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STRAY
FEATHERS/

Hournal of Ornithology

FOR

INDIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

EDITED BY

ALLAN HUME,

NOVEMBER, 1872, _

In the uncertainty that existed as to whether
arrangements could be matured for the publication
of this little JourwaL in India, I did not venture to
solicit communications from any of the numerous
collectors for and contributors to my Museum,
though many of these are far better qualified to
amuse and interest the Ornithological public than
myself. Now that the work has been fairly started,
I hope that all brother Ornithologists in India will
aid me to make the work somewhat worthy of the
Science of which we are common votaries. Single-
handed, and with almost my whole time devoted to
the performance of public duties, it is certain that
even were I far better qualified for the task than I
can pretend to be, no satisfactory results could be
hoped for,—it is on the co-operation of Indian Orni-
thologists generally, that succes’ must be depen-
dant, and that co-operation I now most earnestly
solicit. | :

THe Epiror.

lst November, 1872.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
1872-73.

—o>—_—

No. I.—November.

Page.
NoveLties—Ptionoprogne pallida... “ Be cred:
Saxicola alboniger 2
Pellorneum palustre 4
Puffinus persicus 5
Pomatorhinus obseurus 7
Hphialtes Brucei ais 8
Drymoipus insignis 10
Ninox obscurus i
Miratfra immaculata 12
Procarduelis Mandellii 14:
Eudromias tenuirostris 17
Fatco Barsarvus in India ... 19
On the breeding of Enanus MrraNnoprerus 21
The WaAGrTaILs aE India, No. 1 26

PuHenicoprerus Minor 2
A new ? PoLyPLECcTRON : 35
Orocoris Huwest. Blanford 836
The Sxynarks of India 38
FriInGILAUDA NEMORICOLA et SORDIDA hh
Convrriputions to the OrnitHoLoGy oF InpIA. Sindh, No. 1 44,

First draft of a Consprectrus of the Avifauna of ata and its
Dependencies 49
No. 2, 3, & 4.—February.

Birps or THE AnpAMANS AND Nicosars, V. Ball, Esq. 51
CoNTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDra, Sindh, No. 2 91
InpiAn anD European Hacurs. W. #. Brooks we Nome se 29,0)
Novetries.—Collocalia innominata yO
Brachypodius fuscoflavescens 290
Pellorneum minor 1 298
Blanfordius striatulus ee OU)
Carpophaga palumboides Swelue
Mareca albogularis nee if . 303

il.

Page.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON THE ANDAMAN AVIFAUNA 304
SPIZAWLUS KIBNERII 310
Nores.—Eges of Megapodins nicobaricus 313
Tnthoatar xanthonotus ab.
Archibuteo hemiptilopus 315
Procarduelis Mandellui = P. rubescens 318
Poliornis liventer 319
Asiatic Spizaeti and Spiznetus sphynx ib.
Chelidon urbica ... 323
Palseornis rosa, a Lutino of . ab.
No. 5.—July.
Inpian AnD Evropran Hactas, No. Il. W. EH. Brooks, Esq. 325
Norns on toe Paroguets or Inpia. Cupt. T. Hutton, c. M.z. 8. 331
PHG@NICOPHAUS PYRRHOCEPHALUS. Vincent Legge, Hsq., R.A. ... 346
Nores ON A COLLECTION oF EaGs MADE aT Murres. Capts. Cock
and OC. H. T. Marshall 348
Inpiaw Prerrs. W. LH. Brooks Be Oe)
Tun Orninonocy or rue Sampuur Lake. R. J. Adam, Esq. 361
Novertirs.— Arachnechthra andamanica By -o. 404
Ephialtes Ball a .. 407
’Dissemuroides dicruriformis ... anh -. 408
- Locustella subsignata 409
Rhyticeros narcondami All
Aithopyga nicobarica 412
New Birps prom Sixuim. LL. Mandelli, ae .. 415
Heterorhynchus Humei us sh soe Oe
Minla rufogularis ... tae ... 416
Notes. —_Gpaaseitoan by Mr. W. T. Blanford ; 417
Ptionoprogne pallida, nobis, to stand as P. obsoleta, Cab 4b.
Kudromias tenuirostris nobis ... ab.
Pyrrhulauda affinis, Blyth, to stand as P. ‘melanauchen,
Cab... : 418
Diagnosis of female ayaa jenny ae harriers ab.
A new Indian barbet from Western India, MacaLama
SYKESI a Aa ... 419
Sindh Avifauna ; adorns Ae ee: ab}
Avifauna of the betes of the Bay of Bengal 421
Occurrence of Mergus castor in the Mahanuddee, dis-
trict of Sumbulpoor 4.22
Lerrers To tHe Hpiror.—Capt. G. F. ‘S. Marshall on Gallinago
stenura . 423
Mr. F. H. Aitkin on the nidification of |Gallinula phosnicura .. . 424:
Dr. F. Stoliczka on the Anatomy of Indicator xanthonotus 4:25

ill.

No. 6.—December.

Norss on somME Crytonese Birps
ACHEEN

Nores UPON SOME OF THE enn AND EUROPEAN Eacuzs,

H. Brooks, Hsq., c. £., No. IL
Noyertims.— Spilornis minimus ie
Heteroglaux, Gen. nov. ...
Blewitti
Athene pulchra
Caprimulgus andamanicus
Cheetura indica
Carcineutes amabilis
Myiophoneus Eugenei
Hydrornis Oatesi hoe
Criniger griseiceps
Stachyris rufifrons
Calornis Tytleri
Diczeum virescens
Mirafra microptera

Nores on THE Sxynarks or Inpia. By W. LH. Brooks, Esq., ¢. 8.

ADDITIONS TO THE AVIFAUNA OF CRYLON.
HG. Ro A., EB. Z. S., WC.
Noves. —Melanocorypha maxima

By W. Vincent Legge,

Pellorneum Mandellii to stand as P. nipalensis, Hodgs.

Abrornis albosuperciliaris and xanthoshistus
Dumeticola bruneifrons and affinis

Neornis flavolivacea

Reguloides maculipennis, Blyth, to stand as R. chloro-

notus, Hodg.

Phyllopneuste Sylvicultri xe Swinh. , to stand as P. mag-

nirostris, Blyth
Eudromias tenuirostris ras
LETTERS TO THE Hprror—
Captain Vipan ae
H. J. Rainey, Hsq....
J. R. Cripps, Esq....
Inprx.—New genera

Species deser Abed or Seosantatied

Species noticed ...

PREFACE.

Ow the completion of this first bundle of Stray Fratuurs, in
other words of Vol. I., the Editor feels bound to acknowledge
most gratefully, the cordial support that, during the past year,
he has met with from Indian Ornithologists.

When Buffon wrote his Natural History of Birds, he congra-
tulated himself on a knowledge of nearly 900 species, and esti-
mated that the world mzght contain 1,500 species altogether, a
number, so vast, that it seemed impossible to him, that they
should ever be properly dealt with in one work.

‘The Avifauna of India and its Dependencies, already includes
nearly 1,600 species, and it has always appeared to me impossi-
ble that so vast a fauna should be adequately dealt with, until it
possessed a special local organ of its own, in which the observa-
tions and discoveries of professed ornithologists, working on the
spot amongst the living birds, could be prompély and convenient-
ly recorded, in which only matters bearing on our great work
out Aere should find a place, and which by being, so to say, always
at hand, and humble in its scope, should tempt the innumerable
“hird-fanciers,” who will not call themselves, (though they often
truly are) ornithologists, because their acquaintance with scientific
nomenclature is small, to put on record some of the multitu-
dinous facts in regard to the distribution and habits of birds that,
as travellers and sportsmen, are daily brought to their notice.

It was to supply such a special local organ, that our little
Magazine was called into existence, and, so far as professed orni-
thologists are concerned, it has succeeded beyond the expectations
and deserts of its Editor.

But, where the “ bird-fanciers” are concerned, it has been,
in great measure, a failure. There are hundreds of sportsmen
in India, who could tell us facts about the nidification, habits,
migrations, distribution, &c., of species of which we know little,
and what I would urge upon all my kind coadjutors is, each in
his own circle of friends, to endeavour to stir observant Sports-
men up, to add, each, their quota of knowledge to the general
stock.

If would-be contributors have doubts as to the names of birds,
in regard to which they have observations to record, let them
send me skins (the veriest rags, will in most cases suffice) and
I will with pleasure identify and return them.

Specially, in the matter of nidification and eges are we in want
of additional information ; what is already on record on this
subject, so far as 1 am acquainted with it, and what I have been

able to ascertain personally or from others, is set forth im my
Rough Draft of “Eges and Nests” of Indian Birds, Part L.,
of which has just been printed, and the two remaining’ parts of
which will be available during the course of this present year.
I venture to hope, that a perusal of this will show many “ bird
fanciers” and sportsmen, as well as ornithologists, that much in-
formation possessed by them is as yet not generally known, and
that they will make it so through the pages of Stray Frarumrs.

As to distribution again much remains to be worked out, and
the importance of careful local faunas, in a vast region hke that
with which we deal, and in which, as it were, the Palearctic and
Paletropic faunas meet, cannot be overrated.

No special scientific knowledge i is necessary for the prepara-
tion of these—a man has only to collect steadil) y, in almost any
locality for a year or eighteen months, one or two specimens of
every species he can come across in his neighbourhood, to note,
so far as practicable, in rezard to each, whether they are rare or
common, whether they are permanent residents or seasonal visi-
_ tants, and if the latter, when they arrive and when they leave ;
whether they breed in his neighbourhood, and if so, when ; what
their nests are like, where they are situated, how they are com-
posed, how many eggs they lay, and what these are like, and
what their dimensions are ; what the nestlings and what the youne
birds are like; what localities and what food the birds affect,
and, even if he does all this very, very imperfectly in regard to
a vast number of species, he will still (after his birds have been
identified) possess materials for a most useful and estructive local
avifauna, such as the most critical professed ornithologist will
welcome cordially.

May I not hope that some of my supporters will turn their
especial attention to local avifaunas such as that contributed by
Mr. R. M. Adam to this present volume ?

In conclusion, I must crave indulgence, especially from Euro-
pean readers, who have no conception of the difficulties attend-
ing the printing of works of this nature in India, for the many
typographical errors that have—anything dut adorned—our
pages. In this as in other matters we shall try to improve, and
in the mean time, I would pray all, both Indian and European,
readers to be

“To our sad faults a little blind,
To our small merits, very kind !”

A. O. HUME.
CaLcuTtTa,
‘December lst, 1878. i

SPRAY FEATHERS.

Vol. [-] NOVEMBER, 1872. [No. 1.

dobelties.

Iy placing on record, now and hereafter, supposed new species,
it must be clearly understood that I do not dogmatically assert |
that they are all positively new.

They are not to be found in Jerdon, nor are they amongst the
400 odd species omitted by him, but ascertained now to occur
within our limits.

Nor have I been able to identify them with any known species
of which I have plates or descriptions.

With only my own private library and museum however to
consult, I am naturally peculiarly lable to error, and shall be
grateful to all who will correct my inevitable mistakes.

The birds having occurred within our limits, it is of great
importance to make sure whether they are new or not, and if
not, to ascertaim what name they should rightly bear; and no ©
more ready means of attaining this object suggests itself to me
than that of publishing descriptions such as follow:

Ptionoyrogne Pallida, Sp. Nov.

‘Similar to P. Rupestris Scop., but much paler and very considerably
smaller. Wing, 4°4 to 4°75 inches..

I rounp this new species very common along the course of the
Gaj, the Nurrinai, and other small streams that issue from
the bare stony hills that divide Sindh from Kelat. I found it
again along with Cypselus Apus, or C. Barbatus, Tristram
and Temminck, if this species, which I doubt, be really distinct,
off the rocky headland of Minora, at the mouth of the Kurra-
chee Harbour, and in similar localities along the Mekran Coast.
The flight is rapid, and the birds are somewhat difficult, as some.
of our party found, to bring to bag. I think I heard of a whole
flask of shot being fired away without any tangible results.

rh)

Novertins.—Ptzonoprogne Pallida.

The sexes do not differ materially in size, though individuals
differ in each sex considerably. The males, (seven of each sex
were preserved), varied in Jength from 5°35 to 5°6 inches; ex-
panse, 12°25 to 13 inches; wing, 4°4 to 4°7 inches. In the
females, the length varied from 5°25 to 5:5 inches; expanse, 12°3
inches ; wing 4°5 to 4°75 inches. In both sexes the tail measures
about 1:8 inch from vent. The wings, when closed, exceed the
tail by a little more than 0°5 inch, and the weight was a trifle
over 0°5 oz.

Deseription.—Bill black ; legs and feet horny brown. The whole
upper surface, a very pale greyish earthy brown, very much paler
than the same parts in either P. Rupestris, or Cotyle Sinensis :
the quills only shghtly darker, yet sufficiently so to contrast
_ pretty markedly with the scapulars, back, ramp, and upper tail
coverts : the lateral tail feathers, all but the external feather on
each side, with a large oval white spot on the mner web, as in
Rupestris, and with dark shafts, and a darker tint on the web
near the shaft as in that latter species. Lower surface as in
inpestris, but much paler ; the whole of the chin, throat, breast,
and abdomen being white with only a faint fulvous or rufous
tinge, and the wing lining and lower tail coverts, which in
Rupestris are a decided dark brown, are in this species the same
pale earthy grey brown as the upper surface.

No specimen of the true Rupestris that I have seen has the
wing less than 5 inches and some have it full 5-5 inches. Jerdon
indeed gives it at 5°75 inches ; but this, I think, is greatly above
average. The true Aupestris, of which I saw no specimen in Sindh,
occurs a little further east in Kutch, whence Ihave a specimen
with the wing 5:2 inches, exactly similar to other specimens
from Simla, and Khandala, and to European birds.

Saxicola Alboniger, Sp. Nov.

Very similar to S. Picata, (Blyth,) but larger; the black not extending on
to the breast as in this latter, and with the white extending further wp
the back. Sexes alike, but male considerably larger. Male’s length,

75 inches; wing, 4°25 inches; bill at front, 0°65 inch.

ANOTHER species new to our Indian Avifauna is Saaicola Mo-
nacha, Ripp.—(Gracilis : Licht. Pl. Col. 359)—which is not
uncommon in, and immediately at the foot of, the stony hills
which divide Kelat from Sindh and in the similar hills that run
along the Mekran Coast. In the plains of Sindh this species

Novettirs.—Saaacola Alboniger. 8

never occut's ; 1b 1s there, curiously enough, replaced by a much
smaller, but in many respects similar, species, Saxicola Capis-
trata. Now the remarkable thing is, that in the plains where
Capistrata occurs, there also oceurs Picata: but in the localities
where JMonacha occurs, there we find another bird very similar
in plumage to Pzeata, but much larger in every way. Iam,
I confess, unable to prove it, but, as I have long since stated,
I am strongly inclixed to believe S$. Capistrata and S. Picata
to be different stages of the same species. At any rate I can
shew an apparently almost perfect series between the two. I
am also (so similar are they in size, len¢th, and bill, &.,) inclined
to believe that possibly the apparently new Sazxicola which I am
about to characterize, may be a different stage of §. Monacha.
From Picata, which it closely resembles, it is distinguished at
once by its much larger size, longer bill, and the greater extent
of white upon the back, as well as its much stronger and larger
legs and feet. This species may be Leucopygia, (Brehm,) from
Palestine, of which I can find no description; but for the present
I must give it some name, and I therefore provisionally christen
it S. Adboniger. The sexes are perfectly similar as to plumage,
but differ as to size, the males being considerably larger.

Dimensions.—Male ; length, 7°75 inches ; tail, 2°8 to 3 inches ;
wing, 4°] to 4°25 inches ; bill at front, 0°65 inch ; tarsus, 1-1 inch.

Female ; length, 6:5 to 6°75 inches; wing, 3°8 to 4 inches;
tail, 2°75 to 2°9 inches ; bill at front, 0°56 to nearly 0-6 inch.

The plumage is very similar to Picata, but the black is, I
think, even brighter and more intense. The tail agrees with
Picata and not with Monacha in having the tips of all the lateral
tail feathers black. The black, however, in <Aldoniger only
covers the chin and throat, whereas in Picata it descends some-
what on the breast. The sides of the breast are black in both
species. On the back again the black does not extend as far
down as Picata. In the latter species, measuring from the tips
of the longest tail coverts to where the black of the back com-
mences, we have about 1°6 inch of white, while in Alboniger
there are 2 inches of white, measuring in both cases fine males.
In the female Aldoniger, the length of the white on the back is
about 1:8 inch. Whether actually new or not, this species is
certainly new to our Indian Avifauna.

For comparison I subjomn measurements of S§. Pzcata, (taken
from eight males and ten females measured in the flesh) of
which the sexes do not differ in size so materially. Length, 6°25
to 6°81 inches; tail, 2°25 to 2°75 inches; wing, 3:4 to 3°75
inches ; bill at front, 0°45 to 0°55 inch, (one exceptional specimen
almost 0-6 inch ;) tarsus, 0°9 to 1 inch.

4, Nove tties.—Pellorneum Palustre.

It will be seen that the largest male Pzcata is not quite as
large as the female Adboniger. The difference, though not
perhaps very striking when reduced to figures, 1s very conspi-
cuous when a dozen specimens of each species are laid side by
side and even more so in the living birds; in fact it was a
gentleman in no degree interested in ornithology, who first
told me that I should find the black and white chats im the
hills larger and brighter colored than those we were at the time
shooting in the low country.

Aellornenm Palustre, Sp. Nov.

Whole wpper surface, uniform deep olive brown. Lower surface, white,
faintly tinged, in places bufiy, and spotted with dark brown. Bill at
front, 0°5 inch, much shorter than that of Ruficeps, and much slenderer
than that of Mandell.

I wave named this species Palustre* at Dr. Jerdon’s sugges-
tion who gave me the type specimen, which he procured on the
Khasia Hills. IS somewhat approaches P. Tickel/i, Blyth, but is
larger arid differs entirely in the coloration of the lower parts.
The billis much slenderer and smaller than in P. Ruficeps and,
_ @ fortiorz, very much slenderer than in P, Mandelli, Blandford,

the bill of which is intermediate between that of P. Ruficeps and
Timalia Piteata.

The following are dimensions taken from the dry skin.
Length, 6°5 inches; wing, 2°65 inches; tail, 2°9 inches; bill at
front, 0°57 inch; tarsus, 1-15 inches.

Description.—Upper mandible, deep brown. Lower mandible,
pale brown. Legs and feet, apparently fleshy brown. Whole
upper parts, uniform deep olive brown, except the longer upper
tail coverts and tail feathers which are slightly tinged with rufous.
Lower tail coverts, pale terruginous ; extreme point of forehead
just above nostrils, tinged rufescent. Lores, chin, throat, sides
of neck, breast, abdomen, and vent white, each feather with a
pale brown central stripe, almost wanting on the lower abdomen.
The ear coverts and some of the feathers of the breast, tinged
with pale rufous buff. The whole wing lining and a narrow
margin to the interior webs of the quills on the lower surface,
very pale rufous buff.

* Since this was in type, I have learnt that Mr. Gould has figured and de-
scribed this species under this same name. ‘The type is, however, in my museum.

Novetins.— Pufinus Persicus. 5

Dr. Jerdon observed this species common about marshy ground,
and hence the name he suggested which I have adopted. I have
had this specimen four years, but never described it, expecting
Dr. Jerdon to do so, but as he has never done so, and has now,
alas! left us for ever, I have thought it right to take an early
opportunity of putting on record this one of his many dis-
coveries.

Duttnns Bersicus, Sp. Nov.

Intermediate im size and other characteristics between P. Anglorum, P.
Obscura, and P. Nugax ;a white line round the eye prolonged back-
wards from posterior angle, for from a quarter to half an inch. Length,
13 inches. Whole of lateral lower tail coverts, deep brown.

A SHEARWATER that I at first referred, though with great
hesitation, to Puffinus Anglorum, 1s not uncommon about the
mouths of the Indus and the Kurrachee Coast, and was observed
also on several occasions in proceeding up the Gulf of Oman. It
is a bird belonging to that particular sub-division which includes
P. Anglorum, Ray, P. Yelkuan, Acerbi, P. Obscura, Gmelin and
P. Nugaz, Solander, but it will not in many respects agree with
any of these species. I only succeeded in procuring a single
specimen, a female, apparently adult, fresh moulted, except the
three first primaries in each wing, which were still more or less
m parchment. Macguillivray gives the length of P. dnglorum
at 15 inches; Yarrell, at 14 inches; Degland and Gerbe, at 13-8
inches; and this bird was 13 inches in length. P. Obscura
Yarrell, gives at 11 inches as the result of the measurement of
six specimens. The wing, imperfectly developed in my specimen,
measured 7 inches ; when fully developed, it mizht measure 8
inches or 8°25 inches. The wing of P. Anglorum is given b
several authorities at 9°5 inches and of P. Odscura, at 6°75 inches,
It is too small for the one and too large for the other ; moreover,
-1t has the whole of doth webs, of both the lateral and the longer
tail coverts, deep brown, in this respect agreeing with P. Obscura
and also P. Yelkuan ; but the wing in P. Velkuan is given by
Schlegel at from 9:2 to 9:7 inches, which our wing could
never have been, and the tarsus at about 1-9 inches, whereas in
our bird the tarsus is exactly 1°5 inches. The mid toe is also
given at 1:72 inches, in our bird it is about 1°45 inches ; more-
over, Yelkuan is described as being of a paler and greyer tint
than dAuglorum, whereas our bird is nearly black. Again, the
white of the throat extends right up to the eye, and covers half

6 Noverries.—Pufinus Persicus.

the lores, the other half of the lores, and the lower portion of the
ear-coverts being speckled with white, in this respect correspond-
ine with P. Nugax, but then Gould gives the length of P. Nugaw
at 1] inches, and the wing at 6°5 inches. Schlegel gives the
wing at 6°6 to 7-7 inches, but these dimensions are too small for
our bird, as are also those of the tarsus 1°25 inches, as given
by Gould. Moreover, there is no white in the lower surface of
the primaries, on the interior web, (the characteristic feature
of Nugax), and as already explained, all the lateral and longer
tail coverts are deep brown, whereas in Nugar they are entirely
white. The coloration of the feet also is peculiar, more closely
resembling that of P. Anglorum than of any other species of which
I can find adeseription. Under these circumstances, either all the
descriptions and measurements to which I have access are very
faulty, or this is a new species; andas I am informed that it
is observed all the way up the Persian Gulf as well as in the Gulf
of Oman, (I myself only observed it as far as Gwadur, on the
Mekran, and Muscat, on the Arabian Coast,) I propose to
characterize it as Puffinus Persicus. The following are the exact .
dimensions taken in the flesh :

Female killed 21st February 1872. Length, 15 inches; ex-
panse, 26 inches (would probably have been 28 to 29 inches had
the first three primaries been fully developed ;) wing, 7 inches
(would probably have been 8 to 8-25 inches ;) tarsus, 1:5 inches ;
bill straight from forehead to tip, 1:3 imches; from anterior
margin of nostril, 1:06 inch.

Description.—Bill dusky brown, bluish at base, and basal three-
fourths of lower mandible; irides, brown. Legs and feet white,
tinged with pink and lavender, with claws, margin of web,
exterior of foot, and outer toe, and part of ridge of mid toe,
black. .

Plumage.—The head and nape deep sooty brown, the whole
of the rest of the upper parts, blackish brown; almost if not
quite black on the primaries, ramp, upper tail coverts, and tail.
Upper portion of the lores, mingled dusky brown, and whitish.
Lower portion of the lores, and the whole of the chin and
throat as far as the eyes on either side, breast, abdomen, vent,
and shorter central lower tail coverts, pure white. A white
line about 0°06 wide encircles the eye and extends backwards
from the posterior angle as a narrow white streak for a distance
of 0°35 to 0-4 inch : below this the ear-coverts are dusky brown,,
slightly mingled with whitish, the white line below the eye is
only separated from the white of the throat by a hair line of
greyish brown. ‘The sides of the neck and the breast where the
brown of the upper meets the white of the lower parts, is some-

Nove tties.—Pomatorhinus Obscurus. ’

what paler brown, slightly intermingled with white. The sides,
axillaries, flanks, and the lesser under-wing coverts next the body,
and the whole of the exterior and longer tail coverts are deep
brown ; the rest of the lower wing coverts except just at the edge
of the wing are white, here and there slightly mottled, especially
at the edge of the wing, with dusky brown ; the longer axillaries
are mottled with white alone their bases.

Pomatorbinus Obscurns, Sp. Nov.

Very like P. Horsfieldi, (Sykes,) but larger; bill longer, deeper, and more
compressed, and general color (where not white) dull, smoky earth-
brown.

Tuts new species is closely allied to Horsfieldz, of which I have
numerous specimens of both sexes, but differs not only in colora-
tion but in the greater length, depth, and compression of bill: it is
also somewhat larger. This species has been procured at Mount
Aboo and also in the Seoni District. The dimensions of a female
measured in the flesh were as follows: Length, 10:12 inches;
expanse, 11°5 inches; tail, from vent, 4 inches; wing, 4:15
inches. Wings when closed reached to within 2°75 inches of
end of tail; tarsi, 1‘3 inch; bill straight from forehead to point,
1°35 inches.

Description.—Ball dirty yellow, blackish on the ridge at base
of upper mandible. Legs and feet, dark, slightly greenish plum-
beous ; irides, dark-red ; chin, throat, breast, and centre of abdo-
men, and along superciliary stripe from forehead to nape, pure
white. ‘The whole of the rest of the plumage a dull smoky earth-
brown, rather a purer brown on quills and tail which are very
faintly rufescent, recalling the wings and tail of Malucocercus
Canorus. The tail obsoletely barred; the lores, dark brown; the
ear-coverts slightly darker brown than the rest of the body.

But for the superior size both of bill and wing, the greater
depth and the more compressed character of the bill, I should
have thought that these were immature specimens of Horsfieldi ;
but as both in size of bill and wing they exceed every one of
eight fully mature specimens of Horsfieldi, of hoth sexes, from
the Pulneys, Coonoor, and Ootacamund, I am compelled, at any
rate provisionally, to accept them as a distinct species.

Epbhinttes Brucei, the Striated Scops Owl, Sp. Nov.

Tarsus, slender as in Pennatus. Head and aigrettes, small. Wing, 6°45 inches;
general color, uniform pale earthy brown ; each feather with a conspicu-
ous, ceniral, very narrow, dark-brown shaft stripe.

Tuts fine new species I owe to the kindness of the Revd. H.
Bruce, and as I have been compelled to disallow the supposed
Alcippe Brucet which is nothing but A. Powocephala, I think I
cannot do better than dedicate to this gentleman what I believe
to be an unquestionably new species procured by himself.

LH. Brucei differs entirely in appearance from any of the other
Indian species. The general color of the whole of the upper
surface is a pale earthy brown, and each of the feathers of the
forehead and top of the head, back and sides of the neck, back,
rump, scapulars, and wing coverts, breast, abdomen, flanks,
tibial and tarsal plumes, and lower tail coverts has a conspi-
cuous central, very narrow dark brown shaft stripe. ‘There are no
white spots on any of the feathers; the tarsi are slender as in the
Pennatus group. The head and aigrettes are very small, while
the wing is as long as that of the largest Grisews that I have
examined. Moreover, it is distinguished from ail other Indian
Ephialtes by having, like Pexnatus, the 3rd quill equal to the 4th.
This species, of which only a single specimen has yet been pro-
cured and that one near Rahuri, Ahmednugegur, is even to the
most casual observer very distinct from any of the other six
Indian species noted in my catalogue (see also Rough Notes, Part
I, No. 2, page 386 e¢ seg.) In some respects it approaches
nearest to Pennatus, but the headis proportionally much smaller ;
the tone of colouring and the character of the markings are
totally unlike those of any stage of that species; and the length
of the bird in the flesh was 9 inches, while the wing measured
6°45 inches.

Nothing has yet been ascertained as to its habits, nidification,
or distribution.

Dimensions.—Male; length, 9 inches; expanse, 22 inches ;
wing, 6°4 inches; tail, 3°25 inches; tarsus, 1°45 inches; foot
greatest lene th, 1°87 inches ; greatest width, 1:75 inches; mid toe
to root of claw, 0°8 inch; its claw straight, 0°39 inch ; hind toe,
0°35 inch ; its claw straight, 0°28 inch; inner toe, 0°67 inch;
its claw straight, 0°4 inch. Bill straight from forehead to point
including cere, which is ill-defined, 0-7 inch ; from gape, 0°73 inch ;
height at front, at margin of cere, 0°29 inch ; wings when closed
are even with the end of tail. Lower tail coverts reach to

Nove.tirs.— Ephialtes Brucer. 9

within 0°9 inch of end of tail. The third and fourth primaries
are the longest ; the first is 0°75 inch, and the second is 0:08
shorter. The exterior tail feathers are 0:3 inch shorter than the
central ones. Weight, 4 oz.

Description.—The legs and feet, including the base of the toes,
densely feathered ; terminal portions of toes with small transverse
scutz, slate colored ; claws black, well curved, slender, and very
sharp ; toes very slender, but pads largely developed, so as to
make a broad sole; exterior toe more or less versatile; irides
bright yellow; bill dusky.

Plumage.—Cheeks and feathers under the eye, greyish white,
excessively finely and indistinctly barred with brown. The lores
and a stripe running up from them to the top of the eye, creamy
white. The longer ones that meet over the base of the upper
mandible, tinged brownish; a few tiny dark brown feathers on
the eyelids. Chin and throat, creamy white, with very narrow
central shaft stripes towards the tips and excessively finely ver-
micillated with brown. Feathers of the ruff which is ineonspi-
cuous, very pale buff, narrowly edged with dark brown. ‘The
whole of the forehead, crown, back of head, back and sides of
neck, back scapulars, wing coverts, rump, and upper tail coverts,
very pale buff or creamy white, so minutely and closely powdered
with pale brown, that looked at from a little distance, the fea-
thers appear to be a uniform pale earthy brown. Every feather
has a narrow central dark-brown stripe ; some of the outer scapu-
lars have inconspicuous patches of buff on their outer webs, and the
ground color of the feather on each side of the crown immediately
above the eye is slightly paler; but beyond this the whole of the
upper plumage above described is singularly uniform in tint and
appearance, and is absolutely devoid of those white spots and
blackish brown or buff dashes and streaks so characteristic of the
other Indian species. ‘The primaries are pale dingy buff, with
broad transverse brown bars, which toward the tips are with the
ground color mottled and freckled over, the ground color with
brown, and the bars with dingy fulvous. Nearer the base of the
feather, the ight bars are on the exterior webs pure’pale buff,
while the dark bars continue freckled as already described. On
the inner webs, the dark bars are nearly uniform and unmottled,
while the light bars are pure and unmottled towards the edge
of the webs, and suffused with brown towards the shafts. The
tertiaries and the tips of the secondaries approximate closely to the
plumage of the back and coverts. Of the breast and abdomen, the
ground color is similar to that of the upper parts, but the brown
powdering is coarser, so that more of the ground color is seen,
and the dark brown central shaft stripes are somewhat broad-

B

10 Noveuties.—Drymoipus [nsignis.

er; towards the vent, on the flanks and lower tail coverts,
the ground color becomes almost pure white and the brown pow-
dering very sparse, while the shaft stripes are reduced as on
the back and wing ecoverts to well marked dark lines. The
short dense tibial and tarsal plumes are brownish white, each
little feather with its dark central shaft stripes. The axillaries
and wing lining are cream-colored, or yellowish white, entirely
unstreaked and unmottled.

Arymoipus ansiqnis, Sp. Nov.

Upper surface, moderately dark earthy brown. Whole under-surface of
tail, white. Length, 6°65 inches Wing, 2°5 inches.

THIS species 1s very similar in many respects to D. Rufescens :
nobis, (Ibis, 1872, page 100,) and also to what I faney D.
Sylvaticus (which I have never seen) must be; but the adults
are distinguishable from all the other Drymoipi, with which
T am acquainted, by the whole under-surface of tre tail appear-
ing white; the fact is that the tip and the whole inner web for
about an inch to an inch and-a-half from this tip is white, both
above and below, and though the outer webs of the lateral
feathers are pale brown, on the lower surface these webs are
albescent. ‘There is no trace of any dark bar.

Dimensions.—Only three birds (out of 13 specimens) and
these, unfortunately, all males, were measured in the flesh. These
vary as follows: Length, 6 to 6-4 mches; expanse, 7 imches;
tail from vent, 2 to 2°75 inches; bill, 0-5 to 0°55 inch; wing,
2°45 to 2°55 inch ; tarsus, 0-95 to 1 inch.

Description.—Bill black, in some whitish on the gonys,
(close to the arch.) The legs fleshy brown, browner on feet,
and browner still on claws. Ini ides, brownish buff or yellow. <A
streak from the nostril over the eye, but almost obsolete above
the eye, yellowish white. Whole upper surface, brown, neither
very dark nor hght, more earthy on the head and back, purer
on the quills and tail, and ereyer on the ear-coverts, sides of
the neck, and tips of some of the lesser wing coverts: the cen-
tral tail feathers are brown, of the same tint as the quills, but
slightly paler, distinctly but obsoletely barred, and no white tips ;
the lateral tail feathers have the outer webs brown, paling rapidly
as the feathers approach the exterior of the tail, and quite albes-
cent on the two external feathers; the tips are white and the
terminal inch to aninch and-a-half of the inner webs is white also ;

Novrertirs—NVinox Obscurus. 1k

the quills are margined on the exterior web with rufous or
rufous grey. The whole lower surface including the wing lining,
is a very pale yellowish buff, much paler than in Longicaudatus,
more uniform than in Jnornatus vera, and purer than in Ru/fes-
cens; the inner margins of the quills are the palest possible
salmon color. he tibial plumes are pale fulvous.
T long confounded this species with D. Sylvatica. The dimen-
sions and part of the deseription would agree well enough, but
no one could possibly call the bird olive brown, nor is it possible
to believe that when Jerdon speaks of a bird with a narrow sub-
terminal dark band to the tail, the feather tipped with white,
he refers to a bird in which there is no such dark band, and of
which the major portion of the lateral tail feathers are pure white.
I have this species only from Saugor, Mount Aboo, and Raipoor.
The young of this species and of Rufescens nobis are so similar,
that I was at one time inclined to believe that the two were
only different phases of the same species; but the adults appear
perfectly distinct and even the young are separable, by the some-
what larger size of the bill in this species and the color of the
lower mandible which in the young Rufescens is horny white,
in the young of this species almost entirely black.

alinox Obscurus, Sp. Nov. Ga

Of a nearly uniform, darkish, somewhat rufous, slightly chocolate brown.
Abdomen, with a few imperfect yellowish white transverse bars. Wing,
about 85 wmeches.

Tuts species which appears, although quite distinct, to ap-
proach in general tint more nearly to the Bornean bird than any
other Ninow yet described, has been found in the Nicobars near
Camorta. I have as yet only seen a single specimen. Its
crepuscular habits appear to be similar to those of its congeners.
Nothing is known of its nidification.

Dimensions.—(From the dry skin.) Length, 12 inches; wing
8-5 inches; tail, about 5 inches; tarsus, 0-9 inch ; bill from gape,
1:65 inches (sex not recorded.)

Description.—Lores and forehead, yellowish white. The tips
of the bristles immediately in front of and below the eye, black,
so as to produce the effect of an ill-defined narrow black semi-
cirele running round the front of the eye. The whole of the
upper surface, a rich, somewhat rufous; slightly chocolate-tinted
brown, darkest on the head and nape, and even then not very

1g Noveurizs.—Mirafra Lmmaculata.

dark, and a good deal paler, and losing its chocolate shade om
the quills and tail. The tail exhibits on the central feathers four _
very narrow pale yellowish brown bars, and there are similar bars
on the exterior webs of all the lateral tail feathers except the
outermost ones. The throat is yellowish white, with a rufous
brown patch. The whole of the rest of the lower parts inelud-
ing the wing lining are nearly similar in tint to the back, but
somewhat more rufous; each of the feathers of the abdomen and
flanks exhibits two or more pairs of small yellowish white spots
or imperfect bars, which, even where best defined, are narrow, im-
perfect, widely separated, and by no means conspicuous, all but
the one nearest the pomt beimg hidden by the over-lapping of
the feather. The lower tail coverts are a paler and less rufous
brown, and are more broadly and conspicuously barred with
white.

Sinee writing the above, I have beén favored by Mr. Ball, of
the Geological Survey, with the sight of another specimen of the
same species, procured, he informs me, in the Andamans. This
bird is decidedly distinct from Col. Tytler’s Afinis, ef which
species, or supposed species, Mr. Ball also sent me a specimen,
obtained, as I understand him, from the Nicobars.

attivatra ammaculata, Sp. Nov.

Size and shape of Mirafra Assamica, upper surface, dull earthy brown ;
striations, few and ill-defined. Breast, almost entirely spotless.

I wave now had by me for many years a large Mirafra pro-
cured on Deobund, a hill some 9,000 feet high, in the neighbour-
hood of Mussoorie. Never having been able to obtain a second
specimen, I have hitherto hesitated to describe it, but 1b seems
so very distinct from Assamica, the only species which at all
closely approaches it, that in the hopes of other specimens
turning up, I now venture to give it a “local habitation and a
name.”

I may premise that of our four Mirafras three, viz., Affnis,
Erythroptera, and Cantillans have the hind claw short, averaging
perhaps 0°3 inch in length. Assamica, on the other hand, has
a comparatively long claw, varying from 0°5 to 0-6 imch. The
present species approaches Assaméca in this respect, having the
hind claws 0-6 inch in length.

From Assamica, however, it may be at once separated by the
difference in the tint of the upper surface, which im this

:
a
A

Nove.tiss —Mirafra Immaculata. 13

latter is a pale earthy grey, the feathers centred with dark hair-

~ brown, so as to produce the effect of strongly marked striations
on the whole of the head and mantle. In the present species
these parts are a dull earthy brown, without the slightest tinge
of grey, and except just in the centre of the back where they
are better marked, the feathers are only very faintly darkly
centred.

All four of our Indian Mirafras hitherto described are charac-
terized by well-marked dark spots on the breast. In the present
species there is scarcely a trace of any spotting on the breast.

I have no idea of the distribution of this new species, but it
is not apparently foundin the Dhoon, from which locality as well
as from the north of the Saharunpoor district, | have received
the true Assamica.

Dimensions (from the dry skin)—Uength, 5°75 inches; wing,
3°35; tail, 1°9; bill at front, 0:6; from gape, 0°72; tarsus, 1:0 ;
hind toe and claw, 1:12; claw 0:6.

Description.—Whole top of the head, back of the neck,
back seapulars and rump, dull earthy brown, not either ashy or
olive; feathers of the head faintly, of the interseapular region
and scapulars more distinctly, and of the other parts scarcely
perceptibly centred with hair-brown; quills and coverts dark
hair-brown ; primaries (except the two first) and their greater
coverts, broadly margined on their outer webs with bright
ferruginous ; the rest of the quills and coverts broadly margined
with ferruginous buff. The tail paler hair-browr than the
quills, the central feathers broadly margined on both webs, and
the lateral feathers on the external webs with rufous or rufous
buff. The upper tail coverts, which are pale hair-brown margin-
ed with pale earthy brown, extend to within 0-6 of the end of
the tail. The lores and orbital region and cheeks are pale
rufous ; from the gape diverge two narrow dusky brown lines,
one running parallel to, and below the eye, and joining into the
brownish tips of the ear-coverts, and the other, running down
along the jaw, and lost in some very faint spots on the sides
of the neck. The chin is whitish, the whole of the rest of the
lower parts is a uniform pale rufous, (brighter and more decided
however, than in Assamzca) more or less infuscated on the flanks.
On the breast there is just a trace of a very few dusky spots,
not noticeable unless closely looked into. The axillaries, the
whole wing lining, and the inner margins of the quills, inside
a line drawn from the base of the first to the end of the last
primary, are a very pure bright salmon rufous.

Arocarduclis Mandell, Sp. Nov.

Approucnes P. Nipalensis ; but smaller, everywhere paler; bill inter-
mediate between Procarduelis and Pr opasser ; throat and breast, wni-
colorous.

More than a year ago Mr. Mandelli gave me, with a number
of Procarduelis Nipatlensis, two males and one female of a very
similar species, which he was inclined to believe distinct. These
birds by some oversight have never been properly examined
until now. On comparing them I find that they are un-
doubtedly a new and unrecorded species; at any rate they are
to be found neither in Hodgson’s Drawings, Bon: and Schl:,
Monoeraphie des Loxiens, Jerdon, or any other work to which
Thave access. At first sight the males may be easily confounded
with those of Nipalensis, but they are altogether paler than
this species; there is no dark band across the chest and along
the sides, and no dark band through the eye as in this species ;
and the bill, though quite as long, is much less cardueline in its
character and much broader. Indeed it is more like that of
Propasser Rhodochrous than of P. Nipalensis ; the wing however
has the three first primaries equal as in that of Nipalensis, and the
general style of coloring is closer to Procarduelis than that of
Propasser, and I therefore place if for the present under the
former. The wings in P. Nipalensis vary in the male from
3°4 to 3°6 inches; in the female from 3°2 to 3°45 inches, so that
the present species is considerably smaller. It was procured
during the cold season in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, and
appears to be common there, Mr. Mandelli having, if 1 remem-
ber right, a considerable series.

To Mr. Mandelli is entirely due the credit of (egerin: ne
this species, as when first show to me I did not, strange to say,

recognize its distinctness ; and it was only in course cf arrang-

ing my museum that I came across the specimens, and remem-
bered how persistently he had assured me that it was not P.
Nipalensis. he bill is so very distinct, as also the coloring
of some parts, that I cannot now explain how I came to over-
look the bird. To Mr. Mandelli I may mention also belongs
the merit of discriminating P. Satwratus, Blanford, of neh
he wrote to me, as distinct from any in Jerdon, Tong before
he sent the specimens to Mr. Blanford, which the latter de-
scribed. Indeed, my museum contains no less than six specimens
of this species, sent me by Mr. Mandelli, some of which I have
had by me nearly eighteen months; but which I hesitated to

2

%

Nove ttirs.—Procarduelis Mandelliz. 15

describe as new, doubting whether, despite the description given
by Moore, Saturatus might not be Py dovigna Hodgson ; and
a drawing of Mr. Hodeson’s which he gives as the young of
Puicherrimus, made me doubt still farther on this point. While
on this subject I may mention that I quite agree with Mr.
Blanford that the female Propasser figured by Moore, Pro. Z.
S. 1855, p. 215, is notthat of P. Tura, not for the reason
assigned by him, vzz., that it 1s foo rufous below, but beeause
the rufous is wrongly distributed, and because the rump and upper
fail coverts in the female P. Thura are conspicuously tinged
with yellow, a point which could never have escaped Mr. Wolf,
Further, because Mr. Moore says, that the color of the under-
parts of his female bird was comparatively uniform, with but
faint dark centres to the feathers, whereas in the true female
Thura, there is a strong contrast between the coloring of dif-
ferent portions of the lower surface, and the dark centres are
much more strongly marked than in any other species of the
whole group. These very strongly marked centres to the
feathers, and the comparatively very rusty rufous chin and
throat are what serve at once to distinguish the female Thura.
The ground eolor of the centre abdomen is always white, more
or less faintly tinged with fulvous; but the ferrnginous color
of the chin and thr oat, while sometimes contined to these parts,
at other times extends over the whole of the breast, sides, and
flanks, so that really Wolfs figure of Moore’s female Propasser,

though much too grey about the chin and thr oat, is not nearly
rufous enough on the breast and sides for some specimens of
Thura. As a matter of fact, I entertain no doubt that Moore’s
female Propasser belonged to the species now christened Satw-
ratus. Mr. Keulemans’ drawing given by Mr. Blanford in J. A.
S. B., Vol. XLI., 1872, 1s of a young female, much too yellow
about the throat and chin for the adult, which is precisely like
the bird figured by Wolf, and what makes me the more certain
of this identification is that the female of Satwratus is conspi-
cuous for the very faint darker centres to the feathers of the
lower parts, one of the leading characters assigned by Mr. Moore
to his bird.

Rhodopepelus, I may add, may be distinguished at once from
all our other Indian Propassers by the strongly marked tippings
to both the greater and median coverts, and tippings to the
exterior webs of the tertiaries, the covert tippings forming two
very conspicuous wing bars in both sexes, rosy-white in male,
pale buffy or yellowish white in the female.

To return now to Procarduelis Mandeltii.

Dimensions (taken from the dry skin.)—Male; length, 5:25

16 2 #&©}©—)6 Noverres.-—Procarduelis Mandelliz.

inches; wing, 3°2 to 3°3 inches ; tail, 2 to 2°25 inches; tarsus,
0-75 inch nearly ; bill at front, 0°44 to 0°5 inch.

Female ; length, 5 inch; wing, 2°1 inches; tail, 2°25 inches;
tarsus, 0°7 inch; bill at front, 0°49 inch. .

(N. B.—Only two males and one supposed female measured, the
latter may be a young mate.)

Description—Whole head, neck all round, breast, back,
rump, lesser and median wing coverts deep ruddy, varying
much in tint; and on the back and breast confined to the tips,
which, owing to the feathers not overlapping sufficiently, leave
on the back and coverts a certain amount of the dark brown
and on the breast of the pale grey brown bases of the feathers
visible ; the forehead and the whole top of the head is a bright-
er and richer ruddy than the rest; there is no distinct super-
ciliary stripe as in Nipalensis, and unlike the latter species the
occiput and forehead are unicolorous. The ear-coverts and
cheeks are duller, the grey bases of the feathers shewing through
more or less; the throat and breast are more rosy; there is no
deep band on the breast or dark stripe through the eyes as im
Nipalensis ; the abdomen and flanks are a pale grey brown, the
feathers more or less faintly margined and tipped with ruddy ;
there are a few white feathers about the vent; the tibial plumes
and lower tail coverts, are a pale grey brown, the latter narrow-
ly margined and tipped with pure white; the quills, greater
coverts, and tail feathers are conspicuously margined with a
sort of ruddy ferruginous, or ruddy olive, the colour differing
in my two specimens.

Supposed female.—The whole bird (except the wings and tail
which are hair-brown) a dull olive brown, becoming albescent
.on the abdomen and mingled with dull white about the vent ;
the whole cap, back, rump, and upper tail coverts overlaid
with a slightly rusty ruddy tint, strongest on the rump ; the
wings and tail as in the male, except that the lesser coverts are
margined similarly to the quills and greater coverts with a
sort of ruddy rusty hue; the shafts of the ear-coverts are sheht-
ly paler than the webs, giving a faintly striated appearance to
these parts; with this exception the bird is entirely free from
any striations, such as more or less characterise the back of the
female Nipalensis, and it is altogether of a much paler tint than
the latter.

The males in this species, I ae to note, very closely
resemble in general appearance Carpodacus Hrythrinus i al-
most full breeding’ plumage; but the bill is conspicuously
slenderer and more compressed towards the tip, and the grey
brown under tail coverts with the narrow well-marked white

Noveurius.—Hudromias Tenucrostris. TZ

margins alone suffice to separate the bird; besides this, the tints
of our bird are duller and darker, both above and below, and the
bird itself is smaller. Altogether, the bird is as nearly as possible
intermediate between P. Nipalensis and Carpodacus Hrythriuus,
and but that the bill approaches more nearly to the former,
I should have placed this species under Carpodacus.

Gndroming Cennivostris, Sp. Nov.

Bill, long and slender ; wing, 5°7 inches ; no white bar on later primaries ;
shafts of all the primaries hawr-brown, strongly marked ; umber brown
pectoral collar.

T nave had lying by me for years a ring plover which I have

never yet been able to identify: it may not be new, but it is
certainly new to India.
_ Dr. Jerdon gave me this specimen years ago, as Leschenaulti,
or as it should more properly stand Geoffroy. I at the time
told him that it was not this species. We had, however, no speci-
mens of Geofiroyi with which to compare it, and nothing further
was said aboutit at the time. Subsequently, I have compared it
with large series, of Geoffroyi, Mongolicus, Hiaticula, Cantianus,
and Curonicus, with Mr. Harting’s’s elaborate and careful de-
scriptions of Hu. Asiaticus and Veredus, yet it certainly belongs
to none of these species. The bill is elongated and slender ; in fact
it is almost precisely that of Morinel/us, but more elongated, and
the lower mandible markedly slenderer. This fact alone would
suffice to show that the bird cannot belong to any of the species
of Aigialites above enumerated. Putting this aside, however,
Geoffroyi, Cuntianus, and Mongolicus have the whole of the shaft
of the first primary, and all but the tips and the bases of the
shafts of the other primaries white. Jiaticula has less of the
shatt, but still a considerable portion of it, white. Cwvo-
nicus has the first shaft white, the others, hair-brown. ds/alicus
has all the shafts usually white ; Veredus the first and a portion of
second shaft, white, the rest brown; tne present species has the
whole of the shafts brown, only at the extreme tips of each primary,
so far as in the closed wing they project beyond the following
one, are the shafts albescent, and here even not for the whole length
of such tip but only for about two-thirds of the length; the
remaining terminal one-third of the shafts of the tip being hair
brown like the rest of the shaft.

Again there is no white bar on the outer webs of the later
primaries as there is in Geoffroy’, Mongolicus, and Cantianus ;

C

18 Noveutizs.— Hudromias Tenuirostris.

but the last seven primaries are conspicuously, though very
narrowly, margined at the tips with pure white, and all the se-
condaries have the outer webs towards the tips pure white. The
outer tail feathers are very like those of Morinellus, a broad pure
white tip on both webs, then a dark bar fading into the grey
brown of the.rest of the feather, and only a very narrow margin
of white running up the outer web, for a short distance. There
is a very harrow Swhite colluren the back of the neck, and from
either side of the nape descends a dark umber brown pectoral
collar.

All these peculiarities combined ought to render this species,
if not new, easily identifiable; but to prevent any possibility of
mistakes, I append exact dimensions and descriptions taken from
the dry skin.

I may note that Dr. Jerdon believed that he obtained this
specimen in Burmah; but was not sure whether he got it on the
coast or inland.

Dimensions.—Length, 7:25 inches ; wing, 5:7 inches; tarsus,
1:85 inches; bare portion of tibia, 0°5 inches; bill at front, 0°82
inch; tail, 2°75 inches; first primary longest; second, 0°05,
third, 0°3, fourth, 0°75, fifth, 1-2 inches shorter than the first.

Description.—Lores, forehead, front of the head, and orb.tal
region rufous white (the specimen is a good deal shot about the
front of the head, and it is difficult to make out whether there
was or was not a dark line through the lores) ; the crown, occiput,
and nape, a dull earthy brown, paler and slightly tinged with
rufous on the front, darker posteriorly ; the whole of the lower
parts, except the pectoral collar, including sides, axillaries, wing
lining, and lower tail coverts, pure white. A very narrow white
collar at the base of the nape; immediately behind this from
either side of the back of the neck springs an umber, or dark
hair-brown half collar, which completely encircles the upper
part of the breast; this collar is not prolonged over the back
of the neck. The whole of the back, coverts, scapulars, and
tertiaries, and the central tail feathers are a nearly uniform-
dull pale brown; most of the feathers of the lesser coverts,
the shorter scapulars, and the upper tail coverts, narrowly
and inconspicuously margined with dull pale ferrugmous. The
primaries and secondaries are pale hair-brown; the winelet
and primary greater coverts being somewhat conspicuously
darker. The edge of the wing just below the carpal joint is
pure white. The last seven primaries, earlier secondaries, the
primary greater coverts, and the winglet narrowly margined
at the tips with pure white ; the greater secondary coverts rather
broadly tipped with white; the later secondaries with the en-

Falco Barbarus in India. 19

tire outer webs towards the tips, pure white. ‘The two central
tail feathers unicolorous with the back, the next on either side
similar, but albescent at the tip, and with an obscure dark
subterminal band; the other lateral feathers broadly tipped on
both webs with white, which tipping is succeeded by a broad
very dark hair-brown transverse band, which gradually pales
into the dull earthy brown of the whole basal portion of the
feather.. The external feather of all hasa very narrow white
margin to the outer web, and some more white on this latter
quite at the base of the feather. The bill at present appears
a sort of reddish brown ; legs and feet, pale yellow. It is impossi-
ble to guess what the original color may have been.

A. O. H.
Kalco Barbarus iw Andie.

~ Tur occurrence of this species, heretofore believed to be con-
fined to the Southern Mediterranean littoral, in India, is a matter .
of much interest ; and as it must now be included in the Indian
Avifauna, the following abstract of its synonymy will be useful to
Indian Ornithologists :

falco Barbarns, Zinn. The Barbary salcow.

Accipiter Falco tunetanus Briss Orn I, p. 343, (1763)
Falco Barbarus Linn Syst Nat p. 125, (1766)
Gmel 65 is p- 272, (1789)
Lath Ind Orn p. 33, (1790)
Syn Lp 02, Adel)
Gen Hist BI, p. 82 B, (1829)
» Alphanet Schl Tr. de Fauconnerie
, Punicus Levaill Jun Exp. Sci d’ Algérie.
Gennaja Barbarus Bonap Cat Ois d’Eur. et de PAlg.
Barbary Falcon Gentl. Recre p. 208, (1677)
Falco Pelegrinoides Temm PI. Col. 479.

All the synonymes but the last, I quote from Mr. Alfred
Newton, as given by Mr. Salvin (Jdzs, 1859, p. 188). As to
the identity of this species with Temminck’s Pelegrinoides, no
possible doubt exists in my mind. His description, which I
transcribe, agrees in the minutest particulars with both my birds.
He says “ the forehead presents a mixture of rufous and dull
white. This part of the head-is encircled by a black” (dark slaty
in mine,) “ horse-shoe-shaped band, of which the lateral branches

20 Falco Barbarus in India.

pass over the eyes, their extreme points joining in front of the

eyes, the moustachial stripes, which extend along the sides of
the neck. ‘he oeciput and nape are covered by a rufous half-
collar, marked with three black spots, of which the centre one
forms a band on the nape. The back and the wings are a
light bluish grey, with large spots and irregular bars of bluish
black.

“The tail which is a highter grey than the back, is barred
transversely with black bands, very narrow towards the bases
of the feathers, but widening ‘eradually towards their ends, the
tips of which are white.

“he chest is pure isabelline” (in mine, slightly rufous creamy.)
“The flanks, vent, and abdomen are of the same color; but the
feathers bear very narrow longitudinal striz and little triangular
black spots. The base of the beak is yellow, but the point blue.
The cere and the feet are beautiful yellow, and the orbital skin
orange. The male is about 14°3 inches (4e says a little more
than 13 French inches which are equal to 14°24 Enelish inches.)
The female not larger than the male / Peregrinus.”

I defy any one to write in as few words a more absolutely
accurate description of my birds than the preceding, except in
the one single point, that the horse-shoe in my bide is dark
siaty and not black. I can add nothing to the description. ‘The
nearly white chin, throat, and sides of neck, the spotless
rufescent creamy breast, the ‘tiny triangular spots of the abdo-
men, the huge, broad, rufous collar with the three dark spots,
and che small size serve to distinguish this species from every
other yet observed in India. The upper surface is as pale as a
very old Babylomceus, but the lower surface, which in this
latter species vrows darker as the bird grows older, is far paler
than in any adult Babylonicus I have yet seen, and I have
examined a good many. I have now two specimens, and both
are exactly alike, except as regards size. The male was pro-
eured early in 1872, by Dr. Stoliezka, in Cutch; the female was
shot by F. R. Blewitt, Esq., in the Nursingpoor district (Central
Provinees,) on the 16th December, 1869. None of us distin-
guished these birds—all of us set them down as very pale bady-
lonicus, and it was only when I came to compare them with
my specimens and others kindly lent for comparison of this latter
species, that I fully realized that they were distinct: then I
referred to the measurements and then Temminck’s figures and
Salvin’s in the /d7s (which latter is excellent, though in my birds
the bars on the sides have almost all become mere triangular
spots) occurred to me; and once on the right track, I soon saw
that there was no possibility of mistaking “the identity of this

On the breeding of Klanus Melanopterus. 21

beautiful, and for its size most powerful, little falcon. In both
specimens the sexes were ascertained and recorded by, I need
not say, careful observers. The female was measured in the
flesh, and I append her dimensions as well as a few of those of
the male taken from the dry skins. It will be seen that while
the wines agree well enough with Mr. Salvin’s measurements,
the fone bind as measured in the flesh was very considerably
longer than he estimated his from the dry skin.

Dimensions.—(Female killed on the 16th December, 1869,
Nursingpoor.) Length, 15°5 mehes; expanse, 36-4 inches ; wing,
11:4 inches ; tail, 6-4: inches ; tarsus, 1:3 inch; mid toe to root of
claw, 1°S inch; its claw straight, 0°7 meh; hind toe, 0:8 inch ;
its claw, 0°78 mech; inner toe, 1:1 inch; its claw, 0°68 inch ;
bill straight from edge of cere to point, 0°7 meh; from gape,
1-1 inch; width of gape, l‘linch; height at front at margin of
eere, 0°42 inch; length of cere, 0°3 inch; closed wings extend
1-9 inch beyond end of tail. Lower tail ceverts fall short of end
of tail by 1:25 inch; Ist quills, 0°35, 3rd quills, 0°5, 4th quill,
1-l inches shorter than 2nd, which is longest. Exterior tail
feathers, 0-4: inches, shorter than central ones. Weight, 1 Ib. 2 oz.

(Male lalled January, 1872, in Cutch.) Length, (actual of
skin, 12°75 inches, say in life about) 14 mches; wing, 10:8
inches ; tail, 5 inches; tarsus, 1-6 inches, actually feathered in
front for about 0°6 meh; mid toe to root of claw, 1°63 inch; Ist
primary, 0-3 meh; 2nd, 0°55, and 4th, 1°15 shorter than the
2nd, which is longest.

The ereat size of the feet of the male, as compared with the
size of the whole bird, is ver y conspicuous.

A. OF,

Ow the breeding of Glanus selanopterns.

Norutne accurate has, as far as I know, yet been published
about the breeding of the black-winged kite. Common as this
species 1s during the cold season in many parts of India, it has
hitherto cluded most of our Indian oologists.

The merit of taking the first nest of this species belongs to
my friend, Mr. I. Be Blewitt, to whom I owe more rare eggs
than to any one else in India. Mr. Blewitt’s extraordinary practical
knowledge of the habits of birds and his persevering observations
of them render it difficult for any species that breeds within
twenty miles of his station to escape him. Grauculus Macii, Volvo-
civora Melaschistos, Brachyurus Coronatus, and many others first,

22 On the breeding of Elanus Melanopterus.

I believe, yielded their eges to him of all our Indian oologists,
and the number of these latter is now legion.

Recently, Mr. Adam has also taken the nest, and I think that
all Indian ornithologists will read with interest the accounts
given by these two gentlemen of their successes.

Mr. Blewitt writes, “ This kite (Hlanus Melanopterus) evi-
dently breeds from, I should say, the middle of November to
January. I first.secured its eggs in the Sumbulpoor district on
the 20th December, while I obtained a pair of quite young half
fledged birds on the 11th January. The nests, including a newly
made one found empty, were placed on the forks of the upper
branches of low forest: trees about 18 to 20 feet from the ground,
In form they were cireular and composed of small sticks and
twigs somewhat compactly put together, with the ege cavity
about an inch deep, neatly lined with fine grass. There is no
doubt that this kite breeds in all those tracts in the Sumbulpoor
district that are sparsely wooded and extensively cultivated
with rice ; and probably as it is somewhat common there, this
may also be the case, in the Raipoor district. I take three to be
the normal number of the egvs. The young birds had become
very tame, when, unfortunately, one day the crows carried off the
male bird and so injured it, that it died a day or two after. The
female on losing her mate pined away and died a_ week after.
I had them about seven weeks. In these young kites, when I
got them, the iris was a dark brown, but when I lost them, light
hazel. From this fact, and other inspections of numerous speci-
mens from theimmature to the adult stage, lam certainly of
opinion that the iris is first of all dark brown, which gradually,
with age changes to the light hazel, then yellow, and lastly, to
the carbunele red of the full adult. I have never noticed the
alleged crepuseular habits of this bird.”

Mr. Adam says, “At the village of Kuchrodda, about six
miles south of the town of Sambhur, there is a large jheel
with a tope of khajur palms, (Phenia Sylvestris) on one side, and
straggling trees of this species all round.

“On the 19th July, 1872, near one of the solitary khajur trees,
I observed an Hlanus Melanopterus, and as this bird is rather
rare about the Sambhur Lake, I went in its direction, intend-
ing to kill it; but just as it rose from the ground, I saw it
was carrying a twig in its bill, and this it carried to. the top
of the khajur where I found it ‘had a nest nearly finished. Both
birds were employed taking twigs to the nest.

“On the 7th August, I sent a man to see if the nest con-
tained eggs, but he found it had been abandoned, and a new
nest.commenced on one of a group of six Lasora trees (Cordia,

_ On the breeding of Elanus Melanopterus. 23

myxa) which stood near to the khajur. He also informed me he
had seen the birds en coztu.

“7 inspected the nest on the 10th August, and found one of
the birds sitting on it. The nest was so loosely constructed that
with my binoculars I could see that it contained no eggs.

“1 again inspected the nest on the 14th August, and found
that it contained two eggs. One of the birds sat close on the
nest and would not be frightened off by a man_ beating on the
trunk of the tree with a stick, and this same bird made a swoop
at my servant as he was climbing the tree.

“The nest was situated on the very top of the Lasora tree, and
was from 25 to 30 feet from the ground. In shape it was cireu-
lar and with the exception of two or three pieces of sarpat grass
(Succharum sara) there was no attempt at lining. It was about
ten inches in diameter, and the egg cavity had a depression of
about two inches. The twigs of which the nest was composed
were of an uniform size throughout, and I could distinguish
twigs from the following plants which were growing close by;
viz., Jarberni, (Zizyphus nummuluria) ; Bunna, (Hdwardsia mollis) ;
Khep, (Crofolaria burhia) ; Jhoghru, (Lephrosia purpurea.) All
these twigs were very loosely and openly laced together.

“The eggs are without gloss, both have a light creamy white
ground of which, however, little is shewn. One had the broader
end all blotched over with confluent patches of deep rusty red,
while the smaller had numerous spots and freckles of a much
lighter brownish red. The other egg is of a darker and purer
blood-red, and the mass of confluent color is at the smaller end,
while the larger is very thickly blotched, streaked, and clouded
with darker and lighter shades of brownish red.”

The eggs which I owe to Mr. Blewitt are unlike those of any
other species of kite with which I am acquainted. In shape and
general appearance, they are more like minature Neophrons than
any other egg with which Iam acquainted. In shape they are short
broad ovals. The texture of the shell is somewhat chalky. The
ground color, so far as anything can be seen of it, is dull white,
but the whole ege is mottled, smeared, and clouded with a dull
brownish red which in some eggs is most intense at one end
where no portions of the ground color are left visible, while in
other eggs the same is the case with the other end; while in a
third type both ends and in fact the whole surface is pretty uni-
formly mottled all over, leaving scarcely any portion of the —
ground color visible. When held up against the hight the shell
is a pale sea-green: it has little or no gloss. These eggs do not
correspond at all with Mr. Bree’s figures. They are much smaller
and much more highly colored. There is no mistake, however,

24 On the breeding of Hlanus Melanopterus.

about the authenticity of these egos, I feel sure, for Mr. Adam’s
eggs are of precisely the same type, although one of them shews
a “good deel of the ground color (only slightly freckled and
mottled with br oni hined ,) at the small end.

All the eggs are nearly the same size: ay vary from 1:42 to
1°52 inches in length, and from 1:16 to 1:25 inches in breadth ;
but the average is 1:48 by 1:2 inches.

The question arises do these birds breed twice a year or is the
difference in season at which Messrs. Blewitt and Adam _ ob-
tained the eves, due to differences of climate and locality.

The Sambhur Lake is situated im the bare sandy portion of
Rajpootana, which a hundred miles further west merges in the
great desert. The rain fall at Samblur is, perhaps, on the aver-
age about ten inches. Sumbulpoor is in the east on the banks
of the Mahanuddy, a country of rice swamps, forest, and jungle
where the rain-fall is fully five times as ereat as at Sambhur,
and it seems at least most probable, therefore, that these differ-
ences in season are due to climatie influences.

Mr. R. Thompson (vide page 339, Rough Notes,) informed me
that in Lower Gurhwal and the Dehra Dhoon, “ they breed from
ae to June, choosing low trees, usually one standing’ by itself

n (for those localities) sparsely v wooded spots to build on. The
figs is circular, not unlike that of Corvus Culmenatus, composed
of small sticks and twigs and lined with fine grass roots and
fibres. This species is ” sparingly found alone: the foot of the
Himalayas. It does not enter valleys unless, as in the ease of the
Patlee and Dehra Dhoons, they happen to be pretty open.” Writ-
ing later from the Central Provinces he suys, “ In the Central
Provinces, the breeding season is from December to January ; the
nest is placed upon small trees from 15 to 20 feet fromthe
ground. Itis cireular like a crow’s nest, of about. the same size
and composed of the same materials. I have now found two un-

finished nests of this bird. The first was in the Saugor district,
on the banks of a smal]l nullah, ina _ pretty open bit of country
yet sufficiently wooded to keep the place moist and damp. This
nest was found on the 17th November, 1869. The second one
was found in the Seoni plateau, on the 6th Januar y, 1870, was
placed on a small Boswellia thurifera tree, on the edge of a deep
ravine. The male bird was observed rising from ‘the ground
earrying a twig in his bill and gomg directly into the tree. This
facet led to the finding of the nest vaired was nearly complete.
In the valleys of the “Meikle range, in the winter of 1869-70, I
frequently met with this kite and broods of young ones, and
even saw their nests, but have not been fortunate cnough to find
the ege's.”.

On the breeding of Elanus, Melanopterus. 25

The egos are figured by. Bree from specimens which Mr.
Tristram obtained in Algeria, where the bird itself appears to be
rare. In Kurope, it would not seem to breed, though it is said
to be a regular visitant to Greece and to occur as a_ strageler
throughout the south of Hurope. According to the figures, the
eges measure 1°75 by 1:38 inches and 1°66 by 1°39 inches. The
one has a bluish, the other adult creamy-white, ground. Both are
somewhat sparingly streaked and blotched with a pale yellowish
brown, and one exhibits besides a few deep brownish red blotches.

Mr. Tristram remarks, that “ these eggs are interesting as
corroborating by their character the position of the species be-
tween Astur and Luteo.

To, me these ege's of ours do not appear to have the slichtest
affinity for those of either <Astwr or Buteo. They are much more
like kestrel’s and still more, as already observed, like miniature
Neophrons. In Egypt the birds clearly lay eggs like ours, and
not like those from Algeria. Mr. Shelly, who took a nest there,
remarks, (47s, 1870, page 149.) “ Onthe 28th of March, having
seen a bird flying alone a row of these trees, we walked up to
the spot, and presently heard the ery of its mate which we
thus discovered sitting on its nest placed at the top of a young
Mimosa, about twenty feet from the ground. The nest contained
four eggs, about the size of a kestrel’s, and varying considerably
in color, some being as dark as kestrel’s eves, while others shew
much of the dark ground between the blotches.”

And again, speaking of another nest, /oc. cit., he says, “ On
the 30th March, at Boosh, we found another nest of this bird,
situated on the end ofa bough at the top of a high Mimosa.
Owing to the difficulty in reaching it, we unfortunately broke
the four eggs it contained. They were hard-set, but in colour
exactly resembled the nestful we brought back from Egypt.”

I can scarcely believe that Mr. Tristram’s eggs really belonged
to this species. They are so very much larger, ' and so entirely
differently coloured, to those obtained both in India and Egypt ;
at the same time itis only right to note that Ineut. Burgess
(Pro. Zool. Soe. 1854, page 3,.the only Indian observer who
has, so far as I have been able to ascertam, made any record
of the nidification of this species) remarks: “ But A. F.

- Davidson, Esq., of the Revenue Survey, a great sportsman and
accurate observer of birds, told me, that he obtained a young
bird of this species and two eggs. The eggs were of a pure white
colour, and about as large as the ege of the Indian blue pigeon.

‘They were laid during the month of. December.”

Le Vaillant again tells us, that it lays four or five white eggs.
Soitis within the vlimits ef possibility that the eggs of this

D

26 The Wagtarts of India.

species do vary from white to deep blood-red, and from the size
ef a Pigeon to that of a Peregrine ; du¢ it will require a good
deal of further evidence to convince me of the fact.

A. O. H.

Ghe Cagtails of Andia, No. 1.

THERE 1s certainly no group of birds that 1s mere troublesome
er perplexing than the wagtails, and though I cannot pretend
- to have solved all the difficulties in regard to our Indian mem-
bers of the group, I hope to be able to furnish a few notes that
may facilitate their ultimate solution.

In the present paper I propose to confine my remarks to the
grey and black wagtails of whieh JZ Adda, Linn, and J. Farrelii,
Gould, may be taken as types.

Setting aside Motavilla Madraspatana, the large size (length
en the average, 9 inches; wing, 4 inches or nearly so,) and well
defined plumage of which renders it always easy of identifica-
tion, there remain five species which have been admitted by Mr.
Blyth into our Indian Avifauna. In two of these, in their breed-
ing plumage at any rate, the whele back is black, namely
Mu. Luzoniensts, Seopoli, and Hodgson, G. R. Gray ; while in
the other three, the backs remain at all seasons grey ; namely
M. Personata, Gould, M. Dukhuneusis, Sykes, and M. Alba,
Linneus. A

Besides M. Lnzonrensis and Hodgson, Mr. Gray admits a
third eastern species JZ Japonica, Swinhee, figured by Schlegel
in the Fauna Japonica, as IZ. Lugens.

All these three black-backed races are somewhat larger than
the grey-backed ones with which we shall have to deal hereafter,
the wings in the males varying apparently from 3:7. to 3°9 in-
ehes, while in the same sex in d/ba and Dukhunensis, they averave
from 3:4 to 3°6 inches, and in Personata from 3:5 te 3:7 inches,
only in one specimen out of fifty extending to 3:75 inches. The
bills also in the eastern black-backed races are as a rule con-
spicueusly longer.

Mr. Sehlegel, if I understand him correctly, considers all these
three eastern black-backed races to be one and the same species,
and he further unites with them Mf. Lugubris, Pallas, (figured by
Gould, birds of Europe, pl. 142,) which has a partly grey back,
as one stage of the winter plumage of this same species.

In regard to Lugubris, 1 am not in a position to offer any
useful opinion; but I have every reason to believe that
Luzoniensis, Hodgsont, and Japonica are only different stages

The Wagtails of India. 27

of the summer plumage of the same species. Briefly, the dif-
ferences of these three forms may be thus deseribed: in Luzonz-
ensis, the whole of the front of the head as far back as the
erown, lores, and the whole of the face, sides of the neck, chin
and threat are pure white; occiput, nape, mantle, and a broad
band on the breast are black; in Hodgsouz, only the front of the
head, lores, orbital region, and ear-eoverts, ehin, and upper
portion of the threat are white; the whole of the rest of the
sides of the neck and throat have become unbroken black, joined
into the breast band, and from the gape, a narrow black line
runs below the orbital region and ear-coverts, dividing these
from the white of the chin and upper throat and joming into
the black of the sides of the neck; the major portion of-the
visible parts of the wing ecoverts of Luzoniensis are white, and
the quills, too, are margined with white; the secondaries more
broadly towards their tips; in JZodgsont, there is even more-
white upon the wing.

There can, I think, be no doubt, that Hodgson? is only a some-
what more advanced stage than Luzoniensis, and 1 may notice
that both forms are beautifully figured in Mr. Hodgson’s drawings
now before me, and that he recognized their indentity, assign-
mg to both the name of Aldotodes. When we turn to Lugens as
figured by Schlegel, Fauna Japoniea, the lores, the whole of the
space below the eye, and: the eye coverts have become blaek ; the
frontal patch only extends backwards as far as the front of the
“eye over whieh it extends: asa supercilium; the white of the
chin is still farther contracted than in Hodgsoni, and there is, if
possible, even more white on the wing than in this latter species ;
this. is a still nearer approach to the fall breeding plumage.

The full breeding plumage has never, I believe, been yet de-
-seribed. I have had specimens, typical of each of the three forms
above described, obtained in the Himalayas, at different times
of the year, between April and September; but specimens killed
at the end of May and early in June, shew what the full
breeding plumage is; namely the whole chin, throat, and top
of the head, with the mantle, sides of the neck, and back pure
velvet black; and the white, which im each preceding stage
was gradually diminishing, now reduced toa somewhat narrow
frontal band, continued as a superciliary stripe over the eye
and backwards over the ear-coverts. If any one insists upon .
making 2 fourth species out of this full breeding stage, he
may call it Superciliaris ; but I do not myself doubt that one
and all are stages of the same species. J should mention
that in the final stage the closed wing looks almost entirely
white.

28 The Wagtadls of India.

The well-marked black moustachial line which has been
considered the distinguishing character of Hodgsonz is clearly
merely a stage of plumage. Exactly the same characteristic hne .
is met with in Personata, about Mareh, when the black of the
breast begins to creep up the upper part of the throat to the
chin; and this moustachial stripe shews itself again in Septem-
ber, when the chin has become white and the throat has begun
to exhibit snowy speckles; m faet both in Luzonzensis, Seop.,
(which is, I suppose, the name that must stand founded on plate
29 of Sonnerat’s Voyage 4 la Nouvelle Guinée) and Personata,
in both of which I have shewn that the chin and throat become
ultimately quite black, it is the feathers along this so-called
moustachial line which first, (as compared with those of the
immediately contiguous parts) assume, and latest divest them-
selves of, the black tint:

Tn the br eeding plumage the female of Luzonienszs differs only
in its smaller size, and the somewhat browner black of the back,
somewhat as may be observed in the breeding plumage of the
two sexes of Madraspatana.

Of the cold weather plumage of this species, I cannot speak
with any great certainty, and on this pomt further careful obser-
vations are I think necessary. I have as yet obtained but few
specimens showing the transition from the grey of the winter
to the black of the summer plumage and vice versa ; but at the
same time there is no doubt of the facet, and it would be very
interesting to trace the changes in plumage from October to
March, as I have endeavoured to trace those from April to Sep-
tember. It may be that Lugudris, as supposed by Schlegel, isa '
cold weather form of Luzonzensis, but the ‘distribution of the black —
and white in the former species hardly looks to me eompatible
with this supposition.

Of the grey-backed species I may premise that I myself have
never been satisfied that Duihuneusis really deserves specifie separ-
ation from dAdba, any more than I am satisfied that Pratincola
Indica and Pratincola Rubicola require distinct specific appellations.
The two forms so closely resemble each other, that all that I
shall have to say about the one will, I believe, be equally appli-
cable to the other. Certainly there is no constant difference
_ In size in the two species. I have five male d/éa before me from
different places on the Continent, the wings of which vary from
3-4 to 3-6 inches ; and I have forty specimens of Dukhunensis
about half of which are male, and in this latter sex the wings in
this race also vary from 3°4 to 3°6 inches; in length of bill, oe
and tail, a certain amount of difference “is vobservalile amongst
individuals of both races but none between the two as a body.

The Wagtarls of India. 29

There remain first the coloration of the back, second the
amount of white on the wing. Undoubtedly, taken as a body, the
backs in Adda ave a darker, and those of Dushunensis, a paler
grey ; and again taken as a body the coverts, secondaries, and
tertiaries in Dukhunensis are much more conspicuously and
broadly margined with white than in d/da.> But, per contra,
I have first a typical d/da absolutely identical in every respect
with the European specimens. ‘This is from Bhawulpoor, and
is the only unmistakable 4/da which I have yet seen in India ;
secondly, I have several Duhkhunensis with the characteristic
whiter wing, the backs of which are as dark as in any Alba
vera; and thirdly, others with the light backs ebaracteristic of
Dukhunensis ; but with no more white on the wing than in
Alba. Under these circumstances it must, I think, remain an
open question whether we ought to consider Dukhunensis a dis-
tinct species or merely a local race. I myself retain the name
for convenience, but greatly doubt the value of the distinction,
and having explained wherein the typical A/da differs from the
typical Dukhunensis, shall say nothing further of Alba, but
confine myself to Dukhunensis and Personata.

All my -black-back wagtails have been exclusively procured
in the Himalayas, from Cashmere to Sikhim. Dushunensis and
Personata on the other. hand are widely distributed throughout
-the plains of India. My specimens of Dushunensis are from various
localities in Sindh, Jodhpoor, Bhawulpoor, Dehra Ghazi Khan,.
Lahore, Sirsa, Ferozepore, Rohtuck, Goorgaon, Simla, Saharun-.
poor, Etawah, Jhansie, Saugor, Chumparun, Sarun, and Dacca..
_ Personata 1 have from Murdan, Cashmere, Lahore, Goorgaon,
Simla, Kotegurh, Saharunpoor, Kumaon, and Etawah; and I
have seen specimens of doth I believe from almost every locahty
in the Punjab, the North-West Provinces, Oudh, and the Cen-
tral Provinces, and of Dukhunensis from at least a dozen loca-
lities in Bengal. ;

In full breeding plumage, these two species are very readily
distinguishable. Dukhunensis then has the whole front of the
head, lores, orbital region, cheeks, ear-coverts, and a stripe down
the side of the neck pure white. The posterior half of the crown,
occiput, and nape, the chin, throat, and breast pure black. In
Personata, on the other hand, the white is confined to a broad
frontal band extending as far as the front of the eye, and stretch-
ing as a narrow supercilium backwards over the eye and part
of the ear-coverts. Again in Personata, the whole visible por-
tions of the wing coverts of the closed wing are pure white,
whereas in Dukhunensis they are brown, broadly edged, it is true,
with white, but not ‘sufficiently so to enable the edgings to

50 The Wagtaits of India.

conceal entirely (as they do in Personata\, the brown portions of
the feathers.

In the breeding plumage the males and females of Per sonata
are undistinguishable, except that in the males the wings vary
from 3°6 to 3:7 inches, while in the females they seem to vary
from 3:4 to 3°55 inches. As regards Dukhunensis, the same
may be the case; but it is curious that I have no female
Dukhunensis of my own collecting, or of which the sex has
been authenticated by a really careful and reliable observer, in
the same full breeding plumage as the males. In dba the
female has always much less black upon the occiput, and the
chin and throat are a duller and browner black, and the same
difference somewhat exaggerated may exist in the race we de-
signate Dukhunensis.

“In winter, both Personata and Dukhunensis entirely lose in
both sexes the black of the head, whieh is replaced in the male
by a dark, in the female, by a lighter grey.

The black of the chin, throat, and breast is reduced in Duk-
~ hunensis to a moderately broad, more or less crescentie pectoral
band, with two ill-defined broken blackish stripes running up
the sides of the neck as it were from the points of the er escent,
which stripes, never I think entirely disappear, though in some
specimens they become nearly obsolete ; the broad white frontal
band remains unchanged in width or nearly so in the adult male,
though its color is less pure; but in the female, it is greatly
diminished in width so as in some specimens to become almost .
obsolete, while im all specimens it is more or less overlaid with
sordid grey

In Per sonata, on the other hand, the whole pore abways re- |
mains, black, and though the ehin and upper part of the throat
-are white, the lower part of the throat is still more or less
speckled with black. In the perfect winter plumage of both species
the amount of the black on the breast, sides of the neek, and
throat at once serve to distinguish the two species, but speci-
mens of Dukhunenses changing into winter plumage often (so
far as the amount of black on the throat and breast is eoneern-
ed) exactly resemble the perfect winter plumage of Personata,
and the only ready and unfaihng diagnosis of the two species’
is that ia both sexes, and at all seasons, the ear-coverts and whole
aural region are im Personata black, blackish or dark grey ; in
Dukhunensis, pure white or greyish or sordid white. Vhis mark-
ed difference coupled with the conspicuously greater amount
of white on the wings of Personata as compared with those of
Dukhunensis ought to render. the separation of any specimens
of the two species comparatively easy.

4

Phenicopterus Minor. 31
‘I shall only add that I shall be very much obliged by the

- receipt of grey and black wagtails from all parts of the

country, provided only that the sex, date, and docality are care-
fully noted for each specimen ; unless the two former parti-
culars, at any rate, are given, the specimen would be of little
real use.

Aa OE

Dhenicopterus Minor. Geof. St. Hil.

P. Minor Geoff. St. Hil: Bull, Soc: Philom, 11, p. 97. P. Parvus,
Vieitl: Anal, p. 69, pl. col. 419 ; Gal. des. Ois b. 273. P. Minor,
Jerd. Cat. No. 374. P. Rubidus, Balee. Ibis, 1868, p. 496.

Tr is some years now since I first obtained from the Delhi Mu-

~seum, a specimen of a smail and specially rosy flamingo, the shape
of whose bill (the upper mandible of which when closed sank
almost entirely within the lower mandible,) indicated it as un-

doubtedly specifically distinct from our larger Indian bird. Dr.
Jerdon and myself both carefully examined this bird, compared
it with the Pl. col., and with descriptions in other works, and
came to the conclusion that it was Phenicopterus Minor. A
year later Captain Fielden obtained three small brilliantly rosy
flamingoes, at Secunderabad, and described them under the speci-
fic name of Rwbidus, in the Jézs for 1868. His birds were shot
in July. My bird, which was obtained in January, was one of six
brought in by native fowlers, who professed to have captured
them on the Sambhur Lake.

In the Jézs for 1869, p. 440, Mr. G. R. Gray added the
weight of his great authority to the distinctness of Captain
Fielden’s new species Radidus. He published at the same time
drawings of the head and bill of all the known species of flamin-
goes, and while separating Rubzdus and Minor as belonging to
the same sub-genus. which he called Pheniconaias, he thus
indicated ue difference between the two supposed species.

“Vig. 3, (Rubidus,) differs from Fig. 8, (Minor,) by the pos-
terior margin of the lower mandible being very narrow and
then slichtly curved to the lower surface, thus giving’ an appea r
ance of angulation. Fig. 8, (A/imor,) has on the other hand —
the posterior margin of the lower mandible obliquely straight
and broad te the surface beneath ; the lateral edge of the lower
mandible has a prominent longitudinal channel on the basal
half, from which spring several less prominent ramifications that
proceed upwards to the lateral margin.”.

32 Phenicopterus Minor.

These remarks and the accompanying figures considerably
puzzled me, because my specimen was clearly Minor ; the plum-
age moreover was by no means so brilliant as was described by
Captain Fielden, the breast especially beg simply a delicate
pale rose color, entirely devoid of the dark red pmk mottling
deseribed by him.

The only conclusion I could come to was that both Minor and
Rubidus occurred in India. I however shewed the bird to Mr.
R. M. Adam who is in charge of the Sambhur Lake, and owing
to his kindness, I am now in a posi‘ion to solve the mystery.

The facts are simply these: P. Minor is the male, P. Rubidus,
the female; my bird was in the cold weather, while Captain
Fielden’s specimens were in the full breeding plumage.

The following note by Mr. Adam onthe occurrence of this
species at our Indian “Great Salt Lake,” Sambhur, will, I feel
sure, be read with great interest :

“Although I have constantly been on the watch for the small
red Indian flaminge, similar to one shewnme in Mr. Hume’s
Collection, and have constantly scrutinized the immense flocks
of flamingoes which for the greater part of the year frequent the
Sambhur Lake, my endeavours were entirely unsuccessful until
the 25th of January, 1872. On that date I obtained a very good
specimen and on the 29th, I procured another, but this was
too badly mauled to be preserved. On the 24th of Febru-
ary, when examining the salt-works, well out into the bed of
the lake, I saw another specimen amongst a flock of
P. Roseus, but it was far out of shot. However, before the
close of the month, two more specimens were shot for me.
In the month of March and begining of April, no effort

was spared to obtain more specimens; but although flocks vary-.

ing in number from 100 to 300 of the species were observed,
they kept too far out into the bed of the lake for any one to get
at them. I may here note that the brilliant rosy plumage of the
bird, to say nothing of the smaller size, made it quite easily dis-
tinguishable with a pair of binoculars from P. Roseus. To-
wards the middle and end of April, all the flamingoes, large and
small, left the lake; but about the beginning of May several
pretty large flocks, consisting solely of the smaller species made
their appearance. I carefully examined one or two of these
flocks with my binoculars, but failed to distinguish a single
specimen of P. Roseus amongst them. On the 20th of May,
three specimens were caught by Customs peons, near the edge of
the lake. Their lees and feet were much swollen and _ blistered
and they could not fly. As the lake-bed at this time contained
only a concentrated solution of brine, and the thermometer

Phenicopterus Minor. 33

ranged in the shade from 100 to 108 degrees, it is somewhat
difficult to magine what tempted them to remain in the lake-
bed during the fierce heat of the sun, and what they found to
eat there. The stomachs of six of those which I examined were
filled with brownish sand mixed witha greenish watery sub-
stance. I could discover no traces of animal or vegetable life
mixed with the contents of the stomachs. From the 2lst to
the 23rd of May, we had several severe storms accompanied by
rain, and for a day or two after this, I observed large flocks of
these birds flying about the lake. They again disappeared, but
on the 13th of June, Iobserved four of them flying overhead, and
the last time I observed them was on the 2nd of July, when I
saw only one fly overhead. Itis somewhat remarkable that none
of these birds frequented the freshwater ponds or tanks which
exist in the neighbourhood of the lake. All these were care-
fully watched, but no birds ever visited them. Altogether seven
specimens of the bird were obtained, of which four were males.
The dimensions of the six birds which were measured varied a
good deal, as will be seen from the subjoined figures.

« Dimensions.—Male; length, 33 to 34 inches ; tail from vent,
4-5 to 4°75 inches; expanse, 52 to 56°25inches; wing, 13:5
to 18°75 inches; bill from gape to point straight, 3°5 to 3°6
inches ; tarsus, 8°5 to 9°25 inches.

“ Female; length, 30°25 to 30:5 inches ; tail from vent, 4 to 4°5
inches ; expanse, 50 to 52 inches; wing, 12°5 to 12°6 inches; bill
from gape straight, 3:1 to 3:6 inches; tarsus, 7 to 8-4 inches.”

The first thing that strikes one is when and where do these
birds breed. The first bird which I obtained, was caught late in
December, or early in January. Mr. Adam saw specimens at
the end of January, in February, March, April, May, June, and
July, and Captain Fielden procured his specimens in July. They
occur, as I have ascertained, in Goojerat and in Sindh during the
early part of the hot weather, but only as stragglers. They are
well known, however, to the fishermen. During my visit to Sindh
I saw countless multitudes of Flamigoes, but only of tae larger
species, but the boatmen themselves volunteered the information
that a much smaller bright-red bird of the same kind was seen
occasionally in the hot weather. In the Nujjufgurh Jheel, near
Delhi, my friend, Mr. Robert Blewitt, informs me that he has
occasionally seen a single specimen in the spring. Lastly, I
know of asingle specimen having been killed in April out of a.
huge flock of the common ones in a salt lake in the salt range
which lies between the Jhelum and the Indus, in the North-
West Punjab. It would seem, therefore, that the birds remain
with us from January to July; and my impression is, from the

E

34 Phenicopterus Minor.

extreme brillianey of the plumage in July, and from other signs
noticed on dissection by Mr. Adam, that they must breed in —
August. They do not, I think, breed in this country, certainly, I
think I may say, neither in the Punjab, Rajpootana, or Sindh, and
they have never yet been observed at all in either Oude, Bengal,
the North-West, or Central Provinces, but it is still possible that
they may breed in some of the salt lagoons, along the Western
Coast, though my own conviction is that they nest in Africa.

What induces large flocks of these birds to visitthe Sambhur
Lake, which contains, as far as I have ever been able to discover,
neither vegetable nor animal life (excepting one species of animal-
culi,) and more especially at a season when the brine isa _ tho-
roughly saturated solution, coating a stick dipped into it for a
minute even with fine crystals of salt, is certainly a mystery.
All through the cold season, and wellinto the beginning of the
hot weather, this lake is thronged with the large flamingoes,
waders, ducks, and gulls, (which latter fly off every morning .
about 9 o’clock, to drink ata small adjoining piece of fresh
water,) which apparently feed on these animaleuli; but when
the brine reaches a certain stage of concentration, these give out
their eves and die, and then the lake is entirely deserted, except,
as 1t would now appear, by P. Minor. The strangest thing of
all perhaps is that they should remain there to burn and bruise
their legs in the way described by Mr. Adam. It is curious, by
the way, how often one shoots flamingoes with ulcerated, blister-
ed, and sore lees, I remember that one bright genius (though
I forget who he was) gravely asserted in print that this was
due to the birds sitting on their nests with their legs hanging
down in the water, and the barnacles attaching themselves to
the same; but I confess I have never yet seen any satisfactory
explanation of the fact.

To return to P.. Minor. In winter plumage the head, neck,
and the whole body abeve and below isa delicate pale rose color ;
on the back little more than white, tinged with rosy ; the scapu-
lars are almost white, with a pale rosy streak down the centre;
the quills are black except the tertials which are like the scapu-
lars, but shghtly pinker; the wing coverts are pale rosy white,
all the lesser and median, broadly centred at the tip, with a
bright rather pale cerise, and the legs and feet are a bright rose
pink. In the breeding season, the rosy tint 1s very much. bright-
er, the throat is drig ight rose colon, each of the feathers of “the
breast is br oadly centred towards the tip with bright cerise.
The feathers of the upper portion of the back are many of them
similarly centred, and over the broad rosy white scapulars, a num-
ber of comparatively narrow, elongated, intensely cherry-colored

A new ? Polyplectron. 35

plumes (which reach as far down as the end of the closed wing)
have been thrown out; the whole visible portion vf the. secon-
dary, lesser, and median coverts have become the most brilliant
cherry color, with only narrow white tips; and the lower tail
coverts, flanks, and vent feathers are bright rosy, tinged with
cherry color, the legs and feet too have become a deep but. bril-
liant red; as for the bill, the basal portion is a deep vinous red,
the tip blaek, and the intermediate portion bright crimson lake.
In the cold weather, the bill I should mention is similar, but
duller colored, the irides have not been noted, but Captain Fielden
Tsee describes them as golden yellow, surrounded by an outer
ring of orange scarlet.

T have owed at different times a good many hundred birds and
eges and much useful information to my friend Mr. Adam ; but
no more beautiful or valuable contribution than the six fine
specimens of P. Minor, which he has added tomy museum.

When on the subject of flamingoes, I may mention that
some authors have considered our large Indian flamingoes a
variety of the European P. Antiquorum, Temm. chiefly on
account of slight differences in the shape of the bill. Mr. Gray
loc. cit., figures bills both of tie European species and the
supposed Indian variety ; and remarks, “ Fig. 2 represents the bill
of a very old Indian example, which is considered to be a variety
of the former, (P. Antiquorum) but there are several slight
differences in it. For instance, the angulation beneath the lower
mandible appears stronger and its tip appears less swollen. A
young specimen in the British Museum, from the Cape of Good
Hope, has the bill of a very similar form, so much so, that I am
induced te consider it the same as the Mediterranean species.”
Perhaps, Mediterranean is here a /apsws penne, for Indian, but be
this as it may, my present conviction is that the bill he fizures
as the Indian variety is characteristic of the female. My grcunds
for this belief are first that all my Indian males have bills
exactly corresponding with his figure of Antiquorum, while the
females have the bill supposed to be characteristic of the Indian
variety ; and second, that the only European specimen I possess, a
female, from Mr. Howard Saunders, Coto del Reg. 18-4-69,
exhibits precisely the shape of bill figured by Mr. Gray, as that
of a very old Indian example.

AOE

A new ? Polvplectrow.

I wave been shown some of the tail feathers of a Polyplectron,
obtained in the Looshaie country, which I cannot identify as

36 Otocoris Hlwesi.

pertaining to either the Asamese and Bhotan species, Chinquis,
Tem (apud Blyth, Gould, Sclater) or the Malayan Bicalcara-
tum, Linn. In the former species the freckling spots are greyish
white on a greyish brown ground, in the latter they are hair-
brown on a buff ground, and much larger than in the former.
In the tail feathers before me they are about the same size as in
Chinguis, but less closely set, and are pale buff on a hair-brown
ground. The bird appears to have been smaller than either
species. The eyes of the central tail feathers are elongated
ovals (considerably narrower than in Chimguis) the major axis
being parallel to the shaft. They are emerald green. In one
of the lateral feathers, they are green, but with a purple reflection
in certain leghts.

Chinguis apud Blyth, &c., I believe also occurs in the coun-
try traversed by the Expedition, at any rate I have been shown
a specimen said to have been procured in it, but these feathers
will not at all agree with those of any of my specimens, from
the Bhotan Dooars.

If really new, I would call the bird “ zwtermedius,’ which it
appears to be both as regards locality and to a certain extent
in character of plumage between the two common species now
known as Bicatcaratum and Chinguis; but my own conviction
is that the bird to which these feathers belonged was the real
Chinguis of Temminck, with whose plate in the pl. col. (539)
they correspond exactly, and that the bird now commonly
known as Chinguis must stand either as Thibetanus, of Briss.
Linn. et Gmel., or, if the application of this name be too doubt-
ful, as Aldo-Ocellatum Cuv.

A. O. H.

Otocovis Elwesi. Blanford.

In Mr. Blanford’s Zoology of Sikhim, page 62 of the Asiatic
Society’s Journal for 1872, a supposed new species Otocoris
Hlwesi is described. I told Captain Elwes, soon after his return
from Sikhim, that this supposed species was merely one of the
forms assumed by Otocoris Longirostris, and I subsequently men-
tioned the fact, 7m epist.,to Mr. Blanford. I do not know
whether Mr. Blanford is yet convinced of the fact ; but I cannot
doubt that he would be so, were he able to compare his speci-
men with a large series of Longirostris from different portions of
the hills, and I think it may save trouble and confusion here-
after to put distinctly on record my conviction that O. Elwesz,

Otocoris Elwesi. 87

Blanford, must be relegated to the limbo of synonyms. My
series of these birds is extensive. I have first Captain Elwes’s
specimen, one of the supposed 0. H/wes: from the Kangra Lama
Sikhim, and this I have compared with specimens from the
northern portion of Cashmere, the Sutledge Valley beyond
Chini, Ladak, the head of the Pangong Lake, Sanksu, the Khoosh
Maidan, and the Valley of the Karakash.

_I find that not one single one of the distinctions pointed out
between Hiwest and Longzrostris are reliable. First, shorter bill.
The length of the billin this species varies very greatly, first
according to sex, and secondly, I think according to age. My
largest Longirostris has a bill measured from forehead to tip a
little exceeding 0°6 inch ; my smallest, a female from Ladak, has
the bill thus measured only 0°36 inch. The Kangra Lama speci-
men has the bill thus measured 0:4 inch, and I have two speci-
mens, one from the head of the Pangong Lake, and the other
from Sanksu, which not only exactly correspond in length of bill,
but in all other essentials with the Kangra Lama specimens.

Second.—As to the legs being black instead of brown. This
difference appears to be seasonal. A female killed in June in the
Upper Sutledge Valley, and another killed in August 3rd, in the
Karakash Valley, have the legs quite brown. A male killed in
Cashmere, in the autumn, has them black, and so have all the
October birds. So it is no wonder that the Kangra Lama bird,
Tulled on the 4th October, should have them black, the fact
being that between June and the end of September they appear
to vary from fleshy brown to almost black.

Third.—The paler tints of the upper plumage and the purer
white of the lower parts. These are entirely matters of age, sex,
and season, and the Kangra Lama bird is not even quite as pale
above or as pure a white below, as some of the Ladak birds.

fourth.—Specimens of O. Longirostris in the Indian Museum
are said to have no black frontal band at the base of the bill,
while the black of the crown is not distinctly defined, but passes
into the brown of the nape. This is equally true of some of my
specimens ; but then some again of my specimens have the
black frontal band broad and well marked, and the black of the
crown well defined, in fact much better defined than in Captain
Elwes’s specimen. I cannot exactly explain the changes, but it
is quite clear from examining a series that the bird passes gradu-
ally from ano black-frontal band to a broad black-frontal band
stage, and the Kangra Lama specimen that I possess is only
half way between these two extremes.

Wolt’s figure of this species in the Pro. Zol. Soc. 1855, p.
215, is in the intermediate stage, with the black frontal band

38 The Skylarks of India.

just beginning to appear, and it is in the somewhat darker stage
often observable; in other respects it is pretty correct, and
corresponds exactly with some specimens I possess. It was pro-
bably killed, I should say, in July, as the yellow at the base of
the bill so prominently shewn in the drawing, disappears in the
autumn, and as it does so, the black frontal band developes, and
the legs turn from brown to black.

This species is so excessively variable in size and appearance,
that without a good series to examine, it is difficult to under-
stand it. The biggest birds are nearly 9 inches in length; the
smallest, less than 7 inches; the wings vary from 4°25 to
5°25 inches; the variation of the bills I have already noted,
while the hind claw varies from 0°3 to very nearly 0°6
inch; but big and little birds come from all localities and
intermediate sizes occur, so that for my part I entertain no sort
of doubt that, despite variation in size and plumage, all are re-
ferable to one and the same species, which peoples, at any rate
from Afghanistan to Bhutan, all the dreary Himalayan wastes
lying between 12,000 and 17,000 feet in height, whenever and
wherever a little moss and a trickling stream is to be found.
I may here note that Mr. Blyth was mistaken (Jé7s, 1867,
_ p. 47,) in saying that he had received two pairs of this species
from Dr. Jerdon, procured in the desert country north-west of
Delhi. This species never descends any where near the plains,
and Dr. Jerdon’s specimens, of which he gave me one, which I

still have, were obtained high up in Cashmere.

AM Ola:

The Skplarks of Andia,

Our Indian Skylarks appear to me to deserve more careful
study than has yet been apparently bestowed upon them. Most
of all, a really large collection of specimens made in all parts of
- India, with the sexes and dates on which they were procured duly
recorded, is a desideratum ; and I should feel very much obliged to
any of my numerous correspondents who would, during the next
year, endeavour to procure me good series in their immediate
neighbourhood. Until two or three hundred specimens are ©
brought together in one museum, and carefully collated, I think
it will be impossible to come to any certain conclusions in regard.
to this group. At present, so far as my own limited collection en-
ables me to judge, L am disposed to believe that we have only _
two good species. . ay

j

The Skylarks of India. 39

These two species I should at present identify as Alanda
Arvensis, Linneus, and Alauda Malabarica, Scop.

Our specimens ‘of Alauda Arvensis do not belong precisely to
the race to which we Englishmen usually allot the name of
Arvensis. On the contrary, the wing is slightly smaller, the hind
claw and tarsus as well as the bill slightly shorter, and ‘the lores
and the fore-part of the face are a somewhat purer white. At
least such is the case with my specimens. This species, so far as
my observations go, occurs only in the Himalayas and as a winter
visitant to the plains of the North-Western Punjab. It would ap-
pear to correspond closely, if not exactly, with that race of the
HKuropean skylark which Pastor Brehm separated as Alauda Agres-

tis. This too jis the bird which Hodgson designated Dudcivox, and

here I may note thatitisa great mistake to identify his Dulcivoxr
with either Zridorhyncha or Orientalis vel Leiopus. Hodgson’s
original drawings clearly shew that Dulcivox was a larger bird,
with a wing of from 4 to 4°5 inches, the Himalayan represen-
tative, in fact, of Arvensis; and I have a bird killed at Murdan
in December 1870, absolutely identical in every respect with his
beautiful figure (nowin my custody) of dlauda Dulcivor, On the
other hand, his two drawings of Zriborhyucha and one of Orient-
alis vel Leiopus, show that both these species, or races, or perhaps

different sexes of the same race belonged to the smaller skylark

(all the different races of which I, for the present, include under
Malabarica) the wings of which vary from 3°3 to 3:8 inches.
Of course our larger Himalayan lark, Arvensis as I should

' eallit, but dgrestzs or Dulcivox, if any one considers it deserv-

ing of specific, separation, varies somewhat in length of hind claw
and bill, a great deal in length of wing according to sex and
still more in plumage, according. to both sex and season;
but in all these matters, exactly parallel variations are to
be met with im the series of the true English Arvensis that
I possess, and whether we can agree to call our Indian bird
Arvensis or Dulewor, there is only, I think, one race of the larger

Indian skylark. A larger series of specimens however of this

species 1s necessary before I could pronounce with any great
certainty on this point.

When we come to Malabaricus, however, numerous races appear
to exist.’ There is first the true Gudgula of the plains of the North-

Western Provinces, Oudh, Bundelkund, and Rajpootana; second,

the darker typical Malabirieus from the Neilgherries and also
from Lower and Eastern Bengal; third, a race Gateeditd be-
tween these from the’ hilly, Seashera ee eastern portions of the
Central Provinces; fourth, the true Zriborhyncha’ from the

~ Himalayas, from Murree to Sikhim, ranging up to heights of

40, | The Skylarks of India.

eight and ten thousand feet, and fifth, what I take to be the
Leiopus type from Ladak, Thibet, and the higher Himalayan
plateau generally.

Typical specimens of each of these races may be so selected
as to make it apparently indisputable, that each represents a
distinct species ; but even the small series, some five or six of
each, that I possess seems to shew that no hard and fast line
can be drawn between any of them; and it is quite certain
that no satisfactory separation can ever be effected, until a
really large series of each of these five races (and any others
that further investigation may bring to light) is brought to-
gether in one collection and most carefully collated.

Of these five races the most distinct appears to be the sky-

lark of the high Himalayan plateau (which however in the
cold season may, and doubtless does, descend into the lower
hills and valleys} which I identify with Hodgson’s Orientalis
vel Lewopus. ‘This race has the whole lower breast and ab-
domen perfectly pure snowy white, and this I have observed
- in none of the other races. The bill is slender like the
true Gulgula; but still more sharply pointed; the wings, too,
are larger on an average than in any other of the four races,
and in the males vary apparently from 3:8 to 4:0 imehes.
I possess no ascertained female. This race cannot be mistaken
(though it approximates to it in length of wing) for Dulczvor,
although the lower parts in that species, too, are at times pure
white. It is altogether a smaller and less bulky bird, and has
a comparatively much longer and markedly more slender bill.

Next to this comes the true Gwlgula, which, in the summer
at any rate, extends to Cashmere and other comparatively low
hill valleys, where, as well as in the plains, it breeds freely.
I have specimens of this race from Htawah, Rohtuck, the Sam-
bhur Lake, Bhawulpoor, and Srinuggur, Cashmere. ‘The bill
in this race closely resembles that of Lezopus, and is considerably
slenderer than those of any of the other three races. The upper
surface is much paler than in any of the other four, and the
abdomen is pale rufous white. The wings of the male in this
race seem to vary fromabout 3°7 to 38°8 inches.

The typical Mulabaricus has a considerably stouter bill than
either of the preceding; the wings are about the same size
as those of Gulgula, but the whole upper surface is conspicuously
darker, a mixture of deep brown and bright rufous buff, such
as is not met with even in freshly moulted specimens of

Gulgula, and the lower surface, too, is more markedly tinged
with rufous.

The nameless race from Saugor, Raipoor, &c., appears to be

a

Pringilauda Nemoricola et Sordida. 4].

intermediate between the two last forms. The bill and general
tone of coloring approaches most closely to Malabaricus, but im:
both respects the bird seems intermediate, and the wings of
the males appear to vary from 3:4 to 3-6 inches.

Lastly, what 1 take to be the true Zrzdorhyncha has the shortest
and stumpiest bill of all, and in summer plumage is darker and
more rufous, and in winter plumage greyer, and duskier than
any of the others. I have a single specimen of this bird from the
salt range in winter, showing that some specimens, at any rate in —
the cold season, straggle outside the Himalayas ; the wings of the
males seem to vary from 3°8 to 4 inches.

I have said nothing about the length of the hind claws, be- |
cause these appear to vary very much according to the individuals
and not aceordinge to the race. In one individual of Gudgula the
hind claw alone measures just over 0°75 of an inch ; in another,
it is only 0°45 of an inch; and similar, though not such striking
variations are observable m the few specimens that I possess
of each of the other races.

Whether any or all of these races may ultimately prove
deserving of specific separation, I cannot pretend to say; but
I would earnestly invite the attention of brother ornithologists
to this most interesting though troublesome little group, in
the hopes that by a combined. effort we may in a year or two
be in a position to arrive at a more definite conclusion in
regard to it.

Ae Os EL

Gringilanda Demoricola. Hodgson. Kringilanda
Sordidy. Stol.

In the 37th volume of the Journal of the Asiatie Society,
Dr. F. Stoliezka characterized under the name of Sordida,
a supposed new species of Hodgson’s genus Fringilauda. He
remarked, that ‘“ 2 Nemoricolu was only a winter visitant
to the lesser ranges of the North-Western Himalayas ; but that
he had often observed it during the summer in the south-
western parts of Thibet, and in the north of Cashmere”; he
further mentioned, that another species, (his Sordida) was pro-

cured by him near the Baralatsu Pass, im North Lahoul, and near | —

Padam, and that during the previous winter he had procured
numerous specimens from the neighbourhood of Kotegurh.

In regard to this new species he remarked: “ The follow-
ing description is taken from these Kotegurh specimens. -

FE

42 Fringulauda Nemoricola et Sordida.

“ Male in Winter.—Forehead dusky brown, all the feathers
margined pale ; top of head and ear-coverts, uniform rufous
brown ; nape and neck, ashy brown; back, dark brown ; the
feathers margined pale rufous ; rump, pure ashy ; upper tail
eoverts, blackish, tipped and margined white ; wings and _ tail,
dusky, the secondaries being narrowly, the tertiaries more
broadly edged pale brown, and tipped whitish ; wing coverts
brownish-dusky in the centre, tipped whitish, and forming

two conspicuous bands; all the tail feathers are margined
pale; below, uniform dull ashy, albescent on the vent; lower
tail coverts dusky, broadly margined, and tipped with pure
white. The female has the entire top of the head light brown,
the feathers being dusky centrally ; the ear-coverts are pale;
otherwise it is colored like the male.

“The specimens which I procuredin summer, are more uni-
form dusky brown above, having all the pale edgings of the
feathers much less distinct, and the whitish bands on the
wing coverts scarcely conspicuous.

“ Length of wing, 3% inches; tail, 24 inches; bill, dusky brown

above, pale. on the vase and Thilo eve, oreyish ce 3; irides,
fleshy brown.

“The form of the bill 1s scarcely different from that of typical
Montifringitla, but the hind elaw is remarkably longer, and like
all the other claws very slender, and more similar to those of
Fringilauda than to those of the former genus.

““ T have not succeeded in identifying this species, nor have I
seen specimens of it in any of the European museums, though it
is comparatively a common bird.”

Subsequently, I procured two specimens labelled Sordida by
Dr. Stoliezka, and comparing these with numerous other speci-
mens from different parts of the North-Western Himalayas, arrived
at the conclusion, as I believe several other ornithologists did, that
Sordida was nota good species.

_ Having now compared a very large series of these birds, name-
ly, sixty-eioht from Simla, Koteourh, ‘Kotekhaie, Kooloo, Bussa-
hir, the Valley of the Sutledee from Chini to Rampoor, &c.,

with sixteen procured in the immediate neighbourhood of Dar-
jeeling, I have come to the conclusion that, though not a good
species in the sense that Dr. Stoliezka understood it, Sordida is
yet the first name applied to a species not hitherto diserim1-
nated, but for all that distinct from Hodgson’s Nemoricola. The
true Nemoricola does not, to the best of my belief, oceur at all in
the south-western parts of Thibet, or to the north of Cashmere ;
the specimens to which Dr. Stoliezka assigned the name as there
occurring being merely other stages of plumage of his Sordida,

Fringilauda Nemoricola et Sordida. 43

and certainly this is the case in regard to his supposed Nemoricola
which he describes as being a winter visitant to the lesser ranges.
I have seen positively hundreds of specimens collected during the
winter in the lesser ranges of the North-Western Himalayas, and
one and all of them belonged to the species, which must now be
known as Sordida.

The true Nemoricola is the one obtained in the neighbourhood
of Darjeeling. This I have ascertained by a compariscn of the
Darjeeling specimens with Hodgson’s original drawings now
(owing to his great kindness, which I cannot sufficiently acknow-
ledge) in my custody.

The Eastern and the Western birds are very similar in general
appearance, but the true Nemoricola is somewhat the larger, the
wings varying from 3°7 to 4-1 inches in the male, and 3°62 to
3°92 inches in the female, against 3°7 to 3-9 inches in the male,
and 3°6 to 3°8 inches in the female of Sordida. Then although
the plumage in both species is excessively variable, according to
age and season, the eastern form is as a rule darker and brighter,
and the wing bars formed by the tippings of the median and
greater coverts, are pure white or very nearly so, and asa rule
very conspicuous, while these bars in Sordzda are, almost without
exception, a dull pale buff or fulvous white, and in many speci-
mens very ill-marked. ‘The feet of the two species do not differ
perceptibly, though perhaps the claws in Sordida are a hair’s
breadth the longest.

The bills in both species vary a good deal, but I cannot dis-
cover any constant difference in this respect between the two.

There is, however, one trifling but constant difference which,
independent of the size and the wing bars, enables us to separate

‘Nemoricola from Sordida at a glance. The axillaries in Sordida

(and I write now with 68 specimens before me, killed at various

- seasons of the year, in all the different localities above enume-

rated) are invariably either pure white or slightly greyish or
brownish white. In the true Nemoricola, on the other hand, the
axillaries are invariably more or less strongly tinged with yel-
low. In some good specimens in which the axillaries have been
preserved intact, a pure dull yellow; in some, rather of a dull
pale orange ; but in no single specimen is the color not distinctly
traceable, although of course it varies both in intensity and

extent in different individuals.

This constant though slight difference, taken in connection:
with the differences in size, in tone of coloring, and in the wing -
bars, is, I think, quite sufficient to justify specific separation, and _
warrant our admission of Hringilaula Sordida, Stoliczka, into our
Avifauna.

A. ©. EE.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India. —Sindh, No. I.

THERE is certainly no provinee in India proper, in regard to
the Avifauna of which so little has hitherto been certainly
known, as that which embraces the delta of the Indus, and
has from a far distant past borne the name of that mighty, but
hopelessly mud-laden, river.

For many successive years I had been toiling unremittingly
on the official tread-mill, on which so many of our best men,
year by year, wear out alike mind and body, with alas! such appa-
rently insignificant results, when last year, warned by failing
health and energies, I determined to have a holiday for once,
and to occupy that respite from red-tape, office boxes, and that
horrible, though ehronic, state i which we all live of being per-
petually “directed by His Excellency the Governor General in
Council to remark, state, invite, &c.,” to a through investigation
into the state of Bird Society in Sindh.

My much-loved master and friend, our late lamented Vice-
‘roy,—whom I should otherwise have accompanied on the ill-fated
trip that. cost him his life and India more than she yet
fully realizes,—with that unfailing kindlness which enhaloed
all his dealings ‘with his fellow-men, made every thing easy
for me, ahd I was enabled to spend my whole leave in Sindh,
to run up the Mekran Coast to Gwader, and cross over to
Muscat, and thus add another important link to the ornitholo-
gical chain that binds together Asia, Africa, and Europe.

In future papers, I propose to give a brief account of our trip
from Jheelum to Muscat, and a detailed list of all the birds ob-
served, with such notes as are likely to prove useful to Indian
ornithologists. In this presentnumber I must content myself
with a brief notice of the results of the expedition. .

I brought home altogether about 1,200 specimens, represent-
ing about 250 species. Of these but few, (PrronoprocNnE PaLui-
DA, SAXICOLA ALBONIGER, BLANDFORDIUS STRIATULUS, and PuFri-
NuS Perrsicus,*) are, to the best of my belief, new to science,
but no less than 18 other species :

Axcepo Isprpa. Linn.

Saxicota Monacua. Rutipp. (8. Gracilis, Licht.)

Crrrta Sertcea. Natt. (Cetti, Marm.)

Bucanetrs Giruacinevs. Licht.

CotumBa Livia. Briss. Bp.

* And possibly two others, of which more hereafter.

4

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. A5

Preroctus Licurensturnit. Tem.
ag Senecattus. Linn. (P. Guttatus. Licht.)
as Coronatus. Linn.

Limosa Rura. Briss. (L. Lapponica. Linn.) -

Trinea Crassirostris. Schlegel. (S. Magnus. Gould.)

Porzana Minuta. Pallas. (P. Pusillus. Gmelin.)

QuERQUEDULA ANGUsTIROSTRIS. Menetries. (Marmorata. Tem.)

Popiczrs Niericotiis. Sundevall.

Stercorarius Parasrricus. Linn. (Lechardsoni. Audubon.)

Larus Occrpentatis. Audubon. (ZL. Borealis. Brandt.)

» uamMBRuscHINI. Bon. (L. Tenuirostris. Tem.)
» Hemepricut. Bon. (L. Crassirostris. Licht.)

and T'aatasspus Cantiacus. Gmelin. (Acuflavida. Cabot.)
are entirely new to our Avifauna. Besides these, many other
species, not included in the late Dr. Jerdon’s great work on the
Birds of India, but subsequently recorded by myself or others
as occurring within our limits, such as Hatimtus ALBIcILia,
Lin; Saxtcota Kinei, nobis; Luscrntona Mrranorocon, Tem ;
Puytioscopus Neeiectus, nobis; Sytvia Denicatuta, Hartlaub ;
Me.izoruinus Srriatus, Brookes; ANTHUS Spinoterra, Lin;
AtaupuLta ApAMSI, nobis ; PyrrHuLtaupa Arrinis, Blyth; Larus
Arcentratus, Briinnich ; and PELEcANUs Crispus, Bruch, reward-
ed our labours, to say nothing of species hitherto rare in India,
Cypselus Anus, Linn.; Laticilla Burnesi, Blyth ; Alemon Desertorum,
Stanley, Calidris Arenaria, Linn; Phalaropus Fulicarius, Linn ;
Anser Erythropus, Linn., nec Gmelin ; and Phaeton Aitherius, Linn.
If to the names thus enumerated I add that at one season Merops
Aigyptius, Forskal jun., swarms throughout the country, that
Lunius Isabellinus, H. and E., (with the white wing bar) and
L. Arenarius, Blyths (which are both stages of the same species, as
I shall show hereafter) are the predominant shrikes of Sindh;
that Savicola Deserti, Riipp, (with which 8. Atrogularis, Blyth,
is identical) and 8. Isabellina, Riipp, are the wheatears ; Ammomanes
Lusitania, Gm., and Galerida Cristata, Linn, together with A.
Desertorum, Stanley, the \arks; Cursorius Gallicus, Gm., the only
courser, and Demiegretta Gularis, Bosc, the sea-side heron, the
strongly marked European and North-East African cum Arabian
character of the Sindh Avifauna, cannot fail to strike every
ornithologist.

As a matter of fact, the more habitable portion of Sindh is a
mere oasis in the desert, a long and comparatively narrow tract
of country, yearly fertilized by the inundation of the Indus, set in
a broad frame of shifting sand-heaps or bare stony mountains.

Eastward Sindh is bounded by some of the most desert por-
tions of Bhawulpoor, Jeysulmere, and Balmere, (a dependency

46 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

of Jodhpoor,) and the eastern portions of Sindh itself, for fron
ten to sixty miles within the frontier, are desert wastes. North-
wards and westwards, rugged ranges of inhospitable stone
heaps, varying in height from 2 000 to 5,000 feet, where in-
habitants, animal life, vegetation and water are alike, save in excep-
tional localities, altogether wanting, hem in the province, and
divide it from the territories of the many Belooch clans that
compose the State of Khelat. Inside this boundary stretches
every where, for a breadth of from ten to fifty miles, a belt of
waste, only at very long intervals, brightened by villages,
“rari nantes im gurgite vasto,’ and their surrounding’ straggling
patches of cultivation, such as it is. About the middle of
Sindh, below Sehwan, offshoots of the boundme ranges of
rocky hills run out at right angles to the main ridges, right
down to the bank of the Indus, and lower down almost the whole
of the country west of the Indus is more or less pure desert,
broken up by low ridges of absolutely naked rocks. Southward
the sea bounds the province.

To the birds, therefore, of the comparatively fertile plains and
uplands of ‘adhe, there are but two routes left into Sindh, the
one by the valley of the Indus, where that river, with a narrow
strip of comparatively well-tilled country on either bank, enters
the province at its extreme north-eastern corner; the other
on the south, where the western pomt of Cutch (the eastern-
most portions of which abut on Guzerat) all but touches the
Shahbunder district of Sindh. On the other hand, the hills,
with their broad fringe of desert, that bound the province north
and west, are precisely similar in character and appearance to
the Mekran Coast (as far, at any rate, as I explored it, vz., to
Gwader,) to the country about Muscat, about Aden, and alone
such parts of the north-east coast of the Red Sea and the .
Peninsula of Sinai as I have visited.

It is therefore in no way surprising that, on the one hand,
many of the land birds most characteristic of the Indian Fauna,
such as Vultur Calvus, Scop.; Gyps Indicus, Scop.; Gyps Bengal-
ensis, Lath.; Fateo Peregrinator, Sund.; Hieraetus. Pennatus,
Gmel.; Spilorms Checla, Daud.; Pernis cristats, Cuv., Bulaca Ocel-
lata, Lesson. ; Ninox Scutellatus, Raff. ; Ptionoprogne concolor,
Sykes ; Merops alpen, Lin.; Alcedo Bengalensis, Gmel.;
iP oheornts Purpureus,* Milt; Xantholema Hamacephala, Miiil.;
(=Indicus, Latham) ; Hierococeye Varws, Vahl.; Oxylophus it
binus, Bodd.(=Coccystes Melanoleucus, Gm; 3) Silla Castaneoventris,

* Mr. Gray gives this from India generally,=Rosa, Rodd, while he gives
Bengalensis, Gm., from Nepal. Are these really two species ? This requires re-
investi gation.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 47

Franklin ; Dicrurus Ceruleus, Miiill.(=Corulescens, Lath ;) Pyc-
nonotus Pygmeus, Hodgson ; or Chrysorrhoides, Lafr.(=Gray says
Pusillus, Blyth ;) Lora Zeylanica, Gmet.; Copsychus Saularis, Linn. ;
Cercomela Husca, Blyth; Prinia Socialis, Sykes or Stewartr, Blyth ;
Drymorpus Inornatus, Sykes ; Iduna Caligata, Licht, (==according
to Gray, Phyllopneuste Rama, Sykes ;) Motacilla Maderaspatana,
Gmel., Corydalla Rufula, Vierll.; Corvus Culmenatus, Sykes ;
Sturnopaster Contra, Linn.; Melophus Melanicterus, Lath.; all
the Mirafras, allthe Alaudas of the Gulgula type ; the green
pigeons, pea, spur, and jungle fowl, and many others of our
most familiar forms, should be either wholly wanting, or met
with only as mere stragglers ; or that, on the other hand, Sylvia
Delicatula, Hartlaub, no less than six species of sand grouse, the
desert-lark, the desert bulfinch, and Saaicola Monacha should
occur, and some of them abound.

Sindh, however, has another aspect than that which we have
been considering. Within what I may call the delta of the
Indus—the river-fertilized portions of the province—huge inland
broads and lakes (locally called “‘ Diunds’’) abound. Again, from
the easternmost mouth of the Indus to the Kurrachee Harbour,
nearly the whole coast is a net-work of channels, backwaters,
and sand and mud banks, more or less laid bare, by each receding
tide, and henee, as might have been expected, Sindh, both inland
and on the sea coast, is a perfect paradise for aquatic birds.
Nowhere in India have I yet seen such multitudes of water-fowl,
ducks, pelicans, flamingoes, herons, shore-plovers, scolopacide,
vulls, terns, ef id omne genus. You ride for a dozen miles
through a bare waste without meeting a single man or beast, or
seeing above forty or fifty birds in the whole distance ;a few
desert larks, some Isabelline shrikes, a few sand grouse (Senegallus)
Sawicola Picata and Isabellina ; and perhaps, as you pass a single
lone field of mustard, (that seems to belong to no one, and either
io have wandered from civilized life, and lost its way in the de-
sert or to have grown promiscuously on its own account) a small
flock of desert bulfinch ; and then, suddenly, as you rise some swell-
ing sand dune, at your very feet lies agrand rush-studded, more
or less tamarisk-fringed and be-islanded sheet of water—two three
or even ten thousand acres in extent perhaps—with one or more
hamlets overlooking it, teeming from end to end with myriads
of aquatic birds, a sight to gladden the heart alike of ornitholo-
gist and sportsman.

The contrasts presented by this small province are most
striking. Stick to the central inundation-subject tracts, where
broads and cultivation divide with canals and irrigation chan-
nels the length and breadth of the land, and, at any rate if your

48 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc.

trip be made in the cold season, you will be ready, specially if
either ornithologist or sportsman, to aver that Sindh is the
pleasantest of all our Indian possessions ; a climate that is simply
perfection, cool, dry to a degree, bracing ; waving fields, pic-
turesque looking villages, beautiful lakes or lakelets in every
march ; the sun always bright, the sky ever blue and cloudless ;
lovely purple hills, closmg every landscape in the far distance, and
such wild-fow] and snipe (and in places black partridge) shoot-
ing! But, stray outside the limits of these tracts, above all, ©
wander a little amongst these “lovely purple hills’ to which
“distance,” and only a very considerable distance, can “ lend
enchantment,” and you must either be a geologist or more than
mortal, if you do not after a week or so conclude that Sindh
is the most “ God-forgotten-hole” on the face of the globe.

When I visited these same hills, not a drop of rain had
fallen on them for more than two years. There was no grass, no
water, no birds except a Lammergeyer or two, Ammomanes Lusi-
tania, and here and there a few large black and white wheatears ;
no animals, no men even, no nothing in fact, but bare, blacken-
ed, rugged piles of rock, red-hot at noon-tide, and pretty well
freezing before dawn.

As for the Mekran Coast, as far as Gwader, and the imme-
diate neighbourhood of Muscat and the Coast on either side of it
for five or six miles (which were the limits of my explorations,) I
am bound to say that though not quite so desolate, and of course
better populated, the former is much on a par with the Sindh and
Khelat hills, the latter with Aden. In the cold season they are
bearable, and Muscat especially, picturesque enough, but in the
hot weather, they certainly do not commend themselves to me as
desirable residences.

Hereafter, in dealing with each species observed in Sindh, I
shall always notice those that were also procured or obtained
alone the Mekran Coast or at Muscat, but it may be useful to
mention at once the very few species of land birds that we ob-
served in these localities.

In both the Neophron was common near human habitations,
and Cypselus Apus, and Affinis, Lanius Arenarius vel Isabellinus,
Ammomanes Lusitania, Petrocossyphus Cyaneus, and Passer Indi-
cus were obtained. Besides these, at Muscat I procured Twurtur
Cambayensis, and saw Alcedo Bengalensis (not Isprda), Kalco
Peregrinus, and a raven with a particularly long and rounded tail.
Along the Mekran Coast, we further procured Upupa pops,
Cichloides Atrogularis, Saxicola Deserti, Monacha, and Alboniger,
Ruticilla Rufiventris, Callandrella Brachydactyla, Cyanecula
Suecica, Otocompsa Leucotis, Ammoperdia Bonhami, Corvus Lau-

First Draft of a Conspectus of the Avifauna of India, §e. 49

rencer (the common Punjaub raven, vide “ Lahore to Yarkand’’)
and saw Halietus Albicilia and one or two pairs only of an enor-
mous black eagle that could be nothing but Aguila Chrysaetus,
this latter being, by the way, the only single species, whether of
Jand or water bird, procured or seen either along the Mekran
Coast or at Muscat, which we did notalso obtain or see in or
along the coasts of Sindh. |

AS On Ee
(To be continued.)
FIRST DRAFT
CONSPECTUS OF THE AVIFAUNA

INDIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

IT wave been so repeatedly urged to publish a complete ca-
talogue of the Birds of India, so far as these are known to me,
as also of the specimens that are contained in my museum, that,
despite the vast labour it will involve and the little leisure I
have available, I have commenced the work.

In this catalogue I propose to include every species, so far as
this is known to me, which has been observed in any part of
India, including Cashmere, Nepaul, Sikhim, and other Hill
States, Ladak and Yarkand, Arracan, Burmah, and the Tenas-
serim Provinces, Assam and Cachar, Ceylon, the Andamans, and
the Nicobars.

In this present work, which only pretends to be a first draft,
IT cannot undertake to work out the synonymy of the various
species, about 1,500 im number. Each will be entered under the
name that, as at present informed, (and that is very imperfect-
ly) has, I believe, priority. Where Dr. Jerdon has given the
species under a different name, I shall enter that also and, in
some cases, in which the synonymy has been already carefully
worked out by others (¢. g., by Sharp in the Alcedinidea, or in
the Birds of Europe, Elliot in the Pittide Phasianide, Tetra-
onide, Gould in the Birds of Asia, the Marshalls in the Barbets,
Lord Walden in the Sunéirds, &c.), I shall add some of the
more important synonymes.

I shall retain Dr. Jerdon’s arrangement and numbers, intro-
ducing the birds not included by him, as dis, ter, &c., of one of

50 Hirst Draft of a Conspectus of the Avifauna of India, §c.

his numbers to which the species is allied. I shall also add,
for convenience of reference, one serial number for the whole cata-
logue. I shall indicate, under each species, all specimens (adult
or immature, male or female, distinguishme these) procured
and eggs obtained within our limits,* contained in my museum,
with locality, and, where this seems likely to be useful, the length
of wing of each, and the other dimensions of a certain number
of specimens that have been carefully measured in the flesh.

I shall give descriptions and measurements, so far as I have
been able to secure these, of all species not included in Jerdon’s
Birds of India.

I shall give the same of some species which are so included,
where this, for any reason, seems likely to be useful.

I shall, in many cases, give notes, having, for their object the
identification of, or the discrim‘nation of, nearly allied species.

I shall give the whole of the information I possess, as to the
nidification of each species within our limits, with descriptions
and dimensions of eggs and nests, seasons of breeding, &c.; but
I must note that the species of which I can furnish all these
particulars will fall short of 400.

Ido not propose, in this “ first draft,’ except in very excep-

tional cases, to discuss habits (except as regards nidification),
affinities (except where absolutely necessary for the discrimi-
nation of our own species), or habitat (except so far as may be
necessary to justify the inclusion of a species in our Avifauna).
These subjects, together with a thorough elucidation of synony-
my, must lie over until (if such a time should ever come) I have
leisure really to devote myself to the work of fusing the great
mass of materials I have accumulated.

Undertaken as this work is, amidst the pressure of heavy and
responsible public duties, disposed of, as it must be, in a great
hurry and, worst of all, performed as it will be by one so little
competent as myself, it will, it is needless to say, teem with
errors of greater or less gravity. Still, I am assured that, not-
withstanding this serious drawback, this catalogue will be of
great use, not only to the numerous gentlemen who so kindly
collect for me, but also to others interested in Indian Ornitho-
logy, and that it will serve as a sort of basis upon which here-
after some abler ornithologist, less occupied with other matters
than myself, may produce some more worthy record of our
Indian Avifauna.

AWHONN Ieb.

* T estimate these at about 12,000 of the former and 10,000 of the latter,
after excluding as I am now doing, several thousand specimens, in excess of
what are required for the fullest illustration of the species.

VOL. Th : NOS. 2, 3, & 4.

STRAY

FEATHERS,

A

—Mournal of Ornithology

FOR

INDIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

EDITED BY

ALLAN HUME,

FEBRUARY, 1873.

_ We took the earliest opportunity of warning our
subscribers that “ Srray Frarners” could not reason-
ably be expected to be very regular in their appearance
or very uniform in their size, and it is therefore, per-
haps, unnecessary to apologize for this very stout treble
number; still it behoves us to explain that the whole
of the rest of the Hditor’s Notes on the Ornithology of
Sindh are now presented, en masse, in the present num-
ber instead of appearing as was originally intended in
four successive parts, because there seems just now a
prospect of attention being locally paid to the subject.
In the course of another six or eight months, any or all
of those now interested in the work, may have been
(and some certainly will be) called by duty elsewhere,
and it is therefore thought best to seize an opportunity
that may not recur for years and afford to local
observers, at once, such little aid as these papers may

be able to furnish.

vate Oa a

STRAY FEATHERS.

Vol. I. ] FEBRUARY, 1873. [ Nos. 2 & 3:

List of Birds known to occur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
by V. Baw, B. A., Geological Survey of India.

Tue following is an attempt to present a complete list of all
the species of birds which are at present known to occur in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The association of the two
faunas in one list is to be defended rather upon political than
zoological grounds ; for, if we excepta.few species which occur in
both groups of islands, the avifaunas may be regarded as dis-
tinct. The Nicobarian avifauna has a Malayan facies, while
that of the Andamans is decidedly Indian.

Of the 133 species included in the following list, 106 occur in
the Andamans, and 51 in the Nicobars. Such of them as are
to be found in Dr. Jerdon’s “ Birds of India” are not here de-
scribed ; but of all others the original descriptions are given in
full, together with any observations, measurements, &c., which
may have been subsequently recorded.

Many of the species are, I am fully aware, susceptible of
more critical treatment than they have received at my hands.
But, whatever faults it may contain, I am inclined to be-
lieve that the publication of this paper will be of some service,
as bringing together a number of original descriptions which,
being scattered through various publications, are not readily
accessible. .

The principal contributors to our knowledge of the ornitho-
logy of the Andamans and Nicobars are—

E. Brytu, Journal, A. S. B., Vols. xiv to xix ;—ZJis, 1863
and 1868; and Appendix to Movat’s Adventures and Researches.

Colonel Trturr, Journal, A. 8. B., Vol. xxxiui, and Proc.,
Eee. 18Gb. -

Captain Bravan, Ibis. N. S., II, 1866, and N. S., III, 1867.

Viscount WauvEN, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1866.

Herr v. Pelzeln, Reise der Novara, Vogel.

52 The Andamans and Nicobars—V. Ball.

FALCONID A.

1*—(8).¢—Falco peregrinus, Gmel.

Andamans.—Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 315.
Seen by Colonel Tytler.

F. peregrinator was obtained by Sundevall between Ceylon
and Sumatra, about 70 miles from the Nicobar Islands. .
2—( 28 bis) —Micronisus soloensis, Horsf ¢ Falco
cuculoides, Tem.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, pt 12.

“ Apove leaden-ashy ; below dull ferruginous; quills black ;
coverts white at base; tail-feathers, excepting the outermost,

barred with black, underneath white.’”— Horsf, Lin. Soc. Trans.,.

XU, p. 137.

3— (84 bis) —Spizaetus Andamanensis, 7yéler.
Andamans.—Tytler, J. A. S. B., 1865, p. 112; T. and B., Ibis, N. S.,
TIT, 1867, p. 315.

“ Birt and claws slaty-horn color; legs feathered to the toes,
which latter are of a dirty yellow color. The tail has usually
seven transverse bars of darker hue than the rest. The general
color of the bird is creamy-white, somewhat inclining to rufous
on the head, upper tail-coverts, and interior of thighs. The
wings, tail, and lower nape are brown. The head in some speci-
mens is slightly marked with longitudinal brown strie, and
the under wing-coverts of all spotted with the same.”

“This species will probably be classed next to Sprzaétust lim-
naétus of Lower Bengal andthe Burmese countries, from which,
however, it differs conspicuously im the color of the plumage.”

& Length 255; wing 135; tarsus 3°5; tail 10°25 inches.
OP OLS. CMB e te gs. ome
p 2312); Made. 03-98 > Meas ae

For full description of this species, see Mr. Hume’s Scrap

Book, p. 2038.

1—(39. bis)—Spilornis Bacha, Daud.; F. bido,
Horsf.?; S. spilogaster, Blyth; H. Elgini, Tytler.
Andamans.—Tytler, J. A. 8S. B., XX XI, p. 87; Blyth, Ibis, N. 8.,

IT, 1866, p. 243; 7. and B., This, Ns Ss eae 1867, p. 314; Blyth,

Ibis, N. S&., IV, 1868, p. 131; Jerdon, This, 3rd series, L 1871,
p. 335; Ball, AALS eae Sb 1872, p. 275.

For full description of this species, reference must also be
made to Mr. Hume’s Scrap Book, I, p. 230.

* These numbers are continuous throughout the paper and indicate the
number of species recorded from the islands.

+ Numbers in parenthesis refer to Dr. Jerdon’s ‘ Birds of India’ and Mr.
‘Hume’s Catalogue.

t S. caligatus, Rafd— Ep.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. . 09

5—(41).—Polioaetus ichthyaetus, Horsf. Lin. Trans.,
ATLL, p. 136; Zool. Res. in Java, p. 34.
Andamans.— Seen by Colonel Tytler. Ibis, N. S., ILI, 1867, p. 316.

6—(43).—Halisetus leucogaster, Gmel. ; Blagrus di-
midiatus, Raffles.
Andamans and Narcondam.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., 11, 1867,
p. 315; Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XLT, 1872, p. 276.

Nicobars.—Blyth. J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 369 ; Mouat’s App., p.356 ;
Ball, J. A. 8, B., XX XIX, 1870, p. 30.

7—(56).—Milvus Govinda, Sykes.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., ITI, 1867, p. 315.

STRIGIDA.

8—(65 bis).—Syrnium seloputo, Horsf. ; Strix pago-
durum, Tem.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 316.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 369.

For description of this species, see Scrap Book, p. 358.

9—(74: bis).—Ephialtes spilocephalus, Blyth 7
Andamans.—? (HE. Lempigi), T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., IIT, 1867,
p. 136; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLI, 1872, Pé I, p.976.

“ So far as it is possible to make out one of these difficult birds
without a good series for comparison, the specimen of Andaman
Scops before me appears to correspond most nearly with Blyth’s
description of F. spzlocephalus (= S. Matlayanus, Hay ?), J. A.
S. B., XV, p. 8, and with a specimen of that species from Masuri
in the old collection, No. 147, I, of Blyth’s Cat.

“Mr. Hume only doubtfully refers spilocephalus, Blyth, to
gymnopodus, Gray, so that for the present I think it safer to give
Blyth’s name. ‘The bird certainly belongs to the pennatus type,
as distinguished by Mr. Hume, though Colonel Tytler records
£. Lempigi from the Andamans.

“« Authorities are so divided as to the nomenclature to be adopted
m reference to this genus, that, without attempting to discuss
the question as to what species spzlocephalus should be finally
referred to, I shall confine myself to showing the points of re-
semblance between the Andaman bird and spzlocephalus, Blyth,
by the description of the former, which is as follows :—

“ Above.—Rufous inclining to bay, each feather of the head,
back of neck, scapulars, wing-coverts, back and rump with two
fawn-colored spots edged with black. Primaries—first two not
grown, fourth and fifth equal, five white spots on the outer webs..

\

54 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

Tail rufous brown, darker on the inner webs of the rectrices,
with four white bands.

“ Beneath.—Facial disk fawn colour. Loral bristles black,
white towards the base, Breast and abdomen finely mottled with
brown and fawn or dusky white, each feather with two brownish
black spots, which are separated by a white bar. Tarsi covered
for three-fourths of their length with short rufous colored fea-
thers, barred with brown. Feet and claws not quite so slender
as in the Masuri specimen.

Measurement in inches: wing 5°6; tail 3; tarsus 1.”

10—(81 b7s).—Ninox. (Strix) Se Temm. ; N.
affins, Tytler.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., ITI, 1867, A. O. Hume, Scrap
Book, p. 421.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vigel.*

Tuis bird differs from the ordinary Indian scutedlatus chiefly
in size; but also, it is said, in being much more rufous on the
under parts and darker generally above.

Colonel Tytler’s WV. affinis is, I believe, the same bird as Tem-
minck’s Stria hirsuta (Nouv. Rec., Pl. Col., Vol. Il, Pl. 289),
the original description of which is to the following effect :—

Front and lores white, but the feathers which take their rise -
in this space and cover a part of the beak are black. The top
of the head and the nape have an ashy tint; the back, wing-
coverts, and quills are of a uniform unspotted brown; but on
lifting the scapular feathers, large white spots are seen upon the
inner webs and on the secondaries, nearest the body.

All these spots are hidden by the external feathers when the
wing is in repose. ‘The throat is reddish; the breast and abdo-
men whitish, covered with large reddish-brown spots. The in-
ferior tail-coverts marked by a few spots of brown; the claws
mottled with red and brown; their naked parts appear to have
been yellow during life. The stiff and rayed feathers with
which they are garnished are of a clear red. The beak is black,
with a white edge. The tail feathers are marked with four
bands of brown and four of ashy, very regular; the end of all —
tipped white. The sexes differ by the larger size of the female.

Total length of male 9:5 inches, and of female 11:25 inches.

A specimen received by me from the Nicobars agrees with
Temminck’s plate, and sufficiently well with the description. I
have had no opportunity of comparing it with the original
specimens of WV. affinis; but Mr. Hume, to whom I forwarded

_ * T possess a specimen also sent from the Nicobars.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball, 55

it for examination,* considers that it is probably identical with
that species (ude “ Stray Feathers,” p. 12).
In dimensions, however, my specimen exceeds Colonel Tytler’s.
N. affinis : wing 6'9—7 ; tail 4°4.
Nicobar specimen: wing 8; tail 5.
A full description of WV. affinas will be found in Mr. Hume’s
Scrap Book, p. 421.

11— (81 ¢er).—Ninox obscurus, Hume.

Nicobars.— Hume, Stray Feathers, TI, p. 11.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. S. B., XX XIX, 1870, Pt. IT, p. 240.

Mr. Hume has described this species on p. 11 of this Journal.
The specimen which I mentioned in my paper on Andaman
birds, Joc. cit., was received by me from Mr. Homfray, who told
me he had shot it in the vicinity of Port Mouat.

Its measurements are as follows :-—

Length 12 inches ; wing 8'5; tail 4°75; bill at front ‘75; tarsus 1.

HIRUNDINID 4.

12. Hirundo Andamanensis, Tyéler.
Andamans.— Tf. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 316.

* Lenetu 4°36 inches; wing 3°5 inches ; tail 1:86 inches ; bill
at front -18 inches (?) ; tarsus over °25 inches. The upper parts,
including head, shoulders, back and upper tail-coverts, are of a
shiny purple ; wings and tail brown ; under tail-coverts the same,
with purple tips to the feathers ; throat, breast, and belly white.
Bill black ; legs apparently light-yellow in the live bird. The
tarsus not feathered.” ;

18—(82).—-Hirundo rustica, Linn.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ITI, 1867, p. 317.

14—(96).—Acanthylis gigantea, Zem.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis., N. S. ILI, 1867, p. 317.

15—(103).—Collocalia nidifica, Gray’
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., ITT,-1867, p. 317.
Nicobars.— Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vigel, 1865, p. 39.

16— (108 dis).—Collocalia Linchi, Hersf: and Moore ;
Hirundo fuciphaga, Thunb.; Collocalia affinis, Tytler.

Andamans.—(C. affinis, Tytler), T. and B, Ibis, N. 8., III, 1867,
p. 15; Blyth, Ibis, N. 8., IV, 1868, p. 131; Jerdon, Ibis, 1871,
p. 356; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XL, 1872, Pt. TL, p. 276.

* It was such a vile specimen, it was impossible to be certain.— Ep.

7

56 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

“Tuts species differs from the former in being nearly an inch
shorter, and in having a white abdomen and longer wings in
proportion to its size. Length 5 inches.’—Horsf., Linn. Trans.,
ALLT, p. 143.

In Wallace’s monograph of the genus Collocalia, P. Z.8., 1863,
p. 3884, CO. Lincht and C. fuciphaga are treated as distinct
species; but the consensus of most ornithologists is in favor of
their being identical.

C. afinis, Tytler, is considered by Blyth and Jerdon to be the
same as C. Linchi. Its description is as follows :—

“Upper parts jet black, with green and blue reflections ;
throat and breast brown; belly yellowish-white; under tail-
coverts dark-brown, with green reflections, each feather ‘edged
with white; bill and legs black. The male a slightly larger
bird than the female.”’

& Length 3°75 in.; wing 3°52 in.; tail 1°36 in.
p DO. EDI OU 5, sous LOO An.

The following is a description of the specimens from the
Andamans recently examined by me :—

Above.—Black, with dark-green reflections; an indistinct
white band on the rump; no spots on the tail.

