis.  59,  61,  402, 

404.    . 

Plocevis  baya,  318. 

maculatus,  318. 

•  sakalava,  335. 

Plotus  melanogaster,  335. 

Pnoepyga,  204,  205. 

iialsueti,  118. 

Podargus  cornutus,  298, 
391. 

gouldi,  122. 

javensis,  389. 

■ parvulus,  388,  391. 

stellatus,  389. 

Podiceps  caiipareus,  45. 

cornutus,  ,54. 

cristatus,  54. 

gularis,  363. 

major,  31. 

rollandi,  45. 

Poecile  affinis,  243. 

sujjerciliosa,  243. 

Poephila  atropygialis, 
483. 

gouldse,  482. 

■ niirabilis,  482. 

Pogonorkynchus  leucoce- 
phalus,  380. 

leucogaster,  380. 

leucomelas,  342. 

Poliokierax  insignis,  454. 
Polioptila  dumicola,  167. 
Polophilus  nigricans.  248. 
Polyborus  tliarus,  188. 

vulgaris,  30,  40. 

Polychlorus  magnus,  362. 
Polyplectron  bicalcara- 
tum,  493. 

schleiermacheri, 

493. 
Polytmus  virescens,  142. 
Poaiatorhiuus  albigu- 
laris,  465. 

gravivox,  118. 

leucogaster,  465. 

marifB,  465. 

nuchalis,  465. 

ocliraceiceps,  465. 

olivaceus,  465,  466. 

schisticeps,  465. 

swinhoei,  118. 


Poospiza  nigrorufa,  171. 

Porphyrio  bellus,  363. 

melanonotus,  363. 

Porphyriops  melanops, 
195. 

Porzana  egregia,  352. 

. immaculata,  363. 

pygmaja,  24,  127, 

351. 

spilonota,  195. 

spiloptcra,  194,  195. 

Pratiucola  rubicola,  55, 
57. 

Prinia  beavani,  466. 

familiaris,  285,  311, 

312. 

flaviventris,312,466. 

gracilis,  466. 

hodgsoni,  466. 

rafflesi,  311,  487. 

superciliaris,  16. 

Prion  desolatus,  480. 

vittatus,  480. 

Prionochilus  everetti,  16. 

maculatus,  17. 

obsoletus,  16. 

percussus,  303. 

sanghirensis,  249. 

tlioracicus,  17. 

xanthopyguis,  17. 

Procellaria  glacialis,  410. 

Progne  purpurea,  32,  40, 
168. 

tapera,  168. 

Psalidoprocne  petiti,  238. 

Psaltria  sophia?,  118. 

Pseudoleistes  virescens, 

175. 
Psilorhinus  cyanogenys, 
479. 

magnirostris,  460. 

Psittacella  brehmii,  377. 
Psittacus  galgulus,  292. 

incertus,  292. 

malaccensis,  292. 

ornatus,  284. 

sumatranus,  284. 

Psitteutelesdiadema,  362. 
Pterocles  arenarius,  273. 

exustus,  53. 

Ptilinopus,  121. 

aurantiifrons,  372. 

coronulatus,  372. 

corriei,  121. 

fischeri,  126. 

greyi,  362. 

ionozonus,  372. 

jambu,  23. 

nanus,  372. 

nuchalis,  126. 

superbus,  371. 


Ptilopus  iusolitus,  379, 

481. 

jobiensis,  482. 

Ptilorhis  magnifica,  242, 

369. 

wilsonii,  242. 

Ptilotis,  121. 

albo-notata,  249. 

macleyana,  121. 

megarhynchus,  240. 

procerior,  124. 

versicolor,  121. 

xantbopbrys,  123. 

Pycnonotus  brunneus, 

307. 

sinensis,  128. 

plumosus,  306. 

pusillus,  307. 

stictocepbalus,  248. 

xantbopygius,  263. 

Pyctorbis  altirostris,  385. 
Pygmornis  pygmteus, 

141,  142. 
Pyrocepbalus  rubineus, 

178. 
Pyrrhocorax,  54. 

pyrrhocorax,  478. 

Pyrrhula  europaa,  256. 

major,  256. 

vulgaris,  49. 

Querquedula  brasiliensis, 

192. 

crecca,  147. 

■ cyanoptera,   41, 

191. 

eatoni,481. 

■ flavirostris,  41,  191. 

versicolor,  41,  191. 

Rallina  rosenbergi,  126. 
Rallus  cffirulesceiis,  351. 

nigricans,  193. 

pectoralis,  336. 

phtt'nicurus,  323. 

sumatranus,  323. 

Rectes  aruensis,  479. 

dichrous,  383. 

drnscbii,  383. 

tibialis,  479. 

Eecurvirostra  avocetta, 

50. 
Eeguloides  —  ?,   106, 

107. 

chloronotus,  105. 

erochroa,  106. 

modestus,  102,  104. 

occipitalis,  80. 

— —  proregulus,  102, 

103, 104. 
subviridis,  106. 


508 


INDEX. 


Reguloides  superciliosus, 
102. 

trocliiloicles,  82. 

viridipennis,  83. 

Regulus,  64,  66,  103. 

erochroa,  106. 

flaveolus,  78,  100. 

fuliginoveiitris,  88. 

hippolais,  95. 

inornatus,  102. 

lugubris,  78. 

modestus,  102, 104. 

nitidus,  72. 

tristis,  97. 

trochilc^ides,  82. 

trochilus,  90. 

viridanus,  74. 

Elxamphococcyx  erythro- 

gnathus,  8. 
Rhea  darwini,  46. 
Rhinochetusjubatus,  361, 

362. 
Rhinoplax  vigil,  376, 488, 

490. 
Rhinortha  chlorophjea, 

287. 
Rhipidura,  121. 

albicoUis,  142, 143. 

albigula,  143. 

albisoapa,  358,  360, 

361,  362. 

albogularis,  143. 

bulgeri,  361. 

fuscoveiitris,  143. 

fuscovirens,  240. 

kubaryi,  124. 

layardi,  143. 

. perlata,  19. 

personata,  121. 

rhombifer,  18. 

yerreauxi,  358,  361, 

362. 
Rhodopechys  sanguinea, 

378. 
Rhodopis  vesper.  137. 
Rhodostethia  rosea,  402. 
Rhopodytes  diardi,  287. 
erytbrognathus,  8, 

287. 
Rhyncha?a  bengalensis, 
146,469. 

capensis,  351. 

semicollaris,  42, 

199. 
Rhyncbops,  239. 

albicollis,  469, 472. 

Rhvncbotus  rufesceus, 

203. 
Rhyticevos  plicatns,  293. 

subruflcollis,  455. 

undulaUis,  456. 


Rbytidoceros  obscurus, 

293. 

plicatus,  490. 

undulatus,  292. 