Underneath.—A white rictal spot; chin to breast cinereous ;
the edges of the feathers lighter, thence to vent greyish-white ;.
feathers centred cinereous. Under tail-coverts centred greenish-
black.

Length to end of tail 3°3; wing 2°95; tail 1-4 inches.

They correspond in length of body and coloration with speci-—
mens of C. fuciphaga from Batavia and the Nicobars (Blyth’s
Cat. No. 429). The wings are shorter, but that is in consequence |
of the primaries not being fully grown. With Pelzeln’s figure
of C. Linchi they also agree. -

Variety.

Variety from the Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV, 1846, pp. 23,
369; Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p. 39, Pl. LZ, fig. 2.

BurytH remarks that “several specimens from the Nicobar
Islands differ a little from C. fuciphaga of Java mm having
more white underneath; the crown and back darker and
tinged with blue more than green, and the wing somewhat
longer and straighter or less sickle-shaped. These characters
obtain both in young and old, but separation of them seems
hardly justifiable.”

CAPRIMULGIDA.

17—(112).—Caprimulgus Asiaticus, Lath.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ILL, 1867, p. 318.

-

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball: 57

MEHROPIDA.
18—(118).—Merops Philippensis, Zinn.
Andamans.—T. and _ B., Ibis, N. 8., IIT, 1867, p. 318.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S., XV, p. 369.
19—(119).—Merops quinticolor, Vield.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., IIL, 1867, p. 318.

CORACIADZ.

20—(126).—Eurystomus orientalis, Linn.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. S. B.. XLT, 1872, p. 277.

HALCYONIDA.

21—(127 dis).—Pelargopsis Burmanica, Sharpe, P.
Z. 8., 1870, p. 65. |

Andamans.—(H. leucocephalus, L.), Blyth, Mouat’s App., 1863,

p. 37 ; (H. Capensis, L.), Vise. Walden, P. Z. 8., 1866, p.315;

(Hf. leucocephalus, L.), Tytler and Beav., Ibis, N. 8., IL, 1867

pe 3155) Balls. AUS. B., 1872, p. 277. 3

“ Heap, which is distinctly capped, clear albescent-crey ; sides

of the neck and a collar encircling the same very deep ochre:

upper part of the back very rich cobalt; wing-coverts greenish,

more distinetly washed with blue; quills brown; the inner web
pale ochre at the base; the exterior web, especially of the second-
aries, externally edged with bright blue; tail bright-blue above,
dark-brown beneath ; entire under surface very deep ochre ; bill
dark-vermillion ; feet dark-red. Total length 14:0 inches ; of
bill from front 3:4, from gape 3°7; wing 60; tail 3-8; tarsus
0-5; middle toe 1:0; hind toe 0°5.”— Sharpe.

Specimens which Ihave recently examined agree with this
description, but not with the accompanying figure. I have as
yet seen no Nicobar specimens. Sharpe places the Novara speci-
men from the Nicobars, identified by Pelzeln as H. Savana, Bodd.,
under the following species.

22—(127 ter).—Pelargopsis Fraseri, Sharpe. P. Z.
S., 1870, p. 65.

Nicobars.— Pelzeln, Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 49; Sharpe, Monog.
Alced., p. 103. ;

“‘ Hap indistinctly capped, ashy-brown, strongly washed with

pale ochre; space between the bill and the eye, cheeks, and ear-

coverts more decidedly ashy-grey; sides and back of the neck
ochre; upper part of the back and scapularies indigo-blue,
with more or less of a greenish tinge; whole of the back rich
cobalt ; wing-coverts blue, with a slight greenish lustre; quills

58 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V/. Balt.

pale-brown; the inner web light ochre at the base ; the outer web,
especially of the secondaries, indigo; tail indigo above, black
beneath; under surface of the body ochre, tinged with whitish
on the throat; bill dark sealing-wax-red; feet dark-red. Total
length 14 in. ; of bill from front 3:3; from gape 3:7 ; wing 6:2 ;
tail 38 ; tarsus 0°45; middle toe 1; hind toe 0:45.”—Sharpe.

23—(129).—Haleyon Smyrnensis, Lin.; H. fuscus,
Bodd.

Andamans.— Blyth and Tytler, Mouat’s App., p. 357 ; Vise. Walden,
P. Z, 8.1866, p. 553; T. and B., Ibis, N.S, IIE, 1867, p. 319:
Ball, J. A. 8. B., DBE 1872, p. 278.
RESsEMBLE specimens from Southern India and Ceylon in the
brilliancy of their coloration.

24~-(1380).—Haleyon atricapillus, Gmel.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., LLL, 1867, p. 319.

25—(181).—Halcyon Coromanda, Lath.; H. Coro-
mandelianus, Scop.

Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., III, 1867, p. 319; Ball, J. A. S.
B., XL1, 1872, p. 277.

26—(132).—Halcyon chloris, Bodd. Todiramphus
collaris, Scop.

Andamans.— Blyth and Tytler, Mouat’s App., p. 357; Vise. Walden,

P. Z. 8., 1866, p. 537; T. and B., Ibis., N. S., ITT, 1867, p. 319 ;

Sharpe, Monog. Alced., p. 238; Ball, J. A. S. B., XXXIX,

1870, Pt. IT, p. 240; Ball, J. A. S. B., XLI, 1872, Pt. LL, p. 278.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S. B. Sa Ap 369.

“ NICOBARIAN specimens of this bird are remarkably brilliant,

with much less of the green tinge than usual upon the crown

and back.”

27—(132 4).—Halcyon (Todiramphus) . occipitalis,
Blyth.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, pp. 23, 51, and 369; Pelz., Reise
der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p.46 ; Ball, J. A. S. B., XX XIX, p. 3}.
Mr. Suarez is of opinion that this bird is nothing but a
local race of H. chloris, but adds that he has not had an op-
portunity of examining Nicobar specimens. On the other hand,
Mr. Blyth in his original description distinguishes the two
species, and, as noted above, points out how specimens of ch/oris
(coldaris) from the Nicobars differ from ordinary examples of
that bird.
“ Nearly allied to 7. codlaris and Tf. sacer, but specially dis-
tinguished by its strongly marked rufescent supercilia, which

The Andamans and Nicotars.—V. Ball. 59

are continued quite round the occiput, forming a narrow
band; beneath this is a broader black band continued from
the ear-coverts ; and then a still broader fulvescent-white collar,
as in the allied species; immediately bordering the last, the
back is more infuscated than in the other, and the crown is
likewise very dark, with some rufous lateral feathers ; under.
parts white, a little tinged with fulvescent, but less so than
in 7. sacer; and the back, wings, and tail are much as
in Z. collaris; bill black above and the tip of the lower
mandible; the rest of the latter white; legs brownish. Length
of wing four inches and a quarter; tail three inches; bill to
g@ape two and a quarter. Young rather smaller, with dusky
margins to the pectoral feathers, and the beak shorter, with a
white and hooked extreme tip.

“Tt may be remarked that in 7. collaris and T. sacer there
is a much less developed white occipital band concealed beneath —
the surface of the feathers, but which shows conspicuously when
the coronal plumes are a little raised. :

“The males are considerably brighter than the females, fro
which the above original description was taken; wings and tail
much bluer, of a decided Prussian blue; the black nuchal collar
(continued from the earscoverts) is much narrower, and in some
tinged with blue; and the white supercilia (carried round the
occiput) have little or even no tinge of rufous.”

The following are the measurements of a specimen obtained
by me in the Nicobars :—

Wing 4 inches; tail 3; bill at front 1°75 ; tarsus °53 inch.

ALCEHDINID,

28—(134: bis) —Alcedo Asiatica, Swains. A. men-
imgting, Horsf.
Andamans.—( A. Bengalensis, Ginl.), Blyth and Tytler, Mouat’s App.
p. 387 ; (A. meningting), Horsf., T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IL p. 319;
Sharpe, Monog. Alced., p. 23; Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XLI, Pt. I,
1872, p. 277.

“Heap and cheeks dark-blue, banded with bright cobalt; a
longitudinal patch of feathers along the sides of the neck
white, tinged with rufous; back beautiful bright cobalt;
scapulars black, washed with blue; quills black; the inner web
very light rufous at the base, the outer web washed with blue,
more especially on the secondaries; tail bluish-black; throat
whitish ; a spot in front of the eye rufous, edged with black ;
under surface of the body with the under-wing and tail-coverts
bright rufous, extending up the neck in very old birds; bill
black ; feet red.” —Sharpe, loc. cit.

B

60 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

PALAORNIN 4.

29—(147) —Paleornis Alexandri, Linn.

Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IZ, p. 319; Ball, J. A. S. B.,
LXI, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 278. |
I nave recently described (1. ¢.), as being possibly only a
variety of this species, a specimen from the Andamans, which
is remarkable for the enormous size of its bill, the smallness
of the moustachial stripe, the vivid emerald green (without
a trace of the ordinary purplish grey bloom), of the head and
cheeks, and the greater amount of blue than usual on the
central tail-feathers. Should this variety prove to be sufficiently
constant, I have suggested the name maguirostris for it.

30—(148).—Paleornis torquatus, Bodd.
Andamans.—Introduced by Colonel Tytler, vide Ibis, N. S., IL, 1867,
p. 320. .
31—(152).—Paleornis Javanicus, Osdeck.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, 1872, Pt. IL, p. 279.

Buiytu writes—“< P. Javanicus differs only from P. vibrisca, in
the Javan bird having a red lower mandible, while the other
has a black one; but in some Javan specimens the lower
mandible is blackish, and Mr. Gould has a specimen from Siam
with a red under mandible; the Hainan birds have it black.’
Finsch, in his monograph ‘ die Fapageien,: includes both under
fis Lathami, Finsch.

A male examined by me l.c., has the under mandible

black.

32—(152 bis).—Paleornis erythrogenys, Blyth: :

P. Nicobaricus, Gouid; P. affinis, Tytler, the ¢ .

Andamans.—Mouat's App., p. 355; Vise. Walden, P. Z. S., p. 537;
Tytler and Beavan, Ibis, N. 8., iu 1867, p. 319; Ibis, N. 4S, IVE
1868, p. 182; Ball, J. A. 8. io, AXXTX, 1870, p. 240; Ball,
ibidem, DML, 1872, Pt. I, p. 279.

Nicobar. "Blyth, TALS B., XV, 1846, pp. 23, 51, and 368; Pelzeln,
ee der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p. 97; Gould, P. LZ. Sts 1866, p. 5d5 ;

B. of Asia, Pt. [X.; Ball, J.-A. 8. B., XX XLX, 1870, p. 30.

For further references, see Finsch’s ‘ Die Papageien.

« Allied to P. Malaccensis,* but readily distinguished by the
blossom (or rather cherry) red hue of the cheeks not: beg
continued round the nape, and by its larger size and differently
shaped tail. Length of wing 7% inches, rand of tail 10 inches,
the middle pair of tail-feathers exceeding the next by 3% inches.
General color bright-green, more yellowish below, and tinged

* 2 Malaccensis, Gm.=longicaudatus, Bodd.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Balt. 61

in the male with hoary greyish-blue on the nape and back; *
winglet and primaries blue, the latter margined and broadly
tipped with green; middle tail-feathers also blue, margined with
green for the basal half, and the rest of the tail-feathers
chiefly or wholly green above, and all of them dull-yellow
below; the cap is not of a distinct emerald green as in P.
Malaccensis, but uniformly colored with the black (save where
the latter is tinged with grey in the male); there is a well-
defined narrowish black streak from the nostril to the eye and the
same black moustache as in P. Malaccensis, and the lores
and ear-coverts (only) are blossom-red. Upper mandible
coral-red, with a white tip; the lower one black. The female
merely differs in having the crown, nape, and back quite
uniform green, without “the browny blue tinge conspicuous
in the male; and the upper mandible is more or less black,
like the lower one.”— Blyth.

“P. affinis, Tytler, is described as generally like P. erythro-
genys, the red cheek-mark and coloration of which it possesses,
but differs constantly in having a black bill.” Mr. Blyth points
out that this is certainly the female of the above, and notes
the similar cases afforded by P. nigrirostris, Hodg., and P.
Javanicus, &e.

The ‘collection which I recently examimed contained a number
of marked males, and some corresponding to the description of
P. affinis which there can, I think, be no doubt, were the
females. In the females the moustachial streak is dark-green.

The following are the measurements in inches :—

é Temes 14; wing 68; bill from gape °85; tarsus ‘55.
2 32 10° 7; rik eh) 6° 8; 99 33 “76; > 33 *50.

30—(151 dis).—Paleornis caniceps, Blyth.

Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, 1846, pp. 23, 51, 368; XTX,
233; Pelzeln, Reise der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p.98; Gould, B. of
EA S0G) eae

For further references, see Finsch’s ‘ Die Papageien.’
“General color vivid yellowish-green, with the winglet and
base of the secondaries indigo-blue, and the middle portion
of the secondaries .mclinimme to emerald-green; primaries
black, the longest of them tinged with indigo towards their
base 5 cap grey; a broad frontal band continued to the eyes
(this mark corresponding to that of P. pondicerianus,+ but
very much broader), and likewise a broad black moustache with
some black feathers also on the throat; above this moustache,

* A finer male, subsequently examined, had the nape and interscapularies
Aight yellowish, rather than tinged with hoary grey, and the under-parts also
more yellowish than in the other.

7 ? OF Kuhl. = javanieus, Osb., or of Gmel. = fasciatus, Mull. ? Ep.

\

62 The Andamans and Nicobars.—/. Ball.

between it and the frontal band, the feathers are of the
same grey as those of the crown. The beak has the upper
mandible coral-red, with a white tip, and the lower mandible
black; the form of the bill is both narrower and less deep
than in P. Alewandri, and angulates above towards the base.

“The size approaches that of P. Alexandri, which at once
distinguishes 1t from all other known species of the group.

“‘ A female from the Malay Peninsula had the tail developed
to the usual length in this genus, and green above with
some blue on its middle feathers, and dull golden yellowish
below; the head less pure grey than in the male, and the bill
wholly black.”

Measurements in inches :—
& Wing 6° ; tail 6°5; bill at front 1:12; tarsus ‘5.
5 ae O me 5.

Zs 39 6 ; 33 5 2 33 39 1 3 33

34—(153).—Loriculus vernalis, Sparrm.

Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867; Ball, J. A. S. B.,
ALL, Pt. LH, p. 279.

PICIDA.

35—(157 bis).—Picus Andamanensis, Blyth.
Andamans.— Blyth, J.A. S. B, XXVIII, 1859, p. 412, Note ;
Tytler and Beav., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 321; Blyth, Ibis,
N.S., IV, 1868, p. 31; Ball; J. A. S. B., XLL, Pi. Lf, p. 279.

« Neary affined to FP. analis, Temm., of Java, which it re-
sembles in size and proportions, as also P. pectoralis, Bl., all -
three differing from the common P. Macei of Bengal by their
smaller size and white spotted middle tail-feathers ; in P. Macei,
as also in the affined Himalayan P. drunneifrons, the four medial
rectrices, and in P. atratus, the six medial rectrices, are spot-
less black, the lastnamed being the largest of this parti-
cular group; im P. Andamanensis the middle tail-feathers
have three* distinct pairs of white spots, while in P. pec-
toralis they have four pairs of white spots of larger size.
But the Andamanese bird is specially characterized by the large
round black spots upon its breast, each margined with whitish ;
the ear-coverts also longitudinally streaked with black, and the
flanks are more conspicuously rayed than in the others. In
other respects, this bird resembles P. Macei. The lower tail-
coverts are bright crimson, and the crimson tips of the coronal
feathers of the male are less developed than in P. Macez, espe-
cially towards the forehead. Length of beak to gape 1 inch ; of

* Out of five specimens which I have recently examined, three have got four
pairs of spots.—V. B. :

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 63

closed wing 32 inches ; and of middle tail-feathers 23 inches.”—
Blyth.
Mz. Blyth has seen this bird in a collection from Sumatra.

36—(169 b¢s)—Muelleripicus Hodgii, Blyth.
Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XXIX, 1860, p. 105; Tytler and
Beav., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 320; Ball, J. A. S. B., XXXIX,
1870, Pt. IZ, p. 241; Ball, J. A. S. B., XLI, 1872, p. 279.

“ Wuotty black in both sexes, except the crown, occiput, and
moustaches of the male, which are vivid crimson as usual, and the
occiput only of the female. It is smaller than the JZ. Hodgsoni,
Jerdon, of Malabar, or M. Javensis, Horsf., of the Malayan
Peninsula and more western islands, the closed wing measuring
but 73 inches, the middle tail-feathers 6 inches, and the beak
to forehead 12 inches.”

A specimen measured by me had the following dimensions
in inches :—Wing 6:8 ; tail 6:2 ; bill at front 1-6 ; tarsus 1:2.

CUCULID 44.

37—(203).—Cuculus micropterus, Gould.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. S. B., XL, 1872, Pt. IT, p. 280.
38—(214)._KBudynamys honorata,* Z. = L. orien-
talis, L., apud Jerdon.
Andamans. —T. and B., Ibis., N. 8., ITT, 1867, p. 321.
“Tue Koel was twice observed by Colonel Tytler, besides being
frequently heard calling in the woods.”

39—(214 ter).—Eudynamys Australis, Swains.
For Syn., see Gould’s H. B. A., Vol. I, p. 632.
Nicobars.—Pelzeln, Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 103.

“Tue adult male has the entire plumage deep glossy greenish
blue-black, the green tint predominating on the back and
wings; under red bill yellowish-olive; feet purplish-black.
The adult female has the head and neck glossy greenish-black ;
back, wings, and tail bronzy brown, with numerous oblong spots
of white on the back and wing-coverts; the remainder of the
wing crossed by irregular bars of white stained with rufous;
tail regularly barred with white, stamed with rufous and slightly
tipped with white ; line from the angle of the mouth and all the
under surface white, stained with buff, spotted with black on the
sides of the throat, and crossed on the abdomen and under tail-
coverts with narrow irregular lines of blackish-brown. The
young has the head and upper surface mingled bronze and_ buff,
disposed in large patches; wing-coverts reddish-buff, crossed
by narrow bands of brown; remainder of wings and _ tail

* P rectius, horonata.

64 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

bronzy-brown, crossed by bands of rufous; under surface rufous,
crossed by narrow bars of blackish-brown; tail-feathers longer
and more pointed than in the adult.

This bird is inserted on the authority of Pelzeln. No specimen has been
as yet received in Calcutta from the Nicobars.

4A0—(217 bis).—Centropus Andamanensis, Zy¢ler.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 321.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, 1872, Pt. I, p. 280,
OricinaLLy described by Captain Beavan as follows :—“Of a
chesnut or rather cinnamon chesnut color, and a little smaller
than the Indian C. rujipennis, but wants entirely the black
markings of that bird.”
The following is a description of specimens recently received
-by the Indian Museum :—Head, neck to middle of back, chin,
throat, and breast rufous-grey. Abdomen, thigh-coverts, and
under tail-coverts the same, with an ashy tinge. Back, rump,
and upper tail-coverts ashy; wings and scapulars rufous-bay.
Tail brown, paling from the centre to the margins of the feathers.
~ Bill black ; length 17-18 inches ; wing 7:5 inches; bill at gape 2°7
inches; tarsus 1°9 inches.
Both in its call and habitit very much resembles C. rufipennis.

NEHOTARINID 4.

41—(224).—Arachnothera pusilla, Blyth.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. §., IIL, p. 322.

42—(235 bis).—Arachnecthra pectoralis, Hors/-

Trans., Lin. Soc., XIII, p. 167.

Andamans.— Tytler and Beav., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 322

Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, 1846, p. 370; Pelz., Reise der
Novara, Vigel, 1865, p. 52 Ball, fA. SB OTS 1870)
POLL pd.

“* ABOVE greenish ee del forehead, Aloe throat, and breast
shining (metallic) ceyaneous black ; abdomen yellow ; quills dark,
with ‘yellow margins; rectrices black, terminally . banded with
white. Length 3:5 inches. The male is conspicuously distin-
guished by the bluish-black color of the anterior parts separating
the breast from the abdomen by a defined line. The lower part of
the tail appears nearly white; the interior rectrices are termi-
nated by a narrow band, which on the exterior ones successively
becomes wider. The female differs from the male in gee
wanting the dark bluish-black color on the throat and breast.’’-
Horsfield.

For further remarks on this species, synonomy, &c., see Vise.
Walden’s Paper on the Sun Birds in fdas, N. S., LV, 1870, p. 26.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 65

43—(235 ¢er).— Arachnecthra frenata, Mill.; Necta-

rinia Australis, Gould, (P. Z. S., 1850, p. 201.)

Andamans.—Ball, J. A. 8. B., XDI, 1872, Pt. IL, p. 280.

Lorp WatpeEn describes this species as follows :— Differs
from A. pectoralis, Horsf., by wanting the metallic blue frontal
patch, by having the yellow supercilium and yellow cheeks
more strongly marked, and by being larger than even Lombok
examples of that species. In all other characters the two
species are identical, An example of a female has the under
plumage quite as deep yellow as the male; it likewise possesses
a yellow supercilium.”

The collection of Andaman birds weenie examined by me
contained specimens of an Arachnecthra, which are distinguished
from pectoralis by wanting the metallic ‘plue frontal patch. The
wing corresponds exactly with that in Muller’s figure. In all
the ¢ specimens there are more or less distinct traces of a maroon
pectoral band. In other respects it corresponds exactly with
the above description of A. frenata. The bill is longer than in
pectoralis, being ‘8 inches, or equal to that of A. intermedia, Hume.

LANTIA DA.

44.—-(261).—Lanius cristatus, LZ. ; L. phenicurus, L.
Andamans.— Blyth, J. A. S. B., XXIX, 1860, p. 106; 7. and B.,
Ibis, N. S., ILL, 1867, p. 322.

45—(261 bis).—Lanius lucionensis, Scop.
Andamans. Blyth, Mouat's App., p. 360; T. and B., Ibis, N. S&.,
ITI, 1867, p. 322; Ball, J. A. 8. B., NOIGIE 1872, Pt. II, p. 280.

Mr. Buyre (Joc. ert.) says, © slorees with specimens from
China and the Philippines.”

A specimen in a collection recently made by Dr. Dobson, i is
identical in coloration with one in the Indian Museum from
Mr. Swinhoe, Amoy. It differs from the ordinary specimens of
eristatus in the silvery white of the forehead, chin, and throat, and
in the almost entire absence above of any tinge of rufous, except
on the upper tail-coverts.

Length 71; wing 35; tarsus 95; bill at front 5 inches.

46—(266). —Tephrodornis grisola, Blyth.
Andamans.—blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 360.

CAMPEHPHAGID Zi.

47—(270).—Graucalus Macei, Zinn.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., iM 1867, p. 322; Ball, J. A. 8,
TES AG EI BAC au IL, p. 281.
G. Macei, the Northern, as distinguished from G. Layardi, the Southern
Indian form, &c. See Blyth, Lbis for 1866, p. 368.

66 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

48—(270 quat).—Graucalus Dobsoni, Ball.
Andamans — Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLL, 1872, Pt. IT, p. 281.
Above.—Dark-slaty, darkest on the head ; wing's and tail brown-
ish-black ; the quills lighter on the inner webs, faintly edged.
with white on the outer; two outer rectrices on each side narrow-
ly tipped with dusky white ; a black stripe from the lores round
the eyes to the ear-coverts, thence faintly continued as a collar
in one of the specimens.
Underneath.—White, barred with black from chin to under
tail-coverts inclusive ; under wing-coverts similarly barred.
Length 10:2; wing 6:2; tail 5-4; tail at gape, 1°23; tarsus 95 inches.

49—(270 quint).—Lalage (Erucivora) orientalis,*
Gm.; Ceblephyris striga, Horsf.; Turdus striga,
Raffles.

Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 81.
Tue following is Sir S. Raftles’s description of Turdus striga :—
“Seven inches in leneth, with a rather thick heavy body.

Back, wings, and crown of the head of a shining blue-black ;

under-parts, forehead, and neck greyish-white; wing-coverts

edged and tipped with white; bill short, nearly straight, and
scarcely notched. The colors of the females are much duller, and
the upper parts are brown.”

In Horsfield’s description the length is given at 64 inches ;
the external rectrices are tipped with ‘white.

50—(271).—Pericrocotus speciosus, Lath.; P. Anda-

manensis, Tytler, (the young bird).
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., III, 1867, p. 322; Ball, J. A.
S. B., XLI, 1872, p. 281.
2. Andamanensis, Tytler, is, I believe, only the young male
of P. speciosus, with the transitional plumage.

51—(276).—Pericrocotus peregrinus, Linn.
Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. S. B. XXVIII, 1859, p. 274; Blyth,
Mouat's App., p. 360; Ball, J. A. 8S. B., X LI, 1872, p. 282.
Tne Andaman form corresponds with that from Southern

India, as figured by Gould.

52—(281 ter)—Buchanga (Dicrurus) Andamanen-
sis, Tytler.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, ». 322; Ball, J. A.
S. B., XLI, 1872, p. 282.
Duscrisep as “ peculiar in having hair-like feathers springing
from the nostril. Both Colonel Tytler’s specimens have white
lunules on the under wing-coverts.”

* ? Potius, L. terat., Bodd.— Ep.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 67

The following is a description of the specimens which I have
examined :—Above and below black, with a greenish metallic
gloss; primaries brown, fourth and fifth longest and equal;
outer tail-feathers with a slight curl upwards; under wing-
coverts spotted with white lunules ; 3 norictal spot. A few hair-
like feathers springing from the nostril; bill sharply keeled.

Length 11°6; wing 55; tail 6°75; bill to gape 1:25; tarsus ‘87 inches.

53—(284).—Dissemurus paradiseus, Linn.

Nicobars.— Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p. 82.
Harr von Peizein gives a copious list of synonymes of this
species, including FZ. Micinbanions and £. KRangoonensis, which

are by many ornithologists regarded as distinct.

54— (279).—Buchanga balicassius, Zinn.
At sea near the Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV, 1847, p. 370.

' 55—(285 bis).—Dissemurus affinis, Tytler; H. Ya-

layensis, apud Blyth.
Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XXVIII, 1859, p. 272; XXIX,
1860, 7. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 323; Ball, J. A, 8.
B., XLI, Pt. I, 1872, p. 282.

DescriseD as follows by Captain Beavan :—“ The Andaman
- Bhimrg bas no frontal crest whatever, and the character of the
feathers of the head approximates nearly that of Bhringa. Colonel
Tytler has had the bird alive, and never observed it attempt: to
raise the head-feathers (small as they are). The dimensions of
' a skin in his recollection are as follows: length to end of ordi-
nary tail 12°5 inches, rest of tail 9°5 inches; wing 6°36 inches; bill

at front 1 inch; bill at gape 1°36 inches; tarsus barely 1 inch.”
Three specimens examined by me have only a very slight sign
of elongation of the frontal feathers ; their measurements are in

inches :—
Length toend of y. Bill fi : Outer tail-
Une tail. Ring: Se teal feathicts: au
DOK Fic) be 6°2 1:45 6-2 1:
a 12 6-4 15) 65 15° 11
Sex? ... 133 6°5 15 i; Lic 11

56—(287 bis).—Artamus leucopygialis, Gould.
Andamans.—A. leucorhynchus, L.,apud Blyth, App., p. 358 ; A. leuco-
gaster, Valenc, apud VT. and 2% Ibis, N. S., TL pp. 324, 555;
A. leucopyialis, Gould, Walden, TWA S., 1866, p.17; Ball, J. A.

S. B., XLI, 1872, p. 288.
Lorp Watpen, from comparison of the birds, has pronounced

the Andaman to be identical with Mr. Gould’s Australian species.

Specimens, which I recently compared with Mr. Gould’s figure,

seemed to be somewhat larger, but to correspond in details
c

68 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

of plumage. Mr. Gould’s description of the Australian birds
is as follows :-—

“ Head, throat, and back sooty-grey; primaries and tail brown-
ish-black, washed with grey; all the under surface and rump
pure sls - irides brown; bill light bluish-grey at the base,
black at the tip; legs and foot nearly greenish-grey. Nearly
allied to A. leucor hynchus, but is readily distinguished from it
by the blue color of the bill.”

The following are measurements of specimens in the Indian
Museum :—

Wing 5:1; tail 25; bill at front 6; tarsus y inch.

39 > 99 5 0 > 99 9

MUSCICAPID #&.

57—(290).—Myiagra Azurea, Bodd.
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 360
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S. B. XV, p. 370; Ball, J. A. 8. B,
AXXIX, Pt. I, 1870, p. 31.

In the opinion of both Dr. Jerdon and Mr. Blyth, the follow-
ine should also be referred to this species; but from a recent
comparison of a good series from the Andamans with Indian
specimens, I am inclined to think that there is a distinct race
in the Islands. My own Nicobar specimen which I shot on the
Island of Trinkut is quite albescent towards the bent.

58—(290 bis)—M. Tytleri, Beav.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., III, 1867, p. 324; Ball, J. A.
SBS AGE Pt. LL, Sian pe 253.

THE original description of this bird is as follows :— “The
general appearance is that of WM. azurea, but itis a slightly larger
bird (and differs conspicuously in entirely wanting the black
gorget on the throat of the male). The under parts also, instead
of being white, asin MM. azwrea, in our species are wholly blue,
of a slightly duller hue, perhaps, on the lower abdomen and
under tail-coverts. The upper parts are more brightly colored
than in WZ. azurea. Dimensions of a skin are as follows :—

Length 6—6'25 in.; wing 2°75 in.; tail 3 in.; tarsus 52 in.

“The tail and tarsus thus appear proportionally longer than

in the other species. The bill at front is °5 in., and at base
"75 in.”’—Beavan (I. ¢.)
_ As suggested by a foot note, the absence of the black gorget is
accidental, as the males which I have examined are all provided
with it. The other distinctive features, however, exist in the
specimens which I have examined.

The dndamans and Nicobars.—¥F. Ball. 69

59—(289).—Tchitrea sp. 7

Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 370; Mouat’s App., p. 370.
“Doustiess 1’. affinis, A. Hay.”

MER ULID 4.

60—(351).—Petrocossyphus cyanus, Linn.; Petro-

cincla pandoo, Sykes.
Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 360.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 71.

61—(856 bis).—Geocichla innotata, Blyth; G.
albogularis, Blyth.
ee: — Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XXVIT, 1858, p. 270; Mouat’s App.,
3
Neobars, —Blyth, J. A. S. B. XVI, p. 146; Ball, J. A. S.
B., XXXIX, Pi. II, 1870, p. 31.

“ RusemBLes @. citr ana, but has the ferruginous colour of the
head and under parts, and the ash colour of its upper parts,
more intense; no white upon the wings, and the lower tail-
coverts only (not the vent) are white. From the Malayan Penin-
sula” ... ... “ What I take to be two females of the same
species from the Nicobar Islands have the throat white, and some
white at the sides of the vent; the wings, rump, and tail only
are deep ashy, the hack and scapularies being olive-green, much
asin the female of G. cztrima. ‘These are also smaller than the
Malayan bird, the wing being but four inches, and the rest in
proportion, whereas the Malayan (supposed male) has the wing
four inches and a half. Should the Nicobar bird prove distinct,
it might stand as G. albogularis, nobis.”

Subsequently Mr. Blyth identifiedboth Andaman ral Nico-
bar specimens with zunotata.

Measurements of an Andaman specimen: length 7:2; ; wing
4-5; bill at front °7; tarsus 1:1 inch.

62—(869 éis).—Turdus rufulus,* Drapiez; T. modes-
tus, Eyton.
Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 360; Jerd. B. of I., vol. I, p. 531.
*« Back, wing-coverts, and crown of the head olivaceous brown ;
wing-coverts of the primaries tipped with white; primaries and
tail brown ; throat, round the eyes, and abdomen slit Ye the latter
sparsely spotted with cinereous; sides of the head and lower
part of the breast ashy; flanks and upper part of the breast
ferruginous; upper mandible and feet brown, lower mandible
yellow. »— Hyton. ;
_ Length 8°75; bill 58; tarsus 1-16 inches.

* 2 pallidus, Gmel.—Ep.

70 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Baill.

63—(372 bis).—Oreocincla inframarginata, Blyth.
Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XXTX, 1860,p.106; TL. and B., Ibis,
N. S., III, 325; Blyth, Ibis, N. 8., LV, 132.

* Untrorm dark-olive above, with conspicuous pale rufescent
whitish supercilia, and light rufescent spots tipping the wing-
coverts; beneath pale, inclining to rufo-fulvous on the breast
and front of the neck, pure white at centre of belly; the
lower tail-coverts dark-olive, largely tipped with white; each
feather of the lower parts, except on middle of throat and of
belly, somewhat narrowly tipped with the colour of the back;
outer caudal feathers successively more largely tipped with dull
white, though even on the outermost these white tips are but
slight. The usual Oreocincla markings on the inner surface of the
wing. Bill dusky, and legs pale cinereous ; closed wing 48 inches;
tail 54 inches, its outermost feathers 3 inch shorter than the
middle pair; bill to gape 1 ;3, inches; tarse 1,4, inches. Short first
primary # inch long, the second equalling the fourth and a
little shorter than the third. The bird approximates the female
of Merula Wardii, Jerdon.

“The above is possibly a female of a species in which the
male is differently colored.”— Blyth.

BRACHYPODIDA,

64— (447 bis)—Hypsipetes Nicobariensis, Horsf. et
Moore ; H. virescens, Blyth, nec H. virescens, Temm.
Nicobars.—Blyth, J.A. 8. B., XIV, p. 575; XV, pp. 51 et 370 ; Horsf.
and Moore, Cat. FE. I. M.,1., p.257; Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel,
p. 75, Pl. IIL, fig.2; Ball, J. A. S. B., XX XIX, Pt. IT, 1870, p. 31.
‘ PrumaGE of a uniform olive-green above, the crown infus-
cated or of a brownish-nigrescent hue; throat and _ breast
dingy-whitish, a little tinged with yellow; bill dusky, with
yellow tomiz, and elsewhere an appearance of its becoming ulti-
mately wholly yellow; the tarsi plumbeous.” Distinguished
from H. Malaccensis, which it resembles by its infuscated crown
and its unstreaked throat and breast.
Measurements in inches—
Length 8:5; wing 3°5 to 4; tail 35; bill to gape 1 to 1:125;
tarsus -75. °

65—(460).—Otocompsa jocosa, Linn. ,

Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 361; T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIL,
1867, p. 326; Ball, J. A. S. B., XL, 1872, Pt. IT, p. 284.

Tus is generally considered to be identical with the Bengal
species.

|

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V: Ball. 71

66—(457 bis).—Brachypodius melanocephalus,

Gmel.; Ixos mettallicus, Eyton.

Andamans.—Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLI, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 284.

A youne bird apparently belonging to this species occurred in
the collection described by me (loc. cit.).

As it is not an Indian bird, I give the following description of
the species :— Yellow head, and throat metallic black ; wings
and a band near the apex of the tail black; bill and feet black.

“Female like the male, but head and underneath ashy, and
tail-feathers internally brown.”

Length 8 inches; tarsus 5 inches; ball at feet :4 inch.

67—(469).—Irena puella, Lath.
Andamans.—Blyth,J. A. S. B.. XXVIII, 1859, p. 274; T. and B., Ibis,
WN. 8., LIL, 1867, p. 326; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLI, Pt. II, 1872, p. 284.
THE above race, as distinguished by Vise. Walden, appears to
be common.

68— (472).—Oriolus melanocephalus, Linn.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 327; Bail, J. A. 8.
B., XLI, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 284.
A SMALL race of the above species. Measurement of one in the
a Muesum : wing 5 ; tail 3°5; bill at front 1; tarsus -9—
1 inch.

69—(471 quat).—O. macrourus, Blyth.
Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 46; Pelz., Reise der Novara,
Vogel, p.74; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XX XIX, Pt. II, 1870, p. 31.

* CLosELy allied to O. Chinensis, from which it is distinguished
by its longer tail, rather smaller and less carinated beak
(which, however, is always conspicuously larger than in
O. Indicus,) and by the greater patch of yellow upon the fore-
head of the male ; another distinction consists in the disposi-
tion of the yellow upon the tail, which has scarcely any
of this colour at the tips of its middle pair of feathers,
while the outermost is in old males wholly yellow, with merely
the shaft black towards the base, some specimens showing
one or two insulated patches of yellow, chiefly at the extreme
base of the outer web, and younger males having the tail
coloured more as in the adults of the Chinese species, but still
with scarcely a trace of yellow at the tips of the middie pair
of feathers. The wings have their longest primaries slightly
margined, externally, with whitish ; and im some specimens,
there is a slight yellow border to the secondaries and tertiaries ;
while younger males have the whole exterior portion of

12 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Bald.

the secondaries and tertiaries washed with yellowish-olive.
The coverts of the primaries are always tipped with
yellow, producing a shght spot of this hue, which does not
occur, at least, in the adult male of O. Chinensis. Younger
males have, as usual, the back and wings tinged with dusky-
greenish ; and in females (and perhaps still younger males)
th2 same dull colour prevails on the head and neck; the broad
occipital crescent is merely indicated; the feathers of the under
parts have each a black central stripe, and the tail is wholly
_dusky-yellowish above, prevailing throughout the outer webs
of all the feathers, while the inner webs are successively more
deeply terminated with yellow, this color being alone seen
underneath in adults of both sexes. Length about 11 inches
or rather more; wing 6; tail 4-5—5; bill” to gape 1°5; tarsus
1 inch.”—Biyth.

Peculiar to the Nicobar Islands, a specimen shot by me on
Nancowry had the following dimensions :—wing 5°75; tail 4°75 ;
bill at front 1:3; tarsi 1:1.

70—(471 bzs).—Oriolus Andamanensis, Tytler.
O. coronatus, Swains, apud Blyth.

Andamans.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B.. XXIV, 1856, p. 477; XXVIII,
1859, ». 272; X XTX, 1860, p. 106; Mouat’s App.; T. and B.,
Ibis, N. S., ITT, 1867, p. 326; Ball, J. A. 8. B., X LL, 1872, p. 284.

Mr. Bryru’s description of the Andaman Oriole is as follows :—
“ Has no yellow at all on the secondaries and tertiaries beyond a
small yellow spot tipping the latter, and a slight yellowish-
white margin to the former. Colour of male brilliant yellow, with
the nape-mark, wings beyond the coverts of the secondaries
and a portion of the tail, deep black. The female has a dusky- -
ish tinge on the mouth, and the exposed portion of the black
part of the wings is tinged with green, as also the middle tail-
feathers for the greater portion of their length. Middle tail-
feathers in both sexes slightly tipped, and the rest successively
more so, to the outermost, with bright yellow. Bill carneous and
lees plumbeous, as usual in the genus. Wine 54; tail 32? (mis-
printed 92) ; bill togape 12. In colouring, this species resembles
O. macrourus of the neighbouring group of the Nicobars, but
it is smaller, with narrower ee Oe and proportionally
shorter tail, which last is commonly 5 inches in O, macrourus.’

Specimens of this bird, recently examined by me, had the
following measurements :—

Length 8°8; wing 5:3 ; bill at front 1 ; tarsus °9; tail 3°35 inches.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 73

SYLVIAD Z&.

71—(475).—Copsychus saularis, Linn,
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat's App., p. 360; T.and B., Ibis, N. S.,
AIT, p. 327; Ball, J. A. S. B., Vol. XLT, 1872, Pt. IT, p. 285.

Tur Andaman bird appears to belong to the Indian and not
to the nearly allied species (C. Mindanensis) from Malacca,
Sumatra, &c. <A fully grown male had the four outer rectrices
on either side white. This character, according to Blyth, serves to
distinguish C. saularis from C. Mindanensis and C. Ceylonensis.

Colonel Tytler remarked that “the males are more brilliant
in color than those generally seen in Bengal.’’

72—(476 bis).—Kittacincla albiventris, Blyth.
Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XXVILI, p. 269; 1859, p. 274; 1860,
p.107; T.and B., Ibis, N. 8. 111, p. 827; Ball, J. A. 8. B.
XD, 1872; Pt. 17, ip. 285.

“ Dirrers from K. macroura in its colouring and form of tail,
the four middle feathers of which extend little beyond the next
pair, and the medial pair but ;% in. (instead of commonly
2 in., as in the other). Abdominal region, vent, tibial plumes,
and insides of the wing anteriorly pure white, like the upper
tail-coverts in both species; the hindmost portion of the
flanks and the lower tail-coverts only being deep ferruginous ;
four pairs of outer tail-feathers more deeply tipped with white
than in K. macroura; in other respects resembling that species,
being a true Shama as distinguished from a Dhyal (Copsychus).

“ Length of wing 3°5 in.; of tail 4:25.”

Subsequently (J. A. S. B., 1860, p. 107) Mr. Blyth re-
marked of this bird :—“ It has much the appearance of being a
fertile hybrid between K. macrowra and Copsychus saularis.”
xxx“ The female is of a duller color than the male, especially
on the wings and breast, which latter is glossless black; tail also
shorter, and the legs in both sexes are carneous.”

“ The male is a good songster, not uncommon in the Islands.”

78—(518).—Arundinax edon, Pallas ; A. olivaceus,
Blyth.

Andamans.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XXIX, 1860, p. 106; Mouat’s
App., p. 360; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLL, 1872, Pt. U1, p. 285.

74— (590).—Motacilla Luzoniensis, Scop.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 328.
Common in the cold season.

75 —(594) ?—Budytes citreola, Pallas.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIL, 1867, p. 328. :
Mr. Buytu (Ibis, N. S., IV, 1868, p. 132,) considers that this
should stand as aureocapilla, Vieill.

74 The Andamans und Nicobars oF. Ball.

76—(605 bis).—Anthus cervinus, Pallas.
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 367 ; T. and B., Ibis, N. S., LIT,
1867, p. 328.

Unpnr the name Authus rufosuperciliaris, Mr. Blyth, J. A. 8.
B., XX1X, p. 105, described the As;daman pipit as follows:—Like
A. pratensis, but with the supercilium and moustachial streak of
a ruddy rusty color. Closed wing 8% inches; tail 2% inches;
and bill and hind claw as in A. pratensis, of which it may be
regarded as a local variety or sub-species. Subsequently (Mouat’s
App.) he wrote :—‘“ Specimens agree with those of A. cervinus
from Pegu and China.” His remarks in the Ibis for 1867, p.—
32, render it possible that the Andaman bird should stand as
A, rosaceus, but there are no specimens in Calcutta for comparison.

AMPEHLIIDA.

77—(631).—Zosterops palpebrosus, Temm.; Z. Nico-
bariensis, Blyth, the young.
Andamans.—-T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, p. 328.
WNicobars.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XIV; Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV,
p. 310; Ball, J. A. 8. B, XXXIX, Pt. IT, p. 31.
FurtHER comparison of Nicobar with Indian specimens is
desirable.

CORFIDZ.

78—(660).—Corvus culminatus, Sykes.
Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p.358; Blyth, Ibis, N. S., IV,
solaze

Mr. Bryrn writes :—“ C. Andamanensis may be quite distinct
from C. culminatus ; but I have only received the latter from
the Andamans, and as it is certainly common on both sides of
the Bay of Bengal, extending southwards as far as Malacca
(where it co-exists with C. enca), it is a species most likely to have _
found its way to the Andamans.”

79—(660 bis).—Corvus Andamanensis, Tytler.
Andamans—-T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., ILL, 1867, p. 328.

CotoneL Tyripr considered this bird quite distinct from C.
culminatus, beng “ nearer C. intermedius of the Himalayas,
but it is slightly larger than that species.”

Captain Beavan wrote :—“ I am inclined, after a careful examin-
ation of several specimens, to agree with Colonel Tytler, having
besides, during my visit to the Andamans in 1865, noticed
that the voice of this species differs entirely from that of

The. Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 75

C culmmatus. ts habit, too, of congregating in flocks is enough
almost in itself to separate it as a distinct species.”

However improbable it may appear that there are really two
so nearly allied species living side by side in the Andamans, it is,
in the face of such distinctly expressed opinions as the above,
and in the absence of any more recent observations, impossible to
do more in this enumeration than regard them as distinct.

It is to be regretted that those (including myself) who have
collected, subsequently to the above remarks having been pub-
lished, have omitted to procure specimens.

80—(663).—Corvus splendens, /7eiil.
Intropucrep by Colonel Tytler, but does not appear to have
thriven or multiplied.—Jdis, NV. S8., LIZ, 1867, p. 329.

81—(674 bis).—Dendrocitta Baylei, Tytler.
Andamans.—Tytler, J. A. S. £., 1863, p. 88; Blyth, Ibis, 1863,
p- 119 (misprinted Bazler) ; 7. & B., Ibis, N. S., ILI, 1867, p. 329;
Ball, dipA S) B.A AAI, 1870, Pt. Wasp. 242: Ball, ANS
POTN 872! Pe, TT, pilt9.

OrieINALLY described as follows :—

« Wings and tail nearly black, with a broad white patch on
wing ; head, neck, and throat dark-brown; back more rufous;
belly and vent very rufous or chesnut ; tail with twelve feathers
(therefore, not a Crypsirhina). Not uncommon on the main
island.” Measurements in inches :—.

Length. Wing. Tail. Bill to gape. Tarsus.
1 1

fd ..122 46 72
Sex? 11°8 4°6 7 11 i

STUR NIDA.
82—(684,).—Acridotheres tristis, Zinn.
InrropvceD in the Andamans by Colonel Tytler—ZJbis, NV. S., IZ/,
1867, p. 329.
83—(686).—Acridotheres fuscus, WVagler.
Andumans.—Also introduced by Colonel Tytler, 1. c.

> e
81— (689 bis).— Temenuchus Andamanensis, Vytler—=
T. erythropygia, apud Blyth.
Andumans.—(1". erythropygia), Blyth, J. A. S. B., Vol. XXVITT,
1859, p. 274; (LT. erythropygia), Blyth, J. A. S. B., X XIX, 1860,
p. 106; (1. Andamunensis), T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 330 ;
iBilgth; This, IN. St, LV, 1868) 25 1335 Ball, J. A. S: Bey AONOaENS
1870, Pt. If, p. 242 ; Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, 1872, Pt. 7, p. 285.
Tuts bird is considered by Mr. Blyth to be identical with
the next species from the Nicobars, but Colonel Tytler
and Captain Beavan and, indeed, Mr. Blyth himself) have
pointed out that the Andaman birds are distinguished by
characters the constancy of which is further established by
the specimens most recently received by the Indian Museum.

D

76 The Andamans and Nicobars.—F. Bail.

Captain Beavan’s description is as follows :—“ Head, neck,
throat, and abdomen pure white; back and upper tail-coverts
pure ashy-grey ; under tail-coverts white, with a very faint tinge
of rufous; wings and middle tail-feathers dark glossy black
with green reflections; the outer tail-feathers tipped with
creamy yellowish-white, most broadly so on the outermost pair,
and decreasing towards the middle; irides pale-yellow; the legs
also yellow. The female differs from the male in having
scarcely any green reflections on the wings, and the young is
yet more dully coloured than the female. The species is very
abundant on Ross Island, frequenting gardens and buildings m
the neighbourhood of honses. It is very fond of ripe fruit,
especially plantains.”

Mr. Blyth wrote as follows of this bird, 7. erythropygia, Blyth :—
«Two more specimens from Port Blair, but still wanting the deep
ferruginous colouring on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; however,
it is faintly indicated, and that intense colouring is probably
peculiar to old males. There can be no doubt about the correct-
ness of the identification.’”—J. A. S. B., 1860, p. 6.

Again of 7. erythropygius, nobis; “1 have seen no Andaman
example yet with distinctly rufescent upper tail-coverts.” Colonel
Tytler, according to Captain Beavan, says that “the old males
never do get the rufescent upper tail-coverts of the true 7.
erythropygius.”’

In the specimens which I recently examined and compared
with the Nicobar birds, there was a total absence of distinet
rufescence on the rump, upper tail-coverts, under tail-coverts, and
tail-feathers, such as is so well marked on all the Nicobar speci-
mens.

Measurement in inches of a male in Dr. Dobson’s collection
in the Indian Museum :—Winge 4°3 ; tail 3-2; bill at front 1:1 ;
tarse 1. Ditto of a fresh specimen, Blyth:—Length 74;
wing 44; tail 3; bill to gape 1.

85—(688 ¢er)—Temenuchus (Sturnia) erythro-
pygia, Blyth.
Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, 1864, pp. 34 and 369.

Tu following is Mr. Blyth’s original description of this
bird :—* This beautiful species would seem to be nearly allied to
the Javanese St. ¢ricolor, (Horsf.), v. metanoptera, (Wagler).
Head, neck, and lower parts pure silky white; the wings wholly
shining black; the scapularies and interscapularies pale satiny-
brown; the rump, vent, upper and lower tail-coverts deep
ferruginous; and the tail black, with more than half of its
outermost feather ferruginous, and the rest successively less
deeply tipped with ferruginous to the middle part; bill yellow,
with the base of the lower mandible livid blue; and legs

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. As

(apparently) orpiment-yellow. Length~ approaching to nine
inches ; of wing four inches and a quarter to four and a half;
and tail three and a quarter to three and a half inches; bill to
gape nearly an inch and a quarter inches; and tarse an inch.”

86—(690 dis).—Calornis panayensis, Scop. ; C. cantor,
Gml., vide Ibis, 3rd Series, Vol. [,1871, p. 176.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., IIL, 1867, p. 330.
Asove and below lustrous metallie green; wings and tail
black, with a green gloss. The females and young have the
under parts whitish, with dusky streaks.

87—(690 ter).—Calornis affinis, 4. Hay.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ITT, 1867, p. 330; Ball, J. A. 8.
B., XLI, Pt. II, 1872, p 285.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S B.. XV, 1846, pp. 36 and 369; Pelz.,
Reise der Novara, Vogel, 1865, p. 86.
Mr. Bryru distinguishes this bird as follows :—

“Differs from the Malayan C. cantor in its larger size,
the wing being: four inches to four and a quarter instead of three
and a half to three and five-eighths; and tail three inches to
three and a quarter instead of two inches and a half; tarsus
seven-eighths instead of three quarters of an inch; and bill
about the same in both; plumage of the two species absolutely
similar at all ages, and glossed as brightly in fine specimens
of either.”

“ Not uncommon on the main island. I obtained the young
in-August.”—(R. C. T).
88—(690).—Pastor roseus, Linn.

Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 331.
“¢ SevERAL of these birds arrive in flocks in January.”

89—(693).—Eulabes intermedia, 4. Hay; EF. Anda-
manensis, Tytler. |
Andamans.—(L. intermedia, A. Hay), Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 369 ;
(EZ. Andamanensis, Tytler), T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, p. 331; Vise.
Walden, ibidem, note; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XX XIX, Pt. IT, p. 242;
ibidem, X EI, 1872, Pt. IT. p. 286.
Nicobars.—(Gracula Javanensis, Osbeck), Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, 1846,
pp.3l and 369; (Gracula intermedia,A. Hay, Mouat s App.,p. 359 ;
(G. Javana, Cuv.), Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vigel, p. 88; (FH. Anda-
manensis, A. Hay), Ball, J. A. 8S. B.,. XX XTX, Pi. IT, p. 31.

In my previous papers I have, on the authority of Lord
Walden, treated the Andaman-Nicobar species of Hu/abes as being
distinct from the Indian entermedia. I have now, however, had
an opportunity of bringing together sixteen specimens of
Kulabes from the following localities :—Andamans 3, Nicobars 3,
Malacca 6, Wellesley Province 1, Garrow Hills 2, Darjiling 1.
Out of these, four, said to be from Malacca, may be at once put

78 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Bali.

aside as being larger birds with much higher and stouter bills.
Whether these are identical with true Juvanensis or not, in the
absence of Javanese specimens for comparison, cannot be decided.
Lord Walden (Ibis, 3rd Series, Vol. I, p. 177,) considers that
the larger Malacca bird is distinct from the Javanese. But
to separate by any definite or constant characters the remaining
five Andaman and Nicobar birds from the seven specimens of
intermedia from different localities I found to be absolutely
impossible. Dr. Stoliezka, who has discussed the question at
leneth, having had for comparison a portion of the specimens
mentioned above, considers that they are all “ geographical
-races of the same species,” viz., Javanensis, Osheck ; but for
Javanensis I would say intermedia, as being the species to which,
I believe, all these races will ultimately, with the general consent
of ornithologists, be referred.

Dimensions in inches.

Wing 66 ; ‘tail 3. ; billat front 1 ~ 3 tarsus P

Andamans wee 39 65 3 33 3° 3 ary) Tul 3 9 1:3
35 6 3 3 59 3°25 b] 39 55 dl 4A

ia. SP : 5 unt ORAOls ee Wee ton oD bale ¥ 112 ; tO
Nicobars Sf : ZN, IG st eee wins ane 3 ‘9; ; ate

Li. vreligiosa seems to have crept by some mista into
Mr. Blyth’s list of Andaman birds, as he gave it on the authority
of Colonel Tytler, who subsequently stated that it does not
occur at all.

ESTRELDIN A.

90—(701).—Munia leuconota, Tem.

Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 359; T. and B., This, N. 8., ITE
1867, p. 331; Ball, J. A.S. B., XXXIX, Pt. Ti, 1870, p. 2425
BOUNI AMS. B, AOU LR ENS 2: p. 286.

91—(704).—Estrelda amandava, Linn.

Andamans.—* Introduced by Col. Tytler, but not since observed.
Ibis, N. S., ITI, 1867, p. 331.

TRERONINA.

92—(777 bis).—Osmotreron chloroptera, Blyth.

Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p.361; T.and B., Ibis, N. S., TIT,
p. 331; Ball, J. A. 8. B. XLL, Pt. IL, p. 286.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. ANS. BS Deg 1845, p. 852; Blyth, J. A. S.
B., XV, 1846, p. 369.
Nearty allied to 7. Malabariea, Jerdon, from which it “ differs
in its superior size, having the wing seven inches instead of six

The Andamans and Nieobars.—V. Ball. 79

to six and a quarter, and in the male having a large portion of
the fore-front of its wing green instead of deep maroune; its
breast also is less ting ed rie fulvous, and the forehead more
albescent.”’

This bird is common in the Andamans.

OARPOPHAGINA. ¢
93—(780).—Carpophaga sylvatica, Zickel.
Andamans.—Mouat’s App., p. 361; Blyth, J. A. 8S. B. XXVIIL,
1859, p. 274; T. and B., This, NUS) mio IS67, p. 332 ; Blyth, Lbis,
W. S., IV, 1868, p. (Ss pa Re TA a
243; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XL, Pt. If, p. 287.

Tuis bird igraignonde exactly with Indian specimens from
Barma, Cachar, Central India.

—(781 ¢er).—Carpophaga insularis, Blyth.

Nicobars.—( C. sylvatica, Lickell, var.), J. A. S. B. XV, p. 371;
(C. enea, var. Nicobarica),- Novara Exp., Vogel, p. 105; Ball,
Shy le Se ond OCA DG Eid I AY por

Mr. Buyru originally distinguished this bird as a variety of C.
sylvatica. ‘Nicobarian specimens seem invariably to differ from
those obtained throughout the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal
(from Arracan to the Straits), and also from Java, Sylhet, Ar-
racan, &c., all of which are quite similar, in the green of the upper
parts being wholly unmixed with bronze, and the ash-grey of the
head, neck, and under parts having no tinge whatever of vina-
ceous; the primaries are devoid of the erey ‘tinge ; ; and the lower
parts are much less deeply tinctured with evaceous. Hence the
ensemble, when several specimens of each are examined together,
is conspicuously different.”—b/yth.

The specimens which I obtained were bluish rather than
greenish on the upper parts, and contrasted, both in this respect
and in size, with specimens of C. sy/vatica, obtained at the same
time in the Andamans.

Nicobar bird: wing 10 inches; bill to gape 1} inches.

Andaman ney) gs ” 539 9 ip! ”

95—(781 quat).—Carpophaga bicolor, Scop.? C. alba
Gmel., nec myristicivora, Scop. |
Midanidhs “Bem Mouat’s App. p. 362, Narcondam Island ;
T. and B., Ibis, N. S., III, 1867, p. 332.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV, p.371 5 Pelz., Reise der Novara,
Vogel, p. 107 ; Ball,J. A. 8. B., XX XIX, Pé. I, 1870, p. 32.
Axsove and below white ; the quills, a broad terminal band on
the tail, and the margins of the external tail-feathers black.
Measurements in inches—
A—wing 9; tail 5; bill8; tarsus 1.
B— or) 9°25 ; ” 6 ; a) i; amis ll,
A—specimen in the Indian Museum ; B—in my own collee-
tion, shot on Camorta.

80 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

MACROP YGIN ZA.

96—(791 bts).—Macropygia rufipennis, Blyth.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., ITT, p. 332; Ball, J. A. S. B.,

XLL, Pt. IL, p. 287. |
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p.3871; Pelzeln, Reise der
Novara, Végel, p.109; Ball, J. A. S. B, XX XIX, Pt. II, p. 32.

OriginaLiy described by Mr. Blyth as follows :—“ Most closely
allied to MW. phasianella of Australia, but rather smaller in all
its proportions, and best distinguished by the uniform bright
rufous hue of the entire under surface of the wings, which
oceupies the whole of each feather, except towards its tip. The
primaries are also somewhat broadly margined with the same.
There is really no other difference; but another species, J.
Amboinensis of Java and the Moluccas, differs only from
M. phasianella in its much inferior size.’— Blyth.

Of three specimens recently received by the Indian Museum
from the Andamans, two, marked males, ‘“‘ have the rufous of the
neck, upper part of the back, breast and abdomen barred with
dark-brown slightly undulating lines, which are close and distinct
to the breast; thence to the vent they are wider apart, broken
and fainter. In a fourth specimen, which is somewhat smaller,
and may be either a young bird or the female, the bars are
confined to the back of the neck. The rufous of the wing-
coverts, edges of the wings, throat and abdomen is of a deeper
tint approaching to bay.” ,

Measurements in inches—
2 Length 14°5 ; wing 7°5; bill at front ‘6; tarsus °9.

TURTURINA.

97—(795 bis)—Turtur tigrinus, Zem., nec T.
Chinensis, Scop.
Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8S. B.. XV, p. 372; Mouat’s App., p. 362.
Accorpine to Blyth, Jéis, N. S., L1/, 1867, p. 150, this
differs from Suratensis only in wanting the two conspicuous pale
spots at the extremity of each feather of the mantle—/Vzde on
this subject J. 4. 8. B., XXXIX, Pt. [1, 1870, -p. 332.

98—(797).—Turtur humilis, Zemm.
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 362; T. and B., Ibis, N. S.,
ITD, p. 332; Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XL, Pt. 11, 1872, p. 287.

PHAPIN.

99—(798).—Chalcophaps Indicus, Linn.
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 362; T. and B., Ibis, N. &.,
IIL, p. 332; Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, Pt. IL, 1872, p. 287.
Is said to be very abundant.

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 81

100—(798 bis).—Chalcophaps augusta, Bonap.
Nicobars.--Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 371; Mouat’s App., p. 362;
Ibis, N. 8., LV, p. 133.

Mr. Bryti says,—“ differs from the Indian race in the deeper
ash-colour of the nape, and bluer vinaceous. hue of the under
parts, while the bands on the rump (so conspicuous in the Indian
bird, and also in its near ally, Ch. chrysochlora), are very in-
distinct.” Again,—‘‘the Nicobarian race differs from Ch. Indicus,
and accords with the description of C2. augusta in Pr. Bonap.”

Although I saw this bird when in the Nicobars, I did not
succeed in obtaming a specimen. Those described by Blyth
above are not now in a fit condition for comparison, having
suffered much from the ravages of time and neglect.

CALGNINA.

101—(798 ter).—Caleenas Nicobarica, L.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 371; Pelzeln, Reise der Novara,
Vogel, p. 107; Ball, J. A. 8. B., XX XIX, Pt. IT, 1870, p. 32.
Cocos.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 362.

Mr. Brytu received specimens of this bird said to have been pro-
cured in the Cocos islands, and concluded that it might be looked
for with a fair prospect of success in the Andamans, which inter-
vene between them and the Nicobars. No instance, however,
has come to notice of its having been found in the Andamans,
and Iam strongly inclined to believe that its occurrence any-
where north of the Nicobar Group must be extremely excep-
tional. Mr. Wallace (Malayan Archipelago, Ist Ed., Pt. II,
pp. 66-66,) has shown that, though generally considered to be
a bad flier, it is when migrating capable of long flight, even
for an unbroken 100 miles; and the specimens found in the
Cocos may have been stragglers. But it is undoubtedly a bird
which belongs to the Malayan portion of the avifauna of the
Nicobars, and which does not normally extend up to the
Andamans.

The following is a description of this most beautiful of
pigeons :— :

dbove.—Dark-green, with a bluish coppery lustre. Below.—
Golden-green with the feathers tipped blue. Head dark blue-
black, elongated hackle-like feathers of the neck purplish-black
above, passing into others concolorous with the back below.
Quills black, margined with dark-blue. Tail in the adult white ;
under tail coverts also white. Bill black.

_ Measurements (inches ) of one in the Indian Museum :—Wing
10:5; tail 3°5; bill at front 1-; tarsus 1°6.

82 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Baill.

In the young the cervical plumes are not elongated, the tail
is concolorous with the body, which is more coppery and less
green than in the adult.

A small quail was seen and shot by me in the Nicobars, but
the specimen was lost in the long grass. .

MEGA PODID Ai.

102—(803 sex)—Megapodius Nicobariensis, Blyth.
Nicobars— Blyth, J. A. 8S. B., XV, pp. 52, 372; Pelz., “Fbise der
Novara, Végel, p. 110, Pl. LIV, jigs. 1—3; ‘Ball, JAS. Be
AKIN PE TP 1870p) 25.

“GnneRaAL hue of the upper parts deep-olive-brown, with a
tinge of ochreous, which becomes more decided on the wings ;
lower parts dingy greyish-brown, with a slight tinge of ochreous
on the breast, and which prevails throughout the under parts of
a presumed female; crown slightly rufescent-brown, prolonged
into a short crest, and the occipital feathers impended by the
coronal are light greyish ; lores, cheeks, and throat almost naked ;
the primaries ight ochreous on their outer webs, and dusky
internally ; bill “yellow, lees and claws dark horn- coloured. The
cheek is colored nearly as in the adult, but is smothered with
faint russet on the wings.—Biyth, loc. cit.

Measurements in inches—

Blyth. Ball.
Length Pdaua ss 15°5 (measured in the flesh).
Wing aie 1 (SF 9°25
Extent Sine Bae 2h Qi pe
Bill from gape .. ... 1-12
Tarsus Hs en 2°5*
Hind claw t 8 8

Inis dull orange.
The eves are nearly truly elliptical and of enormous size as

compared with the bird. Two which I procured had the follow- .

ing dimensions :—

No. 1. No. 2.
Length Sehinasee 3°125.
Cirveumference ... 6°6 6°375.

Colour brick-red. One figured by Pelzeln has somewhat of an —

olivaceous tinge.

This bird appears to be common in the Nicobars. In 1869,
just after the formation of the new settlement, I shot three
specimens one morning close to the houses. The first of them
flew up into a tree and was shot when perched on a branch some
20 feet from the ground. The two others were running together
and fell to the same shot. It is a very noisy bird, its peculiar
guttural crow reminded me of the croaking of bull frogs, and

ee ee

* Origine ay, stated by mist: fide 8 inches.

The Andamans and Nicobars.x—V. Ball. 83

may be represented by the syllables kiouk, kiouk, k6k, k6k, kok,
&e., ad inf.

I regret to say that I did not ascertain anything in addition
to what was previously known and published regarding the
nidification of this curious bird. The eggs are deposited in
mounds of soil and rubbish and artificially hatched by the heat
produced by the decomposing vegetable mattery The chick is
fully fledged when hatched, and it is believed has mainly to -
take care of itself, being independent of the old birds.

No ease, so far as I am aware, is on record of this bird having
been found north of the Nicobar Group of Islands. It seems
to be another link binding the Nicobar with the Malayan rather
than the Indian avifauna.

For the information of the residents at the settlement on
Camorta, should this meet their eyes, I would add that this is
the bird which is known under the several aliases of grouse,
peacock, and pheasant, and that both birds and eggs are far
too valuable to be consigned to the pot, as I found had been the
case at the time of my visit.

CHARADRID.

103—(842).—Glareola orientalis, Leach.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 287.

104—(845).—Charadrius longipes, Zemm.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XLT, 1872, Pt. L1, p. 287.
Nicobars.—(C. pluvialis, L.) Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 115.

105—(846).— Migialitis Geoffroyi, Wagler.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XLI, 1872, Pt. I, p. 288.

106—(847).—?Aigialitis mongolicus, Pall./ .
pyrrhothorax, Tem.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ITI, p. 332.
Coxone. Tyrer only obtained a distant view of the bird thus
identified, so that it may have been the preceding species which
he saw.

107—(845 ¢er).—Eudromias veredus, Gould; P.Z.S.,
1848, p. 38.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. 8. B., XLI, Pt. II, 1872, p. 288.
As this bird is quite new to the Indian avifauna, I shall give
Mr. Harting’s description of the species published in the Ibis,

N. S., VI, 1870, p. 209.
E

84 The Andamans and Nicobrs.—V. Ball.

I have no doubt as to the correctness of the identification of
the Andaman specimen, the more particularly as I had an oppor-
tunity of comparing it with a specimen of Zw. asvaticus obtained
in Abyssinia by Mr. Blanford.

< Adult im summer.—Buill black, moderately long, slender.
Crown and upper portion of the back and wings hair-brown.
Forehead, eyelids, and chin, pure white. Eyebrows, and sides
of the face and neck, buff; the latter colour extending round the
nape and separating the hair-brown of the crown from that of
the back. Across the breast a broad rufous band, the lowest
feathers of which are terminated by a shght edging of dark
umber-brown; thence to the extremities of the under tail-
coverts pure white; the shafts of the others brown. Secondaries”
long, reaching almost to the end of the primaries. Avxillaries
smoke-grey. Tail long, the outer web of the outermost rectrix
white; its inner web dusky. In the second rectrix both webs
dusky, the inner one darker. The rest of the rectrices getting
darker as they approach the middle ; the two middle the darkest
and somewhat longer than the others. Legs long and slender ;
a considerable portion of the tibia bare. Toes three; the middle
and outer toe connected at their base by a slight membrane; legs
and toes yellowish-ochreous.

“‘Young.—Crown, back, and upper portion of the wings greyish-
brown, each feather margined with buff. Forehead, eyebrows,
chin, sides of face and neck, buff; this colour extending in the
form of a collar round the neck. The pectoral band not well
defined; but a cloudy patch of pale buffy-brown, extending
across the breast, becomes gradually paler above and below, as it
approaches the chin and vent. Primaries and axillaries as in
the adult ; secondaries broadly edged with buff. Legs and toes
~ dull yellowish-brown.”

The adult in winter plumage is supposed to resemble the
young, such being the case with Hu. aszaticus. Dimensions :—
Total length 8:5 inches; bill 1; wing 6:5; bare portion of
tibia ‘8; tarsus 1:8; middle toe °9.

Our Andaman specimen, shot in May, is a fully grown bird in
this immature or winter plumage. Itis more or less buffy
below, approaching to pure white on the under tail-coverts. It
has the shafts of the first two primaries white, while those of
Eu. asiaticus, as pomted out by Mr. Harting, aredusky.* Its
dimensions are as follows :—

Length 8:2; wing 6-4; bill 9; tarsus 1:8 ; uncovered portion
of tibia °9.

* In E. asiaticus, the shafts are all mesially white, vide ante p. 17, where
“mesially ” is misprinted ‘‘ usually.”

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball, 85

Ihave no information at present as to the abundance of this
bird in the Andamans.

DROMADIN Zi.

108—(860).—Strepsilas interpres, Linn.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 332,
Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV, 1846, p. 373.

109—(861).—Dromas ardeola, Paykull. .
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., II, 1867, p. 332.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 134.

SCOLOPACID.

110—(871).—Gallinago scolapacinus, Bonap.
Andamans.—T. and. B., Lbis, N. S., ILI, p. 333.

111—(877).—Numenius arquata, L.; N. lineatus, Cuv.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 128.
Some doubt exists as to whether V. arquata and N. lineatus
are distinct. Herr v. Pelzeln seems to think they are, and
refers the Nicobar curlew to NV. léneatus, Cuv.

112—(878).—Numenius pheeopus, Linn.
Andumans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 363; Ball, J. A S. B., XII,
1872, Pt. LI, p. 288.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Végel, p. 127; Ball, J. A. S. B.,
AXXIX, Pt. I, p. 33.
113—(891).—Actitis glareola, Gel.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XL, Pt. If, 1872, p. 288.

OBTAINED in May.

114—(893).—Actitis hypoleucos, Linz.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XII, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 288.

Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. S. B., XV, 1846, p. 373; Pelz., Reise der
Novara, Vogel, p. 131.

115—(894).—Totanus glottis, Linn.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 129.

116—(897).—Totanus calidris, Linn.
Nicobars.—Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 129.

86 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.
RALLID A.

117—(912 bis)—Kuryzona Canningi, Tyéler.

Andamans.—Byth, Ibis, Vol. V, 1863, p. 119; Blyth, Mouat’s App.,
p. 363; T. and B., Ibis, N. S., TI, p. 333; Ball, J. A.S. B.,
ALT, Pt. I, 1872, p. 288. i

“‘ ENTIRE upper parts and breast of a rich dark colour, ap-
proaching to maroon ; a slight olivaceous tinge about the rump ;
throat less deeply colored; the abdominal region, flanks, and
plumes black, with from two to four transverse white bands on
each feather ; under surface of the wing much the same.—Bly/h.
Measurements in inches—

Tytler. Ball.

Length 13

Extent 21 be
Wing 6°5 6:3
Bill to gape 15 ve
-,, at front ae ell
Tarsus 2: 2°
Tail 35 33

“ Bill yellow, with slight tinge of green; eyes reddish-orange ;
feet slate-green.

“Tt is most like #. Zeylanica of India, but very much larger,
with tail proportionally more developed.” It is not uncommon
in the grass which borders creeks. he

118—(913).—Rallus striatus, Zinn.
| Andamans.— Ball; J. A. 8. B., XLT, 1872, Pt. I, p. 288.

THE only specimen yet received from the Andamans “ differs
from &. striatus, as represented in the Indian Museum (Blyth’s
Cat., No. 1671), in its longer and more powerful bill, and in
the abrupt termination of the rufous of the head and back of
the neck, which, in ordinary specimens, 1s continued for some
distance along the sides of the bluish-grey of the breast. In
other respects 1t corresponds with the common Indian bird,
“ Wing 5°15; bill at front 1-7; tarsus 1°55 inches.”

ARDEID.

119—(924).—Ardea purpurea, Liwn.
Andamans.— Ball, J. A. 8S. B., XL, Pt. II, 1872, p.289.

The Antamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball. 87

120—(926).—Herodias egrettoides, Temm.
Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XLT, Pt. IT, 1872, p. 289.

Tue only specimen as yet brought from the Andamans had
the following dimensions :— Wing ‘UL: 2; bill at front 2-9; tarsus
Avs; middle claw 3-5. The bill is yellow, with a brown tip to
the upper mandible. {

121—(927).—H. garzetta, Linn.
Andamans —T. and B., Ibis, N. 8., IIT, 1867, p. 333.

122—(928 bis).—H. concolor,* Blyth; H. Andaman-
ensis, Tytler.

Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p 363; T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIL

_ 1867, p. 333; Ball, J. A. 8. B., Cane Pt. IZ, 1872, p. 289.

. Nicobars. — Blyth, J. A. S. B., x V, 1846, ». 332; Pelzeln, Reise der
Novara, Vogel, p. 122; Bail, J. A. 8. B., NO AOD Pt. IT, p. 34.

“From D. asha, Sykes, it is readily distinguished by its
shorter legs; the om measuring but three inches instead of
three and three quarters; wing “11 inches or 11 ‘5 in adults;
about an inch shorter in the young; bill to forehead 3:5 and
to gape 4°25; middle toe and claws 238, the claws short and
much curved. Colour uniform dark-slaty throughout; some
specimens having a white line on the chin and throat. Adults
have narrow lengthened plumes on the back and breast, similar
to those of Ardea cinerea; the occipital plumes are also somewhat
lengthened as in herons generally, but I have seen no defined
occipital crest, and doubt its ever possessing one. Beak mingled
dusky and dull yellowish, and the legs appear to have been
olive-green.”— Blyth.

“ Colonel Tytler (Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 333,) proposed for
the Andaman bird a new name in consequence of ‘the young
being black ad ove, whereas those of the species for which it has
been mistaken are white ;’ to which Mr. Blyth replied (Ibis,
N.S8., IV, 133,) ‘H. Andamanensis is decidedly identical with
Hf, concolor, of which I never saw a white example. It also in-
habits the Nicobars and Arakan.’

“T have carefully compared all the specimens available from
the three localities, and the only difference which I can discern
is, that the Andaman birds are, on the whole, a little smaller, but
one of the Nicobar birds is about the same sizeas the largest
- Andaman.”

be This i is jugularis, Foster, while asha, Sykes, i is gularis, Bose.— Vide infra
C. O. L., Sind, No. 928.—Eb.

88 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

Measurements in inches.

ARAKAN. NICOBARS. | ANDAMANS.

SS] eee ailieme a S =)

Faust eae) (2 es es =

eee Sate | eek Ss =

Shes as ral a= S

Siac) ae |S us 8

5 o 4

MUP eS ul eteep eiee Sana te =
Wing ay 11-4 [11:1 10°75 /10°5| 105 | 9:8 | 9:8 | 9:62—-9:75
Bill at front... 3-4| 3:3] 3:5 | 3 Ben WeSC] 23s) “tae
Tarsus ... 3. |98| 3 | 2:8) 2715 24) 26 2252 93%

Andamans.

123—(931).—Butorides javanica, Horsf.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., IIT, 1867, p. 333 ; Ball,
JAYS LB XU RE IE NB O7 059.5: 290;

Nicobars.——Pelz., Reise der Novara, Vogel, p. 124.

Note—H. jugularis is given by Pelzeln as a distinct species from the

Two specimens are conspicuously smaller than any of a good
series of Indian specimens with which I have compared them, but
correspond closely in coloration and other details of plumage.

& Wing 6°5; bill at front 2:4; tarsus 1°65 inches.

124—(937).—Nycticorax griseus, Lon.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, 1846, p. 373.

125—(963 bis)—Mareca punctata,

ANATID.

Cuv. 7

Quer-

quedula Andamanensis. Tytler.—Ibis, N. S., £11,

1867, p. 383.

Andamans.—Ball, J. A. S. B., XL, Pt. L, 1872, p. 290.

Since writing last on this bird (doc. cit.), I found an old un-
labelled specimen in the Museum of the Asiatic Society, which,

The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Bail. 89

I have no doubt, was the original sent by Colonel Tytler, and
reported to have been lost. Colonel Tytler writes : —

“Tt was quite a new species, brown, with blue wings, and,
from the best of my recollection, somewhat like Q. wecuteri,
(Vieillot) of South America.”

The collection. made recently by Dr. Dobson contained several
specimens, both of males and females ; the former in non-breeding
plumage, which is very similar to that of the latter. With
Mareca punctata, as described and figured by Gould, they agree
very well, save that there is a small white patch surrounding the
eye in all our specimens. Two of the specimens show an inci-
pient stage towards the full breeding plumage (described below),
scattered patches of bright ferruginous or chesnut appearing on
the feathers of the breast and abdomen.

As this bird has not been previously obtained in India, I give
Mr. Gould’s description in full (H. B. A., 365) :—* The adult
male in the spring of the year has the head and neck ofa
rich deep changeable bronzy-green ; the whole of the upper
surface rich brown, narrowly margined with light reddish-brown ;
all the under surface chesnut, with a round spot of black
near the tip of each feather; greater wing-coverts white,
outer webs of the secondaries deep rich velvety-black, two or
three of the central feathers margined with bronzy reflec-
tions; remainder of the wings brown; tail dark-brown; on
either side of the vent a patch of white; under tail-coverts
black, freckled with tawny and white; bill bluish-lead colour ;
the nail and the edges of the upper mandible black, and the
under mandible crossed near the tip by a band of reddish flesh-
colour; irides hazel; feet lead colour, with the membranes of a
somewhat darker hue.

“The female, the male in winter, and the young male of the
year, have the head and neck minutely striated with brown and
buffy white ; all the under surface brown, with a blotch of black
in the centre of each feather, and the upper surface wings and
tail similarly marked, but less brilliant than in the male.

“There appear to be two very distinct races of this bird, one of
which is much larger than the other; so great, in fact, is the
difference in this respect, in specimens from various parts of the
country, that the idea presents itself of their being really distinct
species. The smaller race inhabits Tasmania; the larger, the
western and southern portion of Australia.”

Measurements of Andaman birds :—
é Wing 7:5; tail 3:25; bill at front 1:5 ; tarse 1°3 inches.
me ” (ls ” 31; ” » 14; ” 1:3 ”

$0 The Andamans and Nicobars.—V. Ball.

LA RIDA.
126—(990).—Thalasseus Bengalensis, Less.
Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 373.

127—(991).—Onychoprion melanauchen,* Zemm.

Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ITT, 1867, p. 334; Ball, J. A. 8.
B., XX XIX, Pt. IT, 1870, p. 243.

Nicobars.—Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 374; Pelz., Reise der Novara,
Vogel, p. 154; Ball, J. A. S. B., XX XIX, Pt. II, 1870, p. 34.

128—(992).—Onychoprion anosthetus, Scop.
Andamans.— Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 363.

129—(998).—Anous stolidus, Linn.
Andamans.—Blyth, Mouat’s App., p. 363.

130—(994).—Anous tenuirostris, Temm.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. S., ITI, 1867, p. 334.

PHAHTONID A.

131—(996).—Phaeton rubricauda, Bodd.; P. ethere-
us.— Bl. |

Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 374.

132— (997).—Phaeton candidus, Briss.
Andamans.—T. and B., Ibis, N. §., ITT, p. 334.

PEHLECANID 4.

133—(1004:).—Pelecanus Philippensis, G'mel.
Nicobars.— Blyth, J. A. 8. B., XV, p. 374.

Ves ACE L,

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Contributions to the Orvithology of Indiv. Sindh, No. IT,

In the previous number I gave a very brief résumé of the
ornithological results of my trip to Sindh, and an equally brief
sketch of the more prominent physical features of the province.

T omitted to notice that, although I failed to secure specimens,
I ascertaimed the occurrence, as occasional and probably seasonal
visitants to the hills dividing Sindh from Khelat, of a jay, pre-
sumably, from the description I received, G. MELANOCEPHALUS,
Géne, and of a huge black wood-pecker, with a crimson head,
which can scarcely be other than Dryocopus marrius, Linn.

To these, I have now to add Ortonus GatButa, Linn., of which
an undoubted specimen (wing all but 6 inches long, small bill,
not a trace of black behind the eye) has been sent me from
Sindh, since our last number appeared, by Mr. James, c. s.

Ihave no doubt that the further investigation of the Avi-
fauna of this province (which I have set on foot and which my -
present crude and imperfect notes are mainly intended to facili-
tate) will result in the identification of numerous other western
forms and confirm my view that, ornithologically at any rate,
Sindh is more closely allied with Asia Minor, North-Western
Arabia, and North-Eastern Africa, than with any other province
of India, it having, as my friend Dr. Stoliczka’s recent valuable
paper sufficiently shows, but little in common even with Cutch.

I now propose in view to showing more clearly when, how, and
under what circumstances the various species I shall have later
to enumerate, were met with, to reproduce my rough diary of
our jaunt which, though necessarily without the slightest pre-
tensions to literary merit, will, I hope, possess a certain interest
alike for naturalists and sportsmen.

The accompanying sketch map, for which I am indebted tothe
kindness of Colonel Thuillier, c.s.1., 1m which the tracts explored
are colored pink, will show clearly what portions of the country
covered in our tour were worked, as also, alas! how much I was
compelled to leave untouched. As a rule we had three guns out
daily, at times six, divided into parties some miles apart ; and
on two oceasions, Dr. Day, the Inspector General of Fisheries,
while inspecting fisheries and investigating the piscifauna of
localities which I never managed to reach, collected vigorously
for me, recording dates, sexes, and such likes particulars, as only
a naturalist, himself in former days an ornithologist, could or
would have done.

92 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

~ It would be ungrateful in the extreme if I were to omit to
acknowledge most prominently the great assistance and uniform
kindness which IT met with from Sir W. Merewether, &.c.s.1.,
c.B., &c. &c., the de facto Governor of the province, as well as
from Capt. Loch, Mr. Watson, Mr. James, c. s., Capts. Giles,
Stiffe, and Bishop, Mr. Cole and Mr. Walton. Without the
invaluable aid of these gentlemen, in particular, both my com-
panion, Dr. Day, and myself would have had but sorry accounts
to render of our respective explorations.

We started from Jhelum, a well known town in the Punjaub,
situated on the banks of the river of the same name, on the
afternoon. of the 20th November. We had a couple of large
flat-bottomed boats, with cabins, kitchens, &c., built on them,
and in these boats we were, aided by a little rowing, to float
down to Kusmore, the northernmost point of Sindh. Attached ~
to the larger boats, our floating houses, we had two or three
small row and gun-boats for shooting.

As we did not finally weigh anchor until 3 o’clock, we only got:
down about 20 miles by midnight, when we halted. We saw a
few geese (A. zmdicus) and many cranes (G. cinerea), a few Brah-
minies (Casarca rutila), a couple of green shanks, and two or
three of Temminck’s stint. Kulled four cranes, a long shot, be-
sides a Brahminy. I scarcely ever remember to have seen any
large Indian river such an entire blank. Noticed four or five
of the common cormorant near the Jhelum bridge.

21s¢.—Harly in the morning I landed, and prowled about in the
hills which border the J heleers here, Hboue five miles north of
Julalpoor. I saw several Oorzal (Ovis vigner), but none within 300
yards. The ravines abounded with dmmomanes tusitania, and

the Seesee, (A. donhami), and these, with Saxicola picata, Tham-
nobia cambayensis, and Otocompsa leucotis, appeared to be their
sole inhabitants. Between the hills and the river in the low
comparatively rich alluvial flat, in which the ber tree,
(Z. jujuba) was common, and covered with small unripe fruit,
Paleornis eupatria (alexandri) was met with in small flocks.
Brachypternus aurautius was also seen, and a single specimen
of Picus scindeanus. I procured several of these birds,
a few miles lower down at Julalpoor, some two years
ago, We did not get off till near 2 o’clock. The wind was
against us and we only made some ten miles by evening, halting
near Abdoolapoor. We saw vast numbers of cranes and a few
geese and Brahminies, but everything was very shy, and I only
shot a couple of cranes, four geese (Auser indicus) a Brahminy
and a female mallard, the only one, in fact the only true duck
of any kind we saw. We saw a few Scena aurantia and Sterna

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 93

javanica. One or two Ceryle rudis, several pairs of Halieétus
leucoryphus, and one pair of Hatliaétus aliicillu. Shortly after
leaving Jhelum, low hills, not exceeding 2,500 feet in height, begin
to appear on the right bank of the river. The first and most con-
spicuous that comes in view is Jogitilla (used as a kind of sani-
tarium by the residents of Jhelum) being the north-east extre-
mity of the salt range and one of its highest points.
Throughout the day we had the eastern flanks of the salt range
bordering the right bank of the river.

22nd.—Started early and got into Pindadhun Khan, about 4
o’clock in the afternoon. En route saw a few terns and one
pretty large party of Rhynchops albicollis, the only ones yet seen.
No geese, but numbers of mallard, of which I got sixteen. These
were the only ducks seen, but we saw several parties of cranes, of
which I got eight, to the great delight of our people. The boat-
men have verily maws like crocodiles. Each man will eat a
whole crane to his own cheek. Of a couple of fat mallards they
think nothing. Luckily most of the birds knocked over yester-
day and today had enough life left in them to permit of having
their throats cut “in the name of God” before they died,
without which ceremony the Mahomedans of our party (and all
the boatmen, 20 in number, are Mussulmans) would not of course
have eaten them.

Geese, crane, and mallard, shy and wild as they are as a rule
inland, are easily killed on all our larger rivers. During the
hotter parts of the day, they are generally found in larger or
smaller parties, dozing in the sun, on some sandbank, at the
water’s edge, or in the case of the cranes, standing asleep in the
water near some such bank. Directly such a party 1s sighted, you
take a small boat, with a couple of sharp men, and row or punt
noiselessly down to within two or three hundred yards, when if
the water intervening is shallow enough to allow it, (and the
boatmen seem to know this by instinct) one man gets quietly
out of the boat behind, and while those in the boat lie down out
of sight, he, stooping so as to be entirely concealed by the boat,
pushes it down gently and noiselessly, aided by the stream,
towards the flock. In this way you may approach, if all is well
managed, to within twenty yards of even cranes. You make some
arrangement at the bows (I had a false gunwale screwed on
with suitable holes pierced in it) so as to admit of peeping
and shooting, without raising your head into view, and when
you get to what you consider the right distance, knock
over aS many you can sitting with the first shot, and as
many more as you have time for, before they get out of
shot, after they rise. Everything depends on judging nghtly

94 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.

the distance for the first shot, with reference to your bore and
charge. <A little too far, you wound a score, without perhaps
bagging one; a little too near, and you kill one or two out-
right, and though you perhaps get two or three more as they
rise, that is all; but if you use a good heavy duck gun, say No.
8 bore, with two ounces of A A, and fire at about 50 yards, you
will rarely get less than eight out of a good large flock of geese
(and I have got as many as sixteen) with the first shot, besides
a brace or so more, with green cartridge, as they rise.

The whole of our eight cranes were out of one party of about
forty. Four fell dead at the first shot, another pair I dropped
right and left, and two others whose wings were broken by the
first shot were soon hunted down, though the men had a tremen-
dous run for it on the sandbank, and the birds in both eases
finally took to the water and swam well, fighting us desperately
when we came up with them in the water.

The mallard keep in small parties of from three to six, and as
a rule donot sit close enough to allow of more than two
being killed atthe first shot, while they rise so rapidly that one
rarely gets more than a single bird after the first shot.

At Pimdadhun Khan we landed, and slept in tents which had
been kindly pitched for us by friends.

237rd.—We rode up very early to Kewrah, where I had to
inspect the Mayo mines, some of the most splendid salt mines
in the world, to which in the previous hot season, I had, with
his permission, given the name of our late lamented Viceroy,
who was the first Governor General who had ever visited them.

A cynic once remarked, when taxed with some foible, that
it was necessary to leave something for malice and folly to carp
at, and surely dear Lord Mayo’s foibles must have been few and
far between when malice and folly found nothing better to re-
proach him with than that he wasa “ galloping Viceroy.” Of
all the senseless howls ever raised against a great and good man
this was perhaps the most absurd. Lord Mayo did his “ gallop-
ing,’ as it was called, on fixed principles and under a strong
sense of duty. He desired of all things to fit himself for form-
ing an éndependent opinion on all important subjects and spe-
cially on that of the comparative abilities and capacities of all
officials. He wanted to see all places and things in regard to
which important questions had arisen, or were likely to arise, with
his own eyes, and he wanted specially to see and judge of all offi-
cials in their own districts and jurisdictions, and to hear, as he
could only hear in private personal intercourse, their opinions on all
_those subjects, which circumstances had given them opportunities
of thoroughly studying. The Government had no money to

eee,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, ec. 95

waste on stately progresses with vast camps, such as Governor-
Generals had formerly indulged in. He wanted to visit places
and inspect parts of the country which no rail or even metalled
road had opened out; and he had, moreover, no time to waste
dawdling along ten or fifteen miles a day with an army of fol-
lowers ; and so, with a small personal staff of half a dozen officers,
he rode his forty to seventy miles a day, the only way in which he
could do what he believed to be his duty (God having gifted him
with the necessary physical powers) and do it at the same time
quickly and at the least cost to the nation. Ifthe public could
have even partially realized the noble motive, (the noblest of all
motives, that of qualifying himself to do thoroughly that work
which his “‘ strong and kindly hand which has ceased, alas, to
labour and to give” found to do) that spurred him on to disre-
gard discomfort and fatigue, they would, perhaps, instead of
cavilling, have honoured him no less for his “ galloping” habits
than for his many other noble attributes.

I am not going to describe these famous mines—vast sparkling
halls and corridors, many miles in length, hewn out of the living

* rosy erystal; I leave to the geologists those mighty caves carved

in seams of chemically-pure salt, glittering, translucent, rainbow
hued, seventy feet in thickness, with their weird pools, opaline
stalactites, and altogether unearthly glories; quant a nous, reve-
NONS NOS OLseaux.
Throughout the bare and wondrous coloured hills and hillocks
which surround the mines, hills in which red and green matls
glare out in fiercest tints, above beds of snowy gypsum, from a
back-ground in which hilac, purple, and wondrous shades of grey
and brown are intermingled with a grace that mocks the skill
of human artists,—hills grim and stony amidst all their gor-
geur—the modest-tinted Isabelline lark (A. /usctania) and the
no less soberly-arrayed Seesee swarmed, while over-head the
terror of these harmless little partridges, quick to spy . and

- sudden and cruel to strike, soared and swooped Bonelli’s eagle.

I counted no less than five pairs, all of whom, as we were told, had
their eyries in the neighbourhood. Of the common Punjaub
raven (Corvus Lauwrencei nobis) we saw numbers, one pair already
busy repairing an old nest in a dense acacia tree. Slept at the
mines.

24¢h.—Rode down back to Pindadhun Khan, shooting a very
fine A. fulvescens en route. Embarked about.12 o’clock. Saw
a few geese and killed three; a good number of green shank, a
very few terns, a good many mallard, of which I killed fourteen,
anda few other ducks, probably Gadwall, asone of them which
I shot as they flew overhead at an immense height turned out

96 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.

to be of this species. A few cranes, but none within shot.
Wealso saw one or two Ceryle rudis, and inthe evening, as we
were out rowing, a party of about 20 Secna awrantia passed us.
LT also saw two or three pairs of Brahminies, and two or three
small parties of, Ayzalitis curonieus and cantianus, but as a rule
the river was terribly bare.

25th.—We reached Boogga, half way to Shahpoor, about 2
o’clock this morning. Before starting again, I walked out along
the banks where the loose sand was sparsely clad with stunted
tamarisk bushes. In the bare spaces between these latter, I
met with several small parties of the little sand lark which
T have previously christened dlaudula Adamsi. These larks were
rather wary, and we only obtained a single specimen: they run
rapidly along the ground and squatting suddenly in some little
hollow, become entirely invisible as they are exactly concolorous
with the sand. They then creep or run ynobserved along the
ground and fly up at a considerable distance out of shot. The
whole party rise together and mount a considerable height in
the air. hese are scarcely the habits of the Alaudula raytal
of the valley of the Ganges.

Restlessly creeping sideways up the tamarisk bushes, showing
themselves for one instant on the top of a stem,. their breasts
gleaming white in the morning sunlight, and thew long
tails cocked up over thew backs like Cetti’s warbler, IL
noticed and obtained several specimens of Buwrnesia gracilis.
In their general movements they closely resemble, as might
be expected, the Prinias and Suyas, but they have a mode of
doubling back their tails over their heads which I have not noticed
in either of these genera. A few pairs of Saaicola desertz,
atrogularis, Bl. and Gilicnemus indicus were the only other inhabi-
tants of the tamarisk jungle; but on a poplar-shaped babool tree
in one of the fields that skirt the waste, I shota huge dark
fulvescens. We got off about half-past 9 o’clock. During the
day I saw and shot the only Hsacus recurvirostris 1 have yet
met with. Asa rule I think these birds chiefly affect those parts
of our rivers in which the banks are more or less rocky or stony,
or in which there are stony shoals. I saw a single cormorant, also
a bird which seems to prefer the vicinity of stones.

In the Chumbal, for instance, and those portions of the Jumna
immediately below its junction with the Chumbal, which are
more or less ae or have rocky shoals, hundreds of both these
species would be ae with in a third of the distance we have
here travelled, as also of Hoplopterus malabaricus, of which as
yet I have seen none. Cranes abundant as usual. Kulled three.
The Demoiselle crane is not known, it seems, to the boatmen, and

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. 97

as a tule, I believe, this species prefers tanks and swamps to rivers.
Hitherto, all the geese we have seen have been with one excep-
tion A. indicus, but towards evening, we came upon a huge flock
(out of which I obtained eight,) contaming a large admixture of
A. cinereus. One of these latter weighed 8 lbs. I saw several
large parties of mallard and bagged twelve. Also two small parties
of the common teal of which I shot nine, but saw no other ducks
excepting Brahminies. A few Sterna javanica and Seena aur-
antia. We have not seen a single gull since we started, though
a single Larus ridibundus was shot at the Jhelum bridge the day
before we arrived. Exactly at this time of year at Fazilka, on
the Sutlej, I once shot two, and saw several Larus ichthyetus.
26¢4.—En route to Jung. Before starting, saw afew Alaudula
Adamsi (nobis) on the sands, and a number of Drymoipus longi-
caudatus in the scanty fields. Along the river mnumerable cranes,
of which we killed six, and might have obtained many more.
A few mallard were seen and killed, and also a few teal; a party
of Numenius lineatus feeding at the water’s edge; and in one
place we came upon a huge collection of green shanks and the
lesser red shanks, almost allasleep on one leg at the water’s edge ;
and with them were associated a number of stilts (ZZ. cntermedius,
Bl.,) while a very few terns, 8. javanica, were dotted about in
amongst them. There were probably between three and four hun-
dred birds sitting almost as closely as they could pack. Later in
the day we came upon other parties of mallard, of which we got
thirteen, and a huge flock of geese, of which I got seven, one of
which proved to be Anser cinereus. I notice, as I often have before,
that the larger birds of this species have the lower surface much
mottled with large black patches. The whistle of our Indian
eurlew does not strike one as nearly so loud, round, or full, as
that of our well-known English birds. In England where the

wild geese are so wary, 1t seems odd enough that these birds

should have been selected as types of stupidity, but here they
are the tamest of all waterfowl. Flocks which during: the night
feed in the fields, sit all day on sandbanks by the water’s edge,
‘and allow a boat to drift almost on to them before they move.
When still about a hundred yards off, the flock is seen to be group-
edin a dense mass, fully half are asleep, a few are standing at
the water’s edge drinking slowly, raising the head at each gulp,
and the rest are standing gazing listlessly about ; as the boat
approaches, a general low cackling takes place, a good many of
the sleepers get up and begin to look about, and a few of those

already on their legs begin to waddle away from the water’s

edge. As you approach nearer, all begin to walk slowly away, and

_asarule, if you persist in coming within twenty yards, and

98 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

coming on quicker than they can walk, they rise and fly, or if
you stand up in the boat or make any sudden noise, they will
equally take the wing; but if you drift quietly down on them,
they will let you come within twenty or thirty yards with-
out quitting the bank. The first gun fired, the din that rises
from a flock of 300 or 400, (and that I fired into this evening,
I carefully counted and estimated, glass in hand, as we ap-
proached, to contain fully double the latter number,) is meredi-
ble; their cries mingled with the flappings of their wings, render
it impossible to make one’s-self heard for a brief space until they
get well on the wing. Then they will circle round and round
over head whilst the dead are being picked up, and the winged,
which always take the water, swim well, and dive fairly, are
being hunted down, uttering the most clamorous cries, not unfre-
quently returning within shot.

In a jheel (or large pond) a man who knows what he is about,
by moving backwards and forwards slowly, can walk a flock of
Anser cinereus before him up to any point he pleases, where
some hidden comrade awaits their advent. The Indian goose,
A. indicus, is not so tame. As a rule, I think the latter bird
prefers rivers, the former swamps and lakes, though you will
generally find some of both species, both in rivers and lakes. No
one who has not shot a good deal in the rivers of Upper India
can realize the myriads of geese that yearly visit us: those seen
in swamps form but a small proportion of the total, and are
chiefly A. cznereus. This latter goes far north to breed, but
wounded and captured birds, that I have kept and tamed, have
laid eggs freely, though these never hatched. 4. zndicus, on the
other hand, breeds in the Tso Mourari, and other Thibetan lakes,
and does not, so far as I know, cross the Koen Luen ; but they
are far more difficult to tame; and in fact I have never known
of one being kept through the hot season in captivity, whereas
the grey lag tames at once and lives for years in the poultry
yard, apparently suffering little from the heat.

27th.—The little Alaudula Adams: on the banks as usual.
Soon after starting, saw three birds on a sandbank in the river
which looked like grey lag geese, but seemed too small. Worked
the boat up carefully to within fifty yards; as they were rising,
knocked down two with the right barrel, No. 3 loose, and the
third with a No. 2 green cartridge. Before I could load again, one
of the first two flapped away, and rose heavily, flying away about
half a mile, where it appeared to smk into a bare field, and Jay
with its wings outspread and head down. I thought it was
dead—sent a boatman to pick it up; he got within a few yards of
it when it rose and flew away out of sight. Marked the direc-

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 99

tion, and after an hour’s search found it in a side-arm of the
river. Worked cautiously up to it, but it rose out of shot and
flew off, never rising above ten feet from the ground. Marked
the direction, crossed the river and found it walking about slow-
ly on some sand hills. Crept on my hands and knees to within
about eighty yards, beyond which there was not an inch of cover.
Could not get nearer ; fired a BB green cartridge; eut the sand up
all round him, but did no damage. He rose and flew a good
mile, but I ran up to the top of a sand hill, and with the binocu-
lars marked by three trees the precise spot at which he lighted.
My people who were tired of plodding over loose sand, (it was
gettig very hot, being midday,) declared he went away
altogether ; persisted and went to the spot, goose not to be
seen. When we got to the precise spot, I said “ well, Iam positive
he lit here,” and turned to go back, when suddenly he jumped
up not five yards from me from under a little overhanging sand
erest. I let him get thirty yards and rolled him over.

These three geese were Anser erythropus, Lin. nec. Gmelin,
(the 4. albifrons, Gm., of Dr. Jerdon’s work) the first I have ever
shot or seen alive in India in my life, though I have received
specimens from Oudh. From the latter locality I have also
obtained A. minutus, Naum. I once shota pair of A. drachyrhynchus,
Baill., im the Jumna, in the Etawah district, but all these three
‘Species are very rare, so far as my experience goes, in India.

Saw plenty of mallard (killed sixteen) and lots of cranes and
-barfronted geese, 4. indicus, of each of which I killed several for
the boatmen, and might have killed a dozen, also four teal
(Q. erecea) of which I got two.

Towards evening I came across a large party of Zotanus
fuscus. Kalled eight with a single barrel, No. 4 shot. Yesterday,
by a similar shot, I killed six green shanks and one 7. calidris.

Just as sun set, a fine male Circus cyanevs which can always
be distinguished even on the wing by its blue throat and upper
breast, passed close by me.

_ Looking at the grey lag geese shot yesterday, I may note,
that Jerdon (probably quoting some English author) gives the
weight at from 9 to 12 lbs. Now I have certainly weighed more
than a hundred birds, and I have never met with one single bird
that weighed quite 9 lbs. Very fine males weigh 8 to 84, and
females, 6 lbs. If the European bird really ever weighs 12 lbs.,
it must be a considerably larger bird, for ours feeding on the
gram and other grain and lentil fields, are as fat and plump as it
is possible to be, huge layers of fat underlying the skin and
rendering the proper preservation of specimens a most laborious
undertaking. |
ai]

100 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

The bill and feet vary much in colour, sometimes both are a
pale dirty pink, at others the bill will be a livid purplish red,
and the feet a pale cream colour, barely tinged with pink. The
plumage, too, varies a good deal. In some which I take to be
the young, the lower breast, and the whole abdomen to vent, are
pure white ; in many they are strongly tinged with sandy or
orange, in others very thickly and conspicuously mottled with .
' brownish black. The head and neck vary from pale ashy or
earthy brown, to dark clove brown; in most there is a mingled
white and orange patch on the forehead. In some there is a
-sunilar spot at the base of the upper mandible, on each side, just
above the gape. Often in birds killed just before they leave
usin March or April, most of the feathers of the head and
cheeks are obscurely tipped with orange, and traces of this are
seen on the whole neck. Does this indicate an undescribed’
breeding plumage, or do our birds differ from the European?
I note that most of our birds have a tiny patch of white on the
centre of the chin and that the irides are dark brown.

Totanus fuscus swims well, not merely when wounded, but at
times from choice. I once came upon a large flock, all busy
swimming in a deep railway excavation full of water, in the
Ktawah district, and shot about a dozen with two barrels, think-
ing they must be some bird new to me ; one that I wounded to-
night swam down the river, nearly a mile, before we could come
up with it.

28th.—Soon after starting, came upon a small party of mal-
lard and shot four, then a pair of Anas pehkilorhyncha, the grey
duck, and bagged both right and left ; then another pair of this
latter species (of which I had previously seen only one other
pair since starting) came flying a tremendous pace up the river ;
they passed at about eighty yards distance, but a green cartridge
dropped both, a most astounding fluke! I notice that
in the grey duck, the gurumpai of native sportsmen, the
feet of the female are always a dull tile red, while those of
the male are the most intense coral red I have ever seen.
The yellow and red patches on the bill are also duller
coloured in the female, and she has much less white on the
tertiaries : she 1s also somewhat smaller.

Heretofore, since leaving Jhelum, the banks have always been
low, rarely rising even ten feet out of the water; but this morning
on our right, for some miles in leneth, the banks rose precipitously
some forty or fifty feet high, earthen and sandy cliffs, amongst
the debris of which I noticed several Saxicoline birds. Landed.
and sueceeded in shooting one, (they were remarkably wary)
which proved to be my new Sawicola Kingi (described in 02s,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 101

January 1871, p. 29). Iam strongly inclined to believe that this
is the species represented in Burnes’s drawings, and which
Blyth identified with Cercomela melanura, from which of course,
now we have the bird, it proves wholly different.

Since leaving Jhelum, we have daily seen one or two of the
Punjaub raven flying over the river, but they never seem to
come down to the water’s edge or sit upon the banks.

Later in the day I came upon four female smews, of which I
shot one. ‘These birds are rare in most places in the North-
West Provinces, but every cold season large flocks are to be met
with at the Nujjufeurh Jheel. Killed hie cranes and seven
geese. Micht have killed many more, but all the boatmen and
rest of the party had got as many as they could eat. Also saw
two grey curlews which I shot. Came upon a huge party of
mallard in which there was one male Puligula rufina, which I
picked out and shot as they rose.

One curious thing occurred. The left banks, for a couple
of miles, are fringed with a dense sheeshum plantation. When
passing opposite this, the boatmen picked up a tiny dead bird,
water-logged, a mere rag. I could not make it out, so had it
most carefully dried. It became a very fair specimen and
turns out to be P. nitzda, Latham, freshly moulted, very brightly
coloured, and easily to be mistaken for ¢rochzlus, with which I
at first wrongly identified it.

29¢h.—We hoped last night to reach the confluence of the
Jhelum and the Chenab, but had to pull up about 10 P. m.,
some miles north of it, as although it was full moon, the water
was so low, and the river so full of trees and stumps, that we
kept sticking and striking every ten minutes.

Soon after starting this morning, | saw a solitary duck, which
I dropped as she rose, an extraordinarily long shot, of course
with green cartridge (No. 1.) It proved to bea female Fuligula
rufina. Then shot a pair of curlews, and soon after, from close
under the bank where they had escaped unnoticed, out sprung a
brace of grey duck, which I brought to book right and _ left.
One, however, was only winged, and swimming and diving, he
led us a great chase, till, fairly tired out, I gave him another
shot. Both were males. This species both flies, swims, and dives
more briskly than the mallard. Later I came upon a party of
Brahminies. Killed three sitting, and dropped a fourth, a long fly-
ing shot. I say killed three, but one was only, kilt entirely, and
he led us a chase in the water, diving backwards and forwards, till
I was almost induced to fire at him again ; however, at last he
rose within about fifteen feet, and I was lucky enough to knock
him on the head with the last paddle (I had thrown two others

102 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

at him, which had disappeared down stream, but which we
ultimately picked up,) which I skimmed at him.

Later a huge flock of geese, all swimming in the river, show-
ine that they had been disturbed. They rose at, I guess, about
90° yards ; but my long No. 8 bore gun, with green BB ear-
tridge, fetched three of them, and one misguided bird flying
straight at us, instead of beating a retreat with the rest, rolled
over with a loose charge of No. 8. Afterwards I got within
40 yards of three grey duck, they rose, two flying abreast passed
within 20 yards, flying low and slow, and I missed them, while
the third which went right away fell dead, at over 60 yards to a
green No. 3.

A party of five mallard, amongst a huge flock of 7. fuscus
and calidris ; 1 knocked over two mallards just as they rose and
a third inthe air. Of the two first, one rose again and flew half
a mile, dropping dead in the river. Me ollier two botk scrambled
into the water, and the usual chase succeeded, one especially
diving backwards and forwards under the boat ina manner more
surprising than satisfactory, with a boat not too easy to pull,
and a stream running some six miles an hour. Ultimately both
were secured without firme. I saw two or three Asacus recur-
virostris, and perhaps half a dozen black-bellied terns im the
whole day. In the Jumna we should have seen at least fifty of .
these, S. awrantia, S. minuta, and Rhynchops albicollis in the thirty
odd miles of river we have come. We halted at Asoowallah, 35
cos, (? about 53 miles) from Mooltan.

30¢h.—We halted last night about ten miles above the june-
tion of the Ravee, and Sari again about 4 a.m. About 8
o’clock, I saw a small hawk perched on a tiny bush close to the
bank. I landed and shot it when it proved to be an adult male
merlin, the first I have yet shot or seen this trip. In the far
North-West, this species is common in the cold weather, and I
have had them sent me from near Umritsur and from the Sirsa
district, but have never met with them further East. The day
gave nothing to record. I saw great numbers of grey duck —
(bagged sixteen,) of Brahminies (bagged four,) of mallard
(bageed four,) one teal, which I shot, two pair of Spatula clypeata,
the first I have seen on these rivers, and innumerable geese and
cranes of which I bagged a dozen; green and red shanks, and
grey curlews, numerous ; several Hsacus recurvirostris. On the
babool trees, on the banks on which I daily wandered for some
miles, Sy/via curruca or affinis, vide infra, was very abundant,
while Pratincola caprata and indica twittered and flittered
about every dwarf shrub. Two or three pairs of H. leucoryphus
were seen ina 30 miles pull. On the Jumna, wounded or

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. 103

- dead geese and fowl floating in the river were never safe for an
instant from the swoops of these birds, and we had always to
keep a rifle loaded to guard our spoils by a warning bullet ;
nay, despite bullets, they would sweep off a goose before one’s
face with the utmost audacity. Here they are few in numbers,

and the struggle for existence is apparently notso keen. Certain-

it is that during the last ten days I have had at least fifty fowl
floating im the river under circumstances that would in either

the Jumna, Chumbal, or Ganges have ensured the loss of at ‘

least half, without a single swoop having been made at them.
Kingfishers are very scarce. I saw one Haleyon smyrnensis at
Pindadhun Khan on the banks of the Jhelum, and of Ceryle
vudis, | may have seen a dozen pairs altogether, and one family
of five, since starting.

I found a large party of Gyps fulvescens, nobis, devouring a |

dead bullock on the banks of the river. It is useless any one
saying that these are only the young of fulvus. Here was a
party of fifty, all the same rich rufous tint. This month they
will lay, and the young birds that one shoots in April and
March, in fact before the first moult, are pale whitey brown.
It is not until after the first moult, that they get the rich fulves-
eent hue that characterizes the species, and the older the bird
(I judge by bones, bill, and claws) the richer the tint. That
the species is distinct from fw/vus of Europe, appears to me
certain.

lst December.—Walked along the banks; shot a F. jugger
which as it passed rapidly I took for a Saker. Also a Pernis
eristata; Saxrcola, both isabellina, Riipp., and desert: common,
Coracias wmdica, Buchanga albirictus, numbers ot Alaudula Adam-
sz. I also obtained one specimen of the little Phyllopseuste that I
described in the Ibis, under the name of neglecta, and which
I originally received with other birds collected in Bhawulpoor
by my friend Captain C. Marshall. It was flitting about in the
babool trees with a lot of the lesser white throat, to which in
manners it seemed closely to approximate. No geese seen today
and only a few cranes; but grey curlew very numerous, and
several parties of mallards, and grey duck, of each of which I
secured about a dozen.

Since leaving Pindadhun Khan, I had repeatedly watched
numbers of sand-martins flitting about the banks or skimming
over the water catching gnats. ‘To-day I again, as I had done

on several previous days, shot a pair, hoping that they might be —

the European species (which I have never yet seen in India)
said by Adams to be common on these rivers. They proved,
however, to be C. sinensis. Tarsi, entirely bare; wings; 3°7,

(Pa KX :
()

104 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

very pale on the rumps. This and swbsoccata (which appears.
to me to be a very doubtful species) are the only true sand-
martins I have yet procured in India. .

The almost entire absence of the small plovers on these rivers:
surprises me. Of the large Hsaews recurvirostris, 1 saw two
parties today, one of about seven, the other of at least ten birds,
but they have hitherto been rare, and of Hoplopterus malabari-
cus, so very abundant on the Jumna and Ganges in the North-
West Provinces, I have not yet seen a single specimen.

2nd.—Reached Shere Shah, the port (Gf I may use the phrase)
of Mooltan, early in-‘the morning. Only one train goes in daily,
so drove into Mooltan 14 miles. En route noticed two Saricola
Kingi, always distinguishable by the rufous tail, in the fallow
~ fields.

3rd and 4th.—Remained at Mooltan. Visited the fort and the ~
shrines of Rookun Alum and Bhawul Hug. The latter was
rebuilt by us after the siege of Mooltan which followed on the
murder of Vans Agnew and Anderson, by Moolraj. It had been
selected by Moolraj as a magazine; a chance shell of ours blew
it up, and this so discouraged the enemy, who thought it a proof
of our excellence in gunnery, that the siege was virtually over
from that time. As Moolraj and party, the offenders, were Sikhs,
while the shrine was a Mahomedan one, we rebuilt it. Neither
possesses any architectural merits, but the Rookun Alum is plenti-
fully adorned with highly glazed eneaustie tiles and_ slabs,
which have, ever since the thirteenth century, been much in use
by the Mahomedans west of the Jumna.
_ 5th.—Returned to Shere Shah early by rail, and haan
kulling a beautiful pair of Chzquera typus, Bp. About ten miles
down passed the steamer that started on the 3rd. Presently this
eaught us up again. Then later it stuck agam and we passed
it. The consequence of this was that nothing was to be shot.
The steamer e¢roaned and grunted like a legion of devil-possess-
ed swine, while the waves generated by the paddles kept the
banks falling for a quarter of an hour after the vessel had passed,
each little bit of bank coming down with a crack like a musket,
so with very hard work ails I got was one Brahmuny, , hee
mallard, three grey duck, and a Pace of shovellers. JI made one
curious shot. Five green shanks were sitting on a point ; one of my
barrels had missed fire—as they rose I fired at them and knocked
all five down, and that although the first and last must have
been two yards apart and flymg across me at about 45 yards. I
saw three Ardea cinerea, and | may mention that I had previously
seen single individuals, on several occasions, since leaving Jhelum.
Also saw several grey curlew and shot one.

‘a

Y

ae 6

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 105

6th.—Early in the morning the steamer passed us again.
There was no domg anything in her neighbourhood, so I pulled
up at a thicket on he bank, and in lhe shot a Sylvia CLuCr ed,
Burnesia gracilis, Phyllopseuste neglecta, and a female TP
which struck me as too olivaceous for rufiventris, but which
turned out to be merely a freshly-moulted specimen. Just out-
side I got a shrike, LZ. arenarius, and two or three dlaudula
Adumsn. Starting an hour later, when the steamer was out of
sight and hearing, I saw several grey curlews, anda_ party of
cormorants. J saw numbers of mallard, several grey duck, and
a few brace of teal, but they were all so wild that I bageed only
eighteen altogether. Green shanks very numerous. I saw at least,
a dozen Aocks. of from tw enty to fifty each, besides innumerable
singlebirds and pairs. Six gigantic hares, baffled all my endea-
vours to get within shot. They were fully twice as large as the
common herons some of which were near them ; ; Ltwice got within
250 yards and esamaed them closely with binoculars. One they
were near a pair of cranes, and though less bulky and differently
built birds, they seemed very nearly, if not quite, as tall. They

~had a great deal of rufous about the neck. Could they have been

Ardea goliah ? They were manifest herons at any rate, and

-fully twice the size of Aridea cinerea. Since leaving Mooltan, we

have seen very few cranes and until this evening no geese.

.This is due partly to the weekly steamers, but chiefly to the

-poverty of the cultivation on both banks. Geese, especially,

rarely frequent rivers in India, unless there are good fields for
them to feed on in the neighbourhood. About 10 Pp. M., we reached
Kujil Meanee, the customs post, about seven miles above the

confluence of the Chenab and the Sutlej.

7th.—Walked on the banks and worked inland for several
miles, the young wheat springing up through huge clods,
which in other places were festooned with the feathery leaves

of the gram, which has not yet begun to put out its peach--

coloured and purple blooms. In amongst this dyrodroma campes-
tris and Gulerita cristata were plentiful. On the little babool
bushes that spring up every here and there, Pratincola indica,
(or rubicola, take your choice !)” flitted and fluttered, restless
as usual, while sometimes on the higher elods, and some-
times on some bush, Saaicola deserti and isabellina were sun-
ning themselves. On the larger babool trees Sylvia orphea,
Phyllopseuste tristis, Collyrio, (Lanius apud Auet) erythronotus,

-and Coracius indica were noticed; a single pair of mainas,

A. tristis, were all I saw. They seem rare ‘about here. Along
the sand dunes, Alaudula Adamsi, as usual, swarmed, here

-and there in pairs, but generally, in little flocks; upon the

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2 £4

106 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.
e

tamarisk bushes, Burvesia gracilis and Drymoipus longicaudatus,
crept up and down thestems. A kestrel passed and was secured,
and a pair of small falcons dashed by, of which I shot the male,
which proved to be Chiquera typus (Bon.) Sport on the river
worse and worse; very few geese, ducks, or cranes, and every
thing so wild that no amount of care enabled one to work up
to them—the day being cold and cloudy of course made the
fowl more restless, and “Toul y succeeded in bagging three grey-
duck. I saw ten black storks (7. nyra) in company with one
adjutant (L., argala, Lath. dubius, Gm.) Twice I got within 150
yards, and watched them closely with binoculars, but could not
get a shot. This is a rare species in most parts of India. I have
it from the Dhoon, the Peshawur valley, and Raipoor, and I
once shot 16 myself 1 in the Meerut district.

The day we left Mooltan I saw a huge flock of white
birds in the distance which I could not neke or Today
J saw another such flock which proved to be spoon-bills.
Each flock must have consisted of many thousand birds,
The river here, after the Junction with the Sutlej, is very
large, with numerous arms and many square miles of mud-
flats. .1 worked all day amongst these and saw positively
nothing,—no sandpipers, no little plovers, no gulls, no skim-
mers, only a few black-bellied terns.

8th.—For about fifteen miles after the junction with the Sutlej,
the river was more absolutely bare than I have yet seen it,
T hunted the banks and creeks for miles and saw absolutely
nothing but one Halicétus leucoryphus, (macei, Cuv, apud Gray
and Jerdon) a pair of H. albicilla, a pair of green shank,
a couple of black-bellied terns, three Kentish plovers, and a
few herons. Such an absolute desert I never came across,
-and what the reason of such absence of bird-life was, I am
at a loss to discover. Further on, I first came across three
Pelicunus crispus, and near them a small party of black stork,
but all were too wary to allow of my securing a specimen.
Lower down again I saw three Haliastur indus, the first we have
met with since leaving Jhelum, and then we came upon an enor-
mous flock of spoon-bill, containing, I suppose, ten thousand in-
dividuals ; half a mile off a huge herd of black stork not less than
five hundred, and again about a mile lower down, a mass of geese.
T noticed a couple of pairs of Punjaub raven washing and feeding
by the river side. We have seen surprisingly few of these since
leaving Pind. Common herons appear to be very numerous.
Rowing up to another enormous flock of spoon-bills as 1 supposed,
IT found there was an almost equal number of Ardea alba
and Vhreskiornis melanocephalus terming led with the spoon-bills,

3 Se der
Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c. 107 p- Keane

and with these a few Axastomus oscitans. y) ae
9¢,—On the banks, near the junction with the Indus, I pro- , / A
cured for the first time Laticilla Burnesi, a rare bird I should |~~ ~~’
say, as I have never before seen a specimen, nor have any of the |
numerous gentlemen who have collected for me ever succeeded
in procuring it, although from its size, broad tail, and ferrugi-
nous under-tail coverts, it is a bird not to be overlooked. TI
suppose it is confined to the deltas of our larger rivers; in the
upper portions of their courses, it is certainly not seen. Here
the Chenab is more than a mile wide and the Indus a few miles
west of us is even larger. The fields abounded with the crested
lark, and Pyrrhulauda grisea; Burnesia gracilis, very numer-
ous, and also Drymoipus longicaudatus. I gota Saxicola deserts
nearly in full summer plumage, which might almost have sat for
Geuld’s 8. montana. Several sparrows shot here, are P. indicus,
but perhaps shghtly brighter coloured than those from the North-
West. No signs of P. pyrrhonotus yet. Ishot a fine old male 7.
Jugger, Sylvia curruca ? and a Lanius which is clearly tsabellinus
with a well marked white wing-spot. Saw huge flocks of spoon-
bills, white ibis, and herons, and a great flock of ruddy shell-drakes.
Another huge herd of black stork, a fine osprey, and a flock of
Tringa cinclus, out of which I killed eight. Then wecame across
two more ospreys, and as I was stalking one of these, a magnifi-
cent female peregrine dashed by, and I dropped her dead. Later on
we came up with huge flocks of mallard (I could discover no other
duck amongst them) and grey lag geese, but all so wild, that there
was no getting within fair shot of them, and I only bagged five
in all. As for the black stork, I fired at them twice with a rifle,
but they would not allow one to come within even 300 yards
of them. Grey curlew swarmed, and I knocked over four (out of a
vast flock) with Wo. 8 shot, at fully 60 yards. I killed two out of
the only three cranes I saw sitting, but several small parties passed
us flying (of course out of shot), and we heard them trumpet-
ing nearly the whole day. The extraordinary wildness of all
the birds hereabouts leads me to conclude that there must be
native or European sportsmen who worry them pretty regular-
ly. I never in Upper India saw ducks and geese so very wild
and wary.
10¢h.—(Sunday.) Very early in the morning reached Mithen-
kot. On the banks our people found numbers of A. ¢ristis
and the crested lark. The common crow was very abundant
and struck me as peculiarly white-necked. The raven does not
show here, but no doubt further inland, where hamlets and
houses are not such rarities as hereabouts, it occurs.
11th.—In some grass, on the banks, I shot a Laticilla Burnesi,

C

108 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §.

Tt flitted and twisted about in the grass just like a Prenia, or
B. gracilis. Vt clearly belongs I think to the Drymoicina, and is
not one of the Zimalinz, m which Jerdon has placed it. Chatarrhaa
caudata was common in this very grass, running rat-like with
tail straight behind it alone the ground, and nothing could be
more different than the action of the two birds. Sylvias of the
curruca type were very abundant in the babool and tamarisk
bushes, of two distinct sizes. I killed a female of each. Their
dimensions were—

Of the smaller,leneth 5°32, of the larger, 5:6
Expanse 73, 8:2
Tail 2° 2°3 i
Foot length 0°95, 1:2
Breadth 0°7, 0-9
Wing 2°3, 2°6
Weight 0:3 oz., 0:5 oz.

I examined carefully both birds, and they seemed to be unques-
tionably both young females, but the ovaries even under a
microscope were mere colourless membranes.

Burnesia gracilis was,as usual, very common. I saw apair of
Leucocirca awreola. I shot one which strikes me as differing.
shehtly in some respects from our North-West specimens. I shot
also a Collyrio of the caniceps type, very conspicuously different
from the true erythronotus ; out of a flock of pipits passing
I dropped one that proved to be Anthus spinoletia, Linn. (A.
aquaticus, Bechs.) a species that I have already introduced into
our Indian Avifauna.

A party of the professional fishermen of these parts (Mhors by
caste or tribe, I can’t say which) passed me witha tame otter. I
fancied it was trained to fishing, and stopped them and had |
them questioned. They told me the most extraordinary story
which I put on record quantum valeat. It appears (so they
affirm, but J utterly disbelieve it,) that otters are the favourite
tit-bit of the river porpoises (delphinus gangeticus) which
literally swarm here. A pole is stuck in the water where
this is from 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet deep, and to this pole
the otter, when quite tame, is tethered by a cord some 20 feet
long. Light, very obtuse-angled, conical, stick frames, about 7 feet
in diameter at the base and some 4 feet high, are used in many
parts of India lined with a strong net, for catching fish in
shallows, by dashing down the frame-work over them as they pass
upwards against stream. Three or four men armed with machines
of this nature, but stouter than I have elsewhere seen, stand near
the otter, and when a porpoise makes a dash at the little beast,
one of the men plunges the cone down on the assailant. Like

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 109

the Roman retiarius, they ‘carry both net and spear, and if the
stroke succeeds, the porpoise is riddled with harpoons before he

can break loose. The Mhors not only eat the porpoise, but
they obtain from it a great deal of a very pure oil which
fetches a good price, being esteemed throughout Northern
India (and ‘T believe not without some reason) a sovereign reme-
dy for rheumatism, sciatica, and similar affections.

Pelicans, apparently crispus and philippensis, were numerous,
but I seemed quite unable to hit them with my rifle. I had
several easy shots at between 250 and 300 yards, and always
succeeded in missing,—rather humihating, considering that with
this same rifle in former days I used to be absolutely ¢ certain of a
12-inch bull’s eye. Black stork and huge flocks of grey lag and
Indian geese and mallard were seen as usual, but except the
latter, of which I bagged four, long flying shots, there was no
approaching them.

In the afternoon I went to see the salt-works that are quite swz
generis, at least I have visited almost every salt source in India.
and never yet saw any thing so clumsy. ‘The big boats could
not ¢o up the ereek on which these works (of which there are
twelve sets, in the villages of Bungola, Bydsur, and Bhaiee-ha-
Dehra) are situated, so I got into my punt and went off to the
works, leaving instructions for the big boats to follow the main
stream until they reached the southern mouth of the creek.
We rowed about eight miles and landed, and then walked a mile
or two to one of the works. Conceive a huge level field, as white
as snow, from saline incrustations, the ne tne of the manufactory,
on which were arranged between three and four thousand
clumsy, thick, unglazed earthenware saucers, from 2 to 3 feet
in diameter, about 6 inches deep, ranged in double rows with
great regularity, round a small tank of brine about 20 by 30
and some 6 or 8 feet deep. Out of this tank the brine is painfully
ladled in buckets, and evaporated in the saucers, each saucer
turning’ out about 24 crops in the year, and producing during
this period from 80 to 100 Ibs. of salt. The brine tank is
filled by a duct leading from a rough ji/ter, which is an enclo-
sure of mud walls, roofed at about 3 feet from the ground, the
root made of nears, covered thickly with tamarisk boughs. On
the top of this, earthy scrapings of the saline efflorescence that
abounds in the immediate neighbourhood, ‘are heaped to the
depth of some 3 or 4 feet, lixiviated with water (somewhat
brackish) raised by a a Persian wheel, and the brine thus gener-
ated, drips slowly through the rae and runs into the Faulee,
where it is allowed to settle and concentrate for a few days be-
fore it is used. The washed earth is removed from the filter, and

110 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

a fresh charge introduced as soon as may be necessary. Now
the filter system is in use throughout India, but elsewhere the
brine is run into huge lme- lined - pans, or pans lined with stiff
and throughly beaten. clay. Here though lime is plentiful (indeed
they have to put a thin coating of lime on the inside of the
saucers to prevent percolation) they persist in sticking to their
existing system. I expostulated with them, pointing out the
great extra expense of the saucers and the vast additional labour
entailed by carrying the brine in buckets, but all that could be
got out of them in reply was, that it had always been the custom
and no one cared to change it. They make probably about
1,000 tons of fair white salt yearly, but at a cost of at least £1
per ton, whereas, in other localities presenting similar facilities,
it can beand is made for one-fourth that sum. It was nearly dark
by the time, about 74 P. m., I reached the boat, and we then rowed
hard, with stream, until 1 a. m., when we reached the southern
mouth. By some mistake the big: boats (the night was dark)
had halted at a wrong creek many miles above, and it was

2 A.M., before they turned up, and as the night was cold and
the dew excessive, and we had breakfasted early and had
made no preparation in the way of extra clothing or food, for
bivouacking under the canopy of heaven, I ought, I suppose, to
have been very uncomfortable, but somehow with the help of a
few good cheroots made it out better than might have been
expected.

12¢2.—During the day, there being no wind, we made consi-
derable progress. We saw many black stork, geese, herons, and
pelicans, and I succeeded in shooting one of the latter which
turned out to be a splendid specimen of Pelicanus crispus, a
species which I was the first to notice as oceurrmg in India. The
individual killed, measured 6 feet 24 inches in length, 10 feet 2
inches in expanse, and must have weighed nearly 40 lbs. It was
a male. I suppose that towards evening I must have seen close
upon 500 of this species. They were busy playing, fighting,
and fishing, and they kept uttering a harsh low ery, or croak I
should perhaps call it, which exactly resembled the grunt of a
buffaloe.

Alas for the falhibility of human testimony! I gave a full
account of porpoise-catching, by help of otters, on what I
considered excellent testimony. Indeed, Capt. S., the local
district officer, had himself confirmed the general accuracy
of the statement, though he was not up in the details.
It now turns out that the real truth of the stor y is
this. The Mhors at night, when everything is still, lis-
‘ten for the tumbling of the porpoises: when it comes near,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. ad

they let the otter mto the water. The otter hunts about
like a dog, driving all the small fish in the neighbourhood to-
wards the bank where the men are waiting, and which has been
so selected as to have a depth of at least three feet close to the
_ shore: the porpoise seeing the shoal of fish makes a dash at it,
and is then secured by a net of the nature already described,
but the use of the spears is imaginary. A couple of men or
even a single man, easily lands the porpoise when he is once in
the net. I think I have now got the correct account, as I had
it direct from a most ,intelligent Mhor, who being a pilot be-
longing to one of the river steamers, talks intelligible Oordoo
(with whom I could therefore converse direct) and who had
got a full-grown trained otter with him, and was actually cook-
ing a porpoise which he had caught yesterday and the head
of which he produced. He utterly ridiculed the idea of a
porpoise meddling with an otter, and said that for all their
sharp teeth and pugnacious appearance, the porpoises were
completely harmless and never even when captured attempted to
bite.. The otter is called by these people “ Ludra,” reminding
one strangely of “ Lutra.” The species here met with is
much smaller than that common in the Jumna and Chumbal

It was very pretty to see this thing (I mean the tame otter)
playing with a pariah dog belonging to its owner, and to notice
the extreme gentleness of the dog in dealing with it. The
otter remains tied out in the sand all night, and if any strange
dog or jackal threatens to approach it, the dog, so the master
told us, rushes down on the instant and is ready to fight all
comers.

The pelicans consume an enormous quantity of fish; the
one I shot disgorged 9 or 10 fish, weighing from 4% lb. to
1 lb. each, and the Mhors look upon them with as much
aversion as a Norfolk squire does a party of scientific town
poachers. My informant was very anxious that I should fire a
rifle at the large flock to which I have already referred, but I
had already one on hand, besides many other birds, which will
sufficiently tax my taxidermist’s power to-morrow, and I there-
fore let the proposed rifle practice stand over.

A grey lag goose I bagged to-day. Was one of the largest I
ever saw, fully 23 inches long and 67 inches in expanse; but it
weighed less than 84 lbs.

13¢h.—On the banks I shot a fine Picus scindeanus, a hole
the third I have seen during this trip. It was busy with the
stems of some large Ane shrubs, here some 15 feet high, and
here also I shot a Caprimulgus mahrattensis ; Chattarrhea caudata,
Burnesiu gracilis, Drymoipus longicaudatus, and Otocompsa leu-

112 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

cotis, which was, as usual, very abundant in the tamarisk. The
latter bird has a very liquid musical song, some of the notes
of which remind one strongly of the nightingale.

On the river, I succeeded in bagging a black s‘ork. A party
of four allowed me to come within 100 yards, and I brought one
down with my duck gun, a very powerful weapon, a single 8
bore muzzle-loader, octagon breech, 44 inch barrel, which with
6 drams of powder, anda wire cartridge containing 100 BB,
pellets, is strangely effective. Further on I came upon five pelicans
as I thought craspus and philippensis. The latter, however, a
single bird looked so large, that I picked it out and sent a ball
through it at 250 yards. We rowed up to it, and then the four
other pelicans came flying over again to see what was up. One
which, from the apparently rosy tinge'it had when sitting, I
thoueht might be Oxocrolalus, flew over within 80 yards; I gave
it the duck gun and heard the shot hit 1¢ hard; it rose, then
swooped for some 200 yards, and when within about 100 feet of the
water, fell suddenly. head-over-heels, splashing into the river like
an aereolite. These birds both proved to be crispus, the former a
young one, the latter an old female, without, when in the hand,
the faintest rosy hue. I now believe that a// the pelicans hitherto
seen have been crespus.

During the day I saw several hundreds, but as No. 1 was
not quite finished, and Nos. 2 and 3 were still to skin, I let them
be. I saw a good number of cranes and killed twelve. Some
erey lag, but failed to get within shot. No ducks. As for the
common and white herons, I saw vast numbers. Green shank,
afew. One large flock of Zringa minuta, of which I dropped six
_ as they passed. Several times I have seen young Circus @ru-
ginosus about the banks, and to-day I came upon one perched
on a piece of brushwood stranded in a shoal, half a mile away
from any land or sandbank. A magnificent pair of H. albicilla
tempted me to waste a B B eartridge, but though the shot rattled
like hail against the wide pinions of the female and eut out
several feathers, she soared away apparently unhurt.

Until this day I have not seen a single gull. To-mght, just at
dusk, a vast flock of several hundreds passed overhead. They
were far off, and apparently of different sizes and species. I
particularly noticed one very black-headed L. «chthyatus ;
I missed or at least failed to drop him, but I got one with
each of the following three barrels (the duck gun unfortunate-_
ly was not at hand) and these all proved to be Larus argentatus,
two adults, and one with the dark band still traceable towards
the ends of the rectrices.

15¢h.—Reached Kusmore, our first point in Sindh, this day at

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 113

noon. Saw several Lantus isabellinus, one an adult male, with
an unmistakeable white speculum. This species is much paler
and greyer than cristatus. On the banks, huge grass tufts, 10
feet in height, the flower stems rising 8 or 10 feet higher, were
intermingled with tamarisk and the peeloo, Sadvadora persica.
Amongst the grass innumerable little flocks of Astrilda amandava
fitted restlessly about. Pratincola indica and Otocompsa leuco-
dis were as usual abundant every where. The common franecolin
and the grey partridge were rather numerous, and I came across
two parties of what I took to be Chatarrhea Farlii ; 1 failed
however to secure specimens.* Burnesia gracilis was specially
abundant. Zurtur risorvus, pretty abundant, and these were the
only birds I saw in a three hours’ stroll, except numbers of Cotyle
sinensis on the banks which, here sandy and some 20 feet in
height, are everywhere pierced with their nest-holes. The river
was crowded with huge flocks of white herons of sizes, and spoon-
bills, which always congregate in dense double or treble lines,
like a regiment in close order ; while the common heron, of which
I saw some hundreds, were all dotted about like skirmishers.
A strong wind was blowing, so that every bird stood with his
head well forward, pointing in exactly the same direction, i. ¢.,
in the teeth of the breeze, producing a very curious effect and
making them all look still more as if they were under drill.

15¢h.—Marched about nine miles to Durkan, due west, on the
Jacobabad road. The country level, sandy, intersected by irriga-
tion channels, covered thickly with high tamarisk bushes, here and
there interspersed with huge tufts of grass, and in one or two
places varied with a few small fields. As for birds, a single buz-
zard, (Buteo feror,) a tew Corvus impudicus, Hodgs., (no ravens)
Coracias indica, Dendrocitta rufa, Pratincola indica, and Otocompsa
leucotis, the two latter in great numbers, Burnesia gracilis and
Chatarhea caudata were about all I saw, except one Laticilla Bur-
nest. These latter birds are very difficult to shoot. They keep very
close in amongst the thickest grass, make only the shortest
flights, drop instantly into the biggest tufts, and thread their
way low down through the stems ; it is next to impossible to
flush them twice.

16¢#.—Marched 18 miles to Toj. Country much the same as
yesterday, but barer. The low Bhooktee hills, bare stone heaps,
showing throughout the march on the right. We saw num-
bers of L. tsabellinus, Otocompsa leucotis, and Pratincola indica.
Several Buteo ferox, Collyrio tathora, and vittatus, olim, Hard-

* As I never again met with this species in Sindh, I must probably have mis-
taken caudata for earlii, although this is almost incredible.

I

114 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

wicki, Chatarrhea caudata, francolins and grey partridge, some
houbara, Dendrocitta rufa, several small flocks of sparrows, in
which a few Passer salicartus were intermingled, a few Saxicola
picata (but no other wheatears) kites and neophrons, common
crows, and a few ravens. A few Burnesiu gracilis, and a_ party
of Acridotheres ginginianus.

17¢h.—To Tugwanee, 16 miles. The country still much the
same. For part of the distance the road led over vast plains, like
the oosur tracts of the N. W. Provinces, very sparsely studded
with the wild caper, Capparis spinosa, a kind of acacia, and tama-
risk. For part of the distance, there were dense thickets of high
tamarisk trees, through miles of which we wandered carefully

° . \ °

searching for birds. Very few species were to be seen. Buteo ferox
.f was the only bird of prey. Ovocompsa leucotis and Lanius isabel-
‘linus were very common. Paleornis torquata a few flocks,

Pratincola indica and cuprata, Phyllopseuste neglecta, Collyrio la-
thora and Hardwickt, Chatarrhea caudata, Acridotheres tristis, Ruti-
cilla rufiventris in the Phenicuroides stage, Pericrocotus erythro-
pygius and Thamnobia, probably cambaiensis, but showing a
decided approach to fulicata, Turtur risorius and cambayensis,
Saxicola capistrata vel picata.

18¢4.—To Hussen-ke-Ghurree. The country just the same ~
as before, but the bare plains, the “ phut” asitis here cal-
led, predominating. The birds similar to those of the preced-
ing day, with flocks of starlings such as I have noticed on
previous days, though I have forgotten to note them. I also
noticed several Saxicola Kingi. Then amongst the trees here,

I got two Pzcus scindeanus, both females. In the fields were

numerous large crested larks, of which I shot several, G. erzstata ;
we also shot some pigeons, C. «termedius. There were enor-
mous flocks of crows and parakeets which came to settle on
the siris (Acacia sirissa) trees here.

19¢4.—Rode into Jacobabad. The country slightly more cul-
tivated than what we have hitherto traversed, but still retaining
its character of boundless waste plains—here almost bare, here
thickly wooded with tamarisk bushes and trees. The new
feature in the march was that the road crossed two belts of bare
shifting sand-hills, and in the neighbourhood of these, I saw and
shot for the first time A/aemon desertorum. This bird, at a little
distance, looks very white. Itruns rapidly on the sand back-
wards and forwards, then stands quite erect, looking at one, then
again runs away, turns and runs back—is apparently not shy.
When at length it takes flight, the two white bars on the wing |
(so happily described by the name “ dz/asciata”) are very conspi-
cuous. The feet and legs are china-white, exactly similar to

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 115

those of the cream coloured, and Coromandel coursers. The
feet too are short and unlarklike. No one can doubt that it is
a modified Galerita, just as the coursers are modified ployers,
and to my mind the reason of the legs of all having assumed
this peculiar opaque china white aspect, is that this forms
the best protection against the intense heat of the tropical sun-
baked sands which they affect ; near these I shot an dAmmomanes
lusitania (the first I have noticed since leaving the salt range) and
saw several others. Sawxicola desert, Me atrogularis) and picata
and all the birds previously noticed. At Jacobabad, I found the
ravens very numerous, and saw hs lying about dead, and
Col. Phayre and many other officers remarked upon the curious
fact that when the ravens first come in here (they are only cold
weather visitants) numbers die, and again just as they are leay-
ing, many die, and all seem to fancy that this 1s due to the heat,
Jacobabad being about the hottest place in India except in the
middle of the cold weather. As to the fact of their dying, I
can testify ; as to the cause of this strange mortality which invari-
ably occurs every autumn and spring, I am entirely in the dark,
but as many as a dozen may often be seen just when they first
come in, lying within a cirele of a hundred yards. Jacobabad itself
is full of magnificent avenues of trees ; its roads are laid out
parallel, and at right angles to each other and very close, and
each road, throughout the whole large cantonment, is bordered on
each side by a row of lofty and umbra zeous trees, and it is this
grand collection of trees in the midst of a sort of desert and the
abundant offal of a large cantonment that tempts, apparently, so
many ravens to what is quite as unhealthy a locality to them as
it is to human beings.

In these trees we got Vunx torquilla, and a Brachypternus
which ought to be dilutus, but which in the absence of
specimens with which to compare it, I should have called
* qurantius.”

Every one here declares that six species of sand grouse visit
the neighbourhood. Specimens of three, viz Pterocles arena-
rius, evustus, and coronatus (a species now first ascertained to
belong to our Avifauna) were brought me. Dr. Day brought
me Plocens munyar, killed in some reeds, near Shikarpoor, also
Polwrnis teesa and Halcyon smyrnensis (the latter bemg very
numerous, he informs me, we have seen very few as yet) killed
between Shikarpoor and Jacobabad

20th.—Jacobabad. I saw nothing to record.

21st.—Went out a few miles towards Dhoon. Swept round
by Mummul and near Rojan, and again round to the north of the
cantonment and then home. I never saw any tract of country

D

116 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

more destitute of bird-life. A few ravens, doves, wheatears,
picata and deserti, Galerita cristata, and common sparrows, were
almost the only birds we saw after we had got well clear of the
trees of cantonment. A single kestrel, one or two common
blue pigeons, a single common quail, and a very, few shrikes both
lathora and isabellinus, the only other species,.I can remember.
We saw indeed two or three flights of sand grouse, P. alchata,
high in the air, but they were too far distant ‘to permit a sue-
cessful shot.
22ud.—We got a fine specimen of Brachypternus dilutus
en I certainly think is very doubtfully distinct. The number
of ravens in cantonments is really very surprising. ‘Towards
evening, some of the largest trees are quite black with them.
The extraordinary way in which numbers of them yearly die
both when they first come in and when they are leaving, has
- already been noticed, but I may add here, that some people
attribute this to the quantities of putrid fish they devour at
these times. Sir William Merewether tells me that the flight
and ery of P. coronatus are both quite different from those of
all the other species. They have a curious fluttering flight, and
appear often to hover in the air, especially before settling, and
their ery is a twittering one.
23rd.—Rode out to Dil Morad, about ten miles on the Kus-
more road, to get more specimens of the desert lark. We got
‘four altogether, after very hard work, and these were all we saw
after traversing some twentyfive miles of desert country, with a
line some half mile long. We found them in every case solitary
birds. About four or five miles apart, very tame, running exactly
like coursers, unwilling to take wing. Very conspicuous objects,
looking almost white in the sun light, and easily seen from a
camel, at two or three hundred yards distant, There is plenty
of similar sand desert across the Indus in the Boree sub-divi-
sion, but Dr. Day, who has kindly been working that locality
for me, never met with one; so too in Jeysulmeer and _ other
portions of Western Rajpootana theye are very suitable localities,
but I have never seen onethere, nor obtained any specimens
thence. It seems to be only trans-Indus* on the skirts of large
tracts of moving sandhilis that are more or less connected
with, or run down from the hills of Beloochistan and Khelat,
that they are met with. Here they are found, not actually as far
as I can judge on the absolutely bare wind-rippled, loose sand
swells, but on the little level plains, scantily studded with low
bushes (Anabasis multiflora,) that lie within and around these

* Since this was written, Dr. Stoliczka has obtained this species in Cutch.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 117

hillocks, which for the most part run in waves, the crests occa-
sionally rising 80 and even 40 feet above the general level of
the country. The food of the desert lark consists, apparently, of
seeds. J found no insects in their stomachs, only minute seeds,
vegetable matter, and a grain or two of bajera.

Amongst these same bushes and in the same localities which
the desert lark affects, are numbers of Sylvia delicatuta con-
spicuous, as they flitter from bush to bush by their rufous tails.
They are very provoking little birds, rarely seen on a bush but

settling close by its roots, into which they run like little mice, 1
no more to be seen till, kicked out of the bush, they take a tiny -
flieht which ends at the root of some neighbouring bush before —

one has time to fire without (even with half a charge of dust
shot) blowing their dehcate little bodies to pieces. They have
a tiny feeble song, something hike that of the lesser white throat,
whose flight theirs resemble, and which replaces them in these
same bushes, directly you get half a mile away from the sand.
‘When freshly killed, the irides are bright yellow.

The Lana and the Booee are here, as in the Punjaub, the
favourite resort of the Houbara; but these, like the various
species of sand grouse, appear to feed chiefly at this season, at any
rate, on the leaves of the mustard.

The pintail sand grouse, P. alchata, it appears, often comes in
vast flocks, whose numbers defy computation. They are seen first
in the far distance like a thin cloud, and when they pass over
one, which they will if you lle down amongst bushes, they
positively darken the air, and 8, 10, 12 fall to a single shot.

At Dil Morad, I killed a couple of king-fishers which must
really be Alcedo ispida. Length, 7-5; wing, 3; weight, 14 oz.
Anyhow these birds are much too large for 4. bengalensis.

We saw several Cichloides atrogularis, and shot three pairs of
Picus scindeanus. These birds are almost invariably in pairs
and always here in tamarisk trees. Brachypternus dilutus, on
the other hand, seems always solitary (at this time of year) and
generally in siris, (4. sirissa) babool (A. Arabica) or other large
trees.

26¢2.—Rode out with Sir W. Merewether to the Noorwar
eanal and the fuel plantations (here called Bela) in its neigh-
bourhood. In the canal the large A/cedo was so very abundant,
that I saw probably fifty within the space of two miles. I shot
eight. I find the females are only 7 inches to 7:3 in length, the
males from 7:2 to 7°6. The wings average 2°9, one has them
3°0. They are all conspicuously larger than any 4. bengal-
ensis 1 can ever remember shooting, but without a compa-
rison of specimens, it is impossible to feel certain what the

118 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

bird is. Halcyon smyrnensis and Ceryle rudis were also both com-
mon in this canal, and in one place two of the former, three of
the latter, and two pairs of the décedo were all sitting within
a length of less than 100 yards of the canal, which is a mere
ditch, some 20 to 25 feet wide, thickly frmeed with giant grass
tufts, the flowerme stems of which im some. eases exceeded 20
feet in height, and acacia trees. Amongst the grass I shot
several Cyanecula swecica, Linn., (cerulecula, Pall., apud Gray,)
and some Drymoipus La gala bohine a night heron, and a Pyct-
orhis sinensis, the latter bemg very common amongst the
reeds. ‘The common starling seemed very abundant, and indeed,
ever since I left Jhelum, I “have from day to day seen a few
flocks.

At this time of year C. rudis is still everywhere in families
of from three to five, the latter being the more common
number.

Vultures are not at this time common about here, they are
mostly away breeding, but I saw three or four huge birds of |
this genus this morning, apparently /udvescens, (nobis). Both
black and grey partridge seemed common.

Jacobabad itself is really a wonderful place in its way. Some
twenty years ago, there was only a wide nearly desert plain in
which stood oze siris tree. Now you have a cantonment, a square
of some two miles, with innumerable roads crossing each other
at right angles, and dividing the whole place mto larger or

smaller squares, each road with a thick avenue of high trees, and

each of the squares thickly studded with trees, for the most part
siris and babool, averaging some 40 to 50 on in height, so that
whether looked at from the plain, or from the summit of the
late General Jacob’s lofty house which is in its centre, the can-
tonment appears to be a dense forest of large trees.

27¢th.—Lett Jacobabad early and rode thirteen miles to Humao.
The road very good, what is here called metalled, viz., covered
some inches deep wit long dry grass, which ‘prevents carts
sinking in the sand and also keeps the dust down. ‘The country
level, partly half desert, partly thin tamarisk, and camel-thorn
jungle—very y little cultircione Close to the earae bungalow,
T shot a Sylvia delicatuta, and saw several black partridges, In
the afternoon rode on to Shikar poor, another thirteen miles. For
the first six miles, the road leads through a low tamarisk jungle,
which swarms with black partridges ; the latter kept running
across the road every hundred yards. In a small tank by the
roadside I saw, but failed to procure, a moorhen, and I shot a
Micronisus badius. Not far from Shikarpoor I knocked over a
splendid eagle, a rich deep hair brown, with the soft satiny

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 119

plumage, characteristic of a Nevia, and upper tail coverts and
rump richly spotted with buffy as, a larger and far more
massive Vevia than I have ever previously shot, not only a some-
what larger and longer bird, but a much more powerful one,
though it is only 28° 8 in length. The common pond heron and
Hirundo rustica were pretty numerous.

28/4.—Rode in the morning to Mungranee and in the eve-
ning to Sukker. Beyond Muner: ranee the country becomes more
Saitevatcdt and at Mun eranee, vise the first time in Sindh, I saw
Malacocercus terricolor , Hodgs. , (Canorus, Linn., apud Blyth.) In
the large tiger grass ‘duties Glatan rian caudata and Estrilda
anmandava were common toa degree. Doves, risorius and cam-
bayensis, the common parakeet, (P. torquata,) Pratincola cap-
rata, Coracias imdica, and mynas (éristis and ginginiannus)
as well as black partridges were abundant. In litttle pools,
Actitis ochrophus and Lobivanellus goensis, and the common
pond heron, were almost the only birds seen. We shot a
kestrel and a female Micronisus badius, and an Haliastur indus,
the first I have seen since leaving Kusmore, passed overus. A
few Galerita cristata and amongst the grass and tamarisk, num-
bers of Drymoipus longicaudata and Burnesia gracilis and com-
mon sparrows, while m the trees Dendrocitta rufa were particu-
larly plentiful. We saw an Elanus melunopterus.

29¢2.—Sukker is a very remarkable looking piace, built on
a very low range of white bare rocky hillocks Sieh extends for
about a mile in length along the bank of the Indus. On the
opposite bank are similar hillocks, on which Rooree is built, and
in mid-channel are several islands, on one of which is built the
fort of Bukker. The river has obviously burst its way through
the range. Both Sukker and Rooree remind one more of Suez
or Alexandria than of any Indian town I have yet seen. Rooree
is about a mile higher up than Sukker, and the river bank oppo-
site Sukker is densel y frmged with date palms. Two steam ferry-
boats ply between the two towns which are large and wealthy.

In the immediate neighbourhood we got Brachypternus
dilutus, Athene brama (the first I have seen in Sindh) Picus
scindeanus, Pyctorhis sinensis and a buzzard, B. ferox, of the
dark type, which I named fulrginosus; a name, by the way, which
even had the species been, as Brookes and others: still think it,
a good one, could not have stood, having been previously as-

signed by Sclater to some Mexican bird. Here I received the

birds collected for me by Dr. Day, chiefly in this immediate
neighbourhood and the Rooree sub-division. Some 84 species,
of which the most noticeable are a rock pigeon, apparently
Columba livia, Querquedula angustirostris, Botaurus stellaris,

120 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

Porzana maruetta, Hydrochelidon indica, Faleinellus igneus,
Phyllopseuste neglecta, and Laticilla Burnesi.

I also here met my collector who came down the Indus from
Kusmore. He has brought numerous other birds already met
with, but the only ones deserving notice are other fine specimens
of Larus argentatus, and a splendid adult 4. albicilla.

There is a high stone tower here, of which the natives tell
an absurd story. A certain wealthy trader had long pestered
with his addresses a lady of his own caste. This was of course
in old days, such as those to which the Sakoontala introduces
us, when men and women chose their own life partners, and
were not, as now, married off by their parents while still mere
children. Wearied by his importunities, the damsel at last
promised to marry him if he would endow her with all his
property and do two things that she would enjoin upon him.
This most unbusiness-like bunniah lover was overjoyed (so the
story goes, but I don’t believe it, if youdo.) Repairing at once
to the necessary authorities, he made over to her formally all his
property, and presented himself to her the very next day to
learn what were her further behests. Now the lady never for
a moment intended to marry him, and had fondly imagined,
for she didn’t know her man, that he would rather resign
his pretensions to her hand, than the money he had so long
and patiently toiled to amass. At first she was rather nonplussed,
but after a minute’s thought, requested him to build a stone
tower on the highest point in Sukker, a hundred cubits high. This
she thought would at any rate defer the evil day for some years
and give her time to devise some plan for escape. She did not
however yet know her man. Within a week relays of workmen,
the best the country could boast, were toiling night and day at
the appomted task, and within a month the ardent swain again
appeared to announce the completion of the tower and to ask for
her final order. Quite confounded at this unexpected and
sudden return to the charge, the lady could only falter out,
«« The tower is finished, is 1t? Then the only thing remaining for
you to do is to throw yourself off the top of it!” Itis lament-
able to have to record that straightway he went and did as he
was bid, being consequently “‘ broke all to little pieces,” so that
nothing more remains to be said about 42m, while tradition has
indignantly ignored the lady’s after life. We considered this
‘pathetic case most patiently, in solemn conclave, at the base of
the tower, and then unanimously returned a verdict of “sarved
him right”—first because he was manifestly and transparent-
ly a hopeless idiot unfit to live, and secondly because he palpably
tried to cheat the lady, the tower wot being a hundred cubits high

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c. 121

and not (to our idea) being built on the highest pot of
Sukker.
80th. —Rode out to Rowajee, about three miles from Sukker,

where there is a large lagoon or, as they here call it, a dund. -

This piece of water is occupied by a number of fishermen,
“ Mokanehs” who live in their boats and subsist entirely on the
fish and wild birds they catch. Yhey eat pelicans, herons, and
cormorants, (both carbo and javanicus,) and every boat has on it
one, two, or more of each of these alive and fattening, all blinded,
but thriving. They catch the pelicans and other birds in a
eurious fashion. They skin a pelican carefully, and stuff the neck
and head in excellent style, and put the skin of the body in posi-
tion by a light bamboo framework, only removing the legs and
most of that portion of the skin, that in. swimming is concealed
by the water. Then with this on the head, they move about
in the water, keeping their head-piece in precisely the position
that the living bird would swim in, and thus, unsuspected, find
their way amongst wild fowl, &e., which they capture, seizing even
pelicans, they pretend, in this way by the legs. All the pelicans
they had alive, some twentyfive in number, were ev7spus, but they
_ told us that there were two other kinds, both more or less pink-
ish. On this lagoon I saw several terns, javanica, aurantia,
and anglica, Mont. (nzlotica v. Hasselq. apud Gray) the
latter the first of its kind I have seen since leaving
Jhelum. In trees near this lagoon were numbers of Brachy-
pternus dilutus, of which we shot five, and several small fly-
catchers, of which I procured two, which proved to be females of
Lrythrosterna parva. Pericrocotus erythropygius we also saw. I
forgot to note before, that we saw at Jacobabad a bittern and a
flamingo, (P. antiquorum,) that had been killed there, and that
they are at certain seasons not uncommon in ponds, &c., in
the neighbourhood. On the lagoon we noticed a snake-bird
(P. melanogaster), and we also saw a young moor buzzard
(C. @ruginosus) of which, by the way, we have seen two or three
lately.

31st.—The people brought in several specimens of Aythya —

ayrocea which, with the common teal and the shoveller, seem
very abundant in Roree, also Phyllopseuste tristis, Chiquera
typus, Pyctorhis sinensis, and some other birds already noticed.
lst January—Returned to Shikarpoor. Just at starting, the
people brought in from the Rooree district a number of common
teal, gadwal, shovellers, and pintails, and one fine Querquedula
angustirostris, which they say is very common, especially in the
early part of the season. En route, we killed a number of birds,
. Habeo jugger, several water-hens (chloropus), Cyanecula suecica,

Sa

GS

122 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

black partridge, stone chats, Pecus scindeanus, Budytes citreola,
and citreoloides, and Agrodromu campestris. At the Mungranee
Bungalow, I saw Yuna torquilla in the high grass. In its imme-
diate neighbourhood, numbers of both Ploceus manyar and P.
bengulensis, and Laticilla Burnes: ; the latter to-day, I am bound
to say, gave me more the idea of babblers. I also shot one
Tephrodornis pondiceriana. A bird that I did not recognize,.
struck down a heron in splendid style, some three hundred yards
offus, in high jungle, but though I tried hard I could not find
either the hawk or its prey, as the cover was too dense for camels
to make any way through it, and on foot it was impossible to
see a yard before one.

2ad.—Dr. Day killed a fine peregrine close to the station and
a couple of P. sciudeanus, and one of my shikarees whom I had
left behind at Mungranee to get some more Laticilla Burnesi,
returned with eight of them.

3rd.—To Gaheja, 14 miles on the road to. Larkhana. We saw
nothing but Bruchypternus dilutus, near the station, Lanius
asubellinus and a Pipit (A. spinoletta,) several vultures of
which we did not shoot any, and heaps of C. caudata. Tere
and there, there was cultivation, but for the most part the:
country we traversed was sandy and barren-looking, thickly
studded with large caper bushes.

4th.—To Ruttadera, about 14 miles. The country compara-
tively well cultivated in patches, but a great deal of it waste land,
covered with caper bushes. The only noticeable bird I saw was

_a huge eagle, nearly black, with the head lighter, but with no

white shoulder spots and larger than any imperial eagle I have
ever seen ; I examined it carefully with a glass at about 70 yards
distance, but could get no nearer, and with my small gun could
do nothing. Numbers of C. caudata, saxicola’s, of sorts and B.
gracilis, bat nothing else.

5th.—To Larkhana, 19 miles, halting for breakfast at Ma-
homed Bukar-ki-Gharee. Saw another of these eagles, possibly
chrysaétos, a young one in the purplish golden plumage, with
the white bar on the tail. It kept flying or rather circling
slowly round and round over our heads at the height of about
60 or 70 yards for full ten minutes, but there was no getting a
shot. I saw Sawicola Kingi, 8. delicatula, T. pondicercana,
P. perigrinus, and numbers of the cattle heron in a marshy
spot. The small egret in another place; Lodivanellus goen-
sis and J ochrophus everywhere common in these parts
near any water. We sawa huge flock of Ploceus manyar and
bengulensis, and dropped nine at ashot. 4// proved to be males.
It is curious that when we shot seven or eight out of a flock at |

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 123

Mungranee, all_proved males. Where are the females?
6¢i.—At Larkhana, a pretty little station, just three or four
houses on the banks of a broad canal, with numbers of large peepul
and other trees. B. dilutus, very abundant. H. leucory ryphius and.
HI. indus, ‘several pairs—7! ingoules hypoleucos, T. ochrophus,
and C. rudis. A. ispida and H. smyrnensis, common in the
canal, and from a ‘hole in a huge pepul tree we dislodged and
shot a pair of Strix indica. Merops viridis, pretty common. In
the evening, walking by the canal bank, we saw a number of
night herons and shot a. pair of Lee brama, and Butorides
javanicus. The latter seem very crepuscular in their habits.
It was just sun-set when we saw the first creep out of the stack
of brushwood, where it had apparently spent the day. On our
approaching it, 1t ran back to its hiding place from which it
did not emerge for some minutes. We saw at least half a
dozen others appear from and disappear into similar hiding
places. From 7 o’clock this morning, one or other of us and our
shikarees have been along the canal without seeing one.
7th.—14 miles to meee. where we. breakfasted. The road
led through cultivated lands, wheat and rice, and swamps now
nearly dry y, and paved with dead rushes. .In the young wheat
fields we saw flocks of Chettusia gregaria, and in the swamps C.
leucura. Mallard and teal, and ispida, smyrnensis, and rudis,
extraordinarily numerous. Herodias alba and garzetta, ‘Ardea
emerea, Totanus fuscus and glottis or (canescens,) and Limosa
aegocephala, abundant. Turtur risorius and cambayensis and a few
humilis—Poliornis teesa, and buzzards of every shade of colour
from the deepest chocolate, with a purplish bloom, only relieved
by the white patch on the under-surface of the wing and broad
grayish white bars on the tail, to an almost white bird variegated
with reddish fawn on the wing's, mantle flanks, and abdomen.
Hagles of many kinds were seen. A very fine Pseudactus Bonellic
was killed as well as others, xevia and imperialis. On the
branches of numerous ragged-looking mango trees, dotted and
clustered here and there amidst’ the rice fields, I noticed: several
small parties of pigeons, which on a closer approach proved to.
be my old Punjaub friend, Palwmbena Eversmanni. They were
unusually shy, and I only secured some half dozen specimens..
Starlmes were very numerous, and we saw here, as at Jacob--
abad, a few rosy pastors. The stock doves appear to be only
oun in Sindh, in the rice districts, and are never seen in Rooree..
In the afternoon, we came on eight miles to Dost Allee through
perfectly level, more or less saline, inundation land, quite bare
or more or less thickly covered with compar vatively stunted
tamarisk bushes ; in one place where these were rather thick,

a)

~

124 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &¢.

we found a flock of at least forty @dicnemus. In a pond wekilled
a small crake, undoubtedly mznuta, Pall., of Europe, now for the

__, first time, I believe, recorded from India, and several common

water hens.

8th.—Visited a large dund or jheel, surrounded by tamarisk
bushes, at Dost Allee. We observed numbers of large Raptors,
Aquila imperiales, and naevia, Milvus major, several chocolate
brown Buteo’s, an osprey, marsh harriers, Speudactus Bonelli, and
Haliastur indus; waders, flamingoes, herons, Ardea cinerea, and
purpurea, H, alba, and garzetta, Ardeola Grayii, Nyctiardea nyctico-
vax, Limosa egocephala in great numbers, of which I shot 16 at
one shot, 7. ochrophus and fuscus, Falcinellus igneus, in huge
flocks, and Numenius lineatus. Of ducks there were mallard,
common teal, shovellers, gadwall, dythya nyroca, Puligula rufina,
pintail, the ruddy shelldrake. Then of gulls and terns, Larus
argentatus, redibundus, Sylochelidon caspius, Gelochelidon niloticus,
Seena aurantia, Every where perched on dry grass stems, far
into the centre of the lake, were Pratincola leucura, continually
darting down to the water, and seizing insects on the dry lotus

/ Yeaves and on the water itself. Scudding along over the surface

with tiny hurried flights, trippmg along on the dry lotus leaves
and stems, swimming from stem to stem, was Porzana minuta,
Pall., in considerable numbers. Hydrophasianus chirurgus m
winter plumage. In amongst the roots of tamarisk bushes,
standing in swamps amongst clumps of tiger grass, I shot with
great difficulty a bird answering well to Jerdon’s description, of
Platyura schenicola ; the bill is not however at all deep, and the
length is 6:4; with these exceptions, the description and measure-
ments, fairly correspond. The bird is, however, clearly Cetti’s
warbler. Acrocephalus brunescens, all three king-fishers, immumer-
able coots, and water-hens, all apparently chloropus. Of mynahs,
Acridotherus tristis seems very rare ; ginginianus very abundant.

We also shot two Querquedula angusterostris and plenty of
common and jack snipe.

9¢4.—To the same dund again. The only birds new that we
saw were the little bittern, Ardetta minuta, the bittern, Podiceps
minor, Lobivanellus goensis, Laticilla Burnesi, and Centropus rufi-
pennis. I secured more of Cetti’s warbler, and such a difficult bird
to shoot Inever met with. Hi never flies: 1t never comes out to the
hight of day, but only creeps about the roots of tamarisk and
tiger grass where these stand thick and dense, in swamp and
water. We killed 14 of the marbled ducks, numbers of teal,
mallard, gadwall, Aythya feria, Puligula cristata, and rufina,
A. nyroca, Larus argentatus, Pratincola leucura, and one Sylocheli-
dow caspws. Also a magnificent flamingo (P. autequorum,)

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c. 125

with about the most brilliant wings I have ever seen.
10¢h.—Marched to Guibee Dehra ; by the circuitous route we
took, about 20 miles. After a few miles we got out of the inunda-
tion land, on to the “pint,” the higher plain, very bare and
barren, where the tiger grass disappears and the tamarisk is in-
frequent and stunted, and the caper and jhund, Acacia leucophlea,

are almost the only plants to be seen. In the caper, 8. delicatula |

is abundant, as also Luticidla rufiventris. I shot one of a pair of
starlings which must, I think, be distinct, much purpler and
smaller than the common one of which I saw none.

11¢h.—In the dund at Guibee Dehra, which densely covered
with sedge, looks like one vast grass field, with a few very nar-
row lanes of open water, we found Sylvia melanopogon very
plentiful, a few Acrocephalus agricolus, and brunescens, Porphyrio
neglectus,* Schl., coots and water-hens, and ducks of all deserip-
tions, and amongst others Q. angustirostris very numerous. ‘The
latter seemed to /ay in the thick of the grass, and while otber
ducks rose at two and three hundred yards on a gun being fired,
these generally kept quiet until the boat got within 60 or 70
yards. They seemed the least wild of all the species. There
were several bitterns, and in the bushes round and in the dund,
Phyllopseuste tristis and Sylvia curruca, (2) affinis, seemed common.
The country for miles all round the dund and the village, which
are some two miles apart, is almost a desert, perfectly level and
thinly studded with caper-bushes, in which grey partridge and
hares were numerous. ,

Two of the blue-browed rack grouse, Pterocles senegalius, were
brought in frem a place some 30 miles north of this, near the
foot of the hills. This species seems to confine itself to the kuller

or saline lands near these latter, and to visit but rarely the flooded |

or inundation lands.
12¢h.—Dr. Day started off for Duryalo, the highest hill in the
range dividing Sindh and Khelat ; from near the ‘base of the hills
he sent me back specimens of Alaemon desertorum and Sawicola
Kingi. Sylvia delicatula flutters about, white throat-like, in the
jhund (acacia) trees, between our tent and the Government rest
house. At the dund I shot pintail, mallard, marble duck,
numbers of §. melanopogon and blue throats ; yellow-headed wag-
tails (both eztreola and citreoloides) very numerous. f
13¢4.—Marched half way to Hummul, the country for the most
part hard waste, and studded with caper bushes. Here and there

* This is the name assigned by Mr. Gray to our Indian bird ; Latham’s name
poliocephalus, which J erdon adopts, being assigned to the Philippine and Mada-
gascar bird.

126 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

we crossed the ends of tongues of drifting sand hillocks, running”
down from the foot ofthe hills, and on these we saw several
desert larks. Nearer to and at the foot of the hills, Ammomanes
lusitania was very common.

In the immediate neighbourhood, and ever oahu east, of
our tents, is a quantity of sirson, a mustard-like plant grown for
the oil which its seeds yield. The people do not take the trouble
to plough the land to sow this; when the mundation sub-
sides, and the soil drying eracks, they simply throw the seed
into these cracks. In and about these sirson fields, if I may
so call, the irregular patches of cultivation of all sizes and shapes,
were numbers fe Cichloides atrogularis.

In the afternoon I travelled over some 15 miles of comnie
lymg between us and the hills, north and south, including’ that
tract in which I shot the three desert larks in the morning and
only saw one more. These birds seem always solitary and ver 4
thinly scattered. Their chief food seems to be the seeds of the
lana, and their invariable haunt bare drift-sand swells and hil-
locks, about the bases of, and in between which are a few lana
bushes. I saw two or three houbara, and I may mention, that
generally all along within 15 miles or so of the foot of the hills
from Jacobabad, as I am informed right down, to the sea, the
houbara is pretty plentiful, though not nearly so numerous as it
is in parts of the Punjab, near Fazilka, of the Sirsa district for
instance.

14¢2.—Marched to Hummul. In the sands near the foot of
the hills, killed two more of the desert larks ; as usual, solitary
birds, a couple of miles or more apart, and ‘both males, Ibis
curious that out of the 13 birds I have as yet seen and. lulled,
10 have been males: Later in the day I went on to the dund,
where the marbled ducks were in thousands, mallard, gadwall,
white-eyed ducks, the common, and little cormorants, herons,
white, common, and purple, Larus argentatus, shovellers, coots, and
water-hens, innumerable marsh buzzards, all young ones, eagles,
Bonelli’s, and others, a couple or so of brahminy kites. The
little grebe (common on all the dunds I have yet visited), purple
coots with the loud flap, flap, flap of their heavy wings and com-
mon coots with the tit, tat, tat, tat of their clumsy feet along 20
yards of the water as they rise. Water hens swimming off with
perpetual perky-cockings of their little white- picked-out tails.
A heavy looking gull comes past, and ab a shot whirls down,
round and round, hitting the water with a splash that may be
heard half a mile off, ‘and straightway all the culls in the
neighbourhood, regardless of guns and boats, appear close over
head, wheeling round and round, apparently to ascertain the cause

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c. 127

of this most unusual and unbecoming proceeding on the part of
their fallen comrade. We don’t want any more specimens, so we
‘allow them to look on unharmed whilst the bird is secured ; until
his snowy whiteness and delicate satin-greyness, all unstained,
and the requisite cotton introduced into his mouth and nostrils,
he is laid out in state, on a broad clean towel, beside an enormous
Bonelli’s eagle, and a dozen lovely ducks, of all shades and shapes.
Then they sail solemnly away.

15¢h.—On the dund again.. Saw a very fine osprey, large
flocks of Chettusia leucura, and very many Acrocephalus brunescens,
climbing about, not on noodle, for there were none, but on the tama-
risk bushes standing i in the middle-of the water. Bonelli’s eagle
very common, and so tame, that ane positively sat still and let me
inspect him from a boat not ten yards from his perch. The
quack or note of Aythya nyroca is peculiar, and is a harsh kirr-
kere, kirr, as they rise out of the rush quite close to one. The
gadwall seems the commonest duck in this dund, or at least as
common as the marbled and white-eyed ducks. Saw a Pzcus
-scndeanus on. the tamarisks on the bank.

16¢4.—On to Shah Godria, eight miles, through the (at this
season at any rate) desolate waste lying at the foot of the hills ;
the whole country is, however, intersected with long lines of

raised banks which serve when any rain falls on the hills (which

it has not hereabouts for some two years) to retain the water,
and then large erops of jowar, Holeus sorghum, are. raised, and the
villages (many miles apart) now all but deserted are re-populated.
En route killed a fine male saker, sitting on a little earthen
mound. This.species is ata little distance only to be distin-
guished from the lugger, by the much greater amount of white in
the tail. Peer Godria lies within the outer range of coarse con-
glomerate rocky hilloeks that skirt the bases of the main range.
- In the wide sandy valley that mtervenes between these latter
and the hillocks and in and around these, Saxicola Kingi and A.
Jusitama are common. At Peer Godria we found that no grass
was to be procured, let alone milk, or food for the servants. So _
in the afternoon we moved on to Mado, over an utterly desolate
looking plain, on a dry stalk in the midst of which: we saw, but
failed to secure, a smallowl, perhaps drama. Mado is situated
in a vast entirely bare plain, not a vestige of any plant, bush, or
shrub to be seen now, yet, in certain seasons and “years, this is
nearly all covered with the giant millet. |

17th.—North-east of this, saw a few sand grouse. The only one
secured was.a.male exustus. Sitting here at the tent, the mirage
is so strong, we seem to be on a low flat sandy island. surrounded
‘by a lake of placid water, in which distant bushes and. trees

128 Contributions to the Ornithology of Inia, §c.

(such as they are) appear reflected, and men, cattle, and camels
moving in the distance appear to be wading. In the afternoon
went on the large dund, which begins about two miles east of
this. For fully ‘half the distance between the camp and the broad
(as we should call it in Norfolk) the level waste is transformed
by irrigation into a sea of young wheat, stretching, apparently,
for miles north and south. On the dund I shot Larus ridibundus
and L. bruneicephalus, at least so I identified them. JI saw also
Seena aurantia, 8. caspius, G. niloticus, and L. argentatus, my-
riads of coots, and heaps of ducks, including numerous angusti-
rostris.
18¢th.—On the dund again ; saw flamingoes, spoonbills, white
herons, of sizes, in myriads, S. caspius, and LHydrochelidon indica,
purple coots, and pelicans. Of these I dropped seven with a nght
and left, but only brought five to book, the other two having
swam away out of sight.
19¢4.—On the morning worked the plain between us and the
hills and brought in seven sand grouse, P. senegallus, three males
and four females. These birds closely resemble P. coronatus, of
which I got one specimen from Loch at Jacobabad, but the eye-
brows are less blue, the crown wants the vinous fawn tinge,
there are none of the three black streaks, and the upper plumage
also differs somewhat. Later I again visited the dund, where I
secured the remaining two of the seven pelicans, I knocked down
yesterday. Of the five stuffed yesterday and this morning, four
were rosy adults; crest moderate ; totallength, from 56 to61inches,
what Jerdon would call J avanicus ; all females. The other consider-
ably larger, guite a young bird, brown and white, was a male.
The two got to-day were one very rosy, length 60, with a long
crest, (what Jerdon would call mtratus,) sex female; the other
much less rosy, no crest, 72 inches long, with a huge bill (what
he would call onocrotaius,) sex male. Now the bills of all are
precisely similarly coloured, and no one looking at them fresh could
doubt that all these birds belong to one and the same species.
I shot a Gelochelidon niloticus and several culls, L. argentatus.
In a reed bush where I lay waiting for some ‘time, Acrocephalus
_brunescens was very abundant, running up and down the reeds,
and picking insects rapidly off the stems. The note is harsh.
With these were numbers of P. ¢ristis, which equally busy in
picking insects off the leaves, every now and then flew up into
the small clouds of midges that floated above the reeds and hung
hovering in them, snapping right and left, with the utmost rapi-
dity. Many more of the yellow-throated sand grouse, P. senegallus,
brought in.
Dr. Day who went to near Duryalo, from Guibee Dera, return-

)

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 129

ed and reported that, before getting quite up to the hills, they
saw several desert larks, four of them appeared to be in pairs,
and one lighted on a bush! Inside the first low range, they found
Saxicola Kingi, Ammoperdix Bonhami, A. lusitania, and several
Sylvia delicatuta. Also noticed both immediately imside the first
range and in the interior of the hills, large flocks of a white-
backed blue pigeon similar to the pigeon which he brought me from
the sand hills of Rooree and whichis, I consider, livia. Otocompsa
leucotis C. caudata, the lesser white throat, and R. rufiventris and.
black and white wheatears were also noticed. This was during
the first march to Seeta, 24 miles. The next day’s march was to
Peer Bungla, a rise of a few hundred feet. Common redstart,
an Alcedo, Bonham’s partridge and chickore were the only birds
noticed, besides those already mentioned. The next march was
to Meera, height about 3,500 feet. Here Dr. Day observed all
the birds already mentioned, excepting Sylvia delicatuta and the
pigeons ; and he shot in an acacia tree there one of a little Sylvia
Melizophilus* striatus, as I propose to call it if new, anda P.
neglectus. ater he got another of these little Sylvias in a bush,
and a third in a low tree about the same elevation near water. —
He saw ravens, a pair of lammergeyers, a kestrel, and a few of
my pale crag swallow which is, however, uncommon so high up
as this and more common lower down. On the way back at the
Muzaranee Nuddee, they saw numbers of this crag martin,
Lanius isabellinus, and most of the others already mentioned.
Between Aree and Peer Godria, they obtained a night heron.

The natives said that a huge black wood-pecker, with a red
head comes at certain seasons to the trees near the top of Duryalo.
This must apparently be Dryocopus martius.

At the highest point at Duryalo, is a tomb known as Kuté
ka kubber, the dog’s grave. The legend attaching to it is curious ;
itis one that im different forms plays a part in the traditions of
every section of the Aryan race. An inhabitant of the hills,
near Duryalo, coming down to the plains to borrow grain from
a merchant there, left as his pledge, a favourite and peculiarly
inteligent dog. When he first offered the dog as.a pledge, the
trader laughed at the idea. ‘ There is no scarcity of curs in this
country yet,” he said, “ what good will the brute be to me ?” but
at length the hill-man so expatiated on the extracrdinary merits
of the dog, that he accepted it as a pledge and gave the grain.
“ Stay here,” sard his master “ and see that no harm befalls my
friend or his goods, until my pledge is redeemed.” The dog wag-
ged his tail, sat down at the door of the house,.and his master went

* Subsequently obtained by Capt, Cock in the salt range, and published by Mr.
Brooks under this very name.

130 Contributions to the Ornithology of Inia, 8c.

his way. A few days only had elapsed when thieves attacked,
the Bunya’s house at night and robbed him of ail his valuables.

Vhe.dog fought gallantly and bit several of the robbers, but he’

was ultimately knocked over, and mie made good. ther escape.
As for the Bunya he pretended to be asleep until quite sure that
the thieves were well out of hearing} and then shouting vigo-
-_rously he rushed out sword in hands and all but slanghtered Abe
village watchman who had also just made his appearance. Now
it happened thatin those days (we never fortunately hear any

thing of this kind now) the thieves and the Police: were very.

often the same people, and so it had happened in the present case.

The dog had recognized them. Early in the morning he went
on their tracks, smelt out every place where the property was.
concealed, dragged his master some miles across country to the
Rajah, dragged the Rajah, who went on account of the novelty
of the thing some miles further to where the Police were
stationed, pointed out where the property was concealed im and

about their houses, thenrushed off home and returned with a

number of pieces of cloth which he had bitten out of their clothes,
which of course exactly fitted and matched, and to cut the mat-
ter short so comported himself as to secure two desirable - results,
the restoration of all the property and the decapitation of all the
Police.

If only this latter sood old custom had survived to eee
degenerate days ! it 1s no use, however, wishing for a’ breed of

similar dogs as Superintendents of Police ; high or chief Courts.
now- a-days require better evidence than am yy poor doe can get

together !

‘Well, the merchant was overjoyed, and on his return. said
to the dog “truly you have redeemed your master: s piedge.
I give him ‘the grain, you may go and tell him so.” The dog
bowed politely three times, wagged his tail twice, aad disap-
‘peared. It was evening when ‘after a fifty mile run, the poor
weary, faithful dog, met his master half way up Duryalo.. The
dog was overjoyed, but his master who having recovered a debt
due to him was on his way to repay the merchant, was furious.
“ So wretch,” he gasped out “ I trusted my honour to you, and
you have disgraced me; my pledge is broken—die !” and with
one blow of his heavy axe he cleft his skull asunder...

All the long, hot, dusty journey to the merchant’s Hotee,
was to the Hill-man longer, hotter, dustier, than it ever yet
had been to mortal man; he had killed; his best friend ; it
had no doubt diseraced - him; but why: had) he’ killed it ?
he had no wife, no “child: a cared- for- him ? what did he
care for? save this one ‘friend, now doubtless, eaten by the

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sse. 131

jackals, and when he reached his journey’s end and learnt
the truth, no words could express his remorse; he hurried back,
found the body of his too faithful companion, untouched by bird
and beast, and urged by some such feeling as that which made
the ‘‘ early Persian choose some earth o’er gazing peak, as his
most fitting altar,” carried the body up to the topmost height,
and there built over it a tomb, to pointa sad moral to the tale,
and warn, but warn men vainly, against hasty and irrevocable
acts.
20¢h.—There are numbers of marsh harriers, about here, and
indeed about almost all the broads we have visited, but the
curious thing is that though I have seen hundreds of young
birds, I do not think I have seena single adult. The same is
the case in England and some parts of Europe, and is another
illustration of that well-known, but not fully explained fact,
that the young of many species, regularly and yearly, extend
their migrations to districts and even provinees, which as adults
they never, except quite as an exceptional case, re-visit. Ona
tiny grassy islet, only a few yards square, I saw a magnificent
adult, H. albicilla, and two young ones, fighting with two Im-
perial eagles over what proved to be the dead body of a cormo-
rant! I got within about 60 yards of them and fired my lone
8 bore, with 24 ounces of double B at them, and positively
‘knocked the whole five of them over; but they picked them-
selves up and flew away, only one of them seemingly the worse,
before (the weeds were terribly thick) I could push up near
enough to hurt them with my double gun which was loaded
unfortunately with small shot. There were enormous numbers
of Aythya ferina, at several dense patches of which I got good
shots, bagging a great many. Lots of all kinds of duck, terns,
gulls, and waders.

21s¢—Marched 22 miles to Gool Mahomed. On the road saw
several flocks of Pterocles senegalius. They have a peculiar ery
just like that of a child’s toy. We also saw and shot some
exustus, but these were much less numerous than the former. We
shot two desert larks, but there was nothing else very noticeable
to record.

* 22ud.—We all went out shooting, and Watson killed a pair or
Pterocles Inchtensteini, a bird new to India, and the first I ever
saw in the flesh. I killed a desert lark, and in the little patches of
sirson (a kind of mustard) lying far out in the waste, I killed 10
of Bucanetes githaginews, the desert bullfinch, another bird new to
our Indian Avifauna. From Sindh to the Canaries! what a
range for such a species. ; u

These birds look at a little distance for all the world like spar-

ay

182 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

rows, and have doubtless often been overlooked. They were
feeding entirely on the ground, and never once perched on any
bush, though occasionally they perched half way up on the mus-
tard plants, and often sunned themselves on the raised earthen
banks, by which the country is divided into large squares, and
the rain water, when rain does fall, prevented from running off.
Sylvia delicatula is very common everywhere here.
237d.—Marched to the Gaj, or at least to where this river
which rises in Khelat and comes through the hills, debouches
from the outermost range of these. For four or five miles, we
came through a thick peeloo jungle enclosing several hamlets
and a good ‘deal of cultivation, due tc the water of the Gay,
beyond that we have for two or three miles a bare plain of rolled
boulders, sloping gently up to the foot of the first or outlying
ridge of the hills. This plain is absolutely bare and except
Ammomanes lusitania and. Galerida cristata, showed no single
bird. In the peeloo jungle, a large blue pigeon, very pale and
with an almost pure white back, seemed common, and I also saw
several P. scindeanus. The outer ridge of the hills consists as at
Peer Godria, of a conglomerate of water-worn stones and boulders,
a large proportion of which are numulitic limestone, such as is
found om situ further in, in the hills. This outer ridge must
therefore, geologically speaking, be of comparatively recent

upheaval. About this ridge Ptionoprogne pallula, as IL propose to

call the new pale crag swallow, is remarkably abundant. I failed
to see any other species.

In the more cultivated parts, nearer our last encampment,
Suxicola deserti and picata were common, and here in the hills
I find what looks wondrous like Swatcola monacha and another
large black and white wheatear.. It is curious that I have not
seen a single 8. Jewewra or opistholewca any where in Sindh.

24¢h.—Marched some six or eight miles up the valley of the
Gaj through the hills, passmg three other ridges besides the
first. They consist of ver y friable red and earthy-coloured sand-
stone and yellow clay. About these hills Saazcola Kingi was very
abundant, ditto A. /usitania, and there were a few &. rujfiventris,
and these were the only birds seen in the bare desert parts, but
in one place where the valley encloses a broad strip of culturable
land, part of which is now in wheat and parts have lately had
jowar, there were numbers of large blue pigeons, (some ntermedia
some /ivia, and some betwixt and ‘between) Coracias wmilica, &e. In
the tamarisk and jhund bushes, were numbers of Arachnechthra
asiatica. In the Gaj itself I shot a brace of Q. angustzrostris, the
only ducks seen, and a very fine black stork, one of a party of five.
I saw also a common green shank, anda common sandpiper,

u&

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 133

25th.—Marched 16 miles to Pande-jee-wahya, near the mouth
of the Narree Nai. Saw nothing en route except numerous large
flocks of pigeons going down from the hills to the plain land to
feed, and the usual 4. dusitania and G. cristata. Stonechats and
wheatears, &c., but we picked up sixteen B. githagineus, killing
them in the same kind of fields as those in which I obtained the
first specimens.

26¢4.—Marched. 17 miles up the Nurree Nai, through numerous
low ranges, none rising I suppose above six or seven “hundred feet
above the plains, to the foot of the main range, here perhaps about
4,000 feet high. Everywhere along the bed of the streamlet,
(which here and there expands into tiny, clear, deep green
tarns densely fringed with bull rushes) and about the numerous
small wheat fields, which occupy every little culturable flat in the
stream’s tortuous valley, Ptzonoprogne pallida abounded. Here
and there on the bare rocks, Petrocossyphus cyanus was met with,
while about the pools a single Z. smyrnensis, C. rudis, a com-
mon heron, three d/cedo wspida, and several Plotus melanogaster
were seen. I shot asolitary female Aythya ferina, and saw four
teal. ‘Two eyries and two pairs of Bonelli’s eagle were seen (I
shot one of the latter.) 8. Kingz and A. lusitania very abundant, a
few large black and white saxicolas and one monacha. Here, as
Elsewhere, the outside ranges are conglomerates of water-worn
boulders, of numulitic limestone and sandstone, with here and there
seoria and lava, the next ranges are sandstones more or less friable,
but inclosing, wide bands of very hard and compact sandstone,
and yellow and reddish marls, while the main range appears to be
numulitic limestone, underlaid by triassic rocks.

27th.—Back to Pande-jee-wahya, the pale crag swallow, as
numerous as yesterday. No new birds except a fine dark buz-
zard, B. ferox. Just at the mouth of the Nai,a lammergeyer,
and a female C. Swainsoni, and just owtside the mouth, I shot a
fine ¢mperialis in the uniform dark stage. Near the mouth where
there is a little water and some fields, I got. two pairs of B.
. githagineus. The large black and white wheatears hereabouts
strike one as singularly pure in colour, they should be compared
with picata.

28¢.—Ten miles to the south-west corner of the Munchur lake
at Shah Hussein, which overlooks part of the lake. Walking .
along the shores, saw several Recwrvirostra avocetta, flamingoes,
L. agocephala, Tadornas vulpanser, Anastomus oscitans, Mareca
penelope, and on the water, mallard, dAythya feria, and nyroca,
Faligula cristata, L. vethy yeotus, and all the other water birds
noticed elsewhere, S. caspius beg particularly numerous. I find
‘that the black and white wheatear of the hills is a much larger

134 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

bird than any of the plains, picata, with a decidedly stronger bill,
and I proposeto name it S&S. alboniger. Pterocles senegallus is
much commoner bird here than I have elsewhere seen it. A chup-
yassee, by no means a good shot, broueht in twenty. Three Acci-
puter nisus caught in the neighbourhood were brought me, and
Mr. James tells me he has killed both Ascalaphia bengalensis and
Hypotriorchis esaton in this immediate neighbourhood.

29¢/.—All day on the Munchur lake. First we went to see
a thing quite new to me, viz., fish driving. In mid water, where
it is perhaps from seven to eight feet deep, a circular net enclosure,
some thirty to fifty feet in diameter, is staked out, leaving one
moderately broad entrance, into which the fish are guided by
two walls of net some ten to fifty feet long, which widen out
rapidly. A dozen or twenty boats then go out into the lake,
and at a distance of from four to eight hundred yards from the
enclosure, and opposite its funnel shaped opening, form a pretty
close semi-circle. Then ata given signal commences the most
diabolical din ever heard; men, women, and. children sitting on
the flat bottoms of the boats, beat on these ceaselessly with
iron and brass pots, and as they do so, the boats push slowly on,
towards the enclosure, closing up as they approach it. Never for
one moment is the din intermitted, every individual, big and
little, works at its creation as if their lives depended on it, and
strange to say, owing to the vibration imparted to the water,
hundreds, thousands, and often tens of thousands of fish are driven
before the boats into the enclosure, one or two boats pushing
right in, and a net being dropped behind them so as to close the
circle entirely. Then commences the fun. All round outside the
net, the boats cluster thickly, two men with long thin reed spears
in hand on the prow of each punt, these being run right up to
the net. Two or three men from the boat inside jump over
board and dive after the fish, the great feat being to bring up
two large fish, one in each hand (fore-finger and thumb firmly
planted in eyes or gills,) at each plunge. The men inside stirring
up the seething mass (the whole water seems alive with fish)
many jump and fall into the fold of net arranged just above the
water, many more show themselves near the surface (the water
has become far too muddy for deep spearing) towards the mar-
gins of the enclosures, and are speared with incredible rapidity
and precision. In a good drive for some minutes, upwards of 100
fishes of from 5 to 30 lbs. in weight each are caught and speared,
or jump out per minute. A ton of fish is often taken in a haul,
we saw fully that quantity captured in one drive, thoughin ©
several others, not nearly so much came to hand. Finally, the en-
closure is roughly netted, and it may be safely predicted that of

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 135

fish weighing 3 Ibs. and upwards, not one in fifty that gets into
the enclosure ever escapes. The biggest fish are huge siluroids, six
or seven feet in length, long thin scaleless shark-like looking
wretches, and deep massive carps, roohoo, and its congeners, with
broad elitterme, gold and silver scales, and of each of these num-
bers fully 20 lbs. in weight, were taken before our eyes. The
boatmen indeed declared that they often eaptured them a maund
in weight (82 Ibs.,) but I have observed that all fishermen he as
to the weight of the fish they have caught.

Then I went to see another modification of this same mode
of driving; a rush bed, the favourite haunt at mid-day of many
of the larger carp, is surrounded, a boat guards every little fish-
path, if I may so call the runs, by which they enter and exit from
the bed. At the bows of each boat stand one or more spear-
men, or women, (for the ladies are nearly as great adepts at this
sport as their lords and masters.) Then a boat pushes in to the
bed and commences the pots-and-pans concert, working backwards
and forwards like a pointer in a turnip field. Sooner or later,
every fish must make a bolt of it—human nature may endure this
fiendish discord, but fish nature cannot. The water is un-
disturbed, clear, and bright, and rapidly as the broad-backed
carp makes his exit, he is fortunate if a spear does not cut
short his career. I watched a woman strike five fish, in succession,
at depths of from 2 to 4 feet, as they darted by, in certainly less
than a minute, of course letting go each spear as she felt it -
strike, and clutching another from the bundle she held in her left
hand. The men with me said she was one of the best shots
on the lake. At the same time I saw (and it was only natural)
scores of fish missed, and some by this very lady.

Another way they have of spearing is to let the boat glide
noiselessly in the shallower lotus-paved portions of the lake.
Under the broad leaves their practised. eyes detect the fish
basking, and then they. not only spear them at times before the
fish wakes to the consciousness of the boat’s approach, but
continually, when a more wide-awake fellow darts off before they
are within striking range, fling the spear after him, and thus
strike him swimming at the distance of some yards.

The spears from 8 to 11 feet lone, are very straight and lght,
single reeds, with fine slender, slightly-barbed iron heads.

Pushing through the reeds they spear the coots and water-
hens with wonderful rapidity, and wounded water-fowl, diving
and passing anywhere near the boat, plainly visible as they are in
the clear water, are certain to be transfixed.

It is not only with spears that the boatmen of the Munchur
Lake are adroit marksmen, they shoot coots, even flying, at from

136 Contributions to the Ornithology of Indra, Se.

20 to 30 yards distant, with blunt arrows, with a rapidity that
must be seen to be credited.

I did not notice any new birds, but shot several of the jane
black-headed gull, this being almost the only lake in Sindh
where I have yet seen it. Watson and James say the same.

It is curious how particular ducks affect particular dunds.
In one dund, the great mass are Aythya nyroca; this will be
one much covered with the more or less dry leaves of the lotus.
In another, Q. angustirostris predominates; here there will be a
vast quantity of green rush, making the whole lake look like a
meadow; in open Clear water dunde of moderate size, Aythya
feria will be in a majority, while, where there is a vast expanse
of open water, Branta rufina and Fuligula cristata will out-num-
her all the other kinds many fold. Shovellers and shelldrakes
(and precious wary these latter always are) sneak along the
edges, while mallard lke to sit round the roots of the
tamarisk bushes, thousands of which stand. far out into
some pieces of water. What the pintail seems to prefer are
pieces of comparatively open water, dotted about with small
patches of a long leaved water plant a Sagitiaria, I think, which
rises about 4 inches above the surface, in amongst which they sit,
completely hidden when asleep, even at afew yards distance,
and with their brown and inconspicuous heads, and a little only
of their white necks showing when they are looking about them.
The Munchur is an epitome of every description of broad, and
accordingly in different parts of its huge expanse, different
Species predominate, only the coot everywhere swarms im my-
riads, and make, in rising on the sudden discharge of a gun, a
noise like the roaring of mighty waters. -

In particular parts the purple coots are very abundant. I
watched a flock of these for a long time and found that they

did not. keep in the water, but spent “most of their time sitting

on and clambering about the reeds (which they grasp firmly
with their huge feet,) about half way up, turning here and there,
imitating, if 1t might be hinted to them, the movements of their
companion A. drwnescens, about as neatly as a donkey would
those of an Italian oveyhound.

I find from James, that Coturnix coromandelica is not uncom-
mon in Sindh. Bupodotis Hdvardst has been onee killed near
Kurrachee, and is found not uncommonly in Thurr and Pakur.
Sypheotides auritus 1s found near Kurrachee at certain seasons.
Both Watson and Day speak to seemg Charadrius longipes im
North Sindh. Aiynchea bengatensis also occurs pretty commonly.

James says, that Ciconia alba is not uncommon : he has several

’. times seen large flocks im and about rice fields. Watson says,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 137

Leptoptilus argala is common enough, where there is water, in
amongst the sand-hills of Rooree. Geronticus papillosus not
uncommon. The widgeon is very common in the Munchur,
but neither Day, nor myself, nor Watson have ever seen it in
any of the innumerable dunds of the Shikarpovor Collectorate.
Both the grey lag and Indian goose are pretty plentiful about
the lake, mostly seen feeding in the wheat fields which every-
where run down close to the water.

30¢2.—Came across the lake to Boobuck, seeing nothing new
except.an enormous flock of Limosa agocephala, out of which
nearly two dozen fell to a single shot. On the Boobuck side,
hemp (for bhung) wheat, fennel, carrots, &c., were growing
in the mundation ground, in luxuriance. The one village of
Boobuck, (containing about six or seven hundred inhabitants)
pays a lakh of Rupees land revenue. Near Boobuck, we shot an
. Aguila fulvescens off its nest, containing two eggs. Ospreys and
the white tailed sea eagle are common. I saw L. goensis, Chettusia
gregaria, C. flavipes, Savigny (leucura, Licht.,) and Vanellus erista-
tus. Numbers of 4. oscitans and Falcinellus igneus. On an old wall
at Boobuck, we saw a P. cyanus; curiously enough, P. pallida
was common all about the shores of the lake. Starlings in vast
numbers, several Cichloides atrogularis ; H. chirurgus, very com-
mon ; stilts, a// the terns, and gulls.

Riding in 10 miles to Sehwan, we saw Sylvia delicatula in the

tamarisk bushes, and at Sehwan itself, we again came across |.

Paleornis torquatus, which we have not seen for long. The bun-
galow at Sehwan is built on the high earthen platform of an old
fort said to date from the time of Alexander, and certainly
numerous Grecian and Bactrian coins are found about it from
time to time. About this place, for the first time in Sindh, I
saw a large flock of C. affinzs, Gr., our common Indian swift

31st.—Came from Sehwan to the Indus, about five miles. En
route saw a fine osprey, numbers of H. rustica, and several 8.
delicatula ; and at 113 a.m., started by boat for Kotree. In the
Indus saw two S. caspius sitting ina huge flock of §. awrantia.
A few common herons and bar-fronted geese were the only other
birds except three pelicans, (P. crispus) that we saw during the
rest of the day, in which we made 24 miles.

lst.—February. Started off ‘early. For many miles the river
was absolutely blank, then’ we came upon a flock of ' black
stork and spoon-bill, and saw a couple of pelicans too far off to
be quite certain cf the species, but by the intense orange of the
pouch, I believe them to have been crispus.

2nd.—Arrived at Kotree about 2-30 p.m. Saw nothing en
route but two brahminies, a few herons, and afew Pedicanus cris-

138 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

gus. The river from Sehwan seemed to be deserted.
37d.—Went across the river to Hyderabad. Saw nothing
noticeable. The Meers’ tombs are not worth looking at, though
the encaustic tiles are pretty good. The fort is trumpery. The
whole city seems to be built of mud. I did not notice a single
bird worth shooting or recording. In the evening came by rail
to Kurrachee. -
4th.—The only thing that particularly strikes one here is
that every man who wants to raise water, works his own tread-
mill, A ‘small Persian-wheel drum with steps, up which the
man walks, turning the wheel, and with it the chain of buckets.
I couldn’t help recalling the penitent convict’s lay, and his
remark—
“And when the good folks turn me oH
Because I’m better grown
Blow me, if I don’t mean to have
A treadmill of my own !”

To all such humble and contrite sinners, Kurrachee may be es-
pecially recommended. . :

Kurrachee itself is bare and dismal. Drove in the afternoon to
the Pier. There saw numbers of gulls, terns, &c., and on the
flats of mud, Demiegretta gularis and other birds, Squatarola
helvetica, and I think some others.

5th.—Went down early to where the fish are first brought in
by the fishermen and sold. Numbers of gulls about, apparently,
chiefly of one species. I shot seven, and think that all young and
old are the same, I should guess dorealis, Brandt, of Bon. Con-
spectus, the only book I have at hand. We saw S. picata,
which is pretty common here. In the afternoon, about the har-
bour, shot Cirrepidesmus Geoffroyi and Af. cantianus, Tringa cin-
clus, Strepsilas interpres, and Demiegretia gularis.

6¢2.—Went down again to the fish auction. Saw as before,
hundreds of the large gull which I take to be dorealis and shot
14. This was almost the only gull I saw there, except two argen-
zatus, distinguishable at once by their paler hue. After breakfast
went across the harbour to Munora, and during the day shot
about the harbour. Of a small slender long-gonys billed, very
rosy breasted gull, without any blackish patch near the ears, which
I take to be Gelastes Lambruschini, Bon., I observed innumerable
birds and shot some 16. I also wot. amongst them several
ridibundus mm the winter garb. J ust at the end of the mole
and at the mouth of the harbour, Thalasseus cantiacus
and Jbengalensis were very abundant, and I shot three of
the former and five of the latter at one shot, out of a party
huddled together on a heap of stones which terminates the

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 139

mole. The large gull was less common outside. The Cas-
pian tern was common. Then I shot Larus Hemprichit, I am
sure of the bird, as I perfectly remember the figure Finsch
gave in his Abyssinian paper in the Zoo. They seem tolerably
plentiful at the mouth of the harbour, not so common inside.
About the rocks of Munora head, is a swift, which I believe to
be Tristram’s barbatus, the size and shape of apus, but a wood-
brown almost the colour of meloa, and the feathers all excessive-
ly narrowly margined whitish. I obtained only two. But there
were plenty, and they breed, it is said, both in the buildings and
on the rocks, but I could see no trace of any nest. On the
mud banks I obtained four Demzegretta gularis, asha, apud
Sykes, several Turnstones, and half a boat load of shore plovers,
Cirrepidesmus Geoffroyt and mongolicus.

7th.—In the harbour all] day ; birds very wild. Got some scores
more of shore plovers, Thalasseus cantiacus, and bengatensis, and
Caspian terns. I saw several turnstones, and numbers of oyster-
catchers, but failed to obtain any. D. gularis I obtained. I also
shot both red shanks and several dunlin, and got for the first
time in my life Tringa platyrhyncha and several Limosa rufa in
winter plumage, besides a large Zringa which I took to be the knot, —
but which seems too large for this and has puzzled megreatly. I
succeeded in getting specimens, but cannot identify them.* All
the terns and Thalasseus dart down head-foremost, king-fisher-
like into the water, and have straight pointed bills suited for
this work, and by preference sit on the land, while the gulls
pick up things with a kite-like swoop, have hooked bills, and
I think sit on water more than on land.

8th.—In the harbour all day. Got several more Tringa
platyrhyncha, Demiegretta gularis, Iimosa rufa, the large tringa
that I cannot identify, the dunlin, the Kentish tern. Ialso killed
an oyster-catcher, Squatarola helvetica, Terekia cinerea, a bird I
never killed before, though Simson sent it to me from Dacca, and
Calidris arenaria. This latter has only three toes, and it associates
a great deal with the small plovers, but it certainly feeds and
runs more like the tringas than the plovers. The Kentish and
Bengal crested Terns, affect the mouth of the harbour
chiefly. The oyster-catchers, at high tide when all the flats
are covered, associate in huge flocks, but at low water, are scatter-
ed about feeding on the mud, in twos and threes ; they are very
wary, and keep up perpetually a shrill warning ery. I saw a peli-
can (not near enough to make sure of the species) and several
flamingoes. There is a gigantic flock of the common cormo-

* These were Tringa Crassirostris, Schlegel.

1460 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c.

rant, sometimes (in fact, in fair weather, generally,) out at sea in
the day, and usually about the harbour from 6 Pp. mM. to 8 a.m. I
have seen no more Larus Hemprichii, though I have hunted for
them far and wide.

9th.—Again in the harbour. Fcund Terekia cinerea very
common. Got several Tringa platyrhyncha and Oyster-catchers
and more of Limosa rufa, and the large Trimga which I don’t
know; Z. cantiacus, and bengalensis in hundreds. Only got
one Calidris arenaria. I shot one specimen of Thalasseus crista-
tus, the only one I have yet seen here. Grey curlews numerous,
reef white and common Herons, ditto. Gelochelidon nilotd-
cus not uncommon, §. Caspiws common. In the evening went
on board the Amberwitch to go 60 miles up the coast to Soo-
meeanee Bay.

10¢4.—At the Bay, saw millions of flamingoes and cormo-
rants; several Calidris arenaria, and two Terekia cinerea were
shot, also a single Larus Hemprichii, (we saw several others but
faled to obtain them) and one huge specimen of dorealis:
S. caspius, T. cantiacus, and bengalensis, Pelicanus crispus, several
LL. ichthyetus, but none obtained, and we saw myriads of the
gulls which I take to be Lambruschini and borealis. The novelty
was a medium sized grebe, P. nigricollis, of Europe, I think,
of which we killed five, and of which many are to be met with
close to Kurrachee at the Ghiseree creek, and again at the
mouths of the Indus.

11th.—Sunday. 12¢4.—About the harbour all day. Found
a few Tringa subarquata, amongst the dunlins. Killed several
turnstones, sanderlings, and Zerekia cinerea, bar-tailed godwits,
grey plover, and one L. Hemprichiz. These latter never appear
to come here in more than parties of three and four, though further
up the Gulf, they seem to be more numerous. Ospreys are com-
mon about the coast, and I note here that in Soomeeanee Bay, I
saw an enormous eagle, the largest I ever saw, bigger apparently
than any golden eagle,

_18¢4.—Outside the harbour nearly all day—dealt with bad
juck—saw all kinds of things, and got nothing. Furst there
was a party of snippets, swimming in the open sea, which
though I have never seen the birds alive, I conclude must be
Phaleropes. What the deuce else caw they be? regular stints,
but swimming away, miles out at sea, and a stiffish sea on too,
as jolly as if they were Scotters. I wasted two hours over the
little wretches. I wasin Capt. Giles’s gig, the best boat and crew
in the harbour, but there was just as much sea on as we were up
to ; 1t was bad pulling, and as soon as we got within 100 yards,
up sprung the flock, scudded away over the surface of the

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. (141

water and down again in a couple of hundred yards, and we of
course after them, but with no better results. At last I took
to blazing at them as they rose, with 8S. G. green cartridge, from
the duck gun, but I had no luck, though the pellets rattled in
amongst them every time. Whilst we were after these, I saw
a party of Podiceps nigricollis, but there is no chasing grebes out
at sea unless the day is still, so we let them be. Then when we
were quite tired of the phaleropes, we caught sight of two un-
mistakeable shearwaters, so we up helm, and gave chase.
These however served us the same trick as the Phaleropes,
floated buoyantly on the water till we got about 100 yards
off, and then rose to drop again, a few hundred yards fur-
ther on—and so on, and so on, till my crew all but mutinied, and
I had to turn homewards, and then came the crowning misery of
the day, for just as we got on the bar, a gull, that I couldn’t in
the least make out, but a skua of some sort I take it, flew
right over us, not above 20 yards high, and whether it was the
absurd way in which the boat was pitching and tossing, com-
pelling one to keep kneeling, or what I cannot say, but I let off
three barrels at him, without loosening a feather. Came home,
my friends said, in a vile humour.
. 14th.—Went on board the Amberwitch for a cruise to
Gwader. Started about 10 a.m. Again saw the phaleropes, and
of course lots of gulls and terns, but nothing new.

15¢h.— Made Korebutt, about 105 miles up the Mekran Coast.
High sandy perpendicular cliffs, from 600 to 800 feet high, over-
hang the beach. Birds are very scarce—a few large gulls, borealis
and argentatus, one L. ichthyetus, a pair of oyster-catchers, and a
pair of Kentish plovers were all the sea birds I got and almost
all I saw. ‘There were several common herons; Seesee, J.
lusitanmia, and Kk. rufiventris common in the ravines. There too
We again came across S§. monacha and the wheatear of the
picata type, but larger and purer coloured, which I have called
alboniger. At sea we saw a couple of those wretched shearwaters,
and two or three parties of the swimming stints which can only
be phaleropes.

16¢4.—Made Pusnee, about 10 a. mw. Saw some of the great.
black-headed gull and killed both Podiceps cristatus and nigricollis
and a skua, parasttecus, I think ; also several of Hemprich’s gull.
On shore, I only saw Saxicola deserti, the same birds: as at
Korebutt, dunlins, and 7. platyrhyncha.

17th.—Made Gwader about 8 a.m. The skua I shot yester-
day is, I think, a 2-year old, nota fully adult bird, and it
is therefore difficult to be certain what it is.

I saw several others, but I failed to secure any, although I did

142 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

my utmost. Here I saw afew grebes, and several P. erzspus,
and had one skin of the former, and two of the latter given me.
Saw also several skins of Cichloides atrogularts and one of the

sanderlinge. We killed a couple of Hemprich’s gulls, four of
. cristatus, and saw numbers of the small rosy-breasted gulls,
without the dark ear-spot.. This is numerically the most common
sea bird all along the coast here. Cormorants in numbers,
Larus borealis common, T. cantiacus, and a few great black-headed
gulls.

18¢h.—In the bay killed eight of Hemprich’s gull, and three
in different stages of the great black-headed gull. These are
very large, running to 283 in length to 68 in expanse, and to
nearly four Ibs. in weight. On shore we got Cichlordes atrogu-
laris, 8. prcata, Hyialitis euronicus, Besck (? philippinus Lath.)
and Galerita cristata, We saw and chased a Podiceps cristatus.
One of our party also got another L. schthyaetus in full breedmg
plumage, and numerous other gulls of species already noticed.

19¢h.—Killed eight grebes, five cristatus (two in winter plum-
age, two changing to the breeding plumage, and the last with
the head bright paioue); and three nzgricollis. We also secured
four pelicans (crispus) magnificent birds, in breeding plumage,
a reef, and a common heron, and some more black-headed gulls.

Any one who likes may laugh, but to me a grebe chase at
sea is first-rate sport. At Gwader there are two fine bays, one
in front and one behind the town, which is built on a broad spit
of sand connecting the main land, with an huge rocky headland,
that at the distance of a few miles, appears from the sea to be
an island. In both bays numbers of grebes, both the e¢ommon
erested and the black-necked, are seen dotted about. You get
a light native canoe, just holding two rowers besides yourself,
a rather crank concern, but which if you are only steady, rises
over the swells like a duck. Picking out your particular grebe,
you give chase, kneeling low in the front of the boat. ‘To-day
there was no wind, and “the surface was unrippled, but there was.
a long delicious swell, rocking one slowly and tenderly, altogether
charming, Gut slightly interfermg with the sport for which a
dead calm is best. When you get within 100 yards of your
bird, he begins, if you go straight at him, to swim away al-
most as fast as you can ‘pull, and if you gain on him, he dives ;
but if you direct ‘your course so as to pass by him at about 60:
yards, he will often, if he has not previously been fired at, allow:
you a snap-shot at that distance; I say a snap-shot because he
is watching you all the time, and you must fire the instant you
raise your gun, or you have no chance. ‘The second grebe I
killed to-day, I rolled over dead, the first shot, when passing by

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 143

him at about 55 yards; the first though similarly approached,
dived at about 80 yards; we pulled as hard as possible after
him, ‘and he showed again about 70 yards off; my gun, a very
héavy, long barrelled double, 10 bore, with No. 2 green ear-
tridge, was at my shoulder, full cock; for a wonder the bird
appeared exactly where I expected, the very second the crown
of his head showed on the surface, I pulled the trigger, and yet
I was too late; the shot only struck the troubled water where
he had disappeared.

Then we pulled an incredible time, full five minutes I am
sure, before he again appeared, and then he turned up some 100
yards off, on the port bow. I instantly fired, not with any pros-
pect of touching him, but to make him dive and so fatigue him.
We were within 70 yards of him when he next rose, and he was
not suffered to keep his head one second above water; next time
I still looking out in front, he popped his head up close dehind
the boat, and before I could turn to fire (one has to be judgmati-
cal in kittle crafts like these) he was off. We “reversed the
engines,” and went back on our track as hard as we could go,
but when he rose, he was a good hundred yards a head ; he got
the contents of a barrel sent after him promptly, and the men
making a tremendous spurt on which he had not calculated,
he rose next time at about 50 yards, and quick as he was,
could not quite escape the shot. Next time he was a little fur-
ther, but he did not dive so quickly, and I distinctly saw the
shot catch him; we pulled up sharply, but he had turned under
water, and when he next showed up, he was more than 100
yards astern. I fired as usual, du¢ he didn’t dive. This was a
good sign and showed he was at least a little out of breath ;
when we were about 70 yards off, he again dived, and came up
about 30 yards off us broad on the quarter, but showed himself
only for one second, being out of sight again before the shot
could reach him ; hard as the men pulled (we had had to turn
the boat) he was sixty yards at least a head of us when he rose,
but this time he was unable to get under again quick enough,
and one shot caught him in the neck, and there he floated dead.
at last. I was greatly delighted, but yet it gave one a kind of
pang to see his lovely white satin breast upturned, rising and
sinking slowly in the bright sunlight on the soft green swells ;
I almost wished I had not been quite so successful or rather
what I exactly wished was, that I could have got my specimen,
and he remained alive and jolly all the same. ‘Two of the birds
procured to-day, fell to the first shot, most of the rest entailed long
chases ; one took fourteen shots to bring him to bag, two we lost:
after much labour, when certainly partly tired out, owing to their

144 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

getting in amongst others and our then following the wrong
birds, which of course were quite fresh. One bird, certamly
wounded, disappeared ; it dived and never again rose to the sur-
face before or behind, or one side or the other, and I can only con-
ceive that some shark of which there are great numbers here
(indeed sharks fins exported to China are the most important
staple of the Gwader trade) must have picked it up.

No kind of sport probably requires such undivided attention,.
such quickness of eye, and such rapidity of firing, and though
I bagged only eight birds in several hours of hard fageing, I
must have fired at least eighty shots, and as any one of at
least half of these might have been successful, the excitement
was maintained throughout, the more so that the moment one:
bird was secured, another was at hand, turn on whichever side
you would, and when to this is added, the bright sun, the clear:
water, the delicious sea-air, the constant rapid pursuit, and all
the surroundings of “ sea and cliff and silver strands,” I submit
that I have said enough to justify my penchant for grebe hunts..

20¢4.—Started for Muscat. Before leaving, had another turn
at the grebes, getting three in two hours, besides two magnificent
great black-headed gulls, in full breeding plumage. At Gwader
itself, I mean on land, I saw no common crows or mynahs, only
neophrons, white tailed sea-eagles, an enormons dark eagle, pro-
bably chrysaétus, a few ravens, similar to our Punjaub ones, and
in the pretence for a garden which surrounds the Resident’s.
bungalow, a blue throat, (exactly similar to our Indian ones
and which I should identify with sweczea, Linn., tho’ Gray sepa--
rates them as c@rulecula, Pal.,) and a black-breasted thrush.

21s¢.—En route to Muscat; in the open sea, saw numbers of
flocks, some of four or five, some of several hundreds of P. fuli-
carius. They swim as wellas ducks : are shy, fly well and rapid-
ly, but they cannot dive; a winged bird that made frantic
efforts to escape capture never attempted to dive. I notice that.
Jerdon’s description of the soft parts does not at all agree with
my bird. We also saw several shearwaters. The one I killed
is about the size of Puffinus anglorum, but the wings are con-.
siderably shorter than the tail, there are no crescentic marks on
the side of the neck, and the feet are interiorly a delicate laven-
der, pinky white ; margin of webs, exterior of outer toe, and
ridge of mid toe and claws, black, in which respect it is nearest
to yetkowan, while except as to size and colour of feet, it is
nearest to P. obscurus. Comparison is required.*

22nd, 24¢h.—At Muscat. Nothing to be seen but the dark

* Described as Puffinus persicus, “ Stray Feathers,” No. 1, p. 5.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, S:c. 145

gull, Z. Hemprichii, the great black-headed gull, which is rare,
L. borealis, L. ridibundus, and the rosy-breasted gull, the two
latter both very numerous, the cormorant G. carbo, pretty common,
and nearly in full breeding plumage. No terns. One would fancy
that these were all away, breeding somewhere; but it seems cer-
tain from what I hear that these breed at Astola, &c., in May.
‘On the shore a very few 7. hypoleucos, neophrons (failed to get
a specimen) an <Aécedo bengalensis, Turtur cambayensis, ospreys,
common sparow—no crows, no kites, no mynahs—only a very
few ravens, the latter with a lone and much rounded tail. I
note here that Otocompsa teucotis is procured in the neighbour-
hood of Gwader, and higher up in the Persian Gulf. Here I
saw a pair of Bean geese, domesticated ones, from Zanzibar. They
appear absolutely identical with the wild ones. These, the tame
ones, breed here, the young preserving the characteristics of the
species. There is also a young P. onocrotatus brought from
somewhere up the gulf.
Muscat is, if not too closely examined, a singularly picturesque
looking place. It stands at the head of a sort of fiord, as it
‘would be called in Norway, a very narrow deep bay, walled in on
either side by lofty perpendicular cliffs of weather-beaten rock,
everywhere crowned by small forts and Norman-looking tur-
rets, of comparatively fresh and bright looking stone, built, I
believe, by the Portuguese. The eastern wall Gf I may use the
word) of the harbour, is a vast natural mole, a very narrow pro-
montory of lofty rocks, descending on either side sheer into the sea,
up to the highest level of which, they bristle with corals, shells,
limpets, echini, sea anemonies, and zoophytes of marvellous shapes
and colours. Through the middle of the mole, the waves, or more
probably earthquakes, have burst a narrow chasm out into the
next adjoining bay, some few fathoms in width, through which
boats can pass, thus converting the terminal half of the pro-
montory into an island. The town itself is closely encircled on
the landward side by bare, desolate hills, like those around the
cantonments of Aden, of no great height in the immediate
neighbourhood, but rising further inland, it is said to at least ten
thousand feet. Except by water there is, I believe, only one prac-
ticable road, out of Muscat ; but numerous rugged pathways
jead by devious routes out of the basin, and admit, though with
more or less difficulty, the passage of foot travellers and some of
them of beasts of burthen. On either side of Muscat lie other
similar, but less narrow, rock-bound bays, at the head of each of
which nestles some more or less important village, and thus it has
resulted from the extreme difficulty of land travelling, that al-
most the entire intercourse between these villages and Muscat, and

146 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

anter sé, is carried on by native omnibus boats which during the
day in fine weather may be seen incessantly entering and leav-
ing the harbour, and which carry passengers and their goods
backwards and forwards at an excessively low rate.

Of course there is scarcely any vegetation about Muscat, a few
gardens and date trees, in the outskirts of the town, being all
there is to show under that head; but further inland, we were
told that, at the distance of only a few miles, both cultivation
and trees were to be found. Certainly alone the coast for five
or six miles, on either side, and just inside the coast so far as I
could see, in crossing some of the hills which divide the Muscat
basin, from those of other neighbouring sea-side places, 1t would
be impossible to conceive a more utterly sterile place. This it is,
I suppose, that explains the scarcity of birds, for inland, we were
assured, that there weremany. So far as my explorations went,
besides those already noticed, 4. /wsitania was the only bird seen.

Muscat has three great branches of trade, that in rock salt,
from Ormuz and Kism, islands, at the mouth of the Persian Gulf,
dates and fish. As from Gwader, so here, the export of dried fish
and of sharks’ fins to China is considerable. Of the fishing a
great deal might be said, but I will not trench on Dr. Day’s
province, suffice it that nowhere have I seen such astounding
shoals of sardines, and horse mackarels, such multitudes of bonitas,
er such marvellously-coloured fish, green, pink, crimson, bright
yellow with the brightest smalt blue ribbands, fish in fact of
all colours, sizes, and shapes, and last, though not least, some at
any rate that are matchless eating.

25¢h.—At sea. Last night we left Muscat. I have omitted, I
see, to note that the sea scenery along the coast near Muscat is
in places, very fine ; grand stacks of rock, perhaps a hundred feet
in height, stand out here and there amongst the waves, feathered,
when a breeze rises, with foam to their top-most peak, the
ospreys special perch ; or long ragged lines of lofty and perpendi-
cular cliffs, here and there burrowed by the waters, rise frowning
out of the deep, green, silver-laced water. On a bright day like
yesterday, with a light breeze curling the crests of the waves
which it spurs on to dash half playfully, half pettishly against
the grim chevaua-de-frise of rocks with which the whole coast
line here bristles, nothing could well be more enjoyable than
a long row, such as took, following at the distance of afew hun-
dred yards, the sinuosities of the shore, except perhaps—the excel-
lent alfresco lunch we made after it, in a tiny nook, where Nep-
tune had already considerately spread for usa snowy cloth of
the finest pounded coral.

For some hours we have been seeing phaleropes, and have

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 147

stopped half a dozen times, and given chase in a row boat which
we purposely kept towing along side, but all in vain, the little
wretches are so wild, we can make nothing of them. Of shear
waters we saw at least a dozen, and also two tropic birds, but
couldn’t get anyhow within shot. A few gulls, argentatus and
borealis, occasionally hovered about us or followed our course.
26¢4.—Arrived at Gwader where we saw nothing new. Grebes
dotted ali over the bay, little parties of the Dalmatian pelican,
(now nearly all in full breeding plumage, their pouches the
colour of African marygolds) sailing about majestically, and
many hundred gulls, floating here and there, some singly some
in large parties, emongst which Hemprich’s sombre bird, and the
great black-headed one, most readily caught the eye. We left
about 8 p. m., and during the rest of theday we have seen no
single bird calling for notice except, in the far distance, what I
was assured were, and may very likely have been, boobies.
27¢h.—Running down the coast towards Kurrachee. Off the ©
Omara headland, and about six miles off shore, we saw numbers
of tropic birds. A gun being fired at a shearwater that crossed
our bows, some eighty yards ahead, the “ Bo’suns’ ” (boatswains,
the naval equivalent for P/aeton) which hitherto had never come
within two hundred yards, or taken the smallest notice of us,
gathered round the vessel, and though keeping about sixty yards
distant, kept flying round and round and over us, in the most
inquisitive manner. One was soon dropped, anda boat lowered
to pick it up ; they took no notice of the fall of their comrade, but
sheered off somewhat when they saw him lifted out of the water ;
another gun being fired, they again came closer than before and
two more were shot, and then they drew off, going on with their
fishing from two hundred yards to a quarter of a mile offus. A
couple of blank shots being fired, two or three agai came up to
us, obviously merely to see what the row meant, and of these we
got another. After this they disappeared, we were steaming,
and I believe simply left them too far behind to hear our salutes
in their honour. About three miles further, we passed another
smaller party, some two or three hundred yards off, and on our
firing, they at once hurried up to the ship and allowed us to get
two more. In all I have secured six, all of them, as I believe,
immature e@therius. Their flight is very like that of terns,
though stronger and more steady ; they work backwards and for-
wards fishing with their long sharp bills pomted straight down-
wards, just like so many Caspian terns, and they drop down into
the water just like these, or like C. radis, the glossy black and
satin white plumage of which is much like theirs. None of them
had tails more than 9:5 inches in length, whereas in adults that I

H

148 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

have seen the tails were, if [remember rightly, treble this length:
Moreover, the hallux and its web and the basal joints (with their
webs) of the toes instead of being red, are white, faintly tinged
with fleshy blue, and creamy yellow in different places.
28th.—Kurrachee. Just as we entered the harbour, we again
saw my old enemies the phaleropes, and a skua, an adult, with
long pointed tail, and as far as I could judge certainly parasiticus.

There must be an end to every thing,* and my pleasant holi-
day was drawing to its close. I had only a couple of days more
in Kurrachee; there were specimens innumerable to be packed,
kind friends to whom we had owed so much, to say farewell to,
and we steamed out of the harbour again en route to Bombay,
without firimg another shot or securme a single other bird.

Even on the way to Bombay, however, those détes noires of
my expedition (of each of which I only secured a single specimen,)
the phaieropes, the skuas, and shearwaters, commissioned, I feel
sure, individual. members of their communities to see me _ safely
out of their domains. Anyhow, we saw a little party of the first,
and one or two of each of the latter on our way to Bombay.

I now proceed to enumerate all the species, which I have as
yet ascertained, to occur in Sindh. Of all species not included in
« Dr. Jerdon’s birds of India,” I give full measurements and des-
eriptions. My list includes somewhat less than three hundred
species, but I hope within a year to see this largely supplemented
by the researches of local observers.

3 bis. Gyps fulvescens.—Hume. Scr. Bk. p. 19
2G. Fulvus, Gm.

This was the only species of vulture that I actually shot and
identified ; but other species doubtless occur. Vultures however
are very rare in Sindh compared to what they are in Upper
India.

Ornithologists at home, now generally admit the validity of -
G. himatayensis, nobis, the Roc, as I have called it. Mr. Gurney
did so long ago ; and by last mail I had a letter from Mr.
Bowdler Sharpe, Mr. Gray’s successor at the British Museum,
expressing his surprise that so excellent a species should so long
have escaped notice, more especially since the British Museum
contains a fine series of it, but neither Mr. Gurney nor Mr.
Sharpe as yet believe in /wlvescens.

The following are Mr. Gurney’s remarks (iu Epist.) on this
species :

* Exclamation of unhappy but patient reader, “ thank heaven ee

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. » 149

Gyps fulvescens.—* Your description of this and the specimen
which you sent for my inspection by Captain Marshall agree
with the Western Gyps fulvus, in the state that it appears during
the first few (probably three or four) years of its life, but many
observations on specimens kept in confinement appear to prove
that the Western Gyps.fulvus always becomes increasingly pale
with age, the longitudinal strie coincidently, but gradually, dis-
appearing from the feathers of the under surface, and the lan-
ceolate feathers of the ruff also gradually disappearing and.
leaving the ruff composed of unmixed white down, so that when
old, the Western Gyps fulvus would seem to bear as much
general resemblance in coloration to your Gyps /imalayensis as
it does when young to your Gyps fulvescens. The Western Gyps
fulvus appears, however, to agree with your Gyps fulvescens in
having the third primary the longest, such, at least, is the case
with the only four specimens in the Norwich Museum, which
have the primaries perfect. Of one of these the locality is un-
known ; the other three are from Athens, Tangiers, and Abys-
sinia respectively. On the whole, my impression is, that your
Gyps himalayensis is a good and distinct species, and that your
Gyps fulvescens is equal to Gyps fulvus, but I much wish that
specimens of your Gyps fulvescens could be kept for some years
in captivity to see if they become pale with age, as is the case
with Gyps fulvus. It seems certain that in Gyps fulvus the
average size of male birds is considerably greater than that of fe-
males. At least I have always found it so, when I have had
occasionally the opportunity of ascertaining the sex of specimens.”

I confess that I am not yet convinced of the identity of our
bird and /udvus of Kurope. A marked distinction seems to me
to consist in the fact, that the young of /ulvescens, obtained
when only just able to fly, is paler and less rufous a great deal
than the adult. And that the oldest birds appear to be the most

_ rufous, whereas the exact converse is the case in fulvis.

Again, at and in the neighbourhood of Ajmere, where I was
detaimed nearly six weeks towards the close of the Rajpootana
famine, I daily saw thousands of vultures. A dozen times a
day I stood within from 50 to 100 vards, minutely and carefully
scrutinizing large groups of them through powerful binoculars
as they scrambled about gorging themselves, squabbling and
“chortline”’ over the carease of some poor bullock or camel, and
never once did I see one of the pale birds, or in fact one of what
we must hold to be the adults of this species were our rufous.
birds really the young stage of the true /udvus. Not one old bird
out of many thousands! This, though not at all impossible, is
certainly a matter of difficulty ; and it seems to me that either

150 Contributions to- the Ornithology of India, &c.

our birds are distinct, or that the “/u/vus’ of Kurope has usual-
ly been described from specimens long kept in confinement,
which have in consequence assumed altogether abnormal and
unnaturally pale tints.

Ts it not however just possible, that both /ulvus and fulvescens
occur in Europe, and that they have been confounded ?

If ornithologists here would only pay a little attention to
vultures, we might amongst us soon settle the question? Can
any one succeed in shooting, a fulvescens, in the typical fulows
plumage? I myself have tried for years, even to geta sight of
one, but hitherto without success. I am naturally imelined to
believe that Mr. Gurney must be right, but I want the matter
finally set at rest.

What by the way is the vulture that Schlegel separates as
vultur fulvus orientalis? Surely this is our fulvescens or the wes-’
tern European link connecting this latter with the true /ulvus.

When on the subject of vultures it is well to note, that I
have some reasons for believing that the sub-Himalayan thin
billed vulture, which seems always to breed on trees, (Hodgson’s
tenuiceps as his drawings clearly prove), at all times apparently
a darker bird, is distinct from our plains species which always
breeds on cliffs, the adults of which are very pale. If this be so,
then it remains to make certain whether Scopolis name of endicus
really applies to our bird which is apparently doubtful. If not
the bird deseribed by me (Ser. Bk., p. 22), will need a name and
may perhaps stand as padlescens, nobis, as for zndrcus, Yem.,
p- ¢. 26, although this plate is said to have been taken from a
specimen of fulvus, I cannot avoid suspecting that it represents
Sulvescens. :
6.—_Neophron ginginianus, Daud.

I take shame to myself, that I neglected to procure a good
series of Neophrons in Sindh, at Gwader, and at Muscat. In all
these localities, it swarms wherever human habitations are found,
and in the most uninhabited parts, even of the Kelat Hills, a pair
may occasionally be met with.

Mr. Blyth, it will be remembered, separates the Indian race
from percnopterus, L., under Daudin and Latham’s name, on the
ground that the Egyptian bird “is larger and more robust, the
tarsi and toes, conspicuously so. The corneous portion of the bill
is black and the ceral portion is of a reddish yellow, different from
the purer yellow of the cheeks, the talons also are black, and the
cuneate tail passes the tips of the closed wings by an inch or more.

“In the Indian birds the corneous portion of the billis a pure
yellowish flesh colour, as are also the talons; the ceral portion

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, ec. 15]

of the bill is of the same yellow as the cheeks, the points of the
closed wing's just reach to the tail tip, and a conspicuous fold of
skin is continued from beneath the ear to the throat underneath,
which is little more than indicated in the North-African species.
Moreover, the throat is quite bare in the Indian species, thinly
clad with short white feathers in percnopterus. ”

In Sindh and at Muscat, I saw both black and yellow bills,
and I could not observe any marked difference in size between

- them, but as I did not measure and preserve specimens, this goes

for little. But I fave of late years procured and measured,
numerous specimens, in many different parts of India and every
where, both of black and yellow-billed birds, and with and
without more or less of slender white feathers on the throat; and I
have been unable to detect any constant difference in size he-
tween individuals presenting these different characteristics. Mr.
Brookes remarked im the Ibis of 1870, that there appeared to be
a certain geographical distribution of the two races, that he
found both in Delhi, but could not procure a black-billed one
at Almorah or Etawah. From the latter locality I have a black
billed bird, and my present impression is that the differences
alluded to are not dependant on race, but on age or season.

It may be after all that Pharaoh’s chicken is distinct from our
dirt-bird, but whether this be the case or not, I think very few
of the distinctions indicated by Mr. Blyth will hold good

I have made arrangements for having the weight ‘and length
(total and of ne) ascertained, and the various points re-
ferred to noted, in the case of twenty adult Egyptian birds. 1
wish each of my Indian readers would do the same for me in
regard to two or three adult Indian birds shotin their respective
neighbourhoods. The points to be noted, are 1, sex; 2, date of
killing; 3, total length; 4, leneth of wing; 5, distance by
which closed wings exceed tail ; 6, colour of corneous portion of
bill; 7, colour of cere and wineihee darker than, or unicolorous
“fhe een of face; 8, throat; whether bare or feathered, if
the latter, to what extent; 9, fold of skin from beneath ear to
chin ; whether conspicuous or merely indicated ?

7.—Gypaetus barbatus, L.

I observed this species on two occasions in the hills dividing
Sindh from Khelat. Dr. Day observed it near Duryalo, and it is

_well known to most sportsmen who have shot ibex in those ranges.

8.—Falco peregrinus, L.

Notwithstanding the myriads of ducks which haunt the
inland waters of Sindh , peregrimus (the duck hawk par eucellence)
seems very scarce. We only procured a single specimen, and

152 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

this was on the banks of the canal near Shikarpore, and saw
at most three or four more all the time we were in Sindh. True
to the sea-coast-loving habits of the species, I found a pair hang-
ing about the Manora headland of the Kurrachee Harbour, and
another pair off the entrance of the Bay of Muscat, but these
were far too wary to allow of any successful shot. I obtained
a very fine female, however, before entering Sindh, on the banks
of the Chenab near its junction with the Indus.

Mr. Gray separates our Indian birds under Latham’s name of
calidus, but having now had the opportunity of comparing
no less than seven European with more than twenty Indian
specimens, I must record my humble concurrence in Mr. Gur-
ney’s view that they are identical.

10.—Falco saker, Schlegel.

Strange as it may appear I only saw one single specimen of
this falcon in Sindh. Further north, in the Punjab, in the
Ferozepore and Sirsa districts for instance, they are excessively
abundant. My single specimen, a nearly adult male, with the
wing 14 inches, was shot at Shahgodria, at the foot of the hills
dividing Sindh from Kelat im the Mehur Sub-division of Upper
Sindh. JI was always on the look-out for this bird, and not
infrequently shot F. juggur, by mistake, for it, but this was the
only specimen seen either by myself or any of our party.

An idea, I observe, seems to exist that my beautiful new faleon
from Yarkand, / Hendersoni, is nothing but FP. milvipes, Hode-

son. Amongst Mr. Hodgson’s drawings now in my custody,
(the originals as I understand of most of the more elaborately
finished copies in the British Museum) is a most beautiful figure
of milvipes, which is clearly and unmistakeably our saker. Even
were the native name not recorded as “ Charghela” (and it is
to be borne in mind that native faleoners and fowlers like
Hodgson’s are familiar with every stage of the plumage of falcons
commonly flown,) I have half a dozen specimens every one of
which corresponds accurately with this very laboured and perfect
full size drawing; most assuredly /. melvipes, Hodgs, is only
one stage of our Indian saker and equally surely this latter is
wholly distinct from Hendersoni nobis.

I wish to say more about /. saker, or at any rate our Indian
species that now bears that designation. I do not think that
its various changes of plumage have yet been fully noted.

After carefully studying a very large series of specimens which
have been picked out from nearly double the number, a series
in which no two birds are precisely alike, the general conclusions
I come to are these :

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c. 153

First, as to the lower parts; the youngest birds have the
chin and the centre of the throat, dingy white, and a cheek
stripe pretty prominent, dividing the former from the ear
coverts and cheeks, which are also dingy white, each feather
pretty broadly dark shafted. The vent and under tail coverts
are dingy fulvous white, only some few of the latter exhibit-
ing adark shaft towards the tips; the whole of the rest of
the lower parts are a pretty dark hair brown, mottled on the
breast and the centre of the abdomen with white or fulvous white,
the mottling being due to many of the feathers having a more or
less broad margin “of this color, of which margins there are only
traces on the feathers of the sides and flanks. As the bird grows
older, the cheek stripes gradually grow less distinct and tend to
disappear, as do the streaks on the ear coverts and cheeks ; all
markings disappear from the lower tail coverts ; as to the rest of
the lower parts, the white margins grow larger, the brown por-
tions of the feathers contract, grow paler, and more rufous, till
at last in a very old bird the whole chin, throat, cheeks, and
breast become pure white, with only a few tiny pale brown spots
forming a sort of irregular gorges anda few similarly colored
hair lines towards the tips of the ear coverts. A faint trace of
the cheek stripe generally remains. On the sides, flanks, and
middle of abdomen, a good many moderately sized, somewhat
rufous brown, ovate streaks or spots remain. The interior tibial.
plumes, the feathers of the vent and lower tail coverts are quite
unspotted. »

Now to take the upper parts, which I will divide into head,
mantle, wines, and tail.

In the youngest bird the forehead is a dirty rufous white ; the
rest of the head is a moderately dark hair-brown, much the same
colour as the general tint of both the upper and lower surface ;
some of the feathers darker shafted, and all the posterior ones
narrowly margined with rufous or fulvous white. As the bird
gets older, the pale margins increase in width, and as a rule soon
lose their rufescent tinge. The brown central stripes then de-
crease in width until, in the oldest birds, the whole of the head
and nape is pure white, with only narrow brown shaft stripes.

In the young bird the whole of the mantle is a moderately
dark brown, about the same color as that of a young jagger ; all
the feathers narrowly margined with pale dull rufous, and there
are sometimes one or two ‘spots of this colour on the seapulars ;
the primaries are dark brown with no markines on the exterior
webs, but numerous, very broad, ovate, slightly rufescent trans-
verse bars on the inner web, not quite extending to the shaft.
Later, the bird bleaches somewhat, the brown grows duller, and

5

154 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, sc.

the rufous margins wear away, leaving only a pale trace ; then
the bird moults, and the new feathers are a dark brown with a
bluish slatey bloom on them, and the rufous margins of the
feathers are much broader, purer, and more conspicuous than in
the youngest stage ; the primaries in many cases now show a
few fulvous or rufous white spots on the outer webs towards their
bases, and the white bars of the mner webs begin to become
confluent towards the margin of the feathers. Then, as the birds
eet still older, the brown fades to a great extent out of the cen-
tral portions of the feathers, the rufous margins grow broader
and paler, and the whole mantle assumes a sort of “ desert” tint. ~
The central portions of the feathers still remain a sort of rufous
erey, but this is concealed to a great extent in many places by
the overlapping of the feathers ; on the inner webs of the pri-
maries, the white bars become altogether confluent on the mar-
ginal half, and the quills, which in the early stages, when the
general tint of the under parts is brown, are only faintly mar-
gined paler, become gradually, conspicuously tipped, and mar-
gined towards the tips, with somewhat rufescent white. -

I should note that, at all stages before the bird becomes per-
fectly adult, some individuals exhibit a greater or less amount
of imperfect barring, or spotting with pale rufous on the whole
of the lower part of the mantle. This does not appear to depend
on age or sex ; it is never seen in the quite young birds, nor in
the perfect adult ; it is only in the intermediate stages, and two
birds precisely resembling each other in every other respect may
be met with, in one of which the spottings or transverse barrings
will be conspicuous, while in the other, there will scarcely be a
trace of such markings. The only thing I notice is, that where
there are no spottings on the outer webs of the primaries, then
there is none on the mantle, and where there is a good deal of
the one, there is generally a good deal of the other.

It is, however, the tail of this bird which constitutes the or-
nithologist’s greatest trial ; the tail really appears to be governed
by no sort of rules, and to get through its changes quite inde-
pendent of the other changes of plumage already described. In
the quite young bird the two central feathers are absolutely un-
spotted, hair-brown, only faintly paler margimed towards the
tips ; the next two feathers on either side have one or two small
pale rufous spots on the outer webs towards the tip, and about
six similar but larger spots on the inner webs ; the next two are
similar but have three spots on the outer web, while the exterior
of all has only a trace of one spot on the margin of the outer
web, the inner web being as in the others. All the laterals are
tipped for about a quarter of an inch with dull white. In the

a

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 155

oldest bird I possess the whole of the tail feathers are tipped for
nearly three quarters of an inch with white; of the centre
feathers the shafts are brown above the white tipping, and the
webs are pale rufous grey, with three faint circular white spots
on the outer, and one similar one on the inner webs. The four
next on either side have much the same ground colour, but have -
six large broad oval white spots on the outer web, rliose major
axis forms an angle of 45° with the shaft; while they have
eight very broad oval white spots (whose major axis 1s perpendi- -
cular to the shaft) occupying nearly the whole inner web and
becoming confluent at is margin. The exterior feather is similar,
but the spots on the outer web are much smaller, and are on the
margins of the feather. The intermediate varieties that oceur
are almost endless, but no such tail as that figured by Mr. Gould
have I ever met with m any Indian bird, and I have now
examined closely more than fifty. First, there is the tail with
the two centre feathers (as in the bird first described) perfectly
spotless, but of a paler and sandier brown, but the lateral feathers
similar to those of the old birds as regards markings, except in
having these somewhat smaller. Then there are the plain brown
central feathers with one or two faint spots towards the tips as
in Schlegel’s figure. (Traité de Fauconerie). ‘Then these same
plain brown feathers with five or six well marked perfectly cireu-
lar white spots on the outer margin. Then the same with
smaller spots appearing on the inner webs; then again with the
six spots on the inner web perfectly round, and those on the
outer web becoming ovate ; and then lastly the tail, the centre
feathers of which, bear six pairs of oval spots extending from the
shaft to near the edge of the feather.

It is to be noticed that all the while the spots are being deve-
loped on the central feathers ; those on the lateral feathers are
becoming larger, more ovate, and more barlike ; those of the
inner web extending quite to the margin, and gradually becom-
ing confluent there. After the spottings of the central feathers
have reached their fullest development, they appear gradually, as
the bird grows older, to disappear, and though my oldest bird
still shows three small round spots on the outer and one on the
inner web of the central feathers, two of these are obviously
disappearing, and probably would before long have disappeared
entirely.

As regards Mr. Gould’s figure, Birds of Asia, Part XX., I
wish to point out that independant of the barred tail, brown be
it observed barred with grey, a color that I have sever seen on
the tail of an Indian saker ; no Indian bird with so brown a
mantle and with such narrow rufous edgings could possibly it

I

156 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &¢.

seems to me have so white a head, or so generally white an
under-surface. The youngest bird above described corresponds
well, so far as the mantle goes, with this figure, but the prevail-
ing color of the head is brown, and though the chin and throat
is fulvous white the rest of the lower parts are of as deep a brown
as the upper surface, only mottled pretty profusely with white.
I really cannot make the figure out. The tail barred, the head
that of an old adult, the mantle that of a quite young bird, the
lower surface that of a middle aged bird, and the legs and feet
bright yellow, a color never seen to the best of my behef at any
age in our Indian saker.

The question remains is our Indian Bird, Falco cherug et mit-
vipes, Hodgson, really identical with the bird known in Kurope as
Falco saker, or is it a very closely allied species, differing chiefly
in the different stages of plumage which it passes through before
attaining maturity ? Schlegel’s figure already referred to might
do for a middle aged bird of ours, though I have never seen any
specimen so brown above, and with so much white below, but
' Gould’s figure (which looks to me more hke an immature Lanner)
finds no counterpart in the ample series that I possess of our
Indian species. The question still requires investigation.

It will be seen that I no longer consider the Sakers with more
or less barred upper plumage as distinct. In this Mr. Gurney
agrees with me ; he remarks zm epist “ My own impression is
that the sakers which exhibit the transverse markings are not
specifically distinct from those which do not exhibit them. Itis
a curious circumstance that when a saker has nearly reached the
period for moulting, the circular spots on the tail will always be
found worn much thinner than the surrounding portions of the
feather, and in fact evidently do not wear so well.” Ue.

As regards this latter point my specimens entirely confirm Mr.
Gurney’s view ; in one, the round white spots are worn completely
into holes, (which of course extend to the margins as the ends must
drop when the intermediate portion goes,) in several, they are
worn quite transparent, by the disappearance of the barbs of the
feathers, within, and only within, the limits of the white spots.

There is another fact to be noted about these Charghs ; some
of them have the irides yellow, some brownish yellow, some
brown. I have verified this myself and I have two specimens
procured by Capt. C. H. 8. Marshall in which he noted at the
time that the irides were yellow.

1l.—_Falco jugger, Gr.

Not uneommon in Sindh, but not nearly so plentiful as in the
better wooded and cultivated portions of India.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 157

“_ 15.—Hypotriorchis esalon, J.

A mere cold weather strageler into Sindh, and rare there.
I only saw it once and then failed to secure it, but Capt. Malden
informed me that he had shot it near Kotree, and Mr, J ames, C.S8.,
had also procured a specimen. Before entering Sindh, I ob-
tained an adult male on the banks of the river Jheelum below
Jung. Length, ll; Sepanse;: 24; tail, 5:2; wing, 8; tar-
sus, 1:5; foot, greatest length, 2:3; greatest width, 2-1; bill,
from gape straight to point, 0: i from edge of cere straight
to point, 0°47; wings when closed reach to within 1:45 of end
of tail. Weight, 0-7 Ibs.

Legs and feet, yellow; claws, black; cere, very pale yellow;
bill, dark slatey grey, paler at gape, greenish at base of lower
mandible: irides, brown.
16.—Chiquera typus, Bp.

Not uncommon in Northern Sindh where it breeds, but rare

apparently in the Kurrachee Collectorate. We repeatedly noticed
and occasionally shot it between Jhelum and Kussmore.

17.—Tinnunculus alaudarius, Gn.

Numerically scarce, but occasionally noticed (a cold weather
visitant only) throughout Sindh.

23.—Micronisus badius, Gm.

Not uncommon in the better cultivated portions of the Pro-
vinee, as for instance about Larkhana and Mehur where it breeds,
but never, I believe, seen in the more desert and rocky tracts.

24.—Accipiter nisus, L.

Taking Sindh as a whole, this species is very rare, but in
certain favored localities, such as the Munchur Lake, (where
three were captured and brought me) a good many are seen during
the cold season, these being I was told, almost without exception
birds of the year. .

? 26.—Aquila chrysaetus, L.

On two occasions, I noticed but failed to secure, huge eagles,

one a manifest Ring-tail, which were certainly not ¢mperialis

and which I with some confidence refer to chrysaétus, as I
should also similar birds observed on the Mekran Coast. 4

ee

2.7.—Aquila imperialis, Bechst.. 7 (1, ~~ (04

This species was like the next far more common than
fulvescens. I met with it chiefly in the neighbourhood of large
“heels. I could not ascertain that it bred in Sindh,

OS

158 Contributeons to the Ornithology of India, Se.

28.—Aquila nevia, Gm.

This species was by far the commonest eagle in Sindh, and
scores were to be met with in the neighbourhood of every large
piece of water. Every clump of tamarisk trees standing well
out into the water, as is so commonly the case in the broads of
Sindh, was almost certain to be crowned by one of these black-
looking eagles; else where I have generally found them subsist-
ing almost exclusively on frogs, here to my astonishment, L\
erie shot them in the act Gel devouring fish, and on gop.
occasions saw them strike at, and once or twice actually carry
away, snipe and other small water birds that we had wounded.
Whereas in other parts of the country outside the sub-Himalayan
belt, zevia is ‘a cold weather visitant, and most of the birds
seen are young ones, in the strongly spotted stage of plumage ;
in Sindh the species is a permanent resident, and as I ascer-
tained from the fishermen, regularly breeds there in April and
May, and scarcely a single bird was obtained in any but the
dark adult plumage, with more or less white tarsi. One fine
female measured :—

Length, 28-4; expanse, 66; wing, 21; wings, when closed,
reach to within 1 of end of tail: tail, from vent, 11; weight,
5:25 Ibs. Another measured, length, 29 ; wing, 21- 4.

29.— Aquila fulvescens, Gray lin hana qn al

_ This species was pretty common throughout the less desert
portions of Sindh and in the neighbourhood of all the larger
< dhunds,’ but much less common in lower Sindh; a fine
female shot at the Munchur Lake, measured 28°5 in length;
expanse, 66; and weight, 4°75 lbs. We got the eggs on two
occasions..

33.—Pseudaetus bonellii, Tem.

One, two, or more pairs of this fine hawk eagle are to be met
with about every large lake in Sindh making terrible havoe
amongst the smaller water birds, and carrying off wounded fowl,
before one’s eyes with the greatest impudence. ‘They breed in
the Province and énter alza in the interior of the Khelat Hills in
places where perennial streams issue from these. I killed a fine
female in the interior of the Nurree Nai at the end of January .
from her nest, which then contained two young ones just
able to fly. I saw another nest higher up the same stream,
placed like the first on a shelf of a rocky cliff overlooking the
water ; this was inaccessible, but it contained, I could see, young
birds. Another nest I found in the Gaj which contained, I think,
eggs (very late for this species), but it also was quite inaccessible.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 159
40.—Pandion haliaetus, L.

The Osprey was seen though not in any considerable numbers,
both in the Indus, and about most of the larger pieces of water
in Sindh, but on the coast it is much more common, and in the
Kurrachee Harbour, I think I have seen nearly a dozen in the da y-
We saw it also on the Mekran Coast and at, Muscat. 1 ff LD

é
f,

f/ hs F 4, ff
_ 42.—Halieetus macei, Cw. 2yrrmyri7prrd \ ©

nal accept only provisionally Mr. Gray’s verdict hath our arnaas .
bird is distinet from eucoryphus, Pall, of Southern and Eastern ~~ >
Kurope, &c. Having had before him specimens from both a
localities, he ought to be correct, but @ przorz, I should doubt the ©
distinctness of these two alleged species.

This noble fishing eagle was very common all down the great
rivers from Jhelum to ‘Sukkur, and again I noticed a few birds
between Sehwan and Hyderabad ; 3 one, two, or even more pairs
also frequented each of the larger lakes. We found several of

their nests in large trees in the neighbourhood of the Munchur

Lake, but all contained young birds.
42 bis.—Halieetus albicilla, DL

The European white-tailed sea eagle was tolerably common in
all the great rivers, the Jhelum, Chenab, Sutlej, and Indus.
Several 1 pairs were met with at the Munchur Lake, and single
individuals on other smaller inland waters. We killed a very fine
adult male on the Indus, near Sukkur; but as a rule found the
bird so much-more wary than any other species, that I was un-
able to precure other specimens. I did shoot another, a very
large female, but it sot away at the time, fell into the water and
was only accidentally picked up three days later when it was ~ mi
quite past cure. I first pointed out the occurrence of this species = “=
in India some years ago, having procured specimens (immature = SS
birds) in Etawah, and later I received a very fine adult from

<2, ™
Murdan, in the far North-West. This species is not included in =
Dr. Jerdon’s work, but will be found fully described at ee ‘
_ 257 etseg. of my Rough Notes, Pt. 1., No. 2.
- 45.—Buteo ferox, Gm. x
This species, in all its stages, abounds in Upper Sindh. It . ,

greatly affects the neighbourhood of jheels where the dark birds
especially, the old adults, as I believe, were more common than
I have anywhere else seen them.

48.—Poliornis teesa, franki.

Pretty common throughout Sindh, as it is indeed in all parts
of India which I have yet visited.

160 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

51.—Circus pallidus, Sykes. Swansoni, Smith.

This was the only harrier, except Circus e@ruginosus, that I
myself noticed in Sindh, and even this was far from common. IL
may repeat here (it seems so steadily overlooked im India) that
the only ready and, as I think, unfailing diagnosis of females
and immature birds of this species is, that, when the wings are
perfect, the fourth quill is always shorter than the third, often
by fully half an inch, while in cyaneus L., the fourth quill is
fully as long as, and oenerally somewhat longer than, the third.

54.—Circus eruginosus, L.

The marsh harrier was excessively common, both along the
great rivers of the Punjab and Sindh, and about all the inland
waters of the latter province.

Tn Southern Sindh and generally in the arid tracts that com-
pose so large a portion of the area of the province, we never
saw it.

As I have already noticed in the diary, adults of this species
were very rare; indeed I cannot be certain that we ever even saw
any, and we certainly shot none.

55.—Haliastur indus, Bodd.

The brahminy kite was tolerably abundant about the Indus
and on most of the larger lakes of Upper Sindh. I saw it but
seldom in Lower Sindh, .and never in the more arid portions of
the province.

56.—Milvus ebvinda, ee

Was of course common throughout the province. Along the
Mekran Coast and at Museat where I expected to get the yellow-
billed kite (mzlvus egypius, Gm.) I never saw one single kite ;
they must have been away somewhere breeding, because, as I
ascertained, kites are often seen at these places. sei be
56 bis—Milvus major, Hume. | OV An tt bi if Lf ‘J

I saw a few specimens of the larger Indian kite hanging about
the dhunds of Upper Sindh; but I only succeeded in obtaining a
single specimen. That this species is distinct from both our
other Indian races, MZ. govinda and affinis is certain ; it differs
not only in its greater size, and generally more brightly colored
plumage, but also in other particulars. In major, the chin and
the greater portion of the throat (I speak of adults) are nearly
white, while in govinda and affinis, they are whitey brown. In
the young this difference is not so apparent, but with a series of
the adults of all three species before one, it is very conspicuous.
Again the pale tippings of the central feathers of the tail and of

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c. 161

the adjacent laterals are much more conspicuous in major than
in either of the other species. Another difference, which though
not absolutely constant, is yet highly characteristic of the adult
M. major, is the much greater extent to which, in this species,
the back of the tibio-tarsal articulation, and of the upper half
inch or so of the tarsus, is feathered. In govinda and affinis, these
parts are usually quite bare ; they may be loosely overhung with
feathers ; but these can be brushed aside at once, whereas in adult
M. major, they are densely clothed with silky feathers which,
though they do not grow over the whole surface, yet sit so close-
ly round it as to be with considerable difficulty pushed aside.
This distinction does not hold good in the young. Perhaps,
however, the most marked difference (independant of fhe great
difference in size which may be estimated from the dimensions of
the wings*) consists in the large pure white patch on the inner
webs of the primaries of major ; in govinda and affinis, the prima-
ries have the inner webs more or less brownish white at the ex-
treme base, and the rest of the web above the deep notch
has large, mottled, irregularly oval transverse spots or imperfect
bars of a more orless dingy white, while in major (strictly in
accordance with its buzzard-like flight and habits) almost the
whole of the inner webs above the notches is pure white. With
the fresh birds before him, no one looking at the under surface
of the extended wings, can ever mistake major for either of the
other two species. ‘This large white patch is conspicuously appa-
rent when the bird is flying overhead. In this as in the other
species, there 1s no very great difference in size between the
sexes. As to the difference in the Aadits of M. major, there are
no two opinions on the subject. Mr. Brookes says, “‘ I have seen
several Milvus major lately, two yesterday ; there is no mistake
about the bird, the flight is quite different, very slow, heavy,
flapping, not more than two strokes to the common one’s three.
These birds sometimes quarter a marsh all over.”

‘Writing from the Raipoor Division, Central Provinces, Mr.

& ADULTS.
GigeT Lae Ty
Species. Number of Wings. Number of Wings.
males measured. females measured.
M. govinda ... 7 17-5 to 18° 10 18 to 19°5
>> major 58 12 19 to 20°5 12 19°45 to 21
iS CMS bce 7 16 to 17°5 5 17 to 17:75

N. B.—Affinis, so far as I can make out, differs only from govinda in its duller
tints and smaller size. Schlegel unites melanotis and govinda. I have specimens
of the latter very nearly as brightly coloured as his figure of the former in the
Fauna Jap. Mr. Gurney’s remark that there is no appreciable difference between
the young and old of M. affinis, does not hold good in the Indian affinis, though
our adults are absolutely inseparable from Australian specimens.

162 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &C.

F. R. Blewitt says, “ All along, within and near to the forests,
from Singhora to the end of the Lohara beat, I met with Milvus
major. he length of the largest male and female which I procur-
ed, (and there seeiaed to be xo material differences in the size of the
sexes, though individual birds of each sex differed vastly according
apparently to age,) was 27°7 inches, but, judging from the size
of some of the specimens I failed to secure, I should guess that
they run to 29 inches.

“ Throughout the country above-mentioned, I daily saw num-
bers of this species particularly at the Rajun fair, where the birds
collected in scores. On the plains it is very rare. As you very
correctly state it is at all times a wary bird, it was only when
curiosity induced them to fly over my camp, or when I enticed
them with flesh or dead birds to approach nearer, that I could
get to shoot them. Ofthe thirty and odd birds, only one was
shot sitting. From J. govinda it is easily distinguishable by its
larger size, form, colouring of the large wmg feathers, and its
more heavy flight.. The two species on occasions associate,
though battles are frequent between them.”

Mr. Gurney had suggested and Mr. Blandford seems to think
that major might be identical with Milvus melanotis of Schlegel
figured both in the Fauna Japonica, and in Radde’s work on the
Siberian Avifauna. In the Fauna Japonica the wing of this
species is given at from 18°9 to 19:7 mech. In his catalogue
of the Leyden Museum, Schlegel identifies melanotzs with govinda,
and states, that the dimensions are those of regalis, of which he
gives the wing at from 20°25 to 21°35 inch. ‘The dimensions of
the Fauna Japonica are, I apprehend, those most to be relied
on, as they are actually recorded from specimens, whereas the
catalogue statement “ same size as M. regalis,” is somewhat
vague and loose. Be this as it may, the pure white wing
patch of Jf. major distinguishes it equally from J/. melanotis and
the two other species that occur in India. Of MW. melanotis,
Schlegel expressly says, “ The primaries are mottled with white
near their bases;” moreover Mr, Gurney says 2m epost, “ I asked the
Curator of the Norwich Museum to examine our specimens of
M. melanotis from Japan, and of M. govinda from China, some
of which (especially the more Northern) seem to be a larger race
than the Indian, and also our specimens of ordinary J. govinda.”
In reply he informs me, “ that he cannot discover any such white
patch as you mention as characteristic of M. major. In all the
specimens the inside of the primaries above the notch is more or
less mottled with white which does not appear to be more pro-
minent in one species or race than in the others,” it is there-
fore pretty certain that MZ, mayor and MM. melanotis are distinct.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 163

59.—Elanus melanopterus, Daud.

This species is plentiful enough in the Western Punjab, but ~
it is comparatively rare in Sindh. I only procured one specimen,
and only saw two or three others, and all these exclusively in
Upper Sindh.
60.—Strix indica, Blyth.

This owl is by no means common in Sindh. The only place
at which I saw it was Larkhana, and there I shot a pair. The
female measured, length, 14°25; expanse, 39°5; tail from
vent, 5°2; wing, 10°38; weight, 1lb. 3 oz.; wing, when closed,
reached to within 1 of end of tail. Tarsus, 2°75. Male
length, 13°25; expanse, 87°5; wing, 10°7; tail from vent, 5-2;
wings, when closed, reached to within 1:25 of end of tail ; tarsus,
2°6; weight, 1 ]b. In both the bills were pearly white, the feet
horny grey; claws blackish, andirides brown. The two speci-
mens illustrated admirably the different stages of plumage of this
species. Above, the female was so closely speckled and pencilled
with blackish brown and grey, as to leave scarcely any buff color
visible from the forehead to the tips of the upper tail coverts,
and the black and white spots were very large and numerous.
In the male the buff predominated on the nape, back of the
neck, and upper back, and was abundantly visible over the whole
surface, and the black and white spots were small and incon-
spicuous. The whole lower surface of the female from the ruff
down to the points of the lower tail coverts and the tibial
plumes, was tinged pale buffy, and profusely spotted with com-
paratively large triangular brown spots; the whole lower surface
of the male on the other hand was pure white, with a few mi-
nute brown speckles in the breast and down the sides. The
male I take to be an old bird, the female quite a young one.

? 65.—Bulaca ocellata, Less.

I did not myself see any specimen of this bird, but Capt.
Malden told me that he had shot a syiniwm, which he believed
to belong to this species at Jacobabad. It was, however, he
had noted, only 15°25 inches in length, so this identification is
doubtful. Mr. Gray separates our Indian species under Latham’s
name of s¢mensis, from Lesson’s ocellata, which he gives from
Southern Asia. As the British Museum contains no specimen
of what Mr. Gray considers Lesson’s bird, I hesitate to adopt
this view. So far as I can make out, the two are identical.

69.—Bubo bengalensis, Franti.

_I obtained a fine specimen of thisowl at Jhelum, Saw it again

J

164 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

near Mooltan, and again near Mittencote ; but did not myself
observe it in Sindh. It has however been procured near the
Munchur Lake, and there is no doubt of its right to find a place
in this lst.

70.—Bubo coromanda, Lath.

I saw this species once or twice in Sindh, and Dr. Day shot
a specimen for me on the banks of the Indus, a short distance
above Kootree.

76.—Athene brama, Tem.

This owl is very common in the better cultivated portions of
Sindh; but I met with it occasionally also in the quasi —
desert tracts that fringe the bases of the tocky Inlls dividing
Sindh from Khelat. It was ere common Babe Sukkur.

82.—Hirundo rustica, L. tht
Was more or less abundant in casi siluealivies throughout
Sindh from Kussmore to Kurrachee. |

34.—Hirundo filifera, Stephen.

I did not notice this species, but Capt. Maldeu informed me
that it was common about Jacobabad in May, and I have
received a specimen obtained near Hyderabad, during the
- inundation. si)

89.—Cotile sinensis, Gray.

This little bank-martin is abundant in all the great Punjab
rivers and in the Indus. The sexes differ very little in size.
Numerous specimens measured in the flesh, varied in length from
4°2 to 4°55; im expanse, from 10 to 10: A; ; wing, fron 3°6 to
3°75 ; tail from vent, from 1°6 to 1°75; in weight, from 0°25 to.
0:4 oz; the wings, when closed, reached from 0-2 to 0-4 beyond
the end of tail. Scme again that I have seen were smaller, and
in other parts of India I have found them larger. Taking a large
series, the wings vary from 3°35 to 3:8. I do not myself at present
much believe in Cotzle subsocata. Small specimens of C. sinensis
seareely exceed the dimensions given by Adam, and many speci-
mens of C. sinensis have the dark irregular brownish black.
band across the breast, and the rump absolutely unicolorous
with the back. These two points and the difference in size ap-
pear to be what are relied on as constituting the diagnosis of
the species, and as far as I can judge, they are of no great
value.

As for Cotile riparia, I have never seen an Indian killed
specimen of this bird. Adam says, that it is common on the

Contributions to the. Ornithology of India, &c. 165

Indus, and the rivers of the Punjab. I have shot on the Sutlej,
the Beas, the Chenab, and the Indus, almost from their souree
to the sea; but I have never succeeded, though of late years
IT have been specially on the look-out for this species, in
seeing or securing a specimen. ‘This bird is very much larger
than our Indian species, and has the dusky band on the chest
very much more conspicuous.

91 bis—Ptionoprogne pallida, Hume. Stray
Heathers, No. I, p. 1.

I have already, foc. cit., fully described this new species and
have nothing now to add to what I then stated. ‘

99.—Cypselus apus,.L. 6 o> floor gpd,

C. barbatus Temm. MSS.—Sclater. Pro., Zoo. Soc., 1865, p.
599. Tristram, Pro., Zoo. Soc., 1867, p. 887. Gurney, Ibis,
1868, p. 152. Finsch. Trans. Zoo. Soc. read June 10th, 1869.
Vol. VIL, p. 213.

Dr. Sclater in his valuable monograph of the Cypselide, first
pointed out that “ there are two South-African specimens of a swift
in the Leyden Museum, labelled “ Cypselus barbatus,” which differ
from the European examples principally in their lighter color
above, particularly on the secondaries and scapulars; in the
white feathers of the gular patch presenting a narrow black cen-
tral line, and in the feathers of the lower back, belly, and under
wing-coverts being narrowly margined with. white. wo examples
from Natal, collected by Mr. Ayres, are similar. It is possible
that this form may be entitled to rank as a species to which
Temminck’s MS. name may be applied. But it would be
_ desirable to obtain more skins for comparison, particularly ex-
amples from other parts of South Africa.’ In 1867 Joe. cit., Mr.

Tristram argued that this South-African representative of
Cypselus apus, should be recognized as distinct undet Temminck’s
‘manuscript name, on the ground that all known specimens from
South Africa agreed in the peculiarities pointed out by Sclater.
Mr. Gurney Joc. cit., appears to have accepted this conclusion.
Gray however united Jarbatus with apus in his “ Hand list,”
and Dr. R. Finsch in his careful paper on the birds of N. E.
Abyssinia, and the Bogos country, demonstrated to my mind
conclusively that darbatus is nothing but the young of apus.
Professor Blasius’ opinion which he quotes is peculiarly to the
point. He says “your specimens are nothing more than the young
of C. apus, and I cannot distinguish them from others collected
in our country. I possess also such young ones from: Nubia as
well as old specimens from the Cape and Nubia, which agree in

166 Contributions to the Ornithology of Inara, &c.

darkness of coloration throughout with specimens from Ger-
many.”

All the specimens that I actually secured (for the bird
scarcely ever ventured within shot) were young birds of the darda-
tus type; but I specially noticed the occurrence along with these
of one or two decidedly darker birds, which doubtless were —
adults. I watched these birds very closely with a binocular at
both Kurrachee and Muscat, and set down the dark birds as apus,
and the hehter ones as a new species, but after reading up the
passages above referred to, and comparing my specimens with
one specimen of apus from Cashmere, and a series of this species
from Europe, I entertam no doubt that both dark and light
birds belony to one and the same species, the former being adults
the latter being birds of from five to nine months old.

I observed this swift about the rocky headland of Munora
which guards the mouth of the Kurrachee Harbour and there shot
two specimens, male and female, which measured respectively,
Male, length, 6°8; expanse, 16; wing, 6°6; tail from vent,
2°9; closed wing reached to 1:4 beyond end of tail; weight,
1:2 oz. Female, length, 6°75; expanse, 15°75; wing, 6°3; tail
from vent, 2°38; closed wing reached to 1°3 beyond end of tail ;
weight, 1°12 oz.

I observed these again off almost every one of the rocky
headlands alone the Mekran Coast as far as Gwader, and again
I oserved numbers about the cliffs of Museat, and there shot
three more specimens.

100.—Cypselus affinis, J. #. Gray. Ill. Ind.
Zool. pl. 35, Hig. 2. C. abyssinicus, Hempr. Ehrb. ;
and C. galileensis. Antin.

The white rumped swift was met with once or twice in parties
between Jhelum and Kussmore, but from Kussmore throughout
Upper Sindh to Sehwan, I never saw it. At Sehwan, Kotree, and
Hyderabad, it was abundant, and from Kurrachee again I met
with it, wherever we landed, to Gwader.

At Muscat it was specially abundant.

My friend Dr. O. Finsch remarks, “ Dr. Sclater has already
pointed out the identity of the Indian and African specimens
of this species (Proc. Zool. Soc., 1865, p. 603.) After having
examined numerous specimens from India, Palestine, Sennabar,
(s. n. caffer in Mus. Hein.,) the Blue Nile, Anamaboé (Gold Coast)
St. Thomé, Ilha do Principe, and the Cape, I am quite of the ©
same opinion as Dy. Sclater, and can give some further additions
to the knowledge of this species. .

Seaiihe variableness i in the intensity of coloring, the greater or

%

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 167

less extension of the white gular patch of feathers, and the exis-
tence of a more or less visible paler supereilliary stripes are
noticeable as in C. apus ; young ones also show the whitish
mareinations on the feathers of the under parts,”

In these latter remarks I entirely agree, and I would add that
even in the same localities the birds vary very muchin size, the
wing varying from 4°8 to about 5°5 in Indian specimens.
Dr. Finsch indeed gives the wing of specimens from the Blue Nile
and St. Thomé at 5°6 ; but I have seen no Indian bird quite
so large as this.

- 113.—Caprimulgus mahrattensis, Sykes.

Goat-suckers are very scarce in Sindh. I myself never suc-
ceeded in securing a specimen, except asingle male of this species
at the very northern boundary of Sindh, on the banks of the
Indus. This specimen measured, length, 8-9 ; expanse, 20 ; tail
from vent, 4°25 ; wing, 6°8 ; wings when closed, reached to
within 0°55 of end of tail; weight, 2°25 ozs. The legs and feet
were pale fleshy brown; the claws black ; bill and irides, dark
brown.

T am told that at Larkhana, Mehur, and near the Munchur
Lake, goat-suckers have been often noticed. I hope local ob-
servers will preserve specimens and send them to me for identi-
fication.

117._Merops viridis, Z. — ae

Pretty common all the year round in Upper Sindh ; in Lower 7

Sindh it appears comparatively rare. The Sindh specimens ~~ Ss

almost entirely lack the rufous tinge on the head ; in fact in color-
ation as in geographical position, they are at the opposite end
of the scale to the Burmese birds in which the rufous tinge on
the cap 1s so conspicuous.

— 120.—Merops segyptius, Forsk.

\ I myself failed to procure a specimen, as this species is not
a cold weather visitant to Sindh, but it is common everywhere
in Upper Sindh at any rate during the hot weather and rains,
and I have received specimens Lae there subsequent to my
departure.

123.—Coracias indica, L. Lt

The Indian roller, though scarcely ever met with in the toe = ‘ 4

portions of Sindh, is as common in the better wooded and culti-
vated portions of the province as elsewhere throughout India,

i

f

168 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

As might be expected they are typical iadica birds without the
shiehtest leaning towards affinis such as is so generally notice-
able in specimens from the Terai below Darjeeling and Eastern
Bengal generally.

y 125.—Coracias garrula, L.

Like Merops egyptius, this appears to be only a hot and rainy
season visitant. I procured no specimens, but Mr. James, ©. s.,
has recently forwarded to me a fine adult killed during the sum-
mer. I may here mention that in going through a small collec-
tion of birds made during the last rains at Mooltan by Mr. T.
Cox, c. &., I found no less than six specimens of this species,
which there, as zzdiva elsewhere, greatly affects the telegraph
wires. From Peshawur and near Attock I have also had speei-
mens procured during the summer. I have shot numerous speci-
mens near Simla, and Captain G. F. L. Marshall kindly sent
me one obtained at Nynee Tal, which as Hodgson did not meet
with it in Nepal is probably its Eastern limit in Indha. .

129.—Halcyon smyrnensis, L.

This king-fisher is pretty abundant in Sindh and is met with
every where alike on the great rivers, canals, streams, ponds,
and lakes.

134.—Alcedo bengalensis, Gm.

I only obtained a single specimen of this smaller Indian race,
in Sindh, and that was from the east of the Indus in the Roree
district. If it occurs at all west of the Indus, where it is
replaced by the next species, it will only be, I apprehend, asa
mere strageler. It is curious that the only d/cedo seen at Mus-
cat, was the present and zo¢ the next species.

134 ter.—Alcedo ispida, L.

Tf I were disposed to manufacture new species, I should cer-
tainly christen the small Sindh king-fisher Alcedo Sindiana ; as
it is, L consider it a most interesting link between /spzda and
Bengalensis, differing only from the English ‘bird with which
I have compared it by the comparative shortness of the bill,
and in this respect corresponding more nearly with the king-
fisher of Greece and the Holy Land. In size this bird is so
conspicuously larger than the common Jengalensis, that the differ-
ence cannot fail to strike the most casual observer, and this
coupled with the much shorter bill compels me to identify it
with ispida rather than dengalensis. I shot and preserved a con-

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 169

siderable number of these birds ; most of them I measured in the
flesh, but it will suffice to subjoin the dimensions of a dozen.

Length. Expanse. Wing. Bill at Front. Weight.
Males (1) 76inch. Illinch 2 91 inch. 1:45 inch 1-25 oz.

c (2) 70 4 103, BiSds Vos Lod... Gal0ore
a (SS) a2 5, Oras 2°85 ,, 142 , 41-18
EB) (4) 74 ” 11-0 bb) 3 29 155 Ey retina 1-1 39
oy) (5) 75 ”» 10°7 ce) 29 ” 163 3 1-25 29
”° (6) 72 ” 105 2 29 ” 1-43 9 1-25 23
oy (7) 72 33 10°5 bb) 29 ” 15 39 1-1 9
» (8) 72 4 i » 29» 15 3, Ito
3 (9) 70 Sy) 05 cy) 2°85 92 15 bP) ia
Females (10) 72 ,, 10°35 >, 283 ,, Tes ey)
“geiee) (11) 70 39 10-9 3 292 29 15 29 Ear
33 (12) 73 bb) 11:0 3 29 oy) 153 9 rer

Ne

Mr. Sharp’s elaborate table of the comparative dimensions’
of A. bengalensis and A. ispida may be epitomized as follows :—

Length. Bill. Wing.
Ispida.—England ~ O8to7dS 6 tol? 295tos
Green and Palestine... 6°7 See? Nae 2:95) 38
Bengalensis. —Ceylon seh
India, Java, Malacca, Japan
Labuan, Gilloolo, Hainan, Amoy,

6to65 1L65tol75 26 to285 °

Formosa
Bengalensis.—Centr al Asia and
Phillippines ... 61065 16 tol? 2°9
Bengalensis.—Cairo shi 66 2 2°8

It will, I think, be seen that as regards leneth, our Sindh
birds average fully as large as English ésyida. ‘The wings which
in two birds out of three, measured 2°9 and upwards, averave —
much larger than dengalensis, while the bills which in two out
of three birds vary between 14 and 1:5, average much shorter
than either species.

The peculiar western character of the Avifauna of Sindh
yenders the occurrence of this close approximation to zspida, all
the more interesting. Some ornithologists will doubtless be
<lisposed to consider the brevity of bill coupled with the greater.
length and bulk of body as entitling the Sindh race to specific
separation, and those who do so, may call it A. Szndiana ; for
my part I look upon it merely as an outlying race of ispida.

I found this species everywhere in Sindh from Kussmore, the
extreme north-east pot to the Hubb river at its south-
western extremity. It is impossible to exaggerate the num-
bers in which this species is found along some ‘of the small rush-
fringed canals of Upper Sindh. In the immediate | neighbour-
hood of Jacobabad, along perhaps, three or four miles of such a’
canal, I shot in a hour seven or eight, and saw at least twenty -
of these birds. In the large rivers, and large inland pieces of

170 Contributions to the Ornithology of Indica.,

waters, they are but rarely met with ; but in all the narrow

water-courses, where the dense reeds on either bank bend
curving over the stream, nearly meeting in the centre, these
little king-fishers may be seen at every hundred yards or so,
swaying to and fro on an overhanging stem, or gliding up and
down the stream with a noisless rapidity that baffles des-
cription.

I may note that compared with either dengalensis or aspida the
plumage of the Sindh birds, as a body, seems considerably
brighter, but this may possibly be due to the care with which
my specimens were preserved and to their always having been
kept carefully papered up from the moment they were skinned
to the present time.

136.—Ceryle rudis, L.

This species was most abundant everywhere in the great
rivers, and in all the larger pieces of water throughout Sindh.
The females in this species appear to be somewhat larger than
the males, and are at once distinguished by the single imperfect
chest band, while the males have two, more or less perfect,
pectoral bands.

147.—Paleornis eupatria, L.; Alerandri., L.

I myself never met with this species in Sindh, but it is said
to occur in some years as a straggler in the neighbourhood of

Hyderabad. I obtained two specimens on the Jhelum near

Pindadun Khan, and I saw it again on the banks of the
Chenab, not far from Mooltan. I once saw a huge flock of this
species flying round and round the minars of the Jumma
Musjid at Lahore. |

148.—Paleornis torquatus, Podd.
Common all over Sindh wherever there are trees ; but that of
course is in no means half the country.

158.—Picus scindeanus, Gould.

This species is more or less abundant throughout Sindh.
While Brachypternus dilutus affects the sirris, shesum, and
other large trees of the avenues planted along all roads in the
neighbourhood of most of the stations in Sindh, the present
species is almost entirely a denizen of the tamarisk jungles.
There is no great difference in the size of the sexes, though the
males are slightly larger. ‘The following are dimensions taken
in the flesh from a series of both sexes :

Males.—Length, 8°5 to 86; wing, 45 to 46; tail from
vent, 3:1 to 32; expanse, 145 to 15; feet, length, 17

~t

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c. 171

to 1:9; width, 1:4; closed wings reach to within from 1°4 to
1-6 of end of tail; weight, 2 to 2°25 oz.

Females.—Length, 8 to 8°5 ; wing, 4°4 to 4°7; tail, 3 to 3°2;
expanse, 13°6 to 15; feet, length, 1°8 to 1:9; width, 1:2 to
15 ; closed wings reach from 1:2 to 1:4 of end of tail ; weight,
1-5 to 2-1 oz.

This species is not confined to Sindh but extends upwards
between the Indus and the Jhelum to the foot of the Hima-
layas. Itis common in the salt range, and single specimens
have been sent from Murdan, Peshawur, and Hazara. The
width and color of the frontal band varies a good deal in
different individuals ; in width from an eighth to a quarter of an -
inch, in color from almost perfectly pure white to rufous brown.
In the male the whole top of the head from the frontal band
backwards to the nape is crimson ; the feathers however are short
and the dusky bases, even in the live bird, shew through a good
deal.

? 168 bis—Dryocopus martius, L.

According to the concurrent testimony of many persons in
Sindh, an enormous black wood-pecker, with a red head, is
found occasionally in certain trees, on the Khelat hills, a little
way below the top of Duryalo. This can surely be nothing
but the species above indicated.

_-182.—Brachypternus dilutus, Blyth, J. A. &.,
, J XIV, 550.

a

lu” The golden backed wood-pecker is most abundant in all the

many roadside avenues that since Sindh became a British
Province have been carefully nurtured in the neighbourhood of
every large town and station. In Roree, near Sukkur, Lar-
kana, Hyderabad, and Kotree, and a score of other places, I
have seen eight or ten in a morning, and I carefully preserved
a large series. .

Although for the sake of convenience I have retained Mr.
Blyth’s specific appellation, my conviction is, not only that the
Sindh wood-pecker is in no way entitled to specific separation,
but further that it is barely distinguishable as-a local race.

My series of B. aurantius ranges over a considerable tract of
country. The specimens are from Raipoor, Dacca, Cachar, Jhan-
sie, Etawah, Saharunpoor, the Dhoon, and Gurhwal, and all that
can be said for the Sindh birds is that as compared with B.
aurantius from the various localities above enumerated, they
have, asa body, less of the orange tinge on the back, and have

K

172 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

the spots on the coverts slightly more developed. This is merely
taking them as a body, specimens of aurantius from the North-
Western Provinces may be selected absolutely identical with the
Sindh birds. .

As for the other differences pointed out by Mr. Blyth they
absolutely fail when tested by a comparison of any zonsiderable
number of birds.. First he says d/utus is rather smaller, but in
reality if any thine it is rather larger. The following are the
dimensions of wings of males and females of Sindh birds from
a great variety of localities:—Males,5°5; 57; 5:7; 5:7;
535 76 i bev.) Females), 57715 5 59% 5:52: 8°65, 5°85, 5°65) |

The following are the wings of aurantius taken at random,
from different localities im India—males, 5°3; 5:9; 5°35 ; 5°25 =
56; 5°5 ; female, 5-5. The Sindh bird therefore is certainly, not
smaller.

Secondly, he says, that the eye streak is less defined, but I can-
not confirm this assertion ; individuals may be found in which the
eye streak in didutws is much Jdetter defined than in others of
aurantius and vice versa; thirdly, he says, the quills are broadly
barred with white which is seen conspicuously i the closed wing,
while in aurantius and chrysonotus, the white bars are narrow and
inconspicuous. No such distinction can be drawn in practice be-.
tween birds from Sindh and other parts of India. With a dozen
specimens of each before one, itis quite clear that the breadth of
the bars on the wing, so far as it varies, varies according to the
individual ; and specimens from Sindh may be at once selected’
in which the wing bars are actually narrower than in other
specimens of aur antius. When not overhung by the second-
aries, as is: so commonly: the case in dry skins, the white bars. on
the primaries are equally conspicuous in the closed wings of
both auwrantius and the Sindh birds. Lastly, Mr. Blyth says,
that there is a greater amount of white on the markings of the,
lower surface. I however can discover no such difference. In
individuals. both ef aurantius and the Sindh birds, considerable
differences as to the amount of black on the lower surfaces,
especially on the throat is observable ; but 1t is a mere individual
peculiarity, possibly dependant on age, and birds in which the
black predominates may be as easily selected from the Sindh speci-
mens as from those obtained from other portions of the empire.

After having carefully compared a large series of the Sindh
birds with a similar series from, other localities, I entertain no
doubt that the former differ from the latter solely in the slightly,
paler tint of the golden back in which an orange shade is
seareely ever traceable, and in the slightly more conspicuous
character of the spots on the wing coverts, even these differences

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, fe. 173

however not. being absolutely constant. j

I may note that specimens from Dehra Ghazee Khan where
the birds appear at the beginning of the hot weather, tem ped
visitants from Khelat and Afehanistan, are apparently slightly
paler and still more conspicuously spotted on the wing coverts
than the Sindh specimens. Following Mr. Blyth’s example, these
ought to be separated as daludior ! I set my face however against
this hair -splitting.

188.—Yunx torquilla, L.

I observed this occasionally in the neighbourhood of statinons
and elsewhere where acacia (babul) trees were pretty plentiful.
In the more desert portions of the country, it is, I believe, un-
known.

212. —Coccystes Jacobinus, Boda

Net observed in Sindh during the cold weather, -but ve
James, ¢. S., has recently sent me a specimen obtained in Sep-
tember; in a garden on the banks of the river Lyaree at Kur-
rachee. Mr. J ames remarks, that he has never. met with it else-
where in Sindh. It seems I may note that Bodd’s name above
given, has precedence of Gmelin’s, better known and most ap:
propriate designation melanoleucus.

214. ees horonata, L At ee
apud Jerdon).

The koel, was very bests seen in Sindh during our Es
en Capt. Malden informed me that he had killed it more than
‘once at Jacobabad.

It seems to be generally admitted that &. orientalis, L., is a
‘Ceram or Amboyna koel, or from Ternate, Timor and Amboyna,
as Gray gives it. Anyhow it is not our Indian bird, which, ac-
wording to Mr. Gray, stands as horonata, Li. Lord Walden gives
at as honoruta, L, (Ibis, 1869, p. 338,) but this is probably a
clerical oversight.

217. —Centropus rufipennis, Illiger.

‘The crow pheasant, as the larger Coucal is commonly called
in India, was very abundant all: along: the banks of all the larger
rivers wherever’ tamarisk Jungle occurred ; 5 again wherever
this bush, or tree, as it sometimes grows to be in “Sindh, fringes
the margin of any swamp or lake, there some pairs of this species
‘are pr etty | sure to’ be seén trotting about om the ground with tails
carefully lifted up, or threading their way thr ough the branches
«with the peculiar ser pentine motion they adopt in moving
through thickets. In Lower. Sindh; they are less common,

at

174 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, $e.
234.—Arachnechthra asiatica, L.

The common honey-sucker seems very abundant all over

“)\) Sindh. All the specimens obtained up to the middle of February .

were still in winter plumage. I fully especie from the general
character of the fauna to meet with 4. osea ; but though I shot
honey-suckers purposely in every locality, they all turned out to
be nothing but the.common Indian bird.

254.—Upupa epops, JL.
All the hoopoes I saw belonged to the European race ;

larger in size and everywhere paler in tint than our Indian
birds, and with a conspicuous sub-terminal white band on the

‘posterior feathers of the crest. The bird was very common

from Kussmore to Kurrachee, and again I saw a single specimen
at Gwader.

~ 256.—Collyrio lahtora, Sykes.

This shrike though not numerically anything like so abund-
ant as C. erythronotus or a fortiors Lanius arenarius, was still

met with everywhere throughout Sindh. I have not worked

up the subject myself, but Mr. Gray restricts Lanius, L., to
cristatus, phenicurus, magnirostris, arenarius, senator, rutilans, |
&c., and assigns most of the other shrikes to Moehr’s genus
Collyrio (1752). .
257.—Collyrio erythronotus, Vigors.

Very common throughout Sindh; most abundant in the

better cultivated portions of the country, but found, though more
sparingly, even in the semi-desert tracts. All the Sindh birds

are true erythronotus, with the rufous running up the scapulars ;

but as usual they vary very much in tint; in one specimen the
grey of the head and upper back is pure and comparatively
dari, and runs unehanged on to the black frontal band ; in another
it is much paler, and the whole front of the head is a nearly pure —
white dividing the grey of the occiput and nape from the black

frontal band.

260.—Collyrio vittatus, Dum. Hardwichii, Gr.

Not uncommon in the better cultivated portions of Sindh,
but never observed in the more barren localities.

262.—Lanius arenarius, Blyth. Lanius Isabel-
linus, H. § H, ; Strickland, Pro. Zoo, ee 1850, pe
217, No. 46,

There is not in my sit the smallest doubt that Lanius
arenarius and Lanius isabellinus are one and the same species.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c. 175
Blyth’s name was published in 1846, F. A. S. XV., p. 804.

Ehrenberg’s name is said to have appeared in Symb. Phys. 1
fol. e note, but I have not this latter work, and I am_ therefore
unable to decide which name is entitled to priority.

Mr. Strickland doc. cit., remarks of zsabellinus : “ This species
is pale fulvo-cinereous above, cream-colored below ; rump and
tail rufous, a broad blackish band from the nostrils to the ear
coverts, margined above by a whitish streak. It much resembles
LL. arenarius, Blyth ; but is of a more cinereous tinge above,
and is distinguished from that and all the allied Asiatic species,
by possessing a conspicuous white band at the base of the fourth
to the ninth primaries. The specimen from Kordofan has an |
obscure dark transverse band near the tips of the rectrices.” Mr.
Blyth says, “ A marked variety of L. melanotis, (= L. cristatus,
Linn.,) for it can scarcely be admitted as a separate species,
was found abundantly by Captain Boys in the country lying
between Sindh and Ferozepore. It is distinguished by its pale
coloring, a predominant dull, sandy grey, scarcely tinged with
rufous, except on the rump and tail ; the lores being whitish in
a male and female, presented to the Society by Captain Boys ;
but with a slight black spot joining the orbit above. Ifregard-
ed as new, J. arenarius, nobis.”

Now the shrike to which both these descriptions equally apply
is common as a winter visitant throughout the greater portion
of the plains of Punjab, the whole of Rajpootana, and Sindh.
The name arenarius is peculiarly appropriate, because wherever
within these regions sandy and semi-barren wastes extend, there
this shrike is particularly numerous.

Eastwards, beyond the limits above indicated, this species
is only a strageler; but I have one specimen from Etawah
‘and I have seen it in the Agra district, and I may here
notice that within the limits above assigned to this species.
i. cristatus never, to the best of my knowledge, occurs.
Throughout the extreme west of India, the western Punjab, and
Sindh, this species is abundant to a degree, and during our
whole trip from Jhelum to Kurrachee, I do not remember
having failed to see it on any one single day. I saw it again
along the Mekran Coast to Gwader, and procured it in Muscat.
Westward we know that it is found in Afghanistan, and Kordo-
fan, and Erhenberg described it, I believe, from Northern Arabia.

The color of this species varies a good deal. Lord Walden’s
figure in the Ibis of esabel/inus, 1867, p. 224, is too dark for any
specimen that I have seen, and muchtgo dark for Strickland’s
or Blyth’s description ; but still freshly moulted birds make an
approach to Lord Walden’s description ; birds as we usually

176 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

obtain them in the winter answer exactly to Strickland’s, while,
those somewhat bleached correspond perfectly with Blyth’s.