Rissa  tridactyla,  409. 
RoUulus  roidoul,  322. 
Rostrbamus  sociabibs, 

188. 
Rubigula  dispar,  285, 

306. 

flaviventris,  467. 

Rhyncbops  nigra,  200. 
Ruticilla,  52. 

alascbannica,  243. 

aurorea  ?,  50. 

•   mesoleuca,    163, 

269. 
plicenicurus,  65. 

Salicaria  arundiuacea, 

151, 152. 
brevipennis,   152, 

153. 
capistrata,    152, 

153. 

concolor,  156. 

eurhyneha,  154. 

gmcilis,  1.54. 

macronyx,  154. 

magnirostris,  1.53. 

microptera,  152. 

modesta,  155. 

• obsoleta,  155. 

palbda,  155. 

scita,  151,1.56. 

scitopsis,  156. 

sphenura,  154. 

tamariceti,  165. 

turconiana,  153. 

turdoides,  151. 

Saraglossa  spiloptera, 

461. 
Sarcidioriiis  melanotus, 

472. 
Sarcorhamphus  gryphus, 

29,  40. 
Sasia  abuormis,  292. 
Saidoprocta  melanoleuca, 

240. 
Sauropatis  ehloris,  296. 
Saxicola,  51. 

albicollis,  162. 

anderssoui,  344, 

375. 

aurita,  162. 

deserti,  162. 

erythra^a,  269,  290. 

galtoni,  343. 

isabellina,  269. 

leucoinela,  49,  52, 

162. 


Saxicola    melanoleuca, 
269. 

moi'io,  162. 

oenanthe,  54,  69,  61, 

62,  256,  269,  403. 

rubicola,  50. 

rufescens,  1(52. 

sbelleyi,  324,  375. 

squalida,  238. 

stapazina,  162. 

tephronota,  ,343. 

Scelospizias  polyzonoides, 

340. 
Schizoptila,  126. 
Scboeniclus    australis, 

363. 
Seolopax  rusticiila,  145. 
Scops  leucotis,  341. 

menadensis,  335. 

rutiUis.  335. 

Seleucides  albus,  369. 
Sericornis   brunneopy- 

gius,  122. 
Sericulus  aureus,  369. 
Serinus  pusillus,  269. 
Serpophaga  nigricans, 
177. 

subcristata,  177. 

Serresius  galeatus,  129. 
Setaria  affinis,  12. 

albigularis,  12. 

pectoralis,  12. 

Sibia  picaioides,  464. 
Sisopvgis  icterophrysw 

176. 
Sitta  magna,  465. 

uralensis,  64. 

Somateria  labradoria, 
244. 

mollissima,  411. 

spectabilis,  412. 

Spatula  platalea,  41. 

rhynehotis,  363. 

Spermopbila    ornata, 

170. 
Sphagolobus    atratus, 

376. 
Sphecotheres  salvadorii, 

479. 
Sphenocicbla  roberti, 

386. 
Spbenceacus  macrurus, 

248. 
Spilopelia  tigrina,  322. 
Spilorais  cbeela,  432, 
454. 

elgiui,  454. 

pallidus,  3. 

Spizaetus  alboniger,  4. 

coronatus,  422, 

434. 


INDEX. 


509 


Spizaetus  devillei,  433. 

limnaetus,    425, 

431. 

ornatus,  423,  434. 

tj-rannus,  423,  434. 

Spiziastur  melauoleucus, 
422. 

Steatornis,  239. 

Steganura  melananthera, 
383. 

solstitialis,  383. 

uBclerwoodi,  383. 

Stenopsis  bifasciata,  37. 

Steuostira  longipes,  345. 

scita,  345. 

Stephanopborus  leucoce- 
phalus,  170. 

Stercorarius   longicauda- 
tus,  409. 

parasiticus,  410. 

Sterna  bergii,  323. 
cassini,  201. 

■ fissipes,  54. 

gracilis,  363. 

hirundinacea,  43. 

hirundo,  56,  59. 

javanica,  472. 

macrura,  402,  408. 

media,  323. 

melanauchen,  363. 

minuta,  201. 

nigra,  271. 

nigrifrous,  122. 

superciliaris,  201. 

trudeauii,  200. 

Sternula  inconspicua, 
122. 

javanica,  469,  470. 

minuta,  472. 

Strepera  intermedia, 

479. 
Strepsilas  interpres,  363, 

402,  405. 
Strix  castanops,  362. 

deli  cat  ula,  362. 

flammea,  187- 

■ scutulata,  287. 

Sturnella  defilippii,  175. 

ludo\iciaua,  239. 

militaris,  33. 

Sturnopastor  contra,  285, 

319. 
Sturnus  ambiguus,  378. 

contra,  319. 

humii,  378. 

unicolor,  378, 399. 

vulgaris,  49,  54, 

380. 
Surina  nisoria,  64. 
Surniculus  lugubris,  8, 
287. 


Suthora  auricularis, 

473. 

cyanophrjs,  118. 

• munipurensis,  325, 

378. 
Sycalis  luteiventris,  33. 

luteola,  172, 173. 

pelzelni,  172. 

Sjcobius,  245. 

albinucha,  245. 

nigerrimus,  245. 

Sylvia  abietina,  95. 

albicans,  94. 

bifasciata,  103. 

bonellii,  94. 

brevirostris,  96. 

■ coUybita,  95. 

cyanura,  65. 

fitis,  90. 

■ fiavescens,  70. 

■ garrula,  55,  57, 

269. 

hippolais,  72,  95. 

indica,  87. 

javanica,  77. 

loquax,  96. 

melodia,  90. 

nattereri,  94. 

orphea,  272. 

prasinopyga,  94. 

presbytis,  83. 

rueppelli,  269. 

rufa,  95. 

• sibilans,  89. 

sibilatrix,  88. 

. superciliosa,  102. 

sylvicola,  89. 

trochilus,  90, 97. 

(Phyllopneuste)  co- 

ronata,  76. 

)  eversmannii, 

)  presbytis, 

84. 
• ( )  proregulus, 

102. 
( )   schwarzi, 

84. 

( )  siberica,  85. 

Sylvicola  rufa,  95. 

sibilatrix,  89. 

trochilus,  90. 

Synallaxis,  173, 183. 

albescens,  180. , 

hudsoni,  36. 

major,  181. 

maluroides,  168, 

180. 

melanops,  179. 

patagonica,  35,  36. 

aordida,  35,  36. 


Synallaxis  sulphurifera, 

168, 180, 193. 
Synoecus  lodoisife,  129. 
Syrnium  indranee,  150. 

leptogrammicum,  4. 

rufescens,  144. 

Syrrhaptes  paradoxus, 

53. 

Tacliybaptes  dominicus, 

203. 
Tachypetes  aquilus,  363. 
— ^ —  minor,  363. 

prion,  372. 

Tsenioptera,  175, 176. 

■ coronata,  176. 

dominicana,  176. 

rubetra,  34. 