The wing spot from the fourth to the ninth primaries, which
I believe is what has mainly led to the separation of the two
species is easily explained ; only the perfect adult male exhibits
it. Young birds of both sexes never shew the slightest trace of
it, and amongst the adult females, only perhaps one or two in
twenty have a small yellowish white line, where the white patch
would be in the adult male. In the young birds of this as in other
species the breast feathers are more or less variegated with very
narrow crescentic brown bands. So long as any of these are
traceable, you may look in vain for the. white wing spot; but
even after these have all disappeared, it is not until the line in
front and behind the eye becomes black, instead of blackish
brown, that you may expect to find the white wing bar. cons-
picuous. Out of nine males, shewing no other sign of nonage
which I brought from Sindh, six only have the eye streak really
black; and all these exhibit the wing bar most distinetly ; of
the other three, with browner eye streaks, two shew only a trace,
and the third, no indication whatsoever of the wing bar. The
females never have the streak behind the eye as dark as in the

males, while of the continuation of that line in front of the eye
they exhibit-only a trace. The young birds in neither sex, so
_ long as the crescentic markings are pretty numerous on the
lower parts, shew much trace ‘of the antiocular black spot, so
large and conspicuous in the perfect adult male. It may here
be noticed, that at least two-thirds of the birds met with in
India in the cold season are young’, the lower plumage more or
less varied, with erescentic lines ; of the remaining one-third at
least. one-half are females, the remaining one-sixth only are
adult, or nearly adult males; of these again about one-third
have not yet acquired the throughly black eye stripe, or the
well marked white wing band ; in fact, it is only about one
in every nine or ten birds that do clearly exhibit this charac-
teristic. The bird is very tame and will often allow you to
walk up within twenty yards of it, and scrutinise it carefully
with a pair of binoculars, and as in the live bird the white spot
is quite perceptible even when the wing is at rest (in dry skins
the secondaries almost always overlay it) I was able to procure
a much larger proportion with the white spot, than I could have
done had I “merely shot them at random.

Lord Walden remarks of arenarius that in the specimen
before him, “The centre pair of rectrices, at about one-third of
their length from the end display a well marked, irregular, light-
colored transverse band, a good distinctive character 1f found to

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 177

be constant in all examples.” This character is however not only
not constant, but absolutely exceptional, as 1s also the “ obscure
dark transverse band near the tips of rectrices’” alluded to by
Strickland. I myself have never met with a single specimen ex-
Inbiting exactly these peculiarities ; the central tail feathers at all
stages are slightly darker and less pure than the laterals, and are
throughout their entire length obscurely and narrowly banded, dar-
ker and lhghter, obsolete barrings scarcely noticeable in the adults,

_ but more conspicuous in the young birds, in which, moreover, the

central rectrices have a more decidedly brownish tinge. At all
ages the rectrices are inconspicuously and narrowly margined
and. tipped paler.

There is but little to be said about the habits of this species ; it
is no friend to the more richly cultivated and irrigated portions of
even Sindh ; in Larkana for instance itis far less common, but in
the barer portions of the country where here and there a few stunt-
ed tamarisk or acacia bushes sparsely dot, what in the cold weather
seems a barren waste, J. arenarius is to be met with, perched on the
top-most twig of almost every. other busu, from which it makes,
from time to time, short excursions on rapidly beating wings,
and after 4 moment’s pause upon the sand, to devour some grass-
hoppers, or fly, returns, unless disturbed, to its former perch.
I have measured a great number of these birds in the flesh, and
perhaps the following dimensions may be useful.
_ The sexes do not differ materially in size, but the wing of the
female averages perhaps smaller.

Length, 7-13 to 8; expanse, 11 to 11°75; wing, 3°35 to 3-7; tail
from vent, 3°13 to 3°75 ; tarsus, 0°88 to 1; bill straight from fore-
head to point, 0°5 to 0°62; from gape, 0:7 to 0°82; weight, 1-1 to
1:25 oz; the fourth, or third and fourth primaries longest ; the
first from 1°65 to 1°85 ; and the second from 0:3 to 0°42. shorter
than the longest. The closed wings fall short of end of tail by
from 1:94 to 2°25 ; the legs and feet are black or very dark horny
brown ; the irides brown ; the bill is black, blue-black, or dark
horny brown, whitish, pale fleshy, or paler brown at base.

_265.—Tephrodornis pondiceriana, Gil.

Not uncommon in the better cultivated regions where babul
trees (Acacia Arabica) which it especially affects, are tolerably
abundant, but seldom seen, in fact I never met with it at all,

im the more barren localities.

~ 276.—Pericrocotus perigrinus, L.

The Sindh birds are peculiarly pale colored ; the males have
the upper surface a pale grey, the same color exactly as the head
and nape of Collyrio erythronotus ; the rump is just tinged

178 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

yellow; the upper tail coverts bright orange scarlet ; the wing
spot is;a pale yellow just fineed with orange; the lateral tail
feathers are white, tinged with orange yellow on the inner web;
the chin and throat slaty erey, a patch of orange on the breast
and a yellowish tinge on tne sides. The females are a still paler
grey, the upper tail coverts pale orange, the whole lower surface
pure white; the wing patch and the lateral tail feathers white,
with the faintest possible yellowish tinge.

Mr. Gould figures this species in Birds of Asia IX., pl., 5 and
in this he represents the red of the male very much like that of
brevirostris, | mean brevirostris westward of the Ganges, for the
Darjeeling birds are much more deeply, and brilliantly colored.
Mr. Gould himself remarks “most of my specimens from the
northern parts of India are lighter in color than those from
Madras and Ceylon, the coloring of their upper surface bemge
a light grey, while a corresponding paleness occurs in the scarlet
of the under surface; in size and relative admeasurements,
however, I find little or no difference; I am inclined therefore
_to consider them as mere varieties.

*% * * * % * % % * % *

A specimen in the collection of Dr. John Murray, Civil
Surgeon at Agra, differs in having all the colors of a much
lighter hue; the mark on the wing yellow, stained with scarlet ;
and the under-surface yellow, washed with scarlet on the breast.”

I myself have never seen a specimen of this species anything
like so brightly colored as Mr. Gould figures it, but I have
unfortunately only one Southern Indian, and that although
doubtless darker than Upper Indian birds, still in no way ap-
proaches Mr. Gould’s figure. As far as I can make out, in the first
place, the bird varies in intensity of color very markedly accord-
ing to locality, the deepest colored being from the Peninsular
of India, then Lower and Eastern Bengal and Eastern portion
of Central Provinces somewhat paler; rest of Central Provinces,
North-West Provinces, and Punjab, paler still, and the Sindh
birds much the palest of all. Besides this variation according
to locality, these birds, to the best of my belief unlike the other
Indian Pericrocoti, assume a markedly brighter plumage in the
breeding season.
278.—Buchanga albirictus, Hodgs.

The Sindh specimens are typical, fine birds nearly 13 inches
long, and expanse close upon 19 inches.
292.—Leucocirea aureola, Vieullot.

Rare in Sindh as a whole, but common along the banks of
the Indus, and in the neighbourhood of many of the canals.

‘Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 179

Mr. Gray gives Franklin’s name aldofrontata, priority of aureola
Lesson, but according to Pucheran, this bird is “ Rhipedura
aureota,’ V., and if so, this name should stand.

aq 323 bis—Erythrosterna parva, Bechst.
I only saw specimens of this species in the neighbourhood of
Sukkur.

351.—Petrocossyphus cyanus, L.

Tn the level cultivated and irrigated tracts of Sinh, this species
was never met with, but it was by no means uncommon in the
rocky hills that divide Sindh from Khelat; and where, at rare
intervals, perennial streams such as the Gaj, and the Nurree Nai
flow through them, it is abundant. I met with it in several
localities along the Mekran Coast, and I shot and preserved a
specimen from Muscat.

\/ 356.—Geocichla unicolor, Tickell. |
I myself never met with this species in Sindh, but Captain
Malden informed me that he killed a specimen at Jacobabad

on the 7th February, 1867.

| 865.—Cichloides atrogularis, Tem.

In the better cultivated portions of Upper Sindh especially in
and about groves and gardens, this species was very common.
We used continually to see it busy on the ground in the thick
brush-wood, turning over leaves in a most systematic and busi-
ness-like manner. I particularly noticed it on one occasion
working a large patch of dead leaves backwards and forwards as
a pointer would a field of turnips. Occasionally it was also
seen 1n localities entirely devoid of trees feeding in the regular
patches of a kind of mustard that is so generally grown through-
out Sindh. About Hyderabad I again noticed it, and strange
to say ebtained two fine specimens, one a male, in nearly full
breeding plumage, at Gwader on the 19th February.

__-385.—Pyctorhis sinensis, (mel.

This species is abundant in Sindh along the banks of the
Indus, wherever there is long grass. Again, between Jacobabad
and Sukkur, I saw it in greater numbers than I have ever I
think elsewhere noticed it, unless perhaps in the Eastern Jumna
Canal in the Saharunpoor district. It is not so common about
the inland waters, but even here I saw it occasionally. In the
arid tracts, which so largely predominate in this provinee, it
was never met with.

180 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc.

_432.—Malacocercus terricolor, Hodgs.

The Sindh babblers are not exactly typical ¢erricolor: they are
to a certain extent intermediate between this and malabaricus ;
that is to say, they have the striations of the back caused by the
light centering to the feathers much more conspicuous than in
typical ¢erricolor. The distinctness however of malabaricus and
this latter is, I think, very questionable ; on the one side of India
these Sindh birds form to a certaim extent a link between two ;
on the East again, birds from Raipoor, form another connecting
link, decidedly nearer to malabaricus than terricolor, and absolutely
identical with specimens from Seegore on the north-eastern
slopes of the Neilgherries ; while a specimen from Coonoor on

the south-eastern slopes of the Neilgherries is intermediate be-

tween these and the typical madabaricus, which I have both
from Ootacamund and Kullar, on the south-west slopes of the
Neilgherries.

Mr. Blyth, I note, identified this species with canorus, L.,
but Mr. Gray I see considers this to be a Chinese species.
and I have therefore retained Mr. Hodgson’s name.

438.—Chatarrhea caudata, Dum.

Common everywhere, even up in the bare rocky hills, where
scarcely a single other living thing was seen. Near Kussmore
T fancied that I saw, C. Harlez. Bl., but I secured no specimen
and never noticed it again, so I was probably mistaken.

- 443.—Laticilla Burnesi, Blyth.

I first met with this species on the banks of the Chenab near

_the junction with the Indus. I next found it on the banks of
the Indus near Mittencote. Then again 1t was comparatively _ —

abundant between Skikarpoor and Sukkur, near Larkhana,
and subsequently in several other localities in Upper Sindh.
It was only found in high grass jungle, was almost impossible
to flush, and when once disturbed, climbed about in the interior
of the reeds. and grass, very seldom indeed affording a chance
of a shot. I procured a considerable number of specimens, but
they cost me far more trouble than any other bird I met with
in Sindh except Cetiza sericea, Natt. which latter is the ne plus
ultra of little skulks.

The following are the correct dimensions, &c., of this species.
I may premise that the sexes do not differ materially in size.
Length, 7-3 to 7:7; expanse, 6°2 to 7; tail from vent, 4 to
4-8; wing, 2 to 2:3; tarsus, 0°85 to 0°9; hind toe and claw,
0-51 to 0°54; bill at front, 0-4; from gape, 0°6 to 0°65. The
legs and feet are pale horny brown, or brownish fleshy ; the bill

\

Contridutions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 181

is a horny brown, pale fleshy on lower mandible; the irides are
brown. Weight, 0°45 to 0-7 oz.

Description.—The lores, and a circle round the eye, pure white.
The whole upper parts olive brown, paler and yellower on the
head, and somewhat conspicuously tinged with rufous on the
back and sides of the neck, each of the feathers of the head,
back, and sides of the neck, upper back, and scapulars with a
dark brown central stripe; the rump and upper tail coverts un-
striated; the tail olive brown, the central feathers very broad,
in good specimens 0°6 in width, obsoletely barred (as are the
laterals also, though less conspicuously so) somewhat darker ;
the lateral tail feathers very narrowly margined at the tips with
fulvous white and equally narrowly margined on the outer
webs slightly paler, and more rufescent. The tail, when perfect,
consists of twelve feathers, very much graduated ; the external
tail feathers are nearly 2°75 shorter than the central ones, and
barely exceed the lower tail coverts ; the ear coverts are min-
gled grey and white. From the base of the lower mandible on
either side of the throat, a double line of little brown spots
descends below the eye and ear coverts. The lower tail coverts
are deep ferruginous, the vent feathers, sides, and flanks, tinged
brownish, the feathers of the two latter with narrow yellowish
brown central streaks ; the rest of the lower parts pure white ;
wing lining, brownish white. The fifth and sixth quills are
equal and longest ; the fourth is about 0-05 shorter ; the third
about 0°23, the second about 0°5, and the first, 0°9 shorter than
the fifth. In some specimens the ground color of the head, espe-
cially towards the forehead, is almost albescent ; in others again
the rufous tinge on the back of the neck is much more conspi-
cuously marked.

459.—Otocompsa leucotis, Gould.

This white-eared bulbul is perhaps the very commonest bird \ he

in Sindh, and in the early sunny mornings it might be seen and
heard singing most sweetly from the topmost sprays of all the
larger tamarisk bushes. Itisa very tame, familiar, cheerful
little bird, and almost if not quite the only songster Sindh can
boast. Common as it is throughout the Punjab, Rajpootana,
and the upper portion of the North-West Provinces, it 1s
even more so in Sindh. It occurs also on the Mekran Coast
as far as Gwader. Jerdon’s dimensions are somewhat small, a
male measured at random in the flesh was, leneth, 8 ; expanse,
11:3; tail from vent, 3°5 ; wing, 3°7 ; wings when closed, reached
to within two inches of end of tail.

The color of the lower tail coverts in this species varies from

182 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

a bright pale gamboge to a saffron yellow.

4.70 bis—Oriolus galbula, L.

A very considerable number of western forms such as the
Egyptian bee-eater, and the European roller, visit Sindh, but
only during the inundation. The golden Oriole is one of these.
We of course never saw it, but Mr. James, c. s., has recently
forwarded to me a specimen procured early in September in a
mango grove close to Kurrachee. There is no mistake about
the species, the much larger size, the longer wimg (all but 6,)
the comparatively smaller bill and the entire absence of black
behind the eye, separate the bird as clearly as possible. Mr.
James never remembers to have seen another, but I do not doubt
that if search be made next August and September, plenty of
others will turn up.

480.—Thamnobia cambaiensis, Latham.

Although I have identified the Sindh birds with this species,
it must be understood that the Sindh specimens are exactly
intermediate between typical fulicata and cambaiensis. The
backs of the males are much too dark for the one and not dark
enough for the other ; and here I may notice that these birds are
precisely similar to some I obtaimed in Guzerat, in the neigh-
bourhood of Ahmedabad, and again at Aboo and Jodhpoor. If
the name had any real signifieanee, these ought to be the true
eambaiensis, and the southern and northern birds should be
treated as merely darker and lighter races of this one species ;
fuwlicata, however, has the priority, and must stand, but never-
theless I myself question the necessity of acknowledging
any second species. In the South we have one race, in the
North another ; typical specimens of each race contrast together
strongly, but when we come to look into the question, we find
that between these two types every possible intermediate link is
to be found ; under such circumstances I personally would in-
clude both types as local races of one species.

481.—Pratincola caprata, L.

The Sindh black robin runs perhaps a trifle larger than the
eommon Upper-Indian bird. A Sindh male measured length, 5°7 ;
expanse, 8°5 ; tail from vent, 2°9; wing, 2°8 ; specimens of caprata
of Upper India (males) vary in length, from 4°88 to 5°35 ; expanse,
7°88 to 8:5; wing, 2°4 to 2°75; tail, 1:7 to 2. Birds from Saugor
and Hoshungabad seem slightly larger ; Neilgherry birds average,
length, 5°5 to 5°7; expanse, 9°5; wing, 3; tail from vent,
2 to 2:2; Upper-Indian and Sindh birds do not exceed

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 185

0:62 0z. in weight, and I do not think they average as much as
0:5 oz. The Neilgherry birds (P. dzcolor as it is commonly de-
signated) weighs up to 0°75 oz., and averages 0°63.

Except this small difference in weight, I do not really see any
constant or sufficient difference between the Neilgherry and
Ceylon birds, (for I have a specimen from Ceylon absolutely
identical with Neilgherry ones) and those of the rest of India.
Two specimens from the immediate neighbourhood of Madras are
fully as large as any Neilgherry one, and between the largest
Neilgherry bird with a wing, 3°15; (and practically they rarely
exceed 0°3;) to the smallest Upper-Indian bird, with a wing, 2-4,
every size of wing may be met with in intermediate localities.

I very much doubt the propriety of retaining atrata, Blyth,
bicolor, Sykes, as a distinct species; all that can be said is
that Northern-Indian specimens of caprata are generally smallest,
Central-Indian, Goojerat, and Sindh birds intermediate, and
Southern Indian and Ceylon birds, largest.

This species was pretty common everywhere in Upper Sindh; but
perhaps somewhat rarer in the sguthern portions of the Province.

“¥ 483.—Pratincola rubicota, L. “¢-72/,

ae)

er /

.

I do not think that under any circumstances the most typi-
cal examples of the so-called Pratzncola indica deserve specific
separation. On examining a large series of say thirty or forty
specimens, collected in different parts of India from North to
South, it will be found that these readily divide into three groups,
1st, birds absolutely identical with European specimens (I say
this after comparing them witha large series of European birds) ;
2nd, birds of the true Indica type smaller, and much blacker ; 3rd,
intermediate specimens which it is difficult in many cases to
assign preferentially to either group.

It is true that as far as my experience goes, typical rubicola
does not breed in the Himalayas; but comes to us as a

visitant from beyond these, while typical Indica breeds through- —
out the lower ranges of the Himalayas; but these facts do not —

in themselves in my opinion in the face of the unbroken series:
of connecting links that exist, justify a specific separation.

Be this however as it may, the great majority of the Sindh
birds, (and the stone chat is very common throughout the pro-
vince) clearly belong to the rubicola type. Indeed though some of
the birds are intermediate, I did not succeed in securing a single
typical zudica between Jhelum and Kurrachee. ) pt ae

484.—Pratincola leucura, Blyth. “2/2 “><

This species was very abundant, but only in particular loca-
lities, in Sindh, TI obtained a single female in reeds standing:

184 Contributions to the Ormthology of Inca, &e.

out in the water near the junction of the Ravee and Chenab, and

again in a very similar locality near the junction of the Chenab

and the Sutlej. With these exceptions I never saw the bird
, | except on dunds as the Sindh broads are locally designated. In
\ all these where the water was as 1t were paved with the leaves of
' the lotus and singhara (Trapa Bispinosa) and dotted over with
| tiny clumps or single stems of reeds, and flowering grasses, the
|. white-tailed chat might be seen perched sideways on one of
_ these wind-swayed reeds, every now and then darting down on
' to one of the lotus leaves, seizing some insect there and returning
_ to its previous perch, instantly recognizable when on the wing
* by the great amount of white in the tail.

Outside the high-water mark, I never saw a single specimen ;
twenty yards from the water’s edge, rubicola was abundant,
but deweura was never once seen. I know that this is scarcely in
accordance with Dr. Jerdon’s experience elsewhere, but I paid
particular attention to this species, never having before seen it.
I shot a very great number both of it and rudzcola, and in the
whole of Sindh, I never once succeeded in obtaining a single
a specimen of /eucura really well outside high-water mark, while

» inside, they abounded on every large inland piece of water,
- being often, as in the Mcnchur Lake, two or three miles away

from the nearest dry land. The males are as like rudicola

as they can possibly be, except as regards the tail, which
has the central feathers a paler brown than those of rudz-
cola, margined conspicuously with yellowish white, and the
whole of the rest of the tail white, except the tips of the feathers:
on both webs which are pale brown, with a somewhat darker
brown stripe running up the shafts for from half to two-thirds
of their length. Perhaps, on the whole, the breast is also paler.

The females are excessively close to those of rudccolu, and in fact —

are scarcely separable from them except by the pale hue of

all the lateral tail feathers, and the more conspicuous pale
margins of all the tail feathers.

489.—Dromolaea picata, Blyth. 490. Sawicola
capistrata, Gould.

—

£
Be
"
J

T have already in “ Stray Feathers” Vol. 1, p. 3, recorded my

( conviction of the identity of these two supposed species, and I
shall here deal with them as identical.* They abound through-

~ » out the whole western Punjab, and in Sindh to the very foot of

* Mr. Gray, I see, actually puts capistrata under Saxicola and picata under
Dromolaea ! but accidents like this will occur ; an equally great authority, but
in another branch, Ichthyology, has placed the young, and old of the same fish in
different families.

aa.

4
&—,

‘5

4

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. 185

the hills. They are met with, lke the stone chat, always
perched on the top of some bush, low tree, or pointed stone in
the wildest and most desolate parts of the country ; continually
fitttering their tails, redstart-like and perpetually darting away
from their perch to capture insects both on the ground and in
the air ; active restless little birds, their glossy black and snowy
white plumage is often the only thing that catches the eye in
the midst of a dull brown desert like expanse of sand and grey
weather-beaten rocks, and stone interspersed with a few strag-
gling blades of withered grass, and stunted scorched-looking,
camel-browsed acacia bushes.

I quite concur in the distinctness of Jewcomela Pallas, and
capistrata which, as I have already explained, I consider one
stage of pecata. The bill in lewcomela is markedly larger, whilst
the wing in capistrata is nearly a quarter of an inch longer ; the
lower tail coverts in lewcomeda are a decided buff instead of being
only faintly tinged with that color as in capistrata. Again, at
least the half of the inner webs of the quills of lewcomela are
pure white; in capistrata, they are uniform blackish brown.
Lastly, the black on the tips of the lateral tail feathers is much
more extended in capostrata than in leucomela.

Talking of the white patch in the inner webs of the wings of
leucomela, I notice that Saxicola melas, Licht. of Rippell’s
“ Neue Virbl. Tab. 28, fig. 2, exhibits the same peculiarity.

It may be useful to notice in connection with the identity
which I assert of capzstrata and picata, that similar duplicate

_ forms distinguished only by the presence or absence of the white
head, exist amongst the Nubian Dromolaea’s, and though at
present considered distinct, are, I submit, not impossibly merely
different stages of the same species.

)489 bis—Dromolaea alboniger, Hume. Stray

Pe Beatherss: Vole L.,.9. 2.

I have already fully described this species and pointed out
foc. cit., its distinctness from picata, and I have now only to add
to what I there mentioned, that the type specimen was procured
in the interior of the Nurree Nai in the hills west of Sehwan.
I may however remark that in this species there is an almost
entire absence of that pale fulvous fawn tinge which usually
characterises the lower tail coverts of picata.

Since writing my former note, I have obtained a specimen of
leucopygia, Brehm. I find that this species has the white head
of monacha, and the whole breast and abdomen black, it is there-
fore quite distinct from alboniger and equally so from monacha
to which it approximates in the pure white laterals.

186 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

490 bis—Dromolaea monacha, fRiippell. Pl.
Col. 359. S. Gracilis, Incht.

When characterising 8. alboniger (Stray Feathers, No. I. p. 2,)
I mentioned that this present species which had never previously
been recorded as pertaiming to our Avifauna was not uncommon
in the same localities as those in which adboniger was found, viz.,
in the bare rocky hills dividing Sindh from Khelat; and in the
similar hills which run along the Mekran Coast. There is no-
thing in the habits of this fine wheatear to distinguish it from its
congeners, and I shall therefore now only give measurements
(recorded in the flesh) and descriptions taken from my Sindh and
Mekran specimens,

Length, 6°75 to 7:25; wing, 4 to 4:2; tail from vent,
20 50. 2:70 + tarsus; 0:9\ to 0:95 ; bill (ab) front, (0:62 todos
The females run somewhat smaller than the males.

The adult male has the whole forehead, crown, occiput, and
nape, lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts, abdomen, flanks,
and lower tail coverts, and the whole of the tail feathers, except
the terminal three-fourths of the central pair, and a streak at
the tip of the outer webs of the external laterals, (which ter-
minal three-fourths and streak are brown,) pure white, with,
in some specimens, a very faint yellowish tinge, here and there.

The lores, cheeks, ear coverts, chin, throat, breast, wing.
lining, and axillaries, upper back, scapulars, and lesser wing
coverts, black; the feathers in some specimens more or less.
tipped, but very narrowly with slightly fulvous white, and the —
row of small under wing coverts running along the carpal joint
apparently always so tipped ; the whole of the quills, the greater
and median coyverts, blackish brown; the secondaries very nar-.
rowly tipped with white. The legs, feet, and bill, black. The
adult female is precisely similar. In a somewhat younger bird,
the quills and coverts are a comparatively pale brown. In the
immature birds of both sexes, the whole head, neck, upper and
middle back are a pale, very slightly fulvous, earthy brown ; the
ear coverts slightly darker brown, the lower parts are albescent
tinged with fulvous fawn; the wing coverts and axillaries dull
white, the latter dark shafted ; the rump and upper and lower
tail coverts pale fulvous fawn, or isabelline. The central tail
feathers with the whole visible portion, dull brown ; the lateral.
tail feathers the same color as the upper tail coverts, but all
with traces of a brown spot and dark shafted at the tips, and
the external pair of all, with nearly the terminal, half brown.
Wings and coverts, pale hair brown, but all the feathers con-
spicuously margined paler.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 187

~ 491.—Saxicola isabellina, Riippell. 8. saltatris,
Ménétries. S. squalida, Eversm. S. wnanthe, Li.
apud, Jerdon.

This species, though common enough throughout Sindh, was
not by any means so numerous there as 1t is everywhere in the
; North-Western Provinces, the Punjab, and Rajpootana.

| 491 bis—Saxicola Kingi, Hume. Ibis, Jany.
1871, p. 29. The Red-tailed Wheatear.

I reproduce my original description, &c., of this species taken
from the Ibis, with sheht additions. :

Dimensions—Length, 6-2 to 6-5; expanse, 10 to 11°3.; tail
from vent, 2°2 to 2:4; wings when closed reach to within 0-7
to 1°5 of end of tail. Wing, 3°7 to 44; the third primary is
the longest, the second, 0°25, and the first, 2-0 shorter than the
third. The tail is perfectly square. Bull, leneth at front 0.55 to
0-6 ; tarsus, 1 to 1-1 ; foot, greatest length, 1-15 to 1:3; greatest
width, 1 to 1-1 ; mid toe to root of claw, 0°55 to 0°64 ; its claw
(straight), 0:2 to 0°24,

Description.—Legs and feet, black; bill, black; irides, dark
brown.

Plumage.—A dark grey Ime from the gape to and under the
eye ; a broad slightly greyish white line from the nostrils over
the eye, much more conspicuous in some specimens than in
others ; ear coverts, silky rufescent brown ; forehead, greyish
brown ; crown, occiput, nape, back, and scapulars, nearly uni-
form grey-earthy brown, asa rule only very slightly tinged
with rufescent towards the rump ; but in some specimens, more
strongly so; rump and upper tail coverts, brieht rufous fawn ; in
some specimens pale rufous buff ; tail feathers, bright, in some
pale, ferrugimous ; with a sub-terminal blackish brown band
extending over both webs, and a narrow tipping of rufous
white, which jets in at the shafts for about the tenth of an
inch; occasionally on the lateral feathers, the black bar is more
or less imperfect. The dark band is from 1:1 to 1:4 broad
on the central tail feathers, about 0°6 to 0:8 on the feathers
next the centre, and 0:4 to 0°6 on the external ones.. The
tertiaries and most of the coverts are hair brown, broadly
margined with pale rufescent; the winglet, primaries and
secondaries, and primary greater coverts, are slightly darker
hair brown, very. narrowly tipped with white, and some of
them, the secondaries especially, very narrowly margined with
pale rufescent. The chin and upper throat white, with a faint.
creamy tinge. The sides of the neck behind and below the ear

M

183 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

coverts, grey, greyish white, and greyish brown, blending on the
one side into the color of the throat, and on the other imto
that of the back of the neck. The breast and upper abdomen
are a very pale rufescent brown, all the tips of the feathers being
paler. The centre of the abdomen and vent, slightly rufescent
white; flanks, rufescent fawn; lower tail coverts, a somewhat
pale buff; wing liming and axillaries pure white.

This species which I first described from a specimen killed at
Jodhpoor, and which I subsequently obtained in considerable
numbers from the salt range, Murdan, and Peshawur, and also in
the summer from the ranges bounding Cashmere on the south,
is common throughout Sindh, and the Punjab west of the
Jhelum. Comparatively rare where there is any cultivation, I
found it alike on earthen cliffs of the Jhelum near Jung,
and other similar localities of the Chenab and Indus, and again
in precipitous places throughout the hills that divide Kelat
from Sindh, and that run along parallel to the Mekran Coast.
Occasionally, but rarely, I found it, as near Mooltan, in fallow
fields. My original description was from a female ; but both
sexes are precisely alike, nor do I think that there is any cons-
tant difference in size between them, though individuals of both
sexes vary somewhat in dimensions. It is absolutely terrene;
I never once saw it perch upon any bush or tree ; when at rest,
it is difficult even with binoculars to distinguish it from ¢sabel-
lina, but the moment it flies, its bright rufous, black-tipped tail,
betrays its identity. ;

This, is I think, without doubt the bird represented in Burne’s

, drawing which Mr. Blyth identified with Cercomela melanura, —
| | Ruppell. When the wings are closed, and the rump and upper
| | tail coverts hidden by them, and only the black tips of the cen-
| tral tail feathers shewn, the bird does bear a certain resemblance

| to Temminck’s figure, PZ. Col., p. 7, fig. 2, though not nearly so

blue above, and differently colored below. I do not believe that

| if the true melanura was a regular inhabitant of Sindh, it could

_| have altogether escaped our party, and I am half disposed to
_ think that it should be removed from our Indian list.

~ 492.—Saxicola deserti, Riippell.

Mr. Gould has accepted no less than three species, all founded

- on this one. He admits deserti as one, and this I suppose 1s the
autumn or spring plumage. He takes Blyth’s atrogulairis winch is

\ the mid winter plumage, and creates montana out of the breed-
ing plumage. I have already in the Ibis, and in “ Lahore to

: Yarkand,” expressed my conviction of the invalidity of montana,
¥\\ IT must now equally record my dissent to wtrogularis, a species

be
\ e

,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 189

which though it originated with Mr. Blyth, has been adopted
and figured by Mr. Gould. Mr. Gould remarks in regard to
atrogularis and deserti—< While I find them to be very similarly
colored, I do not fail to observe that the specimens of S. deserte
in my collection at least, have rather longer tarsi, somewhat
shorter wings and smaller bills, than those of atrogularis ; but
the ereat difference exists in the coloring of the under surface of
their shoulders, that part being nearly white in the former and
jet black in the latter, and that this black coloring of the under
shoulder is the best character by which the Indian bird may be
distinguished from its African ally.” Now this best character
is absolutely worthless ; in the breeding plumage, the under sur-
face of the shoulder is black; in the winter plumage, it is almost
entirely white, and with a large series before one, every possible
proportion of black and white in the axillaries and wing lining:
may be pointed out. As regards the bills and tarsi, no such dis-
tinctions hold good between my African and Asiatic specimens,
and I entertain no doubt whatsoever that atrogularis must be
placed in future like montana as a synonym of deserte.

S. deserti was common to a degree throughout Sindh, as it is
everywhere in the cold season throughout the North-Western
Provinces, the Punjab, and Rajpootana. The bleaker and more
inhospitable the barren wastes stretched away, the more at home,
true to his name, seemed the desert wheatear. It was not
however only in Sindh that this bird occurred, we equally met
with it at Pusnee and other places alone the Mekran Coast, and
I have no doubt that, in suitable localities, its range extends un-
broken from Cawnpore to Cairo.

497.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieill. BR. phoent-
curoides, Moore. Rh. erythroprocta, Gould.

I have in a separate paper which will appear in an early num- “~~
ber, recorded my views as to the changes of plumage of our very. ~
variable Indian redstart. It will be sufficient here to mention ~~

that almost all the specimens I preserved were, with one excep-

tion, either in the autumn or phenicuroides stage, or im the —
stage between that and the full winter plumage. I obtained *
one male on the Mekran Coast on the 15th February, in the >
garb of the adult female. I do not at all understand this; ~

str ucturally it is in every respect identical with full plumaged
males obtamed in the same locality, and throughout Sindh and
the Upper Punjab, and I can only imagine that the failure to
assume the masculine garb must have been due to some
accident or dusus nature ; but it was an adult male, and its
plumage zs that of the adult female.

190 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

This species was common everywhere, at times even in the
most desolate localities, throughout all the districts and pro-
vinees which we traversed.

514.—Cyanecula cxerulecula, Pal.

The Asiatic blue-throat occurred but sparingly and only in the
better cultivated portions of Sindh. Larkhana and Mehur were
the only places where I noticed several pairs on the same day.
All these birds are analogous to what I take to be the true
suecica, having red throat-patches, the Jlewcocyanea type, with
the white satin throat-patch, is of very rare occurrence, and I
have only succeeded as yet in procuring two in India. I think
it very doubtful whether this variety is entitled to specific
separation. ae

It will be seen, that having myself no European specimens
for comparison, I have followed Mr. Gray in separating the
-Asiatice blue-throats from the European. The matter needs in-
vestigation, a priort, I should doubt the specific distinctness
of the two.

515.—Calamodyta brunnescens, Jerdon.

This large reed bird, as indeed might have been expected,
swarmed in the reedy clumps that fringe and dot the many
inland waters of Sindh, and was not unfrequently noticed on
the tamarisk bushes, where reeds were scarce. I have so often
mentioned this species im my diary, that it is needless to say
‘more of it here.

517._Calamodyta agricola, Jerdon.

Of this species I saw only a few specimens, but I did not
hunt after the bird, and it never, I think, shows itself so freely
_as do brunnescens and dumetorum.

518 bis—Lusciniola Melanopogon, Tem.

The occurrence of this pretty reed warbler in India was first
-made known by my friend Mr. W. E. Brooks, who met with it
abundantly in the Etawah distriet. There are dunds, or in-
land lakes, in Sindh which locked at, even from their margins,
appear one waving field of herbage, so dense, close, and even
is the growth of a species of rush throughout their whole extent.
The fowlers and fishermen have cut through this rush many little
narrow channels, just sufficiently wide to admit the passage of a
small canoe, and along these alone is it possible to progress at
all satisfactorily. The rush rises from two feet six inches to three
feet six mches above the surface of the water.

These meadow-like broads are the special haunt of the present

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 191

species, as well as of the marbled duck. At best the moustach-
ed warbler is not a very easy bird ‘to secure ; rarely does he
disport himself upon the tops of the rushes. As a rule he threads
his way rapidly from stem to stem about half way up, only when
the boat is actually on him, making a short, sudden flieht, and
then before he is far enough to fire, without blowing him to
pieces, dropping invisible into the waving sea of rushes,

The following are dimensions, &c., taken from the fresh bird.
The sexes not differing appreciably in size. Length, 5:7 to 5:8;
expanse, 7°3 to 7°5 ; tail, from vent, 2 to 2°23; wing, 2-4 to 2:5 ;
wings, when closed, reach to within 1:25 to 1:4 of end of tail ;
bill, at front, 0°42 to 0-47 ; tarsus, 0°82 to.0°87; hind toe and
claw, 0°55 ; claw only, from root straight to point, 0-3 ; weight,
0-35 to 0-4 oz.

The irides are brown to pale brown ; the feet, dark horny
grey ; im some, dusky brown; the legs, dusky brown ; soles, pale
yellowish ; the bill very dark-brown » almost black, paler on
lower mandible. A broad conspicuous white stripe from the nos-
trils over the eyes and ear coverts; a dark brown stripe from in
front of, under, and through the eyes, enveloping the upper
portion of the ear coverts, darker in the males than in the
females ; the chin, throat, and lower parts, includine the lower
tail coverts, white ; faintly tinged rufescent on the breast, more
strongly so on the flanks about the vent, and, in some spe-
cimens, the lower tail coverts also ; the sides,- both of the
neck and of the body, tinged with greyish, or in some, olivace-
ous brown ; the forehead, crown, ocerput, and nape, very dark
brown, the feathers tipped and margined with a paler yellowish
olive brown ; in some specimens, these tippings entirely obscure
the bases, except on a narrow line immediately above the white
eye streak ; in others, these parts appear to be very dark brown
regularly striated with the paler olive brown, while in some,
the tippings are almost wanting. The back, scapulars, rump,
and upper tail coverts, the same yellowish olive brown, becoming
more rufescent on the lower back, ramp, and upper tail coverts 5
the feathers of the centre of the back with more or less con-
spicuous dark central shaft streaks. In some birdsthe whole
back seems regularly streaked with dark lines, in others only a
few faint darker streaks are visible in the very centre of the
back ; in some again the lower back is much more decidedly
rufous. The wings are hair brown; the primaries very narrowly
margined, and tipped on the outer web, paler ; the secondaries
and tertiaries and most of the coverts more distinctly margined
with a sort of rufescent olive ; the wing lining and axillaries
pure, or nearly pure white ; tail feathers, somewhat pale hair

192 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

brown, obscurely margined with rufescent olive; the shafts, dull
white below.

The plumage is rather variable, and in some specimens the
flanks and tail coverts are much browner than I have above
described. ‘The upper surface, too, varies a good deal in its gene-
ral appearance, as indeed I have attempted to explain above.
All the quills are margined on their mner webs albescent.

518 ter.—Cettia sericea, Natt. Cetti, Marm.
altisonans, Ritpp.

I ought I dare say to begin as Mr. Gould would, and
remark, that “the occurrence of this species in Sindh must be
very interesting to all who make a special study of the Syl-
viad group,” but personally I (A. O.H.) consider the individuals
of this species the most unmitigated little beasts that ever bother-
ed an ornithologist.

I secured personally seven specimens, and each one of them
represents from one to two hours’ hard work, up to one’s knees
in mud and rush. Such inveterate and incorrigible little
skulkers, birds so utterly incapable of appreciating the de-
mands of science, 1t has never been my misfortune to en-
counter, and “ I* can scarcely believe that the whole feathered
kinedom can afford us any similar examples of avine depravity.”

On several occasions when boating about in gloomy rush
and tamarisk swamp, I caught elimpses for a second of a small
dusky long-tailed bird fluttering about the stems of the centre of
the tamarisk bushes ; each time I mentally resolved, “next time
I see that fellow, Pll shoot him.” ‘This went on for several days ;
but I never once dzd see him; a momentary glance in the centre
of a thicket was all that was ever vouchsafed, and so I made up
my mind that I must get a specimen, codte qui coiite.
At last having seen, or tera I saw, one in a small island
of rush, about 40 feet square, in which some dozen dense tamarisk
bushes were growing, I set to work systematically, and made six
men beat through it in the expectation that the bird would, at any
rate when thus pressed, fly out into one of the many neighbouring
similar little islets ; no such result however followed ; one of the
men saw it flit by him and that was all. This process was re- —
peated five or six times, but with no better success ; then I made
up my mind to go and beat through rushes and bushes
myself, which as the water was eold, and with the mud fully
three feet deep, was unpleasant. I drew the charges of my gun,
put in only about 4 drachm of powder and ¢ oz. ofdust shot in

_ * ? Gould’s Birds of Asia. I can’t find the passage, but there is no mistake
ing the dignity of the style.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 193

each barrel, and went in for mud-larking operations in earnest.
Three times I beat the clump backwards and forwards without
catching a glimpse of the wretched little creature ; getting my
hands and face scratched and cut, with the reeds and tamarisk
branches, besides getting up to my waist in a hole at the root
of one of the bushes, yet as each time one of the party saw it, I
felt bound to persevere ; the fourth time the bird suddenly ap-
peared at the muzzle of my gun, darted, I believe, between my
legs, where there couldn’t have been much room, considering
the depth of water, and disappeared. I duly let the gun off, but
I had reason to suppose, in exactly the opposite direction to that
in which the bird at the moment was ; then I altered my tactics
and stood quite still in the middle of the clump, whilst I made
the men beat from the other side. ‘This was obviously the nght
plan, for the very first time I got a shot, atleast seven feet off
the muzzle of the gun, and blew the bird entirely to pieces,
besides, unfortunately, pepperine one of the boatmen so soundly,
that though it was only dust shot, they positively refused to
beat any more upon that system. This was by many degrees too
bad; Ihad no special grudge against the species to begin with ;
but I then and there registered a vow that an ample series
should give me my revenge ; accordingly for many hours of two
days I devoted myself entirely to Cetti’s warbler. Every little
dark dense patch of rush, reed, and tamarisk, standing out
in the water contained one or two of these atrocious little
skulks, the thing was to dag them. JI never but once succeed-
ed in flushing any one of them, and then I missed him,
at least so the boatmen said. I did not admit the fact at the
time, and I don’t see why I should now, but anyhow the corpus
delicti was not produceable. I never got a shot more than
three yards distance from the muzzle of my gun, and I abso-
lutely blew to pieces more than half of the specimens I did sue-
ceed in shooting, and all I can say further is, that having esta-
blished the occurrence of the species in India, any one else may
go and shoot them who pleases, no one will ever catch me at
it again.

The following are the dimensions taken from the fresh birds.
The females being, as a rule, somewhat, though scarcely appre- .
erably, smaller Alem the males. Length, Be 8 fee 6:5 ; expanse,
7-5 to 8-4 ; tail, from vent, 24 to 3 ; wing, 2°5 to 2°8; wings,
when closed, reach to within from 1-2 to 2 of ei of tail; bill at
front, 0:4 to 0-5 ; tarsus, 0°S to nearly 0°9 ; weight, 0- At op.

The plumage a soft aa lax ; the tail reer “emia: and the
tail much graduated ; the fourth and fifth quills are the longest,
the fifth being slightly the longest, the third is about 0-08;

194 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

the second, 0°4 to 0:5; and the first, 1:1 to 1-3 shorter; the irides
are brown ; the legs and feet are pale brown, or fleshy brown,
darker on toes and claws, the bill is dark horny-brown ; but
paler on lower mandible. A spot in front of the eyes dusky. A
streak from the nostrils over the eye and a circle round the eye,
fulvous white ; the forehead, crown, and whole upper surface, a
warm rufous or ferruginous brown, more rufous on the rump,
and upper tail coverts ; the quills and tail, hair brown, margined
with rufescent olive; the ear coverts, sides of the neck, -body,
flanks, and vent feathers, a pale dull greyish or earthy brown ;
chin, throat, breast, and abdomen, white. Lower tail coverts
shghtly rufous brown (webs very lax and mutch disunited) nar-
rowly tipped with white ; axillanes and wing lining, slightly:
greyish white; the edge of the wing, just above the base of the
primaries, is white; in some few specimens the eye-strealx ex-
tends beyond the eye, above more than half of the ear coverts,
but in most it ceases just behind the posterior angle of the eye.

Our birds somewhat exceed in size European specimens. Mr.
Brooks sends me the measurements of two—wings, 2°43 and bill
at front, 0°39. Before working the bird out, I had fancied that
it might be Bradyptetus cinnamomeus, Ruppell, but that I find is
a considerably larger bird, and has a decidedly stouter bill, and
I myself am not disposed to separate our Sindh race. It is
certainly, as far as I can judge, though somewhat paler on the
upper surface, and slightly larger, in other respects, absolutely
identical with Cetti’s warbler. If any one chooses to separate
it, it must stand as Cettia Cettioides, nobis, unless it should prove
to be Tristram’s orientalis from Palestine, of which I have no
accurate description at hand.

530.—Orthotomus longicaudus, Gel.

I never met with this species myself in Sindh, but Captain
Malden 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 Kurrachee.

: bit tpt ett.
544.—_Drymoipus longicaudatus, Tick. ’

This species was very common indeed on the banks of the
larger rivers, alike in the Punjab and in Sindh; but though it
did occur inland, I saw it there much seldomer. I-measured,
as it happened, a great number of specimens in the flesh, and
I therefore append the dimensions, which so far as the length
of the tail is concerned, and consequently the entire length of
the bird, vary materially. Length, 5°35 to 6-4; expanse, 6:1
to 6°8; tail, from vent, 2°7 to 3°53; wing, 1°85 to 2°15; wings,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 195

when closed, reach to from within 2 to 2°5 of end of tail;
bill at front, 0°35 to 0°41; tarsus, 0°9 to 1; weight, 0°3 to 0°35 oz.
549 ier—Blanfordius striatulus. Hume. Stray

Feathers, vide infra.

When characterizing this new genus and species, I gave all
particulars available and have nothing now to add. The single
specimen obtained was shot by Blandford in the neighboure
hood of Kurrachee. F
550.—Burnesia eo Riipp.

This was equally abundant with Drymoipus tongicaudatus and.

in the same situations. It isa much commoner bird than is-

generally thought. JI have it from various parts of the Doab,
from the Punjab, and from several localities in Rajpootana,
notably the neighbourhood of the Sambhur Lake, where Mr.
Adam informs me that it is very common. Along the banks
of the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Sutlej and the Indus, wherever
there was any vegetation, but specially tamarisk bushes, you
could scarcely fail to meet with 50 specimens in an hour’s walk.
Inland, in Sindh, it was much commoner than D. longicaudatus,
but not nearly so common as along the banks of the great
rivers. The following were the dimensions of several specimens
“cenemied fie Une flesh Length, 5:2 to 5:5; expanse, 5°5 to
5:6; tail from vent, 2°6 to 3-2; wing, 1-6 to 1:8; wings, when
closed, reach to within from 2 to 2°6 of end of a bill at
front, 0°38.

551.—Franklinia buchanani, Blyth.

Appeared to me to be uncommon in Sindh; I only saw it once © (

or twice in Upper Sindh, and the only specimen I have was shot
by Mr. Blandford in the neighbourhood of Kurrachee.

554.—Phyllopseuste tristis, Blyth.

Common enough in the babul trees on the banks of all the ~

larger rivers, but comparatively scarce inland. A rather fine male
qn Se in the flesh. Length, 5; expanse, 7:3; tail from
vent, 2°; wing, 2°45; bill at front, 0°37; weight, 0- 3 on.

554. bis. —Phyllopseuste neglectus, Hume. ~
Ibis, 1870, p. 148. C

—
When first characterising this species, I remarked—“ There ig “= ~~

a species of Phylloscopus very closely allied to, but yet clearly
distinct from, either P. tristis, or P. fuscatus. This latter has
the upper surface a moderately dark dingy olive-brown, and
the wing lining and axillaries a. sort of dingy buff or pale

N

>
rail

e

196 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.

rufous. P. ¢ristis has the upper parts brown, paler than P. fus-
catus, and with scarcely any olivaceous tinge, and the wing
_ lining and axillaries, pale primrose yellow.

“The third, hitherto unnoticed species, which I call P. neg-
lectus, has the upper surface a grey earthy brown (the color of
Phyllopneuste rama), and the wing lining and axillaries white.
. In dimensions and structure (and in plumage with the above
\ exceptions) P. neglectus agrees pretty closely with P. tréstis.
© P, neglectus is common in the cold weather in the Punjab,
and in the Doab, at least, as low down as Agra; but hitherto
I have seen no specimens from Central India or the Lower
Doab.”

This tiny little leaf-hunter, the smallest of the whole group,
is not uncommon along the banks of the Indus, and through-
out Upper Sindh where ever thick clumps of the babul (Acacia
Arabica) are met with. It isa very silent, self-concealinge bird,
creeping about amongst the feathery leaves of the acacia,
and very difficult to secure. The bird is too often either so
blown to pieces as to be past preservation, or else escapes al-
together. Even when a tolerable specimen zs obtained, it is
difficult beyond measure, so delicate is the skin, to preserve it,
and though I must have shot at more than twenty birds, I
only brought home with me four specimens, and two of these
far from satisfactory ones.

The fresh bird can never be mistaken, so tiny is it, for any
of the other Phylloscopi'; tristis, which at first sight, 1t most
closely resembles, weighs, on the average, fully double as much ;
tristis varies from 0:3 to 0°4 0z., neglectus, from 0°15 to less than

0:25 oz. The following are dimensions, (the sexes not varying '

appreciably, though the female is a trifle the largest) of speci-

mens measured in the flesh.
Length, 4 to 4°2 ; expanse, 6°25 to 64; tail, from vent, 1:4 to

‘\” 1:6; wing, barely 2 to 2°15; bill, at front, 0°27 to 0°3; tarsus, 0-68

to 0°71. The frourth primary, the longest ; the third and fifth, a
hair’s-breadth shorter ; the second, 0°26 to 0°3; and the first 1 to
_ 1-+lshorter than the fourth; the irides are brown ; the legs and

feet black ; the bill black, paler, or horny greenish in some, at the
base of the lower mandible. The lores are brownish white; a com-
paratively pure and very narrow white streak runs from the
nostrils over the lores and eyes, but not beyond. The whole upper
surface is dull earthy brown, with, in some, a faintly olivaceous
rufescent tinge on the back, most conspicuous on the rump ; the
quills and tail are a moderately dark hair-brown, narrowly mar-
gined on the outer webs with pale olivaceous brown, much the
same color as the upper parts; the secondaries are very narrowly

J

of

tLe ao ee es

hy

Tt

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §'c. 197

margined at the tips with albescent. The whole lower surface
is albescent, tinged with very pale fulvous fawn, or earthy brown,
more strongly so in some specimens than in others ; the sides and
flanks more strongly so in all; indeed in some specimens the sides
and flanks are pale earthy brown ; the wing lining and axillaries
are white, with at times the faintest possible fulvous or brown-
ish tinge.

I obtained one specimen of P. xztida, Lath., floating in the
Jhelum, some few miles above its junction with the Chenab, but
this was the only specimen we saw, and may have floated down
the whole way from Cashmere.

563.—_Reguloides occipitalis.
We never procured this in Sindh, but Capt. Malden had shot

-it at Jacobabad.

581—Sylvia Jerdoni, Blyth.

This species I often met with near the banks of the larger
rivers, but inland I saw few specimens. I measured one rather
fine female in the flesh ; the Gapeneipes were :

Length, 6°8; tail, from vent, 2°38; wing, 3°; wings, when
closed, reached to within 1°3 of ar of. tail ; Dill at front, 0-55 ;
tarsus, 1; the irides were very pale, whitish yellow ; the bill,
horny eee pale greyish at base of lower mandible; legs and
feet, dark greenish grey.

I follow for the present Mr. Gray in separating our Indian_

birds from the European erphea, Tem. ; at the same time, I am
far from convinced that they deserve specific separation.

. 582.—Sylvia affinis, Blyth.

White-throats were no i abundant in Sindh, than they are

everywhere else about Continental India during the cold sea->

son. I preserved numerous specimens at Jhelum, Mittenecote, _ Ai,

Tugwanee, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Roree, Hyderabad, &c., and

carefully ascertained, rad. econo the sexes of all my specimens,

yet Iam still in the same state of uncertainty, with more than
fifty specimens before me from all parts of India, as well
as from Sindh, besides others from Yarkand, and true curruca
from England, as to whether we have only one or, three species
in India, and whether if we have only one, this is the true Lees
white-throat or not.

My difficulties are simply these.

There are three apparently very distinct races, differing chiefly
in size, but also somewhat in shade of colorme. I have failed
hitherto to discover any other constant points of difference, and
so far as I am concerned, therefore, I should be inclined to con-

198 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.

sider all the three races as pertaining to one species. The
great difficulty is that the ascertained males of the largest race,
are fully double the weight of those of the smallest, have a wing
fully one-fifth larger, and bills half as long again.

The three races may be thus characterized.

First, there is the smallest race, which for convenience sake:
_I separate as méenula. The length of this is about 5:3 mea-
sured in the flesh; the wing, from 2°3 to 2°4; the bill, about 0:3
from forehead to tip. This is the palest of all the three. I have
sixteen specimens of this race, males and females, from Bhawulpore
Yarkand, Jhansie, and Sindh. The males and females do not,
differ perceptibly in size; but the grey of the head of the fe-
males is slightly paler than in the males.

The second race is the intermediate one, generally identified
with the European curruca or garrula. This is about 5°75
inches in length, has a wing varying from 2°5 to 2°6, and a bill at
front of nearly 0-4; in some specimens only about 0°35. Some
specimens of this race are absolutely identical with English
specimens, not only as to color, but as to shape and size of wings,
legs, feet, and bill.

Then there is the third and largest race whieh corres-
ponds well with affinis, Blyth ; length fully 6; wing, from
2°65 to 2°75, and bill at front, 0-45. This latter species has the
whole upper parts much darker as a rule, than ewruca and
@ fortiore than ménula, and the grey of the head seems to over-
shade to a certain extent the whole of the mantle, rump, and
upper tail coverts.

I have forgotten to mention that in both the two latter races
the females are somewhat smaller and decidedly duller colored
than the males. |

Defined as above and arranged in three groups, the races seem
distinct enough; but then when closely examined, grave reasons
will be found for doubting whether any hard and fast line can
be drawn between the three races. I can pick out half a dozen
affinis, a dozen curruca, and a likenumber of ménula; (both sexes
in each case being represented by the selected specimens) which
no one certainly would consider to belong to one and the same
species; but then there will be some twenty odd specimens, which
more or less bridge the intervening gaps, and there are some few
in regard to which it is a mere toss-up to which of two
divisions they should be assigned. Under these circumstances,
according to my view of such cases, all these should be consi-
dered as belonging to one and the same species; but the differ-
ences between a typical male ménula, anda similarly typical
afinis are so striking, both in size and color, that I confess I

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c. 199

should expect few ornithologists to concur in this view; are we
then to suppose that there are three species which interbreed,
and which are all winter visitants to the same localities? I
confess that I am myself unable to accept any such explanation.

583 lis—Sylvia delicatula, Hartlaub. I

This pretty little sylvia which I have occasionally met with
in the Sirsa district, and have had sent me from Bhawulpore,
is one of the very commonest birds in the more barren portions
-of Sindh,

Asin the more desert portions of the Punjab, so throughout _
vast similar tracts in Sindh, barren, sandy, and gravelly plains. ==
extend for miles, the only vegetation on which is the Booee. ~

(? @rua bovii) and the Lana (anabasis multiflora). These .

plains are the favorite haunts of the Houbara, and in a-
mongst these bushes Sylvia delicatela abounds; occasionally
it is seen sitting on their tops, but more generally it is found
pecking amongst the fallen flowers at their roots. In and out of
these bushes, it runs looking for all the world hke a little short-
tailed mouse, and when disturbed, it retreats precipitately into
the centre of the nearest bush, from which it is by no means easy
to flush it. At best it takes but a very short and feeble flight,
and its only note that I ever heard was a tiny twittering un-
worthy the name of asong. I was unable to ascertain whether
it was really a permanent resident; but I was assured that it was
so, and that it bred m these very bushes which it uniformly
frequents during the cold weather, early in the hot weather, and
again atthe close of the inundations. Ido not pretend to vouch
for these latter facts, ‘TI tell the tale as it was teld to me.”
The following are the dimensions taken from freshly-killed
specimens, and I may note that there was no appreciable difference
in the sizes of the sexes. Length, 4°8 to 4:9; expanse, 7 to 7-2;
tail, from vent, 1:8 to 2; wing, 2 to 2:2; wings, when closed,
reach to within 1 to 1:2 of end of tail; bill at front, 0-3 to
0:33; tarsus, 0°8; irides, yellow to orange yellow; legs and
feet, pale yellow; insome, very pale lemon yellow; claws, dusky;
bill, pale yellow, dusky, or horny grey on culmen and at tip.
The lores are greyish white; from the nostrils to the upper
margin of the eye, runs a very narrow yellowish streak, whiter
, and less grey than the lores; this line ceases to be visible in nine
out of ten skins, but is sufficiently apparent in the freshly-killed
bird. A circle of yellowish white feathers surrounds the eye ; fore-
head, crown, occiput, nape, back, and scapulars, pale fawn-brown ;
rump and upper tail coverts, pale rufous; central tail feathers, pale
rufous, with dark shafts; external lateral feathers, wholly white ;

200 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e.

next pair white on the outer webs, and with a moderately broad
white tip to both webs; the rest of the inner webs, dark hair-
brown; the rest of the feathers dark hair brown, margined on the
outer webs with pale rufous. The whole of the lower parts
white, with, in the freshly-killed bird, a just perceptible rufescent
tinge; wing lining and axillaries, pure white; wings, pale
brown, narrowly margined and tipped with rutescent white ;
the tertiaries, pale dingy ee with brown shafts. / Ge Ys

K 583 quat, +Melizophilus striatus, Brooks.

Only a short distance below the summit of Duryalo, the
Inghest hill in the range that divides Khelat from Sindh, my
friend Dr. Day shot three specimens of a small warbler which
I at once referred to the same genus as the Dartford warbler,
and from its striated plumage christened strzatus. This was on the
16th January. All three birds were obtained in stunted Acacia
trees or bushes. I myself never saw the bird alive; but mea-
sured one specimen in the flesh.

In February, Capt. Cock observed and procured the same bird
at. Nowshera, half way between Attock and Peshawar. He sent -
them to Mr. Brooks, who without any knowledge of my having

! already procured this species, and quite independently solely

from the same considerations of structural affinities and charae-

o> ter of plumage, named and published it under the same name

that I had selected for it.

Capt. Cock remarked Chat they were found in pairs among
low stony hills, and are very restless active little birds, and pro-
portionately difficult to shoot.

This species breeds, according to Capt. Cock, in April, laying
a, small white, reddish pink-speckled ege similar to that of Hrank-
lenia Buchanani, and not very unlike that of Phyllopneuste rama.
The egos measure about 0°62 by 0:45; in shape they are a
moderately broad oval, somewhat compressed towards one end:
the ground is a pure glossless white, and they are moderately
densely (most densely so at the larger end, where there is a ten-
dency to form a zone) sprinkled and speckled very finely with
reddish pink, pinkish red, or in places in and about the zone
purplish lilac. IL reproduce Mr. Brooks’s original description.

Description.—*< Above, light brownish. grey, streaked on the
head as far as the shoulders, with dark-brown, narrow streaks ;
a pale rufous-brown broad supercilium; the cheeks, and ear
coverts are also of this color, which extends down the sides of
the neck and breast, becoming very pale, and diluted under
the wings, and on the flanks. Wings, hght brown; the edges
of quills and coverts, greyish. ‘Tail, a very much darker or

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 201

vather blackish brown; the outer feather on each side is rather
hiehter, and is tipped with white. The tail feathers are cross-
rayed, particularly the outer ones.

Lower surface of body, except sides of neck, breast, and flanks,
white, with narrow brown streaks from chin to upper breast.
These streaks are well defined in one specimen, and faint in
another. Lining of wing and ridge of the same, reddish white.
Bill, dark brown, except basal half of lower mandible, which is
dull brownish orange; legs and feet, yellowish brown; claws,
brown. Length, 4°55 to 4°8 inch; wing, 1°95 to 1:95 ; tail, 2°14
to 2°33; tarsus, -77 to 82; bill, at front, 35; from gape, -46.
The bill’ is excessively like that of Melic zophilus provincialis, the
wing also resembles that bird, except that the first primary is
larger in proportion. ‘Tail of similar form, but proportionately
shorter ; the outer feathers are ‘35 shorter than the central ones.

Notwithstanding the difference I have noted, the general
resemblance is so strong to melizophilus, that I have placed it in
that genus. The head is streaked, and so are the throat and
breast, but I have a Dartford warbler with small white streaks
on the throat. It would not be advisable, therefore, to create a
new generic term, merely because, 1 in. mode of coloration, it differs
somewhat from melizophilus.”

_ have only to add that in one of my specimens the streaks on
the chin and throat are altogether wanting; that the central
tail feathers are pretty conspicuously mareined with greyish
brown, and that both the lateral feathers on each side are tipped
with white, im some specimens the external pair being pretty
broadly so tipped. The following are dimensions of a male
taken im the flesh. Length, 4°7; expanse, 6-2; tail, from vent,
2; wing, 1:9; wings, when clusedl reach to aah 1:6 of end &
tail ; bill at front, 0°35 ; tarsus, 0°3; weight, 0°3 of an oz.

I should note that in one specimen not only the sides and
flanks, but the whole abdomen, vent, and lower tail coverts, are
stronely tinged with pale rufous fawn.

591 bis_Motacilla dukhunensis, ie

I have already in a separate paper, Stray Leathers, page 26,

discussed our Indian grey wag-tails. I need only here say that” <

this present species was very ‘abundant throughout Sindh, and.
that one of the specimens I obtained would certainly pass mus-
ter any where if killed in Europe, as JZ. alba.

- 592.—Calobates boarula, Penn. sulphurea, Bechst.

Very common in Sindh. Some ornithologists separate our
Asiatic race as melanope, Pall. Ihave compared a large series

:
an

SX

aeé

ow

202 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

of European and Indian specimens, without being able to dis-
cover any valid, constant difference.

593.—Budytes viridis, Scop. °

Comparatively common boro nog the irrigated and irrigable
portions of Sindh. fej

594.—Budytes citreoloides, Hodgson.

This was the commonest of all the wag-tails; one or two
specimens killed in January even, had large patches of black
mingled with the grey of the back. I have in a separate paper,
which will appear in an early number, discussed these yellow
wag-tails and have nothing now to add on the subject.

594 bis—Budytes citreola, Pallas.

Less common than the preceding, but’ still plentiful enough
in marshes, swamps, meadows, (and hove are such, though not
many, in Sindh) and irrigated fields. L

597.—Pipastes plumatus, Mill. pie Bechst.

This pipit appeared to me to be almost wanting in Sindh. I
may have overlooked it ; but the only specimen that I seem to
have noticed and procured, was in the better cultivated region of
this bleak country; in fact in that portion which the desert
dwellers of Sindh are pleased to call the garden of their pro-

vince, namely Larkhana.

Of Pipastes agilis, Sykes., P. macutatus, Blyth, so abundant in
most parts of India, I procured no single specimen, and cannot
remember even to have noticed it. Probably I everlooked it, but
at the same time since spinoletia is common in Sindh, it may be
that agilis is there represented by it, and really does not occur
except, perhaps, as a strageler.

602.—Agrodroma campestris, Bechst.

This species was far less common in Sindh, than it is through-
out the North-West Provinces and the Punjab. In the bare
portions of the country which in Upper Sindh extend from 15
to 40 miles from the foot of the hills, and throughout the bare
hilly region south of the Sehwan Hills on the right bank of the
Indus, I altogether missed it ; but im the more cultivated lands
about Shikarpore, Larkhana, and Mehur, and to the east of the
Indus, in Roree, Hyderabad, and Tatta, we met with it, though
not in great numbers, and I procured a single specimen close
to Kurrachee.

I have never been able to understand the changes of plumage
in this species. Some birds have the plumage below absolutely

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 2038

spotless ; there is no brown stripe on the sides of the neck nor
does the breast exhibit the faintest trace of a spot; others
again show a well-marked stripe on the sides of the neck, and
have the whole of the breast pretty conspicuously spotted.
Deegland tells us that in the male, in spring, the breast is with
or without spots, and that the brown neck stripe is present. He
makes out also that in the summer, the marking on the lower
parts almost entirely disappear, and thatin autumn, both neck
stripe, and spots become again very conspicuous. I do not
believe a word of this. I have now before me three males killed
in the last week of December, two exhibit well-marked spots,
one is spotless. I have four specimens killed in the latter half
of October, one is devoid of markings on the lower surface, one
very faintly marked, two tolerably well marked; I have four
specimens killed in the middle of March, of which two are
spotless, and two have the markings of the lower surface con-
spicuous. It appears to me that the difference in markings de-
pends ezéher upon the individual, or upon age, and certainly not
upon season.

Then Degland tells us that the female is characterized by a a
sort of pectoral band formed by a great number of longitudinal
spots. Unfortunately, as far as my specimens go, the females as a
whole are not one whit more spotted than, and are just as often
spotless as, the males.

604.—Agrodroma Jerdoni, Finsch. A. griseo
rufescens, nobis. A. Sordida, apud Blyth et Jerdon,
nec Raippell.

This species is decidedly uncommon in Sindh. It may occur
there more plentifully, perhaps, in the autumn; but during De-
ember, January, and February, when I was in Sindh, I only
saw it twice, once near Hyderabad, and once near Kurrachee. ~

The males in this species are very considerably larger than
the females. Large males are met with, measuring in length
up to 84, with a wing vearly 4; expanse, 13; a bill 0-7 at
front, and weighing as nearly as possible, 1°25 oz. An average
male is about 8-2 in length; expanse, 12°5; wings, 3°8; bill at
front, fully 0°6, and weight about 1:15 oz. In the fullest sized,
females, the length is somewhat less than 8; expanse, about,
12:25; wing, barely 3°7; bill at front, 0°58; and weight barely
Wor

The very nearly allied southern species 4. simi/os, Jerdon,
which I have seen only from the Neilgherries, Pulneys, and
Anamallies, has the whole upper surface conspicuously darker.
It has a bill fully as large, and, I think asa rule, somewhat

0)

204 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c.

stouter, but the bird itself is somewhat smaller; the largest

male I have seen, measured’ (in the flesh,) length, 8; expanse,
12; wing, 3°7; bill at front, 0°7 nearly, and weighed one oz.
Both these species have comparatively short hard claws, say
averaging (measured) straight from root to point, about 0-4.
The claws vary of course to a certain extent according to in-
dividuals, but I think that, as a whole, the claw in szmidis is de-
cidedly deeper, and more curved than in Jerdoni.

605 bis.—Anthus spinoletta, Lin. A. aquaticus,

Bechst. A. montanus, Koch. A. testacea, Pallas.

This species, or at any rate our Indian representative thereof,
which Mr. Verreaux considered absolutely identical with the
Kuropean one, (an opinion from which I have seen no grounds
for differing) is not at all uncommon in the Western Punjab,
and in Northern Sindh where it is often met with in the
neighbourhood of canals and streams. I obtained it on the
banks of the Indus, at Mittencote, near Jacobabad, Shikarpore,
and Mehur; but I did not notice 1t south of Sehwan. In the
cold weather plumage it is not very unlike Anthus arboreus ;
but may be distinguished at once by rts longer, slenderer, and
more pointed bill; by its dark brown legs and feet; by its
much more elongated and more compressed hind claw, and by
the narrowness of the breast spots. In summer plumage,
in which we obtain it in March, the comparatively uniform grey
brown tint of the upper surface, and the almost entirely unspotted
pale rufous tint of the lower surface, a tint tending towards vina-
ceous, are sufficient to distinguish it. Besides, the localities already
mentioned, I have it from Mooltan, Lahore, Goorgaon, Feroze-
pore, Etawah, and the interior of the Simla Hills near Koteehur.

This species is not included in Dr. Jerdon’s birds of India ;
I first brought its occurrence to notice, some years ago, in the
this; but I do not think that any description of the Indian bird
has yet appeared. I give dimensions from several specimens taken
in the flesh, noting that the females are somewhat smaller than
the males. Male, length, 6°75 to 7:25; expanse, 11 to 11°25;
wing, 3°46 to 3°6; bill at front, 0-45 to 0°53; hind toe and
claw, 0:7 to nearly 0°8; weight, nearly 1 oz. Female, length,
6°37 to 6°62 ; wing, 3°15 to 3°3; expanse, 9°5 to 10°5; bill at
front, 0°45 to 0-5; hind toe and claw, 07 to 0:75; weight,
0°63 to 0°38 oz.

In all the specimens the legs and feet.are at least dari brown,
in some birds they are almost black; the soles are yellowish; the
claws, black ; the bill is dark horny brown, yellowish at base of
lower mandible; bill, legs, and feet are all darker, I

#

Contributions to the Ornithology of Indid, §¢. 205

think, im the summer plumage; the irides are dark brown.

In the winter plumage the upper surface is a sort of olive
brown, with more or less of a faintly rufous tinge; the rump
unstriated, the head and back with dark hair brown centres to
the feathers; there is a well marked,dull white, stripe from
the nostrils over the eyes; the coverts and the quills are mostly
hair brown, the former broadly margined with brownish or
olivaceous white, purer just at the tips of the coverts, and the
latter narrowly margined, the first few primaries with greyish
white, the rest with a sort of greenish or olivaceous white; the
tippings of the coverts form two tolerably well marked wing
bars; the tertiaries which are somewhat paler than the resti
of the quills, are broadly margined with brownish white. The
central tail feathers, which are the shortest, are a compara-
tively pale brown, margined all round with brownish white ;
the next pair on either side are very dark brown, very narrowly
margined with pale olivaceous, and the fourth with a tiny
whitish spot at the extreme tip; the exterior tail feather of all

has the whole outer web white, slightly brownish towards the

tip, the whole inner web white for nearly half an inch from the
tip, beyond which for another three quarters of an inch, the
white occupies (next the shaft) a gradually diminishing por-
tion of the inner web, the rest of the feather being brown.

The lower surface is a dull white, in many specimens with a

faint vinaceous tinge in parts, with a row of small brown spots
down the sides of the neck, with similar spots on the breast and
longer striaz, along the sides and flanks.

In the summer plumage the whole upper surface becomes
greatly overlaid with an earthy or greyish brown shade; the
striations of the back and head almost disappear, though the

edges of the feather are still somewhat paler than the centres,

and the whole lower parts become a nearly uniform pale

vinaceous color without, in what I take to be the perfect

plumage, a single spot or streak; in some specimens, which

hommemer 0 belleve do be emmertien lace advanced, a few spots
still remain on the breast, and one or two streaks on the flanks.
Tn all stages of plumage, the axillaries are white and the

greater portion of the wing lining and the lower surface of the _

quills pale satin grey.
657.—Corvus Lawrencei, Hume.

The Indian, raven which I have provisionally separated (Lahore

to Yarkand, p: ) under the above name, is a cold weather
visitant to Sindh, more especially to Upper Sindh. They abound

at Jacobabad, and the very remarkable fact has already been

206 Contributionsto the Ornithology of India, Se.

noticed in my diary that both when they first arrive, in
November, and for sometime afterwards, and again just before”
they leave on the approach of the hot weather, great numbers
of them die; half a dozen may sometimes be picked up in a
single compound. In Lower Sindh they are less common, but we
saw them not only at Hyderabad, but also here and there along
the Mekran Coast to Gwader.

663.—Corvus impudicus, Hodgson.

Is as ¢mpudicus in Sindh as elsewhere, though perhaps not quite
so numerous. The only thing I haveto notice is that the neck,
upper back, and breast of many ofthe Sindh specimens run paler
and more albescent than I have ever seen them elsewhere in
India. The difference in color strikes one even without com-
paring speeimens, and this led me to shoot and preserve several.
As to the specifie name I only follow Mr. Gray, splendens of
Temminck, from Java and Sumatra, he separates as distinct,
while splendens of Vieillot, which I always fancied had priority
of Temminck’s name, he degrades into a synonyme of ampudicus,

? 669 bis.—_Garrulus Melanocephalus, Gené,

‘I failed to secure specimens, but I satisfied myself that @
Species of jay, presumably from the description given me, melano-
cephalus, does occur, not uncommonly, in the Hills dividmge
Sindh and Khelat.

674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop.

This bird is common almost everywhere in Sindh. The
Sindh race is large and comparatively dark hke the generality
of upper indian birds, but is almost as small-billed as the
southern Indian birds.

681.—Sturnus vulgaris,* L.

~ The common starling was everywhere met with in large flocks
except in the most barren portions of the country.

In the debateable ground between desert and cultivation, I
occasionally met with isolated pairs of starlings which struck
me as smaller and darker than the common bird. Unlike the
common birds, I saw them only in pairs, and found them
very wary, and partly, owing to this latter cause, and partly
through not sufficiently recognizing their distinetness, I only suc-
ceeded in procuring and preserving a single pair. On com-
paring these latter with numerous specimens of the common

>

* J cannot follow Mr. Gray in separating the Indian raceas SS. splendeus
Tem. I have compared large series of Indian and European birds, and see
no yalid ground for specific separation.

Contributions to the Ornithology of Initia, 8. 207

starline, and also of Sturnus nitens, nobis, (Lahore to Yarkand
page fig. ,) I find myself unable to identify them with either,
though they are uudoubtedly nearest to the latter. The gene-
ral character of their plumage is like that of the ordinary star-
hing, but in the first place whereas in the common starling the re-
flections of the head are purple and of the back green, in these
birds the head is green and the back purple; secondly, whereas
in the common starling the wing varies from 5 to 5°35, and
the tarsus from 1*1 to 1-2; in these birds the wing is only 43 ;
and the tarsus barely 1; the bills are about the same length

as the common starling, measuring exactly an inch in front; but -

they are more pointed, have a more decided culmen ridge and are
less broad at the base. One of these is apparently quite an adult,
with only a few white spots on the upper back, throat, sides of
the neck, upper breast, and vent, the other, the female, is a youne
bird, profusely and thickly spotted with white as in the com-
mon starling.

I thought these birds might be specimens of mzfens in a stage
of plumagein which I had not yet seen this species ; but on com-
paring the birds, I find that while the wings are decidedly
shorter, the bills are decidedly longer, and while in mtens the
head, chin, and throat are purple, in these small Sindh birds they
are green ; moreover, the primaries want the conspicuous white
margins so characteristic of the adult uztens. I have a strong
objection to separating mere local races on the strength of trifling
- variations, very generally found on investigation to be either
bridged over by intermediate forms or more or less inconstant, but
in the ‘present case the difference in size, and in the distribution of
colors is so marked, that should these prove constant, it will, I
believe, be necessary to, separate this form which n ay then stand
as 8. minor, nobis ; but until I obtain more specimens with which
I hope some of my contributors in Sindh will soon furnish me, I
suspend my opinion as to the necessity of any such separation.

684.—Acridotheres tristis, Z. <“') ./u-~

Pretty common in some of the better cultivated tracts, but no-
where nearly so much so as in the rest of India. In the wilder
and more desert districts, rare or absolutely wanting.

685.—Acridotheres ginginianus, Lath

Not at all common in Sindh as a whole, but met with con=
stantly on the banks of the Indus and often seen in small de-
tached colonies in the better cultivated portions of the pro-
vince. ;

\—

i

dy".

For
q

5"

208 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §¢.

690.—Pastor roseus, L. :

Rarely seen by any of our party while in Sindh, but Captaim
Malden informed me that it arrived in Upper Sindh, in April, in
large flocks. Where this bird breeds is a mystery still. Millions
throng the plains of India during nearly nine months of the
year ; they do not leave us before the end of April and many
are back again with us in August. In Kurope’ they breed,
amongst other places, in the banks of the Danube. I used to
fancy that they must breed in the banks of the Indus, but I
have traced this river almost from Attock to the sea, and every-
where I have heard of them only as birds of passage going
further west. As they appear in Sindh, so higher up at Dera
_ Ghazee Khan, they appear early in the hot weather and again,
after a very short period, disappear to return in August or Sept-
ember, for a few days, and pass on eastwards. I hope ornitho-
logists on our western frontier will note ther movements. They
do not go to Cashmere, or into our hills to breed. Mountaneer
in all his life only met with one in the interior, which he sent
me as a rare and strange bird. |

Mr. Gray separates our Indian race as peguanus, Lesson, with
suratensis, and seleucus, Gmel., as synonymes, but seeing that
the head quarters of the species appear to be the basis of the
Black and Caspian Seas, and the circumjacent provinces, I cannot
myself believe in the distinctness of the birds that visit India
and Central and Western Europe.

695.—Ploceus manyar, Horsf.

I shall take an early opportunity of reviewing the Indian
members of this genus. Certainly more species oceur within our
limits than is generally supposed, and I am inclined to believe
that the birds which I notice under the above name from Sindh,
will have to be separated as a distinct species. However enough
for the day is the evil thereof, let them stand for the present as
manyar. Hverywhere in the giant flowermg grass so common
in the neighbourhood of Shikarpore and other similar localities
in Upper Sindh, this weaver bird is seen in large parties feeding,
as I ascertained by dissection, both on the grass seeds, and om

-small insects that haunt the grass. Halfa dozen may be seen
perched closely side by side upon the topmost sprays of the
longest grass stems which, curving slightly beneath their weight,
sway backwards and forwards at every: passing breath, much
apparently to their satisfaction. No sooner, however, are half
a dozen comfortably placed, than a dozen others insist on sharing
the perch ; great is the commotion that ensues ; down bends the
grass stem, and off they all fly to resume the same game om

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, fc. 209

some other stem, and so they will go on continuously for half an
hour at atime. It is a curious thing that with one exception
every specimen of this species which I procured belonged to the
sterner sex. What on earth had become of the ladies? I shot
a good number of the species, but only obtained one that may
have been a female, and J was rather doubtful of the identifica-
tion of the sex, even in this‘one bird, as it had been badly shot.

696.—Ploceus bengalensis, L.

Found in the same localities as, and in company with, the last
named species. Of this species too I did not succeed in meeting
with a single female. It is absolutely a mystery to me where
the females can have got to, the birds were certainly not breeding,
and had the females been in that part of the country some of us
must surely have secured some specimens, as not less than forty
were shot from first to last.

702.—Munia malabarica, L. SEM pda eM

Very common alike in the seston Punjab and thronphiont
Sindh from Kussmore to Kurrachee.

704.—Kstrilda amandava, L.

I only met with this species on the banks of the Indus at
Kussmore, and again in similar thickets of giant grass between
Shikarpore and Sukkur ; but I was told that at some seasons of
the year it was met with pretty well all over Sindh wherever
there was lone grass.

706.—Passer indicus, Jard. and Selb.

Of course very abundant. Throughout Sindh, as in past years he

throughout Rajpootana and the western Punjab, I searched in
vain for Mr. Blyth’s Passer pyrrhonotus, and the hundreds of com-

mon sparrows that Mr. Blyth is answerable for having led me to ~

execute, ought to form a heavy load upon his conscience.

In revard to this supposed species I am fast verging on Betsy
Prigg’s “conviction in regard to Mrs. Harris, and if such a bird -
exists, it would be only ‘decent for it, for the ‘sake of its scientific
historian, to put in an appearance with as little delay as possible.

707.—Passer salicicola, Vieill.

The willow sparrow, which during the cold season invades
nearly the whole Punjab in such vast flocks that a single shot
would often enable one to secure materials for a dozen pies, is appa-
rently only a straggler in Sindh. I never saw a single large
flock of it, and the only specimens I obtained were single birds
killed by accident out of flocks of common sparrows.

210 Contributions to the Crnithology of India, &e.

732 bis—Bucanetes githagineus, Licht.

This delicately tinted species which is another that Sindh has
unexpectedly added to our avifauna, was met with only at com-
paratively short distances from the lower slopes of the hills
which divide Sindh from Khelat. They were seen exclusively
in small patches of cultivation which here and there occur, oases
in the barren waste which fringes the skirts of the mountains.
They were always in small flocks feeding in a kind of mustard ;
very tame but difficult to shoot, because, invariably, when in the
least disturbed, running on the ground, with which their upper
surfaces are almost absolutely unicolorous, in amongst the mus-
tard plants. Whether it is that my birds were all shot about
the end of January, and that the breeding plumage is brighter,
or that the figures are over-colored, I cannot say but not
one of the fifty odd birds that I obtained could compare in
brightness with the figure in the pl. col. 400 (in which proh
pudor ! the bills are colored vermillion red) or even with Dr.
Bree’s figure ; with Bonaparte’s figure (Mon. des Loxiens, t. a
however “they. agree well.

It is very likely that before I first obtained specimens I over-
looked them ; seen feeding in the fields at a little distance, they
looked for all the world like a party of hen sparrows, it was only
the color of the bills that one day attracted my attention and
led to my shooting one; once in the hand the faintly rosy, blue
grey tinge of the head and breast and the decided rose color of
the rest of the lower parts at once showed me what the ‘bird
was, and I then set to work vigorously to procure specimens, and
in two days, I think, we shot thirty, so that they were plentiful
enough in that immediate neighbourhood, which was Gool
Mahomed in the Mehur sub-division. I noticed them once or
twice afterwards and shot a few more, one or two I remember
~near the mouth of the Nurree Nai. I notice that Mr. Gray

besides githagineus, Licht., and sinadticus, Licht., gives a third
species crasszrostris, Blyth, from Afghanistan. I cannot ascertam
- where this species of Blyth’s 1s described, and as I have no Euro-
pean or Arabian specimens to compare, it may be that, if really
distinct, our bird should stand as crassirostris, but it agrees per-
fectly with Bonaparte’s figure and description of githagineus. I
subjoin méasurements, &c., taken im the flesh.
Dimensions—Males.—Length, 5-7 to 6; expanse, 10 to 10°7 ;
tail from vent, 2°1 to 3; wing, 3°3 to 3°63 wing's, when closed,
reach to within 0°7 of end of tail.
Hemales.—Length, 5-7 to 5°38; expanse, 10°5 to 11-1; tail
from vent, 1°83 to 2; wings, 3°2 to 3-4; wings, when closed, reach
to within 0-6 to 0:8 of end of tail. U0 IAG “4

Contrebutions to the Ornithology of India, fe. 211

Both sexes. Bill at front, 0°35 to 0°41 ; tarsus, 0°67 to 0°77.

The irides are brown, the legs and feet fleshy brown ; claws,
dusky ; soles whitish. The bill, orange yellow, in some probably
less mature, pale yellow, brownish on upper mandible.

In the male the head is pale, bluish grey, the feathers tipped
browner ; the chin, throat, breast, cheeks, and ear coverts, a sort
of blue grey, the feathers faintly tinged, most conspicuously so
round the base of the lower mandible, with pale rosy; the ab-
domen, vent, and lower tail coverts, very pale rosy white, the
longest of the latter with dark shafts; the back and scapulars
dull earthy brown, with when fresh a faint rosy tinge, which
disappears in the dried skin, and somewhat greyer towards the
hape ; rump, pale brown, more decidedly tinged with rosy ; the
visible portion of upper tail coverts rosy white, more strongly
tinged with rosy at the margins, the centres and bases of the
longest being pale brown ; these however are not seen till the
feathers are lifted. The tail feathers dark brown, conspicuously,
though narrowly, margined with rosy white, which is most rosy
towards the bases of the lateral feathers. The wings hair-brown,
conspicuously margined and tipped, the coverts, secondaries, and
tertiaries most broadly so, with pale rose color, or rosy white.
There is a very narrow, inconspicuous, pale rosy frontal band.
The wing lining and axillaries are pure white; the winglet
alone is dark-brown, unmargined with rosy.

The female has the whole upper surface and the side of the
head and body a dull pale earthy brown, with only a faint rosy
tinge upon the rump and upper tail coverts; the lower parts a
still paler earthy brown, with the faintest possible roseate tinge
on the breast and becoming albescent on the vent and lower tail
coverts and tibial plumes. The wings and tail are as in the
male; but the margins are narrower and less conspicuous, and
are pale brownish instead of rosy white.

This species if (as I think there is little doubt) I have cor-
rectly identified it, has been observed in the Islands of the
Mediterranean and the countries bordering thereon, I'rance,
Italy, Algeria, Syria, Arabia Petrea, and again, in the Canary
Islands on the West, and Nubia on the East Coast of Africa.

759.—_Ammomanes lusitania, Gel.

This, in and about the hilly portions of Sindh, is the lark par :

excellence; in the barest and most desolate hills, absolutely de-
void of the shghtest trace of vegetation (all about Duryalo
they had had no rain for more than two years when I was there)
this bird was abundant. From the very northernmost to the
extreme southern point of Sindh, it was equally plentiful in

1e

212 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

suitable localities, and all the way up the Mekran Coast I met
with it whenever and wherever we landed. It isa perfectly
fearless and familar bird, and when shot at generally drops, if not
wounded, at a few yards distance and-seeks safety by squatting,
when it is impossible even at a couple of yards distance to make
dut its whereabouts, so perfectly does its sober garb harmonize
with the barren localities it affects. Further north, it is equaily
common in the salt range, in the hills that encircle the
Peshawur valley, and Hazara.

760.—Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop.

This little lark was common enough throughout Sindh. We
generally met with it scratching about in the dust of the roads
with which the color of its upper surface harmonizes admirably.
A rather fine male measured in the flesh was, leneth, 5; ex-
panse, 9-7; wing, 3; tail from vent, 1°95; wings, when closed,
reached to within 0°61 of end of tail; bill at front, 0°35 ; weight,
0°5 oz.

760 bis.—Pyrrhulauda affinis, Blyth.

I did not myself meet with this species in Sindh, but Mr.
Blanford sent mea single male which he shot near Kurrachee.
In this the wing measures 3°16 ; and the bill at front, 0°42.

This bird which I have now received from both Sindh and
Muttra is very close indeed to grisea. Females I have not yet
procured ; the males differ from those of grésea, first m having
a considerably larger bill, and a slightly larger wing ; and second-
ly, in having the whole crown and occiput unicolorous with the
eye streak, lores, chin, throat, &c., leaving only a short broad
white band on the forehead. The upper surface of the body
is also slightly more rufous and less grey than in grisea. Mr.
Blyth describes the species thus: ‘Crown of the male black
with broad white forehead, and small blackish spot on the nape,
less developed than in the Nubian Bird;” but neither of my
specimens shew the slightest indication of any dark spot on the
nape, to which the chocolate black of the crown very nearly
descends en masse. The females would probably be distinguisl.-
ed by the larger size of the bill.

Mr. Blanford suggests that this species “should be compared
with P. albifrons Sund ;” but I faney he means rather frontatis
of Licht, from Nubia, eal not frontalis, Bonap, which latter
Mr. Gray identifies with both alézfrons, Sund, and mnigriceps,
Gould, a Cape Verde Island and Canary species, with which our
bird could scarcely be identical, though it might be with the
Nubian. :

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 213 —

761.—Calandrella brachydactyla, Leisl.

Common everywhere in Sindh. Seen also once or twice on thee :
Mekran Coast.

762 ter.—Alaudula Adamsi, Hume. Ibis, 1871.
p. 400.

This little sandlark is extraordinarily abundant along the —

whole course of the greater Punjab rivers almost from the foot
of the Himalayas to Kurrachee, just as Alaudula raytal equally
affects, though not in anything like such numbers, the Ganges
and most of its tributaries.

The two species resemble each other pretty closely in plumage,
appearance, and habits ; but they are distinguished at once by
the shape and size of the bill which in rayta/ is more lengthened
and slender than those of the true larks, measuring at front 0°5
(not 0°38 as Jerdon wrongly gives it) while that of Adams: is
that of a true lark never measuring in front more than 0°38.
The bill of the latter, besides being shorter, is much stouter and
has the culmen more curved, moreover it is differently colored,
being grey or bluish horny, with a brown tinge on the culmen
instead of yellowish horny as in raytal. I haveseen some hun-
dreds of both'species, and never saw a single bird in .-any way
intermediate, and I am compelled therefore to consider the two
species distinct.

The following are dimensions recorded in the flesh :

ee length, 5:9 to 6 ; expanse, 10-4 to 11; tail from vent,
2°1 to 2:2 ; wing, 3°3 to 3-5; bill at front, 0°35 to 0°38 ; tarsus,
0:75 to 0-8; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°7 to 0°8 of
end of tail; weight, 0°75 oz.

Hemet length, 5°6 to 5:7 ; expanse, 10 to 10°5 ; tail from
vent, 2; wing, 3:05 to 3°2 ; bill at front, 0°32 to 0°38 ; tarsus,
0-75 0-78 ; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°6 to 0°7 of
end of tail; weight, 0°6 to 0°7 oz.

The irides are pale brown; the bill, pale greyish or slaty grey,
brownish on culmen and at tip; slightly yellowish white at base
of lower mandible; legs and feet, fleshy brown, or in some brown-
ish yellow, dusky on joints.

In the winter the whole upper surface is a very pale grey or
whitey brown, all the feathers narrowly centred with grey
brown, so as to produce a striated appearance. There is, in many
specimens, a more or less perceptible, but still very faint rufous
tinge on the back. The wings are pale brown, the outer webs of
the first primaries nearly entir ely eream color, the other primaries
narrowly tipped and margined white ; secondaries. more broadly,
tertiaries and coverts still more broadly, margined with fulvous

214 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

or slivhtly greyish white. The central tail feathers brown,
somewhat conspicuously margined with brownish or fulvous
white. The exterior tail feather on either side wholly white, ex-
— eept a dark brown stripe down the inner margin of the inner
web. The next feather with the whole exterior web, pure white;
interior web, dark brown; other tail feathers dark brown, very
narrowly margined with dull white. The lores and a stripe over
and under the eye, white or rufescent white; a very narrow grey
line through the centre of the lores only noticeable in very good
specimens or in the fresh bird; ear coverts mingled grey brown,
and fulvous white, and usually exhibiting asomewhat darker spot
just behind and below the posterior angle of the eye; the whole
lower parts white, with, in some, a very faint rufeseent tinge on
breast, sides, and flanks, and with numerous narrow or linear
darkish brown spots on the breast, very strongly marked and
conspicuous in some specimens, redueed almost to speckles in
other birds. The flanks and sides are faintly tinged with brown,
or in some, pale rufescent. So far the plumage corresponds very
closely to that of raytal ; but the difference in the bills is so
very conspicuous, that it can only be compared to that between
those of Melanocorypha mazima and M. tatarica, of which they
are respectively minatures.

One stage of the plumage of 4. Adamsi deserves special men-
tion, because I have observed nothing analogous in A. raytad.
Only one single specimen in my museum, which was sent me
from Murdan, and which I owe to Captain Unwin, exhibits this
stage. ‘The date on which it was procured has, unfortunately,
not been noted, but I conelude it to be the nuptial garb.

In this stage each primary has a broad subterminal somewhat
silvery, or shghtly greyish white band, which, except in the first
two or three, extends over both webs ; the outer webs of the
three tail feathers, next the central ones, become almost wholly of
this color, and the inner webs are greatly blanched, or, more
properly, appear to be overlaid with the same greyish white. Is
this an accidental variety ? There is nothing in the single speci-
men before me to deeide the question.

769.—Galerida cristata, L.

The crested lark, as might be expected, is excessively abun-
dant throughout Sindh, as it is indeed throughout Rajpootana,
the Punjab, Oudh, and the North-Western Provinces. As usual
the plumage is excessively variable, but most of the Sindh birds
belong to one of two types, the grey brown and the desert or
isabelline. I at one time believed that these were divisible speci-
fically, but the examination of large series convinces me that no-

“Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 215

such separation is either desirable or possible. Mr. Gray gives
a number of species chendoola, Franklin ; Boysiz, Blyth ; abyssi-
nica, Bonap ; zsabellina, Bonap ; macrorhyncha, Tristram ; rutila,
Miller ; drachyura, Tristram. I confess that I should greatly
- like to see the type specimens of all these supposed species.
Seeing as I do how extraordinarily this bird varies’in India, I
am strangely suspicious of all these supposed Nubian, Abyssinian,
‘Egyptian, Syrian, and Arabian Galerzdas, while as to the two
supposed Indian ones, I know from actual comparison of series
such as have never probably previously been got together, that
they are nothing but G. créstata of Kurope.

As a matter of fact this species is very variable alike in colour
and size both according to sex and individuals. The wing varies
from 3:5 in a small female to 4°32 in a very large male, and the
bill at front, in like manner, varies from 0°54 to 0°76.

In the /ézs for 1867, p. 48, Mr. Blyth remarks, “ Galerita
Boysi, nobis, proves to be a good species. Examples from Lahore
have the wing 3 5, and the rest in proportion ; otherwise resem-
bling G@. er istata.

Tam, however, compelled to suppress this supposed species as
well as Heioae Frank. ; the examination of a large series
proves that 1t is impossible to draw a line anywhere between the
largest and the smallest examples. A perfect series of the wings
occurs, and as for the difference in tone of plumage, big and
little examples are alike met with amongst the brown, rufous,
sandy or desert color, and grey types. I ‘have measured earefully
some fifty specimens ‘and arranged them before me according to
the size of the wing, and the following will shew the localities
whence I received the birds, with each size of wine.

3°5 Htawah, Sirsa, North-West Punjab, Kurrachee.
Etawah, Saharunpore.

Mittenkote banks of Indus North Sindh.

Sirsa, Etawah, Raipore, Sirsa.

Etawah, Sirsa.

Sirsa, Etawah, Peshawur.

Sirsa.

Etawah, Jerripanee Mussoorie, Loodiana, Etawah, Sirsa,
Murdan, Banks of Chenab near junction of Indus, ditto.
2 Kurrachee.

5 Saharunpore, Sirsa, Mittenkote.

7 Sukkur Sindh.

Sirsa, Sirsa, Etawah, Murdan, Sirsa, Sehwan Sindh.
Sirsa.

4°08 Gwader the Mekran Coast.

4:1 Sirsa, Sukkur, Chenab near junction of Indus.

Weep eg eo eo OY CD OD C9 OD OD
Om on DD
Or Co Or

=
S
ot

216 Contributoons to the Ornithology of India, §c.

4°15 Hussun ki gurhi North Sindh.
_ 42 Hussun ki gurhi North Sindh.

4°25 Hussun ki gurhi North Sindh.

4-3 Sirsa.

4°32 Sirsa, Jacobabad.

In this large series it is impossible to draw a line anywhere.
As a rule all the birds up to 3:9 are females, and those of 3:9 and
upwards, are males ; but one female has a wing of 3°95, and there
is a male with a wing of only 3:6; but this is quite a young bird.
Besides the variation in the bill aad wings, that in the hind
claw is excessively great. Picking out the two extremes, I find
that this varies from 0°28 to 0°6, and though the claws are to a
certain extent proportional to the size of the bird, the longest
claw of all pertains to a female with a wing only 3:8. _Again,
the variation in the spottings on the breast is very remarkable ;
in some these are large, well defined, blackish brown, in others
they are mere blurred streaks, of a somewhat pale brown ; in some
the spots are very numerous, in others there are not more than
half a dozen altogether.

As regards the size, all that can be said is that all the biggest
birds appear to be from the far West and North-West.

770.—Alaemon desertorum, Stanley.

So far as my experience goes, this species is confined to the
more sandy tracts included in the broad strip of comparative desert
which, almost everywhere, borders the bases of the hills that,
alike on the north and west, separate Sindh from Khelat. It
is never found congregated in flocks. It is rare to meet with a
second bird within half a mile of any other. They never appa-
rently fly, if left undisturbed, but run about, with their little porce-
lain white legs twinkling in the sunlight, hither and thither,
for all the world like miniature coursers. Now bending down the
body horizontally, now stretching themselves straight up, so as
to raise their heads as high as possible; here meandering slowly
about, creeping as it were along the sand, then suddenly making
short darts with the utmost rapidity, and generally so con-
ducting themselves as to render it difficult to realize that they
ean be larks and not plovers. I measured a considerable number
of these birds in the flesh, and the following were the dimensions
I obtained; the males being particularly variable in size, the
female less so.

Male, length, 9:4 to 11:1; expanse, 16°25 to 17:3; tail
from vent, 3: 7 to 4-1; wing, 5: 1 to 5-45; feet, length, 1- AB to
Th) 3 arid 1 to 1:2; wings, when closed, reached to within from
1: 2° to 1:6 of end ae tail; bill at front, 1:01 to 1:14; tarsus,
il = to 1:45; weight, 1°5 to 2 on

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 217

Female, length, 8:4 to 9:4; expanse, 14°75 to 15:4; wing,
4-6 to 4°75; tail from vent, 3°3 to 3:5; foot, length, 1-3 to 1:5;
width, 0°9 to 1; wings, when closed, reach to within 1-3 to
1-5 of end of tail; bill at front, 0°85 to 0°95; tarsus, 1-2 to 1:3;
weight, 1:25 oz.

The irides are brown; the lees and feet, pure China white,
greyish on claws; the bill is very variable in color, sometimes
it is unifrom pale plumbeous, sometimes pale slaty grey, darker
at base and tip, and sometimes horny grey, or greenish grey,
in all cases whitish at base of lower mandible.

T will only add to Dr. Jerdon’s description that there is a near-
ly black spot or line exactly in front of the anterior angle
of the eye, and a similar one behind the posterior angle,
dividing the white supercilium from the fulvous white ear
coverts, which are wot tipped blackish; from the gape, a very
narrow dark line extends below the eyes till, opposite the base
of the ear coverts, it expands into a moderate sized gape spot.

When on the wing their flight is very unlike that of Gulerida
cristata in whose company, or rather neighbourhood, they are so
commonly met with, and when they do alight, they always run
along the ground for fifteen or twenty yards before coming to a
halt ; then they stand up to their full height, and look backwards
at you over their shoulders. It is not often that they do fly, but
where closely pressed, and one must walk uncommonly quick to
do that, they will rise and then the huge, broad, double white
band upon their long wing is excessively conspicuous. I have
repeatedly noticed this species in my diary and need say no more

about it now.

- 787.—Palumboena Eversmanni, Pp.

I only once came across this, our Indian stock dove, in any
numbers in Sindh, and that was near Kumber in Upper Sindh;
here there were, oon a wonder, a considerable number of large
trees dotted singe amongst the cultivation, and on these, hg ls
flocks of this dove were clustered. At sean seasons of the
year, I understand, that this species is much more numerous;
but with the exception of the one instance above mentioned, I
never saw above one or two at any time, and these on only two or
three occasions and never in Lower Sindh.

788.—Columba intermedia, Strick,

The common blue pigeon of India was tolerably abundant in
the plains of Sindh during the feeding hours of the day ; but its
home appeared to be in the rocky valleys of the hills; and about
four or five in the afternoon, I generally saw them returning to
these, in moderate sized flocks. While camped at the Gajone of

218 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §:c.

the few perennial streams that flows through the hills dividing
Khelat and Sindh, I specially remarked the considerable numbers
of blue pigeons that towards evening tenanted the precipices
bounding, in so many places, the gorge, and the majority of these
belonged to the present species. When grain is ripening, the latter
appears in large flocks about Jacobabad, but is more rarely seen
there during the cold season.

788 bis.—Columba livia, Bp.

I procured one undoubted specimen of this species, shot by Dr.
Day in the sand hills of the Roree Division, and was informed
that the white rumped pigeon was not uncommon there. Again
in the Gaj, amongst several true zatermedia, I obtained one livia
and one or two intermediate forms. |

The species that I described with much hesitation as
Columba neglecta in my Ornithology of the Yarkand Expedition,
must now, I am convinced, be identified with dzvza. The wing of
this latter species varies, as I find, from Scotch specimens, from
8°3 to 9°75; and after comparing European and Indian birds, I
entertain no doubt of the identity of the Ladak and Scotch
specimens. Cashmere birds, however, which I also class under
dwia, ditter slightly ; they have somewhat less of pure white on
the lower back; and the rest of what is pure white in true va,
is faintly shaded with very pale grey; inall other respects, size,
general hue of plumage, they are identical with the European
bird. Of the Sindh birds, two are typical /2vza, others resemble
the Cashmere birds, and one again seems intermediate be-
tween the Cashmere bird, and the true cntermedia, though nearest
to the former.

Below Duryalo, inside the first range, Dr. Day saw large
flocks of the white backed pigeon similar to the one he shot
for me at Roree. |

794.—Turtur cambayensis, Gel.
Common throughout Sindh.

795.—Turtur suratensis, Gel.

Strange to say I did zo¢ see this bird, and to tell the truth I
should hardly have expected to find it there, but Capt. Malden
informed me that it was pretty common in Upper Sindh.
796.—Turtur risorius, L.

Common throughout Sindh.

797.—Turtur humilis, Tem.

I noticed this species on one or two occasions, but only in
the most fertile, most highly cultivated, portions of the provinee.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 219

799.—Pterocles arenarius, Pallas.

The large sand grouse was met with occasionally in Upper,

Sindh, (I did not myself see it lower than Sehwan, though I “.

heard of its occurrence,) but never in any thing like the numbers
in which it occurs throughout the North-West Punjab and
parts of Rajpootana. In fact as far as I could see and learn,
the only rock grouse which occurred in very great, numbers were
P. alchata and P. senegallus.

800 tis.—Pterocles Lichtensteinii, Tem. Pl.
Col. 855, 361.

The occurrence of this North African and Arabian species
within our limits is a matter of no little interest. I never saw
however but one single pair which, until we had shot them, I
did not recognize as distinct from fasciatus. This was at Gool
Mahomed, Mehur, Upper Sindh, where we were shooting along
with a native gentleman; he recognized the birds immediately
as a species of which only a few stragglers were yearly seen in
mid winter. I have nothing to add to the little on record in
regard to the habits of this species. We only saw the pair
squatting on the bare ground adjoining a thinly cultivated field,
and Mr. Watson of the Sindh Commission who was with me,
shot them both almost immediately they rose.

The following are dimensions taken in the flesh :

Male, length, 10:7; expanse, 21; tail from vent, 3:2;
wing, 665; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°7 of end of
tail; bill at front, 0°54; bill from gape, 0°65; tarsus, 1-05.
Weight, 8 ozs.

Female, length, 10°37; expanse, 20; tail from vent, 3;
wing, 6°6; wings, when closed, reach to within 0:7 of end of
tail ; bill at front, 0°55 ; from gape, 0°62; weight, 8 ozs.

Legs, wholly feathered in front; feet, orange yellow ; reticula-
tion, white ; claws, dusky, tipped yellowish; bill, fleshy brown,
darker in the female; irides, brown ; orbital skin,yellow.

Plumage, male-—Forehead, white ; a broad semi-circular black
band from the lores on. either side encircling the white frontal
patch. A similar white band immediately in rear of this, imper-
fect on the crown ; the whole of the rest of the top and back of
the head, pale creamy, the feathers centered black, producing
an irregularly striated appearance. Chin, and part of the
upper portion of the centre of the throat, dull yellowish white,
unspotted ; sides of the upper part of the throat and upper
part of the neck, yellowish white, each feather with a tiny black
spot at the tip; the ear coverts, fulvous white, slightly streaked
dusky, and more or less irregularly tipped with - dull black.

Q

220 Contributions to the Ormithology of India, Se.

The lower part of the neck all round, the whole of the back,
scapulars, rump, upper tail coverts, and tail feathers, pale isa-
-belline, closely and regularly barred with black; the barrings
being narrowest on the neck, and broadest on the tertiaries, and
these latter as well as many of the scapulars conspicuously
tipped with bufty yellow; the tips of the tail feathers isabelline,
and the penultimate bars, especially in the lateral feathers,
much broader than the rest. The primaries, their greater co-
verts, and the winglet are hair brown, darker on the coverts and
winglet ; the primaries everywhere very narrowly margined with
dull white, except towards the bases of the. first three or four,
where the white margins are broader and more conspicuous; the
secondaries are French grey on the outer webs, for the basal por-
tion ; dark brown on the terminal portion; the entire inner webs
somewhat pale brown; the secondary coverts and the lesser primary
coverts are mostly banded much lke the back, but with a
greater admixture of pure white and buffy yellow, and the ear-
lier of the secondary greater coverts nearly entirely pure white

on their outer webs; the breast is pale buffy yellow, intersected

by a broad, conspicuous, brownish maroon band, and bounded in-
feriorly by a black band ; below this the whole abdomen and flanks
are dull white, the fac hang pale brown at their bases, each with
‘a conspicuous, somewhat crescentic blackish brown subterminal
band. The lower tail coverts, somewhat similarly barred, but
each feather with xwmerous bars, and the terminal one cunei-
form. The tarsal feathers, unspeckled buffy white.

The female lacks alike the white frontal patch, and the black
and white encircling bars, the whole head being similar to the
back head in the male:

The chin, throat, neck, abdomen, lower tail coverts are all
very similar to those of the male, except jirst, that the female
has 2o unspotted central streak in the centre of the upper por-
tion of the throat, and second, that the barrings are narrower and
somewhat less conspicuous. She entirely wants the yellow
breast and the two breast bands ; her breast is a pale fulvous
white, very regularly barred ath narrow, and somewhat wide-
ly-set, dark brown bars; only, where the regular barring of the —
‘breast ends, and just before the crescentic barring of the abdo-
‘men commences, there are traces of a broad, indistinct, scarce-
dy barred fulvous white band. The back and mantle, including
scapulars and tertiaries, are a delicate isabelline yellow, very
narrowly and closely barred, much more so than in the male,
with blackish brown, the bars not extending quite to the tips
or quite to the margins of the outer webs, of the exterior co-
.verts and longer scapulars, and most of the scapulars being

b)

ff

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. 221

strongly tinged with rufous, except just at the tips and mar-
gins. The wings of the female are otherwise similar to the
male, but want the French grey band at the bases of the secon-
daries.

This species closely resembles P. fasciatus, but the males are
distinguished at a glance, by the entire absence of the barring
all round the lower throat and neck of fasczatus, by the much
bolder character of the barrings on the back of fasciatus, and by
the abdomen in fasczatus bemg black with crescentic white
marks, instead of white with crescentic black ones as in the
present species ; the difference in the abdomen holds good in the
females, and besides the whole chin and throat is spotless isabel-
line in fasciatus female, while it is albescent, throughout closely
speckled, with blackish brown in the female Lichtensteinit. The
upper surface of the female in both species belongs to the same
type, but /asczatus is much more rufous and has far bolder
markings. Lastly, the bills in the present species are consider-
ably longer than in fasczatus which has it in the male 0:4 to
0:45 ; and in the female, 0°35 to 0-4.

This species has hitherto only been reported from Northern
Africa, and to the best of my belief, North-Western Arabia;

/ fasciatus does not appear to have been ever met with in Sindh.

801.—Pterocles alchata, L.

I never myself succeeded in shooting a single specimen of this’
species while in Sindh, but I saw one or two flocks of it some
few miles west of Jacobabad, and I was assured by an Officer.
there who is not only a first-rate sportsman but somewhat of an.
ornithologist also, that in this north-west corner of Sindh they
arrive In spring in countless multitudes, and are incomparably
more numerous at that time than all the other sand grouse put
together. They appear to remain for only a very short period.
For about three months in mid-winter, this species known to.
local sportsmen, as the painted rock grouse, is abundant about
Murdan, near Attock,in parts of the Peshawur valley, Abbota-
bad, and some isolated localities in Huzara. Nowhere in India
does it descend far into the plains.

801 vis.—Pterocles senegallus, L.—P. H.

130,—Pl. Col. 345.—Gould’s birds, Asia, II. pl.

6 ;—guttatus, Iicht.—Senegalensis, Shaw.—Alchata,
|B. Senegallus, Gmel.—Tachypetes, p. Tem. :
_ Numerous as the spotted sand grouse were incerta in localities, »
they were as a rule only met with within a comparatively nar--
row zone ; that within which the inundation tracts abut on the.

222° Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc.

dry uplands and cultivation and desert imosculate. In the im-:
mediate neighbourhood of the hills themselves, we never saw
them, except in parties coming up for a few minutes to drink at
some perennial stream, close to where it debouches from the
hills, and again we equally missed them well down into the
heart of the cultivated area. Denizens of the desert as their
plumage shows them to be at the first glance, they never ad-
vance far into the cultivation, to the immediate neighbourhood
of which they are attracted by the facilities for obtaining food.

There is really nothing to be said about their habits ; they
keep together in parties of from five to fifty ; very often each
flock, at any rate in winter, consists of one sex only ; occasionally
we found both sexes itermingled ; they trot about on the dry
soil, picking up seeds and insects, or squat motionless sunning
themselves in the early morning sun ; they fly off to drink, morn-
ig and evening, often to comparatively very distant localities,
and in fact comport themselves in most respects much as all the
other rock grouse with which I am acquainted do. It was
perhaps due to the season being yet young, but it did strike me
that though I often watched them from distances of from 80 to
100 yards with my binoculars, I never saw that perpetual skir-
mishing going on amongst the males which I have so often |
noticed amongst those of arenarius (but no doubt later in the
year) in the Punjab.

Of the six species of sand grouse as yet known to visit Sindh,
four I think we may safely assert, do not breed within the pro-—
vince; one exustus certainly does, and the sixth, the present
species, senegallus, probably does. It will be for local observers
to settle this point.

The bird being new to me I measured the first dozen specimens
T obtained in the flesh, and the following are the dimensions :

Males, length, 13°4 to 14°7 ; expanse, 23 to 23°7; tail from

_vent, 5: 3 to 6; wing, 7°5 to 7: 9 ; the wings, when closed, reach
to within from 8°38 to 2°8 of the end of the longest tail feathers,

viz., the central ones which exceed the others by from 1:75 to —

2; bill at front, 0°44 to 0°47 ; tarsus, 1 to 1:05.

Females, length, 12°4 to 13-1 ; expanse, 22 to 22°6 ; tail from
vent, 4 to 4°6 ; the central tail feathers only extending from
0°75 to 1:2 beyond the rest ; wing, 7°3 to 7°5 ; ut at front, 0:4
to 0°44.

Indes, brown ; bare orbital skin, yellowish ; bill, pale plum-
beous, Blaish grey, or bluish white, always some hat more
dusky towards the tip ; feet, pale plumbeous, or bluish white,
paler towards the tips of the toes and whitish on scales; weight,
8 to 12 ozs., but averaging about 10 ozs. :

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c. 225

The male has the whole chin and throat with a patch extend-
ing upwards from the throat towards, but not quite meeting on,
the back of the neck, bright buffy yellow or orange buff ; lores,
forehead, a broad stripe over the eye continued round the nape,
and the back of the neck, pale blue grey, dull and tinged fawny
in some specimens ; crown, ‘occiput, and nape, a sort of dove
color or pale slightly rufous fawn ; back and rump, a somewhat
similar, but more sandy color, in many specimens more tinged
with fawn ; the upper tail coverts, buffy yellow, all but the
longest obscurely tipped with a somewhat pinkish mouse color.
They are more or less pale dove color at their bases, which colour
however is not seen till the feathers are lifted. The central tail
feathers have the pointed tips black, in many specimens more or.
less tinged hoary buffy, and the rest of the visible portion yellow-
ish buff; but the bases as may be seen on lifting the feathers are
greyish ; the lateral tail feathers area greyish brown at base, dark
shafted, with conspicuous white tips, and broad blackish brown
subterminal bands ; the primaries are pale isabelline, the shafts
conspicuous and black ; they have broad ilJ-defined subterminal
brown bands, beyond which there is a narrow paler tipping, and
they are pretty conspicuously margined on their inner webs
towards the tips with still paler isabelline. The first primary has
the outer web browner, the others have the outer webs, especially
towards the bases, a brighter isabelline. The whole visible por-
tions of the lesser coverts and of the primary greater coverts are
yellowish fawn, or isabelline, varying much in shade in different
specimens, these greater coverts dark shafted, and with a brown-
ish tinge next the shafts on the mmner webs; the scapulars
bluish grey at the bases, tipped broadly, but chiefly on the outer
webs, with buffy yellow, and the lesser ones tinged immediately
above the yellow with a somewhat brownish purple, or dull grey-
ish vinaceous. ‘The secondary, median, and greater coverts like
the lesser scapulars, but shewing more of the vinaceous hue.
The secondaries are brown, lighter towards their bases. The
lower part of the neck in front and upper breast are nearly the
same blue-grey or greyish fawn as the back of the neck; the
lower breast, abdomen, sides, flanks, axillaries, and wing lining -
isabelline or desert color ; the upper abdomen often with a faint
orange buffy tinge. A broad irregular deep brown patch runs
down the centre of the abdomen to the vent ; the lower tail co-
verts are greyish brown at their bases, but are broadly tipped
with white (often tinged buffy or isabelline) which is the only
color visible until the feathers are lifted. ‘The lower surfaces of
the quill shafts are white.

The female has the yellow chin and throat-patch like the male

224 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

but paler ; the lores and feathers immediately encircling the eye,
pale isabelline white ; the whole upper parts and the neck all
round pure isabelline, tinged slightly rufous on the occiput, nape,
and back, and conspicuously spotted with dull, somewhat greyish,
black ; the spots on the forehead and front part of the head are
small and irregular ; on the nape and occiput they are more or
less arranged in rows, (soas to produce more of a striated
appearance) and in a band running from behind the eye round
the nape, they are very much more densely set ; on the upper
tail coverts they are larger ; while on the scapulars they take the
form of double spots or irregular bars. The primaries and their
greater coverts are much as in the male, but paler ; the central
tail feathers are isabelline, dark shafted, the points greyish black,
and the rest of the feather with narrow, transverse, irregular
bars of the same color on both webs ; the lateral tail feathers are
much as in the male ; but have the basal portions more tinged
with isabelline, and more or less imperfectly barred. The breast,
abdomen, wing lining, &c., are asin the male, but somewhat
purer and paler; and the abdominal patch is narrower and _per-
haps also somewhat paler.

: This species has previously only been obtained in Northern
Africa and North-Western Arabia.

I notice that Mr. Gould’s figure, and indeed all the figures
that I have seen of this species represent the bird as very much
stouter and clumsier than it really is ; they are really compara-
tively very slim, slender creatures, very unlike the broad massive-
chested partridge like arenarius.

801 ter.—Pterocles coronatus, Licht.—Pl. Col.
339, 340.—Gould. Birds, Asia, IID, pl. 7.

I never myself was fortunate enough to secure this handsome.
sand grouse ; but it is at one season at any rate not uncommon
in the extreme North-West of Sindh about Jacobabad, and one
\ of the officers there, Captain Loch, very kindly gave me a skin
- of a male which he had shot shortly before my arrival. This
—species has hitherto, only I believe, been sent from Nubia, Algeria,

and North-Western Arabia. ;

The dimensions of the male I obtained taken from the dried
skin were as follows : length, about 12; wing, 7:1, tail from.
vent, 3°75 ; bill at front, 0°45 ; tarsus, 0°95.

The male has the point of the forehead white, tinged with
isabelline, and a broad black stripe running upwards from the-
gape on either side of this ; from the ends of these stripes a broad
pale bluish grey band runs over the eyes and ear coverts, and |
round the nape. The chin, and the base of both mandibles and. a

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 225

streak about an inch lone running down the front of the throat,
black ; the lores and a narrow border to the black at the base
of the lower mandible, white; rest of the throat, ear coverts, and
a broad collar on the sides and round the back of the neck, bright
buffy yellow or orange buff ; crown and occiput, a somewhat ru-
fous fawn or dove color, with a slight cinnamon tinge ; base of
the neck all round, breast, and abdomen, pale isabelline, with a
slight greyish tinge on the neck ; lower tail coverts, sides, axil-
laries and the greater portion of the wing lining almost pure
white ; the smaller coverts along the carpal joint faintly tinged,
isabelline and with slightly darker shafts. The whole back, rump,
and upper tail coverts isabelline, all the feathers margined and
tipped with brownish grey so as to produce the effect of the ends
of the feathers being all dirty. The central tail feathers greyish
isabelline, dark shafted ; the laterals similar, tipped with fulvous
white, and with a more or less well marked grey brown spot or
imperfect transverse bar just above the tippmg. The primaries
and their greater coverts dull grey brown, with brownish white
shafts ; all but the earlier primaries tipped, and broadly mar-
gined towards the tips on the inner webs, with isabelline ; the
scapulars and the median coverts with greyish vinaceous bases,
dark brown shafts except just at the tips, isabelline tips anda
blackish grey band running down the shaft from some little dis-
tance above the isabelline tips, and dividing when it meets
them, and extending on either web so as to bound these tippings
and separate them from the vinaceous color of the basal portions
of the feathers; the dingy margins to the rump and back
feathers, produce a somewhat mottled appearance, which is still
more conspicuous on the scapulars, wing coverts, &c., where grey-
ish black, yellowish isabelline, and greyish vinaceous are all min-
gled in patches ; the whole of the visible portion of the greater
secondary coverts are isabelline, and the secondaries themselves
are plain hair brown.

I did not as already mentioned procure the female which
Mr. Gould thus deseribes—“ The female has the crown, very pale
cinnamon, spotted with black ; all the upper surface, buff, with
numerous crescentic broken bands of brownish black ; seapularies,
largely blotched with black ; throat and cheeks, yellowish buff ;
under surface, sandy buff; the throat and breast marked with
erescentic bands like the upper surface, wings similar to, but
paler than those of the male.”

802.—Pterocles exustus, Tem.
_ Pretty common everywhere, but not apparently in any thin
like such numbers as P. alchata or P. senegallus.

»

226 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

818—Francolinus vulgaris, Steph.

In suitable localities throughout Sindh wherever there is
water and long grass, the common francolin abounds. About Kus-
more, on the banks of the Indus they swarm, and on the road
between Shikarpoor and Sukkur, they run backwards and forwards
across the road in front of you as our pheasants do in Norfolk.

820.—Caccabis chukar,. Gray.

~ The Sindh chickore though not specifically separable is a great
deal paler than that found in Kumaon, the valleys of the Jumna,
Ganges, Sutlej, and Beas, so far as these he within the hills, and
the lower of the intermediate hill ranges. As we travel further
west, an intermediate type of coloring is noticeable, and as a rule
the birds from the neighbourhood of Murdan, though quite as
dark on the upper surface, have the abdomen and vent, &c.,
much paler, in fact almost as pale as that of the Sindh birds.

So far as the general tone of color is concerned, the Sindh
birds closely resemble the race from Ladak which I designated
(“Lahore to Yarkand”) padlescens ; but that bird is characterized
by its larger and stronger bill, and by the almost entire absence
of any rufous tinge on crown, occiput, and nape, whereas, in the
Sindh birds, the bills run slightly smaller than those of the com-
mon Himalayan form, and there is a decided rufous tinge on the
ecciput and nape. It is found throughout the rocky hills that
divide the Punjab from Afghanistan and Khelat, and the latter
from Sindh.

821.—_Ammoperdix Bonhami, Gray.

This pretty little desert partridge so common in the salt range
and in the hills that divide the Punjab from Afghanistan, is
found, but by no means in equal numbers, in those which divide
Sindh from Khelat, and again in those which run up the Mekran
Coast. In these latter localities I fully expected to meet with the
nearly allied A. Heyii, Tem., but though we shot several birds
they proved to be all Bonkam:. I have measured a great number
of these in the flesh; the following are the dimensions.

Males, length, 9°5 to 11 ; expanse, 16 to 16°75 ; wing, 4°9 to:
5°75 ; the third, or occasionally the third and fourth primaries
are the longest ; tail, from vent, 2 to 2°5; tarsus, 1-1 to 1:2; bill
from edge of cere to point, 0°44 to 0°48 ; closed wings fall short
of end of tail by from 1:25 to 1:75 ; weight, 7 to 8 ozs.

Female, length, 9 to 9°75 ; expanse, 15 to 16:25 ; wing, 4°9 to
5-1; tail, 2 to 2°5; tarsus, 1-1 to 1:2; bill as above, 0-4 to 0°46;
closed wings fall short of end of tail by 1-1 to 1-75 ; weight,
5°75 to 8 ozs.

Contrisutzons to the Ornithology of India, Sse. 227

Legs and feet, pale dingy wax yellow, in some greenish, in
some dusky yellow ; claws, pale brown ; the irides vary a good
deal: they are generally either bright yellow, orange, or orange
brown ; but in some specimens, they were dull red, and in some a
bright brow n ; the hill is generally orange, somewhat dusky on
ine culmen ; oh some, however, it 1s a hon nish orange red, and m
the females “especially often brown above and orange below, or
even yellowish brown ; the cere is generally a hoary orange red,
sometimes only brown.

§22.—Ortygornis ponticeriana, Gel.

Pretty common in the neigbbourhood of cultivation through- 3

out Sindh.
829.—Coturnix communis, Bonn.

I met with this constantly in Sindh, but never far from cul-
tivation. I nowhere put up more than a couple or two in any one
place, but in certain seasons of the year I am told that they are
very plentiful.

$30.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gel.

I myself never saw this bird alive in Sindh, but it is very com-\

mon during the monsoon and I saw specimens that had been pro-

cured during the previous rains and others have since been sent .

to me.
835.—Turnix Dussumierl, Tem.
Shot at Jacobabad by Capt. Malden. We failed to secure any

specimen in Sindh.
836.—Otis Edwards, Gray.
One specimen was shot some years ago near Kurrachee, and

it is not very uncommon, IJ hear, in the Thurr and MS districts,
east of the Indus.

837.—Houbara Macqueeni, Gray.

The Houbara though scaree im Sindh compared with what
it isin the North-Western Punjab, is very often met with in those
barren plains which I have already described (c.f. supra sylvia
delicatula, Se.) where the Lana and Bouee afford it shelter. I never
myself saw above a couple of pairs in any one day, and never
took the trouble to go after it; but as an idea was prevalent
among sportsmen that it was different from the Punjab Houbara,
I examined a couple of specimens that one of them had by him,
and found that they were identical with the Punjab birds. Mr.
Gray makes or accepts two species of this genus, or sul-genus ; the

R

228 . Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc.

one, the original houbara of Gmel., from North Africa, Arabia, and
Spain, and the other, the present species, from “‘ Punjaub, Sindh, ~
England, Germany, Belgium.” Can these really be distinet?
and if so, wherein does the distinctness lie?
838,—Sypheotides auritus, Lath.

We never met with this species, but yearly in August or
September, when the inundation has been good, from 10 to 30
couples of this beautiful and graceful little bustard are killed in
the neighbourhood of Kurrachee. I have not yet heard of their
appearance elsewhere in the province.

840. bis—Cursorius gallicus, Ginei.

The cream colored courser was met with, though sparingly, in
all suitable localities, sandy wastes, especially in the neighbourhood
of cultivation. They are permanent residents, and breed in Sindh
as they do in suitable localities in the northern and western dis-
tricts of the Punjab and almost throughout Rajpootana.

There has been an idea that our Indian race was distinct and
Jerdon hesitatingly proposed for it the name of Jamesoni ; I have
compared an African specimen (a bad one it is true) with a series
of Indian ones, and I can discover no difference whatsoever
between them.

844.—_Squatarola helvetica, L.

I only met with this species in the Kurrachee Harbour where
it was very abundant; feeding in company with Cirrepidesmus
Geoffroyt, mongolicus, and numerous other little waders on the
vast iaud flats that the retreating tide daily lays bare. All were
in winter plumage.

845.—Charadrius fulvus, Gm. longipes, Tem.

Imyself never met with this species in Sindh ; but Dr. Day who
is well acquainted with the bird, and who was an ardent ornitholo-
gist himself before he turned his attention to Ichthyology, observed
a pair in the neighbourhood of Larkhana. Dr. Jerdon says, that
many of this species breed in India even as far south as Nellore ;
hitherto none of my correspondents have ever been able to verify
this fact; Mr. F. R. Blewitt who watchedt hem carefully for some
years at Raipore on the stony plains about which they occur in
myriads, found that by the lst May they become wild and shy,
and by first of June disappear entirely. ;

Quite recently, however, Mr. A. J. Rainey, most obligingly
sent me a nest and egg, with the followmg remarks :

Nest and egg of the Golden Plover, (charadrius longipes, Tem.)
September 22; 1871.—“ At Khalisptr, about 14 miles from

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 229

the sub-division of Khulna, in the district of Jessore, Province of
Lower Bengal, on rather wet ground, in a bare field, from which
a crop of rice had been reaped about a month before, found the ac-
companying nest and eg, (along with two other eggs with their
shells broken, which I cast away), on whieh was sitting the pa-
rent bird, evidently a female: it flew off on my approach, and
joined a flock of the same species of plover close by, into which
I fired, and bagged half a dozen of them.”

The nest is of coarse grass and paddy stems loosely put to-
gether, say six inches in diameter and a couple of inches thick,
with a slight central depression. The ege, J should have pro-
nounced to be that of the painted snipe and far too small for this
present species, but : presume Mr. Rainey is correct. The eee
is a moderately broad slightly pyriform oval, with a pale café
au lait ground, thickly and boldly blotched with blackish brown ;
there are no secondary markings such as characterize plover’s
egos, and the shell has a fair amount of gloss. The eee measures
1 35 by 0:96. Can this really be the ege of C. fileus ?

It may be well to note that there are three nearly allied golden
plovers; viz., the present species from North Eastern Africa,
Asia generally, the Indian Archipelago, and Australia; Pluvialis
from Europe, Asia Minor, and many parts of Africa; and Fur
guicus from America.

Pluvialis is at once distinguished by its pure white axillary
plumes which are brownish grey in the other two species.

Fulvous and Virginicus differ chiefly in their relative propor-
tions, the former being always smaller. The following are di-
mensions of the three given by Harting:

Biil, Wing. Tarsus.
C. vorginicus ... 1 to: 7-4 16
C. fulcus 2 0:8 to 0:9: G4 te 6:6 15
C. pluvialis ... 0-9 (i) 1-4.

846.—Cirrepidesmus Geoffroyi, Wagler.

This, the largest of the small shore plovers, was met with in
thousands 1 in the Kurrachee Harbour, feeding along with its con-
geners, Godwits, oystereatchers, tur heroes. and the like, on
every mud flat. It was equally common, I was told, about the
mouths of the Indus, from which locality I saw a specimen, and
in all suitable localities along the coast. With one exception
all the very numerous specimens I obtained were in winter
plumage ; but one male shot on the 2nd February, has the broad
rufous pectoral patch, rufous forehead, rufous collar round the
back of the neck, and rufous tinge on many of the scapulars, indi-
cative of the breeding plumage. I measured a great number of ©

230 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

these in the flesh ; I found that there was no constant difference in
the size of the sexes; there were equally large males and large
females. The following are the dimensions :

Length, 8°5 to 9°25; expanse, 17°5 to 19; tail from vent, 2-2
to 2°5; wine, 5-4 to 5°95; bill at front, 0°95 te 1:05; tarsus,
1:5 to 1:65; wings, when closed, reach from within 0°15 of,
to quite to, the and of tail; weight, 2-7 to 3 oz. Legs, greenish
erey, or pale olive; feet, dusky or blackish ; bill, black ; inides,
brown.

847.—Cirrepidesmus mongolicus, Pail.

This species was found in the Kurrachee Harbour in vast num-
bers and also m various localities along the Mekran Coast. Only
one specimen shot at ‘Korebut, on the 15th February, exhibits
any traces, and these only the very faintest, of the summer
plumage ; of these too, I measured many in the flesh, and could
detect no constant difference in the size of the sexes. The di-
mensions were, length, 7°25 to 8; expanse, 15°75 to 16°25;
tail from vent, 1:9 to 2°3; wing, 4°8 to 5; bill at front, 0°66 to
0:71; tarsus, 1°27 to 1°39; weight, 1-7 to 1-9 ozs. Legs dusky
plumbeous, greenish dusky, or olive green; bill, black; irides,
brown.

-848.—Aigialophilus cantianus, Lath.

We met with this species all alone the banks of the larger
rivers both in the Punjab and Sindh ; occasionally in some of

the inland waters of Sindh, and commonly in the Kurrachee
- Harbour and alone the Mekran Coast. One specimen killed on
the 6th February, had nearly assumed the summer plumage;
the lore streak and ear coverts were black; the laree patch on
either side of the breast black; the crescent on the forehead
above the white frontal band, black; and the crown, occiput,
and nape strongly tinged with rufous. Specimens measured in
the flesh, gave the following dimensions—leneth, 6°5 to 6:8;
expanse, 13 to 14; tail from vent, 1:9 to 2°1; wing, 4°1 to
nearly 4°5; bill at front, 0°55 to 0°65; tarsus, 1-1 to 1:2;
weight, 1:2 to 1-4 oz.

849.—Aigiatitis fluviatilis, Bechst ; equals, ac-
cording to Mr, Gray, curonicus, Besck.

~More common than the last species, but found in the same lo-
ealities; may always be distinguished from the preceding by
its slenderer head, and by having the shafts of all the prima-
ries but the first brown, whereas in the three preceding species, the
shafts of all the primaries are white. I shot a specimen of this

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 231

at, Gwader on the Mekran Coast, and I saw, but failed to pro-
cure a specimen, as I was endeavouring to shoot an osprey at
the time, a flock of them near Muscat.

There is some little confusion in regard to what our sm: al
lest Indian shore plover really is. Mr. Blyth says unhesita-
tingly curonicus, which Mr. Gray gives as a synonyme of fluria-
tilis, Bechst, aaa to which he assigns a habitat of East and
South Shove. Egypt, Red Sea. On the other hand, Mr. Gray
only assigns to India philippinus, Lath., which he identifies
with pusillus, Horst., memutus, Pall., simplex et collaris, Licht.,
intermedius Ménétr, and zonatus, Swains, and which would
appear to occur also in China, the Philippine Islands, and
West Africa!

Jerdon, I think, clearly describes fluviatilis ; of philippinus.
Blyth says, that ‘in nuptial dress, it has the usual white fore-
head surmounted by a black band, also a black loral streak and
auriculars in part; crown, rufescent brown, with a more rufous
periphery, some black behind the white nuchal collar above, the
black pectoral streak narrow or interrupted in front, and the
tail unbanded, with the three outermost feathers white; legs,
pale in dry specimens; length of wing, 4 inches ; of tarsi, 1-12
inch.”

If I have rightly identified the birds, we have doth in India ;
fluviatilis is the one common in the North-Western Provinces,
the Punjab, and Sindh, and probably everywhere along the west
Coast. It occurs also on the east, but there and at the Anda-
mans, philippinus also occurs.

HMuviatilis breeds freely with us. I have its eggs sent me by
Mr. F. R. Blewitt, from the Mahanuddy in the. Raipoor dis-
trict, and from ie Ganges near Futtehgurh.

Philippinus, as fay as I yet know, does not breed on the main
land, but very likely may on the Andamans and Nicobars.

851.—Vanellus cristatus, Meyer.

The peewit is rare in Sindh; I only saw it occasionally in the
neighbourhood of some of the larger lakes.

852.—_Chettusia gregaria, Pail.

This lapwing was often met with; chiefly in waste places in
the immediate neighbourhood of cultivation. As a rule this is
an upland bird; you may see it occasionally near jheels; but it
is most common in the neighbourhood of cultivation on waste
dry uplands. It keeps together in flocks of from 20 to 100,
and until shot at once or twice, is fearless and tame.

Dr. Jerdon only describes the summer plumage of this species.

232 Controbutrons to the Ornithology of India, &c.

In winter plumage the crown and occiput are xot black, but
olive brown, more or less mottled with dusky, and on the crown,
with fulvous white. There is mo dark line through the lores,
which with the chin. throat, abdomen, lower tail coverts are pure
white; the sides and front of the neck and breast are greyish
white, more or less tinged, streaked, and mottled with greyish
brown ; the forehead and superciliary stripe are tinged tions.
most of the feathers of the mantle are narrowly tipped “with rufous
white or pale buffy ; and the abdominal patch is entirely want-
ing. I do not know whether this species breeds in India, but I
think it does not.

853.—Chettusia flavipes, Savigni. C. leucura,
Licht.

I often met with this species in small parties in the neigh-
bourhood of large pieces of water in Upper Sindh; but in south-
ern Sindh, I only onee saw it. It is essentially a bird of the
swamps, very rarely seen on the banks of rivers or running
streams. It is only a winter visitant to India, but during that
season 1s very plentiful throughout the Punjab, Oudh, the North-
Western Provinces, and Rajpotana, in switable localities.

855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd. Goensis, Gm.

Abundant every where in Sindh, but not nearly so numerous
as in the North-Western Provinces.

858.—Esacus recurvirostris, Cuv.

This great stone plover occurs, though nowhere very numer-
ous, in all the great rivers of the Punjab and equally so in the
Indus in Sindh. A fine male that I measured was, length,
21; expanse, 36°5 ; tail from vent, 5-5; wing, 10:5; elongated
tertials exeeed primaries by nearly an inch; bill at front, 3;
tarsus, 3'4; irides, hght yellow ; legs and feet, very pale yellowish
green ; bill black, greenish yellow at the base; the bird weighed
ifdibea2 oz

859.—Gidicnemus crepitans, Tem.

The goggle-eyed plover is not uncommon in Sindh. We met
with it in several occasions in rather open tamarisk jungle in
comparatively large parties. Salvadori separates our Indian
thick-knee as indicus ; but I confess that I have great doubts of
the necessity of this. Upper Indian birds do run somewhat
smaller than the European; but the Sindh birds are I think
larger than the upper Indian ones, and I expect that if a large
series were got together, every possible variation in size would be
found. One male I killed measured, length, 16 ; expanse, 50°75 ;

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 238

tail from vent, 7:2; bill at front, 1:27; tarsus, 2°85; wing, 9;
weight, 0°75 lbs. These dimensions are no doubt much smaller
than those given by Macgillivray, who gives length, 17:5 ;
expanse, 29; tail, 3°75, bill at front, 1°33; tarsus, 3-08; wing,
9°83. But these birds vary in size very materially, and I have —
seen European specimens no bigger than many Indian ones, and
I have shot Indian ones which looked bigger than the one of
which I have given the dimensions above.

860.—Cinclus interpres, L.

The turnstone was abundant in the Kurrachee Harbour and
not uncommon along the Mekran Coast but everywhere was shy
and wild, and I had great difficulty m procuring the seven
specimens I actually brought to book. My birds were all killed
early in February, and were all in the winter plumage, which
Dr. Jerdon does not describe and which it is impossible to identi-
fy with the full breeding plumage which he quotes from Yarrell.
The sexes do not appear to differ in size nor even in plumage,
at any rate in winter; and although Macgillivray says, that the
females have the black parts more tinged with brown, no such
difference is observable in my winter lulled specimens. Dimen-
sions taken from the fresh bird :

Length, 9°35 to 9°5; expanse, 18-5 to 19; wing, 5:9 to 6:1;
tail from vent, 2°4 to 2°5; bill at front, 0°8 te 0°9; tarsus, 0:97
to 1:05; weight, 3°75 to 4°3 oz.

The bills were black ; inides, brown; the legs in some, orange
red, in others, orange yellow; in both cases somewhat dusky on
the joints and with the claws dusky.

Plumage.—TYhe chin and centre of the throat, the middle of
the breast, abdomen, lower tail coverts, axillaries, wing luing,
middle and lower back, longer upper tail coverts, and the basal
portions of all the tail feathers, the greater portion of the inner
webs and bases of the secondaries and tertiaries, and a few of
the median scapulars (not seen till the others are raised), the
tips of the secondary greater coverts, and the tips of some of
the later secondaries, pure white. ‘he terminal rump feathers
and the shortest upper tail coverts, and the terminal portions
of the tail feathers, blackish brown (tipped most narrowly on
the central and most broadly in the lateral tail feathers) with
white. A line from the gape, cheeks, ear coverts, the sides, and
base of the neck in front and the sides of the breast, white,
mottled broadly with blackish brown. lLores and forehead
brownish, with an obscure darker brown line from the point of
the eye to the base of the culmen. ‘The crown of the head, hair
brown; all the feathers edged whitey brown; the back of the

oS

ee

234 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

neck and interscapulary region, blackish brown, with green
reflections; the feathers margined with paler brown, and the
white bases of the feathers shewing through a good deal; the
scapulars similar, but rather paler. The primaries and their
greater coverts, blackish brown; the shafts of all the former,
white, except just at the bases and tips where they are tinged
brownish. The edge of the wing just at the base of the pri-
mary greater coverts, white; the sixth to the tenth primaries
shewing the white of their bases on their outer webs just beyond
the tips of the greater coverts. The terminal portions of the
secondary greater coverts hair brown, margined, and as already
mentioned, broadly tipped with white ; the tertiaries brown, with
ereenish reflections, margined exteriorly towards the tips with
fulvous white; the secondaries almost entirely white; but with
the visible portion of their outer webs, and a corresponding
patch on the inner webs, next the shaft, brown; the extent of
this brown diminishes, and its tint pales as the feathers recede
from the primaries.

861.—_Dromas ardeola, Payk.

I secured no specimens of this species, though I more than
once fancied I saw it in Kurrachee Harbour, and since my return
from Sindh Mr. James, of the Civil Service, informs me that a
specimen has actually been procured in the harbour.

862.—Heematopus ostralegus, L.

Numbers of oystercatchers may be daily seen feeding at low
water on the mud flats of the Kurrachee Harbour in company
with innumerable waders. When the tide is up, they hang about
oyster rocks outside the harbour, and we saw them in various
localities along the Mekran Coast, and again a pair on the rocks
outside the Muscat Harbour. They were always terribly wary, and
it was almost impossible to procure a specimen, the few we did —
obtain were only secured after a vast amount of trouble. A
male measured in the flesh, length, 15°5 ; expanse, 34; tail from
vent 4:4; wing 10; wings when closed reach to end of tail ; bill
at front, 3:1; tarsus, 2-1; weieht, 1 lb. 6 ozs.

The bills in this species are very variable in length and range
from little more than 3 to 3°6; the legs and feet are brownish
purple; the bill, bright reddish orange, dingy and yellowish at
tip ; the eyelids orange red, and irides red.

863.—Grus antigone, L.
I only saw one single specimen of the sarus in Sindh, and I
think it must be very rare in the province. In any part of the

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, sc. 235

North-West, one would have certainly seen a couple of hundreds
during such an extended trip as we made.

864.—Grus leucogeranus, Pall.

Twice saw small parties of these, once at Guibee Dera, and once
at the Madho Jheel, in the Mehur sub-division. They are, I
fancy only occasional visitants, for the boatmen had no distine-
tive name for them, and did not seem to know what they were.

865.—Grus cinerea, Bechst.

Very common throughout the western Punjab especially in the
neighbourhood of the larger rivers on the banks of which they
eenerally spend the warmer portions of the day. Not uncom-
mon in Sindh, but chiefly found in the better cultivated portions
lying within (for them) easy reach of the Indus.

866.—Anthropoides virgo, I.

T only once saw the Demoiselle crane in Sindh, and that was
close to the Muncher Lake.

871.—Gallinago scolopacina, Bp.
872.—Gallinago gallinula, L.
Both these, odjets aimés of every sportsman, are common

enongh during the cold season, in suitable localities throughout
Side

873.—Rhynchea bengalensis, L.

I shot a single specimen near Mehur.. During the cold season
this species is very scarce, quite, I believe, an accidental strageler,
in Sindh, but in the early autumn, it is less uncommon.

875.—Limosa egocephala, L.

This godwit was observed occasionally on the banks of the
Indus and all the larger rivers of the Punjab, and in several
of the swamps and broads of Sindh, I met with it in very large
flocks ; on one occasion I killed nearly two dozens at asingle shot,
and on another occasion, one of the party made an almost equally
large bag.

875 bis.—Limosa rufa, Tem.? L. Lapponica, L.

This species was only met with in the Kurrachee Harbour
where I daily observed it feeding in large flocks. It was excessive-
ly wary, and though with others I was continually after it, we
only succeeded in securing six specimens, all in winter plumage ; 3
this bird is not described by Dr. Jerdon. The following are the
dimensions of this species :

236. Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

Males, length, 14°5 to 14°8; expanse, 27 to 27-75; tail from
vent, 2°7 to 3:3; wing, 7°8. to 84; tarsus, 2; bill at front, 2°8
to 3:1; weight, 8° ozs...

Female, length, 15°75 ; expanse, 28; tarsus, 2; tail, 3; wing,
8:4; bill at front, 3°65 ; weight, 9 ozs.

The legs and feet are black,in some dusky plumbeous ; irides,
brown ; the bill pinkish, for about the basal half, black or dusky
on the terminal half.

In the winter plumage, there is a broad indistinct white
superciliary band, and the feathers immediately below the eye
are also white ; the chin and throat are pure white; the forehead,
the whole top, back, and sides of the head, and the neck all
round, brownish white, closely streaked with darker brown, the
streaks very minute on the cheeks and sides of the head, some-
what larger on the front of the neck, and darker and stronger
on the head and back of the neck, where but little of the white
remains visible. The upper back, pale earthy brown, each feather
with a narrow dark brown central shaft stripe and mostly mar-
gined somewhat paler. The breast, pale greyish brown, more or
less obscured by the albescent tippings to the feathers, and some
of the feathers with. inconspicuous darker shafts; the feathers
of the central portion of the breast, if raised, will be found to
be not merely tipped whitish, but to be also obseurely barred
with white. The abdomen, vent, and lower tail coverts are pure
white, as are also the axillaries and wing lining ; the rump is
white with a few cuneiform or heart-shaped blackish brown
spots ; the upper tail coverts white, with narrow irregular arrow-
head bars; the tail feathers grey brown, with dark shafts tipped
white, and mottled with white on the mner webs of the exterior
ones, in some with traces of darker transverse bars. The pri-
maries and their greater coverts, black; the shafts of the first
two or three, white, subsequent ones, brownish white; the seapu-
lars and tertiaries, pale brown, darker shafted, margined paler, and
many of them. more or less tinged with ashy; the lesser and
median coverts like the scapulars, but margined whitish; the
secondaries brown, paler on the inner webs, and margined on
both webs and on the tips with white, as indeed are also, so far
as the tips are concerned, the later primaries, though less con-
spicuously so; the greater secondary coverts a more ashy brown,
narrowly, margined with white. In one specimen which appears
to be further advanced, the lateral tail feathers are distinctly
barred blackish brown and white; the cuneiform barrings on the
rump and upper tail coverts are more marked; the axillaries
are all strongly barred ; the feathers of the sides and flanks and
also the lower tail coverts exhibit numerous arrow-head bars ;

Contributions to the Ormthology of India, Sc. 237

and one or two rufous or chesnut feathers with black bars have
began to shew themselves on the breast.

The summer plumage is thus described by Temminck—

Male.—“ Upper part of the head and occiput, blackish brown,
mixed with streaks of reddish yellow ;a band of the latter colour
over the eyes; lores, blackish brown ; cheeks and throat, of a yel-
lowish red ; all the lower part of the body, including the under
tail coverts, pale yellowish red ; upper part of the back and scapu-
lars, blackish brown, marbled with reddish yellow and whitish
grey; lower part of the back and rump, white, marked with
longitudinal yellowish red spots; the tail marked with brown
and white bars, those of the latter tint irregularly distributed,
and disposed more or less longitudinally ; quills black from their
tip, the remaining part towards the bases, blackish brown, with
their inner webs whitish grey, marbled with pale brown; the
secondaries, grey, with the shafts and margins, white.

Female. —©< The head and lores asin the male; the throat, white,
marked with reddish grey; cheeks and neck, very light reddish,
with numerous brown streaks, which become broader, and form
small transverse brown and white bars on the sides of the breast ;
the latter and the belly marbled with white and very pale
reddish; the abdominal part, white; the lower tail coverts,
reddish white, with ight brown bars.”

876.—Terekia cinerea, Guildenst.

This species was very abundant in Kurrachee Harbour and I
met with it once or twice on the Mekran Coast. Ata little dis-
tance it was very like the lesser redshanks. Most of our speci-
mens, killed early in February, were still in winter plumage, a
few of them exhibited black streaks on the scapulars indicative
of the coming summer plumage. By some oversight, I measured
none ofthe males. Females, measured in the flesh, varied as
follows—length, 10 to 10°5; expanse, 17 to 17°25; tail from
vent, 2 to 2°5; wing, 5°1 to 5:2 ; bill at front, 1°75 to 2 ; tarsus,
1:1 to 1:15; legs and feet, pale reddish orange; bill, orange at
base, blackish at tip.

877.—_Numenius lineatus, Cuv. Regn. An. 2nd

Ed. 1., p. 52. Note 2. (? N. Major. Fawna Japonica. -

Aves, Pl. 66.)

Although I follow Mr. Blyth (and Prof. Schlegel?) in con-
sidering the Indian curlew as possibly deserving of specific
separation, I am yet by no means certain of the fact. Mr. Blyth
remarks, [47s 1867 p. 158, “ British curlews are far more uniform
in size, and have the breast and flanks much more conspicuously

238 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

spotted,” and he identifies our Indian bird with Schlegel’s JW.
Major. y
Schlegel, Faun. Japon., p. i, thus contrast the two species.

_ Arquata Major.
Bull, 4°94 to 5°94 711 to 7°22
Tarsus, 3°1 3°56 to 3°65
Wings, 12°05 to 12°4 "12°4 to 12°68
Spots of the flanks in gen-
Spots of the flanks—trans- eral—longitudinal, most com-
versal, broad, and triangular. monly narrow, and sometimes
indistinct.

Now as regards European curlews being more uniform in size
' than Indian ones, I must beg to doubt the fact. There appears to
be just the same disproportion between the sexes of the Huropean
bird that there is amongst the Indian. I have an English male
before me, of which the bill is only 4°85, and again an English
female, with a bill 6°12.

Then as regards what, both Mr. Blyth and Prof. Schlegel say
as to the flanks of the European bird being much more broadly
spotted, I regret that I cannot in any way concur; on the
contrary, I believe that differences in this respect are pure-
ly individual; I have one English bird in which the spots
on the flanks are considerably narrower and more longitudinal
than in fully half my Indian specimens, and again some Indian
birds that have the spots, regular broad arrow-head bars, fully as
broad as any English specimen; and generally, I may say, that
the Indian and English birds at any rate to judge from my
specimens of both, though varying materially as individuals zn-
ter se, are absolutely inseparable as races, so far as plumage is
concerned.

But so far as I can judge, there really is a marked difference
in the length of the bills of the two species. I myself have an
English male with a bill only 4°85, a female 6°12. Macgillivray
gives the bill at 6°25; so that, probably, taking the two sexes,
the bills of the English birds vary from 4°85 to 6°25. Now the
bills of the males of Indian birds vary from 5:25 to 5:9, and those
of the females, from 6°5 to 7°5, so that taking the two sexes
together, the bills of our Indian birds vary from 5°25 to 7°5,
against 4°8 to 6:25 in the English. As to the Indian birds, I
can speak with absolute certainty, having carefully measured the
bills of 18 specimens. Of the English bird, 1 cannot of course
speak so confidently, but should their bills really only vary within
the limits above assigned, then the difference in length is very
considerable.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 239

Another point that strikes me in the Indian birds, and it is
impossible to lay half a dozen of each kind together without at
once noticing it, is that the bills of our birds are much more
markedly curved than those of the European ones. As for the
dimensions assigned by Schlegel for the European bird, he must
have measured mounted individuals, in which the feet being set
at right angles to the tarsus, the full length of the latter cannot
be measured. A very small English male, with the bill only
4°85, has the tarsus fully 3:2, a correspondingly small Indian
male, with the bill 5-25, has the tarsus precisely the same length
as the English one, while the tarsus of the largest Indian male
I have, is only 3°3. The longest tarsus of any Indian female is
only 3°5, and that of a fine female, with a bill 7, is only 3°38.
This same bird has the wing only 11-6, and the largest bird has
a wing of only 12-6.

As far as I can judge, therefore, the only real distinction that
exists between the Indian and English birds is that the former
have longer bills which are conspicuously more curved towards
the tips; whether this is sufficient to constitute a distinct species,
is merely a matter of opinion.

The grey curlew is very abundant throughout the cold wea-
ther along the banks of all the greater rivers of the Punjab and |
of the Indus in Sindh, and is nearly equally common in the
neighbourhood of all the larger inland pieces of water as well as
in all the harbours and back-waters of its coast and of the
Mekran Coast. I measured one day three fine females in the
flesh, and the following were the results :

Length, 25 to 26:5; expanse, 40°5 to 43; tail from vent,
4°8 to 5-4; wings, 11:6 to 12; bill at front, along the curve
from forehead to tip, 6°S to 7:25; tarsus, 3°25 to 3°5; weight,
1 Ib. 11 ozs., to 1 Ibs. 14 ozs. I have some longer billed birds,
and some with longer wings, none with a longer tarsus than
one of these: they are certainly three fine females; and I wish
some one at home would measure half a dozen fine females, and
see what amount of difference really exists between the two
races. I have many smaller females than these, and the males of
course, as may be judged by the dimensions I gave of their bills,
are altogether smaller.

880.—Philomachus pugnax, L.

Ruffs and Reeves, so common during the autumn and winter
in Upper India generally, were apparently scarce in Sindh. I
think I shot three altogether, and may have seen a score from
first to last. I understand however, that just towards the close
of the inundation, they sometimes appear in very large flocks,
disappearing again in about a month. :

240 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

881 bis—Tringa crassirostris, Temm. et Schleq.,
Faun. Jap., p. 107, pl. XIV: —Scheenicolus MAGNUS,
Gould, P. Z. 8S. 1848, p. 39.—Totanus tenuirostris,
Swinhoe. nec Horsf. Lin Trans., Vol. XIIL., p.
192.—T. magna, Bonap.

Whether professor Schlegel be correct or not in asserting that
tenurrostris, Horsf, loc. cit. really refers to Totanus stagnatilis, this
present species must assuredly stand under Schlegel’s name of
erassirostris.

How Mr. Gray could possibly assign to crassirostris the coars-
est and thickest billed of Zrenga’s, Horsfield’s name of ¢enwiros-
tris, which he describes as “ rostro tenui”’ and in regard to which
he remarks that “the beak is more slender than in the Euro-
pean species of this genus” (Zotanus) is “one of those things
that no fellah can understand ; ;’ but Mr. Gray rarely, if ever,
did any thing without very good reasons. I much wish the
matter could be cleared up. ‘The occurrence of this fine species
in Sindh was to me most unexpected. I found it common (but
very wary) in the Kurrachee Harbour, and saw a small party of
it again near Gwader; common as it was at Kurrachee, its
extreme shyness prevented my procuring more than seven speci-
mens, all these killed in the month of February, are in winter
plumage, none have the slightest rufous tint on the upper sur-
face, and only one or two large black spots on the breast betray
any indication of the summer plumage.

I measured five of these in the flesh, and the following are
the dimensions, I noting that there seems no appr eciable constant
difference in the sizes of the sexes.

Length, 11°35 to 12; expanse, 23°5 to 24; tail from vent,
2°7 to 2°8; wing, 7-1 to 7-3; bill, at front, 1-6 to 1°85 ; “tarsus:
1-4 to 1: 55 ; wing's when closed reach from 3 to 0-4 beyond
end of tail.

Bill, black, sometimes paler at the base a lower mandible ;
Tees and feet dusky, greenish dusky, yellowish plumbeous, or
pale plumbeous ; according, I suppose, to age or seasonal progress.

Plumage.—In the winter plumage the. upper surface reminds
one not a little of that of Totanus stagnatilrs. The whole lower
parts are white, but the base of the neck in front, and the sides
are marked with numerous small brown striz, ‘and the upper
breast, besides more or less of these striations, is mottled with
larger ‘pale brown spots, here and there interspersed with consp1-
cuous heart-shaped blackish brown spots, which are the first
traces of the coming summer plumage.

Lores, top, back, ‘and sides of the head and neck very pale

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 244

greyish brown, all the feathers narrowly streaked along the shaft
with dark brown. The upper back and whole mantle is a mix-
ture of pale brown and ashy, most of the feathers with blackish |
shafts, more or less darkly centred, and all conspicuously, though
narrowly, margined and tipped with white. Lower back and
rump: brown, the feathers narrowly and regularly margined,,
with white ; upper tail coverts similar, but the white margins:
much broader and the brown more or less obsolete on many of them..
Tail feathers, greyish brown; greyer and somewhat darker on
the: central ones, and paler and browner on the external ones, all
are excessively narrowly, in fact almost obsoletely, bordered with
white. The primaries and their greater coverts are hair brown,
most of the latter tipped white ; the secondaries and their great-
er coverts are a pale somewhat greyish brewn, all of them
narrowly, but the coverts less narrowly of the two, margined
with white. The wing lining, except just at the margin of the
wing which is mottled with brown, pure white; the axillaries
white with traces of irregular, wavy, pale brown bars. There
are a few elongated triangular pale brown. dashes on, the flanks,
and in some specimens one or two larger blackish brown spots
pertaining to the summer plumage. :

According to Schlegel, the summer plumage is as follows:
““ Feathers of the head and neck each with a large dark brown
Jongitudinal streak or spot on an albescent ground, which is tinged
with brownish rufous on thenape. Feathers of the breast and nape,
brownish black, each with a whitish transverse band about the
middle often tinged with brownish red towards the middle. The
rest of the lower parts and the rump, pure white; spotted, except
towards the middle of the abdomen, with broader or narrower.
dark brown spots. Back and wings, brownish black, lighter
on the wing coverts; all the feathers spotted and bordered. with
a bright brownish rufous, gradually disappearing towards the
edge of the wing; Lower wing coverts, white, becoming black
at. the base.”

This species, (though it is larger, and stouter,) so far as winter
plumage and general appearance go,. very much resembles the
knot, and I have no doubt that it was a\specimen of this species
and not of 7. canutus of which Dr. Jerdon obtained a solitary.
specimen at Madras. Hitherto this species has been obtained
at Swan River, and on the north coast of Australia, in Borneo,
Java, and many of the islands of the Indian Archipelego, Japan,
on the coasts of China, the banks of the lower Amoor, and. the
Sea of Okhotsh; but, its occurrence in large numbers as.a regu-

lar seasonal visitant so far east as Kurrachee, isa very noteworthy,
fact.

242 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

As to its habits, they are in no way different from those of
the rest of the family, and it is always met with feeding on the
mud flats in company with the bar-tailed godwit, the turnstone,
oystercatchers, the sanderling e¢ zd omne genus. I ought to
note that Capt. Malden thought he had obtained 7. canutus
at Kotree on the 14th November, 1867, but I cannot help sus-
pecting that his bird was the present species.

882.—Tringa subarquata, Gould.

The curlew stint was pretty abundant on the Sindh and Mek-
ran Coast, much less so however than the dunlin. While the
dunlin abounds on every large river of Upper India throuch-
out the cold season, I have never yet met with swbarquata more
than one hundred miles from the sea coast, except at the creat
Salt lake of Rajpootana at Sambhur, whence, as also from the
Yarkand river, I haveitinsummer plumage. It does not however
breed at Sambhur.

883.—Tringa cinclus, L.

The dunlin was abundant everywhere in the Indus, the
Kurrachee Harbour, alone the Mekran Coast and all the large
rivers of the Punjab. The only inland piece of water on which E
noticed it was the Muncher Lake.
884.—Tringa minuta, Leisler.

This httle stint was common in Sindh as it is throughout
India. Mr. Blyth in his Commentary on Jerdon’s Birds, J4zs,
1867, p. 168, substitutes for 8. menuta correctly, as I think, given
by Dr. Jerdon, 7. damacensis, Horsf. He does not explain the
grounds upon which this is done; but assuming his meaning
to be that damacensis and not minuta is the speeies which we
commonly obtain in India, I think that there is no doubt that he
ig In error.

I have the true muta from the Mekran Coast, Kurrachee,
various parts of Sindh, the Punjab, the North-West Provinces,
Oudh, the Central Provinces, as far as Raipoor, and Bengal as
far east as Dacca. I have never seen damacensis from India, nor
do I think that the bird comes as far east. In Peninsular India
and Ceylon, it may occur, but all the specimens I have hitherto
seen labelled damacensis were the true manuta, or the slightly
larger oceanic race Tringa albescens, Temm which I am half dis-
posed to coneur with Schlegel in uniting with mznuta.

It may be useful to point out the leading distinctions between
minuta and damacensis, Horsf., (= T. sub-minuta, Middendorff, and
salina, Pallas) as this latter is found throughout Hastern Asia, in
Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and other islands of the Archipelago,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 243

and may. not improbably occur in the Nicobars, even if it does
not extend to the Andamans,* Southern India, and Ceylon.

The two main points of distinction are these: In minuta, the
shafts of the primaries are mostly white, in damacensis, as in Tem-
minckt, with the exception of that of the first primary, the rest
of the shafts are brown, and while in Temmznchz the first shaft is
nearly entirely white,in damacensis it is decidedly tinged with
brown. ‘The second distinction consists in the much greater
length of the mid toe. 7. minuta is doubtless very variable in di-
mensions; but mid toe and nail included, no specimen of
minuta ever exceeds, I believe, 0-8 in length, while in damacensis
the mid toe and nail together, measure a full inch; the bill also
in damacensis measures about 0°75; in no specimen of minuta
that I have examined, including the larger race known as albescens,
does it exceed 0°73, and in some specimens, both English and
Indian, it does not exceed 0°65. M. Schlegel, I observe, gives the
bill of some of his specimens of mznuta from Australia, Timor,
and Java, all of which doubtless belong to the variety albescens,
at 9 French lines, which is about 0°82 English, but I have
examined a great number of specimens without meeting with
any such elongated bills, and possibly we do not measure exactly
in the same way.

I do not think that any other constant distinetions can be
established between damacensis and minuta. Mr. Blyth remarks
that minuta has abroader bill; but this certainly does not hold
good when several birds of each species are compared ; as a rule
I should fancy that subminuta was somewhat smaller than
minuta.

As regards the variation in size of minuta, Schlegel gives the
wings of European specimens, as from about 3°76 to 3:93; of
African specimens, as from 3°83 to 3-93; Formosan speeimens,
as from 4 to 4°11; Chinese, 4-2 to 4:38; Javan, from 4 to 4°25
Molucean, 3°93 to 4°2; new Giunea, 4°11; Australia, 3°83.
Macgillivray gives the wing at 4°08 with the remark that, that
of the female is slightly larger; but Yarrell gives the wing at
3°75, and this latter dimension corresponds exactly with my
English specimens. Amongst all my Indian killed specimens,
male and female in winter and in summer plumage, only one
has a wing above 3-9; in the vast majority the wings are be-
tween 3°7 and 3:8, and in a few specimens the wings range be-
tween 3°6 and 3:7, and again in a very few, between 3:8 and 3-9.
All the birds obtained in Sindh were in winter plumage, one only,
killed in the middle of February, exhibits a single feather of the
rufous summer plumage near the shoulder of the wing. “

* Whence, however, I have true minuta,

24.4 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

By the end of May, when I think they leave us, these birds _
are in full breeding plumage, and at the beginning of Septem-
ber, when we again see them, they have many of them lost but
little of the breeding dress.

885.—Tringa Temminckii, Leisler,

This little species though found throughout Sindh, (as indeed
it is throughout the whole of India durmg the cold season,) is
not nearly so common there as the preceding. It is readily dis-
tinguished from mznuta, by the color of its legs and feet
which in winter are pale horny green, varying to dusky olive
yellow ; in summer, olive yellow ; while in mznuta, they are black
at all seasons ; in winter and summer, respectively, the two or
three outer tail feathers on each side in Temminchit are pure
white, in minuta, pale grey brown ; then in the winter plumage
in Temmincki, there is always a broad dusky or grey brown band
extending over the whole breast, which in mznuta is confined to
the sides of the breast ; there is also the difference in color of the
shafts of the primaries which I have already noticed in speaking
of minuta and damacensis. None of our specimens shew the
slightest indication of summer plumage ; but specimens of this
species also, obtained in other parts of India, in May, exhibit the
full summer plumage which is, however, much duller and less
rufous than that of the corresponding stage in minuta.

. 886.—Tringa platyrhyncha, Temm.

This species was very common in the Kurrachee Harbour, and
along the Mekran and Sindh Coasts. Dr. Jerdon says, that the
broad billed stint is tolerably common towards the north of
India, rare in the south. To the best of my belief it is exelu-
sively, with us,a maritime species ; no ornithclogist probably has
been so much about the great rivers of Upper India as I have,
and I never once saw a specimen in the Central Provinces, Oudh,
Behar, the North-Western Provinces, Rajpootana, the Punjab
or Sindh above Kotree, nor have I ever met with a specimen
in any of the very numerous collections made in these provinces
which I have examined.

Till I got to Kurrachee I had never seen the bird alive, and I
therefore measured a good number in the flesh ; the sexes do not
differ appreciably in size. Length, 6-9 to 7:1 ; expanse, 12-9 to
13°2 ; tail, 1:3 to 1°8 ; wing, 4 to 4°2 ; wings, when closed, reach
from 0°2 to 0:3 beyond end of tail ; bill at front, 1:15 to 1°35 ;
tarsus, 0°85 to 0°97 ; weight, 1 to 1°15 oz.

888.—Calidris arenaria, L,
The sanderling is very common in the Kurrachee Harbour.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 84. 245

Dr. Jerdon says, that he once obtained a specimen on the sea
coast at Nellore ; but no other instance of its occurrence in India
has been recorded. It wantsthe hind toe altogether and its
bill is somewhat more plover-like than the rest of the stints and
snippets, and this has led some ornithologists to unite it with
the plovers as an aberrant member of the group. I particularly
watched this species as I had never before seen it alive, and [
noticed as a fact that it consorted rather with Myzalitis than
Tringa. Very often they were all mixed up together ; but I ob-
served (it was impossible to pick your birds) that I got more
sanderlings, with lots consisting chiefly of Mgzalitis than witli
others composed chiefly of Zringas, and this was also the case
with Strepsilas iterpres. A fine male measured, length, 7°5 ;
expanse, 14-7 ; tail from vent, 2 ; wing, 4°7; wings, when closed,
reached to 0°3 beyond end of tail ; bill at front, 0°93 ; tarsus,
0°92 ; weight, 1°7 oz.

889.—Phalaropus fulicarius, L.

I first saw this species when out fishing about two miles out-
side the Kurrachee Harbour. A small party of about 20, if I
remember rightly, swimming about merrily in the open sea. I
saw similar parties in various localities, the whole way up the
Gulf of Oman, and they are equally common, I was told, in the
Persian Gulf. So far as my experience goes they are very wary,
rising, en masse, and skimming along the surface of the water,
for a couple of hundred yards or so, as soon as the boat approaches
within a hundred yards of them. With very great difficulty,
though I often went after them, I secured a single specimen in
the open sea, half way between Gwader and Muscat, and that T
dropped out of a flock at fully ahundred yards distance. Mr.
Blyth procured a single specimen in the Caleutta market, but it
has never yet been recorded by any other observer from India.
Tt is, however, as I ascertained, a recular and well known visitor
to the seas that wash the Sindh and Mekran Coasts, and I my-
self again observed it in the open sea between Kurrachee and
Bombay. The specimen I procured was a female. Length to
end of tail, 7-9; the lower tail coverts project 0-1 beyond the
end of tail; expanse, 13:8; tail from vent, 1:7; wing, 4°45
wings, when closed, reach to the end of tail; tarsus, 0°82; bill
at front, 0°92; the second quill the longest; the first, 0-08 and
the third, 0-15 shorter than the second.

The bill is black; irides brown; the legs and feet, pale
plumbeous blue, dusky on claws, joints, and exterior of tarsus. |

- The lores, forehead, crown, chin, cheeks, front, and sides
of the neck, breast, abdomen, vent, lower tail coverts,. sides

246 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

of the rump, lateral upper tail coverts, and a broad tipping —
to the secondary greater wing coverts, pure white. A more —
or less imperfect ring round the eye, and a broad streak
from the lower part of the eye over the lower portion of
the ear coverts, sooty black. Occiput, back of nape, back
and mantle, dull, dusky, blue grey; many of the feathers,
especially the scapulars, narrowly margined with white. The
rump, central tail coverts, and tail, greyish brown, paler on the
lateral tail feathers; quills, blackish brown, white shafted ;
the posterior secondaries paler, and conspicuously margined with
white towards the tips; the greater primary coverts blackish
brown; the posterior ones narrowly tipped white; the rest of
the coverts more or less dark brown; the greater secondary
coverts, as already mentioned, with broad conspicuous white tip-
pings, a few dull grey streaks on the sides of the body and
flanks.

Iam by no means certain that this is fwlicarius; it is a
Phalaropus, both by bill and wing, but it does not agree over well
with my Huropean specimens, and when more examples are pro-
cured, may not improbably have to he separated as asiaticus,
nobis.

890.—Lobipes hyperboreus, L.

I did not myself obtain this species, but subsequent to my
leaving Sindh, my friend Mr. E. James, c.s., obtained a
specimen in August, in the Kurrachee Harbour, and forwarded it
to me. Unfortunately, he noted neither sex, colour of soft parts,
date, or measurements in the flesh, but the bird is nearly in
breeding plumage. Measuring the s/zn, I find the length about
7°53 wing, 4°25; the first primary the longest; the second, 0:06,
and the third, 0°3 shorter. Bull at front, 0°83; tarsus, 0°83;
bare portion of tibia, 0°47.

The forehead, lores, a narrow streak over the eye, the sides of
the head and neck and entire lower parts including the sides of
the rump, the axillaries and the major portion of the wing
lining, white, except a dark sooty streak from the front of,
and under the eye, to the ear. Numerous grey strize on the
sides of the body and flanks; the greater primary lower coverts
which are grey, and the smaller lower coverts along the edge of
the wing which are pale greyish brown, margined white. A very
faint refescent tinge at the point of the forehead, and on the
base of the neck in front. The crown, occiput, and nape, dull
sooty; back of neck, blackish grey, the feathers paling some-
what at the margins; back and scapulars, black, almost velvet
black, the feathers more or less broadly margined with rufous

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, fe. 247

buff. Rump and upper tail coverts, dusky grey, the longest of
the latter margined towards the tips with rufous buff; tail,
brownish grey; the central feathers darker towards the tips,
where they are narrowly margined with buff, the lateral ones
similarly margined with white and buffy white. The lesser and
median wing coverts dark greyish brown, darkest in the case
of the median coverts towards the tips, where they are narrowly
margined, with white and pale rufous buff; the greater coverts
dark brown, tipped white, those of the secondaries very broadly
and conspicuously so. Primaries, dark brown, conspicuously
white shafted, all but the first three, very narrowly margined with
white at the tips; secondaries similarly, but not quite so narrowly
margined ; white at their bases, the extent of white increasing
as the feathers approach the tertiaries, so much so, that the
latest are almost wholly white, having only a pale grey brown
streak down one web towards the tips. Tertiaries like the
scapulars, but paling towards their bases and less broadly
margined with rufous buff..

It will be seen that the above description does not correspond
over well with that usually given of L. hyperboreus.

The bird is clearly a Lobipes, with a very slender, pointed,
compressed bill, tapering toa point not at all enlarged at the end
as in Phalaropus. The first quill also is the longest, and not the
second as in this latter genus. But the wing lining is white,
not grey, nor are the upper tail coverts barred white and grey as
in hyperboreus, and the marked rufous buff margins of the back,
scapulars, and tertiaries, as well as the velvetty black of these
parts, rather resemble P. /wlicarius.

Altogether I am by no means certain that when we get more
specimens we shall not find grounds for separating our species,
when it might stand as Z. ¢ropicus, nobis, but until I obtain
European specimens for comparison, I shall retain the specimen
under the Linnean title.

Whether [Hyperborens, or a nearly allied but distinct species,
there can be little doubt that this is the bird of which Dr.
Stewart obtaimed a single specimen at Madras. =

892.—Totanus ochrophus, L. ec
893.—Tringoides hypoleucos, L. ane
Both species were occasionally met with throughout Sindh.

894.—Totanus canescens, Gn. Sf. glottis, D.
apud. auct.

_ The green shank was extraordinarily ieadbat in. the great
xivers of the Punjab, in-large parties of fifty occasionally, and

248 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

as they were pretty tame and uncommonly good eating, we shot
a good number of them for the pot. In Sindh they were by no
means scarce either on the Indus or inland ; but they were in
nothing like the numbers in which we noticed them higher up.
A male measured in the flesh, leagth, 13; expanse, 24°25 ;
tail from vent, 3:4; wing, 7°5 ; wing, when closed, reached 0°5
beyond the end of tail ; bill at front, 2°05 ; tarsus, 2°36.

896.—Totanus fuscus, J.

Almost equally common with the preceding im the rivers of
the Punjab, and common enough in Sindb, especially about the
larger lakes, where we occasionally met with enormous flocks of
it. Specimens measured, length, 12°9 to 13:3; expanse, 21 to
22; tail from vent, 2°9 to 3-2 ; wing, 6°5 to 6°9 ; wings when
closed, reached exactly to end of tail; bill at front, 2°3 to 2:4;
tarsus, 2°3 to 2°4 ; weight, 7°5 to 9 oz.

897.—Totanus calidris, L.

I met with this species only on the larger rivers and in the
Kurrachee Harbour where it was very abundant. I do not
remember ever noticing it on any of the inland waters. A male
measured, length, 11°5 ; expanse, 21°35 ; tail from vent, 2°7 ;
wing, 6°45 ; wings, when closed, reached to end of tail ; bill at
front, 1:7 ; tarsus, 2 ; weight, 6 ozs.

898.—Himantopus intermedius, Blyth.

Under this name Mr. Gray separates the Indian stilt, assign-
ing to the European and African bird v. Hasselquist’s name
autumnalis ashavine priority over candidus, Bonn., and melanop-
terus, Flem., the names by which that species 1s most commonly

known. The Australian race he separates as lewcocephalus, Gould.

Personally I suspend my opinion as to the distinctness of these
three supposed species ; in the mean time I may mention that
be its correct scientific name what it may, our stilt was not un-
common in suitable localities any where in Sindh, though it was
less common, than in Upper India.

899.—Recurvirostra avocetta, L.

Very common about the larger inland lakes; at the Muncher
lake especially, I noticed it in large parties, certainly a hundred
in asingle flock. They are very busy active birds, trotting
about very rapidly with their whole bill immersed in the water,
moving their heads from side to side as they trot along and
- reminding one very much in their actions of the spoonbill.

a ae is

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 249

901.—Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Scop.

We met with this on several of the larger inland lakes, but
nowhere in any considerable numbers. All the birds we saw were
of course in winter plumage.

902.—Porphyrio neglectus, Schl.—P.. polioce-
- phalus, Latham, apud Jerdon,

In some of the rush over-grown lakes of Sindh, the purple
coot is excessively abundant; unlike the common coot, and
water hens, they seem scarcely ever to shew themselves outside
the reeds, but when pushing through these in a_ boat, they rise
continually all about you, floundering up above the tops of the
rushes with a flapping noisy flight like that of a pea-fowl,
and, never rising more than a few yards in the air, again drop
at once after a short flight into some reedy thicket. The bird
when alive is certainly very beautiful; but in the skins not only
the color of bill and feet, but of the whole plumage fades so
much, that little trace of its natural beauty remains; its eges
which I have described elsewhere, are also when fresh amongst
the most beautiful that I know ; but they too alas, fade equally.

Gray assigns Latham’s name to the Sultana coot of the Philip-
pines and Madagascar? I confess that if the birds from both
these localities are identical, it is difficult, prima facie, to believe
that ours are distinct.

903.—Fulica atra, L.

Numerous as these birds are in our Norfolk broads where
about the commencement of the winter, they afford one or
two days grand fun, this is nothing to the multitudes that swarm
on the great inland broads of Sindh. On the Muncher lake I
believe they would have to be counted not by thousands but by
hundreds of thousands; a square mile of water may be seen per-
fectly black with water-fowl, and although ducks of various des-
eriptions do seem innumerable, they form scarcely one-tenth of
the floating herd, the great bulk of which consists of eoots. When
a shot is fired near to them and they rise, the noise of their wings,
and of their feet striking the water, is like the roar of the sea upon
ashingly beach. You can shoot nothing without knocking over
some of these wretched coots. During the days I was at the
Muncher lake, I never once fired at one, and yet I daily killed
between twenty and thirty accidentally in shooting at ducks. In
no part of the world have I ever seen such incredible multitudes
of coots as are met with in Sindh; in the Muncher lake par
excellence, but also in many others of the larger inland pieces of |
water,

250 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c.
905.—Gallinula chloropus, L.

The water-hen abounds in every swamp and broad in Sindh.
IT shot some almost daily, expecting to get Blyth’s G. Burnesz,
especially at the Muncher lake, whence the type specimen was
sent. I have killed and examined many speciznens ; but all I
met with were referable to the European species. I begin to have
strong doubts as to whether G. Burnest is not merely the
immature chloropus. In his original description Mr. Blyth
remarks: “The outer web of the first primary is white and the
outermost feather of the winglet is also bordered witi white.”
As a matter of fact, however, this is often the case in G. chloropus,
so that these two characteristics cannot certamly be depended
upon for descriminating the two species if they really exist. I
have two specimens one killed at Syree, below Simla, the other at
Erinpoorah, in Rajpootana, which undoubtedly represent G.
Burnesi, and supposing this latter to be really a distinct species
(and neither of my birds, prima facie, appear to be immature) the
features by which it can be most readily distinguished are jirst,
its much smaller size, second, almost entire absence of frontal
plate; third, far smaller development of the lateral membrane of
the toes; fourth, entirely white chin, and throat; ji/th, brown
head, nape, and neck almost unicolorous with the back. The
dimensions of Burnes: and chloropus males and females, were as
follows :

BUuRNESI. CHLOROPUS.

i Mate. Female. Male. Female.
Length ea ot oh 13:25 12:3
Jixpanse Anal!) 18 22°25 20°25
Wing ae 6 6°2 6-9 6:6
Tail from vent Tie ee Bae ol 2:5
Tarsus he sit Diesaal afi 2 19
Mid toe to root 1-9 9°] 9-4, 9-3

of claw
Bill straight to
front edi 118 Frehels 1:35 = 1:14
frontal plate

- These birds were all killed in the autumn or cold season, and
all measured in the flesh; but the question has more than once
suggested itself to me whether after all Burnes: may not merely
be the quite young bird of ch/oropus, and I hope some one who
has an opportunity of obtaining these birds: soon after they
leave the nest, will kindly secure and send me specimens. My
Syree bird was obtained on the 10th August, that from Erimpoorah
on the 12th October. ange

7

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 25]

-907.—Porzana pheenicura, Penn.

I did not myself meet with this species, but Mr. James, c. s.
kindly sent me a specimen which he had procured in January on
the Barra canal, with the remark that though he never saw it
elsewhere, the men who were with him, told him it was common.

909.—Porzana maruetta, Bris.—Rallus porza-
na, L.

A single specimen of this rail was shot for me in the Roree
district by Dr. Day. We never happened to come across it
again, but sportsmen to whom Ishewed the skin, informed me
that it was not uncommonly met with in tamarisk thickets in,
and on the edges of, swamps when beating for snipe.

910 bis—Porzana minuta, Pall ;—P. pusilla,
Gmelin.

The little rail is very abundant in Sindh. In some of the
inland pieces of water, that at Dost Alli for instance, a dozen
may be seen at the same time, busy feeding, running on the
lotus leaves, or again swimming rapidly from leaf to leaf. Baillon’s
crake, (P. pygmea,) I never once met with in Sindh; but
I have it from near Simla, up to a height of 4,000 feet, from
Etawah, Sirsa near Delhi, Raipoor, Dacca, and Tipperah, from
none of which I have seen mnuta. In fact untill went to
Sindh, I never met with this latter bird in India, and Dr.
Jerdon does not include it in the birds of India. Pygmaa breeds
in the North-Western Provinces at any rate, as Mr. Brooks
and I took one nest containing three eggs in the Etawah district,
and mnuta breeds, as the boatmen told me, regularly in Sindh.

Pygmea may always be distinguished at a glance from menuta
by its smaller size, shorter, and in proportion deeper bill, and
by having the back, scapulars, and greater wing coverts all
more or less profusely variegated with bluish white, whereas in
minuta, the white markings which are somewhat broader and of
a somewhat purer white, are confined as a rule to the centre of
the back, though occasionally some of the longer scapulars are
also faintly edged with bluish white. In mnuta the wing
varies from 3°75 to 4°1; the bill at front, from 0°7 to 0°76; in
pygme@d, the wing varies from about 3°45 to 3°62; and the bill
0-6 to 0°62.

A male of P. minuta was, length, 8:2; expanse, 12°5; tail
from vent, 2°25; and weighed 1-7 oz. In the males, the lower
surface is a grey blue, in the females, a light rufous buff.

U

252 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

915.—Leptoptilus dubius, Gm.—L. argala, Lath.

I myself never saw this species in Sindh, but Mr. Watson
informed me that it was not uncommon at times in the Rooree
Sub-Division where there was water. Mr. James, c.s., observ-
ed it once on the Indus, in Upper Sindh, in November, and it is
occasionally seen both in Upper and Lower Sindh, soon after the
inundation subsides.

917.—Mycteria indica, Lath.—M., australis, Lath.
apud Jerdon.

I only very seldom saw this fine stork in Sindh; higher up
in the Punjab, I often saw it alone the banks of the tae ower
rivers.

Mr. Gray considers the Indian race specifically distinet from
the Australian, and as he had specimens of both to compare, and
I have not, I have, though doubtingly, followed him.

918.—Melanopelargus nigra, L.

The black stork which, except in the districts lying immediate-
ly below the hills, is a comparatively rare bird in the North-
Western and Central Provinces, and Cis-Sutlej Punjab, oceurs
in vast numbers, in flocks of several hundreds, everywhere
along the banks of the Jhelum, the Chenab, and the Indus
in the Punjab, and along those of the Indus in Sindh. In-
land too, in Sindh, I met with it on several occasions, and
I shot a fine specimen out ofa party of four or five on the
banks of the Gaj just inside the hills. On the river banks
this species is so excessively wary that numerous as it is, ib
is difficult to procure a specimen; it is scarcely possible to
get within even rifle shot of them, and at three or four hun-
dred yards distance, I found them uncommonly hard to hit,
and I only secured one this way, and that too was not the bird
I fired at. I measured a pair, male and female, in the flesh; the
following were their dimensions :

Male, ” length, 44; expanse, 78; tail from vent, 9; wing,
22; wings, when closed, reached exactly to end of tail; tarsus,
8:75; bill at front, 7:5; foot greatest length, 5°75; width, 6;
weight, 9 Ibs.

Female, length, 39:6; expanse, 77; tail from vent, 8°75;
wing, 20°25; bill at front, 6°38; tarsus, 7°8; weight, 7°25 lbs.

919.—Ciconia alba, L.

I only once saw this species inland in Upper Sindh, a small
party of about twenty feeding ina nearly dry swamp, but on
the Indus it seemed more common.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 203

923.—Ardea cinerea, L.

The common heron swarms in Sindh: it is one of the birds
which the professional fishermen, mahanahs as they are called, 4

capture in large numbers, partly for food, and partly to make AA

use of as decoys to other water-fowl. About every fisherman’s _
village hundreds may be seeu, perched about on the boats, on
stacks of brushwood thrown into the water, and on poles, per-
fectly motionless, and more like stuffed than living birds. The
eyelids of all are sewn up; they dare not move, poor things,
and wherever they are placed for the day, there they remain
immoveable. Generally they are lightly tethered by one leg,
but I saw several, perhaps old prisoners, in no way tied. Now
and again they run their bills along their feathers, or flap
their wines feebly, but as a rule they all stand like statues. The
people feed them liberally, and say they grow very fat in
confinement, and obviously appreciate them as much as an
article of diet, as our ancestors appear to have done. Sometimes
these birds get loose, or being loose, take it into their heads to
fly. I myself saw a bird get loose in this way and then it
mounted in short circles straight up into the sky until we
entirely lost sight of it, and this the boatmen assured me was
what invariably happened in similar cases. What eventually
comes of these, no one seems to know; of course they must
ultimately drop exhausted to the ground, but probably at great
distances from where they started, for the fishermen say that
never, by any chance, do they again see a bird that thus
escapes.

924.—Ardea purpurea, L.

We never happened to meet with this, but Captain Malden
informed me that it was common along the banks of the In-
dus.

925.—Herodias alba, L.

926.—Herodias intermedia, v. Hasselq.—H.
egrettoides, Tem. |

927.—Herodias garzetta, L.

All three species were met with in vast numbers at all the
larger inland waters of Sindh; a/da and intermedia are quite
as commonly captured and kept by the fowlers and _ fishers,
about their reed huts and boats, as cizerea. Such .Noah’s. arks
as these boats often are; you will see one about 20 feet long
and six wide at the outside, with a small thatch over the central
portion, which will contain, a man and his wife, an old man, |

254 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

some relative, six children, two pelicans, six or eight herons, grey
and white, a couple of cormorants, a kid, a dog, and otter spears,
nets, lines, hooks, and the like of all descriptions. In such a
menagerie the mahanahs will live for months, cooking, eating,
sleeping, in fact living wholly in this one boat, though doubtless
generally landing daily for an hour or so, to exchange their
surplus fish. At other seasons or in other places, they put up
tiny reed huts by the water’s edge, and live in these imstead
of in their boats.

928.—Demiegretta gularis, Bosc, Actes Soe.
Vhist. Nat., I. p. 4, tab. 2 ;—A. albicollis, Vieillot.—A.
schistacea, Lichtenstein.—A. asha, Sykes.

Professor Schlegel and Mr. Gray are certainly wrong in
uniting asha, Sykes, with jugularis, Forster; they are probably
right in considering concolor, Blyth, as identical with this latter ;
but asha of Sykes is gularis, and not jugularis. The fact is
there are two nearly allied species, the one occurs along the
eastern and north-eastern coast of Africa up to Suez down
the Arabian Coast, and has now been observed by me at Mus-
cat, along the Mekran Coast, and at Kurrachee, and again on
the Bombay Coast at Teetul, near Bulsar; and Dr. Jerdon’s
description shows clearly that this is the bird which he and
Sykes found down the western coast of India. This 1s
gularis ; on the other hand, the second species is found in New
Zealand, Australia, throughout the Indian Archipelago, and I
have reason to believe, though I have no specimens with me
to compare, throughout Burma, upto Ramree Island, in the Ni-
eobars and Andamans, and possibly on the eastern shores of the
Bay of Bengal. This latter is yugularis, Forster ; pannosa, Gould ;
concolor, Blyth ; and probably sacra, Gmelin, the name by which
it should according to Mr. Gray stand. Both species are ty-
pically, when adult, deep slaty blue, becoming more or less black
in old birds; both seem to have an allotropic white form, which
is not necessarily the young, these having been taken from the
nest of the same dark color as the typical adult, and both have
a light slaty grey stage, which appears to me to indicate imma-
turity, in which a good deal of the centre of the abdomen, vent,
and lower tail coverts are white.

The two species differ in these respects. Gularis has the whole
chin, throat, and sides of the head nearly to the gape, and quite »
to the base of the ear coverts, white ; jyugu/uris or sacra has only
a narrow white stripe down the centre of the throat; gularzs is
a somewhat larger bird, has the bill in adults from 3-5 to 41,
against a bill of 3:1 to 3:4 in yugularis ; a tarsus of from 379 to

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 255

4°4, against a tarsus of from 3°8 to 4:1 in yugularis; a mid
toe to root of claw of from 2°3 to 2°6, against a mid toe in yugularis
of from 2 to 2°2; lastly, gularis has the bare portion of the
tibia from 2°2 to 2:9; against a bare portion in juyularis vel
sacra, of from 1°2 to 1°5,

A very great deal remains to be ascertained in regard to the
changes of plumage of both these species, and it is possible
that jugularis or sacra may be found to include two species, but
gularis and yugularis are clearly distinct and can be separated
at once, as above explained, and our Western Indian bird is
unmistakeably gularis, and demiegretta asha, Sykes, is equally,
certainly identical with it, and not with yugularis as Schlegel
and Gray give it,

Our present species is excessively abundant in the Kurrachee
Harbour where it may be seen at all times feeding (as a rule
solitary) on the edges of the mud flats, or standing motionless
afew yards off the waters edge. Occasionally, but more rarely,
it is found perched on the mangrove bushes; as a rule it is
somewhat wary ; but at times will allow of an easy shot. This
same species is, I ascertained, very common about the mouths
of the Indus in all the innumerable creeks and water-courses
that there abound. Along the Mekran Coast we saw it occasion-
ally, and I procured a fine adult at Gwader, and again saw others
in some of the bays along the Coast near Muscat.

I measured several in the flesh and give the dimensions thus
obtained, noting that the paler grey birds, with a good deal of
white about the abdomen and vent, and occasionally on the
centre of the breast also, are always smaller, and always want
the occipital and pectoral plumes, and are in my opinion un-
questionably the birds of the year.

Length, 24°25 to 27°5 ; expanse, 38 to 42; tail from vent,
3 to 3°38; wing, 10 toll‘4; wings, when closed, reach to end
of tail, or even to 0°5 beyond it; bill at front, 3°6 to 41;
tarsus, 3°6 to 4’4 ; mid toe to root of claw, 2°3 to 2: 6; ; bare por-
tion of tibia, 2°2 to 29 ; weight, 1 lb. to 1 lb. 4 oz.

The irides vary from ‘bright ‘yellow to yellowish white ; the
bill is yellow, brownish or dusky on culmen ; the legs and
feet are very variable, in one the feet and terminal two-fifths
of tarsi were yellowish green, the front of the upper three-
fifths of tarsus, and of tibia black, the posterior portion of tarsus
dusky orange ; in another the whole legs and feet were greenish
yellow, with only the front of both tarsi and tibiw, black ;
another had the whole of the legs black, only the feet greenish
yellow.

256 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

929.—Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd.
930.—Ardeola Grayii, Sykes.

Both species very common, throughout the province, wherever
there was water.
931.—Butorides javanicus, Horsf.

The little green bittern was not uncommon on the banks of
canals and watercourses, skulking under or within heaps of
brushwood or the branches of some half immersed tree during
the major portion of the day, emerging and stalking slowly alone

the bank and close to the water as day declined. I believe that -

this species 1s very common in Sindh, but only in the localities
J have indicated. I never met with it in any of the swamps or
lakes.

935.—Ardetta minuta, L.

I obtained a single specimen of this species, which I have
never before known to occur in India out of the Himalayas (it
is very abundant in Cashmere and I have obtained it at Syree
below Simla) in a large broad at Dost Alli near Larkhana. I
was beating a clump of reed rush and tamarisk, a little island in
fact of these for Cetti’s warbler; coots, and water-hens innumer-
able had been driven out, when I observed this queer little heron
creeping about from bough to bough near the bases of the
tamarisk bushes, and shot it. I never saw a second specimen ;
but if it always keeps as close in the day time as this bird did,
this is not to be wondered at, since after I had secured a certain
number of specimens of Cetti’s warbler, I never again attempted
to beat these thickets.

936.—Botaurus stellaris, L.

The bittern which, in Upper India at any rate, 1s a decidedly
rare bird, was very abundant in Upper Sindh, and in one fort-

might about the Shikarpore Collectorate, I certamly saw more

specimens than I had ever seen in my whole life before.
937._Nyctiardea nycticorax, L.

The night heron was often seen ; rarely in the day time unless
disturbed, generally towards evening, flymg overhead to its
feeding ovounds, uttering its Shiner harsh croak. A male
measured, leneth, 24 ; expanse, 43°5 ; tail from vent, 4°6 ; wing,
11-5 ; wings, when closed, reached to within 0-4 of end of tail ;
bill a frome 3; tarsus, 3.

939.—Platelea leucorodia, L.

Alike along the banks and sandbanks of all the greater rivers

¥
at

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 257

of the Punjab, and of the Indus in Sindh, the spoonbill was re-
peatedly met with in large flocks. In the broads and lakes 1t was,
I think, comparatively infrequent.

The bills im this species vary very materially in length even
in the same séx ; amongst the males, for instance, they vary from
8:2 to 9°7.

A male that I measured in the flesh, by no means a particu-
larly large bird, gave the following dimensions, length, 33°25 ;
expanse, 58; tailfrom vent, 5; wing, 15:3; wings, when closed,
reached to within 0°8 of end of tail; bill at front, only $4;
tarsus, 6:2; the irides were reddish yellow.

941.—Threskiornis melanocephalus, L.
942.—Geronticus papillosus, Tem.

Both species abundant, in suitable localities, throughout
Sindh.

943.—Falcinellus igneus, Gm.

The glossy ibis occurred in huge flocks in and about many
of the large inland lakes of Upper Sindh; but I never met —
with it in Lower Sindh. We got it in every stage from the
quite young bird, with a bill of about 3°75, and without
a vestige of ruddy tint below or of purple reflections above, to the
old bird in full breeding plumage, with a bill over 5°5 in length.
It was excessively tame and sat on the trees and bushes over-
hanging the water or fed fearlessly in amongst the rush and
reeds till the boats were within 2U yards of it. It is impossible
to explain these things, but the fishermen who eat and relish
every description of paddy-bird consider the glossy ibis very in-
different eating, whereas some Europeans at any rate who will
not look at a paddy-bird consider the ibis a dish worthy of an
epicure. In the Jumna and Ganges, many races of fishermen
will not touch fish so long as crocodile is to be got; and an old
friend of mine who was persuaded to try it, said that crocodile
bore the same relation to fish that pork does to mutton,
and was highly commendable as an article of diet ; but really
de gustibus, &e. -

944.—Phoenicopterus roseus, Pall.—P. anti-
quorum, Tem.
How shall I describe the countless myriads of flamingoes
that are seen either massed upon the water, huge rosy islands, or
floating above it like a sun-set cloudin all the larger lakes of

Sindh? Elsewhere I have seen flamingoes in flocks of several
hundreds, here they were in tens of thousands. It is a wonder-

258 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

ful sight to see one of these enormous flocks rise suddenly whem
alarmed ; as you approach them, so long as they remain in the
water at rest, they look simply like a mass of faintly rosy snow.
A Nifle is fired, and then the exposure of the upper and under
coverts of the wing turns the mass into a gigantic, brilliantly —
rosy, scarf, waving to and froin mighty folds, as it floats away.

The flamingoe I found swims rapidly and well. A winged
bird which fell in deep water kept well a-head of our primitive
native punt, and was only. secured, when after fully half a mile’s _
swim, the bird began to be exhausted. It did not swim like a
swan, with the neck bent backwards over the back, but with the
neck nearly straight, and bent shghtly forwards, jerking at every
stroke, apparently, of its feet, looking in fact as if it was stag-
gering aiong hurriedly in water, just reaching up to its breast,
but the water was really 10 or 12 feet deep, so that if its mode of
progression could not fairly be called swimming, it was at any
rate “ treading water.”

944 bis—Phoenicopterus minor, Geof'r. Sts Hil.

IT have already (Stray Feathers, p. 31 ante) said all I have to
say about this species. I did not myself meet with it in Sindh ;
but the fishermen are well acquainted with it and described 1t by
its smaller size and brilliant rosy hue, in such a manner as to
leave no possibility of a doubt as to its identity.

945.—Anser cinereus, Meyer.

The grey lag goose was excessively abundant along all the
greater rivers of the Punjab; but least so on the Indus in Sindh.
We met with it, but comparatively rarely, in the neighbourhood
of lakes, and once or twice feeding in the fields. It is not near
so common in Sindh as in many parts of the North-Western
_ Provinces. Dr. Jerdon gives the expanse at 54, but this really
varies from about 60 to 65. The bean goose (Anser segetum) is
said to occur in India, but I have never been fortunate enough
to meet with a specimen, or to meet with any one else who had.
It is nearly the same size as the grey lag goose, but may be dis-
tinguished at once, by having the nail, edges, and base of the
bill blackish, while in the grey goose these parts are pink and
greyish white; by having the whole legs and feet orange,
these being in the grey lag dull fleshy or occasionally pale
creamy pink; by having all the wing coverts greyish brown, while
in the grey lag the upper and median, and the whole shoulder of
the wing area light grey. I should be very glad to receive
authentic information of the occurrence of the bean goose im
India. Anser brachyrhynchus, Baillon, is another goose very rare
in India. I have only seen two Indian killed specimens of

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 259

this which I myself shot in the Jumnain Etawah. It is very lke
the bean goose, but has the lees and feet pink tinged with vermil-
lion, and is smaller, being about 25 inches in length to 30 inches
in the bean goose. The bill is only 2 inches in length against
nearly 2-4 in the bean goose, and the central portion of the bill is
bright carmine instead of yellowish orange as in the bean goose.
This is another species easily verified, and I hope some of our
numerous contributors will endeavour to find out something more
about the occurrence of this species in India.

947.—Anser erythropus, Mlemming.—A. erythro-
pus, Linn. nec. Gmel.—A. albifrons. Gmelin, §e.

The white fronted goose is very rare in India. For the first time
in my life I saw and shot three specimens in the river Jhelum
below Shahpoor, and I again saw a pair in the Indus, between
Sehwan and Kotree. No where else did I observe them during
the trip, though their small size, and very brown appearance,
renders them easily recognizable at long distances with the help
of binoculars. In neither cases were they associated with other
water fowl. In one case the three, in the other the pair, were
seated at the water’s edge on the river’s bank with no other birds
of any kind near them. The three specimens I obtaimed varied
a good deal; the one which appears to be an adult male has the
whole chin white, as is also the broad band on the forehead and
on each side of the upper mandible. The female has only one
single feather white at the pot of the chin, and the white band
at each side of the upper mandible is much narrower ; the third,
also a female, but as I take it a young one, has the head, and
neck much paler brown, no white at allon the chin, and the band
both on the forehead and at the sides of the upper mandible
very narrow. ‘The lower surface, too, varies very much ; in one
it is pale greyish white with a few black mottled patches on the
abdomen ; in another, the mottled patches are so numerous and
large, that the black decidedly preponderates over the greyish
white; 1m one specimen which I have from Oudh, the white
frontal band is 1:15 broad; in the adult male above mentioned, it
is 0°S5 broad; in the adult female it is 0°6, and in the young -
female only 0°3. In all these it is a band stretching straight
across the whole forehead, not running up on to the crown in a
broad longitudinal band as it does in a minutus Naumann, which
latter by the way, and not the present species, is according to
Newton (I suspend my own opinion) the erythropus of Linneus.

The dimensions of my three birds, measured in the flesh, were
as follows: length, 26 to 27°75; expanse, 52 to 55°5; tail

v

260. Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

from vent, 5:2 to 6; wings, 15 to 15°75; wings, when closed,
reached exactly to the end of tail; bill, at front, including nail,
1-7 to 1:75; tarsus, 2°45 to 2:75; weight, 4Tb 5 oz. to 5ib 2 oz. ;
legs and feet, bright orange ; nails, pinky or greyish white ; bill
pale livid fleshy, im one tinged orange on the culmen, in another
similarly tinged on the nares and base of lower mandible; nail
whitish or pale yellowish white ; irides pale brown.

949.—Anser indicus, Gmelin.

This species was much more plentiful in the rivers of the

Punjab than the grey lag; but in Sindh, both on the Indus and
inland, it was decidedly less numerous.
_ A female measured, length, 27:25; expanse, 56; tail from
vent, 6; wing, 16°3; wings, when closed, reached 0°6 beyond
end of tail; bill, at front, including nail, J-75; tarsus, 2-8;
weight, 4 Ib. 12 ozs.; legs and feet, pale orange ; claws brown ;
bill, pale lemon yellow; nail, black; irides, brown.

952.—Dendrocygna arcuata, Cuv.

This species appeared to me to be far from common in Sindh
during the cold weather, and though mentioned to me as often met
with during the inundation, we only once saw it.

954.—Casarea rutila, Pail.

The brahminy duck was very abundant on all the larger rivers
of the Punjab, on the Indus, and the inland waters of Sindh.
We often saw fifty in a single day. The numbers of this species
that yearly visit India are scarcely less astounding than those
of the bar fronted goose. Of both species, a vast proportion, at
any rate, breed im the higher plateaux of the Himalayas (not
under an elevation of twelve or thirteen thousand feet) in the
neighbourhood of the many lakes and pools which these enclose.

956.—Tadorna cornuta,Gin.—T. vulpanser,Flem.

The shieldrake I only noticed about the Muncher lake, where

numbers were feeding along the banks on the northern and |

western shores. They were very wary, and though I stalked
many of them and got within a hundred and a hundred and fifty
yards, I failed to secure a specimen. In Upper India, in similar
large inland pieces of water, as low down as Cawnpore and
Fyzabad, a few are generally to be seen during the cold season. |

957.—_Spatula clypeata, L.

Isaw the shoveller daily all along the banks of the Jhelum,
the Chenab, and the Indus, and again on all the inland lakes of
Sindh, “They are not worth eating, and though the male but

y

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 261

for. his clumsy bill would be handsome, I think we must put
them down, on the whole, in the “cheap and nasty” category.

958.—Anas boschas, L

In the North-Western Provinces, compared with other ducks,
the mallard is scarce and so it is in the Punjab Cis-Sutley ;
but, as you proceed further west, its numbers increase, and
all down the Jhelum, and the Chenab from Jhelum to Mooltan,
it is out-and-out the commonest duck. I killed from a dozen to
twenty daily, and might easily have killed double that number.
They were comparatively speaking very tame, and I used to drift
down to.them in a little boat to within thirty or forty yards, as
they sat insmall parties asleep at the water’s edge, bagging two or
three as they sat, and knocking over one and sometimes two
more as they rose with the second barrel. In the Indus, too, they
were equally abundant but more wary, as people continually
shoot at them from the steamers, and in most of the larger .
inland waters of Sindh, I met with them in great numbers. At
first starting, the mallard lies better, and affords better sport than
any of the other ducks, and when you first go on to a broad that
has not previously been shot that season, the mallard keep conti-
nually rising pretty close to the boat from under the boughs of
-water-surrounded tamarisk trees, and clumps of rush, affording
beautiful shots.

959.—Anas peekilorhyncha, Gel.

Pretty common, but much less so than the last species, though
found in the same localities.

961.—Chaulelasmus streperus, Be

The gadwall was found in much the same places as the two
last. It was much commoner everywhere than pehilorhyncha
and more common than the mallard in all /ases, in fact on the
whole perhaps the most common duck on these, but it was decid-
edly less common on the rivers.

962.—Dafila acuta, L.

I never met with this in any of the rivers, but on many of
the lakes it abounded. It has a habit of sitting in parties
in amongst low water plants, with nothing but its lone white neck
showing, and when basking thus, will often permit a tolerably
near approach.

963.—Mareca penelope, L.

I saw very few of the widgeon in Sindh as a whole, and n none:
on the rivers, but in the Nopplnee lake they were in hundreds,

262 “Contributions to the Ornthology of India, 8:cz.

and during the few days we were there, very considerable num-
bers were killed.

964,—Querquedula crecea, L.
Common enough everywhere, alike on the rivers and th

lakes.
965.—_Querquedula circia, L.

The garganey must, I think, be rare in Sindh during the
cold season, for I never chanced to see it, nor did any of us ob-
tain a specimen; I have however since received one, killed at
the close of the inundation, and at that season I understand
they come in, in Jarge flocks.

966 bis—Querquedula Angustirostris, Mé-
nétries.—Q. marmorata, Tem.

The marbled duck, a species not included by Dr. Jerdon in
the Birds of India, was singularly abundant in suitable localities
in Sindh, and I have also heard of its beg killed in Guzerat.
In Sindh where I had abundant opportunities of observing it, I
found it invariably associated in large parties; its favorite haunts
are broads, thickly grown with rush, in which it feeds and sports,
comparatively seldom shewing itself in the open water. As a rule
it does not at once rise when guns are fired as the other ducks
do, but, if at the outside of the rush, scuttles into these for con-
cealment, as a coot would do, and if in them already, remains
there perfectly quiet until the boats push within 60 or 70 yards of
it; then it rises, generally one at a time, and even though fired
at, not unfrequently again drops into the rush within a couple of
hundred yards. When there has been a good deal of shooting
on a lake, and almost all the other ducks and with them of
course some of these are circling round and round high in the air,
you still keep, as you push through the reeds and rushes, con-
tinually flushing the marbled duck, and the broad must be
small, or the hunting very close and long continued, to induce all
the marbled ducks to take wing. Of course where there is little
cover (though there you never meet with this duck in large
numbers) they rise and fly about with the other ducks; but their
tendency in these respects is rather coot-like than duck-lke.
Individuals may take wing at the first near shot, but the great
majority of them stick to the rush as long as this is possible, and
on two occasions I saw very pretty shooting, boats in line push-
ing up a wide extent of rush-grown water, and the marbled duck
rising every minute in front of us at distances of 60 or 70
yards, hke partridges out of some of our great: Norfolk turnip

i Contributions to the Ormthology of India, Se. 263
fields; here and there a shoveller, or a white-eyed duck, both of
which, when disturbed, cling a good deal to cover, would be
flushed ; but there were not one of these to ten of the marbled
duck. This species is not amongst first-class ducks for the table;
it ranks with the shoveller and the white-eyed duck, and after
obtaining a goodly array of specimens, we never shot it, first
class ducks, gadwal, mallard, and pin-tail, as well as the Indian
canvas back (aythya ferina) being always available.

The dimensions of this species are as follow: Male, length,
18°3 to 19; expanse, 28°5 to 29°5; tail from vent, 3°6 to 4;
wing, 8°l to 8°5; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°7 to 1°5
of end of tail; bill at front, cluding nail, 1:77 to 1°85 ; tarsus,
1:44 to 1:52; weight, 1 Ib. 3 oz. tol ib. 5 oz. Female, length,
16-9 to 17-5; expanse, 27 to 28; tail from vent, 2°8 to 3-7;
wine, 7-9 to 8:1; wings, when closed, reach to within from 0°5 to
1 of end of tail; bill at front, 0°6 to 0°75; tarsus, 1:4 to 1:5;
weight, 1 Ib. to 1 Ib. 3 oz.

Description.—tThe legs and feet are dusky olive or dark horny
brown, with the claws and webs black; or horny green, with
the claws and webs dark grey; the bill bluish grey, black on
culmen and tip, or dusky, bounded at the margins of the fea-
thers of the forehead and cheeks with a pale, leaden blue line,
continued along the margin of both mandibles to near the tip,
and a spot of the same color just above the nail; the irides are
brown.

Plumage.—The male has the forehead, crown, occiput, and nape
brownish white, with numerous narrow, close-set, wavy, irregu-
lar, dark brown bars, which become more speckly on the occiput,
where also the ground colour is a more rufescent brown. Fea-.
thers immediately round the eye, very dark brown; a broad irre-
gular stripe over the eye, and a large patch on the side of the
head behind the eyes, moderately dark brown, shading into the
very dark brown immediately surrounding the eyes; the whole
space between the sides of the upper mandible and the dark
feathers surrounding the eye, the whole sides of the head below
the dark eye and ear-patch, the whole chin, throat, and front of
the neck, shghtly greyish, or brownish white, very narrowly,
regularly and closely streaked with brown. The lower parts, a
slightly brownish white ; the breast feathers with greyish brown
subterminal transverse bars, mostly more or less concealed by
the pale tippmgs of the superincumbent feathers, and only
clearly seen when the feathers are lifted; the sides and flanks
similar, but the subterminal bars much broader and some of the
flank feathers with several bars; the vent feathers and lower
tail coverts, generally, with a slightly more rufescent tinge,

264 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

and with two or more narrow, widely-separated, transverse brown
bars. The tibial plumes browner,’ and with numerous narrow
closely set, but ill-marked, transverse brown bars; the abdomen
more or less obsoletely mottled with very pale grey brown, which
on lifting the feathers is found to arise from more or less faint,
irregular, transverse, subterminal, brownish bars.

The barrings above described are very much more marked
in some specimens than in others, in some in fact on the abdo-
men they are almost entirely obsolete, and can hardly be traced.

The upper back, greyish brown, the feathers with a subterminal
richer brown bar ; the scapulars brown, with a yellowish white
terminal spot, and of a much richer brown, the longer ones especi-
ally, just above the spot; the tertiaries and secondary greater
coverts are greyish brown, the former obsoletely barred paler ; the
secondaries are pale grey ; the primaries, their greater coverts, and
the winglet, pale slaty, the primaries with a silver. grey tinge
on the outer webs towards the tips; the inner webs, pale grey
brown, except towards the tips where they are much darker and
where the shafts also are conspicuously darker. The middle back,
rump, and upper tail coverts, the same grey brown as the upper
part of the back; the feathers of the middle back narrowly and
obscurely tipped with yellowish white, those of the rump and
upper tail coverts more broadly and conspicuously so, and with
a subterminal dark brown spot; the longest of the upper tail
coverts, are very broadly and conspicuously so tipped, and have
a subterminal dark band. The tail feathers, pale grey brown,
broadly tipped, and narrowly margined with yellowish white;
the two central tail feathers darker on the inner webs and dark
shafted, and the lateral tail feathers paling as they recede from
the centre. .

The female is similar, but smaller, with the eye patch and
generally all the markings and tints duller and less conspicuous.

967.—_Fuligula rufina, Pall.

The red-crested pochard was but seldom seen on any of the
large rivers, neither did I observe it in any of the smaller inland
pieces of water; but at the Muncher lake and some few others:
of the larger broads it occurred in considerable flocks.

968.—Aythya ferina, L.

I only met with this duck on some of the broads, but where
it did occur, it occurred in incredible numbers; at the
Madho jheel it out-numbered all the rest of the water-fowl put
together, tens of thousands were congregated together. It was
generally in lakes possessing a considerable breadth of open

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 265

water that the red-headed pochard was found.
969.—Aythya nyroca, Gild. 7

The white-eyed pochard on the other hand which was met
with in every inland piece of water, big: or little, (but never in
the rivers), specially delights in rushy, reedy waters, and when
alarmed, like the marbled duck, rather seeks safety in cover, than
in fight. It is very indifferent eating, and 1t may be a cognizance
of this fact, and that sportsmen generally disdain its slaughter,
that leads it to remain tranquilly in amongst the rushes while
heavy firing is gomg on all round, often not taking the trouble
to rise till the boat is within twenty yards of it. Anyhow this
is ths fact, and I have seen as many as thirty or forty rise singly
one after the other, all within easy shot, in a couple of hours
punting through the rushes. The boatmen say that this duck
breeds in Sindh, it may do so (in Cashmere its eggs are so
plentiful, that at one season they constitute an important staple
of trade at Srinugger) but the fact requires verification.

971.—Fulix cristata, L.

The tufted pochard was less common than any of the preced-.
ing, the only locality in which I saw it, in any considerable
numbers was on the Muncher lake.

973.—Mergellus albellus, L.

The smew was as rare in Sindh as it is elsewhere in Upper
India. I saw one party on the banks of the Jhelum near
Jung and shot a specimen, a young male, and I saw it again on
the banks of the Indus near Kussmore, and lastly, I saw several
parties on the Muncher lake. These were the only occasions on
which I met with it, though the black and white plumage of
the male is so conspicuous, that the bird can never be over-
looked.

974.—Podiceps cristatus, L.

This species is very rare inland in Sindh. I only saw it once
and then on the Muncher lake; but in the sea outside the
Kurrachee Harbour, and as J ascertained along the coast to
Kutch, especially about the mouths of the Indus and again all
the way up the Mekran Coast, and notably in both the Gwader
bays, it is excessively abundant, though not easy to procure,
and the specimens I shot cost me many hours delightful, but
still hard work. : tea

Three males measured, gave the following results :
~ Length, 20°75 to 24; expanse, 30°5 to 35; wing, 7-1to 7:8;
wings, when closed, reach to within 2 of end of tail; bill at

266 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

front, 1:9 to 2:1; tarsus, 2°25 to 2°45; weight, 2.lbs. 10 ozs.
to 3 lbs. 8 ozs. A female measured, length, 19°75 ; expanse, 31 ;
wing, 7°2; bill at front, 1°65 ; tarsus, 2°2; weight, 2°4 ozs.

The irides were red to bright red; the bill from fleshy red
to bright pink, brownish on the culmen at base, and at base
of lower mandible; the legs and feet varied from blackish
brown to dusky plumbeous exteriorly, and interiorly from
creamy, to dingy yellow, somewhat dusky on the joints. Some
of the birds were entirely in winter plumage, with no trace of
rufous or a ruff about them; others had the whole head rufous
with the black ruff band well developed, and a great deal of
rufous mingled with the upper plumage.

974 bis—Podiceps nigricollis, Sundevall.
Colymbus auritus var. B. Linn, 8. N. t. 2., p. 222.—
Briss Ormth. t, vi, p. 55.—Lath. Ind. Orn. t. wi,
p. 181.—Podiceps nigricollis, Sund. Ofvers. Kongl.
Velesnk. Akad. (1844) p. 210.

I believe that opinions are still divided as to whether z7yrz-
collis really merits specific separation from auritus. The two
species are certainly very closely allied; but differ, I think, both
in certain details of coloration and in shape of bill sufficiently
to justify their separation.

Our birds, though somewhat exceeding the dimensions usu-
ally assigned to Sundevall’s species, belong clearly to the zg77-
collis, and not the auritus division. ‘The adults have the whole
neck in front blackish, and not merely the upper portion as in
restricted auritus. The beak is entirely black without any
ruddy tinge towards the top or at the base; the upper man-
dible is markedly depressed towards the middle, and raised to-
wards the tip, while it is decidedly broader than itis high be-
hind the nasal grooves, whereas in auritus,it is higher than
wide at this place.

This species is not uncommon about the mouths of the
Indus, and along the Sindh and Mekran Coasts as far, at any
rate, as Gwader. I saw specimens just outside the Kurrachee
Harbour, beyond the Oyster Rocks; but failed to procure any
there. They were most commonat Soomeeanee Bay, just at the
boundaries of Khelat and Sindh, and it was there that I procur-
ed most of my specimens. Like all grebes these birds depend
for safety on their extraordinary diving powers, and after one
or two shots have been fired, they never dream of flymg when
any boat is at all near them. On the other hand, before they
have been disturbed, I noticed them flying about, more than’

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 267

T have ever seen any other grebe do. On two or three occasions
T noticed them taking spontaneously flights of fully a quarter
of a mile, three or four together flying low, and very rapidly ;
and at Gwader I noticed a single bird flying pretty high
across the strip of sand that divides the eastern and the western
bays, and on which the town is built.

None of my specimens were in full breeding plumage; the
most advanced, a male, though furnished with the long silky
orange red tuft behind the eye, still exhibited a white speckling
on the chin and throat, and only bore the faintest trace of
the rufous striation which is said to characterize the sides and
flanks in summer; but as my specimens were all procured in
February, this was only to be expected.

Dimensions.—Male, (only one measured); length, 13; ex-
panse, 24°5; wing 5°6; foot, length from heel to tip of mid
toe, 3:2; width 4; weight lib; bill at front, 1; tarsus,
1°75.

Females, (three measured); length, 12:2 to 12°7; ex-
panse, 22°5 to 23°5; wing, 5°2 to 5:4; foot, length, 2-9
to 3:1; width, 3°6 to 3°75; weight, 1 Ib tol fb 3 oz.; bill at
front, 0-9 to 0°94; tarsus, 1:6 to 1°7.

In all, the bills were black; the irides, vermillion; and
the legs and feet greenish plumbeous, interiorly, and blackish,
exteriorly. My most advanced male has the whole of the top
of the head, together with the rest of the upper parts, the chin,
throat, and neck all round, blackish brown; very glossy on the
head, back and wings, duller and browner on the neck all round;
the chin, and throat almost quite black, but stilla good deal
speckled with white; this white speckling extending as a stripe
up the sides of the neck behind the ear coverts. There are two
short thick tufts on either side of the occiput, which, though
scarcely noticeable in the dried skin, are erected at pleasure in
the live bird. Immediately behind the eye, extends for about
1-4 inches, a broad streak of orange and reddish yellow, silky,
glistening feathers. The inner web cf the sixth primary
and almost the whole of the subsequent primaries and secon-
daries, pure white; but this is scarcely seen in the closed
wings, the tertiaries and all the coverts being unicolorous with
the back. The whole breast, abdomen, and vent, satin white; a
little tinged with greyish brown about the vent. The tail can
searcely be said to exist, what there is of it is unicolorous with
the back, and on either side of it; and of the tail coverts, a
good deal of white appears. The sides and flanks are mottled
with blackish brown, and there are traces of a rufous, or orange
striation.

WwW

268 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c.

Tn full breeding phumage I believe that the sides and flanks
are very strongly streaked with orange red, and the parts that I
have indicated as speckled with white are entirely black ; in the
winter plumage the colors are duller ; the front of the neck is an
earthy brown; and the whole of those portions which I have
indicated as speckled with white are pure white; the orange red
tuft behind the eye is entirely wanting.

In a quite young bird that I obtained, the colors are duller
still, the whole top of the head and tele of the neck are a dull,
rather dark ear thy brown ; the chin, throat, and the stripe run-
ning up behind the ear coverts pure white ; the rest of the front
of the neck, very pale earthy brown, and all the feathers of the
mantle narrowly edged with dingy fulvous white.

975.—Podiceps minor, L.

The little dabchick was, as might be expected, very plenti-
ful in all the inland waters of Sindh. Mr. Gray retains philip-
pensis, Bonn, as distinct, but with a note of interrogation.
So far as our Indian birds are concerned, I have compared a
large series with eight English specimens, and can discover no con-
stant difference whatsoever.

976 tis—Puffinus Persicus, Hume. Stray Fe-
thers I. p. 0. :

I have already fully deseribed this species foc. cit., and have
nothing further here to add in regard to it.

977 ter._Stercorarius parasiticus, L. Lestris
Richardsoni, Audubon.

A kind of skua which I believe to be referable to the species”
above quoted, is common at sea, along the coasts of Sindh and
the Gulf of Oman. ‘The birds are very wary, the consequence
was, I only succeeded in procuring a single specimen. This was
a male, and as well as I can judge, a bird of the seeond year.
The central feathers only project about 0°75 beyond the rest.
I do not think that the changes of plumage among these skuas,
is at all well understood, and in the absence of Huropean speci-
mens to compare, I cannot be certain whether this is a new
species or whether I am correct in referring it to the species
commonly known as Richardson’s skua.

Enelish writers distinguish between this ahiel aceording
to Sundevall, is the true paraseticus of Linneus, and a slen-
derer, smaller, but longer tailed species which Yarrell calls
Buffon’s skua, but which I see Schlegel gives as §. cephus,
Briinich. They also give the large skua S. catarractes, Vieillot,

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 269

and S. pomarinus, Gray, the Pomarine skua, of which latter
Dr. Jerdon remarks, that “a specimen was procured on the
Burmese coast by Major Tickell,” adding that “as it is a bird
frequenting high latitudes, its oceurrence in tropical regions
must have been quite exceptional.” Asa matter of fact, how-
ever, 1 saw at least fifty skuas between Gwader and Bombay,
and this was in splendid weather and during February, so that
the birds cannot be exceptional stragglers. If my bird belongs
to any of the four species above noted, it 1s parasiticus ; but I
think it not improbable that it may hereafter turn out that
both my specimens and Major Tickell’s belong to a distinct
species intermediate between pomarinus and parasiticus, in which
case it may stand as §. aszuticus, nobis. The following are the
exact dimensions and a description of my bird:

-A male killed at Pusnee on the Mekran Coast, a short distance
beyond the Sindh boundary, on the 16th February 1872; length,
19; expanse, 45; tail from vent, 6-4; wing, 13 ; wings, wee
coat reach to end of longest tail funine 3: bill at front,
including cere, 1-2 ; cere only, iy 7; bill from gape, 2°02 ; tarsus,
ilo feet, length, 2-3 3 width, 2-4, nd. toe and claw, 1°78; weight,
lib 8 oz.

The legs and feet dull black; bill brown; the cere, pale
greenish brown ; ; the irides, brown.

The centra) tail feathers are manifestly imperfectly developed,
one projects 0°75, andthe other 0°25 beyond the rest of the
tail; the bird is obviously in a state of change of plumage as
the two. first primaries in each wing are old and compartively
pale brown, with conspicuous white shafts only tinged brownish
for about 0°5 immediately. above the tips; while “all the other
primaries are new and very dark brown, almost black, with
only the basal half of the shafts white, aie even that slightly
tinged brown ; some of the secondaries, scapulars, coverts, and
feathers of the back are brown; the same dull pale umber as
the first two primaries, and so are two of the tail feathers,
while the whole of the rest of the back, wings, and tail are of
the same deep blackish brown as_ the third to the tenth
primaries. What is noticeable is, that on the back and scapu-
lars, the paler brown feathers have no white tippings, which
most probably have worn off, these feathers being the old ones,
but all the dark feathers of these parts have narrow brownish
white margins. The upper tail coverts are conspicuously tipped
with white, and the longer ones have two, very broad, slightly
rufous or fulvous white bars. The forehead, crown, and occiput,
are dull, pale, wood brown, here and there, faintly tin ced rufescent,
the feathers with pretty broad blackish brown central streaks ;

270 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &§c.

the lores are greyish white ; the feathers narrowly dark centred ;
the cheeks, ear coverts, and nape are white, more or less
tinged with fulvous or buffy, with very narrow dark brown
shaft stripes ; the chin and throat, white; the feathers of the
base of the neck all round and the breast white, tinged in
places fulvous, im places slightly rufescent, with a broad dark
brown subterminal tranverse band; the sides, flanks, lower
tail coverts, white, with broad brown transverse bars, which
in some of the lower tail coverts have a slightly rufescent
aureola; the abdomen and vent are white, but on the sides of
the abdomen, there are faint traces of barrings similar'to
those of the breast and flanks. The axillaries broadly barred,
with asomewhat greyish brown and greyish white ; the tibial
feathers, pure brown. I hope soon to have other specimens from
the neighbourhood of Kurrachee and to ascertain whether this
bird is really S. parasiticus or anew species S. asiaticus.

978 bis—Larus Argentatus, Brin.

The herring-gull was very abundant about all the larger
lakes in Sindh. I have met with it also occasionally in all the
larger rivers of the Punjab, in the Kurrachee Harbour, along the
Mekran Coast, at Muscat, and again between Kurrachee and
Bombay. Years ago I pointed out that this species occurred in
Upper India, having obtained specimens from the Nujjufghur
jheel, in the Delhi district, at the Sambhur lake, and in one or
two other localities. So far as I have yet been able to ascertain,
Larus fuscus does not occur in India. A young bird given me
by Dr. Jerdon as the young of fuscus, turns out to be the
young of this species, and I have no doubt that the adult speci-
men which Mr. Blyth mentioned, Dr. Jerdon’s sending from
the Coromandel Coast was not fuscus, but the species I shall
next treat of, occidentalis; fuscus, I may notice, with marimus
and dominicanus belong to a sub-division of the larger gulis
which have the primaries black to their bases, while argentatus
and the species next following, have the primaries grey or greyish
white towards their bases.

The herring-gull varies a good deal in size, and a number of
specimens measured in the! flesh, gave the following results;
length, 23 to 25°75; expanse, 58 to 60; wing, 16-75 to 18;
tarsus, 2°5 to 2°78; bill at front, 1:9 to 2°35; from anterior
margin of nares to tip, 0°9 to 1:07; mid toe and claw, 2°25 to
2°6 ; weight, 1 lb. 12 oz. to 2 lb. 6 oz.

As a rule the males are larger than the females, but this does
not znvariably hold good, as many males will be found smaller
than many females, thoug gh the largest birds of all are always
males.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e. 271

In the summer plumage, which, however, some birds assume
as early as February, the whole of the head, neck all round,
entire lower parts, upper tail coverts, and tail are pure white. The
entire mantle and: back, tertiaries, and secondaries, a delicate
pale bluish grey ; the tertiaries, secondaries, and longer scapulars
broadly tipped with white, and the earlier secondaries especially,
with the major portion of the inner webs also white; the edge
of the wing about the carpal joint, white; the first primary
with the whole outer web black, with a white tip, and a broad
white band across both webs near the tip, and above this band
again a considerable portion of the inner web black, the rest
of the inner web pale grey; the second primary similar; but
the white band often wanting entirely, often reduced to a larger
or smaller spot on the inner web only, the black on the inner web
of less extent than in the first, and the basal portion of the
outer web, the same pale blue grey as the coverts and the rest
of the wing; the third and following primaries have only the
white tips, and no white band; as they recede from the second,
more and more of the outer webs become grey, and the black
diminishes proportionally on the inner web also, so that on the
seventh or eighth, it is generally reduced to a narrow black band
across both webs, or in some cases on the outer web only, while
in some it is entirely wanting on the last three quills. In some
specimens the basal portion of the inner webs is almost pure
white, in others it is the same pale grey as the mantle.

The extent of the white band on the first primary is very
variable ; in some specimens, it is little more than half an inch,
in others it is two inches broad ; in one specimen it is absolutely
wanting, in another it extends right to the tip, the usual
intervening subterminal black band having entirely disappear-
ed; that on the second primary is equally variable.

In the winter plumage the nape and the back of the neck are
thinly striated with pale brown, and there are traces of similar
striz, but much feebler and fainter as a rule on the crown, and
to judge from my specimens, these are often entirely wanting.

In the winter plumage the legs and feet are greyish white,
with more or less of a fleshy tinge; in one specimen they
were an excessively pale lemon yellow, with a grey shade; in
another, greenish yellow. In another specimen killed in the
middle of February, and apparently in every other respect in full
summer plumage, the legs and feet were pale yellow; both
Macgillivray and Yarrell speak of the legs and feet as flesh
color, perhaps our ideas in regard to color differ; but certainly
none of the fifty odd birds that Ishot had what J call flesh-
colored legs.

2712 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §c.

The bill is yellow, red near the tip of the lower mandible, but
in the winter they are a very dull yellow, whitish at the tip, with
a dark spot near the tip on both mandibles, and an orange spot
in the tip of lower mandible; other specimens had the ereater
part of the bill pale greenish yellow, but all have a dusky spot or
bar towards the tip on both mandibles, turning to orarge red on
the lower mandible near the angle of the gonys; the “inides of
all I examined were a very pale yellow or yellowish white, and
the eyelids orange red.

In the young: the legs and feet are a sort of pale, dingy dove
color; the bill blackish horny, greyish white on culmen, and at -
base of lower mandible. As for plumage, the whole lower parts
are dull white, streaked with brown on the base of the neck in
front, and more or less broadly spotted or mottled with this same
color on the sides of the breast, body, and flanks, and with
faint traces of similar spots on many parts of the abdomen.
The axillaries are white, barred with brown; the wing lining is
a somewhat darker brown, mottled with white; the forehead,
lores, chin, and upper throat, purer white, and in all my specimens
uustreaked ; crown, occiput, nape and back, and sides of the
neck, white or brownish white, with pale brown streaks, broader
on the neck, and narrower on the crown and occiput, from
which places they first disappear as the bird advances to maturity.
The back and mantle, mottled darker and lighter brown; the
feathers tipped with brownish or greyish white; the quills and
the primary greater coverts, hair brown, darker on the primaries,
with narrow white tippings to the secondaries, and the greater
primary coverts, and traces of the same on the last two or three
primaries. The rump and upper tail coverts are mingled brown
and white; the tail feathers with nearly the terminal two-fifths
of the central feathers and a lesser portion of the lateral ones
dark brown; the basal three-fifths brown also, but mottled more
and more with white towards the bases. There is not the least
trace of the pale blue grey that characterises the plumage of the
adult in the quite young bird. As the bird grows older, the
markings disappear entirely from the under surface, the stn:
on the head grow fainter and fainter, the mottling at the base
of the tail increases in extent, and the feathers of the mantle
begin to take on a pale French grey shade, the brown disappearing
from it, and so by degrees the bird assumes the adult plumage ;
but lone after all the other changes are complete, an irregular im-
perfect blackish brown mottled bar remains at the tip of the tail,
the first. five or six primaries still want their white tips; the
second primary exhibits no trace of a white band, and two or three
scapulars, still more or less mottled with brown, may. be detected.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8c. 275

978 ter—Larus occidentalis, Audubon.—L. bo-
realis, Brandt nec. Bruch.—lL. argentatus, var.
cachinnans, Schrenk, Reisen, I. p. 504.

This species, hitherto unrecorded from India, is abundant be-
yond measure at Kurrachee. It stalks about on the harbour
quays, amongst people and carts, as crows do elsewhere, and it
congregates by thousands round the reed-built huts where a short
distance outside Kurrachee the fishermen bring their fish for sale
to the Kurrachee fishmongers. Associated with it may be seen the
herring-gull, but whereas the latter is found all over the coun-
try inland, the Asiatic herring-gull as this species may be called,
never quits the immediate neighbourhood of the sea.

I found it all the way up the Mekran Coast, I shot it at Muscat
and it hung about the steamer all the way from Kurrachee to Bom-
bay. Ihave no doubt that it wasan adult of this species that Dr.
Jerdon sent from the Coromandel Coast and that Mr. Blyth ac-
cepted as fuscus. The color of its mantle indeed closely approaches
that of fuscus; being exactly intermediate in tint between that
of Larus marinus and of the common herring-gull. This dark
mantle renders it conspicuous amongst all the other gulls of the
Kurrachee Harbour, and I myself, when I first saw it, made sure
that I had at last secured the lesser black-backed gull that I had
so long and vainly searched for.

Except as regards color, and there the difference is very marked,
this species is inseparable from its European prototype argentatus.
If you compare single specimens you fancy that you can establish
differences in the length of bill, tarsi, and toes, shape of nostrils,
angulation of gonys and the lke, but with twenty or thirty
specimens of each before one, it is manifest that no single differ-
ence except that of color holds, unless, indeed, occidentalis averages
shghtly larger. J measureda number carefully in the flesh, and
the following are the results :

Males, length, 24 to 245; expanse, 59 to 60: wing,
16°75 to 17°8; tarsus, 2°57 to 2°7; mid toe and claw, 2°3 to
2°4; bill at front, 2-04 to 2°25; from anterior margins of nostrils
to tip, 1 to 1:03; weight, 2 Ib 6 ozs. to 2 Ib 12 ozs.

Females, length, 22 to 23:5; expanse, 55°5 to 58; wing,
16:5 to 17; tarsus, 2°5 to 2°68; mid toe and claw, 2:2 to 2-41;
bill at front, 1-9 to 2-15; from anterior margins of nostrils to
tip, 0°87 to 1:03; weight, 1 Tb 14 ozs. to 2 Ibs.

The irides vary from brown in the young to pale brown,
brownish yellow, and pale yellow to white in the old birds; the
legs and feet vary partly according to age and partly according
to season, from pale pinkish dusky, to pale greyish fleshy, pale

274 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &c.

yellowish fleshy and pale creamy yellow, to pale yellow in the
adults. The bill of the adult is wax yellow, with bright red patch
on lower mandible towards the tip, and with the gape and eyelids
orange red; less advanced birds have the bills either black, fleshy
white at base of lower mandible, or pale livid, a black patch near
the tip of both mandibles, or a greenish white, with a similar
black patch, or with the same dusky patch and an orange one at
the angle of the lower mandible, or whitish with an orange
patch towards the tip of the lower mandible, with a corresponding
but famter yellowish one on the upper mandible.

As for the plumage it 1s precisely similar to that of argentatus
except that the whole mantle and the basal portion of the pri-
maries on both webs is a comparatively dark slaty grey instead
of the pale blue grey of our European herring-gull, and also
in my opinion, that the striz of the head are more numerously
set, and those of the back of the neck larger and darker in the
winter plumage of our present species.

If, as I believe I have rightly identified this species, Iam at
a loss to understand why Professor Schlegel has placed this
species in a different section of the Laride to the common her-
ring-gull. He himself remarks, that “it is absolutely like
argentatus, from which it is only distinguishable in the adult
plumage, when the primaries, and the grey of the mantle and
wing's are much darker than in this species, though paler than in
LL. fuscus.” Asregards the young birds, until a few of the grey
feathers of the adult begin to appear on the centre of the back,
Tam unable to give any constant rule for distinguishing them
from those of argentatus; but the first feather of the perfect
plumage that shows out, betrays at once whether the youngster
is an Kuropean or an Asiatic.

_ Heretofore this species has been only recorded from the West
coast of America, northward from California, and the east coast
of Asia, from Macao northwards, but it has also been observed
inland from Lake Baikal northwards.

Mr. Gray separates occidentalis, Aud., from America, as distinct,
but I prefer to follow Schlegel here.

If Mr. Gray is correct, our bird will stand as dorealis, Brandt,
nec. Bruch.

978 quat—Larus Lambruschini, Bonap—t,
tenurrostris, lemm.—L. gelastes,. Licht.—L. roseus,
Géné.

This lovely species is numerically the most abundant of all

that frequent the Kurrachee Harbour, and all the way up the Gulf
of Oman in suitable localities, I met with vast flocks of it. Towards

Contrebutions to the Ornithology of India, Se. 275

mid-day it gathers together at the point of some long sandy
spit stretching far out nto the water, or else congregates on some
tiny islet, and there sunsitself, hundreds of them closely packed
within the space of a few square yards, close to the water’s edge.
Sometimes one or two sooty gulls, conspicuous in their mourning
weeds, may be detected amone'st them, or a small party of
Thalasseus bengalensis or Thalasseus cantiacus, but as a rule they
are very exclusive, and admit no other bird a their company.
Some little distance apart, one or two huge black-headed gulls or
a little group of rzdzbunda will be seen, but these do not mingle
with the slender bills at the time of their noonday siesta.

This species, which has hitherto only been recorded from the Me-
diterranean and the Caspian Sea, appears to have its head quarters,
at any rate during the winter, in the northern parts of the
Indian Ocean and the Gulfs of Oman and Persia; no other sea-
bird did I see collected in such vast flocks as this species.

Just inside the Kurrachee Harbour, under the lee of the Minora
headland, a strip of sand affords them a sunny resting place,
and there daily in the cold weather from about 11 till 2 or 3
o’clock, thousands may be seen congregated together, looking
from Minora itself like a huge white sheet. They are very tame,
and a dozen may be secured, Gata single shot.

When freshly killed, the wholelower parts, the back of the nee
and upper tail coverts are suffused with a delicate salmon pink,
and though this has nearly faded now out of some of my
specimens, one or two still exhibit this lovely colouring. I
measured several of them in the flesh. The following are the
results :

Male, length, 17°5 to 18°25; expanse, 39°5 to 40°5; tail
from vent, 4:6 to 4:8; wing, 11:7 to 12:2; wings, when
closed, reach from 1:2 to 1:8 beyond the end of tail; bill
at front, 1:63 to 1:82; from gape, 2-4 to 2°6; length of gonys,
from angle to tip, 0°57 to 0°65; tarsus, 2 to 2:15; mid toe and
claw, 1°55 to 1:7; weight, 12 to 14 ozs. ‘

The females are rather smaller. Length, 16°75 to 17:25;
expanse, 36°5 to 38; wing, 10°8 to 11; weight, 10 to 11 ozs. |

In, as I take it, the full summer plumage, when the rosy hue
is strongest, the lees and feet aredeep red; the claws and
webs dusky; the bill is deep red, or blackish red, almost black
is some ; the eyelids are bright red, and the irides pale yellow;
but many of the birds, as I believe, seasonably less advanced,
had the legs and feet pale orange, the claws brown, and the bill
pale orange, dusky towards the tip, and every intermediate shade
of color was noticeable ; in one or two specimens, not only the

bill, but the legs and feet were almost blackish red. -

>

276 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

In the full plumage the whole head, neck, all round, entire low-
er parts, rump, upper tail coverts, and tail, white, everywhere ting- —
ed rosy, but most faintly so on the head and lateral tail feathers,
The entire mantle including the secondaries and tertiaries and all
the coverts, (except those about the carpal joint, and the creater
and median coverts of the first four or five primarjes, which are
white,) together with the axillaries and wing lining are a
delicate pale bluish French grey, palest on the back tertiaries
and axillaries. The first primary is entirely white, except the
extreme tip, and the greater portion of the outer web which
are black; the second to the fourth primaries are white, with
successively broader and broader black tips, and an increasingly
broader black or blackish brown band on the inner margin of
the inner web ; the fifth primary is similar to the fourth, but has
a narrow white tip, the white of the outer web shaded with
grey, and the inner web, slaty dusky; the sixth primary is
entirely pale French grey, slightly darker than the coverts with
the white tip, and a broad blackish brown subterminal band ;
the remaining four primaries are entirely French grey.

Almost all the birds killed were adults; two in which the
colors were duller and the tippings of the primaries browner,
and in which some cf the secondaries have brown streaks on the
outer webs towards the tips, have the tips of the tail feathers
blackish brown, or in one dull wood brown, for about 0°75 of an
inch; these birds have also less white on the primaries.

To a casual observer these birds closely approximate to J.
_gidibundus in winter plumage; but they may be very readily
distinguished from these; they never get the dark hood that
ridibundus does, and they never have the dark spot in front of
the eye and behind the ear coverts that rzdzbundus always
exhibits in the cold weather; the bills also are considerably
longer, and in proportion to their length slenderer than those
of ridibundus ; the gouys especially is conspicuously longer, mea-
suring from the angle to the tip in this species in males from
0°57 to 0°65; while in the same sex in rzdibundus, it measures
from 0°45 to 5; lastly, the perfect adults in this speciés want
entirely the black margin on the inner web of the first primary,
while this is as far as my experience goes invariably present
ever in the fullest breeding plumage of ridzbundus.

I may add that I never saw this bird except along the sea coast.

979.—Larus ichthyetus, Pall.

This magnificent gull was not uncommon on the Muncher
lake, and at some few of the largest of the others of the inland
waters. At Kurrachee and all along the Sindh and Mekran

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, fe. 27%

Coasts, and again in the neighbourhood of Muscat, I constantly no-
ticed it.

As Professor Schlegel separates our Indian race as JL. minor.
T took the trouble to secure a good series of these, seventeen in num-
ber, old and young, in winter plumage and in full breeding plum-
age, in order to test the correctness of his conclusions. He says, that
Larus ichthyetus from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean
has a wing from 18°6 to 19°7; while our smaller (?) race which
he says appears to replace this in Bengal, has a wing of from.
17:5 to 17-88. Now out of my twelve males from Sindh, the smal-
lest wing measures 19, the largest 20. Of the five females,
the smallest measures 18-5, the largest 18°9; but it may be said
that Professor Schlegel refers only to Bengal, so I compared speci-
mens which [ had from the Nujjufghur Jheel, and I found that.
these agreed in length of wing with the Sindh birds. Now
those from the Nujjufghur Jheel are Bengal birds; as a rule
you only get them there early in the autumn and pretty late in the —
spring ; a few hang about the place the whole cold season, but
as a rule the birds you get there are Bengal birds, on their way
toor from their breeding haunts in Central or Northern Asia.
T have watched them, year after year, and have seen them every
year at these seasons, steadily making their way up or down
country, along the courses of the Jumna and the Ganges. To
the best of my belief at no other time in the year do you meet
them, except as very rare stragglers on either of these rivers
above their confluence at Allahabad. At these precise seasons
a dozen or more will pass you every day, (I have seen fifty in
asingle day) flying steadily up or down and following exactly
the course of the river. The Nujjufehur Jheel, especially in the
early autumn, is, in most years, a vast sheet of water approach-
ing very closely to the Jumna, and here when the birds are
on their way down, a large number of this species may be seen
for a short time gathered together.

This species sits about upon the water a great deal. Both in the
inland lakes and the bays along the Mekran Coast, they were
much more commonly seen swimming about than sitting on the
shore or flying.

The birds which we shot during the latter half of January
had all of them white throats. and some of them only shghtly
blackish mottled caps, but some of those killed at Muscat in
the middle of February, were in the fullest breeding plumage,
the whole head and neck all round being velvet black.

I notice that Dr. Jerdon is mistaken in describing the tail.
of the adult as having a black band; it is pure white, and the
black band, when it occurs, is a sign of nonage.

278 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §'c.

~ Afine male, shotin breeding plumage, measured as follows:
length, 29°25 ; expanse, 68; tail from vent, 7°5 ; wing, 19-5; bill
at front, straight from forehead to point, 2°65; from gape, 3:8;
tarsus, 3°2; mid toe and claw, 2°55; weight, 2ibs. he irides
were brown; the edges of the eylids and gape, vermillion ; the bill
wax yellow, vermillion towards the tip, with a black bar across
both mandibles just beyond angle of the gonys, and the extreme
tips beyond this, orange yellow.

980.—Larus brunneicephalus, Jerd.

This gull appeared to me to be comparatively rare; I procur-
red it in various parts of Sindh inland, and again on the Coast,
but it was no where apparently common, and all my specimens
exhibited signs of nonage.

981.—Larus ridibundus, L.

' This species I have found pretty common in the larger rivers
of the Punjab, in the Indus, m Sindh, about most of the larger
inland lakes of the latter province, about the Kurrachee Harbour,
along the Mekran Coast and at Muscat. All the specimens pro-
cured were in winter plumage, except a single female shot at
Muscat, on the 23rd February, which had assumed the dark
hood, though other birds killed at the same place and on the
same day, as yet shewed no signs of the breeding plumage.
' There is another species, much the same size as ridibundus, but
with a somewhat stronger bill and tarsus, in full plumage
with a black hood, and with the primaries entirely white, except
the outer web of the first, I mean L. melanocephalus, Natterer,
which I think I once saw at Kurrachee the day I was leaving,
and which I fully expect will hereafter be there procured. The
adult in full plumage may be at once recognized by the peculia-
rities above indicated. In regard to the young, Mr. Howard
Saunders remarks, (Ibis, 72, page 79) that the best distinction
exists in the first primary. ‘‘In the young L. melanocephalus,
that portion of the imner web which lies xext to the shaft is
smoke coloured on both upper and under sides, whereasin ZL. ridi-
dundus itis white, as is also the shaft. This holds good until
LI. melanocephalus has lost all eolour on the inner web of the
first primary when the dark edging of the same feather in JL.
yidibundus forms a still more marked distinction.”
Unfortunately that portion of the mner web of the first pri-
mary which lies wext the shaft, is not as a matter of fact always
white in ridibundus; on the contrary, in one well marked
stage of the immature plumage, the whole inner web is smoke
colour with a white streak down the centre, leaving both the

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 279

portion next the shaft and the margin smoke coloured. How-
ever the rule may in most cases hold good and may be useful.

There is another gull very likely to occur in India, I mean
L. atricilla, Linn. ; this is somewhat larger than drunnercepha-
dus, has the whole of the primaries, even in the perfect adult,
entirely black, or at most only slightly tipped with white, the grey
of the upper surface much darker than in redebundus or melano-
cephalus, and in-the breeding season the hood also much darker.
This is another species for which ornithologists on the eastern
sea coasts should look out. It is common on the western coast
of America as far north at any rate as California, and is very
likely to occur asa stragegler on our south-eastern coast.

981 ter—Larus Hemprichit, Bonaparte-—L. Oras-
strostris, Licht. nec. Vierllot.

The sooty gull is very abundant about the Kurrachee Harbour
and all the way up the Mekran Coast and at Muscat, and both
this and L. deucopthalmos, Licht. is, as every one going back-
wards and forwards to England must have noticed, common
at Aden and all the way up the Red Sea. Jesse, I see, obtained
it in Abyssinia, and Finsch gives a very good figure of it in the
Trans. Zoo. Soc., Vol. VII, p. 4, May 1870.

In the Kurrachee Harbour it is like most of the water birds
except Larus occidentalis, Lambruschini and Thalasseus cantiacus,
somewhat wary, but at Gwader and Muscat, it is excessively
tame anda constant attendant on all the fishermen’s canoes,
who have only to wave their arms round their head as if
throwing out offal of fish, and to call adlow, atlow, to gather
a dozen of them round the boat in a few minutes. In this way,
while I procured only three or four specimens at Kurrachee,
and that with some little trouble, at Muscat and Gwader, 1
obtained at once as many as I required. None of the other gulls
are so tame as these are, and none of them apparently can be
thus called. The following are dimensions taken in the

_ flesh:

Males, length, 18°75 to 19-25; expanse, 46 to 48:5; wing,
14 to 14°5; tail from vent, 4°75 to 5°6; wings, when closed,
reach to. from 1°85 to 2-4 beyond end of tail; bill at front,
1°98 to 2-1; from gape, 2°4 to 2°6; tarsus, 2 to 2°2; mid toe
and claw, 1°85 to 1:95; weight, 14.0z. to 11b. 2 0z. Female (only ©
one measured) length, 19:2; expanse, 46; tail from vent, 5;
wing, 13; wings, when closed, reached 2 beyond end of tail;
bill at front,2; from gape, 2°6; tarsus, 2°17; mid toe and
elaw, 1:9; weight, 130z. .

_. Bill, pale green, with a black bar near the tip, beyond which

280 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

the tips are vermillion ; legs and feet, greenish grey or greenish
fawn; claws, black; irides, brown; in younger, or perhaps
seasonally less advanced birds, the legs and feet are brownish
plumbeous; the webs, dusky; the bill, plumbeous dusky on
culmen and towards tip, and orange red at tip.

Plumage.—The forehead and lores are pale greyish brown ;.
the cheeks, sides of the head, base of lower mandible, crown and
occiput, a pale, but somewhat less greyish brown; traces of a
darker brown half collar: on the nape, which probably is more
developed in the breeding plumage; chin, pure white; throat
white, more or less mingled with pale brown; neck all round ~
the whole mantle including the wing coverts, breast, and sides,
a dull, smoky, sooty brown, with here and there, especially on
the coverts, a slightly slaty tinge; axillaries and wine lining
similar, but darker and browner; the edge of the wing white; the
abdomen, vent, flanks, tail, and upper and lower tail coverts,
pure white. Primaries black, conspicuously white tipped, and
the later ones with an irregular paler spot on one or both webs
not far above the tips; the secondaries very broadly white
tipped, blackish or dark brown on the outer webs, paler on the
inner ; the basal halves or more of their shafts white ; the tertiaries,
a sooty grey brown, more narrowly tipped white; and paling
towards the tips. .

The young birds have the central tail feathers almost entirely
brown, the lateral feathers brown on the outer webs, and for the
terminal one-third to one-half of the inner webs; the rest of
the inner webs, white, and all the feathers narrowly tipped
brownish white; the neck and back, as well as the scapulars,
tertiaries, and coverts area paler wood brown; the two latter
more or less tipped with white, and both primaries and secon-
daries are paler colored than in the adults.

The vast majority of the specimens which we obtained,
though in adult plumage in other respects, still exhibited traces —
of a black hand towards the tips of the tail feathers. Some have
the whole crown and occiput as pale as the lores, in some the
chin is mottled white and brown, and there is little or no white
about the throat. In some again the darker half collar on the
nape is strongly marked, in others it is barely traceable.

982.—Sterna caspia, Pall.

The Caspian tern, which is almost unknown in the North- Wes-
tern Provinces, Oudh, the Punjab, and Rajpootana, is occasionally
seen in the Indus after that river enters Sindh, and is very
common in all the larger lakes of the latter province. In the
Muncher lake I have counted more than fifty on the wing at

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 281

the same time, each bird flying separately on his own respon-
sibility, and never so far as I have noticed associated in flocks
or parties as is so often the case with the other terns and gulls.
The local name is seykra which does approximately (at any rate
when pronounced by the native fishermen) represent the harsh cry
of this species. his bird has a very human peculiarity which I
have not often noticed in others, viz., it always cries out when
itis hit. If you fire at it and miss, the bird pursues “ the even
tenor of its noiseless way,” but so sure asa few body feathers
are knocked out, off goes the bird with his bill straight in front
of him, anathematizing the sportsman in most unseemly
fashion. Usually, when not interfered with, this species may be
distinguished at a great distance by its long pointed bill turned
downwards at right angles to the body.

Individuals of both sexes vary much in size, from 20 to 23
inches in length and from 48 to 54 inches in expanse; they
often weigh fully a pound and-a-half. In the Kurrachee Har-
bour they were not uncommon, and I obtamed specimens in
more than one locality along the Mekran Coast, and saw several
at Muscat.

983.—Sterna nilotica, V. Hasselg.—S. Anglica.
Montagu.

This species was far from common in Sindh. I met with it
occasionally in the larger inland pieces of water and once or
twice on the Indus, but the only places where I saw numerous
specimens were the Muncher lake and Kurrachee Harbour.
Unlike aurantia and javanica, the present species appears to re-
main for a considerable period in winter plumage, and I find
specimens killed early in November and well into March still in
this garb.

984.—Sterna hybrida, Pallas.—S. indica, Stephen.

—S. leucopareia, Natterer.

This species was occasionally met with on the inland lakes of
Sindh; but was nowhere numerous; the fishermen however
affirmed that it bred there, during the inundation, and as it
breeds freely in Cashmere, in Oudh, and Rohileund, and even
(though more sparingly) in the North-Western Provinces, this
may very likely be the fact, though it needs _ verification.

985.—Sterna aurantia, Gray.

This large river tern which is a permanent resident in all the
chief rivers of Northern India at any rate, was fairly abundant
the whole way down the Jhelum, Chenab, and the Indus, right

282 Contributeons to the Ornithology of India, &e.

down to the sea, as I saw specimens even in Kurrachee Harbour.
Outside the Harbour, however, I missed it entirely, and never
once saw it in the Gulf of Oman. In all the large broads of
Sindh (as we should call them, or dhunds as they are locally
designated) this tern abounds beyond measure.

In the winter plumage this bird entirely loses the black of
the head, retaining only a dark line round the eye and a
dusky blackish tint on the*ear coverts. The bill, too, at this
season is tipped dusky. It is however rare to obtain specimens
in this stage ; the change does not begin till after the Ist of
December, in fact I have obtained specimens in the full breeding
plumage as late as the 15th of December, and by the Ist of
February, or at latest by the 15th, the full plumage is again
assumed.

Adams, I observe, states that Sterna hirundo* L., is common
on the Indus and the rivers of the Punjab. I have made
two trips down the Jhelum before, and I this year worked the
Jhelum from Jhelum tothe Chenab, the Chenab to the Indus,
and the Indus to Sukkur, and again from Sehwan to Hyderabad.
We had sometimes four guns out; we only travelled by day
and we worked not only the main stream, but all the more
important side channels. On no occasion did we even see a
specimen of the common tern, easily distinguishable ata con-
siderable distance with binoculars, by the color and the shape
of the bill, from S. awrantia, the only bird with which we
could have confounded it, and this although we were spe-
cially on the look-out for it. Durmg more than twenty years
that. I have been shooting in India, I have never met with
a single specimen, though from my childhood upwards, I have
been thoroughly familiar withit. The only specimens that I
have ever seen were those brought from Yarkand and the head of
the Pangonge Lake by Dr. Henderson, and a single specimen said
to have been obtained in Cashmere. I may have been singular-
ly unfortunate, but my conviction is that it is almost unknown
out of the Himalayas and that even there, the localities in which
it occurs are high up and few and far between.

987.—Sterna javanica, Horsf.—S. rane
Temm.
Mr. Gould says, that Sterna gavanica, Horsf., is not identical

* I presume S. fluvialilis, Naum., the common tern, and not 8. hirundo, L.,
the arctic tern is meant. ‘The former (in the adult) has the tip of the bill
blackish, a tarsus of 0-7, and wings reaching beyond the tip of the tail. The
latter has the bill entirely red, the tarsus only 0°55, and a tail extending beyond
the wings. In the young the difference in the size of the tarsus has chiefly to Pe.
relied on, The above diagnosis I take from Mr.-Sharpe. -

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 283

with melanogastra. I have not at the moment access to Hors-
field’s original description and can therefore form no indepen-
dant opinion as to whether he is correct or not. But Mr. Gray
says they are identical, and deeming it “ better to err with Gray
than, &c.,” I retain Horsfield’s name.

This species also was excessively common throughout the rivers
of the Punjab and the lakes and streams of Sindh. like the
preceding, this bird only doffs the summer plumage for a very
brief space of time. Up to the middle of December, I have shot
it with the black belly and black cap, and again by the early
part of February have obtained it in the same garb. In the
winter plumage this bird likewise has the bill conspicuously
tipped with dusky. I thought at one time that this dusky tip-
ping of the bill was a sign of immaturity, but numerous speci-
mens obtained at different times have led me to the conclusion
that this is a portion of the winter dress.

988.—Sterna Bergii, Lichtenstein, (nec Reichen-
bach, which = T. cantiacus, Gmelin ;—nee Hartlaub,
which = T. galericulatus, Lichtenstein) —Sterna
velox, Raippell.

There are four distinct species at any rate, (if not more) of
Oceanic Terns which are closely allied and differ chiefly in size,
size of bill, and the coloring of the upper parts.

First there are (1) 8. gadericulata, Lichtenstein, (= S. cristata,
Swainson, and probably 8. elegans, Gamb., and 8. comata, Phil.
ef Landb.) and (2) 8. maxima, Bodd, (= S. cayennensis, Gm,
and probably S. regia, Gamb.) which in the breeding season
have the whole front of the head down to the beak, black; the
bill is a yellowish red, and the upper parts of a very pale silvery
grey becoming almost white. These have wings respectively of
from 11-5 to 12, and from 14 to 15-5; in both the bill at
front is from 2-4 to 2°5, but that of the former species is com-
paratively very slender. These belong to the Coasts of Africa and
America; our bird, which is a peculiarly dark grey above, has
a very robust bill, and a broad white frontal band even in the
breeding season, is certainly not referable to either of these
species; next there is (3) Sterna pelecanoides, King, = 8.
rissa, Muller = 8. nigripennis, Bonap, and possibly eristata,
Stephen, and if so, should stand by this latter name. This belongs
to the same sub-group as our bird, and has the forehead white at
all seasons. It differs from our bird in its somewhat smaller size,
and somewhat less dark upper parts. Schlegel gives the wing in
this species at from nearly 138 to a little less than 14, and the
bill from a little more than 2 to nearly 2°5.. The bill is yellow

¥

284 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

with more or less of a greenish tinge. The fourth is the species:
which frequents-our Indian Coasts which I. had previously
received from the Megna near Commilla in Tipperah, and from
Madras, and which I now found to be common along the Sindh
Coast, in the Kurrachee Harbour, and along the Mekran
Coast.

In my birds the wings vary from 14:2 in the smallest females
to 14°8 in the largest males, while the bills vary from 2°6 to
2°75. The upper Srinaees except of course the white neck, and
the black or black and white head according to season is a very
dark grey, with more or less of a brownish tinge.

Schlegel’s maximum dimensions for this species somewhat
exceed in some cases those given above, but the latter al] exceed
his minima. He gives the wing at from 14 to 15°3 and the bill
at from 2°5 to about 2-7.

This species, though not uncommon, is on the Sindh Coast,
andthe Gulf of Oman very rare as compared with either 8.
cantiaca, or 8. bengalensis. Of both these latter hundreds may be
seen daily ; of the present species I saw at most a dozen and
procured only five specimens.

All these three latter species are said to breed on the rocky
island of Astolah, famous for its turtles, and which hes off the
Mekran Coast about half way between the boundary of Sindh and
Gwader. The breeding season is said to be May.

990.—Sterna bengalensis, Lesson—S. affnis,
Rrippell.—sS. media, Horsf.—S. maxuriensis, Hhren-
berg—S. Torresu, Gould.
_ This species is excessively abundant in the Kurrachee Har-
bour, and in all suitable bays, and back-waters, from the mouths
of the Indus, at any rate to Gwader on the Mekran Coast ; while
Bergiz is met with only singly, dengalensis and cantiaca herd
together in vast flocks, and though these too may be met with
singly, whilst feeding, morning and night, at mid-day they are
always seen congregating in such masses that a single shot,
(and they have apparently no fear of men or guns) secures a dozen
specimens.

It will be observed that in regard to the synonymy of this
species, I have followed Schlegel ; the subject is unquestionably,
at present a thorny one, and itis only right to explain, that
Mr. Gray acknowledges three distinct species where Schlegel
(whom I believe to be right) gives only one, vz. :

(1.)—Affinis, Ritp., arabica, Ehr., from the Red Sea and
Madagascar.

(2.) —Mazxuriensis, Ehr., melanocephala, Tem. North Africa.

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, §e. 285

(3.)—Media, Horsf., bengalensis, Cuv. (he seems to ignore
bengalensis, Lesson,) Torresid, Gould, from Java, India, Ceylon,
North Australia.

990 bis.—Sterna cantiaca, Gmelin.—S. Striata,
Gmelin.—S. Boystt, Latham.—S. Bergu, Rerchen-
bach, nec LInchtenstein, Tab. 19, Hig. 265.—S.
Acuflavida, Cabot.

The sandwich-tern which: has hitherto apparently escaped the
observation of ornithologists in India was exeessively plentiful
in the Kurrachee Harbour and everywhere along the Coast from
the mouths of the Indus to Gwader. I also procured it at
Muscat. This speciesis at once distinguished by its long,
straight, black, yellowish-tipped bill. All the specimens which
I procured were in winter plumage, one only, shot on the Mek-
ran Coast, in the latter end of February, approached nearly to the
summer plumage. The males in this species are somewhat
larger than the females. The following are dimensions in the
flesh :

Male, length, 17 to 18; expanse, 37 to 89; tail from vent,
6 ; wing, 11°5 to 12°5 ; bill at front, 2°2 to 2:4; wings, when
closed, reach to from 0-2 to nearly 1 beyond the end of tail ;
eae 10 to 14 oz.

Female, length, 16 to 17 ; expanse, 36 to 38.; tail from vent,
6 to 6°5 ; wing, 11 to 11°75 ; bill at front, 2°15 to 2°35 ; wings,
when closed, reach to from 0°75 to L‘l beyond the end of tail ;
weight, 12 oz.

Description—The legs and feet are black; the bill is black
with the tips of both mandibles, for about 0°35 to 0°5, pale
horny yellow. The irides brown.

In summer plumage the whole of the forehead, top, and back
of the head, ear coverts and elongated broad occipital erest, glossy
black. The whole under parts, neck all round, upper tail coverts

and tail white ; the lower parts with a delicate roseate tinge. The
mantle and wings pale silvery grey ; all the quills margined:
with white at the tips and on the inner webs, and beyond the
tips the greater portion of the inner webs, especially of the
earlier primaries, white. The first primary somewhat darker but
its outer web white on the lower surface.

In the winter plumage the whole of the front and top of the
head becomes satin white, only in front of the eye there remains
a narrow black crescent, and the feathers from the back of the
eye all round the crest are tipped dull black. The rosy hue of
the lower parts almost disappears. In the intermediate stage,.
in which most of my specimens were procured, the whole crest

286 | Contributions to the Ornithology of India, &e.

and occiput are glossy black. The crown is black mottled white,
and the forehead here and there speckled with black.

This species appears to be entirely a sea tern, I never ob-
served it away from sea water. It is very tame and fearless, fly-
ing over and past the boats as one 1s fishing, but lke the other
terns, and unlike the gulls, taking no notice of dead fish or fish
offal which may be thrown out as it passes. It generally flies
about, with its long thin bill pomted downwards like the Caspian
tern, but its flight is not nearly so strong nor its strokes at fish
as sudden and rapid as those of this latter species. In mid-day
it congregates in vast flocks on some sandbank, low rock, or
sandy | promontory, and there suns itself. for hours together tak
ing little, if any, notice of passing boats.

Our birds are absolutely identical with European specimens
that I possess. Mr. Gray, I note, considers Bergiz of Reich. (nee
Licht), or as it should stand acuflavida of Cabot, founded on speci-
mens from the Gulf of Mexico entitled to specific separation,
Schlegel does wot, neither do Sclater and Salvin, and as the
British Museum contained no specimen of the supposed acz-
flavida, I preter to follow Schlegel.

995.—Rhynchops albicollis, Sw.

I found this tolerably abundant in the Jhelum, Chenab, Sut-
lej, and Indus, as low down as Hyderabad. I never saw it about
the Kurrachee Harbour or in any of the lakes. It is exclusively,
I think, a river bird. In the Ganges, the Jumna, the Meena,
and allthe Eastern rivers, it is much more often seen than in

_ those we traversed in this recent trip.

996.—Phaeton ethereus, L.

The boatswain or bo’s’un, as he is called, is not uncommon in the
northern portion of the Indian Ocean and up the Gulf of Oman.
We saw a considerable number and secured six, five of which
were males. I know very little of this species, but they are
all, as far as I can judge, immature, for Schlegel gives the length

of the central tail feathers in this species as 29 old French inches,
which is equal to 31°5 English inches; in no one of my
specimens do the central tail feathers exceed 95; or project
more than 5°75 beyond the others.

They flew about the ship much like terns with their longish
bill pointed downwards after the manner of S. caspia and seemed
totally fearless,.in fact were attracted to the vessel by guns
which we fired at other birds; they did not, any of them, come
very close, not nearer than 70 or 80 yards as a rule, but they
flew round and round at this distance for some time; they were
in small parties of from five to twenty, and were all as far as

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Fe. | 287

IT could judge, precisely similar to the specimens obtained.
They were very carefully measured in the flesh, and the following
are the results :

Males, length, excluding elongated central tail feathers,
16°85 to 17°8 ; central tail feathers project beyond the rest of
the tail, 3 to 5°9; expanse, 37 to 39:5; tail from vent, including
central tail feathers, 7:5 to 10°3; wing, 10°75 to 11:8; bill at
front, 2°2 to 2°45; tarsus, 1 to 1:18; mid toe and claw, 1°55
to 1:8; weight, 1lb 1 oz to 1tb 4 oz.

The female was 18:05 long, exclusive of the lengthened
tail feathers, which projected 4, beyond the other feathers ;
expanse, 39; tail from vent, including central tail feathers, 9 ;
wing, 11:7; bill, at front, 2-4; tarsus, 1; weight, 116 6 oz.

Inides, deep brown; legs and hallux and its web, and basal
joint of other toes, white, tinged bluish and creamy yellow; rest
of feet and claws black; in some the bluish was replaced by a
livid fleshy tinge, and one was slightly yellower on the tarsus ;
bill, dull orange red ; margins of both mandibles, nostrils, and
tips dusky; in some the bills were slightly paler than in the
others.

Plumage.—A broad, conspicuous black crescent in front of
the eye, and a narrow black line fromthe gape to nostrils and
nostrils to culmen, dividing the feathers from bill; the whole
forehead and the front part of the crown, ear coverts, and entire
lower parts including wing lining, and axillaries, pure white,
the lower parts of the body glistening like white satin; a black
line from the posterior angle of the eye, running round the
back of the nape, where it forms amore or less conspicuous
half collar. The hinder portion of the crown and nape inside
the half collar, white, each feather with a triangular black bar |
near the tips, in a great measure concealed by the overlapping
of the tips of the feathers; the carpal joint of the wing, the
four or five posterior primaries, the whole of the secondaries,
the primary coverts except those of the first five quills, the
secondary greater and median coverts, pure white ; the winglet the
greater coverts of the first five primaries, the outer webs of
the first five primaries, together with a narrow stripe along the
shaft on the inner web, black; the extreme tips and the inner
webs of these feathers white; the tertials and their greater
coverts black, narrowly margined on the exterior webs and tipped
with white; the lesser secondary coverts similar; the entire
back, scapulars, ramp, and upper tail coverts white, regularly
and closely barred with black; the bars being slightly cuspidate
on the upper back, and the longest scapulars being almost
devoid of barring, though this is not seen till the feathers are

288 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Se.

lifted. The shafts of the first five primaries are entirely black,
those of the subsequest ones black on their basal portion.
The tail feathers white, the basal portions black shafted, and
the lateral tail feathers mostly with an arrow head bar or spot
near the tip. The female is precisely similar to the male.
We certainly saw fifty birds of this species, and to the best
of my belief none of these differed materially from the six
obtained, and I watched them off and on for some hours, with
binoculars, at short distances. If these are, as I conclude -them
to be, the young of P. ethereus, this is another instance of
what is so commonly noticed, viz., the young of a species,
extending their wanderings much further than the adults do.

1001.—Pelicanus onocrotalus, L.

I only clearly identified this pelican on one occasion in Sindh,
and then I came across in the Madho Dhund, in Upper Sindh,
-a flock which, I should guess, contained some thousands. In an
early number I hope to produce a paper on the pelicans of India,
and shall at present therefore say nothing further about them.

1004.—Pelicanus philippensis, Gel.

I saw a few, and only a few, of this species in Sindh.

1004 bis.—Pelicanus crispus, Bruch.

I have already noticed how wonderfully abundant this species
is in Sindh and along the whole Mekran Coast. This is the
pelican that the fishermen on all the mland waters keep tame.
As with the herons, so with the pelicans, they generally sew up
the eyes, and fasten them by a string tied to the leg to the roots.
of some bunch of rushes or a stake driven in below water level.

They thus serve as decoys to other water-fowl who, knowing

how wary pelicans usually are, readily settle where they see one
or more of these birds sailing slowly about backwards and for-
wards, and are thus netted or captured in other ways. ‘These
pelicans serve the fishermen, who are fowlers also, in another
way : they skin them carefully, and cutting away the abdomen,
in fact the greater portion that would be below water-level im
the live bird, line the skin with a frame of thin basket work.
They are very clever in mounting the birds, especially in dyeing
the pouch and coloring it with turmeric so as to look exactly as:
in the live bird, and also in imitating the-eyes which they
manufacture out of lac. When ready, the fisherman places it
on his head, gets into the water, and progresses slowly and softly,
making the skin which conceals his head, sail about in the
water in the most natural way imaginable, until he reaches the
spot when some of his blinded and tethered pelicans are sur-

eas

Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sc. 289

rounded by wild water-fowl which he adroitly pulls under water
without in the slightest disturbing the rest. Sometimes we
were told he drags with him a piece of double rope, twisted, with
a stone or weight fastened to it ; each bird asitis caught has
the neck thrust between the twists of the rope, and thus as many
as twenty will be captured at asingle trip ; some have a lght
cord fastened round the loins, between which and their bodies
they thrust the neck ; in either case they kill the duck almost
instantaneously by a sharp twist of the neck. I never myself
saw the ducks thus caught, but a man put on the pelican hel-
met, and made it sail about before me in such wise that, even
when quite close, it was difficult to believe that it was nota
living bird.

1005.—Graculus carbo, L.

The common cormorant was abundant in Sindh. Small parties
were occasionally noticed the whole way down the rivers Jhelum,
Chenab, and Indus from Jhelum to Kurrachee. I saw a few
also in the Muncher lake. Everywhere along the Mekran Coast
they were abundant, and on the 23rd February, I shot and
preserved a very fine male at Muscat in almost full breeding plum-
age. Does any body know where these birds breed in India?
For ten years at least I have been on the look-out for their eggs,
but entirely without success, though I have been told that they
breed on rocky islands and also on trees near Mhow Burriaree
in the Jumna, about thirty miles north of Allahabad.

1007.—Graculus melanognathus, Brandt.
—G. javanicus, Horsf.
The little cormorant swarmed in all the inland waters of Sindh.
Unlike the larger cormnorant, I never saw it on the sea coast.

1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Penn.

I did not preserve any specimen of this species; but I saw it,
though not often, in some of the larger inland lakes, and I met
with one specimen seated sunning itself, with wings extended, on
a large rock, in the Nurreenai, just inside the hills.

A. O. H.

Alotes upon some of the Indian and Guropean Eagles,
By W. Epwin Brooks, C. #.

In a former short paper on the Imperial Eagles of India (Pro.
As. Soe. 1872, p. 64,) I noticed three species.

1.—AQuiLta ADALBERTI, Brehm., the Western European spe-

cies, which I erroneously termed Aguila imperialis, Bechst.
— IL.—Aguita Moeitnix, Gm., to which I applied Hodgson’s
more recent name of Aguila crassipes ; and
_ TIL.—Aguina Brrasctrata, Gray and Hardwick.
~The above three very distinct species are all European, and
two of the three are found in India.

1. Aguiza ApatpertI, Brehm., appears to be restricted
to Western Europe, and probably North-West Africa. I under-
stand from Messrs. Gurney and Howard Saunders, that the terms,
mogilnik, Gm., and wmperialis, Bechst, do not apply to this
species, which not only has white scapulars, but also white along
the: ridge of the wing from carpus to the body. The immature
bird of this species is also not lineated, but is said to be a plain
tawny-brown bird. In this plumage it has sometimes been con-
founded with Aquila naeviordes.

2. AQuILA MoGILNIK, Gm., Aquila imperialis, Bechst., Aquila
heliaca, Savigni, is the true Imperial eagle common to both Con-
tinents, and extends as far east as China.

The old bird is of a very dark black brown, has a cream colored
or buff head and upper neck; black brown throat, and lower
neck, as well as the rest of the body, save the grey barred tail
with broad black terminal band. Like the western species, it
also has white scapulars, when fully mature, to a greater or lesser
extent, dependent probably upon age. The immature plumage
of this species is lineated, there being a central fulvous stripe on
most of the body feathers. That this striated stage passés into
the old black brown bird, is clearly proved by the two changing
specimens presented by Mr. A. Anderson, of Futtehgurh, to the
Norwich Museum. ‘To these I added young and adult examples
so as to form a very complete and beautiful series. To look
at this series, the impossibility of introducing an example of
Aquila bifasciata, a species long confounded with Aquila moginik,
is apparent.

3. Aqutta Brrascrata, Gray and Hardwick. The plain brown
Imperial eagle, which, when immature, has two fulvous wing’
bars.

I ought to have termed the final addition of a buff or fulvous
occiput, the third stage.

Notes upon Indian and European Eagles, Se. 291

This eagle is often quite as fine and robust as Aguila mogilnik,
but it is never black-brown, and never obtains white scapulars.
The general tone of color in mature examples is earth-brown,
or “ soil brown,” according to Mr. Hodgson. His drawing

No. 934, perfectly represents the adult stage. By European —

ornithologists it has been confounded with Aquila naeviordes.
Captain Elwes, in the Ibis, 1870, page 67, calls it “the dark form
of the tawny eagle (A. naevioides,)”? and he has kindly forwarded
to mean example of which Mr. Gurney says, “ notwithstanding
the remarkable difference of coloration in each of the three
specimens, they agree so closely in other respects that (greatly
against my preconceived opinion) I am now disposed to look
upon them as all belonging to the same species, viz., dqudda
naeviowdes, of Cuvier. I moreover discovered in the eagle from
the Bosphorus, two small scapular feathers which I had pre-
viously overlooked. These confirm me in this opinion, as they
are parti-colored, a portion of the feather being purplish brown
and the other portion being rufous, which is an especially
characteristic form of coloration in the typical African adults
of A. naevioides. This, I think, shews that the Bosphorus
birds are net in adult dress; and I may, with reference to my
former opinion that they belonged to a distinct species, add that
I never before saw any specimens of A. NAEVIOLDES im the same
plumage as these eagles obtained on the Bosphorus.’ Ubis, 1870,
pp. 67 and 68. ‘The italics are mine. Captain Elwes in conti-
nuation remarks, “ M. Alléon also thinks that he has never
obtained an adult specimen out of the targe number he has seen, and
he has never met with any of a tawny color, &c.,” vade Ibis,
1870, pp. 67 and 68. ‘The italics again are mine.

Here we have the anomaly of a large number of tawny
eagles not at all tawny, of a large number and not one adult
bird! And Mr. Gurney says, he never saw examples of A,
naevioides like them, and that he had been inclined to consider
them as belonging to a distinet species.

Having the very specimen, Mr. Gurney speaks of, with the
two little fulvous scapular feathers, I can very sately say it is a
mature male example of Aguzla bifasciuta, Gray and Hard: with
the characteristic buff occipital patch well developed. It has too,
the characteristic well barred grey tail of that species. Apart
however from plumage, the structural difference in the form of
the nostril is always sufficient to separate dguilu bifasciata trom
Aquila naevioides.” That of the furmer is long and _ vertical
almost, while that of the latter is the most circular of any eagles
with which I am acquainted. In dried skins, however, the
nostril is sometimes distorted. In the present instance” Mr.

Z

292: Notes upon Indian and Kuropean Eagles, Sc.

Gurney overlooked this point, upon which he now holds the
same views that I do; and he could not now recognize the
Bosphorus bird as A. xaevioides. There is also the additional
difficulty of the totally different tail to contend with. As a rule
the tail of aguilu naeviordes is not barred, but plain black, lke
that of aguila nueva. I have only seen one with the tail faintly
barred and the bars were confined to the central portion of
each feather. ‘he tail of aquila bifuscrata is always strongly
barred in the adult bird to the very end, in a beautiful wavy
munner characteristic of the species.

Tiat the sudden apparition ef this eagle in Europe rather
puzzled so good an authority on raptors as Mr. Gurney, is not
to be wondered at. The fact of its occurrence in Europe is
however very interesting, and I have sent Mr. Gurney a very
fine series from youth to age for the Norwich Museum. From
all I can learn this eagle is common in Eastern Europe;
where, as in India, it appears to be a migratory bird. The
example sent me by Capt. Elwes is quite mature, and I don’t
think Mr. Alléon will ever meet with one more mature. I have
the specimen safe, and any one who doubts the oceurrence of
this species in Europe, can examine it for himself and be con-
vineed. I do not think much of the two parti-colored feathers.
This want of color may be merely aecidental, for young examples
have no fulvous feathers except the wing bars and the tip of the
tail. The two feathers are in the scapular region, and whether
this species ever obtains buff scapulars, corresponding with the snow
white ones of Aguila mogilnik,is a theory not worth entertaining,
I should rather think not. Young examples of Aguila bifaserata
have the breast and abdomen, as well as the tibize, sometimes
mottled with dull white. If this be a regular stage of the bird’s
plumage, I cannot tell. It may be only occasional and acciden-
tal. Mr. Gurney seems inclined to consider it a stage of the
plumage. ‘These white mottled examples are scarce. Aguila
bifasciata is an abundant eagle in India, though perhaps less
abundant than <Aquala mogilnak. The lattes brads sparingly
in the Punjab, but I have not heard of the ether species breeding
in India.

Aguita Nazvia, (J. F. Gmelin), the spotted eagle. Captain
Elwes has also obligingly sent me a fine pair of this species,
killed by himself in Turkey. They are in the well known
spotted plumave shewn in the wood-cut of Yarrell’s British
birds. One has the wing 194 inches long, while the wing of the
other is 194 inches long. I need scarcely observe that they
ave identical with Indian examples, and I can match the pair to
a feather, and also in dimensions with Indian killed specimens.

Notes upon Indian and European Kagles, &c. 293

The idea therefore that Agucla naevia of Europe is a distinct
species from the Indian one, must be given up. In eagles, the
range as regards size is excessive, anil examples of Aquila bifas-
ciuta and Aquila mogilnik shew far greater variation as regards
size than the spotted eagle does. The greatest variation is to be
found in A. b7fascrata.

As far as I can ascertain, it appears very probable that Euro-
pean ornithologists have in speaking of the spotted eagle,
confounded two very distinct species, viz., Aquila naevia and
Aquilu hastata. Both birds, when not mature, have spotted
wings. I havea specimen ‘of Aquila hastata, an adult bird,
sent to me by Mr. Dresser, which he assured me was killed near
Danzice. It was sent as Aquila naevia. hat it is undoubted
hastata, 1 am quite sure; for there are certain peculiarities in
the coloration of the plumage present in this specimen, which,
are characteristic of the species. The upper tail coverts decided:
me, even if I had not found a perfect corespondence in every
other respect. To this conclusion I must adhere till the speci-
men is shewn not to be Aguila hastata. That the specimen is
European, the get-up of the skin shews, even if Mr. Dresser did
not know it to be European, beyond doubt; Aquila hastata is
therefore a European bird. Among the specimens of eggs of
“spotted eagles” which I have seen in England, obtained from
the Continent, I saw many of a rather small size, and very broad
in proportion to the length. J have no doubt that these were
alleges of Aguila hastata. Mr. Hume and I have obtained
genuine'eges of the latter species with the old bird shot off the
nest. We have also genuine eves of Aquila naevia authenticated
- in the same manner, and the eg of the latter bird is larger and
longer in proportion than that of Aquila hastata.

Apart from the Danzic skin, from the European eggs alone
which I have seen, I concluded Aquila hastata to be European,
the correctness of my conclusion, further research will shew.

‘The mere fact of my being positive is doubtless not con-
elusive, but the bird killed near Danzic is eminently so, and I
keep it open to examination by any one inclined to ‘be sceptical.
That Aguila hastata as for years been domg duty both by
eg@ and skin for Aguila naevia in European cabinets is rather
ludicrous, but such I believe to be the ease, and I long for the
opportunity of ransacking a number of sood Europea an collee-
tions to find out how many examples ‘have been misnamed:
Messrs. Gurney, Tristram, and Dresser are however now familiar
with the two Indian eagles, 4. hastata and A. bifascrata, and they
will be able, if opportunity offers, to find out all the amusing
blunders with the skins; but the ‘unfortunate “ spotted eagle’s ”

294 Nove.ties.—Collocalia innominata.

eggs are beyond a joke, and the eggs for which I paid long
prices years ago, are now only fit to be thrown away, since [
cannot tell which species they belonged to.

Aoveltics 7

In putting on record the few following supposed new species,
it may be well again to remind my readers that our Indian
libraries are very defective, our museums even more so, and
that it 1s impossible for us here to make certain that any species
new to us, may not have been already described elsewhere,
from specimens obtained beyond our limits ; the birds are how-
ever new to our Avifauna, and of such, even should they prove in
any case not to be new to science, a careful original description
such as we give In every case can scarcely fail to be useful.

Collocalia innominata, Sp. Nov.

Wing, 55. A well marked blackish brown cap; wings and tail, black ;
rest of upper parts, sepia brown ; lower surface, mouse brown.

That this edible-nest swiftlet has been described or intended
to be described, under one of the many names now ranked as
synonymes of fuciphaga, Thunberg, is not impossible, but it
certainly is not admitted as a distinct species at present, and
that it is so, is clear. In the diagnosis I have described, our bird
(which is from the Andamans) and need only add under this
head that in the flesh the length is 5-25 and the expanse 12.

Now this is not fuciphaga, Thun., of which the following is
the original deseription. (Trans. A. K. Stock.)

“ Corpus supra atrum immaculatum, via nitens, subtus cinereum,
vel sordide fuscum seu albidum a gula usque ad basin caude ;
pollices circiter quatuor longum.’ (Figured Rumphius Herb.
Amb. VI., t. 75, f. 3 and 4.) Now our bird has the body in
no sense black above but sepia brown, and the dark cap, moreover,
is most conspicuous and could not have been overlooked. More-
over, it is distinct mouse-brown below, not grey or dirty white
or dingy “/uscus,” and it is well over five inches long.

Again Thunberg goes on to say ‘‘ cauda rotundata, supra in-

Jraque atra.” What the first two words may mean, I cannot

tell, since all the four species of Collocalia lying before me now,

ee Se ee va em

Novetries.—Collocalia innominata. 295

have the tail more or less forked, but in this species 1 1s most
markedly so. But as to the tail being black Jelow in our
bird, it is not even a dark brown.

It is not nidifica of Gray, which he himself identifies with
JSuciphaga, Thun.

It is not Jdrevir ostris, M’Clelland, from the Assam hills
which, Horsfield, it is true, identifies with fwemhaga, but
which I venture to suggest is neither more nor less than
Cypselus infumatus, Sclater, C. tectorum, Jerdon. The following is
M’Clelland’s original description: Pro. Z. Soc. 1839, p. 155, “7.
brevirostiis supra nigricans, nitore olivacio, subtus fuscescens alas
elongatis ; cauda mediori subfurcata, rostro brevissimo.

“This species agrees with /. fuciphaga i in habit, in proportional
length of wing aiid shortness of beak, and in colour above;
but it is darker underneath, and more than one-third larger ;
entire length, six inches.”

No one can compare C. infumatus with this description, aril
then become acquainted with the facts, first, that érevzrostris
is described from Assam ; second, that no other similar bird was
met with there by MClelland ; third, that wfumatus is very
common in Assam and is the only bird at all approaching dre-
virostris that 7s to be met with there, without, I think, feeling
inclined to accept this identification of mine.

It is not wnicolor, Jerdon, from the Neilgherries, of which I
have nine specimens now before me and which 1s perfectly distinct
(of which more anon) alike from Thunberg’s and our -bird. It
is almost needless to say that it is not concolor of Blyth, as this
name was merely one applied by him to Jerdon’s Neilgherry
birds, before the genus Codlocalia was separated by Gray, on the
ground that J exdon’c name unicolor, as applied to a Cypselus
was already pre-occupied by a Madeira species figured by Jardine
and Selby, pl. 83. Blyth himself pointed out, J. A. S. XIV,
p. 209, that on the institution of the genus Collocalia, Jerdon’s
name necessarily revived.

It is not affinis, Beav., which is of the Linchi type, sand either
identical with or nearly allied to this.

Itis neither hypoleuca, spilura, or neglecta (supposing these to be
all distinct, which I greatly doubt,) which belong all to the ~
esculenta, L., type, with white at the base of the tail feathers.

It is not leibenygie or wropygialis, with snowy white rumps,
and it 1s not spodiopygia, which alse oceurs in 1 the Andamans and
of which more hereafter.

It is not troglodytes well figured in Gray and Mitchell’s Genera
_of Birds, pl. 19, the smallest “perhaps of the whole group, and
with a conspicuous white rump band.

296 Noveties.—Collocalia innominata.

Nor can it be Hirundo vanikorensis, Quoi et Gaimard.

“ Hirundo, tota corpore nigro; rostro mintmo, recurvato ; gula
brunned, caudd longa, subfurcatd.

“ Petit espéce, longue de 5 pouces, remarkable par la longeur
de sa queue et la petitesse de son bec; toute noire en dessus,
d’un brun grisdtre sous la gorge et enfumé sous le ventre, le bec,
quoique petit, est fort; la queue est legérement echanerée.
Provient de ile Vanikoro. ” Voyage de V’Astrolobe, vol, iljipe
206, pl. 12,f. 3.

I cannot ‘got hold of the Pl. En., where it is figured, but so far
as can be made out from the brief description, it is not /ranczca,
Gm.

I must confess ignorance of Forster?, Hartl., and leucophea,
Peale, but as these seem peculiar to Otaheite and Tahiti, and
the latter must have some white or albescent about it, it is
not very unreasonable to presume, in the absence of accurate
knowledge, that it is neither of these very doubtful species.

It is not, 1t seems to me, any of all these, and so far I believe
it is “ ennuminata” ; si quid rectius, Sc.”

Besides this, we have at the Avademeon tone little swiftlet, called
affinis by Beavan and Tytler, which either is, or is closely allied to
Linch ; wing from 3°82 to 4, above glossy pieenich black ; breast
and chin, grey brown ; abdomen, white ; the feathers more or
Tess brow a shafted.

Then wehave also spodiopygia, Peale. “ Tota fuliginosa,
supra saturatior, uropygio tenia transversa lata cinerascenti, alba,”
Wing 4°5 ; obtained from the Samoan and Fiji islands.

Our Andaman specimen measured in the flesh, length 4°5 ;
expanse, 10°38; wing, 46. Upper surface nae “deep or
intense smoky brown, with a conspicuous brownish, albescent
band on the rump; below a smoky mouse-brown ; wings and
tail, black.

Should this chance to prove distinct from Peale’s bird, which
I do not at all expect, 1t may stand as enexpectata, nobis !

As for the birds we get on the Neileherries, these differ from
all the preceding; they resemble znnominata, but are much
smaller; wings 4°3 to 4°6; have the whole under-surface a grey
brown and the upper surface, intermediate between sepia and
mouse-brown, and o dark cap, though the head zs she¢htly darker.
These must stand as wnicolor, Jerd. Very likely the true
fuciphaga will turn up at the ‘Andamans, but I have not yet
received it.

Mr. Ball surely errs in saymg that the consensus of
ornithologists 2 in favour of fuciphaga and linchi being
identical. No ‘tyre species can well be more distinct. ;

Novetrizs.—brachypodius fuscoflavescens. 297

My only doubt about dmchi being actually identical with
affinis, Beavan, arises from the fact that Horstield in describing
the former (Lin. Trans, XIII., p. 143,) under the name of
JSuciphaga (he corrected the error and named the bird linchi,
later. Catalogue, E.I.C’s Mus., p. 100) gives the length at
5 inches.

Now out of a large series of the Andaman birds mea-
sured in the flesh, none exceeded 4 inches, and they varied in
length from 3°75 to 4. The 5 inches is probably a misprint.

Brachypodius fuscoflavescens, Sp. Nov.

Resembles B. melanocephalus, but wants the well-marked black head
and has the whole upper surface suffused with a dusky olive tinge.

Dimensions.—Male, length, 6-7 to 7-1; expanse, 9°5 to 10;
tail from vent, 2°8 to 3°2; tarsus, 0°55 to 0-65 ;. wing, 8 to 3:2;
wings, when closed, reach to within from 1-9 to 2°] of end of
tail; billfrom gape, 0:8 to 0°9. The female slightly smaller ;
length from 6:5 to 6°8 ; expanse, 9 to 9:7 and so on.

Description.—Legs and feet, plumbeous ; bill in some, plumbeous
blue ; the upper mandible tipped and edged with black, in others
nearly all blackish, but paler and bluer at the base; irides, pale
blue !

The whole bird, except the wings and tail, yellow, (very bright ~

on the abdomen, vent and lower tail coverts,) somewhat infuscated
on the breast, and s¢rongly so on the upper parts, with a dusky
olive tinge. The feathers of the chin and upper throat with
a blackish purple metallic gloss, and the feathers of the crown
with more or less of traces of the same. The basal portions
of the rump feathers are black, which, here and there, showing
through the broad yellow tippings, produce a more or less barred
or mottled appearance. The tail 1s tipped, most broadly so on
the laterals, with bright yellow; has a broad dark brown
subterminal band, and is olive yellow towards the base. The
whole visible portion of the closed wing is the same, somewhat
dusky olive yellow, as the whole upper parts (except the rump
which is yellower), but the inner webs of the quills are dark
hair brown, with a narrow pale yellow stripe along their inner
margins, towards the base only in the earlier primaries, but
gradually extending, as the feathers recede, tillin some of the
secondaries it reaches quite to the tips.

298 Novetites.— Pellorneum minor.

The females are somewhat darker and greener, or more
olivaceous, both on breast and upper parts, than the males.

This is, L believe, the bird which, with only a single specimen
before him, Mr. Ball thought might be the young of
B. melanocephalus, but with three males and two females, all
good specimens, and all apparently adults, to judge from, I
think there can be no doubt, that we have here a distinct,
thouch doubtless representative species.

This bird appears to be common about Port Mouat and
Mount Harriet in the Andamans.

Pellorneum minor, Sp. Nov.