Talegallus  arfakianus, 

380. 

fuseirostris,  .380. 

Tauagra  gyrola,  337. 
— • — ■  striata,  170. 
Tanysiptera  Carolina', 

325. 
Tchitrea  affinis,  316,  406. 
Terekia  cinerea,  59,  62. 
Terpsipkone  affinis,  19. 
Tetrao  bonasia,  64,  255. 

caspius,  253,  254. 

caucasicus,  253,  254. 

tetrix,  49,  65,  255. 

urogallus,  65. 

viridis,  322. 

Tetraogallus,  253. 

altaicus,  254. 

caspius,  267,  269. 

cballayei,  254. 

himalayensis,  254. 

nigelli,  52. 

— tauricus,  254. 

tibetanus,  254. 

Thalasseus  pelecanoides, 

363. 

poliocercus,  363. 

Tbalassidroma   melano- 

gaster,  480. 

tropica,  480. 

Tbalurania  uigrofasciata, 

135. 
Tbamnopbilus  argen- 

tinus,  183. 
Tbaumastura  cora3,  141. 
Tbaumatias,  139,  140. 

albiventris,  138. 

neglectus,  140. 

Tberisticus  nielanopis, 

190. 
Tbinocorus  rumicivorus, 

38,  42,  197. 
Thrasaetus  barpyia,  434. 


510 


INDEX, 


Threnetes  leuourus,  142. 
Thriponax  crawfurdi, 
457. 

javensis,  288. 

Tiga  javanensis,  9, 288. 

rafflesi,  288. 

rufa,  288. 

Timalia  erythroptera, 
308. 

pyrrhoph£ea,  308. 

trichorros,  308. 

Timelia  maculata,  10. 

nigricollis,  10. 

Tinnunculus  alauclarius, 
255,  453. 

rupicola,  341. 

sparverius,  39,  188. 

Tockus  uionteiri,  376. 
Todirhamphus  sanctus, 

362. 
Todua  macrorhyncbus, 

317. 
Toria  nipalensis,  321. 
Totanus  fuscus,  62. 

glareola,  58,  322, 

351. 

incanus,  240,  363. 

ochropus,  266. 

Trerou  capellii,  23. 

griseicapilla,  321. 

nasica,  321. 

nipalensis,  321. 

Tribura,  204,  205. 

• IiiteiTCntris,  204. 

squamiceps,  204, 

205. 

Tricbixos  pyrrbopygus, 
12, 

Tricboglossus,  121. 

amabilis,  121. 

arfaki,  476. 

aureocinctus,  121, 

122, 124. 

deplancbei,  362. 

flavicans,  240. 

josepbinai,  J  29. 

mitcbelli,  278. 

siibplacens,  248. 

willieUuinoe,  129. 

(Chalcopsitta)  rubi- 

ginosus,  124. 

Tricbolestes  criniger, 
306. 

rainutus,  14,  306. 

Tricbopbaropsis  typus, 
13, 14. 

Tricbostoma  abbotti,  452. 

minor,  452. 

■  ininutus,  306. 

Tringa  alpiua,  43. 

canutus,  402,  407. 


Tringa  glareola,  322. 

bypoleucos,  322. 

maculata,  43. 

minuta,  59. 

subai-qiiata,  61, 

teiumiucki,  61,  62. 

Tringoides  bypoleucus, 

322. 
Trocbalopteron  melano- 
stigma,  464. 

milni,  118. 

Trocliilus  adcla,  142. 

albicollis,  138. 

brasiliensis,  142. 

■  cyanus,  138. 

estella,  142. 

fernandensis,  137, 

d'orbignyi,  136. 

galeritus,  138. 

gigas,  134. 

longirostris,  138. 

macrouriis,  134. 

—  major,  89. 

mango,  141. 

medius,  90. 

. minor,  95. 

nigrofasciata,  1>35. 

pygma^us,  141. 

rufa,  95. 

serrirostris,  137. 

spivrganurus,  134, 

splendidus,  136. 

superciliosus,  141. 

tbaumantias,  142. 

violicauda,  141. 

viridis,  142. 

Troglodytes,  205. 

furvus,  32, 167, 168, 

183. 

Trogon  duvauceli.  298, 

kasumba,  298. 

Tropidorbynchus  lessoni, 
362. 

Tryngites    rufescens, 
200. 

Turdinus  leucogrammi- 
cus,  11. 

Turdulus  davisoni,  488. 

Turdus  analis,  306. 

atrogularis,  50,  54, 

62,  65. 

cbalyba^us,  318, 

cocbincbinensis, 

305. 

dispar,  306. 

dominicus,  313. 

flammeus,  315. 

. grallarius,  442. 

gurneyi,  324. 

ibacus,  65. 

letsitsirupa,  343, 


Turdus  leucomelas,  166, 

167. 

macrourus,  309. 

melanocepbalus, 

307. 

musicus,  55,  65. 

ocbrocepbalus, 

306. 

pallidus,  464, 

pilaris,  65,  57,  62. 

rex,  442. 

ruficollis,  65,  164. 

rufixentris,  167. 

scapularis,  304. 

sibiricus,   464, 

488. 

swainsoni,  164. 

terat,3]3. 

tinniens,  447. 

triostegus,  260. 

varius,  164,  238. 

viriflis,  305. 

-viscivorus,  55. 

xautbopus,    358, 

362. 
Turnix  varius,  362. 
Turtur  gelastes.  50. 

risorius,  146. 

senegalensis,  346. 

T3rannus  melancholicus, 
178. 

Ulula  lapponica,  57, 
Upucertbia  dumetoria, 

35. 
Upupa  epops,  253, 
Uragus  sibiricus,    144, 

145. 
TJria  grylle,  40. 
Uroaetus,  210. 
Urocissa  magnirostris, 

460. 

occipitalis,  460. 

Ui'odrepanis,  125. 
Urospbena,  204, 

squamiceps,  205, 

Urospizias  approximans, 

361. 

baplocbroa,  301. 

torquata,  361. 

Vanellus  cayennensis,  42, 

196,  200. 
Vinago  gigantea,  321. 
Vitia  ruficapilla,  121. 
Volvocivora  borueoensis, 

313. 

culminata,  312. 

iusperata,  123. 

scbierbrandi,  312. 

Vultur  auricularis,  258. 


INDEX. 


511 


Xanl-holfema  duvauceli, 

9,  299. 
haMnacepbala,  299, 

454. 

rosea,  285,  299. 

Xema  brunneicephala, 

472. 
Xylolepes  validus,  9. 

Yungipicus  fusco-albidus, 
290,  291. 


Yunx  torquilla,  458. 

Zanclostomus  javanicus, 

287. 
Zapornia   leucophrys, 

363. 

spiloptera,  194. 

Zenaida  maculala,  193. 
ZoDotricliia  canicapilla, 

33,  47. 
pileata,  33,  46,  47, 

172. 


Zonotrichia  strigiceps,  47. 
Zosterops,  70. 

flaTOgularis,  122. 

griseonota,  362. 

lateralis,  303. 

palpebrosus,  303. 

ponapensis,    123. 

124. 

■ ramsayi,  122. 

xanthochroa,  362. 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


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List  of  Publications  received. 


1.  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper.  New  Facts  relating  to  CalifornianOrnitliology.  (Proc. 
Cal.  Ac.  Sc.  1875.) 

2.  .     Californian  Garden-birds.     (Ibid.  ?  1876  ?) 

3.  .     Nesting  Habits  of  the  Californian  House-Wren  {Troglodytes  aedon, 

var.  parkmanni).     (BuU.  Nuttall  Orn.  Club.) 

4.  Dr.  O.  FiNSCH.  Ueber  neue  und  weniger  gekannte  Vogel  von  den  Viti-, 
Samoa-  und  Carolina-Inseln.     (Journ.  d.  Mus.  Godefiroy,  Heft  xii.) 

5.  J.  A.  Palmen.     Ueber  die  Zugstrassen  der  Vogel.     Leipzig :  1876. 

6.  E.  MuLSANT.  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Oiseaux-Moucbes.  Tom.  iii.  Livr.  2. 
Lyon:  1876. 

7.  BoGDANOFP.  Uebersicbt  der  Reisen  und  naturbistoriscben  Untersucbun- 
gen  im  Aralo-Kaspi-Gebiet  seit  dem  Jabre  1720  bis  zum  Jabre  1874.  St. 
Petersburg:  1876. 

8.  T.  Salvadori.  Catalogo  di  una  collezione  di  Uccelli  dell'  Isola  di  Buru, 
inviata  al  Museo  Civico  di  Genova  dal  Signor  A.  A.  Bruijn.  (Ann.  Mus.  Genov. 
viii.  p.  367.) 

9.  .     Catalogo  degli  Uccelli  raccolti  dai  Sigg.  A.  A.  Bruijn  ed  0.  Beccari 

durante  il  Viaggio  del  trasporto  da  guerra  olandese  '  Surahaia '  dal  Novembre 
1875  al  Gennaio  1876.    (Ann.  Mus.  Genov.  viii.  p.  395.) 

10.  .     Intorno  alia  supposta  femmina  del  Diecsum  retrocinctum,  Gould. 

(Ann.  Mus,  Genov.  viii.  p.  609.) 

11.  .     Catalogo  di  una  seconda  collezione  di  Uccelli  raccolti  dal  Sig.  L. 

M.  D'Albertis  nell'  Isola  Yule  e  sulla  vicina  costa  della  Nuova  Guinea  e  di  una 
piccola  collezione  deUa  regione  bagnata  dal  Fiume  Fly.  (Ann.  Mus.  Genov. 
ix.  p.  7.) 

12.  .     Intorno  a  due  piccolo  collezioni  di  Uccelli  I'una  di  Petta  (Isole 

SangbirJ  e  I'altra  di  Tifore  e  di  Batang  Ketcil,  inviate  dal  Signor  A.  A.  Bruijn 
al  Museo  Civico  di  Genova.     (Ann.  Mus.  Genov.  ix.  p.  50.) 

13.  Bulletin  of  tbe  Nuttall  Ornitbological  Club.    Vol.  i.  no.  4.    Nov.  1876. 

14.  L.  Bureau.  L'aigle  botte,  Aquilapennata  (Cuvier),  d'apres  des  observa- 
tions recueillies  dans  I'ouest  de  la  France.  (Ass.  Frangaise  pour  I'Adv.  des  Sc. 
Cougres  de  Nantes  :  1875.) 

15.  H.  G.  Vennob.  Our  Birds  of  Prey,  or  tbe  Eagles,  Hawks,  and  Owls  of 
Canada.     Montreal :  1876. 


CONTENTS  OP  NUMBEE  I.— EOUETH  SEEIES. 

Page 
I.  Contributions  to  the  Ornithology  of  Borneo.     By  R.  Bowdlee 

Shaepe 1 

If.  Description  of  a  new  Moorhen  from  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 

By  T.  H.  SxEEETS,  M.D.,  U.S.  Navy 25 

III.  Notes  on  some  Birds  observed  in  the  Chupiit  Valley,  Patagonia, 

and  in  the  neighbouring  District.     By  H.  Duenfoed      .     .     27 

IV.  Note   on   the   South-American   Song-Sparrows.       By   P.   L. 

ScLATEE.     (Plate  I.) 46 

V.  Ornithological  Letters  from  the  Bremen  Expedition  to  Western 
Siberia.  By  Dr.  Otto  Finsch,  Ph.D.,  Hon.  Memb.  B.O.U., 
Chief  of  the  Expedition 48 

VI.  On  the  Phylloscojpi  or  Willow-Warblers.     By  Heney  Seebohm, 

F.Z.S. 06 

VII.  A  Note  on  the  Genus  Orihotomus.     By  R.  Bowdlee  Shaepe. 

(Plate  II.) 108 

VIII.  Notices  of  recent  Publications : — 

1.  Pere  David's  '  Third  Journey  in  China ' 117 

2.  The  Marquis  de  Compiegne's  'Equatorial  Africa ' 118 

3.  Riesenthal's 'German  Birds  of  Prey  ' 119 

4.  Allen's 'Birds  of  Lake  Titicaca' 119 

5.  '  Proceedings  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales '      .  120 

6.  Rowley's 'Ornithological  Miscellany' 121 

7.  Blanford's  '  Zoology  of  Eastern  Persia " 121 

8.  Finsch 's  '  Ornithology  of  the  Pacific  Islands ' 123 

9.  Shelley's  '  Monograph  of  the  Sun-birds ' 124 

10.  Boucard's  '  Catalogus  Avium' 125 

11.  Brijggemann's  '  Birds  of  Celebes ' , 126 

12.  Gurney's  '  Rambles  of  a  Natm-alist ' 127 

IX,  Letters,  Announcements,  «fec. : — 

Letters  from  Mr.  R.  Swinhoe  and  Mr.  Seebohm ;  Count  E.  Turati's 
Collection ;  new  series  of  the  *  Zoologist ;'  new  work  on  the 
fauna  of  Belgium  ;  Touquin  and  the  way  to  get  there  ;  Death  of 
Von  Heuglui ;  irruption  of  Snowy  Owls  from  the  north      .     .     .    128 


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The  British  Ornithologists'  Union  was  instituted  in  1858  for 
the  advancement  of  the  science  of  Ornithology.  Its  funds  are 
devoted  primarily  to  the  pubHcation  of  'The  Ibis/  a  Quarterly 
Journal  of  Ornithology,  of  which  eighteen  volumes  have  now  been 
completed. 

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Secretary. 

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THE  OENITHOLOGICAL  ABYEETISER. 