Very similar to P. ruficeps, Swainson, and P. Mandellii, Blanford, but
smaller ; wing, barely 2:5 ; bill at front, 0°5, and slender.

This new species of Pellornewm which I received in a col-
lection of birds from Thayetmyo, from Capt. Feilden, makes the
sixth (or perhaps more properly the fifth) species of this genus,
with which Iam acquainted. These are first P. ruficeps, Sw.,
of Southern India, (Jerdon 899, vol. IL., p. 27), second
P. Mandeliii* Blanford, (J. A. 8. Bu ST. ele XLL, p. 165).

Thirdly, we have the present species which closely resembles

* As the Indian Ornithologists Library usually begins and ends with
Jerdou’s birds of India, I propose, whenever mentioning for the first time birds
occurring anywhere in India or its dependencies not described by Dr. Jerdon,
to give descriptions of these. Mr. Blanford thus described PELZLORNEUM
MANDELLIT. ©

P. peraffine, P. ruficepi, Swains., sed staturd minor, collo spostico et late-
vali maculis fuscis magnis signato, maculis pectoralibus majoribus et satura-
tioribus. Long. ale, 2°65; caude, 2°5 ; tarsi, 0:95; rostri a fronte, 06; a rictu
075 une,

Crown of head and nape, ferruginous; lores, over and under the eye, pale
pinkish isabelline; most of the feathers of the forehead, lores, and supercilia
with slight dusky tips; ear coverts, pale rufous brown, also with dark tips;
back of the neck isabelline, or pale brown, each feather with a large dusky
spot, frequently confined to one web; mantle and tail, brownish olive, all the rec-
trices except the centre ones with narrow pale tips; quills hair brown margined
with brownish olive externally, internally, like the lining of the wing, pale brown.
Chin and upper throat, pure white; remainder of lower parts, isabelline; breast and
sides of neck with large elongated dusky spots; flanks also spotted, but the spots
are paler; abdomen, unspotted. Jill, dusky above, pale below; legs very pale
coloured.

This species differs from P. ruficeps, Swains., and P. Tickelli, Blyth, (J. A.
S. B., 1859, Vol. XXVIII., p. 414; = P. subochraceum, Swiuhoe, A. and M. N.
H., April, 1871, p. 257), by having the neck spotted all round and by the spots —
in front being much deeper and darker. In size, it resembles P. Tickellz, being
smaller than 2’. ruficeps.

Pellorneum menor. 299

the two preceding in the general tone. of plumage; but which
has a bill as slender as ruficeps, and considerably shorter than
that of Mandelliz. This forms one sub-group.

Then we have fourth P. palustre, Jerdon, recently described by
myself, Stray Feathers, No. I., p. 4, and I understand figured by
Mr. Gould’s Birds of Asia, pt. XXIV. Fifth Pedlorneum Tickelle+
Blyth, J. A. 8. B., 1859, vol. XX VIII., p. 414, from Amherst,
Tenasserim Provinces, and sixth, P. fuscocapullumt Blyth, J. A.
S. B., 1849, vol. XVIII., p. 815, which latter should however, I
think, remain under Drymocataphus.

Our present bird is about 5°5 in length; wing, 2°45; tail
from vent, about 2°5; bill at front, 0°5 ; tarsus, 1 ; exterior tail
feathers, 0°55, shorter than central ones.

Bill, upper mandible, blackish brown; entire lower mandible,
fleshy ‘yellow.

Chin, throat, middle of abdomen, pure white; a band across
breast, ane aid flanks, fulvous ; the feathers aah narrow central
brown streaks, paler, and less numerous than in either ruficeps or
Mandeliii ; forehead, crown of the head, and occiput, chesnut, paler

+ Mr. Blyth thus described :

“ PELLORNEUM TICKELLI, nobis, n. s.,smaller than P. ruficeps, but absolutely
typical in structure; colour uniform brown above, much paler and tinged with
rufous below; the middle of the belly, pure white; frontal and loral feathers, pale
centred, more or less. Upper mandible, pale dusky, the lower, whitish or probably
pale corneous, as are also the legs; irides,sepia; length, 53 inch; of wing, 25
inch, and tail 2 inch; bill to gape, ? inch, and tarsi 1 in.

Col. Tickell, the discoverer of this bird, but whose specimens arrived in Cal-
cutta a mail before his paper describing them, and which Mr. Blyth through
some mistake proceeded to name and publish at once, thus describes the same
species.

“Spec. Male Woods of Teewaphado, 1,100 to 1,500 feet. Belair y 24th, 1859.

Diunensions. —* Length 53 inch ; wing, 25 inch ; tail, 2, in. ; bill, 5 inch; tarsus,
1 inch ; mid toe, 42 in.

“ Details.—Typical, but it carries a straighter and better raised tail than the
type M. chloris, which gives it a more Sylvian than Timalian look.

“Color M. and F.; iris, blood red brown; bill horny, with dusky culmen ;
legs and claws, fleshy horn. All upper parts, reddish olive-brown ; wing and tail
quills, burnt umbre-brown ; edge reddish. Frontals and face, paler and tinged
fulvous. All lower parts from chin, clear pale fulvous, mesially albescent except
on breast. \

“Not uncommon in the hill forests, frequenting bamboos and underwood ; man-
ners active and restless—silent”

t The Ceylon species PELLORNEUM FUSCOCAPILLUM, My. Blyth thus
describes :

“Like Drymocataphus nigrocapitatus, but the supercilia, uniform with the
lores, ear-coverts, sides of neck, throat, and entire underparts, pale ferruginous-
brown, a little deeper on the breast; coronal feathers, dark brown, mar eined with
dusky-black, and pale-shafted ; rest of the’ upper-parts, uniform greyish olive-
brown ; the primaries margined paler, and the extreme tips of the tail feathers ru-
fescent. Bill, pale; the upper mandible dusky, and feet pale. WLength about 64
in, ; the wing 27 in.; and tail, 24 in.; bill to gape, +3 in,; and tarsi 1 in.

- “Tnhabits Ceylon.”

Al

300 Novetties.—A new Genus of the Mature. —

than in either of the other two species; a long well marked rufous
white, or pale rufescent stripe from the nostrils to the nape ; lores,
slightly darker ; ear coverts again darker, but not nearly so dark
as in Manielli ; sides of the head behind ear coverts and nape,
olive brown, margined more or less broadly on one web with
rufescent or buffy white; the occipital and nuchal feathers, a good

deal developed as in Manidellii, so as to form a sort of, occipital —

erest ; the whole of the rest of the upper surface olive brown, some-
what paler than in Mandelii ; the inner webs of all the quills
dark hair brown, and the outer webs cf the first few primaries
somewhat paler and yellower ; the wing lining. rufescent white,
and the lower surfaces of the quills with a salmon colored tinge
on the inner webs as in Mandellii ; lower tail coverts, olive brown,
broadly margined with fulvous white ; the lateral tail feathers
very narrowly tipped with white.

This species at a first glance might be mistaken for Mandell ;

but it has a bill abont half the thickness of that of this species,
and is quite unmistakeably distinct. :

A new Gens of the shlalurine.

BLANFORDIUS.

Allied to Suya. The tail of twelve feathers; wings, with the fifth,
sixth, and seventh quills, equal and longest ; fourth, equal to eighth;
third, nearly equal to ninth.

Blanfordius striatulus, Sp. Nov.

Female. Dimensions, from the dry.skin: length, about 6 ;
wing, 1-9; tail from vent, 2°75; bill at front, about 0°45; tarsus,
0-7. Legs and feet, pale fleshy; bill, brown pale fleshy on
lower mandible.

Plumage ; an obscure rufous white streak from the nostrils
to the upper part of the eye. The whole upper parts, dull
greyish olive brown (the grey preponderating on the head),
all the feathers, except those of the upper tail coverts, con-
spicuously centred with dark brown. Wings, pale hair brown,
all the feathers margined with pale rufescent olive ; tail feathers,
a sort of olive brown ; the feathers with conspicuously darker,
very stiff looking and glistening shafts; all the feathers ob-
soletely transversely rayed, the central ones most strongly so;

ee) a ee

oo

Nove.tins.—A new Genus of the Malurine. 301

all but the central ones, narrowly tipped with fulvous white, and
with an obscure subterminal dark band; on the under surface,
the shafts are white. The ear coverts mingled fulvows and pale
rufous brown, the sides of the neck streaked like the back ; on
either side of the throat descends from the gape for about half
an inch, a band of tiny feathers, white, with minute dark centres,
so as to produce the appearance of two or three irregular rows
of little spots on each side of the throat; the chin and the centre
of the throat, breast, and abdomen, white, tinged buffy on the two
latter, and with all the feathers of the throat and breast very
faintly and narrowly tipped with brown, so as to produce the
appearance of a number of narrow fait transverse bars unlike
anything I have seen in the Indian members of this family. The
flanks, sides, vent, and lower tail coverts are tinged with dull olive
brown, mineléd with fulvous buff ; the tibial plumes are fulvous
buff, the wing lining is buffy white, and so are the inner margins
of the inner webs of the quills as seen from below.

The bird that I have thus attempted to describe is one of some
half dozen specimens shot by Mr. Blanford at Kurrachee when
on his way to Persia, and kindly made over by him to me. It is
in many respects a very remarkable bird, intermediate in many
respects between Swya and Latecilla Burnesi, Blyth, which widely
as Dr. Jerdon separates them, are really very closely allied, not
merely in general appearance, texture of plumage, and the like
externals, but equally so in habits and in their manner of creep-
ing about in amongst grass ‘and reeds.

I have carefully gone through the North African Malurine
as set forth by Riippell, Heuglin, &c. Ihave also tried to satisfy
myself that the bird does not belong to any known European
or Indian species, and I cannot avoid considering it new and
distinct, alike specifically and generically from any bird of
which I can find a description. Only a single specimen, and
that a female, was obtained. Moreover of this female the tip
of both mandibles, and the tips of the two longest tail feathers
are shot away, one wing also is altogether imperfect, so that it
is not without great hesitation (although the specimen is a
very good one in other respects) that I have ventured to
characterize the species. I hope some of my friends in Sindh
will search for, and endeavour to obtain for me additional speci-
mens of this bird, which ata casual glance looks like a very
bulky, dark and strongly striated specimen of Burnesia gracilis,

302 Nove.ties.—Carpophaga palumboides.
Carpophaga palumboides, Sp. Nov.

Tail much rounded ; second quill longest ; whole head and neck all round
pale French grey; wings and tail, blackish; rest of plumage dusky
slaty blue, the wpper surface with in certain lights metallic reflections ;
green predominating about the back of the base of the neck and lilac
purple elsewhere. Wing, 9°5.

This fine pigeon is from Port Mouat, Andamans. At first
T thought it might be zasudaris, Blyth, but that I find is
a mere variety of sylvatica, while this 1s not only totally distinet,
so far as plumage goes from that species, but (though xo¢ white)
belongs to a different sub-group, which Reichenbach separated as
Myristicivora. hs

Of all the fruit pigeons I know it most nearly resembles
enea, Lin., but compared with a specimen from Borneo, it ap-
pears to me quite distinct.

I have only a single specimen and that isa female. The
measurements recorded in the flesh were as follow : Length, 16°25 ;
expanse, 29; tail from vent, 6°5 ; wing, 9°5; tarsus, 1; bill from
gape, 1:5; wings, when closed, reach to within 2-5 of tip of tail ;
weight, 1 Ib. 2 oz.

Back and sides of tarsi and toes, very pale fleshy pink; front
of tarsi, bright red; soles, whitish ; claws white; upper mandible
and lower mandible to point of gonys, pale, whitish yellow;
rest of lower mandible and cere, lake red; irides, orange, towards
pupil, changing towards exterior margin to light red; naked
orbital region, pinkish lake.

The whole head and neck all round, a pale, pure French
grey, slightly palest on chin and throat. The whole of the
rest of the lower parts, dark, dusky slaty blue, becoming blackish
on lower wine and longest lower tail coverts ; rectrices and
their coverts, winglet, quills, and their greater coverts, blackish
brown, the second to the fourth of the quills very narrowly
margined on the terminal three-fifth of the outer web with
brownish white; the rest of the upper parts (not already
described) dusky slaty, almost black on the coverts, each
feather with a more or less narrow terminal or subterminal
band exhibiting in certain lights, pale green and purplish lilae
metallic reflections, the green predominating about the base of
the back of the neck, and on the coverts and the purplish gleam
elsewhere. In one particular light a stripe of the mner webs of °
the primaries next the shafts, appears to glow with a golden
brown lustre.

Novettirs.—Mareca albogularis. 303

Mareca albogularis, Sp. Nov.

Allied to M. punctata, but smaller ; chin, throat, and front of neck, white.

It seems to me that this Andaman widgeon is distinct from
the Australian bird. It is certainly not Colonel Tytler’s Q. anda-
manensis, which he has often told me was a true teal, with ddwe
wines, and such a teal I venture to assert will surely turn up.

Of punctata, Schlegel gives the dimensions: wing, 8:2 to
9-1; the tarsi, 1°45 to 1:65; bill, 1:65 to 1:8. Our birds as will
be seen are much smaller. Again, none of our birds have the
conspicuous white spots on either side of the vent which all the
descriptions of punctata that I can meet with dwell on. Is
this perchance a seasonal sign, like the white thigh patch
in the cormorants? The conspicuously white chin throat and
front of neck, which characterizes all the seven specimens
that I possess, is alluded to in no description, and is at variance
with some. In all our birds the first secondaries are conspicuously
margined, and all but the last two or three conspicuously tipped
with, white, i in some slightly tinged with buff. No one mentions
this peculiarity im regard to princtata. Schlegel, it is true says,
“yectrices du second ordre voisines des tertiares A barbe externe
blanche,” which as it stands is nonsense, but even supposing
rectrices to be a mistake for quills, it is the secondary next the
primaries, and not next the tertiaries, which is edged with white.

Any how if our birds are punctate, the descriptions I have
hitherto met with are so imperfect and unsatisfactory, that it will

_be useful to have a more accurate record of its winter plumage.

Dimensions.—Males, length, 17 to 18; expanse, 24°5 to 27;
tail from vent, 4 to 4°2; wing, 7°8 to 8; tarsus, 1:3 to 1-4; bill
at front, 1:4; on gape, 1:8 ; wings, ations sleds reach to ane
from 2 to 2°2 of end of tail; weight, 1 tb.

Females, length, 15°5 to 16; expanse, 24 to 25-5; tail from
vent, 3°25 to 3°5; wing, 7°25 to 7:4; tarsus, 1:25 to 1:35; bill at
front, 13) to ds 35 ; from gape, 1°65 to 1: 75; wings, when ria
reach to within from 1 to 1-75 of end of tail ; welg A, 12

Description.—Legs and feet, greenish blue, to nieateeoaee ;W webs,
usually darker; claws, horny ; fy lorddle plumbeous ; nail black, in
some the lower mandible tinged with, in one the terminal two-
third of this, pink ; irides, reddish brown to deep brownish red.

Top and back of the head and nape, dark umber brown;
chin, throat, and front of the neck, white; face and sides of the
head, tae ; the lower parts of the cheeks and ear coverts more
or less mingled with brownish white. Some specimens with a

304 Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, &c.

conspicuous pure white, crescent along the lower margin of the
eye, the point in front extending up beyond the gape; the lores
where they abut on the upper mandible, also pure white, and
astreak of white from the upper portion of the white lore patch
to the upper point of the white crescent. The majority of specimens
show nothing of this except a small white patch under the eye.
Front and sides of the breast, upper abdomen and sides, each feather
broadly margined with a warm brownish fawn colour, and centred
hair brown. Lower abdomen, flanks, vent, and lower tail coverts,
a dull dingy brown, more or less yellowish or fawny (except on the
lewer tail coverts,) andexhibiting, though indistinctly except im the
ease of these latter, darker centerings to the feathers.

This is in the presumably adult males ; in the females and
young birds the lower surface is duller and sandier than above
described, and the centering’s of the feathers are less marked and
produce more of a mottled appearance.

The greater lower wing coverts are grey brown ; the axillaries
and the ends of the median secondary lower coverts, pure white,
and the rest of the lower coverts dark, almost blackish brown.
The primaries and their greater coverts, the winglet, and all the
lesser and median coverts, a dark, hair brown, somewhat paler
and with ever so slight a greenish gloss. The anterior secondary
median coverts, and the ends of the posterior ones, a broad mar=
gin to. the outer web of the first secondary and usually a narrow
margin to the second, and a broad tipping to all but about the last
three secondaries, white, more or less tinged with rufous buff, the
rest of the outer webs of the secondaries velvet black, with a
brilliant metallic green speculum on two or three of them from
the seventh to the ninth, smaller and more coppery in the fe-
males. Back and scapulars, a rich brown with a faint purplish -
eloss, each feather narrowly margined with a pale rufescent ; ter-
tiaries, similar but paler, and wanting usually the paler margins.
Jn the males and young, the brown is duller and the purplish |
tinge wanting. Rump upper tail coverts, and tail nearly syn-
chromius with the back, but the first usually shghtly darker
and devoid of any purplish glance, and the second usually
somewhat hehter than either the first or the third.

All these birds were shot in December.

AOE

Additional remarks ow the Aortauna ot the Andamans.

Since Mr. Ball’s paper was printed off, a collection of some
400 specimens from the neighbourhood of Port Blair, has been
sent me up by my friend Mr. Davison.

Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, &c. 305.

This collection enables me to add the following twenty-one
species to Mr. Ball’s list:

39 guat.—Spitornis Patirpus, Walden,? S. Davisoni. Sp.
Nov. ?

. Nov. ef. Supra. p. 294.

103 qguat.—Co.ocatta Spopioryeta, Peale.

134.—ALcEDO. Brneatensis. Gm.

457 quat.—BRACHYPODIUS FUSCOFLAVESCENS, Sp. Nov. ef.
Supra. p. 297.

483.—Pratincota Inpica, Bl.? P. albosupercilliaris, Sp.
Nov. ?

556.—Puytiopseuste Maentrostris, Blyth.

592.—CatopaTes BoaruLa, Penn.

593 quat.—Bupytms Frava, L.

780 ¢er.—CareorHaGa PatumBorpEs, Sp. Nov. cf. Supra. p.
302.

834 6is—Turnix Macutosts, Tem. ? 7. albiventris, Sp. Nov. ?

844.—SquaTaRoLA Hetvetica, LL. -

849.—Meratitis Fruviatinis, Bechst,? 4. philippinus
Lath ?

870.—Garttinaco Horsretpm, Gray, G. Stenura, Kuhl.

876.—TEREKEA CINEREA, Giild.

882.—TRINGA SUBARQUATA, Gild.

886.—Tringa PLatyRHyncuHa, Tem.

928 ter.—DeEMiIncRETTA, GREYI, Gray.

930.—ArproLa Levucoprpra, Bodd.

934.—Arpertta Sinensis, Gm. ? 4. pulchra, Sp. Nov?

963 d1s.—Mareca ALBocuLaRis, Sp. Nov. ef. Supra, p. 303.

Of these however, three, viz., B. fuscoflavescens, C. Palumboides,
and MM. albogularis are the birds referred to as B. melanocephalus,
juv, C. mmsularis, and M. punctata, by Mr. Ball; as I cannot
at present concur in these identifications, I have described them
as new, doc. cit., and of these need say no more here.

The Andamans contain at Jeast two utterly distinct species of
Spilornis ; the one, that described as E/ginz, by Tytler, wing averag-
ing 14-5 to 15 asa maximum; weight of an adult female, less than
2 lbs.; the whole under parts, a rich deep chocolate brown, much
the colour of the young Moor Buzzard ; chin, throat, and upper
breast, wholly devoid of any markings whatsoever; the rest of
the lower suface meluding the entire wing lining, under tail
coverts, and tibial plumes, with conspicuous well defined oval
or cixeular, pure white spots ; bill, wave whitish or yellowish, or
brownish hor ny, except just at the tip.

Is this dacha of Daudin? That dacha occurs in the Andamans
is certain, because two specimens sent to the Zoological Society

306 Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, Sc.

by Col. Tytler, though presented through some mistake in. Mr.
Grote’s name, were repeatedly examined in life, and one of
them after death, by Mr. Gurney, who definitely pronounced
them to be dacha.

This however is not absolutely conclusive as to Hlgini being
6acha, because there are certainly two species in the island
and there may be three.

I cau not get hold of either Daudin’s Traité d’Orn. &ce. (IL,
p. 43) or Levaillant, Ois. d’Afr. I., p. 68, pl. 15, on which
Daudin founded his name.

Horsfield’s F. dzdo is generally identified with Daudin’s bacha,
and Horsfield himself concurred in this. Cat. E. I. C.’s’ Mus.,
p- 49. Horsfield’s deseription Lin., Trans. XIII., p. 137, runs
as follows :

“PH. fuscus, capite supra remigibus caudaque nigris ; plumis
eriste capitis atris basi albis ; cauda fascia lata albida, alis subtus
abdomine crisso een: albo guttatis. Longitudo 24 ad 26
poll.

This appears to me to agree fairly well with our birds.

Swinhoe, Ibis, 1870, p 86, and Walden, Ibis, 1872, p. 864,
_ give between them the digeaeon of eleven specimens | of bacha
from India (?) Ceylon, Malacca, Java; wing, 14°75 to 16;
tail, 98 to 11; tarsus, 3°25 to 3°87 ; mid toe to. root of claws
1-75 to 2

These fgmensene seem somewhat in excess of ours, but not
sufficiently so, to make me doubt that Hginzis really dido, Horsf.,

r (if bacha is certainly=to drdo) as it should stand bacha,
Daud.

The second species is of a different type, in fact a minature
(with some not very important differences) of S. cheela, Lath.
It is about the size of é¢do, with the wing of the female 15. A
pale brown beneath, with throat and breast finely barred with
darker zig-zag lines ; the tibial plumes much more coarsely and
strongly barred ; the abdomen much as cheela. The edge of the
wing from the base of the primaries to the carpal joint and the
under surface of the wing for an inch inside this margin,
between these points, pure white ; bill, drown.

Length in the flesh, of the female, 24; wing 15, against
length, 29; wing, 21, in the same sex of cheela ; at first I thought
this might be Rutherfordi, Swinhoe, (Ibis, 1870, p. 86,) but
this I find has a wing (in adults) of from 16°5 to 17°75.

It is not spilogaster, Blyth, which he distinctly says is only
slightly smaller than cheela; moreover, I have numerous speci-
mens of what both Mr. Blandford and I identify as spzlogaster,
from Southern and Central India, and Raipoor, chiefly distin-

Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, Se. 307

guished from cheela by the barrings of the throat and breast,
being almost, (or quite in some specimens) obsolete, and by its
smaller size, wing varying from 17 to 18. It is quite clear, I
think, that spedogaster is distinct alike from dzdo, and from our
bird.

I had named this latter, 8S. Davisonz, after my zealous and
enthusiastic curator, and entertained no doubt of its being new,
but in the last Ibis, Lord Walden (1872, p. 363) describes two
young birds which, if I understand him, are of the cheela and
not the dedo type, (with wings 12°62 and 13°25,) under the
name of pallidus, which might possibly, be the young of our
Andaman bird.

My only specimen is an adult, and consequently it is im-
possible to institute an accurate comparison with Lord Walden’s
descriptions, but so far as avy comparison is possible, the birds
disagree.

It is of course not 8. rufipectus, Gould (Circaetus bacha
celebensis, Schlegel,) a small bird, wing 12 or 13, with, in the
adult, a blackish chin and throat; breast, a brownish cinnamon
colour, unbarred, and the rest of the lower parts, a somewhat
rufous brown, broadly and regularly barred with white.

It is not 8. holospilus, Vigors, P. Z. 8., 1831, p. 96, Gr. and
Mitch., pl. 7, distinguished at once by its profusely spotted
mantle.

Nor would it seem to agree with S. Salaenses, Schlegel Valk,
V.T. 23, 4, 5, 6. If therefore it is not pallidus, Walden,
which I hardly think, it must stand under the above suggested
name of Davisoni.

The Collocalias I have already fully discussed (ef. supra., p. 294).

Alcedo bengalensis appears to be even more common than
asiatica, though several specimens of both are included in the
collection.

The Pratincola, Ubelieve to be indica ; only asingle specimen
however has been sent, and that seems to differ a good deal, from
any of indica which at the moment, away from my museum, Lhave
available for comparison, noteably i in the very long broad and
conspicuous whitish supercilliary streak; if distinct, it may
stand as albosupercilliaris.

I cannot make sure (the birds are in the winter wleree ee, and
I have no others at hand) whether the little shore plovers are
fluviatilis, or philippinus.

Gallinago Horsfeldiz (stenwra, Kuhl.) appears common. Query,
has not this hitherto done duty for the common snipe? Does
the latter really occur in these islands ?

- Demiegretia Greyz; by this name I intend to signify the

BL

308 Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, §e.

white allotropic form of yugularis, Fors., or as Mr. Gray gives
it, sacra, Gm. This form has been said to be the young of this
latter, but Col. Tytler took numbers of young sacra=jugularis=
concolor, Blyth, from the nest and kept them for months and
assured me that they were slaty dusky ad ovo.

The bird is usually mistaken, I believe, for garzetta or
egrettoides, but the bill is stouter and deeper, especially towards
the points, and the tarsi are only three inches in length. In
fact ibis a pure white facsimile of sacra. Is it a distinct
species? It is not a mere accidental variety, or albino, or any-
thing of that kind, for it appears to be quite as numerous, if
not more so than the dark form.

-The little heronet which I have ealled sinensis, may be
possibly a new species and might be characterized thus :

Very like A. sinensis, Gin., but slightly smaller ; the whole back,
scapulars, and tertiuries, deep cinnamon rufous, edged with golden
buff and the whole chin and throat pure white, with a narrow well
defined central golden buff streak and a broad dark brown pectoral
band.

But is it really distinet from szmensis? It is certaimly an
intensely brightly coloured version of that species, with a
strongly defined central throat stripe and a broad band of the
deepest brown feathers from the sides of the breast across the
upper abdomen. It is in some respects affined to cimnamomea,
Gmel., but is if anything smaller than s¢mensis even. Looking
to the extreme umprobability of getting a new species of this
genus from the Andamans when s¢nensis extends from Southern
India to the Ladrones, I have identified it with this latter species ;
but the colours of the upper parts, to say nothing of other
differences, will not agree with those of any specimens of szmensis
that I have seen. Jerdon says of this latter species, “back and
seapulars, pale earthy or sandy brown; wing coverts and
tertiaries, pale isabelline fulvous.” Schlegel says, ‘‘ le male adulte
a le dos et les seapulaires, d’un brun-rougedtre tirant au gris”
and these two descriptions seem to me to cover all the variations
in plumage that I have yet met with in szmenszs. I assume for
the present that it is a young freshly moulted bird of this
species (which I have but seldom shot and with whose variations
in plumage I am therefore less familiar) but if so, the stage of
plumage it exhibits is one worthy of record.

Length, about 13; wing, 5:1; bill at front, 2°1; tarsus, 1-7.
The whole top of the head, back of the neck, back scapulars,
tertiaries, and the lessér coverts along the ulna and about
the carpal joint of the wing, deep cinnamon rufous; the fea-
thers of the crown, centred darker, anda _ small short. occipl-

Additional remarks on the Avifauna of, &e. . 809

tal crest, almost black; the feathers of the back, scapu-
lars, and tertiaries margined with golden buff. Quills, winglet,
primary greater coverts, tail, black ; rest of coverts (excluding
those previously mentioned, as rufous) golden buff. Edge of
- wing and entire wing lining, white. Sides of head and neck,
golden buff. Chin, front of throat, and neck, pure white, with
a narrow central bright buff streak. Breast, pale buff, streaked
with brighter and deeper buff A broad band of deep brown
feathers, “narrowly margined with buff, beginnine at the sides of
the breast traverses the upper part of the abdomen, but 1s parti-
ally concealed by the overlapping of the breast feathers. Rest
of abdomen, pale buff; vent and lower tail coverts, buffy white.
Lees, feet, and bill apparently pure vellow. If distinct, which
I e:nnot well believe, let it stand as pulchra, nobis. meg

Ay. mongolicus, of which Mr. Ball was doubtful, is common at |
the Andamans, and Calenas nicobaricus, in regard to the occur-
_ rence of which at the Cocos, he pxpresced surprise, considering it
essentially a Nicobarian bird, was also met with.

As regards the Andaman Of/ocompsa, I should say it was not
the true * j0C08t, L., which is a Chinese bird, but the Bengal and
Oudh emeria, Shaw, whichas Hodgson’s drawings show is his
pyrrhotis, At the same time it is to be noted that the Andaman
bird has the ear tuft and the crest’ somewhat shorter, and is a
somewhat smaller bird. However, after comparmg some thirty
specimens from the islands with a similar number from Calcutta,
Dacca, the Terai, the Western Doars, Oudh, &c., 1 see no grounds
for separating them. The southern form fwsezcaudata, Gould,
distinguished at once by the absence of white tippings to the
lateral tail feathers, reaches as far North and West as Mount Aboo.

There is a nearly allied species from Assam, montzcola, McClell.,
P. Z. 8., 1839, p. 160, which differs in having a scarlet ring
about the eye, but no red tuft beneath this organ. Mr. Blyth
says, Ibis, 1867, p. 8, that monticola differs from emeria, in
having a shorter crimson ear tuft of a much deeper colour and
the feathers composing it are more rigid and wiry, but
Assam specimens agree with McClelland’s description, have red
round the eye, and no regular tuft.

I think it not impossible that L. ducionensis has been confound-
ed with eristatus by authors, who have given the latter from
the Andamans. It may very likely - occur there, but Tytler’s
specimen, the only one I ever saw of his from the Andamans,
was a young Jucionensis.

The Pericrocott that I have received from the Andamans were
certainly not speczosus ; I identified them with elegans, McClel-
land, PR. Z. 8., 1839, p. 156, a bird more of the flammeus type,

310 Sprzaetus Kienerit.

~which I have from Thyetmyo; but they may be ardens of Boie,
which I have not seen.

The Andaman pipit is,-I think, the true cervinus, Pallas, the
eastern form, distinguished from Ceei/w, Aud., vel. rufigularis,
Brehm, by itssmaller size and by the colourof its breast and
superciliary stripe, which are pinker in the eastern and more rusty in
the western form; rosaceus of Hodgson is at onee distin-
guished from both by its yellow axillaries.

Buchanga andamanensis is, I think, a very good species with its
sharply carinated bill and its long bristle-lke feathers springing
from the upper edge of the nares, on either side of the base of
the culmen. These are very conspicuous in fine specimens.

Grancalus Dobsoni, is very distinct from our Indian birds, but
is it so from concretus, Hartlaub, and fasczatus, Vieilot, neither
of which I have seen ?

The Munia, very common in the islands, may be /euconota, Tem.
It certainly is not the southern indian sériata, L., with which
the latter has usually (but I think wrongly) been identified, as
the birds do not show any white shafting whatsoever to the fea-
thers of the upper back. i

The koils are very puzzling. One of the females is coloured
like Ransom.

Of Spizetus andamanensis, I can only say, that one sent me
might have sat for Gould’s figure of S. albonzger, Blyth, if only
it had a erest, which it hadn’t.

The little tringas, sent are all true minwta (cf. supra p. 242.)

A turnix sent appears to be a new species, close to maculosus,
but with a perfectly white abdomen, but the specimen is an in-
different one, and I have only provisionally suggested for it the
name of alhiventris.

In conclusion I must remark that so faras Ihave investigated
it, the connection of the Avifauna of both the Andamans and
Nicobars, is rather with India and Sumatra, than with India and
Malayana Proper.
ih A. O. H.

Spwaetus ARienerti, De Sparre.

THE Rurovus-BELLIED Hawk HaGie.

Since I published the first part of my Rough Notes, several
specimens of this very handsome bird have come under my
observation, and I think that a full description of an adult with
dimensions recorded in the flesh can scarcely prove useless ;

Spizaetus Kieneri. 311

the bird is so rare in collections, that I doubt whether any thing
of the kind is on record.

This species was originally described from the Himalayas,
and I am by no means sure that specimens obtained elsewhere
whieh at present do duty for Kzenerz, really belong to it.

The bird I propose to describe was an adult female, in mag-
nificent plumage, and contained three large eggs, one in the
oviduct, nearly ready for expulsion ; it was shot near Darjeeling
on the 8th November, at a height of about 6,000 feet.

Dimensions.—Kemale, length, 24; expanse, 50; wing, 17°5;
the third and fourth primaries the longest ; the first, 5-1, the
second, 0-3 shorter ; tail from vent, 10; exterior tail feathers,
0:7 shorter than central ones; tarsus, 3; hind toe, 2°3; its claw
straight, 1:18; hind toe, 1°45; its claw straight, 1°52; inner
toe, 1:5; its claw, 1:5; bill straight from margin of cere, 1 ; do.
along curve, 1:2; from gape, 1-5; width at gape, 1:1; height
at front at margin of cere, 0°65; length of cere only, 0°45;
wings, when closed, reach to within 4 of end of tail; lower tail
coverts fall short af do., by 4°2.

Description.—Feet, yellow ; ; claws, black; cere, yellow; bill,
leaden blue ; irides, nor.

Plumage-—The whole of the top and sides of the head, in-
eluding the lores, cheeks, and ear coverts, the back and sides of
the neck, the back, scapulars, ramp, and upper tail coverts, and
lesser and median wing coverts, a nearly uniform blackish brown ;
the feathers all with more or less of metallic reflections, some
greenish, some purplish ; in some lights the whole of these parts
appear to be almost, if not quite, black. The tail feathers are a
dark chocolate brown ; the central ones, with two or. three faint —
irregular paler patches, traces of where bars may have been; the
lateral ones, with broad, but faint and irregular, paler and mottled
transverse bars. The under surface of the tail feathers, a sort of
silver grey, the shafts white, a broad ill-defined dusky terminal
patch, and in all but the exterior feathers, four or five somewhat
narrow transverse dusky bars above this. The quills are of two
colors, the une set which appear to be older, dingy hair brown,
the others, almost blackish brown, with faint green or purple re-
flections. The inner webs in aé/ are paler, except quite at the
tips; and above these, there are dim transverse darker bars. The
first five quills are conspicuously notched on the inner web, and
the second to the fifth are emarginate on the outer web. The chin,
throat, and breast are white, the feathers, tinged towards the tips
with pale rufous, and most of them with narrow, blackish brown
lanceolate shaft stripes. The whole of the wing lining, (except
the lower greater primary coverts) axillaries, sides, flanks, abdo-

312 Spicaetus Kienerit.

men, tarsal and tibial plumes, vent and lower tail coverts, bright
ferruginous ; most of the feathers dark shafted, and many of
those of the wing lining, abdomen, and _ sides with a conspicu-
ous, narrow, blacks, shaft stripe, and a few of the feathers just
above the base of the tibia, very broadly tipped with blackish
brown, forming a very conspicuous patch.

The bill in “his species is much feebler than in any of our
other Indian Spzzaetz, and instead of a well marked sinuation or
we might almost say blunt tooth, the margin in the upper
mandible is almost straight. The general shape too of the
billis unlike that of the other species alluded to, for from
the very base of the cere, the bill commences to slope down
rapidly, instead of, as in the other species, the bill running
out straight for a certain distance and commencing to curve down-
wards only from the end of the cere. The head has something
of the falcon character about it, and as regards coloration is a
Juc-simile of that of F. atriceps, nobis. The toes and claws are,
compared with the other Indian species of this genus, long and
slender.

I may note that a second specimen, also a female, obtained in
the same locality, differed in no material respect, from that
above described, except that it was a decidedly larger bird. Length
29; tail, 12°5; tarsus, 3:5. But the wine was “barely lve And)
the bill was, if anything, feebler than that of the former. The
plumage differed only in having the dark bars on the lower
surface of the quills, and tail feathers more strongly marked,
and in having the black shaft stripes of the abdomen and sides.
considerably Droader than in the specimen first described.

Two others, sexes not ascertained and measurements not re-
corded in the flesh, but with the wings 15:5 and 15, and which
I therefore take for males, though everywhere duller and with
the bars more distinct on the tail and wings (indications as
I believe of nonage), are of precisely the same type of colour-
ine.

“At page 201 of my Rough Notes, I mentioned an immature
specimen of an hawk eagle hitherto identified with this species,
as having been killed near Aberdeen, many years ago. his
specimen is figured in Jard. and Selb., Ti Oxrn.: pl 66. I
much doubt whether this specimen 1s Kieneri gas) iat all ; if it beso,
it is ina stage of plumage altogether different to anything
that I have seen, and it may be useful to reproduce the original
description.

«The bill is black, the cere of a yellowish green colour, ihe
naked space between the bill and eyes, ereenish black. The.
forehead, throat, sides of neck, and whole, of the under. parts,

Notes. Shs

pure white; the legs are long, the tarsi thickly clothed with
white feathers ; the crown of the head andnape yellowish brown,
mixed with umber brown; from the occiput spring six or eight
elongated dark brown feathers, forming a pendant crest ; the whole
of the upper parts of the body are of a dark umber-brown
each feather with a paler margin; the ridge of the wings is
white ; the tail is long, of a deep clove-brown colour, with seven
narrow black bars, the tip white; the feet are yellow, the
toes reticulated as far as the last phalange, and armed with
powerful sharp and crooked claws, particularly those of the in-
terior and hind toes. Length about twenty inches; the wings,
when closed, appear to reach about one-half the length of the
tail; the first quill is narrow and short, the fourth and fifth
the longest in the wing.

A Ov EL.

aLotes.

Four eggs of the NICOBAR MEGAPODE, recently sent
me, are long cylindrical ovals, in shape recalling the eggs of sand
grouse. They measure from 3°15 to 3-4 in length and from 2°05
to 2:1 in breadth. One previously sent me, by Mr. Ball, mea-
sured 3°33 by 2°12.

At first sight they remind one somewhat of large turtle eggs.
The shell is very stout and coarse and the eggs look much as if
they were carved out of fine sandstone. All the eggs I have seen
varied in colour from a pale slightly pinky brown stone colour,
to a moderately warm pink-stone colour. The eges are of course
utterly devoid of gloss, as they are also of all markings, but in
some of the eggs, numerous little depressions are filled with a
white chalky film, giving them the appearance of being spotted
with white.

Amonest birds recently sent me for identification by L. Man-
delli, Esq., of Lebong, is a beautiful specimen of INDICATOR XAN-
tHonotus. I already possess this species from Huzara in the
far west, so that rare as it has hitherto been considered, the
yellow-backed honeyguide has a range in the Himalayas,
at any rate from the borders of Afghanistan to those of Bhotan.

Dr. Jerdon must, I think, have described either an immature
bird or a female. The wing, which he gives at 3:38, has varied in —
the specimens I have seen from 3°6 to 3°8 ; and the bill at front
which he notes as 0°25, has in no one of the three specimens I have

3] 4 Notes.

seen been less than 0°4. His description too does not tally well
with adults, there beg just those kinds of discrepancies, which
might be expected, between young or females, and adult males.

In the present specimen :

The forehead, chin, and cheeks are silky golden yellow. ‘The
back and sides of the head and neck, and interscapular region
blackish brown, every feather margined with olive yellow. If
the feathers of the neck (but of of the interscapulary region).
are lifted, their basal halves will be found to be yellowish white.
The wings and scapulars are black, or at any rate so deep and
black a brown that most people would call them black, and all
the coverts and quills, except the first few primaries, are conspicu-
ously though narrowly margined with bright olive-yellow. The
tertiaries and longer scapulars, with a conspicuous marginal
white stripe on the inner webs. The tail black, the outermost
tail feathers (which are narrow, pointed, and 0:8 shorter than the
next pair) broadly tipped with white or greyish white, and with
a streak of the same running up the shaft. The next pair
(which are about 0°3 shorter than the rest of the tail,) similar,
except that the white tipping 1s confined to the imner web. Cen-.
tral portion of middle and lower back and rump, bright orange
yellow ; the basal portions of the feathers paler and many of them
with a dusky streak or spot. Sides, rump, and upper tail coverts
black, some of the longest of the latter margined with yellow-
ish white. Breast dusky, with an olivaceous tinge, and the fea-
thers obscurely margined with olive yellow; edge of the wing,
wing lining, and axillaries, silky yellow, to yellowish white.
Abdomen, dull brown, the feathers broadly margined with browu-
ish white. Flanks, vent, and lower tail coverts, blackish brown,
the feathers conspicuously margined with dull, somewhat yellow-
ish, white. The bill appears to have been bright yellow. The
third quill is the longest, the second a hair’s breadth at most and
the first and fourth less than 0°] shorter than the third. ‘The
tarsus is between 0°5 and 0°6 in length andis feathered in front
for its upper three-fifths.

I am very doubtful whether this species ought to be associat-
ed with the African honeyguides, under Indicator. If ultimately
it is decided to separate it, 1 would drop the name of honey,
guide, which there is every reason to believe is imapplicable
and christen it Pseudo fringilla, or the Sham finch. A distinguish-
ed naturalist who saw the specimen above described, before it was
sent to me,told me that Mr. Mandelli had a new finch for me, and
really barring the zygodactyle feet, it is a finch and no mistake.
I should like to know more of this bird. For all its feet, I
doubt strongly whether it ought to be classed with the Picida,

Notes. 315

while on the other hand, it does not seem to me to have any
relations with the Cwueuézde, under which Mr. Gray places it.
Of any of the scansors, it is nearest perhapsto the Capitonida,
but it seems to me a very aberrant form, and it is to be hoped
that some of our numerous Himalayan ornithologists will

succeed in ascertaining something of the habits of this species,
and, if they get_a specimen in the flesh, send me the tongue

ay body in spirits.

I procurgp, this last summer in Kooloo, a magnificent

eagle owl. It was shot at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet,
eating a snow partridge on the ground. Unfortunately the sex

was not ascertained, and my museum only contains a single’

specimen of B. maximus of Europe. Compared with that, it
appears somewhat larger, and very much paler, though of
precisely the same type of coloration.

If considered distinct, 1t may stand as B. HemacHaana,
nobis.

ANOTHER RARE bird that I .received from Kooloo, was:

ARCHIBUTEO HEMIPTILOPUS, BI., and as my bird is in a very

different stage of plumage to that described by Blyth and

Hodgson, it may be well to subjoin a description of it.

This species closely resembles B. ferox ; and when I first
glanced at the specimen (which from its size as compared with
the dimensions given by Jerdon, may possibly, though I doubt
it, be a male) I passed it over as a large female of that species.

On a second look, I thought it was a remarkably fine bird. and
then taking it up to examine, I came across the tarsi closely

feathered, in front and at the sides, down to the feet, and knew’

at once what it was.

Now we know how varied are the stages of plumage through
which B. ferox passes, and taking Blyth’s (?) description quoted
by Jerdon, Mr. Hodgson’s drawing of the type and my present
specimen, it would seem that this species too passes eee
very similar stages.

Mr. Hodgson’. s drawing now before me, a very beautiful and
careful one, Tepresents the lores and forehead as whitish, the former

densely clad with curved bristle-like feathers, dark shafted at the -

tips. The whole of the rest of the head, chin, throat, and
neck all round and upper breast, a rich rufous, somewhat paler
and more buffy on the crown, each feather centred with dark
brown, narrowly so on the crown, more broadly so elsewhere.
The whole of the rest of the bird, a rich umber brown or

cl

316 Notes.

dark hair brown, with a certain slieht chocolate tinge, with on
the rectrices five or six moderately broad, somewhat imperfectly
defined, paler and greyer brown, transverse bars.

It must be understood once for all that Mr. Hodgson’s
colouring is almost perfect; the drawing may be at times stiff
and the positions strained in cases in whieh he did not himself
first sketch the outline, but his colouring is as a rule more
faithful than that of any artists Ihave seen. In the mottled
plumage of many goat-suckers, scops, tragopans, &e., every
feather has been, as it were, photographed in colours, and I
believe that I can absolutely depend on the accuracy of the plate,
from which I have taken the above description.

On this plate Mr. Hodgson has recorded as follows:
“ ARCHIBUTEO CRYPTOGENYS, (ptilogenys, Tibetuna), Mibi; tip
of bill to tip of tail, 25; bill to gape, 1-75 to 1:87; to brow,
1:12; tail, 12:25; tarsi to sole, 3°62 ; mid toe and nail, 2; hind
ditto ditto, 1-62; wing clesed, 18°5.

Tibet, Dec. 1846, skin only. Like Booted buzzard; tarsi,
wholly plumed; acropodia, half scutellate, nearly; rest re-
ticulate. Toes, medial, unequal, not thick. ‘Talons of medial
strength and acuteness, rather long than thick. Bill, short,
feeble ; to head as 1:87 to 1-62; curved from base and base very
plumose, even nares being hid; nares ovoid obliquely longitu-
dinal ; wings and tail, injured. Gape to mid eye, hispid and
plumed. Bull with vague large festoon; tip of lower mandible
obliquely truncate.

“ Variously allied to Butaquila leucocephalus, to cereus (Buteo ?)
plumipes and Hemietus strophiatus.”

Of these latter species I shall have more to say on another
occasion, but in regard to this present bird, I would first note
that all the above remarks as to structural points, and as to the
dense pluming of the lores andthe nearly entirely concealed
nares, apply in their full integrity to my bird, only mine is
considerably larger in some dimensions, and was therefore 7 am
disposed to believe, a female, while Mr. Hodgson’s was, I faney,
a male. My bird measures in the dry skin:

Length, 27; bill to gape, 1:98; to brow, 1:3; tail, 12; tarsi
to sole, 3°5 ; mid toe and claw, 2°16 ; hind do. do., 1:7 ; closed wing,
19°75. [Jerdon gives, L. 28; T. 13; W. 20°25; hind toe and claw,
2°25.

eh chin, and lores grevish white, the bristle-like feathers
of the latter dark shafted at the tips. Cheeks and ear coverts,
fulvous white, the longer ear coverts fulvous, and with narrow
wood brown streaks. Crown and occiput, nearly uniform wood .
brown, some few of the feathers very narrowly margined paler ;

~ Notes. 317

nape, and back of neck dark brown, broadly margined with .
rufous buff, and a good deal of white showing as usual in such
birds on the nape ; ” interscapulary region, a “somewhat hghter
brown and less broadly margined with rufescent buff ; ast of
back, rump, and upper tail coverts, dark hair brown, the longer
coverts broadly tipped with pale rufous buff, and on the feathers
being lifted showing several oblong spots or imperfect bars,
almost exclusively on the outer webs, which are buffy or rufous
towards the tips, and more nearly white atthe bases. ‘The tail
has the central feathers pale dull brown, greyish towards the
centre, tipped for about 0-1, with pale rufeseent or dingy buff,
with three complete, and traces of two or three other, rather narrow |
hair brown transverse bands, the interspaces between the perfect
bars being in the immediate neighbourhood of the shafts, strong-
ly tinged with buff. The shafts are white except from where
they enter the subterminal brown bar (which is the broadest
and about 0-6 wide at the shaft) whence they are brown. The
outer webs of the lateral tail feathers are similar, but have the
tippings broader and more rufous and the interspaces more
strongly rufous, while except just at the tips, their inner webs
have a greyish white ground. The central tail feathers are 2°25
broad, and are a good inch longer than the exterior pair.

The upper throat and sides of the neck are,a warm bright
brown, the feathers buffy at their bases and more or less broadly
mareined with buff.

The base of the throat, the whole breast, abdomen, vent, and
lower tail coverts, white, with here and therea bright buffy tinge,
and a few of the feathers of the sides of the breast a more de-
cided rufous buff, with in some broad, in some narrow, rufous
brown shaft patches or streaks towards the tips. The sides
of the abdomen, a rich rufous brown, the feathers narrowly
margined brighter rufous. ‘lhe tibial plumes, which are very
long, reaching down quite to the bifurcation of the toes,
and the short close feathers of the front and sides of the tarsi
similar, but somewhat darker. The foot is finely reticulate.
The eveater part of the back of the tarsus is covered with broad
transverse plates, but the upper part near the joint, and the
latter, are teticulate. The wings are long, and appear to reach,
very nearly, if not quite, to the end of the tail. The edge of
the wing 1s white, the lesser lower coverts and axillaries, rufes-
cent white, here aud there strongly tinged with rufous buff,
and here and there streaked, or again imperfectly barred with
brown. he median lower wing “coverts a deep brown, with
some bright rufous patches towards the tips and the latest
“eoverts, grey brown. The first four quills are strongly notched

018 Notes.

on their inner webs. The second to fifth inclusive, feebly
sinuated on the outer web.

The first three quills have the whole of doth webs above the
notches and emarginations pure white, while the terminal por-
tions are an uniform wood brown, only shghtly greyer on the
outer webs. The rest of the primaries are brown towards the
tips, where they are narrowly margined paler, white on the rest
of the inner, pale grey brown on the outer webs, with numerous
moderately broad, transverse brown bars on both webs. The
rest of the quills similar, but duller and more uniformly coloured,
less grey on the outer, more strongly suffused with brown on
the inner webs, and hence the transverse bars less apparent, (in
fact, scarcely apparent at all in the closed wing ;) the scapulars
and coverts are unicolorous with the secondaries, but the lesser
and a few of the median coverts are margined more or less con-
spicuously with rufous buff.

I do not in the least doubt that this is one stage of the
veritable 4. hemiptilopus, but it is a stage never yet described,
and the extension of the white over doth yells the first three
primaries above the notches and emarginations, a most note-
worthy fact. Is this an individual peculiarity ? Is it charac-
teristic of this stage only, or is 1t persistent? and if so, how
has it escaped notice? or lastly, can there be two rough legged
buzzards in the Himalayas? Should this latter, which I cannot
at all believe, by any chance prove to be the case, this white
winged species should stand as /eucoptera, nobis.

ProcarDuELIs ManpELii, nobis, described ante, page 14,
will not stand. Blandford has already described it under the
name of P. RUBESCENS which must stand. This is no fault of
mine, do what I will, I cannot get my proccedings and transac-
tions of the Zoo.; I have written frantically about this to my
bookseller till J am tired, and to Dr. Sclater until—Ze is pro-
bably tired of me. Even now I should have known nothing
about it, had not Dr. Stoliezka kindly lent me Part III. of the
Proceedings for 1871, which have never yet been sent to me,
in which rubescens appears. It is really too bad, but what can
one do? I should like to hang some body, (I don’t care who, I
am not cruel by disposition) pour encourager les autres, but
doubts have been suggested to me as to the legality of such a
course, and so I suppose I must even grin and bear it.

Amongst the collection of birds from Thyetmyo, most kindly
sent me for examination by Captain Fielden, I find one species

Notes. 319

Poliornis liventer, Tem.=pallidus, Less, the occurrence of which
on the very northern frontier of Burmah, appears to me note-
worthy.

Temminek originally gaveit from Celebes, Sumatra, Java, and
the Continent of India. There is no yveason to believe that it
ever occurs in India Proper, but it certainly, as we now see, is
found on the Continent of Asia, well inland. P. feesa is common
at Thyetmyo ; and in 18495, Dr. Helfer sent a young specimen
of P. poliogenys (B. pygmeus, Blyth,) from Tenasserim.

I wave a Spizaetus, from Travancore, that altogether puzzles
me. Its leading characteristics are

A crsst, 4 inches long,blackish, not tipped white, brown at

base,

A wine, 14 inches,

A Tarsus, 3°9 inches,

A TAIL, pale brown, with one subterminal 1:5 inch black-
ish brown bar, a2 inch space, and three other 0°6 to 0°75 |
inch bars, about 1 inch apart, and no others, or any trace. of
such.

I am sure any one who has studied this group will admit that
this is a puzzler, especially coming from ‘ravancore.

We may first set aside caligatus, Raffles, which has noel,
no crest, wever one more than 3 inches in length, of which the
smallest male has a wing 15, (running sometimes to 17 even
in the male) with a tarsus, 3:5.

Also cirrhatus, Gmelin, which has the crest feathers tipped
white in the youngest birds, and a wing of 15°25 in the smallest
male.

Also nipalensis, Hodgson, which also always has the crest
white or paler tipped, and in which the wing of the smallest male
exceeds 17:5.

This seems a fit place for recalling attention to the distinction
which I first pointed out (Rough Notes, page 208,) between m-
palensis and the two previous species, and which ornithologists in
India persist in overlooking, sending me continually the young
of nipalensis as cirrhatus.

“In cirrhatus and caligatus, the feathering of the feet ends,
more or less above the division of the toes. In some specimens
fully an eighth of an inch of the foot is left bare, in others”
the feathering, especially of the central portion of the foot,
comes down all but level with the division of the toes. . In ni
palensis, on the other hand, the feathering runs distinctly down
the middle toe, reaching furthest down exteriorly ; so that in

320) Notes.

some specimens fully, and in all nearly, one-half of the outer
portion of the first joimt of the mid toe is plumed.” JI have
now examined fully fifty specimens of each of these three species,
and find this distinction holds good invariably, and I may here
add, that I possess a nearly adult nzpalensis brought me by Mr.
Davison from the Neilgherries.

To return to our bird, (the feet of which by the way are feathered
as in caligatus), it clearly belongs to none of these species. —

It naturally suggests itself that this may be the young of
Kieneriit, and I dare sa ysimilar specimens have been identified
as such, but Kveneriz was described from the Himalayas, and
a very fine adult female, cf. supra. p., 311 with a wing 17°5, has
a tarsus of only 3, and the longest tarsus of any female even of
this species that I have seen, was 3°5, whereas our bird, if it
belonged to this species, must, with its wing only 14, bea
very small male, and yet it has a tarsus 3°9. Besides this
it has a long fullcrest, while true Kéenerz, has no well marked
lengthened crest, only the occipital feathers as a body slightly
longer than those above and below them. If it were not for the
seven bars on the tail, which however are probably not a con-
stant feature, I should believe that the specimen (cf. supra. p. 312)
figured by Jardine and Selby, might belong to the same species
as our present bird.

It is not /anceolatus, Tem. and Schlegel, F. Jap., p. 7;
(fasciolatus, Schl., M. P. B., p. 9,) which is distinguished
by -its absence of crest, and a male of which with the wing
145, has a tarsus 3°12. Of this species, by the way, Mr.
Gurney remarks (2x epizst).

S. lanceolatus, I believe to be quite restricted to the Celebes
and Sula Islands. The following are the measurements of a
female and male 8. /anceolatus in the Norwich Museum ;

Male. Female.

Entire length in inches e 25: 28-
Wing from carpal joint to tip of primaries (acho te
Tail Me He ee one Oy ey ais. AIS
PAmsus sae ee: Bs SUSE earn sui eee,
Middle toe with dese i LAr DOWN noes

S. lanceolatus is figured under the name of S. cirrhatus in
Schlegel’s “ Valk. Vogel, ” pl. 7, fig. 2, (immature,) and fig. 3,
(adult) <

It is not andamanensis, Tytler, for although the female of this
with a wing 14, has sometimes a tarsus of nearly 3°75, this
species 1s Suess. ; some old adults show traces of a crest, but
never a well marked, greatly elongated crest as in our bird.

Notes. 821

It is not alboniger, Blyth, at least I think not, because that
species appears to have a short stout tarsus, while ours has a
particularly long and slender one, a tarsus of 3 to a wing of 13
inches, against a tarsus of 3-9 and a wing of 14 in ours, and because
even in the adult (and if our bird belonged to this species, 1t must
be quite a young one) the crestin alboniger appears to be nearly
an inch shorter, and to be broader, and differently shaped. It
belongs to the same sub-group, I believe, but it cannot be 1
think identical.

It cannot be Lathami, Tickell, (does any body know what
that is?) for the length of that species is given at 18 inches,
while ours was at least 23; nor can it be xanus, Wallace,
This 1868, p. 14, which with a wing 11, has a tarsus of only 2°6
amid toe feathered nearly to the first joint, and a crest con-
spicuously white tipped.

The only remaining Asiatic species that I am acquainted with
is philippensis, Gurney, from the Philippines, and it is decidedly
closer to this than to any of the others. These are Mr. Gur-
ney’s dimensions: |

“Total length 25 inches; wing, 14°75; crest 2°5; tarsus, 3°5.”

These do not agree over well with ours, a longer wing, a much
shorter crest and tarsus.

Then the tail has seven bars, not four, as in ours, but there is
the broad interspace dividing off the last bar as in ours, and
“the throat has a broad blackish band running down its centre,
with two similar and nearly parallel bands proceeding from the
corners of the mouth, the three bands all merging in a cluster
of dark brown lanceolate marks” Mr. Gurney adds ‘‘ upon the
upper portion of the breast, ” dutin our bird, on the basal portion
of the throat. If not philippensis, itis new; if new, how can
one believe in such a species restricted to a little corner as
this would seem to be, unless indeed it has been confounded in
Ceylon with Aieneri ; if philippensis what does it mean by turn-
ing up in Zravancore of atl places? que diable allait il faire dans
cette galére?”

However I will describe it in detail; it is an enigma to me
and if new, shall stand as 8. sphynx, nobis.

Dimensions, (from the skin a very good one,) length, 22
to 23; wing 14-1; the fifth quill the longest; the fourth, 0°15 ;
the third 0°65 ; the second 1°6 ; and the first, 4°3 shorter than
the fifth. Tail, 10:2; external feathers, 0:7 shorter than the.
rest. Tarsus, 3°9; mid toe and claw, 2°5 nearly.

The first five quills very conspicuously notched onthe inner webs,
the sixth also notched but more feebly—the second to the seventh.
(both inelusive) conspicuously emarginate on the outer webs. The

oo Notes.

nostrils narrowly ovate, the major axis nearly perpendicular
to the commissure.

The whole back, top, and sides of the head, (excluding the
erest) back and sides of the neck a pale slightly rufous brown,
each feather with a blackish brown shaft stripe, broad on the
crown, narrow elsewhere. Crest of about 20 feathers, blackish
brown, except at the bases which are synchromius with the
ground color of the head and neck. The longest feathers
over four inches in length, the shortest about an inch, with
every intermediate gradation.

The interscapulary region dark hair brown, with only a
Saint trace of paler margins; lower back rump and upper tail
coverts uniform, rather pale brown; scapulars, lesser and
median coverts, hair brown; margined more or less broadly
gee pale brown, and paling more or “less above the tips on one

* both webs, and towards their bases. Quills and their
ee coverts, dull brown, darkest (in fact blackish) on
the outer webs and tips of the earlier primaries ; the earlier secon-
daries narrowly tipped with brownish white; the secondaries
and later primaries, with traces of darker bars even on their
outer webs, and the second to the seventh primary, with a decided
pale rufescent, or fulvous bar on the outer web, just at the
emareination. The edge of the wing from the carpal joint to
the base of the primaries, white. On the lower surface, the tips
of the earlier primaries, dark brown; above this to the notch,
grey, with three well marked transverse dark brown bars; above
the notch, white; the later primaries and secondaries, greyish
white, with a broad subterminal, and four or five other transverse
dark brown bands. ‘The lesser lower coverts, dull rufous, brown-
shafted, more or less white edged; the rest, wliute, very broadly
barred with deep brown.

The chin and throat are white, with one central and two
lateral blackish brown streaks, which unite at the base of the
throat at the front of the neck; below this for about an inch,
dull rufous brown, like the sides and back of the neck; the
breast white; the feathers with huge dark brown drops, edged
paler, towards the tips.

Sides, abdomen, lower tail coverts, flanks, and exterior tibial
plumes, a nearly uniform, somewhat pale, umber brown, most
of the feathers, with imeconspicuous very narrow, yr hibien tips.
Interior tibial plumes and tarsal feathers, pale dingy yellowish
brown, paling most towards the feet. .

The tail above, a dull pale brown, narrowly tipped with
brownish white, a 1°5 subterminal dark brown band, a two-inch
blank space, and three other similarly coloured 0°6 to 0°7 broad

Notes. 323

bands, about an inch apart; below the ground colour is an
albescent brownish grey, the bars showing throug ‘h, but only
the broad subterminal one e conspicuously.

Is this philippeusis ? is it new? I must leave Mr. Gurney
to pronounce judgment, as for me, Davus sum non Gdipus.

Mr. H. RB. P. Carter, C. E., very kindly sends me from
Coimbatore three specimens of the Muropean House Martin,
Chelidon urbica, L. All are young birds, but whether bred in
India or not, I ‘cannot guess. In England, if I remenber rightly,
the young So toe male. Ilene eecines us. Hitherto I have
only received this species from Thundiani in Huzara, a little
Sanatarium, nearly 9,000 feet above the level of the sea, where
they are plentiful during the summer. These Coimbatore speci-
mens were shot during this present year.

Mr. C. W. Marunws, I. C. S., sends me the most lovely
lutino of Paleornis rosa, that | ever saw. He shot it early in
January, in the salt range, near the Mayo mines. It is a very
fine male; tae general colour of the plumage, the brightest and
purest canary yellow, only a few of the quills, and a few of the
feathers of the back, rump, and flanks, a bright pure ereen. The
forehead, cheeks, and chin, a lovely magenta pink ; ‘the central
tail feathers pure white, except at the bases, (which, with the
whole of the rest of fhe rectrices, are yellow,) and a narrow Oright
blue streak down the shaft of one of them. The bill appears to
have been orange yellow and the feet pinkish. It is impossible
to conceive, so bright and pure are all the tints, a more beautiful
creature,

Mr. E. Locxwoop, C..S., sends me a skin of the grey tit
(Parus cinereus) from Purneah, where he says it 1s common
in gardens, with the remark that since the roadside trees have
grown up, numbers of species now visit Purneah in the cold
weather that formerly never crossed the treeless belt of coun-
try intervening between that station and the Terai. This is
only another instance of the readiness with which birds avail
themselves of any alterations in the condition of things; there
are numbers now-a-days that seem absolutely to ignore the fact
that they caw sit any where except on the wires, and who would,
I have no doubt, consider the abolition of telegraphs a gross and
unwarrantable disregard of ¢ieir vested rights |

As ‘Oe

a] Seats i Se

vou. L oe

STRAY
FEATHERS,

Hournal of Ornithology

FOR

INDIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

EDITED BY

ALLAN HUME.

JULY, 1873.

ees eee

STRAY FEATHERS.

~ +

Vol. L] JULY, 1878. [No. 5.

Alotes upon some of the Andian and European Eagles,

by W. Edwin Brooks, C. LE.
No. II.

Since my former notice (wde page 290,) I have received addi-
tional information of great interest to the ornithologist.

I have two specimens of the eagle known as Aquila orientalis,
Cab., and erroneously termed by some authors dg. clanga of
Pallas. One of these specimens was sent to me by Dr. Bree of
Colchester, and is labelled Ag. ortentalis, Cabanis, in Mr. Gur-
‘ney’s own handwriting, the other was sent me by Mr. Dresser,
and was shot near Sarepta.

The extreme similarity of these two birds to our Indian
Aquila bifasciata when nearly mature, frequently struck me ;, but
none of my Indian specimens corresponded exactly with them
as regarded the tail, although in other respects they accorded
perfectly. Now, however, I have just received Indian examples
of dq. bifasciata, with tails exactly corresponding with those of
the two European A. orientalis above referred to. I have no
‘hesitation whatever in pronouncing the two species to be iden-
tical. Ag. bifusciata is, I believe, the older term, and if so, dg.
ortentalis, Cab., will smk into a synonym.

Ihave thus now in my possession three examples of Ag.
bifasciata shot in Europe, which I consider quite sufficient to
establish the species as European. I keep them by me with their
Indian counterparts, and whoever doubts my conclusion can satisfy
himself by examination. It was not to be expected that a migra-
tory eagle of similar size and power to A. mogilnik should be re-
stricted to Eastern Europe, considering that we have in India 4.
chrysetos, A. mogilnik vel imperialis, A. nevioides and A. nevia.

The migratory eagles are not local, but are, as arule, very
widely spread.

Speaking of the mature example of Ag. dcfasciata which was
sent to me by Captain Elwes, Mr. Gurney (Ibis, 1870, pp. 67
and 68) attaches considerable importance to the two parti-colored

326 Notes upon some of the Indian and European Kagles.

feathers in the scapular region of this specimen ; and he con-
cludes that the presence of these two little parti-colored feathers
demonstrates that the bird is dq. nevioides. In answer to this I
may observe, that I founda specimen of Ag. vindhiana with
_ parti-colored small seapulars: I have also seen a specimen of
Aq. mogiinik with parti-colored scapulars. Mr. Anderson too
speaks of one (P. Z. 8., 1872, p. 621). The other day I exam-
ined an example of Cuncuma leucogaster with some of the sca-
pular feathers having one side of the feather fulvous, and the
other brown. I believe occasional parti-colored feathers are to
be found in most eagles, although to a greater extent m dg.
neviordes, which I believe retains them permanently in its most
advanced stage of plumage. At all events the Bosphorus A.
bifasciata is structurally opposed to Ag. neviordes, and its nos-
tril, though a dried one, is most perfect ; havmg never had any
thread or string passed through it to keep the bill closed.

Mr. Gurney suggests (in Epist.) that the process of desicca-
tion may have distorted the nostril ; so that though originally a
‘round one, it may now be lengthened : but this supposition is
quite out of the question. This climate, of ‘all others, will
thoroughly desiceate the whole bird, especially the hot winds of
the North-Western Provinces to whieh all my birds have been
exposed ; and after examining my numerous specimens of eagles,
T find no material alteration ; certainly nothing to the extent
suggested by Mr. Gurney ; and it is still easy in every case, by
looking at the nostril alone, supposing the body of the bird to
be covered up, to tell to whfat class of eagle it belongs. By no
process of desiccation whatever, could the rather small round nos-
tril of Ag. nevioides become the large long vertical one of Aquila
bifasciata. The size of the nostril in the two birds is so differ-
ent. I have not before observed that Aq. bifasciata, as a rule,
is Imperial Eagle size, which Ag. nevioides rs not ; and once
more I maintain that the tail of the latter is a plain black one,
very rarely barred, and then with the faintest possible barring
square to the shaft of the feather, and not extending more than
half way to the edge of the feather, if so much.

Mr. Gurney informs me that if his memory does not deceive
him, he has seen specimens of Ag. neviorles with tails as
strongly barred as that of the Bosphorus 4. d7/aseiata im ques-
tion. All I can say to this is, that the birds with grey well
barred tails were not Ag. neviordes, but some other species, pro-
bably 4. difasciata. I have again strongly drawn attention to
this question for my conclusions are disputed by English
ornithologists. They won’t believe it possible that they have
overlooked so large a bird in Europe as an eagle; but the

Notes upon some of the Indiun and European Eagles. 327

specimens themselves which I possess are very solid facts which
the best men in Europe cannot contend against.

It is now admitted by Messrs. Gurney and Dresser, that the
adults of Aguila hastata, and what they call the North German
or small race of the spotted eagle, (the true Aquila nevia of the
old authors, in their opinion,) are not to be distinguished ; but
they contend that the immature birds are different. In opposi-
tion to this, I submit that the Danzic bird sent me as dq. nevia
by Mr. Dresser is a veritable dg. Aastata, and immature birds of
this species must occur in the same region. The spotted birds
which differ may not have been satisfactorily connected with
the adults to which they were said to belong. Did any one take
the immature one from the nest, and rear it? The statement
that the immature plumage of the little Pomeranian spotted
eagle is different from that of dq. hastata, I regard, at all
events for the present, as theoretical.

I should not be in a position myself to say what the immature
plumage of dq. vindhiana was, unless I had brought up the
young from the nest. How do Messrs. Gurney and Dresser
prove that the immature of the Pomeranian spotted eagle is
distinct from that of A. hastata ?

They say the immature plumage of A. hastata has not occurred
in Europe, and is not known there, but against this I say, it 1s only
the other day that Ag. mogilnik, in the lineated stage was found
to occur in Europe, and it is a plentiful bird there! Again
A. bifasciata has been bodily overlooked, so that I can quite
understand that neither Messrs. Gurney nor Dresser have
yet seen an immature European 4g. hastata. They will see
them, however, before .long, and the immature typical d¢.
bifasciata too, unless I am greatly mistaken. They have, I
believe, at last seen the lineated Ag. mogilnik to begin with; at
all events they must have heard of it by this time, and the
others will follow in due course. How long is it since it was
denied upon the best authority, that there was such a thing as
a lineated Imperial Eagle in Europe, and it was contended that
the Indian bird was quite distinct. from the true @perzalis or
mogilnik ? Now they are united, and a distinct Western bird
(Aq. adalbertt, Brehm) is separated. These birds were not seen,
because they were not properly looked after ; and after all Europe
with its numerous ornithologists and collectors, and with a
climate facilitating the operations of the naturalist to the
utmost, so widely different from the scorching Indian one, has
been but very lazily explored, and there is no knowing what
may turn up there in the future in the way of identifications.

I do not think that dq. clanga, of Pallas, has any connection

328 Notes upon some of the Indian and European Eagles.

with dq. bzfasciata vel orientalis ; for Pallas says, the tail is:
black, “ Cauda nigra”; again he says, the back is black,
“dorsum nigrum.” This could only apply to our Indian spotted
eagle which frequently has the plumage very dark indeed
and nearly black. The legs are said to be “ nigricante albo
varia.” The white tarsus, or partly white tarsus is characteristic
of Aq. nevia, | mean of Aguila nevia, as we know it in India,
for Mr. Gurney now separates our bird as Ag. vittata, Hodgson.
This I cannot understand, and he must prove the assertion before
it can be generally received. )

Pallas, after saying that the back is black as well as the tail,
and surely he could not have overlooked the strongly barred
grey tail of Ag. bifasciata vel orientalis, says, the wing coverts
are spotted with white, (“ tectricibus albo variegatis’). Alto-=
gether, as far as I can understand his description, it is utterly
impossible to apply it to Aguila bifasciata vel orientalis, but it
suits large examples of our Indian spotted eagle and no other
bird that I know of. ‘This bird I have procured measuring 2 feet
43 inches total length ; wing, 20% inches; and weighing 6% lbs.,
a female of course. ‘This species varies excessively in size, and
I have some very small examples, barely exceeding dq. hastata
in size. The way in which A. Aastata and our Indian spotted
eagle, which we call z@via approach each other as regards size,
renders it difficult to find out which the original 4. nevia was.
I have an excessively meagre description by Gmelin, which to
me appears to indicate the bird we recognize as nevia in India,
although some of the English naturalists evidently receive
another bird as neva. I believe the original description, which
I have never seen, is by Brisson.

The two Turkish spotted eagles sent me by Captain Elwes,
as I mentioned before, are identical to a feather with our Indian
A, nevia in the same plumage. Mr. Gurney suggests that I may
have received the immature of Ag. orientalis. This is quite
impossible, for the two birds have the perfect nevia spotted
plumage, and, moreover, have the small roundish nostril of that
species ; besides, they have plain black tails, which Ag. orientalis
has not. It would be rather strange too, if I who have shot so
many of this species in this very plumage, and who have had at
least four times the number of specimens through my hands
that any of the English ornithologists -have had, should not
know the bird when I see it from Europe. I have seen most of the
specimens belonging to Messrs. Hume, Anderson, and Marshall
as well as my own. However, when I submit the birds at a
meeting of Z. S., there will be no doubt upon this point, and
this I shall do unless my identifications are accepted. 'To separate

Notes upon some of the Indian and European Fugles. 329

Phylloscopus Tytler from P. viridanus and Hippolais agricolensis
from P. Rama were real difficulties, but to recognize dg. nevia
‘in the spotted plumage is within the powers of the ‘veriest tyro.

Very little is known of the nestling, or first plumage of the
various eagles. I have not even described that of the two
young dq. vindhiana (A. fulvescens) I procured from the nest
two yearsago. ‘The eggs of eagles are so keenly sought after,
that the important pomt of the first plumage has been neglected.
Perhaps something may be done this year towards a knowledge
of the first plumage of two or three of our eagles, if only the
love for egg-collecting be moderated. It would be interesting
to shew whether the young eagles moulted their first plumage
in the autumn after they were hatched or not. I cannot believe
judging from the analogy of the common Indian kite, that the
lineated stage of Ag. mogilnik is the first one. It ought to be the
second. This, and many other similar points, will,it is to be hoped,

be cleared up before long, as the study of natural history extends.

Although I and others have heen writing about the various
stages of plumage in eagles, we are still, many of us, ignorant of
the first plumage ; and this ignorance might have been removed
long ago, if the young birds had been looked to, instead of the
mere acquisition of the egg shells. A knowledge of the eggs is no
doubt interesting, but the birds themselves are of far greater
interest ; and after all, eggs are but eggs, and merely temporary
cases for the young, although they are often so beautiful.

P. S.—Since writing the foregoing, I have seen the“ original”
description of Aguila nevia by Brisson. The synonyms are—

Aquila nevia, Schwenck, Avi. Sil., page 219.

Aquila clanga, Klein. Avi., page 41, No. 6.

Morphno congener, Aldror, Avi. Tom. I., page 214.
Morphno congener, Aldrovand:, Willugh. Ornith., page 32.

In his description of Aquila clangz, Pallas quotes the above
synonyms, omitting however the last, but adding Aguila minor,
Buffon, Orn. L, p. 91.

It is thus clear, that to apply the term clanya to any eagle
but the origmal spotted eagle described by the older authors,
isa great mistake; anditis utterly impossible to apply the
term to dq. bifasciata, which I have shewn is identical with
4q. orventalis, Cal. Clanga is not Pallas’s term, but is a synonym
of A. nevia ; and why it was preferred by Pallas, I do not know.

The total length of Aguila nevia given by Brisson, is 2 feet
7 inches and six lines: equal to 2 feet 8% inches English

measurement ! I should have been inclined to think that there

was some error here, but a second measurement of 2 feet 5
inches from tip of bill to end of claws = 2 feet 64 inches Eng-

at

330 Notes upon some of the Indian and European Kagles.

lish, confirms the first measurement. It will be thus seen, that -
the bird deseribed is fuld Imperial Hagle size ; and this renders
Mr. Gurney’s conclusion, that original 4. nzvia was a bird the
size of Ag. hastata, impossible to be received. The tail is said to
be 12 inches long = 123 inches English! Now what Aguila
hastata ov even A. nevia, as we receive the bird in India, has a
12 in. tail? Is it possible that the specimen described was a
terribly elongated skin? But though this would get rid of the
difficulty of total length, what becomes of the extra long tail,
which certainly would not stretch. What a pity the old writers
omitted the all-important measurement of length of wing from
carpal joint ! But the expanse is said to be only 4 feet, = 4
feet 1 English. This is too little for even Ag. hastata ; so
that too much importance should not be attached to Brisson’s
total length measurement. In the description of the colors there
are afew points noted, which strongly indicate the bird we
recognize i India as dg. nevia. “ Ale subtus maculis multis,
ovalibus, albis, hine inde sparsis, insigniuntur. Crura et pedes pennis
vestiuntur ad principium diguitorum usque, et albis similiter notis
sunt aspersa.’ This reference to oval white spots could hardly
apply to any other eagle. The general color of the body is
thus described : “ Jn universo fere corpore obscure ferrugineo
colore tingitur. Guttur tamen obscure albet.” The tail feathers
are said to be white at their bases and their tips, and they are
also said to be transversely barred. ‘“ Kectrices im exortu et apice
albent ; in reliqua longitudine obscure ferrugineo tinguntur, et
maculis latiusculis, fuscis transversim notantur.’ I have noticed
that some of the younger spotted examples have fairly barred
tails, although this is not the rule; and frequently the inner
webs of the secondaries and tertials are barred. ‘The only other
eagle, any thing like the description by Brisson, is the young
lineated Aguila mogilnik, and the dimensions, save expanse,
would agree well. Can it be possible that this spotted stage of
the Imperial eagle was the original 4. nevia ? I leave this for
better judges than myself to settle. It is important to settle
the point, if possible, who was the original describer ; and
which has priority, Aguila nevia, Schwenck, or Aquila clanga,
Klein ? One of the two latter authors may give some explicit
reference which will remove all doubt as to what the original
Aquila nevia was. Again, it is possible, that although Pallas
and Brisson unite the two terms, they may after all refer to two
distinct species ? Brisson’s reference to white on the tarsus,
as in the case of Pallas’s description of Aq. clanga, points to our
Indian Nevia or the spotted eagle of south-east Europe in con-
tradistinction to the small Pomoranian eagle. The latter 1

Notes on the Parroquets of India. 331

have identified with our Indian 4g. hastata. If Mr. Gurney
reads Brisson’s deseription carefully over, he cannot apply it to
that small eagle, and pronounce it to be “ the true d. neva
of the old authors.”

In the identification of Aguila orientalis with Aq. bifaseiata ;
of Aq. hastata with the small Pomeranian eagle, of the Bospho-
rus eagle (thought to be dq. mevioides by Mr. Gurney) with
Aq. bifasciata, and if the two Turkish spotted eagles, with our
Indian Ag. nevia, 1am not alone, but am confirmed by Dr.
Stoliezka, Mr. V. Ball, and Captain G. F. L. Marshall who have
carefully examined the different series which were used.

Tf, after all, it turns out that the immature of the Pomeranian
spotted eagle are distinct from those of dq. hastata, it will be one
of the most wonderful of ornithological facts ; but since the im-
mature lineated Imperial eagle was for ages overlooked and said
not to oceur in Kurope, so alsoimmature dquila hastata may
turn up plentifully some of these days in Europe.

P. P. 8.—With reference to priority of terms, Brisson gives
a list of authors quoted, with dates of publication. Schwenck-
feld’s work is dated 1603, and Klein’s 1750. Aquila nevia is
therefore much the older term for the spotted eagle, and Aguzlu
clanga, Klein, is but asynonym. I did not notice the list of
authors till after I had sent my paper.

Alotes on the Parroquets of Adin.
By Capt. Thomas Hutton, C. M. Z. 8., &e.

Notwithstanding all that has been said and written regarding
the parroquets of Continental India,—notwithstanding the long
lapse of years since the time of Alexander the Great, by whose
followers they are said to have been introduced into Greece after
that warrior’s remarkable expedition from India to Ceylon, it is
still a melancholy fact that every writer on these birds persists
in giving Palgornis Alexandr, a place in our Continental fauna.
A few would restrict it as a rather rare species to Ceylon, others
declare it to be exceedingly abundant in some parts of that
Island ; some again declare it to be scattered all over India,
while others state it to be a very local species capriciously cling-
ing to one, and avoiding other districts.

It is nearly certain, however, that the Indian bird described by
Blyth, Jerdon, and a host of other observers, is totally distinct
from the Ceylon bird, but so prone have been our Indian
Naturalists to put their trust in some great leader who literally
‘knew no more than they did themselves, that one after another

332 Notes on the Parroquets of India.

they have been content to accept as true all that their immediate
predecessors have left on record, without taking the trouble to
inquire into the truth, and thus the errors of the past have been
perpetuated and several distinct species have become doubled up
together under the one time-honored name of Palgornis Alexandri,
or Alexandrine Parroquet.

Various inquiries long since instituted by myself among the
leaders of science in Caleutta only served to elicit the fact that
none of them possessed the least suspicion that there could be
more than one species in the country to which that name had
been assigned, neither could they tell me whether any of their
museums contained a specimen of the Ceylon bird, the usual
answer being, “ send us a description of what you consider the
true P. Alexandri, and then we shall be able to tell you whether
we have it or not.” Determined to follow out my old plan of
taking nothing for granted, no matter who the authority might
be, I at once set to work to collect specimens and information
from all parts of the country, and the result of my investigations
I now purpose to lay before the public.

The habits, manners, and food of the parroquets are, as a rule,
nearly the same inall. The eggs are laid in holes cut by the
birds for that purpose in the thick branch or trunk of some soft
wooded tree ; they vary in number from two to four, and are
pure white. P. torquatus however is said sometimes to lay its
eggs in the holes of ruined buildings, but this can only be re-
garded as an unnatural and occasional deviation from the rule,
since previous to the decay of such buildings all birds must have
resorted to rocks and trees or to the earth itself. The food of
all consists of fruits, berries, hard grain, and even the smaller
seeds of grasses and other plants, and they are quite as expert
in dividing cherry stones after feasting on the pulp, as are the
birds of the Grosbeak kind.

The havoe committed in the fields of ripening corn is often
very great, many of the ears being cut off and thrown down
apparently in pure wanton mischief. They are fond of bathing
in shallow waters and are naturally very cleanly in their habits ;
they are fond likewise of swallowing small pieces of gravel to
assist in the digestion of their food, and sharpen the edges of
their massive mandibles by grinding down lumps of hard elay-
stone and other earths, and if not well supplied with these, the
captive bird is liable to become sickly and drop suddenly from
its perch in a fit. A piece of hard wood placed in the cage will
soon be reduced to chips, and by this means the too exuberant
growth of the mandibles is checked ; without these occasional
amusements, the bird is often very destructive to its cage cutting

Notes on the Parroquets of India. 333

through wire as thick as whipcord without the least difficulty.
This of course applies more particularly to the larger species.
In captivity, moreover, from the want of healthy exercise and the
sameness of the food, as well as from the improper nature of the
food itself, the brilliant colours are very apt to fade, the green
becoming greyish, and sometimes partially white.

These birds, except at the breeding seasons, are all truly
gregarious, collecting into large flocks and sereaming loudly
in concert as they cleave the air with rapid and rushing’ flieht,
so swift that they are scarcely seen before they are lost to sight.

The natives in the Upper Provinces are curiously superstitious
about these birds, most of the large ones being regarded with
some degree of reverence; and among the Hindoos the sale of a
tame parroquet would entail the loss of caste ; they are per-
mitted to give them away, but not to sell them, and even a bird-
eatcher who brings the nestlings for sale, if he chance to pass
your door without offering the birds, dare not retrace his steps
even when called, until he has hawked his stock throughout the
station ; you may go to him and purchase where he stands, but
he cannot return to you. The Hindoo, however, has a curious
method of evading the law which prevents his selling a pet
bird ; he will tell you openly he dare not sell his bird, which he
values at a high sum, and then cautiously following you, will
tell you, sotto voce, that he will give yor the bird and trust to
your giving something in exchange, of course in the hope of
making a far better bargain. Poor Hindoo, I fear his morals
are no worse than those of more enlightened races.

In preparing their nests these birds, having selected a suitable
tree, begin to cuta cireular hole, generally in the trunk, and
having penetrated for four or five inches, they begin to cut
perpendicularly downwards for eight or nine inches, sinking a
perfectly cylindrical well, and laying their eggs on the soft
chips at the bottom, to which are sometimes added a few dry
leaves.

The time of incubation is about twenty-one days, and the
nestling is sufficiently feathered in about a fortnight or so after-
wards, to be taken from the nest to rear, but if unmolested, it
would not leave it until a month or five weeks old.

1.—Paleeornis Alexandri.

Taking Bennett’s description of what he terms the true P.
Alexandri .of Ceylon, we find him stating in “The Garden
and Menagerie of the Zoological Society of London,” published
in 1835, that, ‘the distinctive characters of this beautiful
species of parrot consist in the broad tlack patch occupying the

B

“SB4 Notes‘on the Parroquets of India.

fore-part of the throat, and extending, laterally, in two narrow
processes on each side of the neck ;in the black line extending
from the base of the beak to the eyes ; and more particularly in
the deep purplish .red patch at the base of its wings. Its bill is
larger than that of the rose ring parrakeet, from which it
esearcely differs except in this particular.—in the somewhat
greater breadth and deeper colouring of its rosy collar, and in the
dark red marking of its shoulders which is wanting in the latter,
The usual length of the male bird is from 18 to 20 inches ; the
female is smaller but does not, according to M. Levaillant,
-differ in colourmg.*” Bennett likewise informs us that the Ceylon
bird “is of much rarer occurrence than several of the other
-species of the same group; ” while Mr. Layard declares that “ in
Ceylon it is found in countless thousands at Batticaloa nestling
in the cocoanut trees, and resortmg tothem at might in vast
flocks.” Cassell remarks of this bird that “itis a native of
India and Ceylon, and derives its designation from the fact,
real or supposed, of its having been first transported from Asiatic
countries by Alexander the Great. Its most distinguishing
-characters consist 1m the broad black patch which occupies the
fore-part of the throat and extends laterally in two narrow pro-
cesses on each side of the neck ; a black line stretches from the
base of the beak to the eyes, and there is a deep purplish red
patch at the base of the wings.” This however is but a repeti-
tion of Bennett’s account, and is evidently copied from him.

Latham’s description of what he terms P. Alexandrz is this:
“ Length, 15 inches ; bill, red ; plumage in general, green, paler
beneath ; throat black, passing behind to meet a crescent of red
at the back of the neck ; at the bend of the wing, a purplish
spot; tail longer than the body, green fringed with blue,
and pale yellow beneath ; in shape greatly cuniform ; legs,
dusky.”

Then he gives a variety which he says “is 214 inches, the tail
‘being longer in proportion ; lower mandible, dusky ; eyelids,
broad, rough, crimson ; at the base of the neck a crimson ring,
met on each side by a crescent of black, taking rise at the under
jaw ; bend of the wing and the coverts blue; on the latter a long
patch of crimson; quills, blue ; tail, very long and cuniform ;
Leys, flesh colour, he female has no ring, nor any black on the
chin + ; space round the eye narrower.”

* Does this mean that the female possesses the black and rose-coloured rings
on the neck asin the male? Ifso, this character at once distinguishes the
‘species from all Indian parrakeets.

+ This mention of no ring and black patch in the female of the variety looks
as if it existed in P. Alewandri !

Notes ow the Parroquets of Indias. 330%

This: seems somewhat like a fancy portrait..

Jerdon’s description of what he terms P. Alexandiz is. propos
to nothing, and does not in any respect apply to it ; neither does
the description furnished to me by Lieut. Col. R. Tytler of speci-
mens from: Oudh and Rajmahal.

‘Blyth in his Catalogue of the birds in the Museum of the
Asiatic Society in Calcutta, has given at No. 16; a confusion of
names which every one since his time has reverently followed
and applied to the Ceylon bird, and yet it is altogether worth-
less, since as before stated, P. Alexandri not being found on the-
Continent of India, it is clear that Hodgson’s P. Nipalensis is:
distinct.

This has long been my firm conviction, and now, in 1872, my
friend Mr. A. QO. Hume informs me that he has received two.
specimens of the true P. Alexandrt from Ceylon, and’ that he is
disposed to believe that it is distinct fromthe Indian bird pass--
ing under that name; we may therefore in future erase it from.
our Indian fauna. —

No. 2.—Paleornis sivalensis.. Hutton.

This name is only provisionally applied, asit is as yet doubtful!
_ whether it may not be identical with Hodgson’s P. nipalensis,
the desertption of which I have not seen. It is also probably
identical. with the bird which the bird-catchers annually bring
round as nestlings from. the Terai forests. below Kumaon,
and which they call the raz totah, or royal parrakeet, from.
Kaladoongee.

The bird to which I assign the above name is found in great
numbers in the Eastern Dhoon, below the Siwaliks, near Hurdwar,
but according to the information: yet procured, does not occur on:
the western side of Dehra. Towards the end of January and
beginning of February, it begins to» cut a cireular hole in some-
tree wherein to lay its eggs, which are usually two in number,
and pure white. The tree generally in request for this pur-.
pose is the semul or cotton tree (Bombax heptaphyllum
and malabarecum), although, sometimes, even the hard wooded
sab (Shorea robusta) is. chosen; the entrance hole is a neat-
ly cut circle, either in the trunk or in some thick upright
branch. The trees selected by these birds are net situated in
the depths of the forests, but are detached on the outskirts, and
what is curious in such a quarrelsome bird there are often three
or four nests in the same tree.. The eggs-are hatched in about
twenty-one days, and in the middle of March the young birds.
are about half fledged, and are then removed for sale. They are.
exceedingly easy to rear and soon become tolerably tame, although: -

336 Notes on the Parroquets of India.

some exhibit a rather savage propensity for biting one’s fingers ;
as they grow up and become familiarised to confinement, they
will even take a piece of sugar from between their feeder’s lips ;
this is a trait. worth noting, “because, according to Bennett, it is
not characteristic of the Ceylon bird, which he. says 1s “ not easi-
ly domesticated.” This, however, is always greatly dependent upon
the mode of training, many persons apparently believing that
animals were created solely for the purpose of beg tormented.
The nestling bird at two months old has the bill large, power-
ful, and massive, especially in the male, and of a coral red, in-
clining to dusky at the base above; there is an incipient dusky
somewhat bristly narrow line from the eye to the nostril, but by
no means approaching to black, while in some, there is no trace
of it at all. A large elongated purplish red patch near the
bend of the wing in both sexes even from the nest; in some,
but not in all, there is a dusky idication of what at a later
period will become the black demi-collar on the side of the neck ;
these are males. The sexes can be distinguished by a practised
eye by the size and shape of the head; in the male, the fore-
head from the base of the bill backward to just behind the eyes
is well arched, but thence passes back to the nape, flattened and
straig¢ht, giving the head an elongated appearance ; whereas in
the aomnle che head is both praoiles and well srched: from the
base of the bill to the nape. There is likewise a marked dif-
ference in the form and massiveness of the beak; in the male -
is wider alone the eulmen, and well rounded out on the sides ;
the female it is flatter on the sides, that is to say, more none
pressed, and the culren is consequently sharper; the lower
mandible is punt-shaped in both sexes. At first the pupil of
the eye is entirely black without any iris, but when about two
months old, a pale ashy white iris begins to appear. Gradually
from this time the white iris becomes more and more apparent,
and is encircled by a faint narrow bluish outer border, and the
edge of the eyelids granular and reddish. The feet are of a dull
eveyish leaden hue. Adult male, with forehead bright hght
ereen; sides of the head, nape, breast, belly, upper part of
back dull ashy green; wings dark green, with an elongated
dull purplish red streak rising near “the bend of the wing ;
lower back, rump, tail coverts, and base of the tail above, bright
green; the two centre feathers ver y long and tapering ; bluish
green above, but fading into dull yellow at the ends; second
pair, green at base, passing into bright yellow ; the rest yellow,
and all of them bright yellow beneath ; a well defined black
demi-collar rising at the edge of the upper mandible and widen-
’ ine at the base of the lower mandible, where it turns round to

Notes on the Parroquets of India, a3t

the side of the neck to meet a broad pale rose-coloured crescent
at the back of the neck ; bill large, massive, well curved from
base to point, of a deep coral red; culmen and sides, well rounded ;
. feet, dull yellowish grey; iris, bluish internally, then yellowish
white; eyelids, narrow, granular, pale red. The female similar in
coloring, but having no neck ring, and smaller.

Cry very loud and harsh. It is said that the collar is not
apparent in the parrakeets uxtil the third year, but mine exhi-
bited it in the second year. This species arrives in the Dehra
gardens every morning in great numbers from the Hastern
Dhoon, returning in the afternoon to the forests. The black
collar does not unite under the chin, nor is there any black
pateh on the throat.

This appears to be the bird which in Oude is also known by
the name of the rai totah, and is brought for sale from the Terai
jungles, below Nipal; in a wild state it is said to be rarely seen
in that Province, clinging chiefly to hilly regions of the Sub-
Himalaya. Lieut.-Col. Tytler, iu epistota, described a specimen |
which he shot in Lucknow, and which he also misnames P.
Alexandri. From his description, which however is very loose,
it is easy to see that the bird was P. sivalensis, though he says
the nuchal collar was coral red like the beak! The black
demi-collar which in the Dhoon and Kumaon birds is welk
defined, is here also given as a black edging! Jerdon’s P..
Alexandri was also in all probability this bird.

No. 3.—Paleornis sacer. Hution.

This bird, although common in the forest of Chunda-bun-i
alone the base of the Sivaliks in the Western Dhoon, appears to
be as yet undescribed ; it is known to the natives as the Chunda-
bun-i totah, but is by them confounded with the preceding
species. ‘Tradition has it that many years ago when the
Goorkhas held the district, some female fakir of the name of
Chunda died, and was buried in this forest, and she being con-
sidered a very holy woman, the forest became sacred to her me-
mory. This parrot I have tried for years to obtain, but always
without success, although my shikaris have annually found the
nests which were sure to be found empty when they returned to
take the young ones. That it is distinct from P. szvalensis,
there can be no doubt, as, the bird does not begin to cut its nest
hole until the first days of April when the other is half fledged,
which causes the natives, whocannot distinguish one from the
other, to declare that P. sivalensis, with which they confound it,
as double brooded! The nestling is said to have no wing spot,
nor does it show it untilthe second year. Unlike P. sivalensis

338 Notes on the Parroquets of Inia. .

this species appropriates a tree toitself, and will not permit
others to breed near it; it usually selects a large peepul tree
(Hicusreligtosa). It is curious that, fond as the natives are of
parrots, and although numbers from Kaladoongee are annually
purchased by them, these two Dhoon birds are never captured ;
this arises from the opposition offered to the bird-catchers by the
religious devotees who reside in various parts of the Dhoon, and
who regard the birds with some degree of reverence on account
of their breeding: in the semul and peepul trees, both of which
are sacred, and must be injured if the bird-catchers were allowed.
to cut ito the wood to obtain the nests.

No. 4.—Paleornis punjabi. Hutton.

This is another totally distinet species, and is brought some-
times In large numbers in the adult stage from. the foot of the
Punjab hills about Kangra and other places. It is regarded by
the natives as identical with those already noticed, but its ery
is totally different, being much more feeble and slightly croaking.
It is a more robust and, 1f anything, rather larger bird than P.
sivalensis ; the tint of green is somewhat darker and there is a
sheht tendency to a brick-dust colour in the nuchal collar. They
will sometimes sit the whole day through without uttering any
sound at all, whereas P. szvatensis can scarcely hold its tongue
for ten minutes together, and is almost always on the move.

No. 5.—Palsornis vindhiana. Hutton.

Of this species I have seen but one specimen and that was a.
half=fledged nestling brought to me for sale at Monghyr many
years ago. I have noticed it as a distinct species from the fact
_ of its being half-fledged in the middle of December, which shows
that the nest hole must have been cut in the beginning of
November, at least two months earlier than any of the preceding
birds. The general plumage was deep green with an elongated
red patch near the bend of the wing ; the bill strong and “coral
red. It was taken from the range of hills at the back of
Moneghyr ; being then on my way to Calcutta, I did not pur-
chase, and have failed to procure a specimen since.

No. 6.—Paleornis torquatus ?
(The ring-necked Parrakeet.)

Syn. P. torquatus ... Daubenton Pl, Enl.
Psittaca torquata ... Brisson.
Psittacus Alexandri ... var B. Lath. spa Blyth.
Ps. cubicularis ... Hasselquist.
Ps. docilis . African Rose Ring, apud Gray.

Var Sulphur Parrakeet Shaw.

Notes on the Parroguets of Indiva. 3a9

Sybar of S. India, Jerdon ; ? Syéar of Dhoon and Mussooree ;
plains of India, Arracan, Tenasserim, and Malayan Peninsula
to the latitude of Pinang. (Blyth’s Catalogue.)

This species as at present recognised by naturalists, although
common in the Dehra Dhoon throughout the year, never ascends
the hills even in the breeding season ; in the Dhoon it breeds
in April and even earlier, the young being brought for sale
about the beginning of May. Itis known in the Dhoon as the
Sybar totah, and is an especial favorite with the natives. It has
a shrill clamourous ery which it utters on the wine and is of
very rapid flight, shooting past one with a rushing sound and
scarcely seen before it is gone again. In the gardens and
grain fields itis very destructive, settling on the stalks of
the bending corn, and not content with a few erains, it
wantonly cuts off the ears and strews them in numbers on the
ground.

At the pairing season the female of this species becomes the
most affected creature possible, twisting herself into all sorts of
ridiculous postures in order, apparently, to attract the notice of
her sweetheart, and uttering a low twittering note the while, in
the most approved style of flirtation, while her wings are half
spread and her head kept rolling from side to side in demi-
gyrations ; the male sitting quietly by her side looking on with
wonder as if fairly taken a-back,—and wondering to see her
make such a guy of herself. Ihave watched them during these
courtships until I have felt humiliated at seemg how closely the
follies of mankind resembled those of the brute creation. The
only return the male made to these antics was scratching the top
of her head with the poit of his beak, and joining his bill to
hers in a loving kiss.

The Sybar never acquires a wing spot even at maturity and
the rme round the neck, which is a miniature of that of P.
Alexandri (verus) does not appear until the bird is two years
old. Most writers say the third year, but this is erroneous, as
from the hatching in one year to the breeding season of the
third, is exactly two years, and it is then that the ring
appears.

The nestling is of a uniform pale green, without any marking
whatever ; the tail feathers bluish and the bill pale coral red
above, black inside the mouth and at the base of the lower
mandible ; the feet, plumbeous grey.

The mature male is a handsome bird of graceful form, with a
black curved line springing from the gape and passing round
the side of the neck to a little beyond the eye ; these two lines
are well defined and are united by a black patch beneath the

540 Notes on the Parroquets of India.

chin ; this black demi-collar is met on the sides of the neck by
another demi-collar from behind of a bright brick-red (not rose),
the ends of the two collars a little overlapping each other. Bull
coral red above, the edges bordered with a dusky black stripe,
extending from the gape to the tip ; the lower mandible, entirely
‘dusky black. A narrow black bristly line from the nostril to the
eye. Ins, watery blue ; eyelid, granulated and pale red. Fore-
head, top of the head, the cheeks, flanks, and thighs, pale light
emerald green ; the nape and neck as faras the red ring, and
the sides of the head and neck within the black ring overlaid
with soft cornelian or azure blue. Top of the throat in front
beneath the chin-patch, pale canary yellow ; breast, faint dusky
green, as also the back, the feathers of which are marked with
many lines like watered silk ; rump, bright soft green ; centre
tail feathers, faint bluish green for the basal third, dull blue for
the remainder, but narrowly bordered and tipped with faint
yellowish ; the next feather on each side also dull blue above ;
the others full green on the outer webs, which are narrow and
yellowish on the inner and broader webs ; tail beneath, dull
eanary yellow ; wing quills, dark green, the shaft blackish, the
external webs faintly timged yellow at the extreme edge ;
tertiaries and greater wing coverts, dull yellowish green, overlaid
on the coverts in some individuals with a bluish tinge ; wing
lining, canary yellow; wing from bend, 6°75 inches ; length .
over all, 15°6 inches ; ‘ail, 10 inches ; feet, grey. The female wants
the collar, but there isa faint yellow ring instead ; length
16 inches; tail, 10 to 10°25 inches; wing from bend, 6:5 inches ;
no azure blue tint on the head.

Bennett when speaking of P. torquatus of Ceylon, says it is
“far more common than the Alexandrine bird, and appears to
be dispersed over a much greater extent of territory, being found
not only in India and as far eastward as Manilla, but also, if
the reports of travellers are to be credited, throughout a large
portion of Africa, and even on the Coast of Senegal. It would
seem indeed to be extremely abundant in this last locality, and
to be from thence most. frequently imported into Europe. It is
consequently known in France by the name of the Perruche-de-
Senegal.” (Gard. Menag. Zool. Soc.)

Unfortunately, however, it appears that “the reports of
travellers” are not, to “be evedited,’ the African bird being
now recognised as distinct under the name of Paleornis docilis
(Gray) this being the true rose-ring, while that of Ceylon and
Southern India is the ring-neckhed Parrakeet. Itis at present,
I think, very doubtful whether our North-Western bird is P.
torquatus.. No doubt Jerdon has deseribed it as such, but at

Notes on the Parroquets of India. » 34h!

the same time his description does not apply at all correctly to
the North-Western bird, and it would seem as if he had described
the southern species and taken it for granted that the northern
bird was the same.

One of these parrots kept by a buniah or grain-seller in the
Bazaar at Neemuch, in Western India, came to a curious end,
and one that nearly frightened its owner out of his wits. At.
night when the man lay down to sleep, the parrot’s iron cage
with a cloth thrown over it was as usual placed beside his bed,
but in the morning dire was the fright of the buniah when on
removing the cloth, no parrot appeared to greet him, but in its
stead, lay coiled up a hideous codra. The snake being hungry
had squeezed itself in between the bars, but having swallowed
the bird, he had become too corpulent to squeeze out again.

Jerdon says nothing of the black border to the upper mandi-
ble, nor of the black under mandible.

Paleornis schisticeps. Hodgson.
(Himalayan Parrakeet.)

Syn.
P. schisticeps ... Hodgs. As. Res. XIX., 178.
Conurus himalayanus .., ? Lesson Belang. Voy. apud Blyth

Cat.

Madhana Syga, Nepal... Paharee Tooia, Mussooree.

These birds, like the males of P. bengalensis, vary greatly
in the colouring of the head from the nestling state to maturity.
When fully adult, the name of P. melanocephata would be even
more applicable than the present one, for there is then no slate
colour en the forehead. Although a true mountaineer, it des-
cends in the winter season to the gardens and groves around
Dehra andis often mixed up with the flocks of P. bengalensis
and P. torquatus ; but in the early spring they return to the
hills which they never at any season entirely quit, and breed in
April and May. The tree most usually selected is a large
species of gum-yielding Bawhinia, each tree harbouring but one
pair of birds. The nestlings, and even many of the old birds
while sitting, are destroyed in great numbers by some animal
of the Marten or weasel kind, most probably Martes flavigula,
If the destroyer be this animal, it must withdraw the birds from
their nests by its fore-paws as it could not introduce the
head.

When first taken from the nest and about half fledged, the
young birds are dull green, with a very faint tinge of slaty on
the head, but not always so. At about a year old or even less,
the male has the entire head of a pale slaty colour ; the base

&

SAD Notes on the Parroquets of India.

of the upper mandible is pale red, with a sharp yellow tip ; the»
under mandible is pale yellow throughout, or more correctly,
the upper mandible is pale yellow, with a faint rosy blush on the
sides near the base.

The plumage above is dull green, palest on the neck; the
quills are dusky, with the outer webs green and narrowly edged
with yellow ; under parts, pale yellowish green; the basal two-
thirds of the central tail feathers are dull bluish green, with the
terminal third, bright yellow. There is at this age no red spot on
the wing, and indeed it it very uncertain at what age it ap-
pears, as I have kept males until full four years old and yet saw
no trace of it.

The adult male has the whole head of a dusky blue black with
a bordering of deep black, forming a well-defined ring or collar
arising from the base of the bill, but not detached from the
black cap; below this black ring the colour of the neck is of a
faint verditer green, deepening in intensity as it descends to the
back, wing-coverts, and tertiaries ; on the wing a small purplish
maroon coloured spot; wing quills, dusky green on the inner
webs, full green on the outer, with narrow yellow edging both
within and without; shafts, dark. Wing quills obtusely round-
ed at the ends; rump and upper tail coverts, light green;
basal two-thirds of the central tail feathers, blue green; the
terminal third, bright yellow ; the next feather is yellow with the
basal half of the outer web green; the rest of the feathers
yellow, with the outer web green nearly to the end; tertiaries
edged with yellow. Chin and throat black, lower parts, pale,
yellowish green; tail beneath, bright yellow. Feet, grey.
Upper mandible, bright red, at the base with a yellow tip ; lower
one, yellow. Length, about 16°75 inches; tail, 10°75 inches ;
wing, 6°5 inches.

The female has no wing spot and head green.

Like other parrakeets this species as soon as the young can
fly and feed themselves, gathers into flocks varying in numbers ;
the flight like that of P. torquatus, is extremely rapid, and
their shrill sereams as they cleave the air and thread the
mazes of the forest are often deafening and harsh. They are
fond of the wild hill-cherries, the ripe berries of Laurus lanceola-
tus, Ficus venosé, the wild hill custard apple, wild pear, acorns,
and several other kinds of forest fruits and seeds. According to
Jerdon, Adams says, wheat is among its favourite food, which
T am inclined to doubt, as I have never yet seen them settling
on such crops, neither would my captives eat the grain.

The flight where the forest is at all close is below the branches
of the forest trees, and considering the velocity with which

Notes on the Parroquets of India. 345

they move, it is wonderful how they manage to thread their
tortuous course among them ; yet they do so, and when wishing
to alight, they suddenly, as if with one consent, sweep upwards
into the branches of some tall tree; where the forest is open
and the trees scattered, they pursue a higher flight and easily
evade the foliage, twisting and turning in and out until a batch
of fruit is found when, with one wild shrill scream, they instant-
ly alight as if by word of command.

Palzeornis bengalensis.

Syn. Psittaca bengalensis ... Brisson.
Palzornis bengalensis .. Linn. apud Sclater.
Psittacus erythrocephalus ... Gmel.
Ps. ginginianus ... Latham.
Ps. rhodocephalus ... Shaw.
var Ps. narcissus ... Latham.

Paleornis rosa

. Bodd. apud Sexdon.

Psittacus cyanocephalus ... Linn.

Ps. flavitorques ... Shaw. Penal
Ps. annulatus see INGEila ee
Paleeornis flavicollaris .. Franklin

Native names Furidz, Beng; Zin Suga, Nepal; Tuya, Mus-
sooree ; Tuya totah, S. India, Jerdon.

Should there eventually be found any specific difference be-
tween the Southern and North-Western birds, the former will
probably be P. Jengalensis and the latter P. rosa.*

Hilly regions of all India, apud Blyth; Assam, Sylhet,
Arracan. ‘'Tenasserim, also Dehra Doon, Lower Mussoor ee, and
Neemuch.

This with us is, properly speaking, a Dehra Dhoon species, al-
though many come up into the hills to about 5,500 ft. to breed,
arriving about the end of March, and leaving, the majority, to .
breed. below in the Dhoon.

In the hills they begin boring their nest-holes early in April,
and by the end of May the young are sufficiently advanced to
be taken from the nest. In the Dhoon they are ready rather
earlier, being brought up for sale about the middle of May,
when numbers are disposed of at from four to eight annas each.
They lay from two to four eggs, ef a pure white, and seem to
breed in a variety of trees such as Andromeda ovalzfolia and other
soft-wooded trees, yet not turning even from the oak if they
can find a soft semi-decayed spot. One pair bored a hole in an

* There are certainly two species—P. bengalensis, Gmel., which I have as yet
only seen from Sikhim, Nepal, Assam, and Burmah—and P, purpureus, Mul.
(= rosa, Bodd.) from the rest of India.—HEp., 8. F. ;

344 Notes on the Parroquets of India.

Andromeda, early in April, and after completing the work, for
some reason abandoned it ; in about a week or ten days, however,
‘ they returned and took possession, but were finally driven out
by a pair of Picus brunnifrons which in turn, after two or three
» days, likewise abandoned it; the parrots however returned no
“more, and the hole remained unoccupied. The nestling bird has’
a pale yellow beak, but neither wingspot nor coloured head ; it
is uniformly of a pale yellowish green, with a still lighter
- coloured ring round the neck, and the upper surface of the tail
- exhibits a little blue.

In the second year the head becomes of a fine bluish
east, with a yellow collar round the neck, when it becomes the
P. cyanocephalus, and in the third year, the head of the male
becomes a most beautiful rich peach blossom, shading off to the

black ring into a soft azure blue. In the third year the full
plumage of the adult is acquired, and each subsequent year, for
sometime, only adds to its richness of colouring.

In the male the upper mandible is yellow, the lower one the’
same, but sometimes with a dusky spot; the entire head full
rich roseate peach blossom, with plum bloom overlaying the back
and sides of the head; a black patch on the chin, the lower
corners of which throw off a narrow black line which encircles
the roseate head; immediately below this rmg is another of
verditer green, but not meeting on the throat, from whence the

whole fore-neck, breast, and abdomen are yellow green; the whole
of the back, as far as the rump, is of a deeper or dingy yellow
green ; rump light bluish, with a tinge of verditer; wings green,
slightly tinged on the shoulder and wing coverts with verditer ;
quills, dull green, dusky on the inner webs, faintly edged ex-
ternally with yellow; a narrow red elongated spot on the
shoulder of the wing ; two centre tail feathers above, cobalt blue,
with about two inches of the end dull whitish ; the next pair
pale yellow at the end (not blue, as Jerdon says,) ; tail feathers
beneath, with the central pair, dull blue, with dirty white ex-
tremity, the others yellow. There is much variation in the
brightness of colouring in different specimens.

The female has the head plum blue and has no black collar;
there is, however, a pale yellow demi-rine (hence Franklin’s
name of P. flavicollaris). aength over all in the male, between
14 and 15 inches; wing, full 53 inches ; tail, 93 inches (Jerdon
gives only 8% inches).

The food, as in all the others, consists of fruits and grains.
The flight is rapid and the note less harsh and far more musical
than in either P. torguatus ? or P. schisticeps. They readily
earn to whistle tunes, and I possessed one that whistled

Notes on the Parroquets of India. 345
“ Jim Crow,’ “ Polly put the Kettle On,” and other familiar airs
capitally.
Paleornis Osbeckii.

* Syn. P. barbatus swans. Tl Or, ‘Danbae ee
Enl., Blyth Cat.

Ps. barbatus ; Ps. Pondi-

cerlanus Gmel.
Ps. bimaculatus LAS pari.
Ps. Javanicus ... Osbeck.
Ps. Osbeckii ... Latham.
P. nigrirostris ... Hodgson, female.
P. modestus ... Fraser, P. Z. S., young female.
Bolurus barbatus ... Bonap. Rev. Zool.
Ps. mystaceus _... Shaw. Hodgs. and Gray, Cat.
P. Osbeckut Horsf. Cat.

Mordna, Kajla, Hind; Imrit Bhela, Nipal; Bettet, Java,
Hab., hilly parts of Bengal, Nipal, Assam, Sylhet, Arracan.
Tenasserim, Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
(Apud Blyth.) Kumaon Terai ; known in North West Hima-
laya as Madan Gour.

I follow Dr. Horsfield in assigning this name in preference to
either P. javanicus, P. bimaculatus, P. barbatus, or a host of other
synonymes, partly because, as he says, M. Osbeck was _ the dis-
coverer of the species and the first to give it a name (1757,) and
because it is not, according to observers confined to Java. At
the same time I much doubt whether the bird of Kumaon and
Nipal, belongs to this species, deeming it more probable that
these are distinct from the southern bird. It does not appear to
occur to the westward of Kumaon and is brought thence to
Mussooree for sale. The bird-catchers insist upon the black-
billed bird being distinct from the red billed, while at the same
time they completely refute their own statement by acknow-
ledging that both are procured from the same nest.

The nestling or half-fledged birds are brought to Mussooree in
the end of May or early in June, so that allowing for the journey,
the breeding season would appear to be March and April.

* This synonymy cannot possibly be accepted. The species Capt. Hutton refers
tois, [think, P. fasciatus, Mull. The Javan bird Javanicus, Osb., Osbeckii, Lath., is
distinct, while the Tenasserim bird, melanorhynchus, Wagler, as also the Bornean
bird, are likewise probably equally so.—Ep., S. F.

On Bhencophans Pprrbocephalus. Forster.
By Vincent Legge, Hsq., R. A.

This handsome malkoha, one of our rarest birds, is exclusively
a denizen of forest or large secondary jungle, and has been
thought hitherto to inhabit only the western and south-western
districts of Ceylon. Layard notes it from the former part,
Annals of Natural History, 1854, and speaks of it as very rare
and frequenting the tops of high trees. He says that he could
learn nothing of its habits or nidification from the natives. This
accords with my experience of aboriginal knowledge on the
subject ; in those districts where I have shot it, I have found
the natives quite ignorant about it, many of them never having
seen 1t before. This arises from the fact of its existing in small
numbers and being at the same time very shy and wary and an
inhabitant of the zuterzor of the forest. At the same time I have
shewn the birds in my collection to intelligent natives and they
have recognized it ; nevertheless as I have shot it in company
with villagers, well up in the birds of their neighbourhood, but
who were totally ignorant about it, it must be allowed that
taking its showy appearance into consideration, and the conse-
quent likelihood of its not escaping observation, it is one of our
rarest birds. Mr. Holdsworth in his Catalogue of Ceylon birds,
Proceedings, Zoological Society, page 433, 1872, says, he saw one
flying across a road in the Central Province. This proves that
like many of our forest birds Centropus chlororhynchus, Dicru-
russ lophorhinus, Toccus gingalensis, Chrysocolaptes Strickland
and others, it extends its range up to a considerable elevation.

It has been lately my good fortune to procure Phaenicophaus
pyrrhocephalus in the splendid forests between Anaradhapoora
and Trincomalie, a district which I was surprised to find very
Ceylonese in the character ofits Avifauna, the same spot yielding
many island birds, such as Oreocincla spiloptera, Rubigula mela-
nictera, Xantholema rubricapilla and Chrysocolaptes Strickland,
the latter in numbers. It was nevertheless a matter of some
surprise to me to find this bird in the north of Ceylon, as I had
become wedded to the belief that it was very local and quite a
western inhabitant of our forests. It was as is usual, according
to my experience, in pairs. While watching the movements and
sprightly actions of a pair of Dissemurus malabarzcus, one of these
birds flew on to the limb of a lofty forest tree under which I
was standing, and being partly obscured from my view by the
leaves of an under-growing tree, so that I could only clearly

On Phenicophaus Pyrrhociphalus. 347

distinguish the tail, I took it for a hombrel, Zvceus gingalensis
of which there were numbers in the vicinity. I was, however,
soon undeceived by seeing the brilliant crimson face contrasting
with the brown leaves on which my prize had fallen, and think-
ing its mate was not far off, I remained perfectly still, and in
another moment I heard a low “ kaa,” resembling one of the
notes of our jay at home, and saw the second bird flying from
limb to limb of the great forest trees around me, looking for its
fallen companion, on alighting each time it uttered its low call
and elevated its tail. It presently flew into the tree under which
I stood and fell to my shot. The first killed bird, the male,
was the smaller of the two and had the iris deep clear brown, the
last the female, had a pearl white eye! I have digressed from
my subject into somewhat of a narrative on the shooting of these
birds, simply to shew that they were a pair and evidently mated
and consequently both adults.

- In December, 1871, I met with a pair under similar circum-
stances, in forest, on the low hills of the south-west, not far
from Galle. ‘They were flushed from some low bushes in the
jungle and flew, with short flights from tree to tree, one after
the other, uttering a much harsher and louder ery than that of
the female just alluded to. I procured both birds, the male with
dark brown ivis and the female with a pure white. The sexual
organs in the male birds in both instances were well developed,
and there was no appearance whatever of immaturity about their
plumage. The measurements of the two southern birds were as
follows : .

Male—Total length, 17 inches; tail, 9°5 ; wing, 6 ; bill to gape,
1-5; tarsus 14; outer anterior toe, nearly 1.

Female—Total length, 18 inches; tail, 10°7; wing, 6:2 ;
tarsus, 15 ; outer anterior toe, 1.

The tail of the male is imperfect, the bird being in moult, but
the longest existing feather is one of the uropygials and is an old
feather, and the short outermost feathers are nearly half inch
shorter than the corresponding ones in the female.

The dimensions of the pair shot in the north-east shew the
same disparity in size, and are as follows:

_ Male—Totai length, 17:3 inches; tail, 10 ; wing, 6 ; tarsus,
1°5 ; outer anterior toe, 1. ;
Female—Total length, 18-1 inches ; tail, 11:3; wing, 6-2; tar-
sus, 13. The tail of the male in this case, I regret to say, is imper-
fect, but as before noted the longest existing feather is an old one
and one of the centre ones. Taking these circumstances into consi-
deration together with the difference in the wing, it appears very
apparent that the female is the larger bird of the two, but until

545 Notes on a Collection of Eggs made at Murree.

more specimens are shot and carefully measured and compared,
T would not state that this is aconstant feature.

On the other hana, with regard to the iris, thereis xo doubt
whatever that in the female it is pure white, and im the male
dark brown. In both cases that have come under my notice as:
I have shewn the birds were pairs, and in the adult state. Hyery
naturalist knows how the eye changes in many immature birds
notably in Raptores, but in the ease of Phenicophaus pyrrhoce-
phalus, the difference of colour above noticed is undoubted-
ly due to sex and not to age. The eolour of the iris
seems to have been a problem. since the bird was dis-
covered, arising no doubt from the fact of single specimens
having always been procured. The remarks of Mr. Holdsworth
in his catalogue above quoted bear me out in my experience. He
says : “ Layard says, the irides of this euckoo are white ; but in
the living bird* (a male) I had, they were drown, and they are
marked as of that colour in specimens in Lord Walden’s collec-
tion.” These latter are doubtless males.

This bird will no doubt be found to inhabit the forests round
the south-eastern and eastern slopes of the mountain zone as.
well as those of the west, south-west, and north-east in which
localities I have procured it.

Hotes ov x Collection of Gas
Made in and about Murree. By Captains. Cock § C. H. T: Marshall.

In the spring of 1872 we went in for steady birds—nesting
all round Murree, from the middle of May to the end of J uly.
As we began rather late, we missed several of the early breeders.
To most of our Indian readers the situation of Murree is well
known, but for the benefit of those who do not know, it may be
as well to describe its whereabouts. It is the most north-wester-
I7 hill station in British India, and ison the high road to
Kashmir, the highest point is about 7,500 feet. Most of the
nests were found at a lower elevation and a lar ee number came
from a tract of thick jungle near the river J helum which flows
through a valley about fourteen miles from Murree towards
Kashmir. We did not go over a very large area, but as will be
seen below, there was plenty to be done, and we were well rewar ded
as we obtained, in addition to several rare species, the eggs of
one or two birds about whose breeding habits we have seen no

* One brought to him by some natives, who had captured it.

Notes on a Collection of Hygs made at Murree. 349

previous record, such as Pteruthius erythropterus, Pericrocotus
roseus, Cephalopyrus flammiceps. We have noted the total result
of our researches, not omitting the commoner species, thinking
the record might be interesting on account of locality, as the list
shews several birds which breed in the hilis and the plains. We
have in most instances followed Jerdon’s numbers and nomen-
clature, any deviation has been duly noted. The measurements
of the eggs are noted im inches and decimals of inches. In addi-
tion to the eggs named beiow, we were fortunate enough to get
those of Perdix Hodgsonie, from Captain Barnes of the 10th Bengal
Lancers. He obtained them at an elevation of 18,000 feet in
Thibet. He got nine eggs but eat seven and only preserved the
shells of two, which are now in our collection. They were found
on the 12th of July, and were fresh. They are paler than the eggs
of Perdix cinerea, and a more regular oval in shape.

No. 6—Neophron Ginginianus.

Found a nest in a cliff in May, with two fresh eggs, at an ele-
vation of about 4,000 feet.

No. 17.—Tinnunculus alaudarius.

The kestrel usually builds in rocks, but we found a nest about
sixty feet up a pine tree, with five hard set eees in it, of a much
duller dirtier brown than usual. This was on the 14th of June. The
nest was apparently one originally belonging to Corvus culminatus.

No. 23.—Micronisus badius.

On May 18th, took a nest belonging to this species, containing
two bluish-white eggs, from the top of a high pine tree.

No. 75.—Ephialtes gymnopodus.

We found a nest containing two eggs, in a dead tree, about
fifteen feet from the ground, on the Ist of June, low down the
hill side. The bird* shot off the nest answers exactly to Hume’s
description of gymnopodus ; the elevation at which the nest was
found was about 6,000 feet. The egos are white and 1:3 in length
by 1:1 breadth. We also shot an undoubted L. plumipes, but
could not find a nest of this species.

No. 80.—Glaucidium brodeli.

We were unable to find the eggs of this species, but on the
22nd of June, we secured three full fledged young ones in a hole
in a dead tree. We managed to rear these until about the mid-

* JT have examined this specimen, it is clearly spilocephalus, Blyth, which pro- —
bably equals gymnopodus, Gray. Kid., 8. F.

D

350 Notes on a Collection of Hogs made at Murvree.

dle of October when they died suddenly, I fear from too high feed-
ing. The nest was at an elevation of between 5 and 6,000 feet.

No. 85.—Hirundo erythropygia.

This is the house swallow of Murree—breeds under all the
eaves. Lays pure white eggs in June.

No. 114 dis—Caprimulgus Unwini. Hume.

We found three nests of this bird on the bare ground in the
valleys, the eggs are perfect ovals, greyish white, covered with
differently shaded blackish blotches, being 1-15 long and °8 broad.
Breeds in May, about 5,000 feet up.

No. 150.—Paleornis schisticeps.

These nests were invariably very high up in tall trees, most of
them in newly made holes. All that we found this year con-
tained young birds. We got the egg last year. It is 1:15 long by
°95 broad. ‘This species breeds at the latter end of April. Hleva-
tion, 6 to 7,000 feet.

No. 154.—Picus himalayanus.

This breeds early and very high up in thetrees. All the nests
we found at the end of May had nearly full fledged young in
them. Elevation, about 7,000 to 7,500 feet.

No. 157.—Picus Macii.

* One nest taken on June 2nd, in a hole in an oak tree ; three
eggs somewhat hard sat. Length, -9 by ‘65. 6,500 elevation.

No. 170.—Gecinus squamatus.

Several nests inthe month of June, all with young. We got
the eggs last yearin May. They are somewhat smaller than those
of the next species. ‘The holes are always about forty or fifty
feet up the trees, at all elevations, from 5 to 7,000 feet.

No. 172.—Gecinus occipitalis.

This species breeds very low down in trees, the hole in which
the nest was, that we found on the 28th of May, being only ~
three feet from the ground : it contained five fresh glossy white
egos, long, and pointed at the thinner end. They measured 1:25
in length and °85 in breadth. Elevation, 7,000 feet.

No. 191.—Megalaima Marshallorum. Swinhoe.

Lays in the latter end of June and beginning of July, the eggs
are four in number, pure white, and 1-4 by 1. Most of the nests
were in newly made holes, in horse chesnut trees, some twenty
or thirty feet from the ground. Elevation, averaging 6,000 feet.

Notes on a Collection of Eggs made at Murree 351

No. 199.—Cuculus canorus.

We found the eggs of this bird in the nests of Pratincola
Jerrea, and Agrodroma griseo-rufescens. (Jerdont Finsch.)
No. 234.—Arachnecthra asiatica.

Found several nests of this species in May and June, in the
lower valleys, about 4,000 feet up.

No. 243.—Certhia himalayana.

This is a most difficult nest to find, as the little bird always ¢

chooses crevices where the bark has been broken or bulged out,
some forty or fifty feet from the ground, and generally on tall oak
trees which have no branches within forty feet of their roots.
There were young in the few nests we found. Captain Cock
secured the eggs in Kashmir: they are very small, being -6 by ‘45 ;
round, white, with numerous red spots. The nests we found
were in the highest part of Murree, about 7,200 feet.

No. 254.—Upupa epops.

Two nests in holes in trees. In one instance we watched the
cock bringing food to the hen, whom we afterwards caught on
the nest. This would go to prove the theory advanced that the
hoopoe, like the hornbill, remains on her nest all the time until
the eggs are hatched. Elevation, 7,000 feet.

No. 257.—Lanius erythronotus.

Found numerous nests in the valleys in May and June, be-
tween 4 and 5,000 feet up.

No. 258.—Lanius tephronotus.

This species much resembles JL. erythronotus, but the eggs dif-
fer considerably, beg more creamy-white, blotched and spotted
(more particularly at the larger end) with pale red and grey. They
are the same size as those of the preceding species. Lays
in the beginning of July, at the same elevation as L. erythronotus.

No. 260.—Lanius Hardwickii.

These little shrikes breed in the hills as well as the plains up
to 5,000 feet high.

No. 275.—Pericrocotus roseus.

The rosy minivet builds a beautifully little shallow cup-shaped
nest, the outer edge being quite narrow and pointed. The ex-
ternal covering of the nest is fine pieces of lichen fastened on with
cobwebs. It was found on the 12th of June and contained three
fresh eggs, white with greyish brown spots and blotches sparse-

B52 Notes on a Collection of Hogs made at Murree.

ly scattered about the larger end, the length is °8 by °55 ; 5,000
feet up.

No. 280.—Dicrurus longicaudatus.

Breeds in May, in almost inaccessible places, about 7,000 feet
up, choosing a thin fork at the outermost end ofa bough about fifty
or sixty feet from the groundand alwayson trees that have no lower
branches. The nest is almost invisible from below, as it 1s very
neatly built on the top of the fork ; and when the female sits on
it, she places her tail down the bough so as entirely to hide her-
self. The eggs are only to be obtained either by climbing higher
up the tree than the nest is and extracting the eggs by means
of a small muslin bag at the end of a long stick, or else by lash-
ing the bough on which the nest is to an upper bough as the
climber goes along so as to make it strong enough to support
him. The nest is much neater than that of D. macrocercus ; the
eges are light salmon coloured, with brick red blotches sparsely
scattered over them, and are ‘95 by °7.

No. 288.—Tchitrea paradisea.

Ten nests in May, June, and July. The female was in al/
instances chesnut, with a white breast and short tail. This is
one of the commonest nests to be got about Murree. Average ele-
vation, 5,000 feet.

No. 291.—Leucocerca fuscoventris.

The nest of this species differs from that of L. aureola, bemg
the shape of an inverted cone, beautifully made, lined with the
finest grass, and covered with cobwebs, situated in a clump of thin
branches. Eggs like those of J. awreola, only smaller and
rounder. These nests are found in the lower ranges, at about
5,000 feet up.

No. 292.—Leucocerca aureola.

The nest of the fantail is very neatly made, shallow cup-shaped ;
carefully covered outside with cobwebs. Itis built on a thin
branch about ten feet up a tree. The eges much resemble dimi-
nutive shrike’s eggs. Breeds in June.

No. 295.—Cryptolopha cinereocapilla.
Several nests answering to Jerdon’s description, like watch

pockets fastened up on the trees, 6 to 7,000 feet up.

No. 301.—_Kumyias melanops.

The verditer fly-catcher always builds under the small wooden
bridges that cross the hill paths. We found more than half a dozen

Notes on a Collection of Eygs made at Murree. 353

nests all situated under these bridges. The eggs are pale pink |
and sometimes have afew fine speckles on them. Breeds in June,
- at all elevations, from 4 to 7,000 feet.

No. 310.—Muscicapula superciliaris.

Sixteen or eighteen nests between the beginning of May and
the end of June, in small holes in rotten branches, or trunks of
trees, sometimes close to the ground, sometimes very high up.
Kees, five in number, of a yellowish brown colour, almost round,
about °6 long and -45 broad. The general elevation averages
6,500 feet ; they donot buildin the lower hills.

No. 348.—_Myiophonus Temminckii.

Several nests found in June, near running streams, about
4,000 feet up. Full description will be found in Jerdon.

No. 351,—Petrocossyphus cyaneus.

These eggs have not, we think, been recorded before from
India. There is a description of them in Sharpe’s and Dresser’s
Birds of Europe. We found these in a lowstone wall at no
great elevation, four eggs, very pale blue, with a few small brown
specks; they are 1-1 in length and -75 in breadth. These eggs
were taken early in June.

No. 353.—Oroccetes cinclorhynchus.

Builds in banks under roots or tufts of grass, a neat cup-
shaped nest. The eggs are salmon coloured, with a few darker
red specks and spots. ‘The nests we found were made entirely
of dead pine leaves, beautifully woven together. Elevation, 6,000

feet.

No. 355.—Geocichla citrina.

Builds about the beginning of June in the fork of a low tree
about six feet up. Lays three eggs, pale greenish white, finely
speckled with rufous brown, forming a patch at the larger end. 1
inch in length, °8 in breadth.

No. 356.—Geocichla unicolor.

Several nests in June made of moss and fern stalks, lined with
root fibres. Eees somewhat resembling those of I. duddul. Only
smaller, rounder, and more lightly speckled. They are the same
size as those of P. cyaneus.

No. 361.—Merula bulbul.

Breeds all over the Murree hills, from middle of April till
July.

554 Notes on a Collection of Eggs made at Murree.

No. 363.—Merula castanea.

Two nests in banks, in the beginning of June; eggs very simi-

lar to WM. bulbul, but somewhat larger, being 1°25 by -8. Captain

Cock got two nests in the Sindh valley, Kashmir. It is peculiar
that this species always breeds im banks. All the meruline
birds breed about 5,000 to 7,000 feet up.

No. 392.—Stachyris pyrrhops. |

Nest found in low ground, about 100 yards from the river
Jhelum, situated in a low bush externally composed of broad dry
reed leaves, and interiorly of fine grass, cup-shaped. Hees four in
number, long, oval, white, with a few reddish specks at the larger
end. Length °7, breadth °5. Lays in the latter end of June, 4,000
feet up.

No. 411.—Garrulax albogularis.

This was the most beautiful eee taken this season, being of a
rich deep glossy greenish blue colour. The nest is composed of
fresh ivy twigs with the leaves on, tightly woven together. The
birds breed on small trees not high up at the end of a branch.
While their nests were being examined, they came round in flocks
to see what was happening, chattering and making that peculiar
— laughing note from which this genus takes its name. ‘They
are even gregarious in the breeding season, and all the nests were
found pretty near each other, about 6,000 feet up.

No. 418.—Trochalopteron variegatum.

The nidification of this Zrochalopteron was apparently unknown
before. We found one nest on the 15th of June, about twenty
feet up a spruce fir at the extremity of the bough. Nest, deep
cup-shaped, solidly built of grass rocts and twigs, the bird sits
close. Eges, light greenish blue, sparingly spotted with pale
purple, the same size as those of M. castanea.

No. 425.—Trochalopteron lineatum.

One of the commonest nests about Murree. Breeds from May
to end of July.

No. 429.—Sibia capistrata.

The ege of this bird was we believe previously unknown, and
it was a mere chance that we found the whereabouts of their
nests, as they breed high up in the spruce firs at the outer end of
a bough. The nest is neatly made of moss, lined with stalks of
the maiden hair fern. The eggs are pale blue, spotted and blotched
with pale and reddish brown. They are *95 in length and -7 in
breadth. This species breeds in June, about 7,000 feet up..

Notes on a Collection of Eggs made at Murree. 355

No. 444.—Hypsipetes psaroices.

Numerous nests of this species were found agreeing well with
Jerdon’s description. They breed in May and June, never
above 6,000 feet.

No. 458.—Otocompsa leucogenys.

Breeds in the valleys at about 4,000 or 5,000 feet up in the
end of June. Lays four eggs with a white ground, very thickly
blotched with claret red.. Nest, roughly made of grass and roots,
in low bushes.

No. 461.—Pycnonotus pygmeeus. Hody.

This bulbul breeds in large numbers in the lower hills.

No. 470.—Oriolus kundoo.

Several nests of the common oriole were found about Murree,
at low elevations.

No. 475.—Copsychus saularis.

Breeds freely at low elevations all rovnd Murree.

No. 483.—Pratincola indica.

This bird breeds m the valleys. We obtained a large series of
egos. Vide P. ferrea.

No. 486.—Pratincola ferrea.

We took numerous nests of this species between the Ist of
May and the end of July. They breed in banks. Their eggs re-
semble those of P. exdica, pale blue, with a few russet spots at the
larger end. We twice found the egg of cucudus canorus in this
bird’s nest. Elevation, 7,000 feet.

No. 547.—Suya criniger.

Nest built in high jungle grass loosely, but neatly made of
very fine grass and cobwebs, opening at one side near the top.
Five eggs, white, with fine red spots at the larger end, forming a
ring. Breeds latein June, at about 4,000 feet elevation.

No. 563.—Reguloides occipitalis.

The nest of these little warblers are very difficult to find, and
the only chance is to sit down and watch the bird to its hole. It
generally breeds at the roots of large trees or in stone walls,
building far in, a dome-shaped nest, and laying five pure white
eges similar in size to those of Muscicapula supercitiaris. We
obtained about a dozen nests. Breeds at high elevations.

356 Notes on a Collection of Eygs made at Murree.

No. 604.—Agrodroma griseorufescens.—
Hume. Jerdoni, Finsch.

Rough made nest of grass. Breeds from May till middle of July, —
low down the hill side. Lays four eggs, much resembling the eggs —
of other species of this family. We took six nests, and twice found
the common cuckoo’s eggs in them. They do not breed above
6,000 feet up.

No. 609.—Pteruthius erythropterus.

There is no record about the breeding habits of this species. It
is an exceedingly difficult nest to find, and 16 was only by long
and careful watching, through field glasses, that Captain Cock
was able to find that there was anest at the top of a very high
chesnut tree as the birds kept flymg to and fro with building
materials in their beaks. ‘The nest is most skilfully concealed
being at the top of the tree, with bunches of leaves both above
and below. The nest, like the orioles, is built pendant in a fork.
It is somewhat roughly made of moss and hair. The eges are
pinky white, blotched with red, forming in some a ring round the
larger end. They average ‘9 in length and °65 in breadth. We
were fortunate enough to secure two nests, both were more than
sixty feet from the ground. Breeds in the end of May, at an
elevation of 7,000 feet.

No. 631.—Zosterops palpebrosus.

The nest is figured in Gould’s Birds of Asia. The eggs are pale
blue, laid in June, at avout 6,000 feet up.

No. 633.—Cephalopyrus flammiceps.

On the 25th May we found the nest of this species in a hole
in a rotten sycamore tree, about fifteen feet from the ground.
The nest was a neatly made cup-shaped one, formed principally
of fine grass. We were unfortunately too late for the eggs as we
found four nearly fledged young ones, shewine that these birds
lay about the l5th of April. Elevation, 7,000 feet.

No. 634.—Qigithaliscus erythrocephalus.

Builds a globular nest, of moss and hair and feathers, in thorny »
bushes. The eggs we found were pinkish white, with a ring of
obsolete brown spots at the larger end. Size, °55 by °3. Lays in
May.

No. 644.—Parus monticolus.

- Breeds early in May in holes, in walls, and trees, laying white
eggs, covered with red spots.

Notes on a Collection of Eygs made at Murree. 307

No. 669.—Garrulus bispecularis.

This species is an early breeder, for all the nests we found
about the end of May had young ones.

No. 670.—Garrulus lanceolatus.

This species breeds in great numbers all over the Murree

Hills.
No. 671 dis —Uroccissa flavirostris.

Breeds in trees about twenty feet up, generally near the top
of a hill, in May and June.

No. 686.—Acridotheres fuscus.

‘This myna which takes the place of A. ¢ristris in the higher
hills, breeds always in holes in trees. We found five or six nests in
June and early in July.

No. 708.—Passer cinnamomeus.

Lays in deserted swallows’ nests and about houses. At Dhurm-
sala this sparrow always builds in trees out in the forests.

No. 711.—Passer flavicollis.
This species breeds in the Hills, about Murree, in July.

No. 713.—Emberiza cia.

Several nests in the middle of June in low bushes or banks.
Fees resembling 2. citrinetla. Sharpe and Dresser say, 4. cia
does not breed in India. Next season I shall send home a series of
birds and their eggs to decide the question, as I believe our bird
at Murree is L. cia.

No. 718.—Emberiza Stewarti.

The nest is roughly made of roots and fibres situated in a low
bush near the ground ; the eggs four in number are dusky white,
spotted and blotched with different shades of black and grey,
Size 8 by °6. Breedsin the latter end of June, from 5 to 7,000
feet up.

No. 724.—Melophus melanicterus.

Breeds in June in banks—nest made of grass. Eggs white,
thickly mottled with brown.

308 Notes on some of the Indian Pipits.

No. 725.—Hesperiphona icteroides.

We were unlucky with this bird’s nest. As the first one we
found was a new one and the climber stupidly destroyed it, the
next one had young ones. They breed very high up in the
Himalayan spruce fir. Captain Cock got three egos last year in
Kashmir: they are white, beautifully marked: with broad
longitudinal dashes of light and deep rufous brown at the larger
end. They are 1:05 long and ‘8 broad. These birds breed at high
elevations, ever under 1, 000 feet.

No, 778.—Sphenocercus sphenurus.

The kokla breeds in spruce firs about Murree. The nest is
usually about twenty feet up built by the trank of the tiee. It
Jays in June.

No. 784.—Palumbus casiotis:

Two nests taken about the middle of June; they breed in the
valley of the Jhelum at a low elevation in dense thorny jungles.
The egg resembles that of the English wood-pigeon size, 1:65 by
15,

No. 792.—Turtur apieold
This species breeds in June in the pine forests.
No. 795.—Turtur suratensis.

Breeds in the hills as well as in the plains.
No. 820.—Caccabis chukor.

Several nests. This bird is found in great numbers all round
Murree.

Alotes on some of the andian Pipits.
By W. Hi: Brooks, Hsq., C. H.

Last January, in walking over the barren treeless country
south of Assensole, which is undulating, having the slack places
terraced for paddy cultivation, I met in one of These small pad-
dy fields a single example of Corydalla [ichardi. 1 was struck
with ‘the rie note which it uttered as it rose, and I therefore
followed it and shot it:

‘

Notes on some of the Indian Pipits. 399

The usual note of this species is not a loud, harsh, discordant
one, as described by some author or other, I forget whom now,
but.is a soft double chirp, reminding one strongly of the note of
a bunting. The flight is very undulating and strong. Of all
small birds this one is the most difficult to shvot, from its exces-
sive shyness ; and unless the ground permits of a successful
stalk, an approach within shot of a small bird gun, suchas I use,
is almost impossible. There the large wary pipit stands, with
his head as high as possible, and his neck stretched to the utter-
most to enable him to keep the best of all look-outs, and the
moment forty yards is passed, that moment he flies; accompa-
nied by any others within hearing of his note of alarm. How-
ever, by dint of extra heavy charges, and by creeping along
under the edge bunds of the paddy fields, I managed to secure a
few of this very fine pipit. The places frequented were low
grounds occurring below jheels or ¢a/aos, the water constantly
percolating through the reservoir bank kept the low grounds
adjacent rather damp and in many places quite wet. Over a
greater part of this low ground, the rice crop having been
gathered, there now grew a small vetch with blue flower, entire-
ly covering what had been the paddy field a couple of months
before ; and in these vetch fields, the large pipit of which I am
speaking, delighted. Before retiring among the vetches to feed,
they sat for some time as a rule, upon the little bunds which
divided the fields, and when they did this, I found the best plan
was to wait till the look-out was over and the birds had retired
among the crops to feed. It was then possible to creep up
within shot. In the same vetch fields, and also in the higher
paddy fields all around were numbers of Corydalla striolata, and
afew Corydalla rufula. Both these latter species are much more
numerous all over this part of Bengal than C. Richardi. Itis
C. siriolata which rises with the loud discordant note ; and by
the note alone it is easy to distinguish this species, so utterly
unlike is it to that of any other pipit. C. echardi and C.
striolata are two pipits of wonderfully the same coloration, and
of almost the same linear dimensions. After all, it is only by
the long stout tarsus, and large foot with long straight hind
claw, that the bird can be readily distinguished from its close
ally, save, as I have before remarked, by the utterly different
kind of note. In the shape of the foot and proportionate leneth
of tarsus and hind claw, to the size of the bird, C. rufula
strongly resembles C. Azchard:. As Blyth justly remarks, one
bird is an exact miniature of the other. But C. striolata has a
shorter tarsus in proportion, more slender, and the foot is of
much less proportionate spread: the hind claw too is shorter,

360 Notes on some of the Indian Pipits.

and much more curved and slender. A few dimensions here
will not be out of place.

Length. | Wing. | Tarsus. el fe a a pate
C, Richardi male ay 7°25 3A E17. 2:22 y/
cs Hf female Fal ued! 36 1:25 2°25 "65
= ts male Lis ES 3°72 1-25 2°35 7
x ee female Kis 7-2 34 1-2 2°24 72
C. Striolata’ male Baa |e e/a 3°63 1:03 I, 42
fj, > female Descour ala Toye) aes 55
a 5 anfale rei nin agen fo emcee 3°25 “96 16 “43
Hei mee female SAE a 1:08 1:65 “48

The above measurements will give a good idea of the great
difference in tarsus and hind claw between the two species. C.
rufula isso much smaller than either of the others, that
measurements of it are not necessary here. It generally measures
about six inches in total length, and for its size has a large bill,
and a singularly long strong tarsus, large foot, and hind
claw for so small apipit. It isa permanent resident from the
south to the north of India and not, as far as I know, at all
migratory like the other Indian pipits. I omitted noticing in
the proper place, that the legs and feet of C. Aechardi are not
so fleshy in color as those of C. striolata and C. rufula ; but are
more yellowish, particularly the soles of the feet. The color of
the inside of the mouth varies, This is generally a moderately
bright yellow, but in some examples is pale flesh-colored. The
latter are probably young birds.

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Motes on the Hivds of the Sambhur Aake & its dicinity.
By R. M. Apam.

As the study of local avifaunas is of considerable importance
to ornithologists, I purpose to record the birds which I have
obtamed, or observed, during my residence at Sambhur, extend-
ing over a period of three years.