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OP 

THE    CIKIfYEID-ai, 

OR 

FAMILY    OF    SU^-EIRDS. 

BY 
Captain  G.  E.  SHELLEY,  F.Z.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  &c., 

Author  of  '  A  Handbook  to  the  Birds  of  Egypt,'  &c. 

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BULLETIN 
or 

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EDITED  BY 
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Parts  I.-VIL,  Royal  4to,  Price  £6  0*.  Qd. 
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LONDON : 
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A  HISTOEY 


OF 


THE    BIRDS    OF   EUROPE 

(INCLUDING  ALL  THE  SPECIES  INHABITINQ  THE  WESTEEN  PAL^:- 
ARCTIC  EEGION). 


BY 
H.  E.  DEESSER,   F.Z.S.   &c., 

MEMBER  OF  THE  BRITISH  ORNITHOLOGISTS'  UNION,  OF  THE  IMPERIAL   SOGtETY 

OF  NATURALISTS  OF  MOSCOW,  OF  THE  GERMAN  ORNITHOLOGICAL 

SOCIETY,  CORR.  MEMB.  OF  THE  BOSTON  SOCIETY  OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY,  &C.,  &C. 

A  LARGE  PORTION  OF  THE  SYNONYMY  BY 
THE  MARQUIS  OF  TWEEDDALE,  F.R.S.,  Pies.  Z.S.,  &c. 


Publislied  by  the  Author  (by  special  permission)  at  the  Office  of 
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The  Author  has  so  far  collected  and  arranged  his  material  that 
he  is  enabled  to  estimate  that  the  work  will  be  completed  early  iu 
1878  Previous  to  this  the  subscription  list  will  be  closed,  after 
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OF  THE 

B  U  C  E  R  O  T  I  D  ^, 

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Pheasants,  Jungle  Fowl,  and  Spur  Fowl. 

The  second  the  Partridges,  Quails,  and  Rails. 

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The  Editors  of  '  The  Ibis  '  are  glad  to  receive  copies  of  Books 
and  Papers  relating  to  Ornithology — which  will  be  duly  noticed  in 
this  Journal. 


List  op  Publications  received. 


1.  AiTGtrsT  VON  Pelzeln.      Ueber  eine  weitere  Sendung  von  Vogeln  aus 
Ecuador  (Verb,  der  k.  k.  zool.-'bot.  Gesell.  Wien,  1876). 

2.  .     Ueber  eine  von  Herrn  Dr.  Ricbard  Ritter  von  Drascbe  dem  k.-k. 

zoologiscben  Hofcabinete  zum  Gescbenk  gemacbte  Sendung  von  Vogelbalgen 
(Verb,  der  k.-k.  zool.-bot.  Gesell.  Wien,  1876). 

3.  Omitbologiscbes  Oentralblatt,  1877,  No.  1. 

4.  0.  V.  EiESKNTHAii.    Die  Raubvogel  Deutscblands.     Lief.  1-5, 

6.  Explorations  Across  tbe  Great  Basin  of  Utab.     Appendix  K. — Ornithology. 
A  List  of  Birds  by  Prof.  Spencer  F.  Baird.     Washington  :  1876. 

6.  Omitbologiscber  Verein  in  Wien.    Mittbeilungen  des  Ausscbusses  an  die 
Mitglieder,  1876,  Nos.  1-4. 

7.  Major  H.  H.  Godwin- Austen.    Fiftb  List  of  Birds  from  the  Hill-ranges 
of  tbe  North-east  Frontier  of  India  (Journ.  Asiatic  Soc.  Beng.  vol.  xlv.  1876). 

8.  August  von  Pelzeln.     Bericht  iiber  die  Leistungen  in  der  Naturge- 
schicbte  der  Vogel  wabrend  des  Jabres  1875. 

9.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany,'  Part  vii.  March  1877. 


CONTENTS  OP  NUMBER  II.— EOURTH  SERIES. 


X.  Review  of  the  Specimens  of  TrochiUclce  in  the  Paris  Museum, 
brought  by  D'Orbigny  from  South  America.  By  D.  G. 
Elliot,  F.R.S.E.  &c 133 

XI.  Notes  on  two  Bii-ds  from  the  Fiji  Islands.     By  T.  Saivadobi, 

C.M.Z.S 142 

XII.  On  the  Contents  of  a  fourth  Box  of  Birds  from  Hakodadi, 

in  Northern  Japan.     By  R,  Swinhoe,  P.R.S 144 

XIII.  Ornithological  Notes  taken  during  a  Yoyage  from  Ceylon  to 

England,     By  A.  Whtte 148 

XIV.  On  the  Salicarice  of  Dr.  Severtzoff.     By  Henry  Seebohm      .  151 
XV.  Supplementary  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  Heligoland.     By 

Henky  Seebohm 156 

XVI.  Notes  on  the  Birds  of  the  Province  of  Buenos  Ayres.     By 

Henry  Durnford.     (Plate  III.) 166 

XVII.  On  a  new  Form  of  Reed-bird  from  Eastern  Asia.     By  R. 

Swinhoe,  F.R.S.     (Plate  IV.) 203 

XVIII,  A  few  Observations  on  some  Species  of  Anihus  and  Budytes. 

By  W.  Edwin  Brooks 206 

XIX.  Notes  on  a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum,' by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpc  (1874).     By  J.  H.  Ourney  .  209 

XX.  Notices  of  recent  Publications : — 

13.  Mosenthal's  and  Hartiug's  '  Ostrich-farming ' 236 

14,  'Bulletin' of  the  Zoological  Society  of  France 237 

16.  D'Hamonville's  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Eui-ope 238 

16.  Brown's  Travels  in  British  Guiana 239 

17.  Ornithological  Results  of  the 'Gazelle' Expedition 239 

18.  'BuUetin' of  the  Nuttall  Ornithological  Club 240 

19.  Palmen's  Migration-routes  of  Birds 241 

20.  Dr.  Street's  Accoimt  of  the  Fanning  Islands 241 

21.  Dr.  Ogden  on  a  supposed  new  Paradise-bird 242 

22.  Prjevalsky's  '  Mongolia  and  Northern  Thibet ' 242 

23.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany ' 243 

24.  Mulsant's  '  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Oiseaux-Mouches '    .     .     .     .  244 

25.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Papers  on  African  Ornithology      ....  245 

26.  Bureau  on  the  Booted  Eagle 245 

27.  Vennor's  '  Canadian  Birds  of  Prey ' 246 

28.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers 247 

29.  Salvadori's  Prodromus  of  Papuan  Ornithology 249 

XXI,  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : — 

Letters  from  Mr.  Blanford,  Mr.  Dauford,  Mr.  Harvie  Brown,  Lord  Clif- 
ton, Mr,  J,  H.  Gurney,  and  The  Marquis  of  Tweeddale  ;  announce- 
ments of  new  works  on  Madagascar  Birds  and  on  Indian  Game 
Birds,  and  of  Explorations  in  Tenassei-im ;  note  on  the  con-ect 
name  of  the  genus  Pitta ;  note  on  the  name  of  Falco  dickinsoiii     .  249 


Covers  for  binding  last  year's  Volume  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 

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without  delay. 


FOURTH  SERIES. 
Vol.  I.    No.  3. 


JULY  1877. 


Frice  Qs.  W^.. 


THE    IBIS, 


A 


QUARTERLY  JOURNAL  OF  ORNITHOLOGY. 


EDITED  BY 

OSBERT  SALVIN,  M.A.,  F.R.S., 

STRICKLAND  CURATOR  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CAMBRIDGE,  &c. 

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The  British  Ornithologists^  Union  was  instituted  in  1858  for 
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6  Tenterden  Street,  Hanover  Square,  W, 


THE  ORNITHOLOGICAL  ADVERTISER. 

(No.  III.     July  1877.) 
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ZOOLOGICAL  SOCIETY'S  LATEST  PUBLICATIONS, 

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BULLETIN 

OP 

THE  NTJTTALL  ORNITHOLOGICAL  CLUB: 

A  Quarterly  Journal  of  American  Ornithology,  under  the  Editor- 
ship of  J.  A.  Allen,  S.  F.  Baird,  and  Elliott  Coues.  Vol.  I.,  in 
4  Parts,  Qs.     Prepaid  Subscription  for  1877,  Gs. 

JOHN  VAN  VOORST,  1  PATERNOSTER  ROW. 

ORNITHOLOGICAL   MISCELLANY. 

EDITED  BY 
GEORGE  DAWSON  ROWLEY,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S. 

Parts  I.-VIL,  Royal  4to,  Price  J6  0*.  6d. 

ILLUSTEATED  WITH  NUMEROUS  COLOURED  PLATES  BY  KEULEMANS. 

LONDON : 
R.  H.  PORTER,  6  TENTERDEN  STREET,  HANOVER  SQUARE,  W. 


A  HISTOEY 


OF 


THE    BIRDS    OF   EUROPE 

(INCLUDING  ALL  THE  SPECIES  INHABITINC  THE  WESTERN  PAL.E- 
AECTIC  REGION). 


BY 

II.   E.  DUESSER,   E.Z.S.   &c., 

MEMBER  OF  THE  BRITISH  ORXITIIOLOGISTs'  UNION,  OP  THE  IMPERIAL  SOCIETY 

OF  NATURALISTS  OF  MOSCOW,  OF  THE  GERMAN  ORNITHOLOGICAL 

SOCIETY,  CORR.  MEMB.  OF  THE  BOSTON  SOCIETY  OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY,  &C.  &C. 

A  LARGE  PORTION  OF  THE  SYNONYMY  BY 
THE  MARQUIS  OF  TWEEDDALE,  F.R.S.,  Pres.  Z.S.,  &c. 


Published  by  the  Author  (by  special  permission)  at  the  Office  of 
the  Zoological  Society  of  London^  11  Hanover  Square^  W.,  in 
Monthly  Parts,  price  12^.  6d.  (to  subscribers  10*.  6c?.),  each  Part 
containing  eight  hand-coloured  Plates  and  about  fifty  pages  of 
letterpress.  The  complete  work  will  contain  illustrations  of  about 
600  Species,  and  will  consist  of  about  seventy  Parts,  exclusive  of 
the  General  Index,  Introduction,  Key  to  Genera  and  Species,  and 
General  Review  of  the  subject,  which  will  be  issued  separately 
when  the  mam  portion  of  the  work  is  completed. 

The  Author  has  so  far  collected  and  arranged  his  material  that 
he  is  enabled  to  estimate  that  the  work  will  be  completed  early  in 
1878=  Previous  to  this  the  subscription  list  Avill  be  closed,  after 
which  the  price  of  the  work  will  be  12*.  6d.  per  Part. 

The  Author  undertakes  to  bind  provisionally,  in  cloth,  in 
Volumes  of  twelve  Parts  each,  at  5^.  per  volume,  or  to  supply 
provisional  cloth  cases  at  2s.  6d.  each. 

When  the  work  is  completed  the  Author  will  undertake  to 
have  it  bound,  properly  arranged  and  paged;  and  a  Price-list, 
showing  the  cost  of  the  various  descriptions  of  binding,  will  in  due 
time  be  issued  to  Subscribers.  All  communications  to  be  addressed 
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A  HISTORY  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS. 

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THE    CINNYRID-aS, 

OR 

FAMILY    OF    SUN-BIRDS. 

BY 
Captain  G.  E.  SHELLEY,  F.Z.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  &c., 

Author  of  '  A  Handbook  to  the  Birds  of  Egypt,'  &c. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR  AT  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  BRITISH 
ORNITHOLOGISTS'  UNION,  6  TENTERDEN  STREET,  HANOVER  SQUARE, 

LONDON,  W. 


The  Editors  of  *^The  Ibis^  are  glad  to  receive  copies  of  Books 
and  Papers  relating  to  Ornithology — which  will  be  duly  noticed  in 
this  Journal. 


List  of  Publications  received  since  the  issue  of  No.  2. 

1.  E.  r.  V.  HoMEYEB.     Deutschlands  Saugethiere  und  Vogel,  ihr  Nutzenund 
Schaden. 

2.  ToMMASO  Salvadori.     OsserTazioni  intomo  alle  specie  del  genere  Myris- 
ticivora,  Echb.  (Annali  del  Mus.  Civ.  di  St.  Nat,  di  Genova,  vol.  ix.  1876-77). 

3.  .     Intorno  alle  specie  del  genere  Talegallus,  Less.  (Annali  del  Mus. 

Civ.  di  St.  Nat.  di  GenoYa,  vol.  ix.  1876-77). 

4.  .     Note  intomo  ad  alcuni  uccelli  raccoiti  durante  1'  esplorazione  del 

Fiume  Fly,  per  L.  M.  D'Albertis  (Annali  del  Mus.  Civ.  di  St.  Nat.  di  Geneva, 
vol.  X.  1877). 

6.  .      Prodromus  Omitliologiae   Papuasiae  et  Moluccarum    (Annali  del 

Mus.  Civ.  di  St,  Nat.  di  Genova,  vol.  x,  1877). 

6.  .     Intorno  alle  specie  di  Nettariuie  della  Papuasia,  delle  Molucche  e 

del  Gruppo  di  Celebes  (Atti  della  Eeale  Accademia  delle  Sci,  di  Torino,  vol. 
vii,  p.  299), 

7.  O.  Beccaei.     Le  Capanne  ed  i  Giardini  dell'  Amlhjornis  inornata  (An- 
nali del  Mus.  Civ.  di  St.  Nat.  di  Genova,  vol.  ix.  1876-77). 