“My very limited knowledge of ornithology prevents me from
attempting to add any information of importance to that science :
all that I attempt is to note the birds which I have seen or
obtained here, and in a few cases to record something as to their
habits and nidification.

Altogether I have noted the occurrence of 244 species; the
number belonging to each order being as follows :

Raptores ... we cet Nes 26
Insessores ... My Ne
Fissirostres ae vee ae done 815)
Scansores ist ae eg Sa Ls
Tenuirostres Bike et ae 4
Dentirostres ae bis we 69
Conirostres a a Sa
— 129
Gemitores ... oe ee ba 8
Rasores... te Ria ats 8
Gyallatores .. vk Ee 3 51
Natatores ... 22

Until quite recently, little was known, and much less recorded,
concerning this famous salt source. ‘To illustrate this statement,
I may mention that a2 member of Dr. Fawcett’s committee,
who lately made a hurried visit to the lake, remarked at dinner:
“ Well, it is strange how things will happen. About six weeks
ago I was examining an old Indian, of some forty years’ service,
and amongst other questions I asked if a large salt fe: did
not exist somewhere in Central India, and he replied, ‘ very
possibly there may be such a lake, but I have never heard _
Ol ibs ane. now,” said the M. P., “ here I am drinking simkin
on its edge.”

The Sambhur Lake is situated in N. lat. 26° 58) and H. long.

5° 5'. All around,-but principally to the west, are low-lying hills,
vihich form a part ol the Aravalli range, slnalh runs in a north-
westerly direction through Rajputana. ‘To the north-west is a
sandy tract called the Great Desert, with Sinde on its western,
and the Punjab on its northern and western boundary.
Taking the village of Dodo, 42 miles from Jeypur, in the

E

Mata Pahar
Pe
A

6

—
oO
SS
>

Pa
%

SKETCH MAP
SAMBHUR LAKE,

Scale,5 miles to the inch.

t
iS
)

°MCkrana

Poe ice
ay rt

362 Noles on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

direction of Ajmere, the lake is 16 miles distant in a nearly
northern direction. The surrounding country is arid and sterile
to a degree.

Approaching Sambhur from the south, the country is sparsely
cultivated, owing to the scarcity of water, while close to Sam-
bhur there are a series of sand dunes covered with a stunted
vegetation, and beyond, close to the lake edge and parallel to
the town, is a fine belt of trees, with here and there a mass of
green foliage belonging to a tope, or garden, or one of the
numerous wells.

The soil in this neighbourhood is exceedingly fertile, and
when favorable rainfalls occur, or when water can be had for
irrigation, splendid crops are obtained; but an adequate supply
of water is rarely obtained, the average rainfall here being
about 12 inches, while further west, in Marwar, or the region of
death, little or no rain ever falls, and water for irrigation 1s some-
times only obtained at a depth of over 800 feet from the sur-
face.

The open wells in use about Sambhur for irrigation are ex-
eavations made in the fields about 30 or 40 feet:in diameter and
20 feet deep. The sides of these are densely clothed with a
species of willow, tiger and sarpat grass, &c., and are the
favorite haunts of numerous birds.

In the hot season, as a rule, the lake contains no water, but
presents a mass of dazzling roseate white efflorescence caused
by the crystallization of the salt; here and there this monotony
is relieved by patches of brine in course of evaporation. Leav-
ing out the icebergs, and adding the fact of the thermometer
being well over 130° in the sun’s rays, and a fairly respectable
hot west wind blowing, its appearance always reminds me of
the pictures in Dr. Hay’s “ Open Polar Seas.”

In the rains all this is changed, and the scene of utter deso-
lation is transformed into one of great beauty. The clear
atmosphere lights up and tints with purple and violet the
distant low-lying ranges of hills, the sandy wastes are covered
with verdure, and the lake-bed is converted into a wide expanse of
water 20 miles in length by about 5 in breadth. To enhance
all this, there are the tiny-crested waves rippling along, and the
whole surface teeming with bird-life.

Dense masses of flamingoes are to be seen everywhere swim-
ming or wading in the lake-bed, flying overhead, bearing
“the rich hues of all glorious things,” or stalking seaately along
the edge in search of food. This latter process is a wonderful
sight. Long lines of big and little birds, of all shades of plum-
age, from the gorgeous rose-colored adult to the dingy brown-

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity. 363

and-white young, march along, and invariably here from west to
east, all wagging their down-bent heads in search of the animal-
cules with which the brackish water abounds. If “ Alice in
Wonderland” after her game of croquet with the flamingo for a
mallet could have seen such a sight, she would have been sorely
puzzled to account for the gigantic game which was apparently
going on amongst the mallets on their own account.

A peculiar form of animalcule, about half an inch in length,
is the only form of animal life which has yet been observed in
the lake. These die off as the brine approaches saturation, and
their dying off was formerly looked for by the practical salt-
makers as a sign that salt would soon form. Before dying off,
they deposit immense layers of eggs, in some places over an
inch in thickness, and these are hatched at the commencement
of the annual rains.

The length of time during which birds frequent the lake
much depends on the depth of water and the heat required for
its evaporation. When the animalcules disappear, many of the
swimmers and waders go off or frequent, for a time, the fresh
or brackish ponds in the neighbourhood ; still many flamingoes
remain, but what they manage to subsist on up till March or
the middle of April—when the lake contains only a concentrated
solution of brine, or masses of salt—I am quite unable to say.

Immediately after such rainfalls as I have above referred to,
the specific gravity of the lake-brine is slightly less or just
equal to that of sea-water, vzz., 1:03, and this goes on increasing
in density until it reaches the specific gravity of a saturated
solution of salt, wz., 1:2046, about the end of February.

When the brine has reached a specific gravity of 1:08, a por-
tion of it is cut off from the main body by low walls of mud
and grass, and from these enclosures our salt supply is obtained.
About the middle of March the salt extraction commences and
continues until the rains set in. ‘The salt forms, in a crust over
two inches thick, on the feetid lake mud, which is about a foot
in depth. The laborers place their open hands between the
layer of salt and the mud, and toss the salt into small heaps,
and this is carried to the stores which are situated above the
high-water level. There is generally a good deal of moisture
in the crust, and the instant it falls from the laborers’
hands, each crystal becomes detached, and shows the truncated
pyramidal form which is so peculiar to the Sambhur Salt.

This work has to be done in the early morning, as the salt and
the mud become so hot about 8 a. M. as to be quite unbearable.

A walk barefoot through one of these salt fields is somewhat
novel and exciting; I have tried snow shoes, long boots, and
long stockings, but have found none of them equal to the bare

364 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

skin. When you have taken the first few steps in the soft warm
mud, the feeling is pleasant, but when you come to place your
feet on the sharp-pointed erystals and feel them pricking and
scratching as you go down in some very soft place over the
knees, and experience the sensation of withdrawing each lee
earefully, the erystals scratching even worse with the upward
pull, and the brine causing the fresh cuts to smart all the while,
you cannot avoid thinking that a mile of it would be a very fair
penance even for an extraordinary sin. Any pilgrim with
unboiled peas in his shoes might handicap you to any extent and
win without an effort. The cutting of the crystals and the con-
tinued irritation of the brine produce ulcers on the legs of the
laborers, which, if not properly attended to, often lay them up for
months.

The average out-turn of salt from the Lake at Sambhur
and Nawa Goodha is about 1,400,000* maunds, or 51,429 tons.
At Sambhur alone the average out-turn for the last 17 years
was 690,000 maunds. The greatest out-turn during the above
period, vzz., 1,360,000 maunds, was in 1569, and was due to the
scant rainfall of 1868 and the abundant supply of labor which
the famine foreed to the works; while in 18638 the least out-turn,
viz., 1,504 maunds, was due to the excessive rainfall of the
previous year, which raised the lake so high that it even flooded
some of the lower parts of the town.

The supply of salt seems inexhaustible, and in a favorable
season, with sufficient labor to construct the necessary works and
collect the salt, double, or treble the quantity we now obtain
could be collected.

The salt is of three colors, wzz., blue, white, and red.
The blue color is due to the lake silt being enclosed within the
crystals or covermg them, while the red color is due to some form
of microscopic animal or vegetable matter, which is abundantly
propagated when the sun’s rays are most intense. As people do
not care for this red salt, it is seldom collected. New salt is
greatly in demand, and the uniform size of the crystals, as well
as the shade of blue or white which they possess, regulate the
sellmg price. The price varies from 8 annas to Re. 1-1 per
maund, but the average price obtained is about 10°75 annas per
maund. .

The carriage required for exporting the year’s sales amounted to
300,000 bullocks, 66,000 camels, 18,000 carts, and 5,000 asses.

So far as I am aware, no practical geologist has as yet examined
the lake, but the general belief is that the salt has been washed

* A maund is about 82 lbs. avoirdupois.

EP ee Oe Oe ee

Nr

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity. 365

from the surrounding Permian rocks and earried by the exten-
sive surface drainage into the lake,

The Sambhur Lake has a legend to account for the formation
of the salt, and as this tradition has only appeared officially, it
may not be out of place to give a brief sketch of it here.

On a promontory near the middle of the lake stands a temple
dedicated to Sumbra or Sacumbree Devee, the tutelary goddess
of the Chouhan Rajputs. In this temple about the year 605
Sumvat, or about 500 A. D., lived a religious ascetic, who was so
absorbed in the contemplation of God, that he could not look for
his food like an ordinary mortal, so it had to be supplied in an
extraordinary fashion, and every day acow came and milked
itself into a lotah which stood by his side. One day Manik
Rai, the cowherd in charge, saw this wonderful sight, and
when the holy man took an amulet from his mouth and laid it on
his carpet to enable him to drink the milk thus provided by the
gods, he (Manik Rai) took it up and put it into his mouth, and
such was the power of this charm that in the space of a moment
he was enabled in spirit to visit all the holy shrines of
India.

Having experienced its power, he replaced it, and the fakir was
so pleased with his honesty that he directed him to go to the
goddess Devee, who would be kind to him.

He accordingly went, and the goddess created a horse which
she told him to mount and ride onwards without looking back ;
he did so, and got some distance, when his pugree having caught
in the branch of a tree, he did look back, so the horse ‘stopped !
and as it would go no further, he returned to his home and told his
adventure. Next morning the people of the neighbourhood
were astounded at seeine that the dense forest through which

- Manik Rai had ridden had disappeared, and in its place was a

shining plain of gold and silver. There was a council held, and
the unanimous opinion of the grey beards was, that this oift
would convert the scene of peace into one of tur mail, so Manik
Rai was despatched to the goddess with a request that she would
retract her gift. The goddess however would not consent to
this, but she transformed the plain of gold and silver into a plain
of salt, which the natives looked upon as kutcha chandi or
chloride of silver.

As the above legend is of salt, I suppose it may be taken,
cum grano, or with several, still let no one read

“ with a disdainful smile
The short but simple annals of the poor.”

Strange as it may seem in the nineteenth century, this legend

to the minds of the ignorant inhabitants of these parts met with

-

366 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § wits vicinity.

an apparently wonderful verification when the British Govern-
ment assumed charge of the lake. Our chemical analyst wish-
ing to obtain some pure silver, converted some rupees into
chloride of silver. This was mixed with some pounded borax
to act as a flux, and I made the white mass over to a village
goldsmith with instructions to heat it as much as ever he could.
When the fire had reached a sufficient heat, the goldsmith
and the onlookers were dumbfounded at seeing a mass of molten
silver in the crucible, and from the nahn. of the legend the
news spread like wild-fire that the British had discovered a a method
of reconverting the salt into the original gift of the goddess.

As regards the physical features of the surrounding neighbour-
hood, little requires to be said. Cultivation is everywhere sparse,
and the extensive sand plains contain few trees, but here and there
they are covered with low scrub jungle. The trees generally met
with are Acacia arabica, A. leucophiaea, A. speciosa, Azadirachta
wmdica, Tamarix orientalis, Cordia myra and Hamiltonia swaveo-
lens, altel close to villages which are few and far between, a few
Ficus religiosa and indica with some straggling specimens of
Phenix sylvestris occur. On the sand dunes asmall species of
acacia, A. Jacquemonti, is very common, and on the plains the
following are a few of the commonest plants, viz., Saccharum sara

Calotropis Hamiltont and gigantea, Alhagi maurorum, Capparis _

spinosa, Calligonum polizonoides, Crotolaria burhia, Zizyphus num-
mularia, and Hdwardsia mollis. Kiverywhere the jerboa-rat, Ger-
billus indicus,* is so abundant that the Rajputs call it the Zamin-
ka-raja, or king of the soil. Ponds or jheels are of very rare
occurrence, and these are generally dried up completely by the
end of April or middle of May. Some of the low hill ranges are
all but destitute of vegetation, whilst others are densely covered
with Huphorbia Royleana, Cactus imdicus, Lagerstremia parvi-
jlora (dhan), and a small tree with re-curved thorns called £hir2,
which considerably impedes rapid progress. In this cover the
Indian wild boar is very common, while small herds of the
Sambhur (wsa Aristotelis) and the Nilghau (Portax pictus)
are sparingly met with. Wolves, hyenas, and very rarely a
tiger or leopard are found, but as these are all enemies to cattle,
they are soon shot or trapped by the thakoors.

On the eastern side of some of these hills are vast deposits
of sand thrown over by the prevailing west winds, but these are
all but destitute of vegetation, as the surface soil is scattered
about by every storm. In one of those hill ranges, about thirty
miles west from Sambhur, are situated the marble quarries of
Mokrana, which supplied most of the white marble for the

* 2 G. erythrourus ? ED., STRAY FEATHERS.

ee ee ee

ae one

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake S its vieinity. 367

Taj and other buildingsin Agra. The quarries are very extensive,
and are still worked to supply the demand in Agra. There
is also a brisk local trade in the manufacture of Hindu gods, and
dishes of Indian pattern, and it is very interesting to see whole
families, with children seven or eight years of age, turning out
vessels of the most elegant designs with the rudest tools. The
walls of the houses are chiefly built of marble chips, and the
town presents a weird appearance when seen from a distance,
but the most curious thing which I observed during my visit
was a group of boys winnowing ihe sandy soil to obtain pure
grains of silica for polishing the marble, and the result of a
day’s work for each was only about six pounds in weight.

I now append a list of the birds which I have observed at
the lake and in its neighbourhood.

The accompanying sketch map shows the outline of the
lake and the position of the places referred to.

The numbers* given are those used in Dr. Jerdon’s Birds of
india and Mr. Hume’s Catalogue.

1.—Vultur monachus, Lin.
Met with in the cold weather.

-2.—Vultur calvus, Scop.

Common. In March I saw this bird sitting on its nest, which
was in the face of a rock in the hills near the town of Nawa.

3 bis.—Gyps fulvescens, Hume.

Common.
4.—Gyps Indicus, Scop.

Very common.* This species breeds on the Taragurh Hill near
Ajmere, about 50 miles from Sambhur, from December to
February ; vide page 21 of Mr. Hume’s “ Rough Notes.”
5.—Gyps Bengalensis, G'mei.

Very common. The great number of camels and bullocks
which die here attract these birds in great numbers.
6.—Neophron ginginianus, Daud.

This species, in every stage of plumage, is very common all
round the lake. I have taken the nests from the walls of the
Sambhur Fort, from the tops of temples, and from peepul
trees. It breeds here during March.
8.—Falco peregrinus, L.

All through the cold weather, and until about the end of
March, a few pairs of this species are to be found frequenting _

* Mr. Hume has kindly revised the nomenclature and identified all doubtful birds.

368 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity.

the lake bed. They sit on the stakes which are required to
form a low retaining wall to separate a portion of the lake
water for the formation of salt, and from these perches they
pounce on the numerous waders which feed along this wall.
They are very difficult to get near, and I have often followed
them up for miles through the slush of the lake without being
able to risk a shot at them.

11.—Falco jugger, Gray.

The jugger in all phases of plumage is very common about
this lake. Many an old bird have I taken a long pot shot at,
in hopes of its turning out to be a bhyree (Ff. perigrinus) on
closer examination. It breeds here during February. On the 2nd
February I saw a nest high up on a peepul tree, all but finished.

16.—Chiquera typus, Bp.
Not common. I have only seen a few pairs of this bird about
the lake.

17.—Tinnunculus alaudarius, Gimel.
Of this species, both the pale and dark varieties are very
common during the cold season.

23.—Micronisus badius, Gel.

Not common, but I have obtained a few good specimens of the
adult and young.
24.—Accipiter nisus, L.

This bird.is rare. I have only seen it once or twice at the lake.
25.—Accipiter virgatus, Tem.

Very rare. I have obtained only two specimens of the young
of this bird.
29.—Aquila fulvescens, Gray.

The tawny eagle is very common. During the cold weather
I have observed its nests in large babool and kegvera trees.
42.—Halieetus Macei, Owv. |

Now and again I have seen this species perching on the stakes
in thé lake bed. It seems to feed on the small waders, which
are so plentiful.
48.—Poliornis teesa, Prank.

The white-eyed buzzard is pretty common here. I took a
nest with two eggs on the 29th April 1870, but they must lay
much earlier than this, as I saw a pair iw coitw on the top of
one of the salt heaps on the 26th September, 1870.

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity, 369

51.—Circus Swainsoni, Smith.
The pale harrier is very common all round the lake during
the cold weather.

54.—Circus eruginosus, Z.

Young birds of this species are very common during the
cold season. I saw one of these birds swoop at a myna, a.
trastis, and carry it off under a madar bush. During some
of my marches I have observed a fair number of adult birds.

56.—Milvus govinda, Sykes.

This kite is very common. I have taken its eves from mango
and peepul trees during March and April.

57.—Pernis cristata, Cuv.

‘This species is very rare. J have only noticed it on two
occasions about the lake.
59.—Elanus melanopterus, Dawd.

Not common. I found it breeding near to Sambhur. For a
description of the eggs and nest, vidle page 23 ante of “ Stray
Feathers.”

-60.—Strix indica, Blyth.

Very rare. I have never shot this bird here, Lue a bird-
eatcher brought me two live birds which he caught in the hills
near to Mata Pahar.
65.—Bulaca ocellata, Less.

Very rare. I have only met with the mottled wood-owl twice
during my residence here.

68.—Otus brachyotus, Gmel.

The short-eared owl is not very common; still, when beating
for game in the long grass or scrub jungle, one or two are sure
to a flushed. One specimen I have is vey ferruginous on the ~

breast and abdomen.
40.—Bubo coromanda, Lath.
Not common, but a pair are generally to be found in some of
the topes of trees.
76.—Athene brama, Tem.
This bird is very common. A pair have their nest in the thatch

of my house.
On one or two occasions I have shot one of the pair, and found

a mate occupying its place within the next two or three d: ays.
F

370 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.
Young birds have not the spotting above, and the breast has

Jongitudinal dashes of faint dusky.

82.—Hirundo rustica, L.

‘The common swallow is very plentiful during the cold weather.

Length. Expanse. Wing. Tailfrom Tarsus. Bill at

vent. front.

Male ac A dO 13°6 4:7 37 0-4 0.3
Female ... 6°8 136 47 3°5 0:4 03

84.—Hirundo filifera, Steph.

Not common, but a few birds are always to be seen in the
mornings, working over the fields, I obtained a nest on the
13th July. It contained two eggs.

85.—Hirundo erythropygia, Sykes.
This species is not very common. It breeds here.
86.—Hirundo fiuvicola, Jerdom.

Very common about a fresh-water pond to the west of Sam-

bhur.
98.—Cotile sinensis, Gray.

The little bank martin is very common about this. I obtained
a nest on the 15th April with two very hard-set eges. The
nest was found in a hole in a bank, and was a compaetly built
- cup-shaped structure : outer diameter, 4 inches ; eee receptacle, a
little over 2 inches. The nest was made of grass and_ fibres
well rounded together; the outer portion of the nest was of a
coarser quality than the lning, but made of the same material;
depth of egg cavity, 2 inch.

90.—Ptionoprogne concolor, Sykes.

Not common. I have only obtained this speeies near Mata
Pahar and the extreme western portion of the lake. Mr. Hume,
during one of his visits to Mata Pahar, found a nest with three
eges.
100.—Cypselus affinis, J. 2. Gray.

This swift is very common, and builds in the old tombs and
mosques. I found a congeries of about thirty nests in a small
tomb, and these were all closely packed together ; some had
openings at the sides, while others had tubular-shaped necks,
about 2 inches long, projecting from the side of the nest.
The nests were composed of pieces of straw, fine twigs, cobwebs,
and fluffy feathers, all agglutinated together, with here and
there some bright-colored feather of a parrot or roller stuck
carelessly on the outside. A nest which I detached measured frora

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 371

opening: to end, 74 inches, in breadth it was 4 inches, and the
opening was 2 inches in diameter. The nest was oval in form,
coarse, and lumpy in texture externally, but comparatively smooth
inside. The egg cavity had a lining of fine feathers, and the
entrance was lined with fluffy feathers. Nearly every nest
contained a bird, and in some cases I found two birds.

112.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath.

Not common. I had the eggs of what I suppose to belong to
this bird, from Dr. Jerdon’s description, sent to me from
Koochamun at the end of April. In ground color and markine
they much resemble the eves of Plerocles fusciatus, but are
much smaller.

114.—Caprimulgus monticolus, Frankl.

Not common. Generally found in the low-lying hills towards
Nawa.

117.—Merops viridis, L.

This species is very common. A young bird in my collection
has the central tail feathers shorter than the others; above, the
color is pale green, a shade darker on the head, with no tinge
of golden about the feathers; the outer primary coverts are
tipped white. Beneath, from the throat to the vent, the color
is pale fawn mixed with green; the collar is faintly marked
by a narrow line, and dots of green ; under tail covers, pale blue.
This bird commences to build here towards the end of March.
Although, as a rule, it prefers to build in a bank, I have taken
its nest on level ground. The nest is generally about three
feet deep, but I have seen them nearly six feet, and the ege
cavity is a long oval with the major axis about 5 or 6 inches;
it is without any lining; the angle of the decline from the
opening te the nest is about 30°. In some nests which I have
dug out, a piece of kunkur or stone has caused the bird to
diverge at right angles from the straight line, and then follow
the same angle until a sufficient depth has been reached.’ “I
have found as many as seven eggs in one nest, although four
ov five is the normal number, and I have repeatedly found
the young birds in the most various stages of plumage, 7. ¢.,
one all but fledged, and the youngest covered with down. On
several occasions I have found frogs occupying the egg cavity
of this bird.

120.—Merops zgyptius, Fors.
This bird is rarely seen about Sambhur, but about the tree
and serub jungle at Mata Pabar and the Marot hills it 1s very

‘

372 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

common. In the Marot hills the natives showed me the holes m
which it breeds about the beginning of the rains. The females
are, as a rule, a trifle smaller than the males, but the sexes vary
very little indeed in dimensions. Four males and three females,
measured in the flesh, varied in length from 12:1 to i22;
expanse, 17-2 to 17°6; wing, 6 to 6:1; tarsus, 0°4 to 0°5; bill
at front, 1°8 to 1-9. :

123.—Coracias indicus, .

Very common. I have taken its eggs during March, April,
and May. On the 24th April I saw a pair making love near the
Sambhur Fort, and on the lst May I obtained the eggs of the
same birds from a cavity in a neem tree; one of the eggs was
a little set. :

129.—Halcyon smyrnensis, L.
The white-breasted kingfisher is very common, and breeds
-in the banks of the open wells from March till June. On the
15th April I took a nest four feet below the ground level, and
three feet deep, in which I found two fresh eggs. On the 15th
June I took another nest in which I found five eges, all hard-
set; the nest was about 18 inches deep. On the 27th June
I took a nest with four fresh eggs. The unblown eggs were
pinkish with whitish streaks. In no case had the egg cavity
any lining. ;

134.—Alcedo bengalensis, Gm.

Very rare. I have only observed it once here.

136.—Ceryle rudis, Z.

Very rare. I have only obtained two specimens of this bird
here. Both were males and had the black bands right across the
breast.

148.—Paleonris torquatus, Bodd.

This species is very common. I have, on several occasions,
taken the eges from holes in neem trees during March. During
courtship the manner in which the male persists in Inissing the
female, and between each kiss keeps letting go one foot, generally
the right, from the branch on which he is sitting so as to raise
his body up and down, is highly amusing.
149.—Paleonris purpureus, Will.

This species is common about Sambhur and the hills towards

the village of Marot. It breeds here, but I have never taken
its eggs.

2 eae eS pe ce Ee ea Rete any ee ee

=>

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity. 373 —

160.—Picus mahrattensis, Latham.

_ This is the only woodpecker which I Lave seen in the imme-

diate neighbeurhood of the lake. Although not common, it
1s occasionally seen working over the kheggera and babool
trees.
I lately shot two males and a female which were working
over a babool tree. . They were all young birds, and the crimson
tippings on the occiput of the males were just appearing. ‘his
was on the 10th of May.

167.—Chrysocolaptes festivus, Bodd.

I obtained only one specimen of this from the Koochamun
jungles. Male, length, 12°2; expanse, 19°5; wing, 6; tail
from vent, 3°4; bill at front, 2; tarsus, 1.

180.—Brachypternus aurantius, L.

I have only seen one bird of this species in the Koochamun
jungles, and as I was after large game, I could not afford to
shoot it.

188.—Yunx torquilla, Z.

The common wryneck is very rare; I have shot it on two
occasions 1n the scrub jungle near the foot of the hills, and once
close to Sambhur.

197.—Xantholema hemacephala, Mill.

The crimson-throated barbet 1s very common about all the
gardens here. It breeds about April and May. The young
birds have the yellow on the throat, and about the eyes very
pale; there is no red on the breast, and the whole of the head
and neck is a dull green.

199.—Cuculus canorus, L.

Very rare. Ihave only observed this species twice here.
Obtained in May. -

205.—Hierococcyx varius, Vahl.
Very rare. Seen in July.

212.— Coccystes jacobinus, Bodd.

Very rare. Obtained in July.
214.—Kudynamis horonata, Z.

Rare. I possess a young male with most of the feathers
glossy green, but some of the primaries and secondaries are heht-
brown, mottled with white, and one of the tail feathers is

374 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & ats vicinity.

brown with white bands. About the vent there are a number of
white feathers. The koel has visited Sambhur during my re-
sidence only once or twice, and that during the rains.

217.—Centropus rufipennis, [Ziger.

Very rare. I have never seen the common coucal anywhere
about this, but last December a specimen was shot in my garden.

Female, length, 21°3; expanse 23°3; wing, 8; tail from vent,
12:4; tarsus, 2°1; bill at front, along curve, 1:7; irides, red.

220.—Taccocua sirkee, Gray.

Very rare. I have only once seen a pair in a patch of jungle
near Marot. Both were feeding on the ground when I shot
them.

Male, length, 17:5; wing, 6°5; tarsus, 1:7; tail from vent,
10-4; bill at front, along curve, 1°3.

Female, length, 17°25; expanse, 19; wing, 6°4; tail, 10°5;
tarsus 1:5; bill at front, along curve, 1°5; bill, blood red; the
tip of the upper and lower mandible, horny white. The whole
of the tail feathers obsoletely barred.

934.—Arachnechthra asiatica, LD.

The purple honey-sucker is very common about Sambhur; it
breeds during the month of April and up to June. On the
morning of the 18th April, I saw a female apparently in a great,
state of excitement over a piece of cobweb in a tree, and I
succeeded in lining it like a bee, until I found the beginning
of a new nest on a babool tree, about 15 feet from the ground.
On the 19th it had the upper portion of the nest well formed,
on the 20th the nest was well blocked out, but Had no inner
lining. From the 2ist to the 24th the bird was occupied in
ornamenting the outside of the nest with all sorts of stray feathers
and other odds and ends.

During these days it also filled in the inner lining. It is curious
how fond these birds are of tacking on pieces of paper, and here
and there a bright-colored feather from a parrot, or a roller
on the outside of their nests. When in Agra a bird of this
species built a nest on a loose piece of thatch cord in my
verandah, and on the side of the nest, stuck on like a signboard,
was a piece of a torn up letter with “ My dear Adam” on it.

On the 26th I found the bird sitting on the nest, and I
presume it had eggs, but I did not care to disturb it, and on the
27th for the first time I saw the male bird near the nest. All
through the time of construction, so far as my observation went,
he never assisted the female in the slightest degree. Now he
seemed exceedingly happy, fluttered every now and then about
the nest, and after each careful inspection he was so seemingly

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 375

pleased with the handiwork of his mate, that he perched on an
adjoining branch and poured forth a joyous strain, flapping his
wings, and making his axillary feathers rotate in the most
extraordinary manner. On the 13th of May the young were
hatched, and I never once observed the male coming near the
nest to feed them ; about the 24th the birds were well fledged.
It does seem strange that the male of this species should not
take any part in the construction of the nest, the hatching or the
rearing of the young, but I presume that the reason of this is
that his conspicuous plumage about the nest would attract the
attention of birds that might destroy it.

When in Oudh I have seen the village boys with tame honey-
suckers which they carried about on their hands, having a horse-
hair attached to the bird’s leg. The birds were fed with sugar
and water, which was kept in the hollow of a slender reed, and

- they seemed very much pleased when they were allowed to sip it.

246.—Salpornis spilonota, Mrank.

I have lately had two specimens of this rarebird shot fer me in
the jungle near Koochamun. This is the second time that I have
obtained it. In 1868, when at the village of the Moteepur—in
the Baraitch Sons gon the outskirts of the forest, I saw a
small party of six of these birds fly into a tree, and I then
obtained two.

Male, length of dried skin, 5°75 ; wing, 3°5 ; tail, from vent,
1:7; bill at front, 1:0; tarsus, 0°6.

254.—Upupa epons, Z

The European hoopoe is very common about this lake during
the cold weather, but it disappears entirely during the breeding
season, and returns about the end of August. Six specimens,
with bills measuring 2°2, have the amount of white on the crest

_feathers varying very much.

255.—Upupa nigripennis, | Gould.

This species is not common. I have only obtained one female,
and there is hardly a trace of white on its crest.

Length, 11:1; expanse, 16°9; wine 5°5; tail from vent, 3°8 ;
tarsus, 0° 8; bill at front, 1: 9; mid toe ami claw, 0°8; “ides.
dark brown.

256.—Collyrio lahtora, Sykes.

The pallid shrike is very common and breeds here from March
till July. I have on several occasions witnessed this bird attack
and capture young birds, and I once rescued a young Temenuchus
pagodarwu Which was in a fair way of being killed.

376 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake S: its vicinity.

257.—Collyrio erythronotus, Vigors.
This shrike is not very plentiful. It breeds here, but I have
never taken its eggs.

260.—Collyrio vittatus, Dum.

The bay-backed shrike is very common about Sambhur. It
breeds here, but I have never taken its eggs. On the 1st August
1872, I saw numbers of nests and fledglings of this bird in the
Marot jungle.
262.—Lanius arenarius, Blyth.

This shrike is frequently met with about the sandy plains.
I have an adult male showing the white wing spot on the fourth,
fifth, and sixth primaries only.

265.—Tephrodornis pondiceriana, Gmel.

Not very common. ‘The young birds are pale rufescent brown
above, with pale reddish-white spots and streaks about the head,
and spots as tippings to the feathers of the back; the tertiaries
have one or two bars near the tips, and alone the edge of the
feathers, dark brown. It breeds here, as I saw one carrying a
twig in its bill, but I failed to discover the nest.

268.—Volvocivora Sykesii, Stick.

Two specimens of the young of this species I obtained in
June 1871, and I have never seen any others since. The

centre tail feathers are dark blackish grey. Im the male the

head, neck, and breast are nearly all black, and on the breast
(below the black) and flanks are numerous black crescentic
markings. In the female some of the head feathers are black,
and from the throat to the middle of the abdomen, and on the
upper tail coverts, are blackish wavy lines.
9'73.—Pericrocotus brevirostris, Vigors.

Small parties of this minivet visit Sambhur during the cold
weather. .
2'76.—Pericrocotus peregrinus, L.

The small minivet is very common during the whole year.
It seems to prefer patches of jungle trees, to trees near to
villages. Tarsus, 0°6. J erdon gives this as 0-9.

2927 —Pericrocotus erythropygius, Jerdon.

T have on two or three occasions ‘shot this bird in the tree
jungles near to Marot and Koochamun, but I have never obtaimed
it at Sambhur. Inides, dark brown.

i a

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity. 377

278.—Buchanga albirictus, Hodgs.

Very common. The king-crow breeds here in June and July.
The eggs vary much with regard to coloring; some are pure
white without spots, some have dark-brown spots on the white
ground, whilst others have a pale rufous ground darker at
the broader end, with spots of deep rust color and lilac. Irides,
deep lake-red.

288.—Tchitrea paradisi, L.

Not very common. I possess a male, in the chestnut plumage,
with all the outer webs of the wing feathers white, some with a
chestnut edging. The tail feathers have also a good deal of white
mingled with the chestnut.
292.—Leucocirea aureola, Vicillot.
Very rare about Sambhur, but I have seen a few pairs about.
Nawa and Marot. In some specimens the extent of white on
the outer tail feathers is very considerable.
295.—Cryptolopha cinereocapilla, Vietdiot.
This fly-catcher is very rare here; I have only obtained one
specimen, shet 15th December 1870.
L. 297 bis.—Musicapa grisola, Z.
) Only one specimen of this bird has been obtained.
A~ 328 bis.—Erythrosterna parva, Bechst.

This species is somewhat rare; I have specimens shot in
November, December, and the end of March, and all have the
bright rufous throat patch,
351.—Petrocossyphus cyanus, Z., or, if distinct, P.

Pandoo, Sykes. 3

Very rate. I have only met with it on two occasions at
Sambhur.
353.—Petrophila cinclorhynchus, Vigors.

Very rare. I shot a young female 18th September 1870.
355.—Geocichla citrina, Lath.

Very rare. I have only once seen this bird here. I shot a
female as she was hunting for insects in a large burgot tree
on the 10th March.
356.—Geocichla unicolor, Vickell.

Very rare. I have only obtained one specimen in this neigh-

bourhood.
G

?

378 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

385.—Pyctoris sinensis, Gmel.

IT have obtained specimens of this bird from the hills near
Koochamun, but during my numerous excursions in the neigh-
bourhood I have never myself seen it.

436.—Malacocircus Malcomi, Sykes.

Very common. This species commences to breed about the
end of March.

438.—Chatarrhea caudata, Dum.

This bush-babbler is very common about the lake. I have
noted it breeding from the beginning of March till the
beginning of July. The first nest which I discovered here was
deserted by the birds, but it was at once taken possession of
by a pair of munias, Mania malabarica, who built a very neat
roof over it. Although this species generally prefers building
in the hedges of prickly pear, I have taken the nests in orange
trees, the karounda, the babool, Se.

459. —Otocompsa leucotis, Gould.

This svecies is seldom seen about Sambhur, but towards Nawa
and Mata Pahar itis very abundant. It seems to prefer low

-serub jungle. I am told that it breeds here, but 1 have never

seen its nest. Irides, dark brown.

452.—Molpastes* chrysorrhoides, La/*.

This species is very common. It-breeds during June and July.

468.—Aigitheria (Jora) tiphia, L.

This species 1s very rare. I have only shot it on two occasions
here. I donot know whether zeylonica, Gm., and tiphia, L., are
really distinct, but both my specimens are of the ¢tiphia type.
From the hills near Koochamun, I have obtained a male of
the zeylonica type. .

470.—Oriolus kundoo, Sykes.

The Indian oriole is common here. During the cold season
it keeps very quiet, but as the breeding season approaches, the
birds are incessantly calling to each other. It breeds in June
and July, and generally builds on the neem, siris, or sisoo. It
selects a fork on a slender branch difficult of access, and on this,

* T propose the subgeneric name Molpastes for the small group of bulbuls
comprising chrysorrhoides, Lafr. (=pusillus, Bly.) type; pygmeus, Hodgs,
crocorrhous, Strickland; and, if distinct, cztermedius, Hay ; and nigropileus,

* Jerd.—Ep., Srray FEATHERS.

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity. 379

somewhat in the shape of an equilateral triangle, the bird first
binds very securely pieces of tow, twine, or longish strips of
cloth, fastening them round the twigs and leaving a depression,
into which is placed a cup-shaped structure composed of fine
grass or twigs firmly rounded together. There is no lining in
the nest. The ege cavity is 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches
deep. I have usually found two or three eggs in a nest. The
ege@s are white with largish sepia-brown spots at the broad end.

4'75.—Copsychus saularis, L.

This bird is not common, but pairs are now and then seen
about gardens and topes of trees. A pair nested in my garden,
but I could never succeed in finding the nest.

480.—Thamnobia cambaiensis, Latham.

The Indian robin is very plentiful here, and breeds from
March to June. A pair which built in my verandalt in April
had two eggs in the same nest on the 8th May, or about ten
days after the first brood left the nest.

The nest is made in holes in trees, stone or mud walls, the
thatch of houses, or in prickly pear bushes. Sometimes it is
very carelessly made; at other times the bird bestows a good
deal of labor on it. When carelessly made, a few tags of
sheep’s wool and some human hair rounded into a cup-shape suffice,
but when carefully made, it is constructed of fibres, grass, and
grass roots, all firmly matted together, and the egg cavity is
lined with different kinds of hair. The outer diameter of the
nest measures 4 inches ; the inner, 2} inches, with a depth of
1£ inch. In each of the numerous nests which I have taken,
there were either one or two pieces of snake’s skin or a few
pieces of mica, which is rather common about the roads when the
mohurrum tazzeas are being carried about. Two seem to he —
the normal number of the eggs, but I have sometimes found
three; they are of a pale-greenish color, some with spots, and
others with only freckles of various shades of reddish-brown: one
eee I possess has a few very fine spots, while at the thick end
there is a lovely zone of lilac and reddish-brown.

481.—Pratincola caprata, L.

This bird is not very plentiful here. I once saw a nest, taken
close to Sambhur, which contained four eggs. The young birds
are dark-brown with rufous lines on the head ; the back feathers
are tipped rufous, with a dark-brown edging ; the tertiaries are
edged bright-rufous, and in the young male the wing spot is
also this color. A young male in a more advanced stage of

380 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

plumage is a dark-brown, with the head and throat sornewhat
darker colored ; wing spot, white.

I found a nest of this bird on the 23rd June 1873. The nest
was in a hole in the bank of an open well. The hole appeared
to have been made in the loose sand by the bird and measured
about 3°5 in diameter. The outer lining of the nest consisted
of a few pieces of coarse grass, while in the egg cavity there
were a few pieces of fine roots carelessly placed together and not
rounded. The nest contained three eggs of a pale greenish
color, with a zone of rust-colored spots at the broad end, and
a few spots and freckles of the same color on the body of the
ege. Length, 62 ; breadth, 0°5. :

483.—Pratincola rubieola, L. 41. + 6G
This bird is not very common.

488.— Dromolea opistholeuca, Stick.

This species is not common. The black on the middle tail
feathers measures 1-6, and not, as Jerdon mentions, about half an
inch.

489.—Dromolea picata, Blyth.

Common during the cold weather. Mr. Hume considers this
species aad Sazicola capistrata (490) to be different stages of
the same bird. I cannot pretend to offer any opinion on the
subject, for capistrata is not common here. I have, however,
obtained five specimens of it, with the head varying in color
from white to dark-brown black. Irides, dark-brown.

491.—Saxicola isabellina, Rippell.

Very common on the sandy plains during the cold weather.
492.—Saxicola deserti, Rippell.

This species is more plentiful, if anything, than the preceding.
494.—Cercomela fusca, Blyth.

The brown rock-chat is very common, and is generally seen
in pairs about old buildings, near villages, or the loose stony
portions of the hills. On the 23rd March I found a nest in the
Sambhur Fort in a wall of an inner room. It was about 5 feet
from the ground. It was cup-shaped, the outside measuring
44 inches in diameter, and the egg receptacle about 23. The
nest was composed of fine grass, loosely rounded together, and
had for a lining a layer of goat’s hair worked carelessly round
into the shape of the nest. The eggs are blue with pale, or
sometimes dark, reddish-brown spots near the thick end.

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 381

To show how fearless this little bird i is, I may mention that
in April last one of them built in a hole in a bath-room wall,
and did not appear to be frightened by the people going out
and in. About three weeks after, the young had left the nee the
birds laid three eggs in the same nest, and these I foals on
10th April 1873.

497.—Ruticilla rufiventris, Vieid/.

This species is not very common. From the series of birds
now before me, if would seem that the grey of the head and
back becomes deep black. In a male, shot in September, the
feathers of the head and back are deep black, with only a few
grey tippings to some of the feathers. The female is pale
brown above, with the rump and tail feathers like the male, but
paler. There is also a pale rufous frontal band.

514.—Cyanecula carulecula, Pail.

The Indian blue-throat is common about this. It frequents
the long grass about the open wells and the fields adjoining the
wells. T foe certain that it breeds here, but I have never
obtained a nest.

515.—Calamodyta brunnescens, Jerdon.

I have three specimens of this reed warbler. Male, shot
Ilth April 1878. Length, 8:2; expanse, 11:1; wing, 3:6 ; tail
from vent, 3:1; tarsus, 1:3; bill at front, 1-1. Ivides, greyish
brown. The last I shot was im the middle of May. It was a
female, and the eggs in the ovary were very minute.

516.—Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth.

The lesser reed warbler is not often met with here. I have
seen it once or twice hunting for insects amongst the reeds in a
tank close to my house. After each huntit perched well up on a
reed and uttered its peculiar loud call.

Male, length, 5°6 ; expanse, 7°8; tail from vent, 2:3.

Female, length, 5°3; expanse, 7:3 ; tail from vent, 2; bill
at front, 0°'7; wing, 2°3; tarsus, 0°9.
530.—Orthotomus longicaudus, Gmel.

The tailor bird is very common about this. It breeds from
June to August. Male, length, 7°6; wing, 2; tail from vent,
4-3; bill at front, 06; tarsus, 0°8.

538.—Prinia Hodgsoni, Blyth.

The Malabar wren warbler appears to be pretty common in
the hills towards Koochamun. I have never shot it, buta batch

382 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

of forty birds lately received from my bird stuffer contained six
specimens.

Tail feathers obsoletely banded. Thigh coverts, rufous.
539.—Cisticola scheenicola, Bonap.

Not common. ay

a ee

543 dis—Drymoipus oreioalor. ae * Ne ho 20a, ee
Not very common. This species breeds in Ae

544.—Drymoipus longicaudatus, Tickell.

Common ; all the specimens I have want the narrow sub-termin-
al dark band mentioned by Jerdon. Irides, yellowish brown.

545 dis.—Drymoipus insignis, Hume.
I have obtained only one specimen of this bird. It was shot
in the Koochamun jungle.

550.—Burnesia, gracilis, Bipp. |

This is very common about the grass lands and low ecan
jungle.
591.—Franklinia Buchanani, Blyth.

Very common, This wren warbler is always found wherever
there are low bushes. It breeds just before the rains, but I
have not recorded the date. I had a nest with the bird and
five eggs sent to me. The eggs are pale bluish-white with
reddish-brown spots and freckles all over them. Sh EN

552 ¢ter.—Jerdonia abvicolensis, Hume. @“Y ve A

7 et Ne h

a ee mags" A 5 s

Not very common.

554—Phyllopseuste actin Bh li
Very rare.

559.—Phyllopseuste alee Lath.
Very rare?)

560. —Abrornis “lene, Bl ee
Very rare.

562. —Phyllopseuste indica, Jerd.

_ Very rare.

Sf Et
fie

* This is the northern form, quite distinct from Sykes’ Southern Indian aa
tnornatus.—ED., STRAY FEATHERS. : \

4 i

otes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & tts vicinity. 383

581.—Sylvia Jerdoni, Blyth.

I have only met with this species once, and then I shot one

of a pair which were hunting for insects in low scrub jungle.

Ivides, pale greenish-yellow.

-582.—Sylvia affinis, Blyth.

Very common during the cold season. Itis generally to be
found working for insects on keggera or babool trees.

589.—Motacilla maderaspatana, Gm.

The pied wagtail is very common about all the open wells
and tanks. ‘They build during April and May. Although I
had been looking out for the nest of this bird for some time,
the first I found was on the morning of the 18th April. I
then noticed an adult catching a large dragon-fly, and as it did
not proceed at once to devour it, I thought that it might
be for its young. After flirting about for fully five minutes
with the fly in its bill, it popped into a hole at the very water
level of a tank near to my house and immediately re-appeared
without the fly. On examining the hole, I found a nest con-
taining three full-fledged nestlings and one addled egg. The
nest was a longish oval, about seven inches in length and four
in breadth ; in thickness it was about two inches. It was com-
posed of pieces of twine, cloth, fibres of plants, feathers, and
a large proportion of human hair. Round the outer edge there
was a rim formed, | presume, to keep the young in the nest.
The egg receptacle was quite flat, and lined with a few feathers,
horse-hair, wool, and fibres firmly matted together. On the Ist
May, observed another bird building, and found its nest in. a
hole in the bank of an open well. The nest had just been
commenced; on the 3rd it was finished, and on the 7th it
contained two eggs, which I took with the nest. Another bird
I watched finished its nest on the 7th May, and on the 9th, 10th,
11th, and 12th it laid an egg each day. The eggs are dirty
white in color, much speckled and spotted with pale-brown and

dusky ; at the broad end the spots are massed together, while in’

one egg they form a zone.

591.—Motacilla personata, Gould. .

Common.

591 dis—Motacilla dukhunensis, Sykes.

Very common during the cold weather.

Common.

~— 592.—Calobates boarula, Penn. CO Pict Thx i

384 Notes on the Birds ne Sambhur-Lake 5 its vicinily.

593.—Budytes viridis, Scop.

Very common. This species is generally found feeding on
grass lands where cattle are grazing.

593 bis.—Budytes melanocephala, Licht.

Whether this is merely one stage of the preceding I cannot
say certainly, but I think itis. I have a pair before me, both
killed in March and sexed by myself, both with the whole head
and nape, lores, ear coverts, and sides of head deep black, back,
olive green, whole under parts the brightest yellow. The only
differences between the sexes are, first, that the male is larger.
(Dimensions recorded in the flesh).

Length. Expanse.

(Mailers. a 68 9:9 30 31

Female ... 360 65 89 29 27
Secondly, that both the head and back of the female are of a
somewhat lighter shade, and thirdly, that in the female the chin

is white.
These birds are very common in the spring.

594.—Budytes citreoloides, Hodgson.
Common. This bird is generally found about the water-
courses in the fields.
594 bis.—Budytes citreola, Pallas.
Equally common with the last. oe
596.—Pipastes agilis, Sykes. °° “Sr
Not very common. Rai eigs Seac
597.—Pipastes plumatus, Miill.
Not very common.
599.— Corydalla rufula, Vieid/.
Common.
602.—Agrodroma campestris, Bechst.
Not very common.
631.—Zosterops palpebrosus, Zemm.
I have only once seen a small party of this species working
for insects over a tree in my garden.
645.—Parus cinereus, /7ev//.
Very rare. I have only once obtained it myself, and Hea: in

the Marot jungles, but several specimens were obtained for me
in the Koochamun hills. Wing, 2°6; bill at front, 5:5; tarsus, °7.

Tail from :
vent. Wing %

Notes ou the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & tts vicinity. 385

646.—Parus nuchalis, Jerdon.

In one patch of jungle near to Marot I have obtained some
twelve specimens of this rare bird, and quite lately I found it
in another range of hills further to the west towards the
marble quarries of Mokrana. It seems to be so common about
the Marot jungle that I have never yet paid the jungle a visit
without securmg one or more specimens. At the beginning of
last rains I sent some men to look for the nest, but although
I obtained a female with the ovary greatly enlarged, they
failed to find a nest. I again sent men about a fortnight later,
and they reported that no birds were to be seen.

Jerdon’s figure, in his “ Illustrations of Indian Ornithology,”
is very good, but while Jerdon describes the bird as black, the
figure shows the color as a deep glossy blue-black, and all my
birds have this shade, but darker than shown in the figure.
The nuchal mark is like a semi-circle in the males, smaller in
the females; this mark and margins and tips of the tertials are
pure white. In sume specimens the white of the breast is
tinged with very pale-yellow.

The central tail-feathers are obsoletely banded, and are all
moze or less tipped with white. In good specimens there is a
very dark glossy green edging to the feathers. The mesial stripe
is deep black with a shade of blue. Inides, dark-brown. In
size they are very much alike.

Length. Expanse. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. | Bill at front.
Male A 52 86 27 21 O77 0°45
Renae eee ere 54 84 2°6 21 O7 0-4

The call is a fine bold whew, whew, whew, whew, whew.
It utters it rapidly with the last note high. I had noticed the
call and was looking for the bird, when Mr. Ashton shot 14 1n
the act of calling. On the 25th May I obtained a male
evidently breeding.

657.—Corvus Lawrencei, Hume.

This raven is pretty common during the cold weather, but
pairs are seen about this throughout the year. They are very
fond of attaching themselves to the camps of the numerous
parties of Banjaras who visit the lake.

I obtained a nest at the end of January whch contained
three eggs, and a fourth was found in the parent bird. The
nest was about fifteen feet from the ground in a keegera tree

H

386 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

(Acacia leucophlaea) which stood on a bare sandy waste with
no other tree within a mile and a half in any direction.

663.—Corvus impudicus, Hodgson. :
Abundant. It breeds here, and I have taken its eggs in July.

. ° . 5, .
During one of my morning rides I encountered a ercw interview-
ing a very large mantis; but the mantis struck out with its fore-
arm over the crow’s eyes whenever the crow’s head was too close,

and I am glad to say that the crow had to beat a retreat.*
674.—Dendrocitta rufa, Scop.

Very rare. I have only seen this magpie three or four times
m a belt of trees near to the lake-edge at Sambhur.

381.—Sturnus vulgaris, L.

This species is often met with im pairs, or small parties, dur-
ing the cold weatier.

684.—Acridotheres tristis, Z.

Very common. In young birds the color is paler, and the
feathers of the back, breast, and neck are tipped with rufescent.
It builds in holes in trees. I have taken the eggs in June, but I
saw one taking a feather into a hole in a neem tree on the 26th
February last.

685.—Acridotheres ginginianus, Z.

The bank mynais also very common. It breeds in June.
A number of these birds generally make their nests close toge-
ther in an old kutcha well.

687.—Temenuchus pagodarum, Gm.

Not very common. The black-headed myna breeds here, but
Thave never taken its eggs. During the month of June 1
saw a pair of these birds trying their very best to work their
way intoahole ina tree which I knew contained the well-
fledged young of Xantholama hamacephala, and the parent
birds had great trouble in driving them off.

I have now a live bird which was taken from the nest, and he
imitates king-crows, bulbuls, &c. Sitting on his perch with his
head a little back, the crest feathers shghtly raised, and the
whole plumage as it were relaxed, he keeps up an incessant
chattering during the live-long day.

690.—Pastor roseus, L.
During the cold weather, large flocks of the rose-colored star-

hing, accompanied by the young in the brown phase of plumage,
frequent the neighbourhood. .

* 2 Was it the mantis, or the man, that put the crow to flight? P. D.

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its viconity. 387

The flocks come from the westward about the beginning of
August. In 1872 I have noted the earliest observed on the Ist
August ; they stay with us till about the beginning of the hot
weather, when the flocks may be seen travelling from the east
to the west. I have also noted flocks returning as early as the
21st July.

694.—Ploceus baya, Blyth.

The weaver bird is very common about this. It breeds dur-
ing August, and, as a rule, prefers to hang its nest on the branch.
of a willow or keekur tree about the open wells, but I have
often found groups of nests on solitary keekur trees in the open
plains, far removed from water. The quantity of mud on the
sides of the nest above the egg chamber varies much,

699.—Lonchura punctulata, £. (Munia wndulata,
apud Jerdon.)

IT have only once seen the spotted munia here, and that
was during the rains. I have not obtained a specimen.

703.—Munia malabarica, L.

The plain brown munia is very common here. It builds
during March, April, and May.

This bird seems to build anywhere, and I have taken its nests
in old walls, about houses, and in various trees. One nest I have
noted had six eggs; it was built in a babool tree about 20 feet
from the ground, and just above it was a nest of a shrike,
C. lahtora. The nest was not of the beautiful Florence-flask
shape, which is so common in the North-Western Provinces.

It was round and coarsely built of fine grass loosely worked
together. The lining consisted of pieces of cotton, scraps of
cotton cloth, and a few feathers.

706.—Passer indicus, Jardine and Selby.

Very common. It is with great difficulty that I can keep
the sparrows from building inside my house, and were it not
for a fine long blow-pipe which I possess, the thatch in my
verandah would be utterly destroyed by them. They know
the shape of the blow-pipe as well as any old crow knows the
shape of a gun.

“07—Passer salicicola, /ieill.

I found this sparrow very plentiful in the keggera jungles
near to the town of Koochamun during the cold season. %

388 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

711.—Gymnoris flavicollis, Franklin.

The vellow-throated sparrow is very common about here.
When the bird is in full plumage, the bright yellow throat patch
contrasts beautifully with the ash color of the breast.

716 dis.—_Fringillaria striolata, Licht.

This species is found in the scrub jungles about the hills
near to Nawa and Marot. Mr. Hume found it breeding on
the Taragurh hill near Ajmere, and I have not the shghtest
doubt that it breeds about the hills near the lake.

716.—Citrinella Huttoni, Blyth.

1 have obtained this bird on two or three occasions in the low

range of hills close to Nawa and about Koochamun.

722.—Euspiza luteola, Lath.

At times I have seen large numbers of this species here.
The last I saw about the 15th April 1873, and the males were
in full breeding plumage.
724.—Melophus melanicterus, Lath.

Very rare in this immediate neighbourhood. I have only
obtained two specimens, both females, at Sambhur itself, but in
the Kochamun bills I have had a number of males shot for me.
738.—Carpodacus erythrinus, Pw//.

The common rose-finch is very rare about Sambhur.. I have
~ only observed it on one or two occasions. In March I shot
a fine male in summer plumage, and in September I obtained
a female.

756.—Mirafra erythroptera, Jerd.
Common about the scrub jungles.
715'7.— Mirafra cantillans, Jerd.

Not very common.
758.—Ammomanes pheenciura, Franklin.

This finch-lark is very common about the fields immediately
after the rains. It seems, however, at other times to prefer the
stony ground at the foot of the neighbouring hills. ‘Tarsus
0°85; Jerdon gives this as °5.

760.—Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scop.

The black-bellied finch-lark is very plentiful. It breeds —

about here from March till August. The first nest which I

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 389

found was on the 22nd April, 1870. As I was ridmg along the
lake edge, I saw a female with a feather in its bill, so I followed
it up to its nest. The nest was nearly finished, but contained
no eggs. On the 26th there were two eggs, and I think this is
the normal number, but I have a record of three being found in
one nest. The nest was built well out into the lake bed, on
the top of a low retaining wall of a salt pan. It was a deepish
cup shape, in diameter about three inches, with the egg cavity
rather less than two inches acrossand half aninch deep. It was
chiefly composed of coarse pieces of -grass worked carelessly
together, and here and there were pieces of cloth and twine of
the same material as the salt bags are made of. Round the nest
was a belt about five inches broad composed of small pieces of
an incrustation of saline earth about a tenth of an inch in thick-
ness. The pieces varied much in size, but the largest were about
an inch long by half an inch thick.

This nest was comparatively safe, but it is a puzzle to me
how others which I have seen on the lake edge escape being
squashed by the thousands of bullocks and camels which are
continually passing and re-passing.

The eggs are pale yellowish green in color and covered with
very minute specks of various shades of brown.

761.—Calandrella brachydactyla, Zeis/.
Very abundant. |

4761 ter.—Melanocorypha torquata, Bi.

This lark is not very common. The only specimen I have was
rescued from the talons of a bhyree (peregrine). .
765 bis*. —Spizalauda simillima; Awe:

Not very common.
767.—Alauda gulgula, Frank.

Very abundant. Flocks of this species are found all over the
plains in the cold weather.
”69.—Galerida cristata, LD.

The crested lark is very common. It breeds about April and
May. On the 29th April IT saw a nest all but finished in a
wheat field. In young birds the head, back, and wing coverts
are spotted with dusky white.

* This isthe Upper Indian form, quite distinct, as I have previously pointed
out, from 8. deva of Sykes, which, by the way, may have to stand as S. Malabarica.
Scop.— Ep., Stray FEATHERS.

390 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

'/'72.—Crocopus phoenicopterus, Lath.

This species is very rare. I have obtained a single specimen
which was feeding on a burgot tree.

773.—Crocopus chlorogaster, Blyth.

On my first arrival at*Sambhur, we used to shoot these birds
for the table, but lately the bird has almost disappeared. Quite
recently I observed this bird feeding on a burgot tree at
Nawa.

788.—Columba intermedia, Strick.

As the killing of the common blue pigeon is strictly pro-
hibited all through Rajputana, this species is very abundant.
The Native Governments allow a certain quantity of grain to
be given to the pigeons each morning, and pay a man to feed
them. very morning at break of day flocks of pigeons may
be seen hurrying into Sambhur from the surrounding villages,
and when the grain is thrown out to them the fluttering and
fighting of the thousands of birds is a sight well worth seeing.
When the grain has been consumed, each flock starts off for its
home. It seems to breed throughout the year. I have had them
breeding in my verandah, but old wells seem to be their
favourite nesting place.

792.—Turtur rupicola, Pail.

Very rare. I have only observed this bird once at Sambbur.

Specimen shot 10th May 1873. Some of the feathers of the

back and upper tail coverts are edged with rufous.
Jerdon does not note that the neck spot is tipped with grey.

794.—Turtur cambayensis, Gel.

Very common. Some specimens have the head of a very
pronounced pink color as compared with others. It breeds here,
and builds in small trees, verandahs, &c.

495.—Turtur suratensis, Gumel.
This bird is not common abouf Sambhur. I have only
obtained specimens during the rains.

796.—Turtur risorius, Z.

Very common. This bird breeds here throughout the year.
On one occasion I saw this bird feeding a pair of well-fledged
young, and on re-visiting the nest about five days after, I found
the nest with two eggs.

ae Se Ss en era entire hee =

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake &§ its vicinity. 391

4797.—Turtur humilis, Ten.

Very common. Breeds here throughout the year.

799.—Pterocles arenarius, Pallas.

This bird is with us in very large numbers during the cold
weather. I have repeatedly watched it during the early morn-
ing, and have never seen it drink till about nine o’clock. The
bird-catchers here catch this bird by throwing a net over a
flock in the dusk.

800.—Pterocles fasciatus, Scopoli.

This very beautiful bird is common about all the low ranges
of hills. Sometimes it is met with under the shade of the “tor”
(Euphorbia Royleana) about half-way up the hills, but, as a
rule, small parties are generally flushed at or near the base of
the hills where the ground is mostly stony. My first acquaint-
ance with this bird was made on the 4th March 1871. I had
been beating the hill sides for pig and samber all day in com-
pany with Thakoor Kesree Sing of Koochamun—the finest
specimen of a native gentleman it has ever been my good
fortune to meet—when on our return home I noticed a number
of these birds rising up before our horses, as we crossed a patch
of stony ground. On my asking the Thakoor if they were rare
about his hills, he replied that they were generally to be found
in twos and threes, but that if I liked he would take me to the
drinking place of the birds which was only a little way off our
road home, and there I should see them coming in hundreds to
drink. Accordingly we at once started for the pond. The
patch of water—it could hardly be called a pond—was
situated in a tope of babool trees close to a large pucca well. We
reached the place about half an hour before sunset, and then I
observed a few pigeons and doves, a wagtail and a redstart
coming to drink; about half an hour after the sun had set, or
when it was dusk to all mtents and purposes, I heard the peculiar
eluck, cluek, which fasciatus makes when rising, and some six or
seven birds flew rapidly through the clump under the babool trees
and settled down on the bank about eight feet from the water.
There they lay perfectly still for two or three seconds, and then
all of them commenced a rapid run down to the water. By this
time others came flocking in, and in about five minutes I could
see that there were about fifty birds collected. It was now
so dark that, although only about twenty yards distant from them,
I required my binoculars to see the birds.

I fired at a group of six and killed two, the other birds flew
off uttering their clucking call; all flew very low round the tope

392 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § tts vicinity.

and again settled down near the water. I again fired and killed
five with one barrel, and when the birds returned I killed three
more. After the third shot, none returned. Of the ten birds
shot four were females, and on dissection I found thatthe eggs
were far advanced. In two birds the yolks were well formed,
and one had the shell pretty tough, but without any coloring
on it.

I asked the Thakoor to assist one of my servaats in looking
for the nests, and the first was found on the 3rd April. I have
since obtained fresh eges in May. The nest, I was told, was
simply a hollow seraped in the ground with a number of small
pieces of stone round the edge, and some loose grass for a
lining. |

The number of eges in each nest varies from two to three,
but in one nest four were found. When fresh, the eggs
vary from a deep to very pale salmon color, but when blown,
the color changes in a few days to a rich cream color, and all are
pretty uniformly spotted and speckled with light lavender and
rusty. They are of a blunt oval form and measure in length
about 1-4, and in breadth nearly one inch.

802.—Pterocles exustus, Zemm.

The common sand grouse is found here throughout the year
in great numbers. It breeds here, and I have taken the nests
in April and May.

I have seen a nest here at the root of a tuft of sarpat grass,
the leaves of which protected the bird from the sun’s rays. The
nest had a lining of loose pieces of grass, and contained three eggs.

803.—Pavo cristatus, ZL.

In Rajputana this bird is considered sacred, and the shooting
of it is prohibited ; it is consequently very common and very
tame. It breeds in the beginning of August, and when the
young birds are hatcbed, the parent bird keeps them well out of
sight, but as they grow up, no danger being anticipated, the
young are brought on to the roads and about the temples without
any fear.
822.—Ortygornis ponticeriana, Gmei.

This species is very common everywhere round the lake. I
have taken its eges during May. I have seen this bird take
three separate flights and each time settle in a tree.

82'7.—Perdicula asiatica, Lath. ie

Not common. I obtained a few specimens of these birds from
the serub jungles near the Koochamun hills. The young males

ae
‘Ww
a

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its viemity. 393

were barely distinguishable from the females, but for a few
black cross bars on the breast feathers.

Male, length, 7-1; expanse, 10°3; wing, 3°2; tarsus, 1 ;
bill at front, 0°55.

Female, length, 6:7; expanse, 10:1; wing, 3:1; tarsus, 1;
bill at front, 0:5.
829.—Coturnix communis, Bonn.

This bird is often met with in grass lands or near to cultiva-
tion. A male in my possession has none of the black spots
Crean on the breast, sides of neck and flanks described by

erdon.

830.—Coturnix coromandelica, Gmel.
The black-breasted quail is nowhere common, but it is now
and then met with amongst the scrub and cactus jungles near

the foot of the hills.

836.—Otis Edwardsi, Gray.

Although I have never seen this bird about here, it has.
been shot by some of the Railway Engineers so close to this
neighbourhood as to warrant my including it in this list.

837.—Houbara Macqueeni, Gray.

I have met with this bird on three occasions during the cold
weather, and out of a party of six I obtained two and wounded
a third ; it is very wary. One morning I flushed a Houbara,
and when it settled on the top of a sand hill, it turned round
and deliberately watched my course, and when I reached the
top of the sand hill, I found that it had turned at aright angle
to the line I was taking.

839.—Sypheotides auritus, Lath.

I have only obtained one specimen of this bird, a fine male, at
Sambhur. It was shot on the 19th July.

840.—Cursorius coromandelicus, Gmel.

This species is very abundant about the lake during the |
whole cold season. It frequents the sandy plains, and is ~
frequently seen in company with flocks of Cursorius galheus.
I saw a few birds towards the end of May, so it is probable that
it. breeds here. .

840 dis.—Cursorius gallicus, Gmel.

The cream-colored courser is very abundant all over the
sandy plains durmg the cold weather. On the approach of
the hot weather it disappears, and I believe goes further west or

I

394 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

north to breed. I have sent three parties in three different
years to obtain the eggs, but have never succeeded. There is a
great difference in the color of the birds; some are very pale,
while others are very deeply colored. Mr. Hume has obtained
large numbers of the eggs from the Sirsa district, where
C. coromandelicus is unknown.

848.— Asgialophilus cantianus, Lath.

Large flocks of ring plover are found about the lake edge
during the rains and the cold weather. A young male shot
10th March 1873, has the band on the forehead, the streak on
the lores and ear coverts, and the patches on the sides of the
breast deep black.

849.—Aavialitis fluviatilis, Bechst.

This species is very common all about the grass lands ad-
joing the lake during the cold weather.

851.—Vanellus cristatus, Meyer.

This species is very rare. I have seen it twice at a lake near
to Koochamun, and have only obtained one specimen.

852.—Chettusia gregaria, Pail.

Not very common ; during the cold weather it is to be met
with sparingly about the plains. All the specimens I have
are in winter plumage, and have the head brown with black spots,
and dusky spottings all over the breast.

853.—Chettusia flavipes, Savigui.

Not common, but small parties of this species are met with
in the open plains during the cold weather. In one specimen
of what I take to be a young bird, some of the tail-feathers are
tipped with brown on their outer webs.

855.—Lobivanellus indicus, Bodd.

This species 1s very common. I have taken its eggs from
March till July. The nest is a small hollow in the ground,
without any lining; round the edge of the nest a few small
stones are placed. A pair nested on the high-water level of the
lake near to where salt had to be stored, and I have repeatedly
seen the bird sitting on the eggs, although the natives were
passing backwards and forwards within a yard of it. The
young run about as soon as they are hatched, and when pursued
try to make themselves look smaller, if. that were possible, by
squatting near a stone or piece of earth. The parents are

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity, 395

equally frantic with grief and pleasure when they see the young
caught and let loose a again.

The young birds ‘amie head, sides of neck, and eee black,
with rufous tips to the feathers. The back is a pale-brown
with a greenish tinge, all the feathers being edged with rufous
white. The wattle in the specimen before me is about a tenth
of an inch long, and this, together with the eyelids, base of bill,
and legs are all pale-yellow.

859.—Qidicnemus crepitans, Zemm.

Thave only met with the stone plover in the scrub jungle
near to Mata Pahar and the low range of hills to the west of
Nawa. At the latter place I saw a party of four.

Female, length, 16°5; expanse, 29; wing, 9°1; tail, 4°7;
tarsus, 3°3 ; bill at front, 1:9; from gape, 2-1.

863.—Grus antigone, Z

The Sarus is very common, and although generally seen
in pairs, I have seen as many as thirty young and old
feeding together. Although the people of Rajputana do
not worship the bird, they object to its being shot, and they
look upon the killing of the pair as a lesser sm than the killing
of one. Should one of a pair be killed, the native belief is that
the surviving bird calls all the long-night for its mate, and
beats its head on the ground until it dies. I took the eggs of
this bird on the 23rd August. The nest was in a patch of
grass land flooded by the rains. One bird was on the nest, and
the other was standing near, but neither showed any inclination
to fight.

865.—Grus cinerea, Bechst.

I have only seen one flock of this species about the lake, and
that was during last cold weather.

866.—Anthropoides virgo, Z

This crane visits the neighbourhood in large flocks during the
cold weather. On the 13th March 1873 I saw a flock ina
field near to Nawa, but I did not get a shot at them.
8'71.—Gallinago scolopacina, Bp.

Owing to the entire want of marsh land, this species is rarely
met with in any number. During the cold weather I have
shot one or two about the banks of the open welis. ,

8'72.—Gallinago gallinula, Z

Very rare. I have only procured one specimen.

396 Notes.on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

8'73.—Rhynchea bengalensis, Z

The painted snipe is only seen here during the rains; about
that time a few birds are met with about the swamps, ; which
look like large patches of water during the rains, but which
entirely dry up on the approach of the hot weather.

875.—Limosa egocephala, Z

This bird frequents the lake edge in large numbers onEne
the cold weather.

8'7'7.—Numenius lineatus, Cuv.

The curlew is frequently met with feeding in fields of young
grain. I have seen small flocks of seven aoe eight birds, but
cenerally it is found alone. It utters its fine loud call when
flushed, and seems to be more noisy in the morning than at any
other time of the day.

Bill black, pale fleshy near the gape, on the lower mandible.
Male, lensth, 22°53; expanse, 4°55; bill at front, 5°6; from
gape, 5-45 ; wine, Tihs mid-toe antl claw, 2

On the 10th April I obtained a specimen of this bird with
eirclets of lake mud on each leg just above the foot. These
were about two inches in diameter and three quarters of an inch
thick, and completely covered with a crust of salt. The last
bird I observed was on the 18th hgh:

580.—Philomachus pugnax, L

Very common in the cold weather. Large flocks eos the /.
lake and also visit the neighbouring fields.

882.—Tringa subarquata, Gould.

The curlew stint visits the lake only in small numbers during

the cold weather. I recently, on the 21st of May, obtained a -

female of this species in very nearly full summer plumage.

883.—Tringa cinclus, Z

The dunlin frequents the lake edge in large numbers during
the cold weather.
884.--Tringa minuta, Leis/ler.

Large flocks of this little stint frequent the lake during the
cold weather. Up to the 25th May 1873, I have obtained these
birds in their full summer plumage. By the end of May they
had all left.

892.—Totanus ochrophus, Z

Common. Single birds are always to be seen in the cold
weather feeding round the edves of open wells. The oer tail-

Ss ee A ee

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 397

feathers have spots of light brown on the outer web near the tip,
and the longest feathers of the upper tail coverts have a’ pale-
brown round spot near the tip.

893.—Tringoides hypoleucos, L.
Very.rare. I have obtained only one specimen.
894.—Totanus canescens, Gime.

Very rare. I shota female 4th May 1873, changing into the
summer plumage.

896.—Totanus fuscus, Z.

Not very common. Upper tail coverts banded brown and
white. In one specimen that I have, the central tail-feathers
are nearly the uniform dark-grey Jerdon describes, but they
show traces of bands, and in other specimens these feathers
are distinctly banded with dark-brown and dusky-brown.

897.—Totanus calidris, L.

This species is sparingly met with during the cold weather.

898.—Himantopus intermedius, Blyth.

Immense flocks of this bird frequent the lake from the com-
mencement of the rains till the beginning of the hot weather,
anda few stragglers are to be found now and then about the
fresh-water ponds during the summer months. In young stilts
the interscapulars vary in color from a light to a dark shade
of brown. Extent from 27-4 to 28°8. Legs and feet, red.

899.—Recurvirostra avocetta, L.

This species is rare about the lake. During last rains, I ob-
tained four specimens from the Sambhur side and one from the
Nawa Goodha side of the lake. The last bird was shot on the
3rd March 1873. Since that time I shot a specimen on 9th
April. Male, length, 17:9; expanse, 29°3; wing, 6; tarsus,
3-2; bill, 3-9; tail, from vent, 3°7; irides, reddish-brown.
901.—Hydrophasianus Chirurgus, Scop.

{ have only observed one specimen of this bird here. It was
in full summer plumage. Shot 5th June 1873.

903.—Fulica atra, Z.

This species is somewhat rare, but it is now and then seen
on the ponds and about the open’ wells.

904.—Gallicrex cristata, Latham.

I have observed this species only once here. On the 23rd
June 1873 I found a female skulking amongst some reeds.in an

398 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake S: its vicinity.

open well, and it was with great difficulty that I succeeded in

flushing it. Inides, yellow. Bill, upper mandible dusky, horny |

yellow at base, lower mandible pale yeliow, horny at tip. Legs
and feet, dusky green. Length, 13°5 ; expanse, 22-7; wing, 7-0;
tail, from vent, 2°8; bill at front, 1:3; tarsus, 2°5; length of
foot, 5:1.

905.—Gallinula chloropus, Z.

Numbers of this bird frequent all the open wells here. It

has a fine loud call, which it utters when feeding about the
fields in the early morning. When pursued it runs quickly with
its tail erect to the well, and lies close in the lone grass near
the water.

908.—Porzana akool, Sykes.

This bird is not common. It frequents the open wells, and
is very difficult to find once it gets into the cover of the long
grass which grows thickly on their banks.

Female, length, 11:9; expanse, 19; tail, from vent, 2:2;
wing, 6:4; bill, from front, 1°2; tarsus, 1:6.

915.—Leptoptilus dubius, Gel.

I have onlyobserved two pairs of this bird about here, and
that was during the rains. .

917.—Mycteria indica, Lath.

I have only seen a pair of young birds of this species here.

The female was shot on 26th March 1873. 'The head and neck
were tawny-brown; on the head there are one or two feathers.

glossy blue-black.

The back and shoulder of wing, brown, with pale tippings to
the feathers. Scapulars and secondary coverts, dull glossy-green.
Beneath, white; the breast has some ashy markings on the
feathers and an interrupted dark ashy band. ‘ail, one-third at
base, white; the remaining two-thirds glossy green; all the
feathers tipped white. Length, 52°83; expanse, 85°9; wing, 24;
tail, from vent, 9°6; tarsus, 13°5; bill, at front, 11-5; length of
foot, 7:5; inides, brown.

420.—Melanopelargus episcopus, Bodd.

The white-necked stork isa constant visitor during the rains.
I have noticed small flocks of seven or eight working after the
frogs which abound in the open wells. Top of the head, black,
with dull green reflections.

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § its vicinity. 399

923.—Ardea cinerea, Z.

The blue heron is very rare about this. I have only seen three
specimens, and of these I obtained two.

926.—Herodias intermedia, Hasselq.

This egret is not very common.

92'7.—Herodias garzetta, Z

This species is somewhat commoner than the last. Ivides,
pale-yellow.

929.—Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd.

The cattle egret is very common about this. It breeds in
June and July. In a village close to Sambhur I found a breed-
ing place in which some hundreds of birds had their nests.

930.—Ardeola Grayii, Sykes.

This species is not very common. Its favorite hunting
ground is an open well with a moderate amount of grass on the
sides.

931.—Butorides javanicus, Horsf.

I have never shot this bird here, but during the rains of 1871
a pair were seen on the edge of a water-course, and my servant
obtained the male bird. The head and crest feathers are dark
glossy green. There is a well defined line of darkish rufous
grey from the beginning of the throat to the breast.

938.—Tantalus leucocephalus, Gel.

The Pelican Ibis is not often met with in this neighbourhood.
I have generally observed solitary birds, and these frequent the
open wells which are used for irrigating the fields. One which
I shot in December 1872 had the glossy green reflections on the
wines and tail very brilliant, and on the breast a black band
which broadened on the flanks, with white tippings to all the
feathers. Bull, pale-yellow, dusky-greenish at the base; skin
on head and throat, gamboge-yellow ; irides, pale-brown. Fe-
male, length, 38 ; expanse, 69°75 ; wing, 19°5; tail, from vent,
6-5; bill, from gape, 9-2 ; tarsus, 9-2; mid-toe and claw, 4°7. I
saw a pair on 25th May 1873. ee

939.—Platelea leuicorodia, 2

I have met with small flocks of the sroonbull during the
rams only.

400 Noles on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § us vicinity.

941.—Threskiornis melanocephalus, Z.

During my residence at Sambhur, I have only observed this
species on one occasion, vz.,on 19th June 1873. The specimen
shot was a fine male. All the quills were white, with the excep-
tion of one, which had a narrow black line about an inch in length.
Irides, dark-brown ; legs and feet, very deep purple, almost black.
Length, 30°9; expanse, 53°3; wing, 15:3; tail, from vent, 5:1;
bill, at front, along curve, 7:7; tarsus, 4:3; length of foot,
6:2; the elongated re-curved breast feathers measured 4 inches.

942.—Geronticus papillosus, Tem.

This species is very common, and is generally seen in small
flocks of four or six feeding together. I saw eggs of this bird
taken in the month of September, and on the 10th August 1873
my attention was called by a tremendous screaming to a pair of
these birds on the top of a pepul tree. On looking up, I found
the birds busy courting ; both of the birds were screaming loudly
and waving their long necks about in a most absurd manner.

In young birds the red papillae on the head are replaced by
fuscous brown feathers.

944.—Phcenicopterus roseus, Pall.

When the late Lord Mayo visited the lake, he was much

struck with the view he obtained from one of our highest salt
heaps of the brilliant masses of rose-colored flamingoes stretching
away to the horizon.

Flocks of this bird appear after the first heavy showers of
rain, and the length of time they remain here depends on the
amount of water in the lake. This year I saw the last flock
about the middle of March, but last year, when there was more
water in the lake, they remained till the beginning of April.
I give the measurements of a male and female—

Length. Expanse. Wing. Tarsus. Tail. Bill along curve.
Male on | HO) 56 175 14:9 6-0 64
’ Female ... 402 62°5 15:0 10°4 51 56

When they first. arrive they are easily shot. I have knocked
over six with one barrel, but they soon became very wary. At the
beginning of May 1873 we had showers and storms for six days,
and on the 7th and 8th I observed two small flocks of this bird
in the lake.

944 bdis.—Pheenicopterus minor, Geoffr. St. Hil.

This bird was observed in large flocks during the cold
weather of 1872, wide my Note, page 32, ante. last cold
weather, besides obtaining specimens of the adult bird, I have

.

Se ee ae

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & tts vicinity. 401

obtained what I presume is the young of this species ; but it is
strange that I never observed one of these young birds during
my numerous hunts after the adult birds last year.

Description of young birds—Head, neck, and breast, pale
dusky-ashy, darker on the throat and upper part of the neck,
and on the breast in some specimens there is a brownish tinge,
and all the shafts of the breast feathers are dark-brown. Abdo-
men and lower tail coverts, white. Primaries, black. Wing coverts,
froma light to a dark-brown, with all the feathers darkly shafted ;
back brown, with pale edges to the feathers. The under coverts
of the wing and wing lining, very delicate rose color, and on each
of the covert feathers there is a narrow black line running along
the quill about an inch and a half from the tip.

Bill, deep leaden-ashy, with a tinge of deep red about the
middle and on the sides. Membrane round the eye, deep leaden ;
legs, leaden-ashy.

be P Mid-toe and Bill,fromgape, Tail, from
Length. Extent. Wing. Tarsus. F v sere

W. straight.
Male .. 292 499 122 65 28 aA 3°8
Female... 265 515 128 64 27 33 4:0

Nearly all the young I obtained were shot in December 1872,
but my attention was first drawn to the young birds by a speci-
men shown to me by one of my officers, Mr. Braybrooke, who
_ shot it about the close of the rains. The last flock of this species
observed this year was on the 2nd March. I sent a man after
them, but he could not get near them. ‘There were no young
birds in the flock.

In the adult birds the irides were crimson on a whitish
ground.

949.—Anser indicus, Gmel.

This goose is only occasionally met with in very small flocks.
I have succeeded in obtaining two specimens only.

Bill, legs, and feet, pale-yellow ; the bill has a purplish tinge
about the gonys and nostrils, and the nail is of a deep slaty-blue
color ; irides, dark-brown.

Female, wing, 16°7; tail, 5°5; length, 27-1; expanse, 54°1 ;
bill, from gape, 1°85.
950.—Sarkidiornis melanonotus, Penn.

I have only seen one bird of this species at Sambhur, and
that was during the rains of 1871. last year, however, a fine
male was shot for me in September.

954.—Casarca rutila, Pall.

The brahminy duck is very rare about Sambhur. I have never
seen it, but on the Koochamun jheel I once saw three birds.

K

402 Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake & its vicinity.

957.—Spatula clypeata, Z
_ This species is very common during the cold weather on the

lake and about all the patches of fresh water in the neighbour-
hood. Indes of the male, pale-yellow ; of the female, brown.

959.—Anas peekilorhyncha, Gmmel.

This duck is met. with throughout the year, but is seen in
greater numbers during the rains.
961.—Chaulelasmus streperus, L.

The gadwall is very common about the lake and neighbour-
ing ponds during the cold weather. A fine male measured—

length, raat ye eve 35'2; tail, from vent, 3°8; wing, 10:9;
tarsus, 1:5.

964.—Querquedula crecca, L.

The common teal is very plentiful in the cold weather, and
is to be found in the lake until the water becomes very salt.

The glossy part on the sides of the head and the speculum
is green, with purplish reflections; the lower tail coverts are deep
black with bluish reflections,
965—Querquedula circia, L.

I have observed only a few small flocks of the blue-winged
teal on the Jake during the cold weather.

967.—Fuligula rufina, Pal.

‘The red-crested pochard frequents the lake and ponds during
the cold weather, but it does not occur m large numbers.

~968.—Aythya ferina, L.
I have observed a few small parties of this species during the

cold weather. A fine male I have has the breast deep-brown,
with silvery edgings to the feathers.

969.—Aythya nyroca, Giild

This species is another of our cold weather visitants, but it is
not common. ‘
975—Podiceps minor, L.

This bird is met with very commonly on all the ponds and
jheels, Irides, pale yellow.
980.—Larus brunneicephalus, Jerdon.

This species is very plentiful during the whole cold season and
up to the beginning of the hot weather, Towar ds the hot
weather it leaves the lake and frequents the fresh-water ponds,

Notes on the Birds of the Sambhur Lake § ils vicinity. 403

981.—Larus ridibundus, Z.

Very plentiful during the cold weather and up to the begin-
ning of the hot weather.

I have a fine male in full summer plumage which was shot
15th March 1873. Length, 17-5; expanse, 37:7; tail, from
vent, 4:7, .

—

983.—Sterna nilotica, Hasselq.

Common during the cold weather. I havea female, shot 3rd
September 1870, without a single streak in the head feathers.
all the feathers of the occiput and nape are very pale ight-grey.

984.—Sterna hybrida, Pallas.

‘The small marsh tern is very common about the lake during
the cold weather; when the brine becomes dense, it takes to the
fresh-water ponds. I have birds in a variety of plumage, shot
on 21st April, one in full summer dress, others with grey and
white feathers on the breast, and one with about half an inch
of white on the forehead and no grey on the breast. The legs
of this latter bird are very dark in color, while the legs of the
others are very dull-red.

1001.—Pelicanus onocrotalus, Dy

I have only obtained one specimen of a pelican. At different
times I have seen flocks flying overhead, but I have never
seen a flock settled about the neighbourhood. The bird I
captured had met with an accident of some sort and could not
fly, and it was eaptured alive.

1005.— Graculus carbo, Z.

The large cormorant is rare. I once saw a party of about
ten, and succeeded in securing a pair. The male, shot 30th
March 1871, had the white hair-like feathers on the neck
which Jerdon mentions.

1007.—Graculus melanognathus, Brande.

This species is not common, but small parties are now and then .
seen about the ponds.

1008.—Plotus melanogaster, Penn.

I have only observed this bird on one occasion at Sambhur,
21st June 1873. The specimen-obtained was a male. The

404: Noveutins.—Arachnechthra andamanica.

back, upper tail coverts, and all the lower parts are deep black
with glossy green reflections. Irides, pale greyish-yellow, with an
inner and outer ring of pale yellow. The upper mandible of the
bill is dusky yellow, the lower mandible, gamboge yellow,
whitish at the tip. Legs, dirty white, the toes and web mixed
black and dirty white, the black being greatest on the outer
toe and web, and decreasing inwardly.

Length, 37:1; expanse, 47:2; wing, 141; tail, from vent,
10:5; bill, at front, 3-9; tarsus, 1°7. The testes were °6 in
length.

P. §.—I have just procured a single specimen of a bird
which I never before saw in this neighbourhood, wz. : —

208.—Ololygon passerinus, Yahi.
R. M. A.

Aovelties.

Arachnechthra andamanica, Sp. Nov.

Nearly allied to A. jugularis, Lin., A. frenata, Mill., and A. flammax-
illaris, Blyth. Bull at front, 0-8 to 0:87 ; under surface, pale yellow,.

or yellowish white ; axillary tufts, bright gamboge yellow, without the
slightest tinge of flame color, or orange ; a more or less reddish olive
brown pectoral band, bounding the metallic gorget.

Tu above diagnosis suffices, it seems to me, to separate from
all previously described species, the Andaman honey-sucker,
which has hitherto been identified with frenata of Miller:

Having now obtained a large series of this Andaman species, |

males and females in breeding, and non-breeding plumage, I
can not myself doubt its distinctness. From A. pectoradlis,
Horsf., so common in the Nicobars, it is like the three species
referred to in the diagnosis at once distinguished by the absence
of any metallic, blue, or purple patch on the forehead ; from
jugularis itis distinguished by the much larger size of its bill,
which Jardine gives at 0-7 from forehead to tip, and by the
much paler hue of its whole under parts, as well as of its axillary
tufts. Of the three species it most closely approaches yugularis,
and Jardine’s description of this bird “ chin, throat, and upper
breast, deep steel blue, mtensely dark in the centre, wad at the
sides a few dark brown feathers indicating a brown terminal band,”

St

Noveutins.—Arachnechthra andamanica. 4.05

is peculiarly appropriate so far as the passage in italics is con-
cerned, only it should be here noticed that the outermost por-
tion of the metallic throat and breast patch, has a decidedly
steel green and not a steel blue lustre ; from /renata it differs by
the almost entire absence in the adult male in full plumage of
any yellow supercilium, or trace of yellow on the cheeks, by its
reddish or olive brown pectoral band, and by the much paler hue
of the under parts ; from flammaaillaris it differs by its much longer
bill, by its much paler lower breast and abdomen, by the
axillary tuft being pale gamboge yellow, without a tinge of
flame color, or orange, and by the dark pectoral band being olive
brown, with only in some specimens a slight reddish tinge,
instead of dark red.

We obtained this species in every part of the Andaman group.
We have specimens from every station about Port Blair, from the
Jolly Boys, Macpherson’s Strait, from Stewart Sound between
N. and M. Andaman, from Little Button in the Archipelago,
from Narcondam, from both the great and little Cocos, and from
Preparis. We never once observed it in any portion of the Nico-
bar group, every island of which we visited, and throughout
which A. pectoralis, Horsf., abounds. The following are the
dimensions, taken in the flesh, and description of this new species :

Mates, length, 4°5 to 5 ; expanse, 6°5 to 7 ; wing, 2°1 to 2°15;
tail, from vent, 1:4 to 1:75 ; tarsus, 0°5 to 0°62 ; bill from gape,
0:9 to 1; bill at front, 0°S to 0°87 ; wings, when closed, reach
to within 0°75 to 0°85 of end of tail.

Femates, length, 4:4 to 47; expanse, 6°25 to 6:5; wing,
1°82 to 2°02 ; tail, from vent, 1°22 to 1:4; tarsus, 0°55 ; bill
from gape, 0°97 ; bill at front, 0°75 to 0°8 ; wing's, when closed,
reach to within 0°62 of end of tail.

Description.—Bill, legs, and feet, black; irides, deep brown.
Male in full breeding plumage; whole upper parts, including
sides of head and neck and wings, hair brown, darkest on the
quills ; the feathers of the wings narrowly margined on their
exterior webs with olive green, and the rest of the feathers, more
or less tinged, or suffused with this color. The amount of this
tinging varies very much in various specimens, in some there
is only a trace of this, in others it almost entirely “hides the
brown. In fact the difference is as great as between the summer
and winter plumage in some of the Phylloscopi ; in some speci-
mens there is more green on the rump, in others the tinge is
decidedly brightest on the head and interscapulary regions ; some
birds almost entirely want this tinge, and these have absolute-
ly no trace of a supercilium, others again, in which the green
tinge is more marked, killed as a rule towards the middle or

406 Nove tires.—Arachnechthra andamanica.

latter half of April, and which are about to doff the breeding
garb, shew a pale yellowish white supercilium, more or less dis-
tinctly ; it is the birds killed from December to March, during
which period they breed, that are brownest above, and are
characterized by the absence of the supercilium. The tail is
black ; the external lateral feathers broadly tipped for nearly
one-third of their extent on both webs with white ; the white of
the outer webs, however, being tinged with pale brown ; the next
pair on each side have the inner web white for about 0:2, and
the outer web brownish white just at the tip; the rest of the
tail feathers are excessively narrowly margined at theiy tips with
white ; sometimes the exterior web of the outer tail feather is
margined whitish the whole way up ; the chin, throat, and upper
breast have metallic reflections, deep purple in the centre, and a
steely green along the sides. Immediately below, is a narrow

more or less imperfect band, olive brown, with, in some, a more

or less ferruginous tinge, the rest of the lower parts are yellowish
white, or pale yellow, according partly to season, and partly to

individuals; and the axillary tufts which are conspicuous, are:

pure, rather pale gamboge yellow, in some specimens almost
primrose yellow. |

Towards the middle of April the males. doff the breeding plum-
age, the upper surface becomes somewhat greener, and the
rump slightly brighter colored, the superciliary stripe, though
still very small, becomes distincter and pale yellow ; the chin,
throat, and breast become a clear pale yellow, with only a mode-
rately broad central stripe of steely blue feathers ; the brown
pectoral band disappears.

The female closely resembles the male, is browner when he is
browner, greener when he is greener, and shews more or less
supercilium, at the same time as he does; but always I think
shews rather more; she differs im having the chin, throat, and
upper breast always pale yellow or yellowish white ; and in never
exhibiting any trace of the brown pectoral band.

These descriptions are founded on sixteen specimens of males
and ten of females, killed in different parts of the Andaman
group, between December and the end of April. This species
Is very common in the Andamans; and had we not had so many
other birds to attend to, we might have secured any number of
specimens.

Ee a ee ee ee Oe a

' Ephialtes Balli, Sp. Nov.

Of the pennatus type; but larger than either pennatus, Hodq., or spilo-
cephalus, Blyth. Terninal one-fourth of tarsus, bare ; wing, 5°78 ; upper
surface, with a few small, pale, rufous buff spots, more or less surround-
ed with a narrow blackish line.

Tuts fine species, which is certainly new to our Indian avi-
fauna, is the one noticed, doubtfully, by Mr. Ball, as #. spzlo-
cephalus ; (vide ante, p. 53.) It is, however, quite distinct from
this species, of which I have now a large series, and which never
assumes the rufous phase; moreover, the spottings on it are of
‘a totally different character, and it has a greater extent of the
tarsus bare. It is impossible to say whether this may, or may
not, be gymnopodus, Gray, as I can find no detailed description of
that species, nor does there appear to be any certainty as to
where the type specimen was procured. Such Malayan speci-
mens as I have seen, did not appear to me to differ from our
Indian pennatus, and though I suspend my opinion on this point,
I am inclined to doubt whether P. malayensis, Hay, is a good
species, and anyhow there is no doubt, I think, that it differs
quite as much from the present species as does pennatus.

Mr. Ball has already described this bird; but a fresh descrip-
tion may be useful.

We have as yet, unfortunately, only a single specimen, and
this was not measured in the flesh, nor was the sex ascer-
tained and recorded.

Dimensions.—Length, about .8; wing, 5°78; tarsus, 1:15;
bare portion, 0-3.

Description.—The whole upper surface is a rich deep, some-
what. ferruginous, rufous brown, a tint altogether different, from
that ever assumed by pennatus ; it is faintly freckled, and ver-
micilated with black, and bears a few small pale rufous buff
spots, more or less surrounded by a narrow blackish line; the
primaries are hair brown, tinged rufous on the outer webs, which
exhibit four or five conspicuous white bars, with traces. of dark
margins ; the inner webs are unmarked, except quite at the base,
where towards the margin there are three or four conspicuous
yellowish white spots, or imperfect bars.

The ground color of the lower surface is a rusty buff, but
little of this is seen, as the feathers are everywhere finely freckled
and vermicilated, and bear the usual black and white spots, or —
dashes, though these are.less conspicuous than in the allied
species ; the tarsal plumes are mingled rusty and blackish brown;
the tail is like the upper surface; but rather more strongly

408 » Nove utirs.— Dissemuroides dicruriformis.

vermicilated, and with a few irregular paler bars, bounded by
darker lines; the bars do not extend to the tips of the feathers.
The toes and claws are particularly long.

Dissemuroides, Gen. Nor.

Bill resembling that of Dissemurus ; rictal bristles, feebler ; no crest; a
tuft of hair like feathers on the forehead, sprmging from each side
of the base of culmen; tail much as in Buchanga albirictus, Hodg.,
and longicaudatus, Hay, but longer, and the exterior feathers more
than proportionally elongated, with the tips curved over towards the
centre of the tail, as in Chibia hottentotta.

Arter comparing the king-crows of the Andamans and the
Cocos, allied, but quite distinct, species, with all the dicrurine
birds of our part of the world, I am unable to identify them
with any genus of the family which is represented in India and
its dependencies. The elongated, powerful, sharply carinated
bill is that of Dzssemurus ; but there is no trace of a crest, the
exterior tail feathers are only shghtly lengthened, have no portion
of the shaft bare, nor even of the webs narrowed ; the tail, though
longer, is much like that of our common king-crow ; but the
whole tips of the external pair are turned well over, as in Chibia
hottentotia, and even more strongly so than in that species ; be-
sides all this, there is the peculiar tuft of re-curved frontal bustles,
springing from either side of the base of the culmen, I have
therefore separated these two birds* under the above generic
name, and give the following species as the type:

Dissemuroides dicruriformis, Sp. Nov.
Length, 13:25-14°6; wing, 5°6-5°9; bill, from gape, 14-15; tarsus, 0-9-1.

Ir is only im size that this species differs from its congener
andamanensis ; but that difference is so great, so invariable, and
so apparent to the eye even in the live bird, that I cannot avoid
separating the birds from great Cocos and Table Island, from
those of the Andaman group proper. It must not be supposed
that I have assumed this difference of size from insufficient evi-
dence. We shot a very large number of both species, and I
have now before me nineteen of the present species, and thirty-

* D. lophorinus Vieill would also apparently be included in this genus.

Novettizs.—Locustella subsignata. * 409

one of andamanensis procured at Mount Harriet, Port Mouat,
Aberdeen, Macpherson’s Straits, and other localities in the south-
ern half of the Andaman group. None of these fifty speci-
mens shew the slightest indication of bridging over the differ-
ence in size between the two species. The nineteen big birds,

and the thirty-one smaller ones, stand distinct and apart. IL

have given above a resumé of the dimensions of the present
species taken in the flesh. I subjoin for comparison the same
dimensions similarly recorded of the Andaman bird.

Length, 11:25-12; wing, 5-5°25; bill, from gape, 1:2-1:35 ;
tarsus, 0°8-0°9.

Except the quills, and a few white spots, at the tips of some
of the axillaries, and under wing coverts, the whole bird is
dull black everywhere, rather faintly glossed with a greenish ns
metallic reflection, most faintly so on the lower surface, and the
gloss, most decidedly green on the wing coverts, the outer webs
of the secondaries, tertiaries, and tail feathers; the primaries
are entirely hair brown; the secondaries, similar, but darker on
the outer webs, where they are glossed greenish ; the tertiaries,
and sometimes some of the later secondaries, dull black, or
blackish brown, more or less glossed on both webs.

I may add the followmg ‘dimensions of the present species
to those given in the diagnosis: expanse, 16°5-17°82 ; tail, 7-825;

weight, 2°25-2°5 ozs. The bill, legs, and feet are black; the

irides, dark brown.

Locustella subsignata, Sp. Nov.

Entire under parts, except centre of abdomen and vent, with linear
ovate, deep brown, subterminal, shaft spots.

Tus mteresting new species has as yet only been procured
in the ummediate “neighbourhood of Aberdeen, Port Blair; I did
not myself procure cf Mr. Davison who shot it after TI left
the Andamans, says :

“J found this little /ocustelle frequenting the same places as
Cyanecula cerulecula, Pal., viz., the dense scrubby weed growing
about the dried up paddy ‘fields ; I also, on two occasions, saw
it in a garden in a patch of jens. and once I flushed it from a
patch of sugar-cane. It is an awful little skulk, and will let
itself be almost trodden upon before it will rise. It makes its
way rapidly through the tangled weeds, and runs along the
_ ground in a, truly surprismg manner ; in walking through the

L

410° > — Noverrrms.—Locustella subsignata.

weeds I have on several occasions seen this little bird start up
and run rapidly along the ground; I am unable to say whether
it is a permanent resident at the Andamans, or not; 1 only met
with it for the first time, soon after my return to Port Blair from”
the Nicobars.”.

I have compared this bird with Lecustella rubescens,: Blyth ;
DL. Hendersonii, Cass., L. locustella, Penn ; and with the plates
of L. ochotensis, Mid., and ZL. certhiola, Pallas. It is very
close to all of these but closest to L£. Hendersonii, from whieh,
however, it differs most conspicuously im its strongly streaked
under surface. We only obtained two specimens, one very good
and one indifferent one; but as the fates would have it, out of
the four wings, only one is perfect ; in this one wing the second
quill is a hair’s breadth the longest, instead of the third being
the longest as in the other species of this genus; I do not,
however, attach much importance to this, because amongst my
European L. locustel/a, I find one bird. in which im one wing
the second primary is longer than the third.

Dimensions.—Uength, 5:°1; wing, 2°15; bill at front, 0-4 ; tail
from vent, 1:9 ; tarsus, 0:7; hind toe and claw, 0:5. The second
primary conspicuously notched on the inner web just at the
tip, the notch being much nearer to the tip than in rudescens,
locustella, or Hendersonti. Bill, upper mandible, brown; lower
mandible, pale fleshy white; legs and feet, very pale fleshy
brown ; irides, reddish wood brown.

The whole upper surface, including the elongated upper tail
coverts, a pale, somewhat olivaceous brown, each feather with
a conspicuous, blackish brown mesial stripe; the tail which is
euniform, plain pale hair brown, obsoletely barred; primaries
and secondaries, the same color as tail, very narrowly margined
at the tips with albescent, and less narrowly on the outer webs
with pale olivaceous brown; the shafts are albescent; the
tertiaries and coverts, a deeper hair brown, broadly margined
with the same olivaceous brown, as is exhibited on the rest of
the upper surface. There is an obscure buffy white line from
the nostril over the eye, and an ill-defined brownish band from
the lores under the eyes on to the ear coverts. The whole lower
parts are pale creamy yellow, slightly tinged with rufescent on
the flanks and lower tail coverts, and except at the point of the
chin and on the centre of the abdomen, every feather exhibits
near the tips an-oval blackish brown shaft spot, which spots are
very fine and closely set on the throat, somewhat larger on the
breast, broad and conspicuous on the flanks, and for the most
part reduced to mere lines on the lower tail coverts; the wing
lining and axillaries are unstreaked, pale, buffy-yellow.

Rhyticeros narcondami, Sp. Nov.

A mimature of RB. ruficollis, Vieil. Old adult male measured in the flesh,
length, 26 in. ; bill, from nostril to point, 4:5 in.; wing, 12.

As we neared the island of Narcondam, which is a single
large hill, some 1,700 feet in height, densely wooded, and
standing up solitary in the sea, between the Andamans and the
Coast of Burmah, we noticed a number of black looking birds
with white tails, flying about from tree to tree; every one at
first pronounced them to be Calenas nicobarica, of which we had,
a few days previously, at Batty Malve seen such vast numbers.
As we, however, neared the shore, 1t became apparent that both
the necks and tails of these unknown birds were too. long, and
the former too clumsy to belong to the Nicobar pigeon. The
island is a very difficult one to land on ; every where rock-bound,
and its foundation running sheer down into deep water, so
that a few yards from the water’s edge the sea is many fathoms
deep. When at last we landed, the whole interior, if I may so call
it, of the island, z. e., from beach to summit, was found to be
absolutely impenetrable; cyclone after cyclone had prostrated
generation after generation of trees, amidst the debris of which, a
new, and densely packed generation had sprung up, interlaced with
canes and other thorny creepers, and it was with great difficulty
that, we succeeded in bagging a pair of this strange bird, which
turned out to be a small hornbill exactly like ruficollis. One or
two more were shot, but the jungle was too dense to permit their
being retrieved. Luckily we obtained one of each sex; both
quite old birds, with six ribs on the casque, and the cutting edges
of the mandibles well worn by the wear and tear of many years.

These birds, as far as I can make out from descriptions and
plates, exactly resemble, so far as plumage, and the coloring of
the soft parts go, ruficotlis, Vieil; but considering how muck
larger this Papuan species is described to be, as also that it has
apparently only been found in new Guinea, the Solomon Islands,
Waigou, Mysol,»Gillolo, and Ceram, and not in any single loca-
lity intervening between these places, which all lie to the east of
the 125° east longitude,and Narcondam, which lies in east latitude
94,° I think I am, prima facie, justified in describing it asa new
species. The following are the dimensions recorded in the flesh :

Male, length, 26; expanse, 41:5; tail, from vent, 8-25;
wing, 12; wings, when closed, reach to within 4°5 of end of
tail; tarsus, 2°05; mid toe, to root of claw, 1:5; claw only,
straight from point to base, 0°7; bill, from nostril to point, 4°5 ;

412 Novetties.— Athopyga Nicobarica.

bill, from posterior margin of casque to point, straight, 5; length
of casque only, 2°67; greatest height of upper mandible melad-
ing casque, 1°4; of casque only, 0°6; weight, 1 |b. 3 ozs.

Female, length, 24; expanse, 37°75; tail, from vent, §;
wing, 10°75; tarsus, 1:8; mid toe, to root of claw, 1-4; elaw
only, straight from point to base, 0°55 ; bill, from nostril to point,
3°6; bill, from posterior margin of casque to point, straight,
4-1; length of casque only, 2:6; greatest height of upper man-
dible including casque, 1-25; of casque only, 0°6; weight, 1 Ib.

In both sexes the irides were pale red; the legs and feet
brown; the soles, grey ; the bill, pale horny yellow, brownish red
at base of both mandibles ; the casque has the posterior plate,
if I may so call it, reddish brown, the margin horny yellow, |
the succeeding ridges are also horny yellow, the furrows separat-
ing them being blackish brown; the orbital skin is pale smalt
blue ; the bare gular skin is white, tinged with greenish blue.
The whole chin and throat, and the sides of the lower mandible
below the eye, as well as the whole region round the eye, are, 1
should mention, bare ; but both above and below the gape, there
is a small tongue of feathers which divide, for two-thirds of their
breadth, the two bare patches of the orbit and lower mandible.

In the female the entire plumage (except the tail which is
pure white) is jet black, glossed on the wings and back with
dull metallic green ; the male differs in having the front of the
neck, below the bare gular patch, a somewhat pale rufous buff,
while the whole of the rest of the head and neck are bright
chestnut colored.

The casque is low and depressed at the base, just above the
nostrils only slightly wider than the upper mandible; but as 1
decreases in width less rapidly than the bill, it further on, more
perceptibly, overhangs this on both sides; it resembles a set of
rather thick scales laid one over the other, and each projecting a
quarter of an inch or so beyond the one immediately preceding
and overlaying it.

AKthopyga nicobarica, Sp: Nov.

Closely allied to the Malaccan Lathami, Jard., vel eapogon, Cab., and to
the Javan mysticalis, Temm., if this latter is distinct, but differs m the
conspicuously larger and longer bill (at front, straight from forehead to
point, 0°71-0°79.) ;

We obtained this species of honey-sucker only on Kondul, one
of the smaller islands of the Nicobar group, and situated in the

Noyrttiss.—“thopyga Nicobarica. 415

Strait, dividing the great and little Nicobars, and on Meroe,
another smaller island belonging, like the former, to the southern
groups of the Nicobars. On the former island they were very
numerous. Mr. Davison who saw more of this species than I did,
gives me the following remarks in regard to it:

“Tt frequents the tops of the cocoanut palms in company with
A. pectoralis, diligently searching among the flowers, now
hanging head down, now poising itself in front of the flowers,

and occasionally making a short hurried sally, apparently after
~ some insect. I shot several specimens on some low flowering
shrubs. It has a short, feeble twittering song which the male
utters every now and then. Dr. Stoliczka shewed me a nest of
this bird which he had found: it was fastened to the very end of
a long narrow pandanus leaf, about thirty feet from the ground : it
could not be got at by climbing , and I tried to cut it down-by
firing at the leaf, about a foot above the nest, but failed.”

The chief characteristic of this species is its large bill; it is
not a much bigger bird than the Malaccan Athopyga to which
type it belongs, as having the blue forehead and tail instead
of green asin miles and Vigorsz, but it has a bill nearly as large
as that of the latter species.

At first I was disposed to think that this bird might be the
true siparaja of Rafiles; but it appears to me on the whole
unlikely that this should be the case. Mthopygas from
Wellesley Province, Penang, Malacca, Java, and Borneo appear to
be undistinguishable, and under these circumstances it seems,
primd facie, voore likely that the Sumatran bird should belong to
that same species than that it should be identical with the honey-
sucker of the comparatively isolated Nicobars.

It may be convenient for comparison to give the exact
measurements taken from the flesh of some nearly allied
species. '

fi. Vicorsi, mate, length, 5°75-6; expanse, 7-7'5; wing,
2°5-2°65 ; tail, 2-2°37 ; tarsus, 0°62-0°66 ; bill, at front, 0°71-0°87.

Female, \ength, 5 ; expanse, 6°63 ; wing, 2°3 ; tail, 1°63 ; tarsus,
0°62; bill, at front, 0°71.

Ai. wines, male, length, 638-65; expanse, 6°5-7:13; wing,
2°35-2°4; tail, 3-3°25; tarsus, 0°56-0°6; bill, at front, 0°75-0°8.

Female, \eneth, 45; expanse 6:5; wing, 2°02; tail, 1°63;
tarsus, 0°55 ; bill, at front, 0-7.

In both these species the color of the bill, legs, aad feet in both
sexes is identical, and in neither have the females any red about
the throat, or peace

JETHOPYGA ? a specimen,) male, length, 4°33; wing,
1-71; tail, 2; tarsus, 0°49; bill, at front, 0): 51,

414 Novettius.—Hthopyga Nicobariea.

Aituopyea ? (Wellesley Province specimen) mate, length, 4°25 ;
wing, 2°1; tail, 1:75-1:37; tarsus, 0-5; bill, at front, 0°52-0°55.

T do not know the females of the above.

ARTHOPYGA NICOBARICA. .

Dimensions, males, length, 4-4°75 ; expanse, 6:25-6'5; wing,
1°82-2:12; tail, from vent, 16-2 ; tarsus, 0°5-0°55 ; bill, at front,
0:71-0°79. .

Femates, length, 3°82-4°25 ; expanse, 5°82-6°12 ; wing, 1°82-1°9 ;
tail, 1:25-1°6; tarsus, 0°5; bill, at front, 0°61-0°64.

In the male, the legs and feet and upper mandible are dark
brown, the lower mandible pale brown ; in the female, the upper
mandible is horny brown; the lower mandible horny yellow, and
the lees and feet, yellow ; in both sexes, the irides are brown.

The male has a large frontal patch, the upper tail coverts, the
central tail feathers, and the outer webs of the lateral tail feathers,
together with a long moustachial stripe from the base of the
lower mandible on either side, a beautiful deep metallic violet ;
the rest of the tail feathers are black; the hinder part of the
crown, oceiput, sides of the head, nape, interscapulary region,
scapulars, and middle back, a deep sanguineous red, the same
color as in miles; a narrow stripe from the «sides of the
upper mandible, (immediately above the violet moustache,) chin,
throat, and breast, a bright, somewhat orange scarlet, much
yellower and paler than in mz/es ; the bases of the feathers of
the chin and throat, a bright pale yellow, which shews through
more or less in most specimens, and in some very finely plum-

aged specimens, the bases of the breast feathers also are yellow,
and these shewing through present a streaked appearance, re-
minding one of Vigorsi, the streaks, however, bemg much
narrower than in this species. Other specimens shew no traces
of these streaks on the breast; wings, hair brown; the outer
margins of the secondaries, tertiaties, and some of the greater co-
verts, obscurely tinged with dull olive green ; abdomen, flanks,
vent, and lower tail coverts, a rather dusky grey, decidedly
tinged with olive green ; the males, in the most perfect plumage,
have a small blackish brown patch in the centre of the upper
abdomen, just below where the red of the breast terminates, a
similar, but lar ger, and more conspictous patch occurs in Vigorse ;
the rump is at first sight greyish black; but when the feathers
are pushed aside, the central portion is a gamboge yellow, but
with more of an orange tinge than in miles, and ‘the yellow
patch is much shorter than. in this latter species, being about
0-3 in length, against 0°7 in miles.

The females have the whole upper surface a rather dark clear
olive green, the wings and tail are hair brown, the feathers

Heterorhynchus Humec. | 415.

edged with olive green ; the chin, and throat and the sides of the
breast are asort of brick-dust red, and all the feathers of the
breast are more or less tinged towards the tips with this color.
(There is no mistake about this; we dissected the birds, and
though some of the females have a little less red than others,
they all exhibit it conspicuously.) The rest of the lower surface
varles somewhat in shade in different specimens, but in all is a
yellower, and paler olive green than the upper surface.

Hew Birds trom Sikbim, by ‘L. Mandelti.

Heterorhynchus, New Genus.

Characters.—Bill in form like that of Stachyris, but longer and
deeper, and the section of the lower mandible very square ; nostrils
long, and horizontally situated in a shallow short groove ; they
are sheltered by a sort of teet, or small segmental projecting:
shelf; wings short and much rounded ; the first or small quill
is unusually large and reaching nearly two-thirds the length
of the wing; 2nd, °40 inch longer than Ist; 3rd, 28 inch
beyond 2nd; 4th, -2 longer than 3rd; 5th, ‘1 inch longer than
4th ; 6th, 05 inch longer than 5th ; 7th, ‘03 inch longer than 6th,
. and the longest in the wing; 8th, slightly longer than 6th ;
and 9th, about equal to 5th; from this they gradually decrease
in the usual manner of very rounded wings. These proportions
appertain to a wine 2°7 inches long. The legs, feet, and claws
are stout and strong, and similar to those of a Garrulaz or
Trochalopteron ; tail much graduated, broad, and_ soft, of

moderate length or rather short for the bird ; plumage, soft and

lax, and in character like that of Garrulaz or Trochalopteron.
Heterarbonchus Aumei, Nov. Sp.

Description.—Color generally a pure black, spotted or streaked
on the head and upper back with rufous brown ; the feathers on
the back, the wing coverts, and the outer webs of the quills are
finely barred with the same color ; the tail is also finely barred with
rufous brown: the spots or small streaks on the forehead are
nearly pure white, so are some down the side of the neck, reach-
ing to the bend of the wing ; most of the feathers of the upper
surface are light shafted, so are those of the whole lower surface :

416 Minla Rufogularis.

there are a quantity of small light streaks all round the eye
extending to the ends of the ear coverts: there is a large patch
of dull greyish white on the abdomen, tke color of the white
on Merula boulboul ; lower part of abdomen, black, like the
breast, but streaked with rufous, and this rufous increases in
extent till the lower tail coverts are nearly entirely of that
color ; bill, black ; lees, feet, and claws, very dark brown.

Length of skin, 6°4 inches, and in the flesh will probably measure
6°5 inches or more; wing, 2°7 inches ; tail, 2°65 inches; bill at
front, ‘8 inch; depth at base, °3; width at base, 2 inch; from
gape to tip, about 1 inch; tarsus, 1:07; mid toe, ‘8; its claw,
°27; hind toe, -48 inches; its claw, ‘4 inch.

Three specimens obtained from Native Sikhim in February
last.

Ainly Autogularis, Nov. Sp.

Description,—Top of head, reaching to upper part of back, rich
olivaceous chestnut ; remainder of upper parts, olive, with a rufous
tinge; tail, dark reddish brown; wings, both coverts and quill
feathers, olive brown, edged with reddish brown, over the eye
a broad white supercilium continued to the ends of the ear
coverts, and this is surmounted by a broad velvet black streak,
which extends across the forehead, and is continued over the eye
till it reaches the shoulder: the white supercilium is narrowly
continued across the forehead immediately under the black
frontal band; the eyes are surrounded with a circle of bright
white feathers, like those of Zosterops palpebrosus and Abrornis
poliogenys : lores, greyish white; ear coverts, blackish olive,
shaded off at the edges; beyond the ear coverts is a crescentic
patch of bright fulvous white; chin, and extending slightly
beyond, white ; throat, dark rusty red ; breast, smoke grey on the
sides and fading to almost white on the centre ; abdomen, white ;
flanks, dusky olive ; vent and under tail coverts, bright ochreous ;
tibial feathers, olive, with a patch of bright fulvous on the mner
side at the joint; bill, black; legs, feet, and claws, pale brown.

The feathers on the top of the head have a similar scaley
appearance to those of Minla cinerea, and this pecuhar
character assisted me in placing this bird in the genus Minla.

I got one specimen from the Bhotan Doars in January last.

Length of skin, 4°6 inches ; in the flesh will probably measure
5 inch; wing, 2°16 inches ; tail, 2 inch; bill at front, 43; from
gape, °6; tarsus, ‘83 inches; mid toe, °6; its claw, ‘17; hind
toe, ‘36; its claw, ‘25,

Alotes.

Typ1aw OrnirHoLoeists are greatly indebted to both Mr. W. T.
Blanford and the editor of the “ ‘This, ” for a most valuable and kind-
ly notice of “Stray Feathers” whieh appeared in the April “ Ibis.”

This article is exactly what I hoped to see. With European
museums and libraries to consult, Mr. Blanford supplies many of
our deficiencies and corrects errors which, situated as we are here,
are at times inevitable.

It is impossible to overrate the assistance that ornithology in
India would receive from similar eritiques at Home of our work
here. After all we are most of us in this country field
naturalists ; put us any where about the country, let us feel the
temperature, have a glance round at the physical character of
the scenery ; see a little of the vegetation, and we can tell pretty
well what birds will be found in the neighbourhood : where
exactly to look for them, what they will be feeding on, where-
abouts to look for their nests, and a good many other particulars,
the knowledge of which is of more value in our eyes than in
those of what we somewhat irreverently term “ Cadinet natura-
lists.” But Cabinet naturalists are no less essential to the real
progress of science than field naturalists, and the great mistake
that both classes habitually make, is to undervalue each the labors
of the others. I myself have no such feelings. I greatly prefer
for my own part the out-door work ; but this makes me only the
more erateful to those who are content to plod over ponderous
lists of synonyms, and correct the errors of nomenclature into
which field naturalists far away from libraries and general
museums are sure to fall.

And now to recapitulate, briefly, the corrections with which
Mr. Blanford furnishes us.

first, he now concurs with me in considering Ofocoris Kl-
west identical with O. longirostris ; next, he points out that my
Ptionoprogne pathida (“ Stray Feathers,” vol. L., p. 1.,) is an Af-
rican species already named by Cabanis, Coty We obsoleta, and by
this specific name the bird must henceforth be known. Puffinus
persicus, nobis (“ Stray Feathers,” vol. I., p. 5,) he thinks is pro-
bably identical with P. obscurus ; but seems to agree with me
that. more specimens are essential to a satisfactory conclusion on
this pomt. Mr. Blanford is of opinion, and in this, the great
authority, Mr. Harting, is disposed to concur with him, that my
Hudromias tennurostris, is founded on a young specimen of Ayia-
litis Hartingt, Swinhoe, (P. Z. 8., 1870, p. 136, pl. 12,) described
from the Yang-tsi-kyang in China.
} M

418 Notes.

Since describing this new species (vzde ante, p. 17,) I have
met with a second example amongst some rejected duplicates of
my friend Mr. Mandelli’s collection. This second specimen was,
andoubtedly, procured in the Doars, below Darjeeling, a conti=
nuation eastward of the Terai. Dr. Jerdon gave me the type
specimen along with a number of Darjeeling bi rds, and althoueh

he delieved that he had procured it in Burmah (not ten of the

two hundred birds he gave me bore any tickets) I have no
doubt now that it also was obtained in the neighbourhood of
Darjeeling. The second specimen corresponds pr ecisely ly with the
first, but is in a better state of preservation.

I ‘suspend my own opinion as to this identification. Certainly
neither of my birds are young ones.

In regard to Procarduelis saturatus, Blanford, he tells us that
he has compared this with the types of P. pulcherrimus, Hodg.,
in the British Museum, and finds them to be distinct. At the
same time he adds that his own name sa¢wratus will not stand,
the bird having been previously deseribed as Carpodacus dwar dsi,
Verreaux, from Eastern Thibet, (Nouv. Archives du Musée, Bull,
vi. 1870, p. 58.)

ef Pada afinis, Blyth, which I obtaimed near Kurta-
chee,” observes Mr. Blanford, “proves to be identical with P.
melanauchen, Cabanis. I leive compared a specimen from
Baluchistan, with the type of Blyth’s species in Mr. Gould’s eol-
lection, and with speeimens of P. melanauchen collected by myself
on the Coast of the Red Sea; I have no faith in the occurrence
of this species in Madras.”

Referring to errors in synonomy, Mr. Blanford points out, that
Sir A. Smith’s name Circus Swainsoni has priority by two years,
having been first published in the South African Quarterly
Journal for 1830, p. 384, whilst Sykes’s name C. pallidus was
not published before 1832. (P. Z. S., p. 80.)

At pace 160 ante, I pointed out what I considered an un-
failing rule for separating the female and immature birds of
Circus Swainsoni, Smith, and C. cyaneus, LL. Mr. Howard
Saunders points out another difference, C. @ruginosus, cyaneus,
spilonotus, melanoleucus, and others have the second, third, fourth,
and fifth primaries emarginated on the outer web, while Swain

sont, Smith, and Dincricde. Mont., have the emareinations only

on the second, third, and fourth, aa not on the fifth. ‘Then again
in “ Swainsont, the emargination of the second primary beeing
on a level with the wing coverts, so that the bulge or widening
of the outer web is almost or entirely hidden ; but in einer aceus,

Notes. 41 Gi

this emargination commences nearly or quite an inch below the
fine of these coverts, and the bulge is visible at a glance.”

Carrain J. Hayes Lioyp remarks in the last number of the:
“This”: “J find,as I havelong suspected, that the small green barbet
of western India is distinct from the Megalema viridis of Malabar:
and Southern India being distinguishable by its greater size and
more pronounced markings. In the Messrs. Marshall’s Mono-
graph of the Capitonide, reference is made under M. viridis (the
eolor of the bill of which, by the way, is given correctly in the
letter press, but wrongly in the plate) to a bird obtained by
Col. Sykes in the Deccan, the dimensions of which were too.
large for MW. viridis, and too small for M. caniceps. To any one
possessing local knowledge, the locality quoted must seem vague ;.
but I have little doubt that Col. Sykes’s bird was the species of
which I am now writing, and that it was obtained in the
Mawuls, a tract of hilly country dividing the Decean from. the.
Western Ghauts, I therefore propose to distinguish the small.
green barbet of Western India as

Megalzema Sykesi, Sp. Nov.

Description.—Very similar to M. viridis, but the brown of
the head and nape paler, with a coppery gloss; the feathers of
the head pale edged, those of the nape, with pale central streaks ;
throat whitish; breast and sides of neck, whitish, each feather
broadly margined laterally with dark brown; wing coverts, un-
spotted; bill, horny brown.

Dimensions, length, 9 inches ;. wing, 4°3, tail, 3.

This species is abundant in most of the mountainous wooded
tracts of Western India. I have obtained it in the Peint and
Soorungun districts, which border the Khandeish Dangs, all
alone the Western Ghauts, and on the summit of Matheran,,
and other detached hills in the Konkan, everywhere to the ex-
clusion of M. viridis, which seems to bear the same relationship
to M. Sykest that M. zeylonica does to M. caniceps.

SinpH Avirauna.—Mr. HE. James, c. s., has sent me specimens.
of ten more species of birds which occur in Sindh and which
must be added to my long list (given at p. 148, et seq., of the
present vol.) of the birds of that province.

j12.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath.
“ Not uncommon about Sehwan.”

420 Notes..
439.—Chatarrhea Earlei, Blyth.

“T have often met with this species, in reedy banks of streams
and canals; I dare say you did see it at Kusmore.”

539,—Cisticola schoenicola, Bonap.

“J have only seen the specimens I send.”

711.—Gymnoris flavicollis, Frankl.

Mr. James says, “This species appears about the end 6f
March, and I think breeds with us. It is common to see them
feeding on the pollen of the flowers of the wild caper. They
leave us, I think, in the autumn.”

716 lis.—Fringillaria striolata, Licht.

“IT only found this species in two places, at the foot of the
great range of hills west of the Muncbur Lake. It was m
small parties near hot springs, perching on trees and tall reeds,
and constantly darting down into the bed of the stream and
drinking. I also found a few, several miles away from water, on
abare dry hill side. The names of the places were Phaduk
and Gorandee, both in the Sehwan Talooka, and I must
_ here mention that all my specimens were obtained in the
Dadu and Sehwan Talookas, 7. e., west of the Indus, in the
centre of Sindh, the most northerly part of the Kurrachee
Collectorate.”

721.—Euspiza melanocephala, Scop.

“This species comes in at the end of March, in countless flocks
in some years, and at all times commits great damage amongst
the ripe wheat. It is called “ dooree,” 7. ¢., deaf by the Sindees,
as no amount of shouting will dislodge it from the crops, and it
is only to be moved by stones being hurled into the midst of the
flock. In the year 1869, they committed so much damage in some
of the magnificent wheat fields which nearly surround the Munchur
Lake, that the cultivators would not take the trouble to cut the.
crops, and threw them all on the hands of their Zemindar. When
T first saw these birds they, hike P. Jlavicollis, the munias and weaver.
birds, were feeding on the pollen of the flowers of the wild
caper, which you will recollect covers wide tracts of waste
ground in Sindh. They only stay a month or five weeks at
the outside, and directly the harvest begins in earnest, take their
departure.”

767.—Alauda gulgula, Frankl.

A single specimen sent, not discriminated.

Notes. 42\,

940.—Cursorius coromandelicus, Gel.

“Ts not uncommon in my neighbourhood : it is usually found
in pairs; but sometimes occurs in flocks of ten, or twenty.
They affect waste ground adjoining cultivation, and: stay with
us, I believe, all the year round.”

891.—Totanus glareola, Lin..

““T have only seen this species in the cold weather. It is not
common.”

9538.—Dendrocygna major, Jerdon.

“Never noticed this species before Jast season, when I saw
them on several occasions in large parties on “ Dhunds.” I am
told by an ornithologist that they are regularly found every
year, during the rainy season, on the eastern Narra, a stream
which rises at Sukker on the left bank ef the Indus, and after:
passing through Khyrpoor, (Meer Ali Moorad’s Territory) and
the Thur District, loses itself in the run of Kutch. The lands.
on. each side of this are rather widely flooded every year, and are
a perfect paradise for water-fowl.”.

Most unfortunately for the interests of ornithology, Mr. James
has left Sindh, having joined the Bombay Secretariat, and IL
ean only now hope that some other of the ornithologists of Sindh
will take up the work he had begun and aid us to complete our
knowledge of the Avifauna of the province.

AVIFAUNA OF THE ISLANDS oF THE Bay or BENGAL.

My friend, Mr. Davison, having spent the whole cold season,,
and I myself having spent a month in and amongst the Anda-.
mans, Nicobars, and other islands of the Bay of Bengal, (some.
of them like Batty Malve and Narecondam, never previously
visited by EKuropeans,) we propose in the next number to furnish:
a complete resumé of the Avifauna of these islands. In the
mean time it may be noted, that to the birds included in Mr.
Ball’s list (vide ante, p. 51, et. seq.;) and in my “ additional notes’”
(p. 304) must be added not only the new species above des-.
eribed

ARACHNECHTHRA ANDAMANICA ... vide p. 404
EpHiaLtes Bait nae ae Sy OM
DiIssSEMUROIDES DICRURIFORMIS hs OS
LocusTELLA SUBSIGNATA wae » 409
RHYTICEROS NARCONDAMI Za Bats Aull

LETHOPYGA NICOBARICA Ey ied spiny eee

422 Notes.

but also the following 26, more or less well known species, not
previously recorded from these localities.

25.—Accipiter virgatus, Zem..

74.—Scops pennata, Hod.

111.—Caprimuleus spilocircus, Gray.

133.—Ceyx tridactyla, Lin.

200.—Cuculus striatus, Drapiez.

211.—Chaleococeyx smaragdinus, Blyth.

213.—Coccystes coromandus, Len.

289.—Tchitrea affinis, Hay.

297.—Hemichelidom latirostris, Raffles.

514.—Cyanecula exrulecula, Pad.

539:—Cisticola scheenicola, Bp.

555.—Phyllopseuste fuscata, Blyth.

593 ter.—Budytes cinereocapilla, Save.

- 595.—Limonidromus indicus, Gm.

599.—Corydalla Richardi, V2evd/.

720.—Citrinella pusilla, Pad.

723.—Euspiza aureola, Pat.

858 d1s.—Esacus magnirostris, Geoff. de St. Hel.

904.—Galherex eristatus, Lath.

907.—Gallinula pheenicura, Penn.

910.—Ortygometra pygmea, Naum.

929.—Bubuleus coromandus, Bodd.

931.—Ardetta cinnamonea, Guz.

936. 67s.—Goisakius. melanolophus, Aaffi.

951.—Nettapus coromandelieus, Lin.

952.—Dendroeygna arcuata, Cuv.

Deducting, therefore, doubtful species, and species which
though introduced, have entirely died out, the total number of
species as yet ascertained to occur in the Andaman and Nicobar —
groups, only amounts to 175.

Of Brachypodius fuscoflavescens and Ninox obseurus, namerous:
other specimens have been obtained, and no doubts as to the
validity of these species exist. Carpophaga palumboides, has, Mr.
DeRoepstorff assures me, been already deseribed by Prof. Rem-
wardt of Copenhagen, under some other name, but by what
name or when, or where, he cannot remember.

Aydetta pulchra, I have now satisfied myself, by comparison
with a large series, is nothing but a freshly moulted and most
unusually brightly coloured A. Sznensis. Sprlornes Davisona
appears to be a good species.

Amongst A coLLEction of birds recently sent me by my
kind friend: Mr. F. 8. Blewitt, I was surprised to find no less

Letters to the Editor. 423

‘than nine specimens of Mergus castor, the merganser, which
he had shot in the Mahanuddee, in the Sumbhulpoor district: of
the Central Provinces. Years ago, Col. Tickell procured a
single specimen at Chyebassa, but with this exception the
merganser has never hitherto been observed many miles out of

the “Himalayas, or in any but rivers running through these
mountains.

Hetters to the Editor.

Dear Sir,

Dr. Jerpon’s description of the pintailed snipe (Gal-
linago stenura) is hardly accurate as far as my experience goes.
He gives the following characteristics to disting uish it from the
common snipe:

I.—Of slightly smaller size than the common snipe.
IT.—Richly barred lower wing coverts.
T11.—Shorter beak.
IV.—Tarsus and feet slightly shorter.
V.—Lateral tail feathers narrow, rigid, and pointed.

The pintailed snipe is a rare* bird, and I think not so often ~
passed over as Dr. Jerdon supposed. I have looked carefully
through several large bags of snipe, and failed to get a specimen,
till the other day one was sent to me from Jhansi, by Mr. J. V.
Sturt, Assistant Commissioner. Mr. Sturt, who is a keen and
observant sportsman, but not exactly a naturalist, distinguished
the bird by its adits before killing it, as well as by. its ap-
pearance afterwards. He sent the followan e note with it :

Length, 113 inches; expanse, 17 ; beak, 23 ; tail, 24; weight,
103 tolahs.

“Tt rises with a sharp loud cry unlike the ordinary snipe, and
its flight is heavier. Found in green grass, under a grove of ©
trees, on the margin of the lake. Shot on Ist February, 1873,
at the Intara Lake, 16 miles out of Mhow Rainpoor, on the
Tehree road.”

It is darger, not smaller, than the common snipe, measuring

* G. stenura is only rare in Northern and Western India. In Central India

- they occur rather more commonly than scolopacinus ; in Southern India, é. J-, On

the N ighiris, the former only as a rule occurs. In Ceylon, stenwra is the com-

mon. snipe, and so it is in the Andamans and in Burmah, and I have seen many

specimens from Eastern Bengal and Assam. In fact, stenurais the Paletropic
and scolopacinus the Palxartic form,—HD., STRAY FEATHERS.

424 Letters to the Hadztor.

5-4 inches in the wing against from 4°8 inches to 5:3 inches in
the latter.

The lower wing coverts are richly barred, but not more so
than in several specimens, I have, of the common snipe.

‘The bill is shorter than in one specimen by me of the com-
mon snipe, but as leng as the others, and is slightly deeper at
the base.

The tarsus and feet are shorter than those of one specimen,
and as long, or longer than those of the others.

None of the above characteristics will held good as points of
separation, and the only tangible difference is in the tail.

In the common snipe, the tail consists of fourteen feathers,
soft, and of equal width. The outer pair are longer than the
next pair, and in some cases as long as the centre pair.

In the pintailed snipe, the tail consists of twenty-two feathers,
of which the six outermost pairs are shorter than the rest of
the tail and very narrow, rigid, and pointed.

As I have never yet seen any description of the habits of
the pintatled snipe in point, I am in hopes that this may prove
interesting to some of your readers.—G. FI’. L. Marsnatt.

SIR,

Peruars a short account of a nest of Gallinula phaenicura
which I found in September, 1868, in Bombay, may be of some
use to you. Iam not aware if much is known about the breed-
ing of this bird ; all the information we get from Dr. Jerdon,
is comprised in the following sentence :

“ Theobald found the nest in a jheel, made of weeds, containing
seven eggs, of a brownish cream colour, spotted and blotched with
brownish red.”

In 1868 i was living in a house surrounded by very low-lying
fields, which were under water nearly all the monsoon, and of
course became the resort of various water birds. Among them
this year were half a dozen of this Gad/inuia, which very soon
made their presence known by their awful cries. I cannot
understand Dr. Jerdon dismissing the ery of this bird, if he
ever heard it during the breeding season, with the words “ has a
loud call.” An; sthing more unearthly proceeding from the
throat of a bird I never heard. It began with loud harsh roars
which might have been elicited from a pear by roasting it slow-
ly over a large fire, then suddenly changed to a clear note re-
peated like the coo of a dove. Often in the morning two or
three of the birds might be seen in some little open space fight-
ing like young cock chickens.

Letters to the Fiditor. 425

When flushed, they seldom flew far, seeming to trust more to
their legs than their wings. After atime the cries ceased and
the birds were rarely seen, so I concluded they must have their
nests now, and set myself to find them. Day after day I waded
through the dirty water and long grass (in which I had myself
caught gigantic water-bugs, nearly three inches lone, and other
horrible creatures innumerable) searching every accessible bush
and likely place along the edges of the fields, but all in vain.
The birds were there, for I often flushed them, but for a long
time all my efforts to find the nest were utterly baffled.

It little occurred to me that while I was poking among bushes
and grass where orthodox birds of that class ought to breed,
my water-hen might be sitting over my head looking down at
me. One morning, however, a Native cultivator, whom I had
told to search also, happened to see the bird going up a middle
sized date palm that stood out of the water, in the top of which
there seemed to be an old crow’s nest. He was soon tp too,
and after clearing away a good deal of rubbish, he took down
the nest and brought it to me, in triumph. The nest was rather
flat, but might have been an old crow’s ; it contained four eges
of a brownish white colour, not very thickly covered with spots
of three colours—lght brown, dark rusty brown, and pale pur-
plish blue.. They were rather larger than a crow’s. I was sorry
to find, however, that they were very nearly hatched; the
whole four were cracked, and I could hear the chicks chirping
distinctly inside. So I made the man go up again and fix the
nest securely in its place, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing
the old bird making its way up to it, not flying, but running
up the rough bark of the date like a ladder. A day or two
after, the nest was empty, and at the bottom of the tree I found
a fragment of an egg, which I have before me now. I! was
anxious to know how the bird would get its young ones down,
but I failed to catch it in the act.—E. H. Arrxun.

Sir,

Havine lately obtained a fine specimen of Indicator
xanthonotus, the following brief notice may prove acceptable to
Indian Ornithologists.

While making reparations for the start of our party from
Murree, I took the opportunity of examining the intricate ¢eolo-
gical section along the Abbotabad road.

N

426 Letters to the Editor.

On the forenoon of the 4th July approaching Dungagally*
within abouta quarter of a mile, I noticed a bird emerging
from an oak tree (standing at the edge of the road), and after a
short heavy flight, perch in a tree a short distance off. The
flight of the bird was that of a Megalema, and having only a
short time ago seen Mandelli’s specimen of Jndicator,t+ it did
not take me long to recognize the strange customer gazing at
me. Several minutes passed away, until my servant appeared
with the gun; but as the creature had not yet satisfied his
curiosity, he paid dearly for it.

The specimen is a male in full plumage. It almost perfectly
agrees with the one described by Mr. Hume at page 314 (vide -
ante,) except that thereis a strong tinge of yellowish green on
the top of the head, the whole neck, and upper back, at the
margins of the tertials, and of all the wine coverts, as well as
on the throat, and front of the breast. The middle of the back
is pure sulphur yellow, but the lower back and rump, extending
along the middle of the upper tail coverts, is silky orange.

The eye is small, the iris dark brown, the naked space
round the eye, a very pale green. Bill yellow, somewhat dusky
towards the tip. At the base of both the upper and lower
mandibles, as well ason the chin, there are black bristles,
but none exist above the nostrils, which are large, triangular,
and swollen. Feet, pale greenish horny. The total length is a
little above 6 inches ; the wing, 4:; bill, at front, 0°31; from gape,
half an inch. The tongue is very like that of a Megalema, on a
small scale, depressedly lanceolate, posteriorly, arrow-shaped,
provided in the fork with some short denticles; it is not exten-
sile, thus differing entirely from that of a wood-pecker. The
stomach had a tolerably thick muscular coat. It contained six
specimens of a predatory wasp, which is very commonly seen
about low bushes, and a small quantity of green vegetable
matter. No cxca were observed. at

The sternum is in general form almost identical with that of
Indicator minor, figured by Sclater in the “ Ibis” for 1870, p. 178,
except that the two posterior processes are not united at the end,
remaining separate as in Megalema, and other Capitonide. Further,
the keel is moderately elevated in front, but after a short distance
rapidly diminishes in height, and becomes almost obsolete before
it reaches the end of the sternum. The clavicle on the other
hand, although very thin, is ossified up to very near the front
edge of the keel, at any rate slightly more so than in Megalema
VirENns.

« * 18 miles North by Hast from Murree.
+ Comp. “ Stray Feathers,” vol. I., p. 373.

Letters to the Editor. 427

Judging from this brief anatomical account, there can, I think,
be no doubt that our species has very little in common with
either the Cucutip#, or the Picipa, but that its natural allies
are in the Caprronipm, an opinion which was some years ago
fairly and satisfactorily proved by Mr. Sclater (“ Ibis,” 1870, p.
176), supported by Mr. W. TT. Blanford (in his work on
Abyssinia) and to which opinion also Mr. Hume lately (ante,
p- 315) inclined, when examining specimens of the present
species. I cannot say whether any cf the foreign Indicatorine can
justify an intermediate position of this family between the Pictpa,
and Carrronip®. Looking at J. xanthonotus, we are only reminded
of a wood-pecker by the proportionate length of the primaries,
and by the shortness of the outer tail feathers. With Megalema
virens for instance, even the external resemblance is much greater;
the yellow bill provided with stiff bristles at the base, the naked
space round the eye, and the greenish feet with the tarsi broadly
shielded in front. The flight and habits as already noticed, also
much resembles that of a Megalema.

Although the name ‘ honey guide’ seems anything but appro-
priate for our Indian species, it 1s doubtful whether this last can
be generically separated from its African allies.

I did not hear it uttering any call.

F. StoniczKa,

Naturalist to the Yarkand Mission.
Murree.

STRAY FEATHERS.

Vol. I.] DECEMBER, 1873. [No. 6.

Alotes on some Cepvlonese Birds.

T nope during the course of next year, in accordance with the
general scheme of this periodical, to publish a complete list of
the Birds of Ceylon, together with full descriptions and measure-
ments of all species not included in Dr. Jerdon’s “ Birds of
India.”

In the mean time, I think, it may be useful to put on record
afew notes written in the course of an examination I have just
made of a large number of Ceylon specimens, some presented to _
my museum by Vincent Legge, Esq., R. A., and G. Nevil, Esq.,
C. S., and some purchased for me by the latter gentleman, and
other ‘friends, :

62.—Phodilus badius, Horsf.

This species must now be added to the Avifauna of Ceylon,
Mr. Nevil, C. S., having sent mea specimen killed in the island,
the only one I believe as yet obtained there. The Ceylon bird
differs from the Nepal race, (which Mr. Gray has separated as
“ nmipalensis,”’) im its somewhat smaller size; in the much closer
and darker banding of the lower surface of the quills; in the dark
brown patch on the wing lining, at the base of the first two or
three primaries (this patch being bright chestnut in the Nepal
bird) ; 1 the dark brownish tint of the lesser wing coverts alone
the ulna and of the whole crown; in the conspicuous black
banding, (almost obsolete in nipadensis) of the outer webs of the
quills ; “in the much closer banding of the tail, and in the darker
tint of the back and especially of the losver part of it.

In fact the bird seems referable rather to the Geet than
the Himalayan race.

63.—Syrnium indranee, Sykes.

I very much doubt whether the Ceylonese bird is Syruzwm
indranee ; but if it be so there can be no question as to the dis-
tinctness of this species and xewarense. I have never yet suc-
ceeded in obtaining either a Malabar or Nilghiri specimen of this

430 Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.

bird, and therefore I confine my remarks to that from Ceylon.
Of the Himalayan species I have very numerous specimens from
all parts of the Himalayas, from Darjeeling to Murree. All are one
and the same species, identical in every respect, though individuals
differ considerably in size, and in the tone of coloring above and
below. In every one of these the dise of the eye is precisely
similarly colored; I have thirteen specimens before me now, and
have carefully examined at least double that number, and I there-
fore speak with great confidence on this point.

The whole of the central portion of the eye dise is black
or nearly so, as are also the shafts and central portions of
the long, bristle-like, anti-ocular feathers; the lateral portions
of these, especially towards their bases, being greyish. From
neat the base of the bill a broad, pure white, band extends over
the eye as far as the posterior angle; beyond this, outside the
blackish central ring, the eye disc, behind and under the eye, to
the gape, is a pale, fulvous brown, narrowly and obsoletely barred
with darker brown. I am very particular about this, because
anything more absolutely and utterly unlike the natural bird
than Fig. XIV., G. & M. Gen. of Birds, of Syrnium newarense,
Hodg., so far as the eye discs are concerned, it 1s absolutely im-
possible to conceive. What the artist was thinking of I cannot
euess, the picture fails to convey the faintest idea of what the
eye dise is really like.

When we turn to the Ceylon bird, it is not merely that the
bird is much smaller, (a fine male before me having the wing
barely 12 inches) ; that the ground color of the under-surface, and
specially of the tibial and tarsal plumes, is more rufous; that the
whole upper surface, but specially the head and nape are paler
and of a more rufescent olive brown, and that the seapulars,
tertiaries, and coverts are much more banded; but the eye dise
differs foto ealo. The anti-ocular bristles are not half the length,
the dark ring immediately round the eye is not half so broad,
the white eye-brow does not extend so far back, and is tinged
with fulvous, while the whole of the rest of the outside of the
eye disc from the termination of the white eye-brow, a little
behind the centre of the upper margin of the eye, right round
to where, near the gape, it meets the anti-ocular bristles, is a rzch
ochreous buff’, utterly unspotted and unbarred.

No one who has ever seen the two birds could possibly mistake
them for one moment.

‘The question arises can this bird be Sykes’ zudranee ? Could he
possibly have overlooked this most conspicuous, rich, ochraceous
crescent? It isthe very first feature in the bird’s plumage that
would strike the most careless observer, and yet there is no allusion

Notes on some Ceylonese Birds. 431

to itin Jerdon’s description which, if [understood him correctly,
he transcribed nearly verbatim from Sykes.
I have therefore great doubts whether the Ceylon bird is

really zudranee, and if it proves distinct, it should stand as. -

ochrogenys, nobis.

71.—_Huhua nipalensis, Hodg.

My. Holdsworth, in his Catalogue of the Birds of Ceylon, P.
Z.8., 1872, p. 416, separates the Ceylon bird as Huhua pectoralis,
Jerdon. Whether pectoralis, Jerd., be, or be not, a good species,
I cannot yet positively affirm, because I have hitherto failed to
procure a Nilehini or Malabar specimen ; but the Ceylon bird of
which I have a very fine specimen now before me is no more
distinct from Huhua nipalensis than Kelupa ceylonensis of Ceylon
is distinct from that of Northern India.