8.  J.  V.  Eabeoza  eu  Bocage.  Aves  das  possessoes  Portuguezas  de  Africa 
occidental.     Lista  13.     (Jorn.  de  Sci,  Matbem,  Pbys.  e  Nat.  no.  xxi.  1877). 

9.  J.A.Allen.  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  the  United  States  during  the 
Last  Century  (Amer.  Nat.  vol.  x.  pp.  636-550,  1876). 

10.  Eowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany/  Part  viii.  May  1877. 

11.  Eeport  upon  Geographical  and  Geological  Surveys  West  of  the  100th 
Meridian  in  charge  of  First-Lieut,  Geo.  M,  Wheeler, — Vol,  v.  Zoology.  4to. 
Washington,  1875, 

12.  G.  N,  La  WHENCE.  Description  of  a  New  Species  of  Bird  of  the  Genus 
Fitanxjus  (Ann,  Lye,  N,  Y.  xi.), 

13.  J.  A.  Harvie  Beown.  On  the  Distribution  of  Birds  in  North  Eufsia 
(Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xix.  pp.  277-290). 

14.  Blanfoed,  W.  T.  The  African  Element  in  the  Fauna  of  India  (Ann.  & 
Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  xviii.  pp.  277-294), 

15.  M,  E,  Oustalet,  Sur  une  nouvelle  espece  d'lbis  {Ibis  giganted)  (Bull. 
Soc,  Philomathique  de  Paris,  7®  ser.  t.  i.  p.  25). 

16.  Geographische  Gesellschaft  in  Bremen.  Westsibirische  Forschungsreise 
1876  imter  Fiihrung  von  Dr.  O,  Finsch,  Catalog  der  Ausstellung  ethnogra- 
phischer  und  naturwissenschaftlicher  Sammlungen,  Mit  erlauteniden  Bemer- 
kungen  von  Dr,  O,  Finsch,    8vo,  Bremen,  1877, 

17.  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  the  Eegion  about  the  Source  of  the  Eed  Eiver 
of  Texas,  from  observaticns  made  during  the  Exploration  conducted  by  Lieut. 
E,  H.  Euf&er,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U,S.A,  By  C.  A,  H.  M'Caulev,  and  anno- 
tated by  Dr.  Elliott  Coues.  (BuU.  U.S.  Geol.  and  Geogr.  Survey  of  the  Terri- 
tories, vol.  iii.  no.  3,  1877.) 


CONTENTS  OE  NUMBER  III.— EOURTH  SERIES. 

Page 
XXII.  A  Contributioa  to  the  Ornithology  of  Asia  Minor.     By  C. 

G.  Danford 261 

XXIII.  Recent  Observations  on  the  Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus. 

By  W.  A.  Forbes,  F.Z.S. 274 

XXIV.  Notes  on  a  Collection  of  Birds  made  by  Mr.  E.  C.  Buxton  in 

the  district  of  Lampong,  S.E.  Sumatra.     By  Arthur, 
Marquess  of  Tweeddale,  M.B.O.U.     (Plates  V.  &  VI.) .  283 
XXV.  Report  on  the  Additions  to  the  Collection  of  Birds  in  the 

British  Museum  in  1875 323 

XXVI.  Notes  on  a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum,' by  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H.  Gurney  325 
XXVII.  General  Remarks  on  the  Avifauna  of  Madagascar  and  the 

Mascarene  Islands.     By  Dr.  G.  Hartlatjb 334 

XXVIII.  Description   of  a  new  Species   of   OalUste  and  of   a   new 
Humming-bird  of  the  Genus  Heliangclus.     By  A.  von 

Pelzelit,  Hon.  Memb.  B.O.U 337 

XXIX.  Additional  Notes  on  the  Ornithology  of  the  Republic  of 
Transvaal.       By  Thomas   Atres.      Communicated    by 

John  Henry  Gurney.     (Plate  VII.) 339 

XXX.  Notes  on  the  Avifauna  of  New  Caledonia.     By  Edgar  L. 
Layard,  C.M.G.,  F.Z.S.,  &c.,  H.B.M.  Consul,  and  E. 
Leopold  C.  Layard,  Vice-Consul  at  Noumea  ....  355 
XXXI.  Notes  on  some  Birds  collected  during  the  Exploration  of 

the  Fly  River.     By  M.  L.  D'Albertis,  C.M.Z.S.  .     .     .363 
XXXII.  Notices  of  recent  Publications : — 

30.  Baldwin's  '  Large  and  Small  Game  of  Bengal ' S7'2 

31.  '  Vagrancy  Acts ' 373 

32.  Orton's  '  Andes  and  the  Amazon ' 373 

33.  *  Log-letters  from  the  Challenger ' 374 

34.  'The  Cruise  of  the  ChaUenger' 374 

35.  '  Stray  Feathers ' 374 

36.  Sharpe's  edition  of  Layard's  '  Birds  of  South  Africa  '     .     .     .     .  375 

37.  Heuglin's  '  Journey  in  North-eastern  Africa  ' 375 

38.  Elliot's  Monogriiph  of  the  Hornbills 376 

39.  Gould's  '  Bhds  of  New  Guinea ' 377 

40.  Gould's 'Birds  of  Asia' 377 

41.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany ' 378 

42.  Beccari's  Account  of  the  Playing-places  oi  Arnhhjornis  inoniata.  379 

43.  Salvadori's  Recent  Ornithological  Papers 379 

44.  Barboza  du  Bocage's  Thirteenth  List  of  African  Birds  ....  380 

45.  Homeyer  upon  German  Mammals  and  Birds 380 

46.  Allen's  '  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  the  United  States  '     .     .     .381 

47.  Pelzeln  on  Birds  from  Ecuador 383 

48.  Pelzeln  on  Additions  to  the  Imperial  Museum  at  Vienna  .     .     .  383 

49.  Pelzeln's  Report  on  the  Progress  of  Ornithology  in  1875    .     .     .  384 

50.  Baird's  '  Ornithology  of  Utah  ' 384 

51.  Major  God  win- Austen's  List  of  Birds  from  the  Hills  of  the  N.E. 

Frontier  of  India 385 

XXXIII.  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : — 

Letters  from  the  Marquess  of  Tweeddale  (two),  Edward  R.  Alston, 
T.  M.  Brewer,  J.  H.  Gurney,  jun.,  W.  Edwin  Brooks,  J.  H.  Gurney, 
H.  Schalow,  and  T.  Salvador! ;  Roraima  and  its  Mysteries  ;  Trans- 
lation of  Miiller's  memoir  on  the  Voice-organs  of  the  Passeres  .     .  38") 

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over Square,  W.     Advertisements  &c.  to  the  Publisher,  John  Van  Voorst, 
1  Paternoster  Row,  London,  E.C. 

Members  of  the  B.  0.  U.  are  requested  to  keep  the  Secretary,  F.  Du  Cank 
Godman,  Esq.,  6  Tenterden  Street,  Hanover  Square,  W.,  informed  of  any 
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^S9  FOURTH  SERIES. 
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THE    IBIS, 


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EDITED  BY 

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STBICKLANl*  CUEATOR  IN  THE  UNIVEKSITT  OF  CAMBRIDGE,  &c. 

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BEITISH  ORNITHOLOGISTS'  UNION. 


PRESIDENT. 
The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Lilford. 

SECRETARY. 
F.  DuCane  GodmaNj  Esq. 

COMMITTEE. 
H.  E.  Dresser,  Esq. 
J.  Edmund  Harting,  Esq. 
Edward  R.  Alston,  Esq. 
The  President.  ^ 

The  Editors  op  'The  Ibis.'  >Ex  officio. 
The  Secretary.  ) 

The  British  Ornithologists'  Union  was  instituted  in  1858  for 
the  advancement  of  the  science  of  Ornithology.  Its  funds  are 
devoted  primarily  to  the  publication  of  'The  Ibis/  a  Quarterly 
Journal  of  Ornithology,  of  which  eighteen  volumes  have  now  been 
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(limited  to  ten),  and  Foreign  Members  (limited  to  twenty). 

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The  Editors  of  '  The  Ibis  *  are  glad  to  receive  copies  of  Books 
and  Papers  relating  to  Ornithology — which  will  be  duly  noticed  in 
this  Journal. 


List  of  Publications  received  since  the  issue  of  No.  3. 

1.  Eowley's  *  Omitliological  Miscellany,'  Part  ix.  July  1877. 

2.  Annual  Report  upon  the  Geographical  Surreys  West  of  the  One  Hundredth 
Meridian,  in  California,  Nevada,  Utah,  Colorado,  Wyoming,  New  Mexico,  Ari- 
zona, and  Montana.  By  Geo.  M.  Wheeleb,  First  Lieutenant  of  Engineers, 
U.S.A. ;  being  Appendix  JJ  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  Engineers  for 
1876.     8yo.    Washington :  1876. 

3.  H.  T.  Whabton.  a  List  of  British  Birds,  arranged  according  to  Sunde- 
vaU's  Method.     London  :  1877. 

4.  E.  P.  Ramsay.  Papers  read  before  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South 
Wales.    1877. 

5.  G.  F.  L.  Mabshall.    Bird's-nesting  in  India.     Calcutta :  1877. 

6.  R.  B.  Shaepe.     Transit-of-Venus  Expedition.     Birds  of  Kerguelen  Island. 

7.  J.  A.  Habvie  Bbown.  On  the  Distribution  of  Birds  in  North  Russia. 
Pai't  iii.     (Ann.  &  Mag.  N.  H.  ser.  4,  Sep.  1877.) 

8.  R.  RiDGWAY.  Sexual,  Individual,  and  Geographical  Variation  in  the 
Genus  Zeucosticte.     (Forest  and  Field,  Sept.  1876.) 

9.  R.  RiDGWAY,  The  Birds  of  Guadalupe  Island.  (Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  (]lub, 
ii.,  July  1877.) 

10.  J.  V.  Babboza  du  Bocage.     Ornithologie  d' Angola.   Premiere  Partie. 

Lisbonne:  1877. 


CONTENTS  OE  NUMBER  IV.— EOUHTH  SERIES. 

Page 
XXXIV.  List  of  Birds  observed  in  Smith  Sound  and  the  Polar 
Basin  during  the  Arctic  Expedition  of  1875-76.     By 

H.  W.  Feilden 401 

XXXY.  On  the  Nesting  of  the  SpoonbiU  in  HoUand.     By  P.  L. 

ScLATER  and  W.  A.  Forbes 412 

XXXVI.  Remarks  on  Buceros  bicornis,  Linn.     By  D.  G.  Elliot, 

F.E.S.E.  &c 416 

XXXVII.  Notes  on  a  '  Catalogue  of  the  Accipitres  in  the  British 
Museum,'  by  K.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (1874).     By  J.  H. 

Gurnet 418 

XXXVIII.  Description  of  two  new  Ant-birds  of  the  Genus  GraUaria, 
with  a  List  of  all  the  known  Species  of  the  Genus.     By 
P.  L.  ScLATER,  M.A.,  F.R.S.     (Plates  VIII.,  IX.)  .     .  437 
XXXIX.  Note  on  Pellorneum  tichelK,  Blyth.     By  Arthur,  Marquis 

of  TwEEDDALE,  M.B.O.U.     (Plates  X.,  XI.)  .     .     .     .451 
XL.  Notes  on  some  Burmese  Birds.     By  Lieutenant  Wardlaw 
Ramsat,    67th   llcgiment,   M.B.O.U.      (Plates  Xll., 

XIII.) 452 

XLL  On  a  new  Bird  from  Formosa.     By  R.  Swinhoe,  F.R.S. 

(Plate  XIV.) 473 

XLII.  A  few  words  on  the  Parrots  of  the  Genus  Eclectus,  Wagler. 

By  T.  Salvadori,  C.M.Z.S 474 

XLIII.  Notices  of  recent  Publications  : — 

52.  Salvadori  on  the  Papuan  Parrots 476 

53.  Salvadori  on  Papuan  and  Malaccan  Nectarinians 477 

§4.  Salvadori  on  D'Albertis's  Collections  of  1872 _  _.   477 

55.  Sbarpe's  *  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  British  Museum,'  vol.  iii.  477 

56.  Sharpe 's  Birds  of  Kerguelen  Island 479 

57.  Lawrence  on  a  new  Pitangus 481 

58.  Rowley's  '  Ornithological  Miscellany ' 481 

59.  E.  P.  Ramsay's  Papers  in  the  '  Proceedings  of  the  Linnean  So- 

ciety of  New  South  Wales '  482 

60.  Wharton's  '  List  of  British  Birds ' 483 

61.  Marshall's 'Bird's-nesting  in  India' 484 

62.  M'Cauley's  '  Birds  of  the  Red  Rivor  of  Texas ' 484 

63.  Lieut.  Wheeler's  Reports   upon   Surveys  west   of  tlie  DOth 

Meridian ' 485 

64.  Finsch's  Collections  from  Siberia 486 

65.  Oustalet  on  new  species  of  Ibis 486 

XLIV.  Letters,  Announcements,  &c. : — 

Letters  from  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale  (two),  Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot, 
Dr.  A.  B.  Meyer,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney,  jun.,  and 
Col.  L.  Howard  Irby ;  notes  on  Bonaparte's  Lophorhina  respuhlica 
and  Dr.  Briiggemann's  new  species  of  Polyplectron 487 

Index 495 

Title-page,  Preface,  List  of  Members  of  B.  0.  TJ.,  Contents,  and  List  of 
Plates,  &c. 


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m^  N. 


•APR  69 

MANCHESTER, 

INiniANA