Huhua nipatensis is arave bird, I believe, in European collec-
Ame: but 1 have carefully examined some ten specimens, five
of sHnich are now in my collection, and I find that even as
regards size there is no such marked difference between the
Ceylonese and Nepalese birds. In two males before me from
Nepal, the wings vary from 16 tv 16-5 inches, in the females,
from 17:5 to 18°5 inches ; in a supposed male from Ceylon, the
wing is 16°75 inches.

As regards plumage, the bird is one that varies very greatly ; if
there is a difference, the Nepalese birds. are rather darker; as
for the so-called pectoral band, which merely depends upon ‘the
breadth of the subterminal hens on the breast feathers, this ap-
parently depends upon age, and I have a Nepalese bird in which
the so-called pectoral band is a great deal more marked than
in the very fine Ceylon specimen before me,while I have ano-
ther Nepalese bird, a young male I believe, inwhich there is
scarcely a trace of ‘this band. The Ceylon bird may, I think,
be with perfect safety referred to nipalensis, and this being the
fact I think it extremely doubtful whether the Malabar and
Nilghiri birds will prove distinct.

72.—Ketupa ceylonensis, mel.

There isa great deal more difference, there seems to me, between
Ceylonese and Himalayan examples of this species than between
those of the last species from the same localities. Asfaras I ean
judge, the Ceylon birds do certainly average somewhat smaller
and darker, and have far less white on the throat than Northern
Indian birds ; birds from the extreme south of the Peninsula
as from Anjango are very close to the Ceylon bird ; all however
clearly, accofding to my view, belong to the same species.

432 Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.
75 ter—Kphialtes bakhamuna, [orst.

Three specimens, a male, female, and young, enable me to
decide positively that this is precisely identical with Jerdon’s
griseus, of which I have no less than 51 specimens from different
parts of India.

It is entirely distinct from Jempigi, which I have from Burmah,
Malacea, and Malayana, from malabaricus, which I have also
from the Nilghiris and even from as far Kast as Calcutta, and from
lettia, of which also I have an enormous series from various
parts of the Himalayas. Ineed scarcely add, that it is still
more conspicuously distinct from pennatus, spilocephalus, Brucet
and plumipes.

105 bis—_Batrachostomus punctatus, Sp. Nov.

I have separately noticed, vide infra, that a Batrachostomus
which would certainly not appear to be monidiger oceurs in
Ceylon. Ihave provisionally named it as above, but possessing
only a single specimen of the Ceylon form and very few
specimens of the family from else where to compare it with, I
feel no certainty about it, and only desire to draw the attention
of ornithologists in Ceylon prominently to it.

111.—Caprimulgus spilocircus, Gray.
Ceylon specimens do not agree over well with Nilghiri ones,

and I am not at all sure that the latter will not require to be
re-named.

112.—Caprimulgus asiaticus, Lath.

Mr. Holdsworth says, that it 1s not unreasonable to conelude
that atripeunis, Jerd., was the bird referred to by Layard as
abundant in the vicinity of Columbo; but I think it is quite
certain that he was confusing mahrattensis and asiaticus; indeed
the general appearance of the birds is not dissimilar, and I have
repeatedly had specimens of aszaticus sent me as mahrattensis
and vice versa, by persons who had at other times sent me the
birds correctly named.

Mahrattensis, I may add is not, in India, at ald a rare bird. I
am sure I have seen a hundred specimens and I have a large
series In my museum.

115.—Harpactes fasciatus, Gimei.

I think ornithologists in Ceylon should compare their speci-
mens of this supposed species. with a good series of specimens
from the Wynaad and Malabar Coast. ‘The specimens sent me
from Ceylon are so vile that I cannot be certain about it, but

Notes on some Ceylonese Birds. 433

they appear to be smaller birds, and exhibit a peculiar coloration
of the tail which does not correspond with that of any of my
Indian specimens, namely instead of the central tail feathers
being entirely chestnut with moderately broad black tips, and the
next pair entirely black, they have all the four central tail
feathers black on the inner webs and on the outer webs for
about one inch, the rest of the outer webs being chestnut. I do
not lay much stress upon this, for the tails in these birds are
very variable ; but still the thing wants looking to.

147.—Palezornis eupatrius, Linn.

Lord Walden recently remarked of two specimens of a parrot _
which he reterred to this species, from the Andamans, that they
did not differfrom Ceylon, Burmese, and Indian examples. I
shall deal more particularly with this question hereafter, but I
wish to say at once, that I am entirely unable to concur in this
view, and that in my opinion the Ceylon bird is specifically dis-
tinct from the Northern Indian bird, the Burmese bird, and the
Andaman birds; and that if a collection of sixty or seventy of
the males from all these different localities were intermingled, no
one to whom their differences had once been pointed out could
hesitate a moment in assigning to each its proper locality.
Lord Walden was only I think referring to females, or I feel
sure he would, had he compared the males, have detected the
marked differences that exist between the three species above
indicated.

149.—Paleornis purpureus, Miil.

I specially notice this with reference to Mr. Holdsworth’s re-
marks that there is another closely allied form with yel/ow under
wing coverts which has probably been confounded with it.
What species is this ? I only know of two, the present which ex-
tends all through Southern India, and Northern India, West, at
any rate of a line drawn from Calcutta to Kumaon, and the other
bengalensis, which occurs in Nepal, Eastern Bengal, Assam, and
Burmah ; the one has the lower wing coverts green, the other
verditer blue. I have never yet met with a specimen, barring
tutinos, with yellow under wiug coverts.

164 bis—Yungipicus gymnopthalmos, Biyth.

Ceylon specimens are absolutely identical with specimens from
the Matabar Coast. They are perhaps a trifle smaller than
Hardwickw, the wings m this present species averaging about
2-9 in the males, against 3 in the same sex in Aurdwickii ;
barring this, the only constant difference appears to consist in
‘the much darker occiput and nape. Doubtless, in typical ex-

4.34, Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.

amples of gymnopthalmos, the whole head and back are darker, —
but many specimens from quite the South of india, Anjango
for instance, positively differ from some specimens of. Hardwichkia
from Northern India ov/y in the much darker occiput and nape.

179.—Micropternus gularis, Jerd.

Mr. Holdsworth says, Ceylon specimens have the lower parts
rather darker than those from India. I do not know whether
this is an original observation, but Blyth stated it also long ago.
T can only say J can’t see it, and will undertake to shew Indian
specimens as dark as any Ceylon ones.
240.—Piprisoma agile, Tick.

Ceylon specimens perhaps differ slightly from Continental
Indian ones ; but an examination of a very large series of Ceylon
specimens would be necessary to enable me to pronounce authori-
tatively on the subject. At present it seems to me that the
Ceylon birds have a very much more decided green cast on the
upper surface, especially on the rump and upper tail coverts ;
that they are slightly smaller, and that the bills are a little
shorter and somewhat markedly less compressed towards the
points.

261 ter.—Lanius lucioniensis ? Lath.

Ihave asingle indifferent specimen of a shrike from Ceylon
which certainly is not cristatus, and which is very close if not
identical with ductoniensis, of which J have very numerous speci-
mens from the Andamans and Nicobars and China. It is cer-
tainly not the Malayan saperczliosus, as figured by LeValhiant,
but I cannot refer to Latham’s original description, and I have
an idea that he described a much greyer and less rufous bird than
LeValliant figures. This, and not eristatus, is doubtless the bird
referred to by Layard as superciliosus, anyhow, a second species
of shrike must be added to the Ceylon list, crzstatws of course
occurs there also, but this is an adult bird, with the grey brown
head and back, and pale forehead of /wcioniensis, and either
belongs to that species, or to a very closely allied one, not yet
discriminated.

265 bis—Tephrodornis afiinis, Blyth.

I do not quite understand the principle upon which Mr.
Holdsworth admits Oriolus ceylonensis as a distinct species, but
refuses this rank to the present bird. If one compares speci-
mens from Ceylon and say Dacea, no two nearly allied forms
could be more easily separable. In the Dacca: bird the upper
surface is a darkish earth-brown, there is an enormous, yellowish-

oe

Notes on some Ceylonese Birds. 435

white supercilium extending to the nape; the lores, cheeks, and
ear coverts are blackish brown, in some specimens almost black ;
in the Ceylon bird the upper surface is a grey brown, there is
barely a trace of a supercilium, and the lores, cheeks, and ear
coverts are almost concolorous with the nape. If we come
further west and south, and take birds from say Dehra, Agra,
Sambhur, Kutch, and Sindh, and again from Saugor and
Raipoor, throughout which vast tract the same type prevails,
we have birds similar to those from Dacca, and with equally
large supercilia, but with a light upper surface and a lighter
cheek and ear patch ; still the brown of the upper surface is
earth-brown without the least tendency to grey, and the contrast
between the ear coverts and the color of the upper surface equally
strongly marked. If we go further south, the supercilium
shrinks, the cheek and ear patch becomes more nearly concolorous
with the nape, and the upper surface gets a tinge of grey, and
down in the extreme south, as at Anjango, birds may be met

_ with exactly similar to the Ceylon birds exeept that they are

not quite so grey. I myself should be quite inclined to disallow
affinis as a distinct species, but any one who retaims Oriolus
ceylonensis, roust also, it appears to me, necessarily retain

LT. affinis.
267.—_Hemipus picatus, Sykes.

This species extends not merely to Southern India as Mr.
Holdsworth supposes, but to the Himalayas also. MacClelland,
I think it was, first set people wrong by describing the brown,
backed birds, which are merely the females, as a distinct species,
capitalis, and Blyth perpetuated the error in the /é7s for 1866.
I have males and females from various places in Southern India,
as well as numbers from the Himalayas, and the same sexes from
all localities are precisely identical.

2:70 bis.—_Graucuius Layardi, Blyth.

Whether this should be considered a distinct species or not is
purely a matter of taste. The Ceylon birds do average smaller,
with wings from 5°5 to 6, whilst Northern Indian birds may be
found, with wings running up to 7 or even more ; but every size
of wing between 5:5 and 7 will be met with in a large series.
As for the barring or non-barring of the under wing coverts, the
presence, or absence of abdominal bars, the amount of white tip-
ping to the tail and the darkness or lightness of the shade of the
upper plumage, I cannot discover that any constant difference
exists when series and not individual birds, obtained in different
parts of the country are compared. These differences are, it ap-

436 Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.

pears to me, individual, dependant on age, sex, and season, and —
not in any way local.

281 bis—_Buchanga leucopygialis, Blyth.

This is a very distinct species : it differs not merely as Mr.
Holdsworth says from cerulescens in having less white about the.
abdominal region and in its smaller size, but the whole upper
plumage is of a different tint, being of a somewhat d/ackish blue
instead of the very grey blue that characterises the Indian form.
Individuals of each may be picked out which do not differ so
very strikingly, but with a large series of both, the difference is
conspicuous, especially in the males, which in the Ceylon birds
seem always to be the darkest, a difference that I have failed to
trace in the Continental species.

283 quat.—Dissemurus lophorhinus, Vieill.

Fine specimens of this species greatly exceed the dimensions
given by Blyth, /dzs, 1867, p. 305; the wing extends to at least.
5°75 inch ; the bill from gape to 1- 5D; and from nostrils to point
tolls while the exterior tail feathers mm some specimens extend
Q°5 inch beyond the centre ones. The whole length of a fine bird
can scarcely be less than 14 inch.

292,—Leucocirea aureola, Less.

To judge from the only two Ceylon specimens sent me, and
which I have compared with birds from various parts of India,
the Ceylon bird is smaller, is decidedly darker on the nape, and
upper back, and has a considerably longer bill than any of the
Continental races.

_ 297.—Alseonax latirostris, Rajjles.

Specimens from Ceylon, Southern and Northern India, the
Himalayas, and the Andamans are all precisely identical; but
Mr. Holdsworth gives us also dAlseonar terricolor, Hodgson.
Can any body tell me what bird this is, as distinct from Raftle’s
bird, because I have not been able to make out the distine-
tion, and as at present advised, believe that the two are iden-
tical, in which case of course the bird must stand under Raffles’
name.

306.—Cyornis Tickelliz, Blyth.

The Ceylon blue red-breast must, I think, stand under this
name. I havenumerous specimens from all parts of the country.
From Kumaon to Ceylon and, as far as I can make out, there is
only one species of which the young males and females represent
Tickellve and the old males Jerdonz.

Notes on some Ceylonese Birds. 437

372 quat—Oreocincla imbricata?P Layard,

O. Gregoriana, Nevil, Sp. Nov. ? —\

I dare say O. nilghiriensis does occur in Ceylon, but for all
that Dr. Jerdon, Mr. Holdsworth, and others say to the contrary,
I cannot help thinking that in Mr. Nevil’s new species, of which
he has kindly favored me with a specimen, we have the true
embricata of Layard. Anyhow, this present species is quite dis-
tinct from uzghiriensis ; it has a shorter and stouter bill, from
gape, 1:35; from forehead to point, 0-95, against 1-5 and 1:15
respectively in nilghiriensis. The Ceylon bird is altogether a
darker, richer, and more rufous colored bird than that from the
Nilghiris. The head is almost black, so close and broad are the
bars. The buff tippings to the coverts are broader and much
more rufescent; on the under surface the whole ground color is
a rich rufous buff, instead of being white as in wxilghiriensis
only slightly tinged with buff about the collar.

It might be supposed that this Ceylon bird was only the young
of nilghiriensis ; but in the first place, the bills differ totally, it
is not merely that the bill is shorter in the Ceylon bird, but it
is higher and broader; in the second place, setting aside the
specimens in my own collection, my triend, Mr. Davison, has exa-
mined hundreds of the Nilghiri birds of all ages from nestlings
upwards, and assures me that that he has never seen a specimen
at all colored like the Ceylon bird. Under these circumstances
either this bird is imbricata, Layard, or it must stand under my
friend Mr. Nevil’s name.

404 bis—Pomatorhinus melanurus, Blyth.

This may be readily admitted to be a distinct species, but
Mr. Blyth remarks /és, 1867, p. 301, “the black of the tail
affords the readiest distinction.” I cannot say that I have ever
seen a specimen in which the color of the tail in any way justified
the name. The tail appears to be always a moderately dark hair
brown, more or less suffused with rufescent olive to towards the
base.

544 bis—Drymoipus Jerdoni, Blyth.

Mr. Holdsworth says, that “the common Ceylon species, of
which I have obtained specimens close to Columbo, agrees per-
fectly with D. Jerdom, Blyth, in the British Museum, where
there is a specimen named and sent by Dr. Jerdon himself. In
the ‘ Birds of India’ Vol 1i., p 180, Jerdon mentions that Blyth
described this species from specimens he sent him from Southern
India ; but he afterwards absorbed it into D. longicaudatus in the
belief that the specimen he described was in imperfect plumage.

B

438 Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.
Jerdon further says, “ It appears to me very similar to some
Ceylon birds which Mr. Blyth doubtfully considered identical with
D. inornatus.. :

“ My Ceylon birds are greyish brown on the upper surface,
rather paler on the head, cheeks, and neck ; lores pale, and much
less conspicuous than in D. cnornatus ; under surface, pale fulvous,:
and flanks rather dusky ; the upper surface of the tail feathers
distinctly striated, the strive shewing as faint narrow bars on the
under surface, which has a narrow dark subterminal band, gener-_
ally darker in the centre, and giving the appearance of a spot.
Tn fresh specimens the bill is dusky above, fleshy below, irides
pale yellow ; feet, flesh colour. ,

“ Leneth, 5°5 inches; wing, 2°83; tail, 2°5; tarsus, 0°8; bill at
front, 0°4.”

I quote this especially, because I think there is no doubt that
this is quite correct, and that this Ceylon bird which is precisely.
similar to what Dr. Jerdon shewed me as Jerdoni, is the true Jer-
doni, and altogether distinct from D. rufescens, nobis, with which
Dr. Stoliezka and others identify Jerdonc.

Rufescens was described, /bis, 1572, p. 110, the whole upper sur-
face is a rich rufous brown, the length is 7 inches, the wing 2°62
inch to 2°75 ; the tarsus, nearly one inch, and the bill at front:
fully 0:5. I do not see how any one can doubt that this is en-
tirely distinct from the true Jerdoni, from Ceylon and Southern
India, correctly deseribed above by Mr. Holdsworth.

445.—Hypsipetes nilghiriensis, Jerd.

Ceylon birds are entirely identical with Nilehiri ones, except:
that taking a number together, the Ceylon birds do seem to aver-
age a longer bill. It is by no means certwen, as yet, that ganeesa,
Sykes, 2s identical with this species, and the Ceylon birds should,
therefore, I think, be retained at present under the name above
given. T

467._Aigithina zeylonica, Gel. )

T am not now going to enter into the Iora controversy which.
I shall deal with hereafter, but I wish to note two facts, viz.,
first, that out of eighty-five specimens from all parts of India in
all stages of plumage, I have no specimen agreeing perfectly with’
oneof the Ceylon male Hyithinas, and secondly, that I recently had
a pair of these birds, male and female, sent from the Teriate Hills
in Wynaad by Mr. J. L. Darling, Jr., who shot them off the nest,
which together with the eggs he also kindly sent me, in which?
the back of the male was, as it should be, in typhia, green and
not black at all, whereas the latter species has never been sup-'

Notes on some Ceylonese Birds. 439

‘posed to extend to Southern India; while I received a perfectly
black backed male from Mr. Oates, from Thayetmyo, where
typhia only should occur.

473.—Oriolus ceylonensis, Bonap.

There is no doubt that typical ceylonensis from Ceylon are
‘very different, from typical melanocephalus from Calcutta. The
‘former are much smaller birds, with the wing, in the male, averag-
ing about 4°9, against 5:4. in the Calcutta birds. There is not
nearly so much vellow on the primaries and tertiaries, and the
black does not extend nearly so far down the breast as in me/a-
nocephalus ; but when you come to compare an extended series
from all parts of India, it becomes exceedingly difficult to draw
‘the line between the two species, and not only this but even from
Northern «India you will find specimens which, except as regards
size, correspond exactly with some Ceylon birds, and of a vast
number of Southern, Indian birds it is impossible to decide
whether they should be classed as cey/owensis or melanocephalus.
Alike in size and in other supposed “Cisuaelie characters, they
are exactly intermediate between typical examples of the two
forms. In cases where an unbroken series of connecting links
exist between two forms, I cannot but doubt the propriety of

separating these two as distinet species.

543.—Drymoipus inornatus, Sykes.

Ceylon birds are identical in color with typical Southern
Indian birds of the above species ; they are however sex for sex
somewhat smaller, and appear to have slightly more slender bills.
They are of course like the Southern Indian birds quite distinct
from the grey Northern Indian bird, ferrzcolor, nobis, so long
‘confounded with Sykes’ bird, and ag ¢ in The bom. to Yarkand
I erroneously figured as cnor Uae.

539.—Cisticola schoenicola, Bonap.

One specimen received from Mr. Nevil is absolutely identical
with some of my innumerable Indian specimens, and is certain-
ly not larger than many of them. This bird is somewhat varia-
ble both in size and color, not according to locality as far as I
can make out, but according to individuals. I have Indian
specimens that would answer very well to Blyth’s diagnosis of
homalura, and I have no doubt that Mr. Holdsworth is right in
considering this latter as one and the same with schenicola.

556.—Phyllopseuste magnirostris, Blyth.
This species must be added to Mr. Holdsworth’s printed list ;
he has already added. 1t 1n manuscript to the copy which he

440 Notes on some Ceylonese Birds.

kindly sent me. I have compared two specimens sent to me by
Mr. Legge with specimens from other parts of India and they
are absolutely identical.

684.—Acridotheres tristis, Lin.

' There is a popular tradition dating from Mr. Blyth’s time,
which Mr. Hoidsworth reproduces, that Ceylon specimens of this
species are much darker than those obtained in India. I confess
I can’t see it, and I venture to prophecy that if any one will
put together a sufficient number of specimens, he will agree with
me that there is not a pin to choose between them.

843.—Glareola lactea, Tem.

Must be added to Mr. Holdsworth’s list of the Ceylonese
birds ; a young specimen has been sent me by Mr. V. Legge
who obtained it on the S. E. Coast of Ceylon.

912.—Porzana ceylonica, Gm.

Blyth’s species amauroptera will not stand. I have two birds
now before me. A male from Cawnpore, and a male from
Ceylon, absolutely identical, and answering exactly to Dr. Jer-
don’s description of which Mr. Blyth, /ézs, 1867, p. 510 says,
“a Ceylon specimen is described by Dr. Jerdon.” On the other
hand I havea female from Ceylon corresponding exactly with
Blyth’s amauroptera. My specimens both from Northern India,
and Ceylon are exceptionally good and perfect, and there is no
possible doubt of the identity of the birds from both localities.

992 bis—Onychoprion fuliginosa, Gel.

This is another species not included im Mr. Holdsworth’s list
of which I have received a specimen shot at Boralasgama,
Western Province of Ceylon, by Mr. Vincent Legge.

I do not know why Dr. Jerdon omitted this species from the
birds of India. It is not uncommon in the Indian Ocean, right
up to the west coast of the peninsular, and northwards, though
I failed to procure it there, to the Mekran Coast. I saw one
shot near Panwell, in the Bombay Harbour, two others near the
coast off Teetul between Surat and Bombay, and another from
Minicoy.

A fine male measured nearly 17 inches in length, but younger
birds with tails and bills less developed do not exceed 14°75 ;
wing, 11; a young bird only 9°6; tail, from vent, 7-1; a young
bird only 5:5; bill, at front, 1:7; a young bird, 1:5, from gape,
2:2; a young bird, 2; tarsus, 0°92, in a young bird, 0°8; mid-
toe and claw, 1°2 ; ina young bird, 1:05. The mid-toe claw is much
éurved, the inner edge conspicuously dilated. The bill is black.

_ Acheen. 441

‘The irides deep brown, almost black. Legs and feet, black or
‘brownish black.

In the adult, the forehead and a short broad line above the
eyes, running backwards as far as the top of the eyes, the
chin, cheeks, throat, neck all round and entire lower parts in-
cluding axillaries, wing lining, and lower tail coverts, white.
In some specimens the axillaries, lower breast, and abdomen, the

throat, sides, and back of the neck, faintly tinged ashy. A

line through the lores to the eyes, crown, occiput, ear.coverts,
and nape, velvet black ; the back and rest of the upper plumage
dark dusky brown; the outer webs of some of the earlier pri-
maries, and of their greater coverts faintly tinged greyish. The
shafts of the quills blackish brown above, white below. The
edge of the wing white. The external tail feathers greyish
white, except on the terminal third which, sometimes on one,
sometimes on both webs, is more or less unicolorous with the
rest of the tail.

The bird of the year is smaller and everywhere of a dull sooty
grey or smoky black. The feathers of the wings, scapulars, and
back, with broad dingy white tippings and margins.

996.—Pheton ethereus, Lin.

Tam pretty confident that it was this species with the red bill
and the white tail which Mr. Holdsworth identifies with rudiz-
cauda, Bodd. ‘The former is the only species which I have
known to be procured anywhere along the West Coast of India,
or in the Persian Gulf. ;

A Os VE

Acheew.

So little is known either of Acheen or its birds, that even
the following rough notes that we can string together about
both the place and its feathered residents, may, at the present
time, (when the Dutch are endeavouring to crush its brave and
independent, albeit somewhat lawless, people,) possess a certain
interest.

How my friend Mr. Davison came to visit Acheen, and how I
thus obtained a small collection of birds killed there, must first
be explained.

At Camorta, in the Nicobars, we have a small Penal Settle-
ment, an offshoot of Port Blair, in the Andamans. The head
Jemadar of the convicts at Camorta, one Khoda Buksh by name,
a fine athletic Punjabee (transported for life, doubtless for chop-

442 Acheen.

ping off some neighbour’s head, in the playful way our N. W.
Frontier subjects have) had long been one of the most trusted
-of the convict warders. Somehow he failed to give satisfaction
to the Assistant Superintendent then in charge of Camorta, and
-he took it into his head that the latter had reported him to the
« General” at Port Blair for reduction. The man was one born
to be a leader amongst his fellows ; he had too long virtually
ruled the two hundred odd convicts at the station to contem-
plate his degradation with equanimity, and he appears to have
at once made up his mind to escape. He was in immediate
charge of the best boat in the harbour, and he always prided
himself on having it in tip-top order. Directly he conceived
‘that he was in disgrace, he went to an English sailor, in charge
of the Hulk at Camorta where the prisoners at one time resided,
(the old Llenherm that many of us remember as one of Green’s
finest passenger ships) and said to him “ my boat is very nice,
but I wish you would examine itand see if there 1s anything
you could suggest to make it a better sea-boat, sail faster, &c.”
The sailor, a very smart young fellow, made many suggestions,
all of which. Khoda Buksh, who had become an experienced
shipwright amongst other things during his many years confine-
ment, carefully carried out. This done he took the “ Captain
of the Hulk” for a little sail with him and the latter pronounced
that the boat was now beyond further improvement.

A certain number of his own crew were Mahomedans lke
himself whom he knew and trusted, but the majority of them he
felt would not jon. So, at one in the morning, taking only the
four men he could rely on, he roused up a number of other con-
victs, told them his own crew could not go as they were wanted
for other work, that he had to go over to Trinkut to bring cocoa-
nuts, and ordered them to come. They obeyed—of course as he
was head Jemadar they could not refuse—and the boat started
with the Jemadar and sixteen men. Soon after they got out of
the harbour, some of those not in the secret, observed that they
were steering South (the wind was against them), but he ex-
plained this by saying that after getting some way out, they
would catch the wind well and run down without trouble to
Trinkut ; so the men went on rowing. Presently, however, as
day began to dawn and the land was seen to be far away, the
rowers who had been lone protesting and grumbling, suddenly
declared that they would go no further. But Khoda Buksh
chad prepared for this, he instantly produced a gun, his confede-
rates hatchets, (the rest were of course unarmed) and vowed
that the first who left his oar should be killed. The Jemadar
and his friends were armed, and belonged to a. bolder and more

Acheen.. 443.

martial race than the rest, and these latter naturally gave in.
So they rowed South, till the wind shifted and then they ran
straight on to Pilo Milu at the head of the little Nicobar. By
this time they were short of provisions and water. Khoda
Buksh was equal to the occasion; Pilo Milu had been visited,
twice in old days by European ships, by the Austrian Frigate
Novara, and the Danish Galatea, and later, when we took posses-
sion of the Nicobars, in Colonel Mann’s time, an Officer from
Camorta had gone down in a boat and erected a flagstaff there.
Khoda Buksh had gone down I believe with this Officer. He
now landed, and informed the Nicobarese that he had come to
inspect the flagstaff. The Nicobarese had no objection—putting.
up flagstaves and then coming two or three years later to inspect
them, was an idiotic amusement, quite in keeping with their
conceptions of European character—it pleased us and it didn’t
hurt them—and so they conducted him to the flagstaff, (to which.
he made several polite salaams), gave him water,- cocoanuts,
fowls, and saw him depart with mingled feelings of “ did you
ever,’ and “ what next?” Before leaving, however, he said “ there:
will be a steamer with two white funnels down here soon, mind
you give this letter to the Sahib on board.” In this letter,
which he addressed to General Stewart, he gave the names of : all
the men with him, remarked that all were well and very happy,
that he was well provisioned and was going South. South he
went, beached the boat at Acheen Head, and then and there
started off with his four companions and one of the twelve, un-
willing fugitives, onward by land. Five or six days afterwards
the fifth returned, he had been unable to keep up with Khoda
Buksh and party, who knew thoroughly that no time was to be:
Jost. Nothing more has been since heard, I believe, of these men.
They were brave, resolute, strong, and are said to have had a
thousand Rupees between them, and may, for all I know, yet turn
up some day as Sultans of New Guinea, or Kings of the Canni-.
bal Islands. The remaining twelve loafed about, sold the boat
worth some $200 for $40, ‘and. endeavoured (aad I understand:
not without success) to make themselves jolly under the un-
toward circumstances of being their own masters.
In the mean time Davison, who was collecting for me in the
Andamans and whom General Stewart had kindly taken with
him for a cruise through the Nicobars, arrived with the General
at Camorta. There they at once heard of the escape, and steamed
South, enquiring at all the islands until at Pilo Milu, Khoda
Buksh’s letter was duly delivered. Thence they went on to:
Acheen, found the boat, and after some negotiation with the
Sultan, recovered her and the twelve runaways.

Add Acheen.

This is how Mr. Davison came to visit Acheen, where very
few Englishmen have ever been before him, and I must now let
him tell his own story. .

“ About 2 ¥. m., on the 3lst January, 1873, we cast anchor
off Acheen Head, about two miles from shore, and a little to the
West of the mouth of the river. About 5 a. M., next morning,
T availed myself of the opportunity of going ashore by accom-
panying one of the officers of the ship, who was entrusted with
a letter to the Sultan. We soon reached the mouth of the river,
but although our boat was pulling eight oars, owing to the
extremely rapid flow of the river, and the laziness or inability
of the boat’s crew (who were Calcutta lascars) to pull against
the current, it was not till after noon that we reached a kind of
guard-house situated on the bank of the river about two miles

from its mouth. Here we took on board one of the Native chiefs

and proceeded about a quarter of a mile further up the river,
when we landed and went to the town which was only a short
distance off. On our arrival we were asked to wait a little tall
the Sultan should be informed of our arrival, and I was told
not to shoot till I had obtained permission to do so. After wait-
ine for some time, as the messenger whom we had sent to the
Sultan did not make his appearance, I amused myself stroll-
ing about the place, and getting what information I could about
the country and people; of course I could not speak the
Acheenese language, but I made the acquaintance of a fine old
Madrassee merchant with whom I was able to converse in Tamul,
and to him I am chiefly mdebted for what information I ob-
tained. Before proceeding further, I may here state that, ac-
cording to the native fashion, we were kept waiting till about
4, p. M., when a chief was sent to tell us that the Sultan could
not see us that day, but would be happy to see General Stewart
next day, about 3 p. M., and I was informed that I might shoot,
proviuled I did not shoot any of his Majesty's subjects.

“ Although I enjoyed wandering about the place, I much re-
gretted the delay that had caused almost the whole day to be
wasted ; being prevented from shooting, I failed to seeure,speci-
mens of birds which might have proved very interesting, as
some that I saw the first day I never again met with. I should
add to explain the paucity of my spoils, that although we re-
mained off Acheen for three or four days, I was quite unable to

penetrate any distance inland for want of guides; on asking to _

be allowed to go to the Golden Mountain, a wooded hill, 8,000
feet or so high, apparently some 20 miles distant, I was told I
might certainly do so, 7f I could find any one to accompany me.
I tried hard to do this, but found it quite impossible to induce

Acheen. 445

any of the Natives of the place to go with me; indeed I might
have known from the way in which the permission was granted
that the Sultan did not care to have Europeans roaming about
the place. One merchant told me that he himself would have
accompanied me, if he could have left his business, but he said
it was much better that I should not go far, as the Sultan did
not wish it, so, perforce, I was compelled to confine myself to
the flat land in the immediate vicinity of the sea, which, to say
the least, was but poor collecting ground, being either a succes-
sion of paddy fields, or ground thickly covered with the dunny
palm, and intersected in all directions with innumerable small
creeks, which made travelling about both tedious and unpleasant.

“The villages were few and far between, and were either built
upon a piece of ground slightly elevated above the surrounding
country, or on flat ground that happened to be dry and firm.
In and around the villages were generally scattered a few large |
trees and clumps of bamboos, and the fields were often sur=
rounded by a ditch and hedge of bamboos. These large trees
and bamboos were the favorite resorts of the few land birds that
were to be seen, and it was chiefly in these localities that I ob-
tained my very poor show of specimens; unfortunately the
moment I appeared in, or near a village, I was surrounded by
all the boys, and not unfrequently by many of the men of the
place, all of whom would persist in following me about, talk-
ing, or rather I should say yelling to one another, at the top of
their voices, and running hither and thither, scaring all the
birds, or if they did not do this, keeping so much in the way
that I was obliged to be very careful in firing, lest I should
transgress the Sultan’s positive injunctions oz to shoot any of
his subjects.

“As you proceed up the river the country appears to get
higher and dryer, and here may be seen fruit gardens, which
are said to produce some fine fruit, chiefly the mangosteen and
rambosteen ; as to the former I cannot express an opinion, as
there were none to be had at the time of our visit, but the
latter-which is a deep-red fruit about the size of a hen’s egg,
covered all over with tubercules or soft thorn like exerescences,
and much resembling a iechee inside, is a really delicious fruit,
and is comparatively cheap, for although only just coming into
season about ihe time of our visit, they were selling at the rate
of 300 for a dollar.

“The Mexican and Spanish dollar are the only current silver
coins at Acheen, and although the Natives will take rupees, they
never give the full value in change. Besides the dollar, there is
a small leaden coin of Native manufacture, about the size of a

: Cc

4.4.6 Achéen.

six pence, and very thin, with a few letters or characters stamped
in relief on it, and which is apparently very largely used, but is,
to say the least, a most inconvenient form of change to carry
about or use, as in exchange for a dollar you get two thousand
five hundred or three thousand of these leaden cash, which really
means about a couple of Ibs. of lead at the very least.

“ The country inland and the islands Pulo Brassy, Pulo Whey,
Pulo Rando, &c., are said to be exceedingly fertile, and to pro-
duce large quantities of spices, especially black pepper.

“The exports I was told consist chiefly of spices, (of whieh
pepper forms avery large proportion) of mats, and straw caps;
besides these, a quantity of silver, chiefly in the form of dollars
which have been obtained in exchange for goods imported, is
annually carried to Penang, Rangoon, or other adjacent ports.
The imports are English goods, “sarongs” (waist cloths,)
Indian muslins, and colored “ voomals,’”’ (handkerchiefs), sugar,
and rum, the latter only in zomparatively small quantities. The
trade is carried on by Madrassees and Chinese, but chiefly by
the former. There were at the time of our visit six schooners,
one brig, and one junk lying at anchor off Acheen Head, but I
was told that trade had been for many years slackening, and
that the country was nothing to what it once was, which complaint
though common enough in most places is no doubt true enough
here, if one may judge from the signs ef former prosperity still
existing. The whole coast at Acheen Head appears to have been
at one time regularly fortified. Ruins of ramparts dotted with
unmounted guns still stretch along the coast; the number of
guns to be seen about is wonderful. Every three or four hundred
yards along the coast, iron guns of different sizes, lie unmounted,
and often half-buried in the soil or covered over with rank
vegetation ; near every village again two er three unmounted guns
may be seen. The great mass are iron, and.are generally small;
one, however, that I found in the courtyard of what appeared to
have been a small fort was of bronze, and measured about 22 feet
long with an 8 inch diameter bore, tue metal being about 6 inches
in thickness at the thickest part; another lying in the court-
yard of the Audience Hall was also of bronze, and bore in relief
the English arms, and an inscription to the effect that it had
been manufactured by two brothers named Pitt, A. D. 1617.
The inscription was, if I remember rightly, as follows:

Jacobus Rex.
John and Richard,
Pitt Brethren
made this peece.
Anno 1617,

Acheen. 4A

«The oun was some 11 feet long, the diameter of the bore was:
23°5 inches, and the metal at the mouth only about 2°25 inches
thick. Alongside the gun lay two round shot cut from blocks of
granite. The gun does not appear to have ever been used, and
although lying unmounted, exposed to all weathers, is in a wonder-
fully good state of preservation. The iron guns were apparently
made in the country. Many years ago, they were manufactured
(so I was told) by a Turk from: Constantinople, who after he had
made as many guns as the then reigning Sultan required, or
could afford, had had his head chopped off in lieu of payment,
and to prevent him from making guns for any neighbouring
State. | |

‘The present Sultan is an ill-conditioned, weedy, seedy, looking
lad, about 18 or 19 years old ; although so young, he has a harem
of some sixteen “houris.” He is only nominally Sultan, (the
real power being in the hands of his uncle, a handsome and very
intelligent looking man), but every deference is paid to him, at
least in public, and this is apparently carried to such an extent
that none of his subjects dare address him except in a loud
whisper. At an audience given to General Stewart at which I
was present, it was amusing to see how every question and
answer passed through several mouths before reaching its destina-
tion. At one end of the audience chamber, if the only partially
enclosed, and withal very disreputable looking building can be
so termed, sat the Sultan, and at the other sat General Stewart.
On the Sultan’s right hand sat his uncle and prime minister, and
between him and General S., stood three interpreters. General
Stewart spoke to the one closest to him, in an ordinary tone, and
Thave no doubt but that the Sultan comprehended the purport
of what was said, as he is understood to know Urdoo: The first,
man after saluting the Sultan by raising both his hands with the
palms placed together to his forehead and humming and hawing
im a manner to give one the idea that he was about to choke,
finally passed the message on to the man next him in a scarcely
audible whisper, and so.on till it reached the Prime Minister, who
after saluting him in a similar fashion, whispered to the Sultan
who seldom spoke more than a few words, often merely nodding
or shaking his head in reply. He seemed tobe perfectly indifferent,
and appeared to think the whole proceeding a bore.

“The Audience Hall was about 20 feet long by ten or twelve
feet wide, badly carpeted with a few rugs and pieces of carpet, of
divers hues and patterns; the walls were ornamented with some
very old fashioned brass-mounted blunderbusses, with all the
brass ornamentation in a high state of polish; a guard was
drawn up along one side, consisting of a most motley set of men.

448 Acheen.

some armed with spears, others only with swords or creeses ; alto-
gether the whole turn-out was very shabby.

“ From what I was told it appears that the Sultan has no stand-
ing army, but when soldiers are required each chief (and their
name appears to be legion) brings his retainers; the one pro-
ducing the most men taking the chief eommand ; the men are
generally a rather fine set, with a Malay east of features ; they
appear to be very determined and independent, and look like
people who would fight well.

“‘ Besides the Malabar and Chinese merchants, there are a
good many men of other nations, such as Arabs, a few Nubians,
and an Hurasian of Burmese extraction. The Arabs are
generally the Moulvies, the others are nothing in particular.
The Sultan encourages people to settle in the place ; he clothes,
feeds, arms, and houses them, and gives them as many wives as
they like, but they have to embrace the Mahometan religion, and
all that is required of them in the form of work appears to be that
they take their turn as palace guards. They never get any
regular pay, and if they want money they must find means of
making or taking it.

“Ty the bazaar, the shops are mere sheds, the floors raised on
posts a few feet from the ground ; the walls are composed of
mats, and the roofs of a palm leaf thatch. The “ Merchants
Hall” is a larger and more pretentious building ; its floor may
be raised some twenty feet from the ground on posts, and its
walls are composed of planks instead of mats. I saw no houses
of a better kind though, doubtless, the chiefs have such inland.
The villages I visited were mere clusters of mat huts, thatched
with the everlasting dunny palm leaf; low mud walls often
enclosing groups of these huts. The Sultan’s palace and grounds
were surrounded by a-high wall composed, I think, of brick. The
Audience Hall was just inside an enormous gateway in this wall,
and we entered through a small wicket in the gate. The palace
itself was hidden from us by trees.

“A market is held daily, except on Friday, the Mahomedan
Sunday, on an open piece of ground outside the town, from.
about 3 p.M., tilldusk. Here fruit, vegetables, fish, eggs, grain,
knives, cloth, poultry, and eattle are sold.

“ Most of the things seem to be brought down the river to
the town in the tose wonderful little eanoes imaginable; the
stream is excessively rapid, running perhaps eight miles an hour,
and down this come the little canoes, some ten or fifteen feet
in length, crammed to the brim, with not above two inches of
the ounwale above water, and ouided by a single paddle.

“ Besides these, many other descriptions of boats are to be seen,

Acheen. 449

Madrassee boats with their queer and apparently clumsy-looking
spade-shaped oars; neat dapper little boats from the Chinese
schooners and small native boats which are used either only in
the river, or within sieht of land.

“‘ Then there are the large native fishing boats which go a long
way out of sight of land. These are generally capital sailing
boats, and often carr y twenty or more men on board, who appear
to be always heavily armed. The boat itself is usually mounted
at the bows with an iron gun, abecut 5 or 6 feet long, and
with a bore measuring 2°5 or 3 inches in diameter. These
armed fishing boats I was told not unfrequently run down to
Penang and back, the journey with a favorable wind taking
about eight days.

“Tdo not know what the internal administration of the
country is, or how justice (?) is dispensed, but I should say that it
could not be very perfect, as the Natives generally settle any
disputes they have by fighting wherever they may happen
to be, often in the middle ee the shies till one or other is killed ;
no notice is apparently taken of a man’s losing his life in what
may be considered a fair fight.

“T saw no wild mammals except afew small squirrels, but was
told that the forests in the interior abounded with animals of differ-
ent kinds, among which the rhinoceros was said to be not uncom-
mon. Butterflies and beetles appeared rather scarce, but lizards,
large and small, were to be seen commonly, and the river, creeks,
and even small isolated patches of water, evidently only rain-
water pools, abounded with a huge hydro-saurus, about five feet
in length.

«The following is a list of the birds seen, but not Zi uue
obtained :

43.—Cuncuma leucogaster, Gm.

I saw two of these fish-eagles sailing about rather high up
just off Acheen Head, about half way between the steamer and
the shore.

127 ter.—Pelargopsis Fraseri, Sharpe.

T saw a Pelargopsis the first day at Acheen; it was sitting
on a bamboo that overhung the river. I was within twenty
yards of it for some time, aad think that it belonged to the above
species ; it certainly was not durmanica, as it was much too blue
for that species, and as we obtained Fraseri® at Galatea Bay and

* J doubt if it is rasert. It is I think nearer lewcocephala, and probably a dis- |
tinet species: ees 4008. Vide Avi-fauna of the Islands of the Bay of ~~~
Bengal. A. O.

450 Acheen. :

Kondul Island, the identification of the Aeheen bird is most ~
probably correct.

134.—Alcedo bengalensis, Gin.

I saw this bird several times about the river.

135 bis—Alcedo asiatica, Sw.

I have a note of having seen this species (which I obtained
in the Andamans) on one occasion on the river. I could only
identify it by its being much brighter colored than the last. |

Chrysophlegma miniatus, Forst.

I saw one wood-pecker, which I failed to obtain in conse-
quence of tumbling into a ereek while following it, in hopes of
getting a shot. It appeared to me very similar to Chrysophlegma
canthoderus, Malh, which is the only species I know well, but was
most probably the species above indicated.

Tora...... ? I saw an Jora, which most probably was J.
scapularis, Horsf., but I could not clearly identify it.

595._Nemoricola indica, Gm.

I on one occasion saw this bird under some trees in a village.

Ploceus hypoxanthus P Daud.

On a large tree that I was unable to climb, and which the
natives would not climb for me, I saw several nests of a
weaver bird; they were smaller than those of P. daya. . I failed
to secure specimens of the bird.

938 bis—_Demiegretta sacra, Gimel.

I saw several blue-reef herons on the sea coast close to the
river’s mouth. I have no doubt but that they were of the above
species, as they appeared perfectly identical with those we shot:
at the Andamans and Nicobars.

931.—Butorides javanica, Horsf.
On several occasions I flushed this bird from the edges of the
small creeks.

934.—Ardetita sinensis P Gin.

T saw a small heronet at Acheen: it rose out of a rice field,
and- appeared identical with the birds | had shot at the
Andamans and which have proved to be szwensvs.

Besides the above species which I think I have to a certain
extent identified, I saw a large hawk eagle, and a small spar-
row hawk, but only obtained a ver y cursory view of “ihe and
cannot say what they may have been.”

Acheen. 451

The following is a list of the species actually obtained :

132.—Halcyon chloris, Bodd.

Nine specimens, four males and five females, were obtained.
These are the true chloris, they average, it is true, slightly
larger, as I shall more particularly explain below, than speci-
mens from various parts of the Andaman group and the Cocos ;
but they are in other respects precisely similar, and this is the
more remarkable, because throughout the Nicobar group (which
he midway between the Andaman Islands and Acheen, and
which were apparently beyond question at some past stage in
the world’s history part of one unbroken mountain range stretch-
ing from Arracan to the southernmost point of Sumatra at
any rate), a totally distinct species, H. occipitalis, Blyth, occurs,
to the absolute exclusion of H. chloris.

As regards H. occipitalis from the Nicobars the distinctness
of which was uncertain when Mr. Sharpe published his magni-
ficent monograph of this family, | may mention that this
gentleman to whom I sent a specimen, now entirely agrees with
me, that Blyth’s is a good species, more nearly allied perhaps to
H. Julie, Heine, than to chloris.

In regard to chloris, generally, Mr. Sharpe remarks “ very
great variation in the shades of green and blue is observable
in this species, for which I am unable to account as a sexual
difference, as the females do not appear to be less brightly color-
ed than the males. I believe, therefore, that the brilliancy of
plumage depends on the age of the bird, the green tints pre-
dominating in the more adult.”

Now in the first place I would remark that the color of chdoris
depends wonderfully on the hght in which the bird is looked
at; if looked at against the ight, that is to say when one is
facing the heht, they look much ‘bluer, while, if looked at stand-
ing with one’s back to the hght, they are very much @reener.
Setting this, however, aside, with ‘forty-one specimens carefully
sexed Bele me from the Sunderbunds, the Cocos, the Andamans,
and Acheen, it is very manifest that the females and the young
males are much greener, and the adult males much bluer, and as
far as I ean judge the older the males, the bluer they get.

The bills in this species vary much in shape and size ; primarily,
no doubt, according to locality ; the Sunderbund birds for instance
having: the smallest bills of all, very much more compressed to-

wards the point than any other s, and also having the white
supercilium more developed than in any others that I have seen ;
but the bills also vary much in the same locality according to
andividuals, some having them worn away towards the points

4.52 Acheen.

to an almost incredible extent. I at one time thought that this
was asign of age, but I subsequently procured quite young birds
with the whole breasts narrowly barred with greyish black, which
had the bills as much worn away as any adult, and I am inclin-
ed now to believe that this attrition of the bill depends rather
upon the food. Some birds subsist more upon shell-fish which
they may be seen hammering to pieces with such vigor that it
is wonderful that they have any bills left at all, while others
again, which either temporarily or permanently live rather in-
Jand than exactly on the sea-coast, feed principally on huge centi-
pedes and little lizards.

I mentioned above that the Acheen birds were decidedly
larger than those from the Andamans and Cocos, and as the
birds were all carefully measured in the flesh (13 of both sexes
from the latter and 9 from the former), the subjoined dimensions
which clearly exhibit this fact are not without interest :

Tail
Length. Expanse. Wings. (from vent.)
Andaman & Cocos 9 to 10 13°82 to 1475 39 to 425 2°75 todl
Acheen 9°5 to 10:25 15:5 to 1625 4°25 to 45 3 to 34

Mr. Davison remarks, “I do not think that I saw this king-
fisher on the river going up to the town where the Sultan resides ;
but the country lying on either side was low, and intersected with
numerous creeks of brackish water, fringed with the dunny
palm, and in many places thickly cropped with paddy ; in these
localities, and in the immediate vicinity of the villages which
are sparingly scattered about, I found the white-collared king-
fisher exceedingly abundant, more so than it was in the Anda-
mans, but not so numerous as its congener ZZ. occipitalis is at
the Nicobars. I find I have dotted down a note to the effect that
the Acheen bird appeared to me to be very much more noisy
than the same species at the Andamans—three or four would get
together on the same branch, partially spread and lower their
wings and commence a regular squealing concert which they
would continue for a minute or so, when one would fly off to
another tree, (fullowed in succession by the others) where they
would again go through the same performance.

One day I had shot a white-collared kingfisher on a tree
standing close to a village, (and of course as usual when I hap-
pened to be near any houses, I was accompanied by about a score
of boys and men) ; the bird however instead of dropping to the
ground only dropped a few feet and remained suspended by the
neck in a small fork about fifteen or twenty feet from the ground.
As none of the natives around me would climb the tree, I divested
myself of powder and shot flask and hat and commenced ascend-

Acheen. 453

ing the tree, but when about a dozen feet from the ground, I ran
my bare head into the bottom of a large ant’s nest, which I had
not before seen; in an instant I was covered with thousands
of the enraged owners of the nest into which I had so uncere-
moniously intruded my head ; they swarmed over my face, head,
and hands, and down my back, biting so furiously that I was
obliged to spring to the ground, and pull off my clothes as fast
as I could, while the natives around me laughed as though the
whole thing was a capital joke, and I have no doubt but that to
them it was so, but to me at the time it did not seem quite so
amusing. It was with considerable difficulty that I freed myself
from the pests. As obtaining the bird by climbing was out of
the question, we were obliged to resort to “ Aunt Sally ” prac-
tice, and thus eventually, I got my bird which was a remarkably
fine specimen.”

197.—_Xantholema hemacephala, Mill.

A single specimen procured at Acheen is undistinguishable as
regards color from Indian examples, but it is a somewhat small-
er bird with a wing of less than 3 inches, and a decidedly shorter
and broader bill, more suddenly compressed a little beyond the
nostrils than in the Indian bird. It 1s impossible to draw any
conclusions safely from a single specimen. Mr. Davison mention-
ed that he only observed a single pair of this species on a tree
close to a village.

217 quat.—Centrococcyx eurycercus, Hay.

This species appears to be very common about Acheen. It is
at once distnguished from the Indian birds by its much lareer
bill. The following are the dimensions of a fine male measured
in the flesh:

Length, 19°5 ; expanse, 24 ; wing, 7-9 ; tail, from vent, 9:5 ;
the wings, when closed, reached to within 6 of end of tail ; the
tarsi, 2°U5 ; hind claw, 0-9 ; bill at front, straight from fore-
head to tip, 15; from gape, 1°95 ; the legs, feet, claws, and
bill, black ; irides, deep carmine ; weight, 12 ozs. This is of
course Horsfield’s dudutus, apud Raffles, and IT must, say that
I believe that this name should stand, but as Lord Walden has
particularly studied this group and believes that the Javan bird
will prove distinct, I follow him in retaining his name.

There is arather remarkable fact in connection with these
crow-pheasants, which I wish to notice prominently. Lord
Walden remarks Jd7s, 1872, p. 366, “ C. eurycercus can always
be distinguished from the Continental C. rufipennis, Iliger, by its
larger size, by the tail of the full plumaged bird (?) being blue and
not green, and by the ¢nterscapulary region of the back being colors

D

454 / Acheen.

ed like the wings. Even in young birds with striated plumage,
this part of the back will be found to have some rufous feathers ”

Now these remarks as to C. rufipennis apply quite correctly to
birds from the Central Provinces, parts of the North-West Pro-
vinces, and parts of Southern India, all of which have wings
varying from 7°6 to 8, and they also apply to birds from the ex-
treme South of India as at Anjango where the wings vary from
6°75 to 7°5 ; but they do not apply to birds from Sindh, Sikim,
Dacea, the Dhoon , and Thayetmyo, all of which, (at least so far as
my specimens go) have the interscapulary region red, even, as
Lord Walden says, in the young birds in more or less barred and
striated plumage.

There are, moreover, two distinct races of these red-backed birds.
The one, of which I have specimens from Sindh and Sikim, in
which the wings vary from 9 to nearly 9°5, and the other in
which they are of the same size as specimens from the Central
Provinces and the Nilghiris. Of these I have specimens from
Dacca, the Dhoon, and Thayet myo. Neither of these are ewrycer-
CUS, first because the tails are decidedly green, secondly, because
even in the huge 9 inch and upwards-wing race, the bills are not
nearly so large as in the much smaller true eurycercus trom
Acheen. Unfortunately, lam worse off for specimens of this com-
mon species than I am for almost any other bird, having only six-
teen altogether, and so I can make nothing satisfactory of the
matter. Sindh and Sikim birds on the one hand, Dacea, Dhoon,
and Thayet myo birds on the other, quite alike, and both different
alike from rujfipennis and eurycercus.

I can make nothing of Dr. Gray’s arrangement of the syno-
nomy of this species. He gives us only one speciesin India, bengal-
ensis, while he gives rufipennis from Java only. To which latter
locality he also” assigns as distinct species, lepidus, Horsf. affinis, -
Horsf., and ewrycercus, Hay. I must leave Lord Walden to eluci-
date this matter ; in the mean time, if the two races above indi-
cated prove distinct, I would call the large Sindh and Sikim birds
C. maximus, and the Dhoon, Dacca, and Thayet myo birds, C.
antermed ius.

269 bis.—Lalage terat, Bodd.

The Acheen bird appears identical with specimens from the
Nicobars. This species will be fully described in our paper on
the Avifauna of the islands of the Bay of Bengal and need not
here be further discussed.

This bird appeared to be rare, the one obtained which was not
adult, was the only one seen.

hn

Acheen. 455

-—— P Leucocirea............2 |

This bird, and I dare say it is not new, though I cannot make
it out, has precisely the plumage and habits of the Lewcocirea’s.
So far as plumage goes, it is very close to pectoralis, Jerdon, from
the Nilghiris, but it is shghtly smaller, decidedly darker, has the
tipping to all but the central tail feathers, a purer white, and
has much less white on the throat ; but on the other hand the
bill is differently shaped to that of any of the Leucocirca’s and
much more resembles that of Myragra azurea, but is a good deal —
longer than that even, and is in fact a minature of that of Zehz-
dvea in outline, though much more depressed. It may be Rhipidura
pertata of Miller or dongicauda of Wallace ; but I can find no des-
criptions of these birds. The following are dimensions and des-
criptions :

Length, 7°5 ; expanse, 8°75 ; wing, 2°9 ; tail, 3°82; tarsus, 0°75;
bill from gape, 0°65 ; the irides were brown, the bill black, fleshy
at the base of the lower mandible. The head and sides of the neck
sooty black ; a short broad supercilium, over the posterior part of
the lores, and the anterior half of the eyes, white ; wings and back,

' smoky brown ; upper tail coverts and tail, dark hair brown, all

but the four central tail feathers (of which there are ¢welve in all)
broadly tipped with pure white ; the external ones most broadly
so ; the feathers next the central tail feathers with a very narrow

_ white tipping at the extreme point. Centre of chin and_ throat

white, sides of the throat and breast and point of chin, black;
abdomen, vent, and lower tail coverts, white, with a yellowish
tinge; wing lining , mixed grey and white; axillaries, brownish
white.

If this species is new, I would name it “ enfumata.”

The habits of this species seem in one respect peculiar. Mr.
Davison says, “ I chiefly observed this bird in or close to the
villages and generally found them perched on the backs of cattle,
from which strange perch they kept darting after insects, oecasion-
ally ahighting on the ground. They are very restless little birds,
flitting : about hither and thither, and spreading their tails on
alighting, like all our Indian Leucocirew’s,

449 bis—Trachycomus ochrocephalus, Gm.

The Acheen birds appear identical with those from Malacea
and the Malay Peninsula generally. This bird occurs within
our limits, having been obtained in the Tenasserim Provinces,
and I therefore subjoin measurements recorded in the flesh,
which J believe have never before been given, and a description.

Leneth, 11; expanse, 15; wing, 4°75; tail, from vent, 4°75;
tarsus, 0°9; bill, from gape, 1°05 ; weight, 3 ozs.

4.56 Acheen.

The bill, lees, and feet are black ; the iris, brown. A line from
near the nostrils to the eye, and projecting a short distance
behind it, and a broad line from the base of the lower mandible
rather more than half an inch in length, black. The whole
forehead, top, and back of the head, the lores under the black
eye-streak, and a patch under the eye, including the basal half
of the ear coverts, buffy yellow ; the feathers greyish at the base,
and, those of the occiput especially, obscurely centred paler ;
the back of the neck and upper back, brownish grey ; the shafts
albescent, and the feathers tinged and suffused, most strongly
so towards the margins, with olive green, which varies in shade
and extent in different specimens; the rump and upper tail
coverts are a more or less dull olive green margined with a
brighter tint of the same color; the lower back is generally
browner, and less green ; the quills and rectrices are hair brown,
strongly suffused on the outer webs (and in the case of the
central tail feathers on both webs) with a kind of golden olive,
and margined brighter; the greater and median wing coverts
similar, but a paler and duller olive green; the lesser wing
coverts towards the shoulder of the wing centred paler and some-
times with a bluish grey tinge. The chin and throat white, with
a slight buffy tinge, in some specimens, towards the sides; the
‘ feathers of the breast conspicuously white shafted and white
centred ; laterally, a more or less dull olive brown, more or less
obsolete according to the state of plumage in which the bird is ;
abdomen, dingy brownish white, more or less striated with pale
brown ; lower tail coverts similar, but margined with chrome
yellow ; edge of the wing at the carpal joint, a rather bright
yellow ; wing lining, pale rufescent white, yellower in some speci-
mens, more fawn colored in others; margins of the inner webs of
the quills on the lower surface strongly suffused with a very pale
shghtly rufescent yellow.

‘Mr. Davison says, “On a large tree growing in a village, i
saw a party that were keeping up a continual chatter like a
flock of Hypsipetes nilghiriensis, flying from branch to branch
as they chased one another; I fired one barrel at them and
killed two, and found them to be this bird; the note is quite

that of a LHypsipetes. I only observed them on this one
occasion.”

Otocompsa............?

This is another species that, for want of works of reference, I
cannot identify. It may be ¢igus, or it may be tympanistrigus of
Miller; but 1 am unable to ideniify it. The following dimen-

Acheen. 457

sions taken in the flesh, and description will, however, render
identification easy by naturalists at Home.

Length, 7°75 to 8°5; expanse, 11 to 11°75; wing, 3:4 to 3°6;
tail, 3°5; tarsus, 0°7 to 0°8; bill, from gape, 0°85 to 0°9.

The bill, legs, and feet are black; the irides brown. The lores
and a circle round the eye are black; there is a long white
superciliary stripe from the nostrils almost to the nape ; between
these from the forehead to the nape, the whole top of the head
is a rich, somewhat umber brown in freshly-moulted birds, which
brown however fades apparently soon after the moult; the whole
of the rest of the upper plumage is a dull, rather pale brown,
every feather obscurely margined with a dull olive or greenish
yellow ; the upper tail coverts have this margin slightly bright-
er, and the ends of the longest soft rump feathers are in freshly
moulted specimens somewhat conspicuously paler; the chin and
throat and a line under the posterior half of the eye, dividing
this from the ear coverts, white; these latter and the sides of the
neck, pale brown or whity brown, varying in shade in different
specimens ; sides of the breast, more or less brown, the central
portion mottled brown and white; abdomen, white; flanks and
tibial plumes, pale brown; vent tinged with pale yellow; lower
tail coverts, very pale primrose yellow, tinged towards the margin
with a much brighter primrose.

Iam by no means sure that this should not be placed as an
Ivos. The head is not erested, the feathering of the rump is
very full, and there are distinct hairs on the nape; but on the
other hand the bill, the general tone of coloring, and the habits
are those of Otocompsa leucogenys and leucotis. I do not suppose
that this is new, but if so, it may stand as Otocompsa personata,
Davison, the name Mr. Davison gave it from the peculiar
appearance it has in life of wearing a mask.

Mr. Davison notes that “this is the most common bird
at, Acheen ; although occurring in almost every locality, it was
particularly abundant in and around the villages, keeping, in
small parties, or occasionally in pairs, in the low scrub and
brushwood. The note and habits seem to be identical with those
of the Indian Otocompsa’s. 'The broad superciliary stripes, the
black lores and eye circle, and the white throat and cheek streak
give the bird a very peculiar appearance.”

Oriolus hippocrepis, Wagier.

_ The Acheen oriole appears to belong to this species ; it is ver
close to zdeus of Southern India, but has a much larger bill,
much more conspicuous white edgings to the earlier primaries,

4.58 Acheen.

and much less yellow on the tertiaries and secondaries ; the wing
spot formed by the yellow tips to the earlier primary greater
coverts is almost obsolete in the present species. It is a much
larger bird and has a far larger bill than O. andamanensis which,
moreover, has scarcely any yellow at all on the secondaries or
tertiaries, and only the merest trace of a wing spot.

Compared again with O. macrourus from tlhe Nicobars, it is a
somewhat smaller bird, has a good deal smaller bill, and it agrees
with acrorhynchus (which Gray says is identical with chinensis,
though Lord Walden (Jé2s, 1873, p. 306) as I think* correctly,
makes them distinct) in having a considerable portion of the ex-
ternal tail feathers black, while macrourus, in fine specimens, has
nearly the whole of both external lateral tail feathers on either
side bright yellow; macrourus also has less yellow on the se-
condaries and tertiaries, scarcely any in fact ; acrorhynchus again
differs from both the Sumatran and Nicobar birds in haying
a much broader occipital band, and apparently in entirely wanting
the wing spot. The Acheen bird has a much smaller wing-spot,
and has more black on the cuter tail feathers than Broderipz, Bon.

The following are dimensions taken in the flesh of four females
of the Sumatran bird :

Length, 10 to 10°25; expanse, 17 to 17:25; wing, 5°25 to 6;
tail, from vent, 3°75 to 4°12; tarsus, 0:9 to 1; bill, from gape,
1°3 to 1:45; weight, 2°5 to 3 ozs.

The legs and feet were plumbeous, the bill carneous; the
irides, carmine. Mr. Davison remarks :

«This oriole was tolerably abundant, but kept in the vicinity
of the villages, frequenting, by preference, the dense clumps of
kamboos. ‘The note is very similar to that of O. imdicus, but
perhaps a trifle harsher.”

Copsychus mindanensis, Gm.

This species differs from our Indian saw/arvs, first, in the amount
of white on the tail in both sexes, and secondly, in that the
female has the whole upper surface black and only slightly duller
than the male, instead of iron grey as in the common Indian
species ; the breast of the female is also a much darker grey than
in the Indian bird. As reeards the tail in saw/aris, the whole of
the four external tail feathers on each side are either pure white,
or else have only a little dusky stripe on the inner web towards
the base of the innermost of the four feathers ; mendanensis on

* My specimens of chineusis differ conspicuously from aerorhynchus, in the
smaller bill, and size generally, in the much narrower nape band, conspicuous wing
spot, and the great extent of the yellow on the secondaries and tertiaries, which
even surpasses that in indicus.

Acheen, 459

the other hand has the three exterior feathers white, all three of
them with a gradually increasing dusky or blackish patch on
the inner web, while the fourth feather is black, with the excep-
tion of a narrow white tip and a tongue of white running up
from this along the shaft on the outer web for about an inch or so.
The following are the dimensions taken in the flesh of a female:

Length, 8°75 ; expanse, 12°5 ; wing, 3:75; tail, from vent,
3°59 ; tarsus, 1-15; bill, from gape, 1:05 ; weight, 1:75 ozs. Bill,
black ; legs and feet, horny. |

Mr. Davison notes : “ I only saw this bird once ; a pair were
together in a dry ditch where they were apparently looking for
insects among the dry leaves that had there accumulated.”

Suya albogularis, Sp. Nov.

This is a very distinct, and I believe unquestionably new
species. My Yarkand 8. albosuperciliaris was not, as I stated at
the time, a thoroughly typical Suwya; the present is an
eminently typical species; it is closest to atrogularis, but may
- be distinguished at once from that species by its much larger
bill, its conspicuous though narrow, pure white supercilium, and
by its white chin and throat, the feathers white to their bases.
Fine specimens of atrogularis also exhibit a supercilium, but it is
always a dingy brownish white; again at one stage of its
plumage, atrogularis has the chin, throat, and breast, dingy brown-
ish white, but the basal portion of the feathers in this species
is always dusky or blackish, whereas in the Sumatran bird, they
are white. The tarsi also are somewhat stouter than those of
atrogularis. ‘The upper plumage is very close to that of
atrogularis, but is somewhat gyreyer on the head and more
rufescent olivaceous on the back and rump. ‘The ear coverts in
the present species are grey, the shafts faintly albescent, so as to
produce a slightly striated appearance.

The dimensions of a female of this species taken in the flesh
are as follows: )

Length, 7; expanse, 6°25; wing, 1:82; tail, from vent,3°6;
tarsus, 0°8; bill, from gape, 0°65 ; weight, nearly 0°5 ozs.

Tris, red brown; legs and feet, carneous; bill, dark horny,
tinged pinkish on lower mandible.

Mr. Davison says: “I met with this bird ata village on the
East Coast of Acheen, in a small party of about six or eight,
among a thick growth of nettles: they were keeping up a
continual note like a very subdued “rattle of the bones.”
Occasionally, one would work his way to the top of a plant and
rattle louder than his companions, disappearing the moment
he had finished. On shooting one, the others became quite

4.60 Acheen.

silent at the report of the gun, and disappeared in a most
miraculous manner.”

690 vis.—Calornis insidiator, Rafies.

The Sumatran bird is, as Lord Walden says of the Bornean
bird, (2é7s, 1872, p. 381) precisely identical with Malaccan and
Singaporean specimens, and therefore there is no doubt that all
these should stand as zwszdzator, Raffles, unless the Javan bird
proves identical, in which case Horsfield’s name chalybea would
stand. The following are the dimensions of a female recorded in
the flesh : |

Length, 8:5 ; expanse, 13; wing, 4; tail, from vent, 3 ; bill,
legs, and feet, black ; rides, carmine.

As I have elsewhere noticed, the Nicobar and Andaman birds
are quite distinct, alike from this species and from the other
species, commonly considered to be affinis, Hay, from Tipperah
and Dacea. Mr. Davison remarks—

“ Apparently not common, occurs in small parties and _, keeps
much to the cocoanut palms and other hgh trees ; the note ap-
pears to be the same as that of the Andaman and Nicobar bird.”

Munia maja, Lin.

According to Gray, this species stands as above. Lord Walden
(Ibis, 1871, p. 177) gives the name as maya, and I have no doubt
he will tell us in an early number of the Jécs that Gray’s spell-
ing is an obvious misprint. Where Linnean names are con-
cerned, it is not very clear what does constitute an obvious mis-
print ; doubtless the specific name of the common Indian Dial
bird saularis is an obvious misprint for solaris. For the present
I propose to retain Mr. Gray’s spelling of the name as above
given. Raffles’s original description of this species runs as follows :

“ About the size of muna malacca, of a reddish brown, or
chestnut color, growing darker towards the tail, and becoming
almost black upon the abdomen. Head and neck, almost white ;
bill, bluish ; lees, black.”

A young bird shot at Acheen is a nearly uniform, rather pale, |
somewhat rufescent, brown above ; the quills and tail feathers,
except on the outer margins, hair brown ; the whole lower surface,
fawn color, paler on the chin and throat; the bill, legs, and feet
were pale leaden blue ; the irides, brown. It measured, length,
4-75 ; expanse, 6°82 ; wing, 2°12 ; tail, 1:6 ; tarsus, 0°55 ; bill,
from gape, 0°45. Mr. Davison remarks :

“ This little bird was not very numerous: those I observed
kept to the paddy flats, they occurred in small flocks. In habits
they resembled menza striata, &e.”

Acheen. 461

774 bis—Osmotreron viridis, Scop.

This beautiful species, (which also occurs in Tenasserim, and
which I therefore describe) is closely allied to d¢czucta, but differs
in its entirely grey head, neck, and throat, in the greater size of
the orange patch en the breast, and in its intensely deep chestnut
lower tail coverts, which in fine specimens extend nearly an
eighth of an inch beyond the tip of the central tail feathers.

The following are dimensions of specimens, (males,) measured
in the flesh:

Length, 10°75 to 11; expanse, 17 to 17:25; wing, 5°25;
tail, from vent, 3:5 to 4; tarsus, 0°65 to 0°75; bill, from gape,
6°8 to 0°85; weight, 6 ozs.

The irides are rose pink; the bill, pale plumbeous; the corneous
portion, whitish ; the cere and edge of gape, green; the legs and
feet are a more or less pale, lake red.

In the male the whole head, upper neck all round, chin and
throat, a delicate French grey, with a faint greenish tinge on the
forehead, cheeks, chin, and throat ; a broad collar all round the base
of the neck, pale vinaceous purple; the breast, deep orange; the
abdomen, bright vernal green; sides and wing lining, pale slaty
grey ; flanks and vent feathers, pale yellow, mingled with green ;
tibial plumes, pale yellow ; lower tail coverts, deep chestnut. The
entire mantle and back, dull grass green ; upper tail coverts tinged
with rufescent towards their tips; primaries, secondaries, and
their greater coverts black, the first two or three primaries, and
a few of the later secondaries very narrowly edged with pale
yellow ; tertiaries and some of the secondary greater and median
coverts, broadly margined with pale yellow; tail feathers, dark
slaty grey, all but the central ones, with a conspicuous, broad,
subterminal, blackish band; a trace of the same on the central
tail feathers; looked at from below the tail feathers are almost
black, with a narrow greyish white tipping.

“This beautiful bird I found,” writes Mr. Davison, “in small
parties of six or eight; they appeared to avoid the vicinity of
villages and kept more to the uncultivated parts. They have a
low soft whistle ending in a sort of coo, very unlike that of 0.
chloroptera, malabarica, &e.”

795 bis—Turtur tigrina, Temm.

If we compare specimens of Turtur suratensis, Gm., from
Dacca eastward, to the Agrore Valley in the extreme North-West,
they are all identical ; every feather of the mantle more or less
dark shafted, and with more or less of a triangular dark spot
on the shaft at the extreme tip of the feather, and on either

BK

4.62 Acheen.

side of this spot a large roundish pale vinaceous pink spot. If —
we take specimens from Upper Burmah, say Thayetmyos, they
are very similar, but the large conspicuous vinaceous spots have
become reduced to narrow lines. In the Sumatran bird, they
have disappeared altogether.

I have not had time to turn up Malaccan and other specimens,
but I suspect that an unbroken series of forms connecting the
typical Continental Indian and Sumatran birds will be found,
and under these cireumstances I am doubtful how far they ean
be properly maintained as distinct species. Mr. Davison says:

“« Apparently not common. I saw it occasionally about the
fields, An Acheenese had one alive in a cage, for which he
wanted the absurd price of $ 5.”

845.—Charadrius fulvus, Gel.

This species was very common about Acheen: it chiefly fre-
quented cultivated fields. Two specimens were obtained, abso-
Jutely identical with Indian, Burmese, and Andamanese examples.

891.—_Totanus glareola, Lin.

“Not common, chiefly found about the paddy flats and small
marshy spots inland.”

907.—_Gallinula phoenicura, Penn.

The white-breasted water-hen of Sumatra is absolutely iden-
tical with specimens from Madras, Sindh, Dacca, Burmah, the
Andamans, and Nicobars. Individuals from all localities vary
extraordinarily in size and in the width of the white frontal
band, but these differences appear to be individual and not loeal.
Mr. Davison says, “this bird is common about the creeks and
paddy flats, and especially abundant along the edge of the river ;
but they were more often heard than seen.”

927.—_Ardea garzetta, Lin.
929.—Bubulcus coromanda, Podd.

“ Both the above species,’ remarks Mr. Davison, “ were
common, the latter perhaps preferring little marshy places in
the vicinity of villages, the former apparently confining itself
to the river’s edge or to the creeks.”

Tantalus lacteus, Temm.

The only specimens obtained were young birds apparently
those referred to by Raffles (Trans. Lim. Soc., XIIT., p. 327,) as
7. cinereus, but in an intermediate stage between those he des-
eribed and the adult.

Notes upon some of the Indian and European Lagles. 468

The whole head and neck all round is dingy whity brown, the
feathers being brown at their bases and whitish at their tips;
the whole of the body including the scapulars, upper and lower
tail coverts, and tibial plumes, and most of the median and
lesser wing coverts, a dirty white; only the lesser coverts imme-
diately along the edge of the wing, a dirty brown; the quills
and most of the greater coverts and the rectrices, a dirty blackish
brown, palest on the tertiaries. Davison says:

“T saw an enormous flock of these birds on the mud banks
of a large creek: they were not particularly shy, and I advanced
under cover of some bushes to within 20 yards of a number,
and as far as I could make out, the whole flock consisted of
birds colored exactly like the two specimens shot, which seem
immature.”

A. O. H.

Alotes upon some ot the dndian and European Eagles,
By W. Edwin Brooks, Esq., C. H.
No. III.

Havine received an African example of Aquila nevioides, Cuv.,
I find it is a species quite new to me; and that the Indian bird
of which I sent a few home for identification was wrongly iden-
tified by the English ornithologists with Aquila nevioides. Our
Indian bird is Aguzla fulvescens, Gray, and accords most per-
fectly with the plate im Gray and Hardwick’s illustrations of
Indian Zoology. Mr. Gurney was the first to point out to me
that our common Indian Wokhab, Aguila vindhiana, Franklin,
was not entitled to the name of fulvescens.

Aquila naevioules, like our A. vindhiana, has a long vertical
nostril, also a well barred grey tail like the Indian species. The
coloration, however, is much finer, and no wokhab can approach
the African species in this respect. The large amount of parti-
colored plumage is striking ; and if a faily spotted dg. uevia
had its spots turned yellowish, and the whole body, save
scapulars, wings, and tail of a deep yellow buff, the bill made
much stouter, and the round nostril made long and vertical,
also the tail made hoary and well barred, then we should have
the characteristic plumage of Aquila nevioides, the tawny eacle.
Its “ tawny” color is not the rufous buff of A. fulvescens, but
a deep yellow buff, most peculiar and unmatched by the color of
any other eagle.

464 Novettius.—Spelornis minimus.

This tawny plumage is however only one stage of the bird’g
plumage ; and in the /ézs for April, 1865, is represented in the
upper figure the adult bird. :

Aquila fulvescens, Gray, the Indian tawny eagle, is very easily
distinguished from both the other species, which it somewhat
resembles, by its very round nostri, plain black tail, and longer
and feebler legs. ‘The bill is also feebler in proportion. It is
also a migratory eagle, which the other two are not. In my
recent papers on the different eagles, my references to Agaila
neviowles are to the Indian species, Aquila fulvescens. I did not
then know the other bird.

Indian ornithologists should carefully note that Aguila ful-
vescens 1s quite a distinct bird from that described under the
same name by Dr. Jerdon, at page 60 of his first volume. This
species (No. 29 in Dr. Jerdon’s book) must be altered to Aquila
vindhiana, Franklin.

It has often been thought that A. vindhiana was identical
with the African A. nevioides ; but it is not so. No two eagles
could be more truly distinct, though they are closely affined
and structurally alike. Hach of the three eagles of which I have
spoken in this short paper, has a light and a darker stage; but
while in Aguila fulvescens and A. nevioides the buff stage is the
more youthful one; in the third, the common wokhab, A. vin-
dhiana, the pale stage is that of a full aged bird. ‘The latter does
not appear to be recularly subject to this pale dress (which is a
pale whity brown without any of the warm buff of the other two
species,) but those birds which have not fast colored plumage
become bleached.

The same bleaching is very observable in Aquila nevia and less
so is Aquila hastata and dA. bifasciata. ‘The species which fades
the least is Ag. mogilnzh.

Aovelties 7
Spilornis minimus, Sp. Nov.

Resembles cheela, but is uch paler, has the throut and breast entirely
unbarred. Is the smallest of its genus. Wings varying from 11°6 to
11°75.

Wer only met with this diminutive species in the neighbour-
hood of Camorta (Nicobars), and, unfortunately, only secured

Novewties.—Spilornis minimus. 465.

two specimens. Onea young female, the other an adult, and, as
far as shot injuries enabled us to make out, also a female.

Davison who resided nearly a month at Camorta saw altogether
about six specimens, but they were so shy and wild, that he
could not get within shot. ‘They did not keep along the shore
or sit upon mangrove trees, fringing swamps and creeks, but
remained inside the jungle on the edges of the forest paths.

_ The dimensions of the adult measured in the flesh were as
follows : .

Length, 18°75 ; expanse, 39 ; wing, 11°6; tail, from vent,
8°6 ; tarsus, 2°75 ; mid toe, to root of claw, 1:6 ; bill, from gape,
1:6 ; weight, 1°5 lbs.

The young female measured

Length, 19°5 ; expanse, 38°5 ; wing, 11°75 ; tail, from vent,
9 ; tarsus, 2°7 ; bill, from gape, 1:65 ; weight, 1:5 lbs.

This latter was beyond all doubt a female, and so we have little
doubt was the former; but as above mentioned, injury by shot
prevented our being absolutely certain of this.

In both, the legs and feet were yellow, the claws black ; the
bill ight blue, dark horny at the tip. Theirides, cere, gape,
and-orbital skin, bright yellow. 4

The adult has the whole top and back of the head and back
of the neck black. The nuchal and occipital feathers developed
so as to form a full crest ; the posterior feathers narrowly mar-
gined atthe tip with whity brown. The whole mantle, pale
brown, with a purplish tinge on the coverts and scapulars, most
conspicuous about the shoulder of the wing. Most of the lesser
coverts, a few of the median coverts, and a few of the middle
scapulars with a white spot or a narrow white line at the tip.
Rump and upper tail coverts, the same color as the back ; most
of the feathers with a narrow white terminal fringe. The tail
pale brown, narrowly tipped with white and with a subterminal,
and one other 1°25 inches broad, blackish brown transverse bar.
Cheeks and ear-coverts the same color as the upper back, a light
brown. The whole lower parts a still paler, duller, and more
earthy brown, entirely unbarred and unspotted on the chin,
throat, and breast, but each feather of the sides, abdomen, and
axillaries with numerous large whitish spots, arranged in double
rows one on each web, becoming on the vent feathers irregular
bars. Tibial plumes similar, but the white spots larger, and
forming complete bars, or nearly so. Lower tail coverts, yellowish
white, with more or less regular, arrow-head shaped, pale, brown
bars. Lower surface of the tail, grey, the dark bars only shewing
faintly through. The quills, brown; all the secondaries and all
but the first two, or three primaries, conspicuously but not broad-

466 Noveiries.—Spilornis mumimus.

ly tipped with yellowish white. The lower surface of the quills
grey, whitish at the base with broad blackish brown tips, with
a broad bar of the same color about 1°5 inches higher up, and
faint freckled traces of a similar bar near the base. The second
to the sixth primaries are conspicuously emarginate on the outer
web, that of the second primary concealed by the coverts, and
traces of a similar emargination on the seventh. ‘The first four
primaries festooned, but not deeply so on the mner web. The
wing lining mostly white, but mottled more or less with some-
what rufescent brown, especially about the carpal joint, and alone
the ulna.

The upper surface of the young bird is similar, but the white
bases of the crest shew through conspicuously, and all the occi-
p:tal and nuchal feathers are broadly frimged with pale rufescent,
or buff. ‘The tail feathers are a yellowish brown, the broad dark
bars only faintly marked. The coverts, scapulars, and upper
tail coverts, show but few of the white tippings conspicuous,
especially about the shoulder of the wing, in the more adult bird.
The chin, throat, and upper breast are much as in the adult, but
the lower breast, abdomen, sides, and flanks, and the longer
lower tail coverts and most of the tibial plumes are a dingy yel-
lowish or buffy white, entirely unspotted, only a few feathers on
the sides; a few of the tibial plumes, anda few feathers about
the vent are new feathers, and resemble those of the adult. I
may add that one of the central tail feathers is also like those of
the adult. The entire wing lining 1s yellowish white, shading
into pale rufescent or salmon color along the ulna, and on the
axillaries. ‘Two or three of the coverts along the ulna exhibit ill-
defined brown bars or spots towards the tips. Lower surface of
the quills differ conspicuously from those of the adult ; the tips
are much less dark, and above these the first primary exhibits
two, and the others three, fairly well marked dark brown trans-
verse bars.

This bird is very closely allied, apparently, to rufipectus, Gould,
and I at one time thought that it might belong to this species,
and that my supposed adult might be in an intermediate stage
between the old and young birds figured by Mr. Gould (Birds of
Asia, pt. XII.) ; but my bird of the year is totally different to the
young bird he figures, and my adult with a perfectly black erest,
and to judge from bill and feet and texture of plumage, any-
thing but a young bird, has not the faintest trace of rufous
either on breast or nape. Moreover, the arrangement of the
bands on the tail in both old and young in rujipectus, differs con-
spicuously from that in the tails of both my birds old and young.
In both species the extreme tip of the tail is white or whitish,

Noveuries.—Leleroglauw. 467

then comes in both abroad subterminal dark band, and above
this a broad paler band, above this in rafipectus comes a narrow
dark band, then a narrow pale band, and then the rest of the visi-
ble portion of the tailis dark. In the present species we have
a dark broad band, as broad as the subterminal one, and the rest
of the visible portion of the tail is pale.

Heteroglaux, Gen. Nov.

Size, medium; head, small; disc, imperfect ; nostrils, medium
sized, pierced well inside the margin, of a moderately developed
cere ; external orifice ofear, smaller than eyes, circular, without
operculum, mouth of internal orifice, crescentic. Wings short,
with short wing ends, first four primaries very conspicuously
notched on the inner webs, 4th primary longest, 3rd intermediate
between 4th and Sth, 2nd intermediate between 5th and 6th, 1st
equal to 8th ; tarsi, stout, short, equal to mid toe without claw,
densely covered with silky feathers ; upper surfaces of toes, thick-
Jy covered with stiff bristly-shafted feathers, inner toe longer
than outer.

This very peculiar form of owl which I cannot identify with
any known genus, though it approaches Suruia, Dum; Athene,
Boie ; and Jeraglaur, Kaup, was obtained by my friend Mr. F.
R. Blewitt in the dense forests of the eastern portion of the
Central Provinces, on the borders of the Tributary Mehals. At
first sight it would certainly be classed as an Athene ; but the
head is much smaller than in any of the Athene’s I possess, viz.,
brama, radiata matlabarica, cuculoides, castaneonota. The nostrils
are not pierced from the front, backwards, at the margin of a
swollen cere, but are well inside the margin, and are pierced
straight in. ‘The upper surfaces of the toes, too, are not covered
with bristles, but thickly feathered, so as to leave no portion of
the surface visible except just the margin of the terminal toe
scale. The bill is as in Athene, but the lower mandible even more
strongly notched. There is scarcely any facial disc.

468 Noveutirs.—Heteroglaux Blewitte.

Heteroglaux Blewitti, Sp. Nov.

General appearance not unlike that of Athene brama, but size larger and
wings shorter. Whole head, back, and sides of neck, interscapulary
region, and scapulars, unspotted dark earth brown ; a very strongly
marked, dark brown, transverse throat bar.

Mr. Blewitt tells me that he has been for long vainly en-
deavouring to procure a specimen of this owl, which frequents
the densest forests of the western portion of the Tributary
Mehals, and is shy to a degree. At last on the 14th December,
1872, he shot a fine female at Busnah, in the Phooljan State.
Most of my Indian readers know how long, and zealously, Mr.
Blewitt has devoted himself to ornithology, and how eminently
successful he has been as an oologist, and will not therefore
wonder at my dedicating to him this new and remarkable spe-
cies, which he has hitherto been the only person to obtain, as also
the first to discriminate.

The following are the dimensions and description of a female
of this new species, the generic characters of which are alone, I
think, sufficient to distinguish it from all other known owls.

Length, 9°5 ; expanse, 22°5; wing, 5°8; tarsus, 0°91; mid-
toe, to root of claw, 0°9; 4th, or longest primary, exceeds Ist
secondary by 1:2; bill, straight from nostril to point, 0°55; tail
. from vent, 2°9; wings, when closed, reach to within 0°5 of end
of tail; foot, length, 2:1; breadth, 2°3; weight, 8°5 ozs.

The lores, a line over the eye, a broad line under the eye, and a
triangular patch immediately behind the eye, white; the bristles
of the lores, with the terminal halves, black; the longest bristles
reach just to the tip of the bill. From the gape, runs a stripe
backwards, enveloping the whole of the ear coverts, in colour a
rather dark earth brown, obsoletely barred with albescent; chin
and throat, and the sides of the lower mandible, below the stripe
above mentioned, pure white; across this from the base of the
lower mandible, on one side to the base on the other, runs a
conspicuous, transverse, dark brown band. Forehead, top, and
back of the head, back, and sides of the neck, scapulars, and
interscapulary region an uniform, rather dark earth brown;
on lifting the feathers of the back of the neck, and on lifting
similarly the scapulars, each feather is found to have.a white
bar about mid-way between base and tip, or im some cases nearer
the tip, but these are not visible when the feathers are in repose.
The wings are hair brown, darkest on the primaries, secondaries,
and their greater coverts, and more nearly concolorous with the

Nove.tres.— Athene pulchra. 469

seapulars, on the lesser and median coverts, and tertiaries. All
the quills have four or five conspicuous white spots on the outer
webs, and corresponding imperfect bars (not quite reaching to
the shafts) on the inner webs, which bars are pale brown towards
the tips, and higher up, pure white. The winglet which is al-
most blackish brown is similarly marked. The primary greater
coverts similar, the rest of the greater, and some of the median,
coverts, with very large conspicuous white spots near the tips
on the outer webs. ‘The lesser coverts, and most of the median
unspotted ; rump and upper tail coverts, uniform brown, rather
darker than the interscapulary region, some of them exhibiting,
when lifted, a concealed white bar as in the seapulars. Tail hair
brown, tipped white, and with three conspicuous transverse
white bars, a fourth, a less perfect one, concealed by the upper tail
coverts. The breast feathers are mostly white, but are broadly
tipped with hair brown, which owing to the overlapping of the
feathers is what is chiefly seen. he sides of the breast of this
same color, but with traces of white bands well inside the tips,
and not noticeable till the feathers are lifted. Centre of abdo-
men, tibial, and tarsal plumes, toe feathers, and lower tail coverts
pure white; sides of abdomen, sides, and flanks, broadly banded
with hair brown.

Athene pulchra, Sp. Nov.

Closely allied to A. brama, but much smaller, the color of the wpper sur-
face usually a darker, and purer brown, and the white markings, smaller.

I have had one specimen of this owl, sent me by Captain
Fielden, by me now for some time, but having only a single
specimen, I hesitated to characterize the Pegu owl as distinct. . I
have now four good specimens before me, two of them sent by
Mr. Oates, and it appears to me certain that they must be
separated. I do not suppose that these birds weigh much more
than half what our Indian ones do. In length they vary from
7:25 to 7:8 against 8 to 9°5 in drama, while the wings vary from
5-3 to 5°8 against 6 to 6°65; and an expanse of 19 to 19-5
against 21 to 22°5 in the Indian bird. No doubt the general
character of the plumage is the same as in drama; but the
spotting of the head is smaller and neater. The general color
of the upper surface is a darker and purer brown; the dark
throat band is more strongly marked. ‘The tail exhibits five, or
six, narrow transverse bands, or traces of these, against four or
five, far broader, and more distinctly marked bands in drama.

F

470 Noveties.—Caprimulgus andamanicus.

The scapulars, too, seem to be generally less barred, and more
spotted than is usually the case in Indian specimens.

Generally, the birds have a very different appearance, and I
think would be separated by any one who examined a series of
both ; but no mere description will sufficiently explain this differ-
ence, and the very marked difference in size is the character
that must be first relied on for separating the species.

Captain Fielden remarked that this owl which he identified
with é6rama was very common at Thayetmyo.

Mr. Oates who likewise considered the bird to be drama, re-
marks, that it is “very common along the banks of the Irra-
waddy, for ten or twenty miles inland. Further inland, every
little owlet which pops out in the evening is sure to be eucu-
loides, which I fancy replaces it altogether towards the Pegu
Hills. Burmese specimens are much darker above than one
which I have from Kutch.”

Caprimulgus andamanicus, Nov. Sp.

Of the same size and type as atripennis, Jerd., but much darker ; wing
coverts, more conspicuously spotted with rich rufous buff ; wing spot,
very small, and on the immer webs of the first three primaries only.
Head with several stripes of black dashes.

This is the bird that I erroneously noticed as Caprimulgus
atripennis, Jerd. It belongs to the same group as macrourus,
and the latter species, that is to say the tarsi are feathered, and
in the male the tips of the two exterior tail feathers on either
side only are white. It is about the same size as atripennis, the
wing in the male measuring only 7 inches. It is distinguished
from both macrourus and atripennis, with good specimens of
which from Malayana and Ceylon, I have compared it, by
its darker tint, by the bright rufous tips of the median, and
larger wing coverts, by the primary wing spot, which is very
small, occurring on the inner webs of only the first three instead
of the first four primaries, and by the head presenting a series
of more or less parallel stripes of black dashes as in Kelaarti and.
indicus instead ,of a single one, or nearly a single one, as in
atripennis and macrourus.

We only once met with this species, of which we shot a single
specimen, a male, on Jolly Boys, an island in Macpherson’s
Straits, at the south of the South Andaman.

Davison remarks, “I myself never saw this species in the
vicinity of Port Blair, though I frequently heard its note

Nove tties.—Chetura indica. 471

of tok, tok, tok, durmg the night, but on a small island near
Stewart Sound, between north and middle Andaman, I saw a
pair of them: they rose off the ground, flew low for a few yards,
and then squatted, always placing a bush or stone between them
and me. I followed them about for some time, but although I gota
couple snap shots, I failed to secure aspecimen. At Port Mouat,
on the 12th April, one of my men shot a female as she flew off
her nest ; the eggs, two in number, were laid at the base of a
stone in a slight natural depression among the dead leaves, some
distance in the jungle. I did not see, or even hear the note of
any Caprimulgus on any of the islands of the Nicobar Group.”

The eggs are some of the most beautiful goat sucker’s eggs
I have ever seen, and differ from those of any other Indian
species with which Iam acquainted. In shape they are very
regular ovals. One of them only slightly cylindrical.

The ground color is a delicate pale salmon pink, and they are
mottled and streaked, and ornamented with zig-zag and hierogly-
phic-like lines of a darker, and somewhat purplish pink. They
measure 1°07 and 1-13 im length, and 0°85 in width.

Since the above was written, I have received another male of
this species shot near Port Blair, on the 19th May. It agrees.
in every respect with the type specimen except, that on the
inner web of the 4th quill, there is a pale dot, a trace as it were
of awing spot, and that the bright rufous tippings of the
median and larger coverts are in this example very little

developed.
Cheetura indica, Sp. Nov.

Sunilar to gigantea; but with a white, or whitish chin, and with a large
conspicuous whitish patch under and wm front of each eye.

This is the species referred to by Jerdon as Acauthylis gigantea
of Tem., or as he should more properly have called it of v.
Hass. It is, however certainly, not this bird. Javan and Su-
matran specimens, (and the bird was deseribed from Java) want
the whitey brown throat, and want the conspicuous white
patch on either side of the forehead. Moreover, the back and
breast in the Indian bird are paler; the gloss on the head, wings,
sides of rump, and flanks, is blue rather than green, and I am
not sure that the Indian bird is not a little larger. Our birds
are very constant in their tone of color. I have ten specimens
before me now from the Andamans and various parts of Southern

472% Nove.ties.—Chatura mdica.

India, and they do not differ in the shghtest as I can see. Dr.
Sclater mentions that specimens from Celebes have a well marked
narrow white patch on the front on each side of the nostrils,
and in this respect the Celebes bird agrees with ours, except
that in our birds the patch is a broad and not narrow one; but
in the Celebes birds the whole body above and below is dark
brownish black, glossed with purple like the wings.

The following: 2 are correct dimensions recorded in the flesh :

Males ; length, 9; expanse, 19°5; wing, 8; tail, from vent,
3°6; tarsus, 0°75; bill, from gape, 1-1; weight, nearly 5 ozs.

Females; length, 8°6 to 8-9; expanse, 17°87 to 18°8; wing,
77 to 7:8; tail, from vent, 2°7 to 2:9; tarsus, 0°7 to 0°75 ; bill,
from gape, 1:05 to 1:1; weight, 3°8 to 4°5 ozs.

The lees and feet are pale pink, or dull purplish pink, or livid
with a blue tinge. The bill is black; irides, dark brown.

In the perfect adult, there is, immediately in front of the eye,
a velvet-black unglossed spot; between the spot and the nos-
tril is a broad patch of white, duller and slightly tinged brown-
ish in younger specimens. The whole chin is white or brown-
ish white, below which the middle of the throat is mottled with
whity brown, the tips only of the feathers being of the same
color as the breast. The forehead, above the white patches, the
whole of the rest of the top and back of the head, the sides of
the neck and nape, the tail, upper tail coverts, sides ef the rump
and wings, blackish brown, or almost black, highly glossed m
adults, the gloss beg rather blue than green ; the back and
seapulars and the middle of the rump quite : a pale brown, much
paler than in the Javan specimens. Breast, abdomen, sides of
body, axillaries, wing lining, tibial plumes, dull smoky brown,
_ not nearly so pale as on the back. Feathers below the vent, the
whole of the lower tail coverts, and a stripe from above the
origin of the tibia, running down to the tail coverts and
dividing the black of the sides of the rump from the brown of
the belly, pure white ; some of the longer lower tail coverts dark
shafted.

This species does not appear to extend to the Nicobars, but
occurs plentifully about the Andamans from the beginning of
January at any rate to the end of April. Whether they remain
there all the year round, or whether they are some of the birds
that occur in’such vast numbers from J uly to October, in South-
ern India, I cannot say.

This is what Mr. Davison says of the occurrence of this species
in the Andamans :

“Common in some localities at the Andamans. During the ©
day they keep high up in the air far out of shot, in fact so high,

Novettirs.— Chetura indica. 473

that often it is impossible to see them in the glare of noontide,
and their presence can only be detected by their sharp, clear
note which they frequently utter while on the wing; but towards
sunset they may be found hawking in company with H. rustica,
and C. dinchi over the surface of ponds, or tanks. JI have seen
them at the Andamans from December to May. I did not notice
them at the Nicobars, and do not think they occur there.”

Mr. H. R. P. Carter to whom I have owed many specimens
from Southern India, remarks:

“The first of these splendid swifts I saw was on 8rd July,
1865, within 4 miles of Coimbatore, at the Railway Station.
On 20th July, 1866, I saw a large flock 6 miles west of Coim-
batore, and on 16th July, 1867, I saw two or three at the
Coimbatore Railway Station. On the 18th July, I saw hundreds
hawking about the tanks at Coimbatore, and on 19th, I killed
three ; there were then large flocks with some alpine swifts. On
the 20th at the same place : there were only a few visible. On
the 6th August, I saw some at 4,000 feet above sea level on the
Anamully Hills. On 26th, of the same month, I saw an im-
mense flock at 6,000 feet above sea level. On 31st, I saw one
or two at Polachy, 26 miles from Coimbatore. On the 2nd of
September, I saw one or two at Coimbatore Railway Station.
Their coming seems to depend on the 8S. W. Monsoon which
just touches Coimbatore, (where little or no rain falls, being re-
tained by the hills west of it.) I have seen these swifts at Salem,
100 miles east of Coimbatore. I have never seen them in any
other months than those above mentioned, although constantly
on the look-out for them. Their note is a squeal, seldom uttered,
but of the usual swift-like tone.

“T should think twelve or fifteen days in the year is the ereat-
est total amount of time they spend in the low country and
then not continuously. They fly in large flocks, generally, and
in five minutes after hundreds have been seen, not one remains
in sight. I found in the stomachs principally the elytra of bee-
tles, some entire, so that I could identify them, one of the Gos-
trachide (a borer), some of the family casside, species, aspidomor-
pha crucis, some of the cimex tribe (green bugs,) sand wasps,
entire, and grasshoppers.

“ T remarked that the swifts were infested with a parasite so
like the common house bug in appearance and smell, that it was
not until after examining them carefully, I was satisfied that
they were not the house bug but decidedly a cimex.”

On another occasion he wrote:

“On the morning of 5th October, 1868, we had a slight driz-
zle. About half past 6 a. u., (I was about three miles S. W.

47 4 Nove .ries.— Carcineutes amabilis.

of Coimbatore.) I saw one or two spine tails passing over, and —
by 7-15, flocks commenced to pass from S. H. to N. W., probably
a point or two South of S. E. This would give a line passing
from the sea over the Anamully Hills (6,000 to 8,000 feet high)
crossing the gap formed by the Palghaut Valley and going
straight for the Neileberry Hills. Ihave often noted these
swifts taking exactly this course, for except in June and July
they never “ hawk” nor remain about Coimbatore.

‘“‘T was badly prepared, having only a few re-loaded cartridges
of No. 8 shot te kill quail. I should not like to say how many
I missed, but. some idea of their rate of speed may be formed
when I say that in seeing one coming towards me and turning
sharp round, by the time I sighted, it was too far. This happened
several times. The two I got I killed passing over me, making
great allowance, and firing far in front ; one, although quite dead
when I came up toit, had managed to clutch a stone which
remained tight in its claws. I once shot one which whilst fall-
ing through a tree caught a branch, and I had to send a man up
the tree. The spine tails came in flocks of some hundreds about
every five minutes for half an hour, then a flock of Alpine swifts
came, they seemed to fly like owls after the arrow-like speed of
the spine tails.

“ From what I could judge, the Spine tails were scattered over
some two miles in width during their flight, and did not stop to
hawk, but all flew in the same direction, some high, some low.”

Carcineutes amabilis, Sp. Nov.

Similar to C. pulchellus, but the males entirely want the rufous collar on
the nape, and the females have the upper surface ochraceous, compara-
tively narrowly banded with black.

The birds sent me by Mr. Oates, from the eastern Pegu Hills
in the latitude of Thayetmyo as C. pulchellus, appear to me to
be a new and distinct species. ‘They are much the same size as
pulchellus, but the male differs conspicuously in entirely wanting
the red collar on the nape, and the female differs still more
conspicuously, in that, instead of being black, banded with ochra-
ceous, and very narrowly so on the head, as Malaccan birds are,
it is really ochraceous, comparatively narrewly banded with black.
Placing the female of the Pegu bird against females from Ma-
lacea and Singapore, the difference 1s very conspicuous. The
absence of the red collar in the male is not an accident due to bad

Nove.tins.—d/yiophoneus Hugener. 475

skinning; the whole of the feathers may be raised from the occi-
put to the interscapulary region, without meeting with one red
feather. Itis common enough to meet with specimens from
Malacca which being skinned, and dried in much the same position
that Mr. Sharpe has figured the species, show no apparent red
collar, but on lifting the feathers, it is always apparent enough,
but in these Pegu birds it 1s absolutely wanting. ‘Temminck’s
figure pl. col. 277, shews the broad red collar as it really is, and
Horsfield’s original description (Trans. Lin. XIII, p. 175,)
equally clearly shews that this rufous collar 1s a characteristic of
the true pulchella “ capite fusco badio, vertice agureo,’ only the
vertex being blue. ‘This absence of the red collar which is con-
stant in every specimen of pulchella that I have seen, and the
conspicuous difference in the plumage of the female which is
unlike that of any female pulchel/a I have met with, lead me to
consider that the Pegu birds may be properly separated.

Mr. Oates gives the following particulars :

“ T found and shot a pair of these birds in the evergreen
forests ; the latitude of Thayetmyo must certainly be its extreme
northern limit. The dimensions of the fresh birds were as
follows :

“ Female; length, 9-1; expanse, 12-5; tail, from vent, 3 51-74 20m
wing, 3°5; bill, from gape, 2°05; tarsus, 0°62. :

“ Male; length, 9-1; expanse, 12-2; tail, from vent, 3-3; 7= 63.92%
wing, 3°3; bill, from gape, 1-98; tarsus, 0°61.

“The bill bright red ; inside of mouth somewhat paler red ; eye-
lids and orbital region, pale salmon red ; iris, yellowish white ;
legs, greenish brown ; claws, horny.

“These birds were shot on the 28th April, and dissection showed
that they would soon have bred.”

Myiophoneus Eugenei, Sp. Nov. ~—\~

Similar to Temminckii, but bill larger and deeper, nearly entirely yellow,
and no white spots at the tips of any of the coverts m either sex at
any age.

Mr. Eugene Oates and myself purport at an early date to
present as exhaustive a paper as possible on the birds of Thayet-
myo and Upper Pegu generally, founded on his collection, on
Capt. Fielden’s collection, on some birds obtamed for me by a
friend at Thayetmyo, and on notes recorded by Capt. Fielden
and Mr, Oates. In examining the numerous specimens thus placed
)

476 Novettizs.—Myiophoneus Hugenet.

at my disposal, together with specimens from Arracan and other
parts of Burmah, (each natural sub-division of which will form -
the subject of a separate paper, as I can find time to brmg them
out,) it at once struck me that while the Arracan and H1-
malayan birds are very similar, those from Thayetmyo and the
western Pegu Hills are clearly distinct.

No elaborate description appears necessary, because except im
regard to one point the plumage of both birds is precisely similar.
This difference consist in the entire absence of any white spots
at the tips of the median coverts of the wing, which white tip-
pings characterize every adult specimen (they are wanting in the
young), of Lemminckii ; besides this, the bill in our present
species is very much larger than in Zemminchkii, it 1s not only
longer, but broader and deeper : from gape it measures 1°63 to 1-7,
while in Temminchii, it varies from 1:4 to 1°5.

The largest billed Yemmenchiz out of an enormous series that
I possess, does not approach in size the smallest bill of the present
species, of course comparing adults. Moreover, in the color of
the bill there is a marked difference, in Zemminchiw, the lower
mandible is wax yellow, but nearly the wholeof the upper
mandible, except its margins, 1s blackish brown ; in the present
species the bill 1s orange yellow, and only the region of the nos-
trils and a line along the anterior half of the culmen is a
moderately dark brown. On the whole the bird is perhaps bluer
and brighter than any specimen of Temminchit.

I may here note that the Arracan birds, though they have the
bills coloured as in Zemminckuw, have them somewhat larger than
in this species, and also have the white spots on the coverts al-
most reduced to specks.

Almost all the other known species of this genus cyaneus, Horsf.,
Horsfieldit, Vigors, msularis, Gould, and ceruleus, Scop., have the
bills black ; flavirostris, Horst., 1s the only other species which I
know that has the entire bill yellow, except a line along the
culmen. This latter is asmaller bird, and it wants alike on breast,
central abdomen, and_ back, the droad clistening tippings to the
feathers, which characterize the present species and Temmanckie
and the narrow e¢listening margins to the feathers of these parts mm
flavirostris are quite a different color to those of the broad tip-
pings of the present species, and Temminchiz.

I should add that Mycophoneus Temminchi2z, also appears to oc-
cur somewhere in the neighbourhood of Thayetmyo, as I saw a
specimen in Capt. Fielden’s collection which appeared to be iden-
tical with Himalayan birds, and which was supposed to have
been obtained at or near Thayetmyo.

ie

Novettins.—Hydrornis Oates. 477

Hydrornis Oatesi, Sp. Nov.

Similar to Hydrornis nipalensis, Hodgson, but entirely wanting the
rich greenish blue occipital and nuchal patch of the male, and the dull
bluish green nuchal patch of the female of that species.

In sending me for examination his collection of birds from Up-
per Pegu, Mr. Oates remarked : “ There is a Hydrornis which I
am sure 1s new, at any rate, it is not included in Elliot’s mono-
graph.” In this Mr. Oates is quite correct, and as to him belongs
the credit both of first procuring, and discriminating it, it is only
fitting that it should bear his name.

The present species is precisely like n7palensis, except that in
both sexes the whole front top and back of the head, and back
of the neck are a rich, somewhat brownish rufous, the occipital
and nuchal blue patch of the male, and the nuchal green
patch of the female of nipatlensis beng entirely wanting, which
I need hardly say is never the case in adult nzpadensis. All the
specimens, three males and two females, all manifestly adults, and
all procured in the Hastern Pegu Hills, are precisely similar ; the
sexes only differing in the scarcely perceptibly brighter color of
the back and rump in the male.

I have compared these birds with a large series of twenty odd
adults from Sikim, also with a bird from Arracan, which is pre-
cisely similar to the Nepalese birds, and also with the young of
nipalensis. The quite young bird of this latter species is, of course,
a totally different, conspicuously mottled, bird, but birds nearly
adult, closely approach the adult, and I find that in these, even

before all signs of immuturity have disappeared, the nuchal patch

is clear and distinct.

Except the absence of these patches which of course is very
conspicuous, I can find absolutely no other difference between
the two species, either in size or plumage ; zter se, the specimens
of both vary somewhat in length of bill, and tarsi, and in depth
of bill, but there is no constant difference between the two as a
body. The dimensions of the present species recorded in the
flesh by Mv. Oates are as follows :

Length, 9°6 to 10; expanse, 15°25 to 15-75; tail, from vent,

-2°5 to 2-9; wing, 4°6 to nearly 5; bill, from gape, 1:3 to 1-41;

from anterior margin of nostril to point, 0°7 to 0-78; tarsus,

2 to 2-2. He remarks further :

«The upper mandible is brown, its tip and margins, gape
and lower surface of lower mandible, pale salmon fleshy, the rest
of lower mandible, brown; the inside of mouth, flesh-color ; iris,

G

478 Noveties.—Criniger griseiceps.

rich brown ; eyelids, plumbeous, tinged yellow; legs and claws, —
pale salmon fleshy.

“Common in the evergreen forests, very quiet and trustful ;
it comes hopping about the slopes of the ravines near one’s
camp. It has a call consisting of a double whistle which I used
to hear as it came to drink in the evening. I heard the call
frequently at night, and I suspect it is partly a nocturnal feeder.
Contents of stomach entirely insects. This bird affects only the
gloomiest ravines, where even at mid-day the sun seldom pene-
trates. It has for its size, the largest, and softest eye I have
ever seen in a bird.”

Criniger griseiceps, Sp. Nov.

Allied to flaveolus, gularis, and phaiocephalus, but with top and sides
of head pale brownish grey; chin throat, and more or less of upper
breast, pure white.

This a typical Criniger, with the head well crested as in flaveo-
lus, the fifth quill the longest, the fourth and sixth subequal ;
the beak short and deep, exactly as in flaveolus, and rictal
bristles, strong.

, I ean searcely believe that so very distinct a species can have

hitherto escaped notice, and as I only know the three species
mentioned in the diagnosis, and zetericus, it may seem premature
to give it a new name, but on the other hand the four species
that I do know, are, the only ones, to the best of my belief, that
have hitherto been recorded from within our limits, and this is
a very typical species, which can only be assigned to Criniger, so
that I have the less hesitation in characterizing it. Several
specimens of this species have been sent me by Mr. Oates,
(labelled flaveolus, which of course they are not), for the pre-
paration of our forthcoming joint paper on the birds of Upper
Pecu.

He remarks “this species occurs in the evergreen forests in
large numbers; it has a tendency to be gregarious: has a loud
persistent and very harsh note; m voice and habits, it is very
similar to Jaros Blanfordi. In April the birds were breeding
though I failed to find any nest. They gathered together an-
grily in the trees over my head from time to time, chattering
vociferously as if they wanted to drive me away. The sexes do
not differ in size. I measured several. The following is a re-
sumé of the dimensions :

Nove ties.—Stachyris rufifrons. 479

* Length, 8°5 to 8:8; expanse, 11:7 to 12°75; tail; from vent,
3°8 to 4°05, wing, 3°85 to 3°95; bill, from gape, 0:97 to 1-03;
tarsus, 0°8 to 0°88.

‘<The bill is bluish, darker on the anterior half of the culmen
and at tip; eyelids plumbeous; irides reddish brown ; inside of
mouth bluish fleshy ; feet, pinkish brown, claws pale horny.”

I add a full deseription.

The lores, cheeks, and ear coverts are white, with a faint greyish

_brown tinge; forehead, top, and back of the head, pale greyish
brown ; the occipital feathers lengthened, and forming a pretty
full, moderately-pointed crest, asin Créniger flaveolus. Back, sca-
pulars, rump, and lesser wing coverts, dull olive green, with a
yellow tinge, but much duller and less yellow than in flaveolus.
Upper tail coverts similar, but with a slight rufescent tinge, tail
feathers pale rufous brown, obsoletely barred darker, and mar-
gined on the exterior webs, with the same color as the upper tail
coverts,

Greater and median coverts, pale, slightly rufous, brown, mar-
gined and tinged, more or less, with dull olive green ; quills pale
hair brown, the outer webs suffused with a slightly rufescent
olive very faint on the first two primaries, strongly marked on
the secondaries. The tertiaries are almost wholly of this rufes-
cent olive color ; chin and whole throat pure white; upper breast
chiefly white, but tinged here and there greyish, and intermin-
gled with feathers of the same color as the lower breast and
abdomen. ‘These latter are a dull, pale, somewhat ochraceous,
yellow, more or less tinged on the flanks with dusky olive ; vent
and lower tail coverts, similar, but with a strong ochraceous tint.
Wing lining like the abdomen, but generally duller and witha
more or less rufescent tinge. Sides of the neck, pale grey. Inner
margins of quills, on lower surface of wing, tinged on their
basal portions, (extending in the secondaries nearly to the tips)
with very pale salmon colour.

Stachyris rufifrons, Nov. Sp.

Closely allied to S. ruficeps, but smaller; wing, 1:9; bill at front, 05;
tarsus, 0°67. The rufous of the head duller, and not extending to the
occiput. Upper surface wanting the strong greenish olive tinge, and
the lower surface, wanting the oil yellow tinge of ruficeps

Amongst the birds sent me from the Pegu Hills by Mr. Oates
for the preparation of the paper already referred to, was a small,

480 Novetties.—Calornis Tytlert.

and typical Sfachyris marked ruficeps. It is, however, a very —
different bird from ruficeps of which I have a fine series from
different parts of the Himalayas, and I therefore name it as
above.

The following are the dimensions :

Length, 4°5 ; expanse, 6; tail, from vent, 1:95; wing, 1°9;
bill, from gape, 0°56 ; tarsus, 0°67.

The bill is blue; the inside of the mouth flesh color; irides
deep red; eyelids plumbeous ; legs, fleshy brown; claws pale
horny.

Lores and a streak over, but not extending beyond, the eye
pale mouse brown. Forehead and anterior half of crown, pale
brownish rufous ; occiput, nape, and the rest of the upper surface
pale brown, with a very faint olivaceous tinge on the occiput,
back, and rump. Upper tail coverts, just perceptibly more
rufous; inner webs of primaries, pale hair brown; outer webs
and tail, very pale brown with a scarcely perceptible olivaceous
tinge. Chin and centre of throat white, the feathers just per-
ceptibly dark shafted ; the rest of the throat, cheeks, ear coverts,
and the rest of the lower surface, dull, pale, slightly fulvous
brown ; if raised, it will be seen that only the terminal one-third
of the feathers are of this color, above this they are albescent and
the basal portions are dusky. The wing lining and axillaries are
very pale grey, or greyish white.

This bird is quite a typical Stachyris, and though answering
well, so far as mere description goes, to Jerdon’s description of rui-
ceps 1s, when compared with that bird, altogether different in ap-
pearance.

Mr. Oates remarks, “ I met with only one specimen in brush-
wood ina nullah, on the dry western slopes of the Pegu Hills.”

Calornis Tytleri. Sp. Nov.

Long ago my late friend Col. Tytler, to whose memory I have
dedicated this species, gave me a note in regard to the Andaman
Calornis to the following: effect :

“ During my stay at the Andamans, I obtained a specimen of
Calornis which I then considered to be C. affinis, the same as the
Burma bird, and I even wrote to Calcutta saying this, and send-
ing the adult bird I had procured. Since this, thinking over
and trying to remember all I could about this Andaman bird,
I felt assured that it belonged to a different species. From what
I could recollect it was darker, and the bill also was considerably

Novert1es.—Calornis Tytlerd. 431

smaller. I have unfortunately only young specimens of the
Andaman bird in my museum, and I cannot therefore institute a
proper comparison between it and the Burma race, of which I
have only an adult ; but I am confident that they will prove
distinct.”

Having now obtained sixty specimens of the Andaman and
Nicobar bird, from almost every island in both groups, it is perfect-
ly clear, that this species is equally distinct from the Sumatran,

Malaccan, and Bornean birds on the one hand, and those from

Hill Tipperah, Dacca, and Assam on the other.

The present species is altogether a darker and more sombre bird
than either of these: it has not the bright green reflections that
good fresh specimens of these have; it is a great deal larger than
insidiator, and also, though im a less degree, larger than the
Tipperah bird.

The following are the dimensions of the present species, the
abstract of numerous measurements in the flesh of adult birds of
both sexes :

_Length, 8:25 to 9; expanse, 13°5 to 14°53; wing, 4°2 to
4°75 ; tail, from vent, 2°89 to 3°25; tarsus, 0°75 to 0°9; bill
from gape, 1to 1:12. |

The legs, feet, and bill are black. The irides vary in the most re-
markable manner, and this, too, amongst, apparently, perfect adults
in full plumage; they are white, opalescent white, fleshy white,
pale pink, brown, deep brown, deep red brown, and deep orange.

From the nostrils to the eyes, a velvet black stripe; the whole
of the rest of the plumage, except the quills and rectrices, black
brown, every where with a rich dark metallic green gloss, which
absolutely wants the quasi-purply bronze reflection which is
intermingled with the brighter metallic zreen gloss of zxsidiator
and the Tipperah birds ; the wings and tail are dark blackish
hair-brown, the inner margins of the inner webs of the quills
somewhat paler, and with a comparatively faint greenish gloss

on the outer margins, almost entirely wanting in many specimens —

on the primaries.

There is no possible mistake as to the absolute distinctness of
this species ; but what I do not know is what bird affinis, Hay, re-
presents ; was it described from Malaccan specimens ? Gray,
I see, gives it only from Malacca, if so, apparently it is a
synonym of ¢xszdiator, for Malaccan and Sumatran specimens are
absolutely identical ; in that case, the Tipperah and Assam birds
require to be re-named, and I would call them Jrwini after my
late lamented friend Mr. Valentine Irwin, who first sent me nu-
merous specimens from Commillah and its neighbourhood.

This latter isa much larger bird than eszdiator, with a wing

BE

482 Nove .ties.—Diceum virescens.

varying from 4°1 to 4°25, with the neck hackles much longer, and —
more developed, of the same, bright green metallic gloss that
characterizes zwsidiator, but with even more of the purple bronzy
reflections in certain lights.

To return to the young of Tytlerz. This in its youngest stage
is a dark umber brown above, and the whole under surface striat-
ed dark brown and yellowish white; there is only a faint greenish
gloss on the secondaries, tertiaries, and wing coverts, and the
former are narrowly margined, and the larger of the latter are
narrowly tipped with brown. The wing lining and axillaries are
greyish brown margined with yellowish white ; in the adults these
are sooty black. At a later stage the upper surface, chin, and
throat are much as in the adult but duller ; the breast feathers as
in the adult, but narrowly margined with yellowish white; the
abdomen, flanks, and lower tail coverts yellowish white, each feather
with a narrow central dusky stripe, broadest on the flanks and
upper abdomen, almost wanting towards the vent, and excessive-
ly narrow on the lower tail coverts.

Diczeum virescens, Sp. Nov.

Sexes alike. Very similar to the female of D. cruentatum, but with rump
and wpper tail coverts olwe green, and generally greener everywhere
than that bird.

" We observed this very typical Dicewm atthe Andamans, but
failed to procure a specimen, subsequently however in June and
July, two specimens of each sex were shot in the neighbourhood
of Port Blair, and sent to us. It appears to me to be new. It
belongs to the same sub-group as concolor, Jerdon, and minimum,
Tickell, characterized by the more sombre plumage and by the
absence of the bright red, yellow, or orange, which distinguishes
almost all the other species of this genus.

There is no doubt one species celedicum, Mill, of which I know
nothing, and of which I can find no description ; but as this is
peculiar to the Celebes, it is not likely to be our bird. The pre-
sent species differs from minimum, im its somewhat longer bill,
which is very differently colored, in the much greener hue of the
upper surface, and in the olive yellow tirge of the rump, upper
tail-coverts, and abdomen. It is a considerably smaller bird than
concolor, is of a purer, and brighter olive green, and differs from
that as from minimum in the color of the rump, upper tail
coverts, &c.

Novetries.—Mirafra microptera. 483

Length, 3:1 to 3-4; tail, from vent, 0°9; wing, 1°75 to 1°85 ;
tarsus, about 0°4; bill at front, about the same.

The entire upper surface is a moderately dark olive green, .

becoming yellower, and brighter on the upper tail coverts. The
tail feathers are black, margined at their bases, with yellowish
olive. The wings are dark hair brown, almost black, the feathers
narrowly margined on the outer webs with yellowish olive green.
The lores and face are pale grey brown, in some whitish, in some
tinged with olive; the chin and throat albescent, the breast
greyer and duskier; abdomen, vent, and lower tail coverts, ‘dull
olive yellow, in some greyish white, only tinged with this color.
Axillaries and wing lining and inner margins of quills on their
lower surfaces towards base, pure white, in one tinged faintly with
yellow. The bill is black or nearly so, at the tips of both man-
dibles and on the culmen, the basal three-fourths of the lower
mandible, and about the basal one-fourth of the upper mandible,
apparently pale leaden blue. Although slightly smaller, this bird
is very close to Diceum cruentatum. The bills are identical, and
a bright colored specimen of the female of this species, with the
crimson of the upper tail coverts re-placed by a dull pale yellow-
ish olive, would on its upper surface be scarcely distinguishable
from our present bird.

Mirafra microptera, Sp. Nov.

Resembles wirafra affinis, Jerdon, but has more rufous on the quills, and is
altogether smaller ; wing, 2°6 to 2°75 ; bill at front, 0°5 to 0°55.

Dr. Jerden mentions that he found Mirafra affinis common at
Thayetmyo; but having now received several specimens of the
Burmese bush-lark from Capt. Fielden, Mr. Oates, and others,
I entertain no doubt, that it is quite distinct from the Southern
Indian affinis, which though very similar to it in plumage has
a wing, 3°2 to 3°3; and a bill, 0°7 at front.

Except as regards size of wing, this species is very close indeed
to affinis, so close as to render a detailed description unnecessary,
but I may note that in the primaries, the rufous of the inner

webs is greater in extent than in affinis, and that there is no

rufous on the outer webs of the primaries.

484: Notes on the Skylarks of India.

Alotes on the Skularks of Indix. By W. H. Brooks, Hsq.,
| C. H., Dinapore.

Mr. Humn’s paper on the Skylarks of India (Stray Heathers,
p. 88), and Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser’s article in the Birds of ©
Europe, on Alauda arvensis, lead me to make a few remarks.

I differ from Mr. Hume as tothe number of-good species in
India, and instead of two, I would recognize five,* v2z. :

ALAUDA DULCIVOX. Hodgson.
A. triborhyncha. Hodgson.

A. arvensis.

ALauDA GuTTaTA. Brooks.
ALAUDA GULGULA. Franklin.
triborhyncha. Wodgson.
leiopus vel. orientalis.

cochion. Swinhoe.

AvaupA Maraparica. Sceopoli.
Auaupa Avstrauis. Brooks, n. sp.
A. gulgula. Franklin.

Erroneous synonyms are distinguished from true synonyms
by an asterisk.

1. Aaupa puLcIvox, Hodgson, is the only Indian Skylark,
having a general resemblance to the European d/auda arvensis,
and which has therefore been erroneously+ identified with it by
Messrs. Hume, Sharpe, and Dresser. By Dr. Jerdon, it is erro-
neously identified with Alauda triborhyncha, Hodgson; which
latter, I may observe, is a spurious species, and identical with
Alauda gulgula, Franklin.

There are several marked points of difference between Alauda
dulcivox and A. arvensis, which should be noted.

1. Alauda dulcivor has a longer wine.

2. Much purer white on the abdomen.

3. Much less rufous in general tone of plumage, and _parti-
cularly so with regard to the rufous edging of wing coverts.

po ok ok

Bho

He OX

* According to my present view there must be either two, or eight species.
Specimens, I am thankful to record have been coming in from all quarters, and
the more I examine, the more convinced I am, that although the local races are
very numerous, ( I already reckon eight), there are only two distinct species, all
the races of each of which inosculate and run one into the other, so that, lay
down what diagnosis you may, you will always find specimens which may be
equally correctly assigned to either of two races. —Hp., STRAY FraTHERs.

+ Itis a painful fact illustrative of the wrong-headed obstinacy of some
people, that Messrs. Sharpe, Dresser, and Hume persist in retaining this erroneous
opinion—and this too, (it is really too bad of them,) after Mr. Brooks has deli-
berately decided that they are quite wrong! wretched mortals, what will happen
to them P—Ep., SrRay FEATHERS.

Notes on the Skytarks of India. 485.
4. A shorter, darker, and stouter bill, and not so pointed as in
the European bird.
5. Darker lees and feet. -
6. Purer white on outer tail feathers.
7. The cold grey tone of the upper plumage, with strongly
contrasting dark central streaks.

8. Being monticolous or more properly alpine during the

summer season, in which respect it is totally opposed “to its
European representative which avoids mountainous countries, and
specially affects low lands. :

The identification of this well marked Alpine lark with
A. arvensis would only be excusable* in the absence of specimens.
of the latter for comparison.

2. Aaupa Gurrata,t Brooks, our second Indian Skylark
is the species described by me in J. A. 8., Vol. XLL, part
II., 1873, p. 78. It is closely allied to 4. gulgula, Franklin, but
the differences between it and d. gulgula have been already
pointed out in the original deseription. I still believe it to be a
good species, and none of the exanrples of a. gudgula, obtained out
of Cashmere by me, accord with it.

3. ALAUDA, GULGULA, Franklin, our third speeies, is the com-
mon skylark of the N. W. Provinces, and breeds over a tract
of country extending from Cawnpore to Almorah. The range
within which it breeds is probably more extended, but I speak
only of what I have observed myself. Hodg:son’s dr: awings and
descriptions of A. triborhyucha and A. leiopus vel. orientalis, ap-
peared to me to be identical with A. gulgula. The Rev. Dr:
Tristram, after comparing examples of gulgule which I had sent
with the types sent home by Mr. Hodgson, also. independently,
came to the same conclusion.

IT think Mr. Hume may have been wrong in identifying
Hodegson’s 4. levopus with “the lark of the high Himalayan
plateau,” the dimensions of which agree with those of the Cash-
mere lark (4. gudtata) which I found in small numbers at Gul-
mure, but very plentiful in the Cashmere valley.

* Unfortunately those hardened sinners Messrs. Sharpe, Dresser, and Hume
have not even thisexcuse. The fact is that the larger the series of Kuropean and
Asiatic larks that are compared, the more certain it becomes that not one of the
distinctions insisted upon by Mr. Brooks hold constantly good.mEp., STRAY FEA-
THERS.

+ This is the race which I have figured in Lahore to Yarkand (pl. XXVIIT.,):
as 4. triborhyncha ; 1 do not now belicye in the specifie separability of these
various races. —Hp., Stray WEATHERS. :

H

486 Notes on the Skylarks of India.

4. AxtaupaA Manapanrica* is our fourth lark, and is the Wes-~
tern Indian species. It can at any time be readily distinguished
by its long pointed crest (resembling that of Galerida cristata),
and by its generally rufous tone of plumage.

5. ALAUDA AUSTRALIS, n. sp, is the skylark of the hill
region of Southern India, distinct from ad. malabarica by the
absence of the pointed crest. Itis founded upon a single speci-
men in the Indian Museum, labelled “ Alauda gulgula, Franklin,
mate, Ootacamund. W. T. B., donor.” On the back of this
label I wrote iv pencil. “ This bird is distinet from 4. gulgula of
the N. W. P. and Bengal, 18th December, 1872.”

Description. Length Ge skin, 65; wing, 3°84; tail, 2-4;
bill. at front, -o; from gape, 77 ; Hanes 1:03; hind toe and claw,
1:17; claw only, °65. :

This is a large rufous lark, far more rufous both above and
below than A. gulgula of the N. W. Provinees, and very strongly
rufous on the outer edges of the secondaries ; greater wing coverts
marked with rufous, and having outer pale edges, the lesser
wing coverts are also strongly marked with rufous with extreme
outer edges of grey, the first or basal portion of the feather being
dark brown; upper surface, warm rufous, streaked with a very
dark rich brown ; part of upper surface of central tail feathers
and upper tail coverts, very ruddy, greater portion of oxter tail
feathers, white ; fae an nine edge of brown (on inner
web) ; penultimate feathers, fulvous white on outer web, with
anatrow dark streak next the shatt; ; except the apical portion,
the shafts of both these feathers are white; central feathers,
broadly edged with rufous; lower surface of body fulvous or
warm tcned; breast, rather sparingly streaked, but very boldly
so, with dark brown; abdomen and rest of lower parts, plain
fulvous; cheeks and ear coverts, rather rufous, and slightly
speckled with brown ; throat, plain fulvous; lining of wing, pale
rufous; bill, horny brown, paler towards edges; and lower man-
dible, pale reddish brown, except the tip which is dark.

The absence of the pointed crest readily distinguishes this species
from A. malabarica; and its large size and generally very rufous tone,
separate it at a glance from A. gulgula. The last species, it will be

* If this is Scopoli’s, Alauda malabarica, then this is nothing but Spizalauda
deva, Sykes, and must now stand as Spizalauda malabarica Scop. If, how-
ever, it is the true skylark, which Jerdon, I, and others have wrongly called
malabarica, Scop., then itis identical with Mr. Brooks’ A. australis, which is the
only skylark of the Nilghiris, and Malabar Coast. Although Jerdon and others used
the name under a mistake, still as Scopolis’ $name goes into another genus, this
bird must stand as Alauda malabarica, Jerd. nec Scop. Spizalauda devay, Sykes,
again must not be confounded with &. sémilima, nobis, of Upper and Central
India..—Ep., SwrRAY FEATHERS.

Additions to the Avifauna of Ceylon. 487

yemembered, was described from the N. W. Provinees by Franklin.

Skylarks of the same species are all subject to considerable
variation as reeards size; and they are not easily understood tall
the characters of each have been learned.*

Additions to the Aoifwumna of Cevlorw.
By W. Vincent Legge, Esq., R. A.

Tue following additions to our Avifauna have, with two ex-
ceptions, been made within the last 12 months, since the publica-
tion of the latest thing out, touching this island—Mr. Holds-
worth’s Catalogue of Ceylon Birds, Proc. Z. 8., 1872—I accord-
ingly propose te enumerate them here with a few remarks on
each species. The numbers used are those which each bird
would assume if inserted in correct order in Mr. Holdsworth’s
Catalogue. .

4 bis——Erythropus vespertinus, Linn.

An immature male shot on the Esplanade at Trincomalie on the
6th of December last.

Leneth, 11:2 inches ; wing, 9°; iris, deep brown ; legs and
feet, orange; cere and base of bill, with eyelid and orbital shin,
orange ; tip of bill, dusky leaden brown.

This little kestrel was evidently an isolated straggler. It
was frequenting the large open place called the Esplanade, out-
side the Fort at Trincomalie, and hovered much in search of its
food. It descended to the ground every now and then, and, pro-
ceeding a few steps, would give ajump into the air and pownce on
some beetle or other coleopterous insect. On examination, its
stomach proved to be crammed with nothing but colevprera, but
notwithstanding, it was wretchedly thin. It was remarkably
tame, allowing of a near approach and close inspection before ris-
ine. In leoking over Jerdon’s description of the immature bird of
this species, I see that it differs somewhat from this specimen, in
which the lower parts are much paler than he represents them ;
the thigh coverts and abdomen are very pale rusty white, but the
breast has scarcely a trace of this hue m its markings. It is

* Having now a vastly larger series of Indian skylarks than I had when I
wrote my paper on them, vide ante, p. 39, 1 am bound to state that my conviction
has been greatly strengthened, that we have in India only two separable species,
the one identical with arvensis, (of which J can make out three Indian races) and the
other, for which gulgula, Franklin, now appears to be, perhaps, the oldest published
uame (of which J can make out five races.) Eb., Stray FearTHERs.

488 Additions to the Avifauna of Ceylon.

more than probable that this faleon often visits the northern and —
North-Eastern shores of the island during the strong N. HE. mon-
soon winds. I saw another individual flying along the cliff of the
Fort a few weeks afterwards. I may mention also that in the
latter end of October, a pair of peregrine faleons frequented the
above high cliff at Fort Frederick known by the name of the
““ Swaney Roek.” They were too wary to be procured.

16 ter.—Poliornis teesa, Frank.

An immature male, shot 2 or 3 miles west of Galle, on the 14th
October, 1871. This buzzard, which came into my possession
im ‘the flesh, had frequented the neighbourhood of a bungalow on
the sea coast for several days, and the gentleman, who shot it,
was of opinion that + entertained sinister designs towards seme
pet chickens of his, but tt did not put them into execution, as
far as could be ascertained, and therefore it must ke said of the
ill-starred stranger, that he erred more in thought than in deed !
High north-west winds had prevailed for some days before this
bird made its appearance, such as bring in our annual visitation
of Rallina ceylonica and increase the first draft of pintails, (which
arrive about the middle of September,) to sportsman-hke propor-
tions. It is highly probable that during the prevalence of these
winds, as well as during the burst of the N. E. monsoon on the
north coast, many raptors are driven mto the island, from South
India, which continue to escape observation until picked up, now
and then, by accident as this bird was.

Leneth, 18% inches ; wing, 133 inches.

70 bis—Gecinus striolatus,* Blyth.

A male:shot near Pusselana, in the Central Province, at an
elevation of about 3,500 feet, in June 1872. This specimen was
purchased from a chemist and bird-stuffer in Kandy, who devotes
much of his time to collecting objects of Natural History. Un-
fortunately, it was purchased by him from the person who shot it,
without making inquiries as to exact locality and circumstances
under whieh it was procured, so that Iam unable to afford any
information on that head. As the district in which it was shot
is one that is tolerably well worked by collectors, it is remarkable
that this species should net have turned up before. Wing, 6°2 ;
bill, at: front, 1:3.

162 bis—Acrocephalus brunnescens, Jerdon.

A male shot in the reeds of the Fort ditch, Jaffna, on the
13th of January last. On visiting the locality, I was at once

* Identified by Mr. Hume as identical with Indian specimens of the species.

Additions to the Avifauna of Ceyton. 489

attracted by the harsh notes of this bird, and immediately saw that
another addition to our list was about to make its way into my
cabinet. There were a pair of them, but I was only able to secure
one, as they kept tothe thick reed beds and baffled my murderous
intentions.

Length, 7°8 ; tail, 3-2; wing, 3-4; tarsi, 1-2 ; bill, at front, 0°7 ;
iris, brownish yellow ; bill, upper mandible, dark horny ; under
mandible fleshy, with a dusky tip ; legs and feet, greenish
plumbeous.

The several organs were very much developed, leading to
the belief that the bird was breeding. The occurrence of the
species in the north of Ceylon accords with its migratory
habits as rezards India in the cold season, but I was much sur-
prised, when at Hawbautota on the 8S. E. Coast in July last, to
recognize precisely the same note, proceeding from a bed of reeds
on a small tank there, and after a little searching, I shot another
male. The circumstance is puzzling, as no species of dcroce-
phatlus has been even noticed in Ceylon at that season, and I
doubt if in India either. My Hawbautota specimer is smaller
than the Jaffna bird, and less olivaceous above ; the bill is stouter,
somewhat, and certainly broader at the base as well as 0°08
longer. Total length, 7°65 ; wing, 3°35; tail, 3; bill, at front,
straight, 0°78. Iris, brownish yellow ; bill with the under man-
dible reddish fleshy at the base, and the inside of the mouth
fleshy red. The rectal vibrisse are larger than in the Jaffna bird.
Notwithstanding the presence of the red about the mouth and
other sheht differences above noticed, I doubt not but that both
specimens are referable to the same species The several organs
were much enlarged, indicating the possibility of the bird being
breeding, but I failed to discover the whereabouts of its mate,
though I took considerable pains to tind her.

The question has now to be answered : What was this warbler
doing in Ceylon at this particular time, and it would be interest-
ing to know whether such an instance has even occurred in
India as an Acrocephalus being found there out of the cold season.

225 bis.—AGgialitis Geoffroyi, Wagler,

This sand-plover was originally included by Layard in his
Catalogue of Ceylon Birds (Ann. Nat. Hist. 1854,) whether
rightly or wrongly identified, I cannot say, but Mr. Holdsworth
in his late paper excludes it, saying, p. 471, Proc. Z. 8., 1872.
“T had no reason to think the much larger Ay. Geoffroy?,
Wagler, is found in Ceylon.

During the course of a tour up the N. E, Coast from Trin-

4,90 Additions to the Avifauna of Ceylon.

comalie, I saw several of these birds, procuring one, a female, on
the 4th of January last.

Length, 9 inches ; wing, 5°7 ; tail, 2-2 ; bill, at front, 1-1;
iris, brown ; bill, black, yellowish at the base of under mandi-
ble ; legs, fleshy reddish grey, the joints bluish, and the feet dark-
ening into plumbeous.

These birds I observed, kept in pairs, or were solitary, while
the lesser species, 4. mongolicus, consorts together in flocks. This
latter speczes is numerous in this country, on the S. E. Coast, in
the S. W. monsoon, during the months of July and August.
Aigialitis mongolicus, as well as the subject of the present note
and many other waders, I have discovered within the past six
months, remain behind in large flocks throughout the year,*
alter the usual migration of the tribe to Northern latitudes
takes place ; whether they+ do so as immature and non-breeding
birds, or whether they actually breed on the South-East Coast of
Ceylon, I know not, as I did not succeed in finding any eggs.
Certain it is, that they are numerous in the Hawbautota ‘distriet
in the breeding season, and though the greater part were in 1m-
mature dress, many were in nuptial plumage as well.

On the 14th July, I came on agood number of Agzalitis Geoff-
roy?, Which, contrary to what I observed on the North Coast,
were all in a flock, in company with another new bird to Cey lon
(Glareola lactea) affecting the hollows of the celebrated sand-hills
of Hawbautota, which stretch along the beach for three or four
miles west of that place, and which after having already, once
upon a time, swallowed up the town, are still slowly moving on
before the S. W. wind and encroaching to an alarming extent on
the present site. A specimen which fell to my gun proved a fe-
male, and was smaller than the North country example, having
a total length of 83 inches, and a wine of 5:2, with a bill of 0-97
at front. It was evidently a young bird, still in winter dress, as
the ova were but little developed ; the culating of the front Gftme
tarsi differed from that of the Trincomalie bird, being pale, sickly
yellowish ; the tibia, pale slate bluish, mingled seh yellowish,
and the feet bluish leaden. The day on which I obtained this in-
teresting specimen was the last I spent in the district, and it
was shot while actually leaving the neighbourhood, I having pulled
up my bullock-cart to procure some terns which were skimming
over a small tank beneath the sand-hills, and I therefore had no

* MH. Geoffroy: and A. mongolicus.

+ I have recently ascertained this to be the case at the Andamans also, and have
prominently noticed the fact in my forthcoming paper on the Avifauna of the is-
lands of the Bay of Bengal.

Addiishe te tha Avifauna of Ceylon. AQT,

opportunity of procuring further examples, and perhaps securing
one or two in summer dress.

249 bis—Tringa Temminckii, Leisler.

A female ; I shot this addition to our list on the Ist of No-
vember last, at Tamblegam, near Trincomalie. It was among a
small flock of 7. sadina, Pallas, frequenting a muddy stream that
flowed through some paddy fields.

Length, 6-1 ; wing, 3°9; tarsus, 0°7; mid toe, with claw,
0-75 ; bill, at front, 0°67 ; iris, brown; bill, black, lightish at the
base of under mandible; legs and feet, olive ; joints and toes,
bluish.

In my specimen the first primarv shaft is white ; the second
and third brown, with a slightly paler interval on the terminal
half ; the two outer tail feathers are pure white throughout, the
third is faintly sutdied on the external web.

While writing on Zriagz, it may be as well to supplement
Mr. Hume’s interesting notes on, and diagnosis of, 7! salina,
Pallas, =7. subminuta, “Middendorff, and 7. minute, Leisler, con-
tained at page 242, Srray Fraruurs, 1872, sala my own ex-
perience of the two species in Ceylon. Both are found here, but
the latter is the most numerous, though perhaps more restricted
in its distribution. 7. minuta is very numerous on the North
aud North-East as well as on the South-East Coasts, frequenting
the edges of salt lakes, estuaries, and the leways* of the latter
region, and affecting the foreshores or portions left bare by the
tide, while P. sadina has a partiality for the salt marshes bound-
ing the foreshores, as wall as the edges of streams leading into
the marshes. I have likewise obtained it in newly-ploughed pad-
dy fields, in the South-West of Ceylon—a district, as a general
rule, quite devoid of Zringe and all Totani, save 7. glareola—
and for this reason I hold its range to be less restricted than that
of P. minuta.t I did not procure it at Hawbautota last year,
while collecting there in March, all specimens of Zringa’s which
I there shot, proving to be mznuta, but this must be viewed as
mere accident, for it is sure to occur in a district so rich in the
tribe as the South-East of Ceylon.

Touching the distinctive characteristics of the two species, I find,
that, besides the Jong middle toe, and the solitary saddled white
first. primary shaft, the dark forehead, and very dark spear-shap-
ed (or pointed) feathers of the interscapular region as well as the

* Lagoons, from which the salt is collected.

+ Holdsworth in his Catalogue, Ceylon Birds, says of minuta that it is common
on the N. W. Coast, and hod Salina is rare, proving the latter, though of more
extended range, to be everywhere less numerous than its congener.

492 Additions to the Avifauna of Ceylon.

light colored tarsi serve to identify sa/zza at once. The bill is; —
as a.general rule, decidedly more compressed than that of manuta,
but I have not observed that itis longer. I have but two speci-
mens (males) at present to hand, the bills of which measure
at front respectively, 0°7 and 0°73 inches. In a winter plumaged
example, shot in December, the tarsi are yellowish green with
darkish joints and toes ; further on in the season they become

. duskier, being then of a sickly olive green.

With regard to minuta, the Ills of my specimens vary from
0-69 in a male to 0-78 in a female, the latter being a much stout-
er bird than any of the others with a wing of 3:9 against 3°7,
3°8, and 3°85, and with the forehead’ and face with more white.
Is this 7. albescens of Temminek ?

The legs of minuta,as found in Ceylon, are not black. They vary
in colour from the obseure dark greenish tarsi with dusky leaden
feet and joints of December specimens to the sombre olive green
(but never with the yellowish tint of sadina) of March examples.
Birds procured last year in the latter month had already signs of
summer garb about them, the tertials and lowermost scapulars
being deeply bordered with rufous.

Alotes.

I wave lately received, from Mr. Mandelli of Darjeeling, three
specimens of that remarkable lark Melanocorypha mavima, Gould,
figured in Part XIX. of the Birds of Asia. ‘hey were obtained
somewhere on the borders of native Sikim and ‘Thibet. All the
specimens sent are young birds. *

This species is characterized by its @reat size, its long and, for
a melanocorypha, slender and curved bill; by the conspicuous
white margin to the first two primaries (narrower on the second),
the conspicuous white tips to the secondaries (which Mr. Gould
does not mention in his deseription, though he shews it in his
figure,) by its white tipped tail, and external tail feather almost
wholly white, by its short and very stout tarsi and toes, and by
its perfectly straight hind claw which, in some specimens, exceeds
an inch in length. on

The following are the dimensions, (taken from the dried skin,)
of my three specimens:

Length, 8°5 to 9; wing, 5°8 to 6; bill, from gape, 1°06 to
1:25; bill, at front, 0°87 to 0-97; tail, from vent, 3°2 to 37;
tarsus, 1-1 to 1:2; hind toe and claw, 1-1 to 1:5; claw only,
0-75 to 1-1.

Notes. 493

The second quill is the longest ; the third sub-equal, the fourth
equal to the second or neatly so. |
Mr. Gould’s specimen, the only one I believe in existence in
Europe, was said to have been obtained in Afghanistan, but
there is no certainty as to this point. The following is Mr.
Gould’s description which I quote, as it correctly enough repre-

sents my specimens, and as mine are so indifferently preserved, —

that I cannot make out exactly the markings of the lores, cheeks,
and ear coverts which he describes at length, nor can I clearly
make out the dark patches on either side of the neck.

“ Head, neck, all the upper surface and wings, dark brown,
each feather conspicuously bordered with lighter brown; pri-
maries, dark brown, the outer one margined externally to near
the tip with white, the remainder with brownish white; the
outer tail feather on each side white, except on the basal portion
of the inner web, where it is light brown, the remaining tail
feathers dark brown (except the two central which are light
brown), margined externaliy and tipped with white, the extent of:
which decreases as the feathers approach the centre; stripe over
the eye, dull white, continued in a browner tint behind the ear
coverts to the sides of the neck, where it unites with the dull
fawn-color of the flanks; line from the nostrils to the eye and
the ear coverts brown, the feathers of the latter with darker
centres; from the angle of the mouth within the brown a smalk
moustache-like streak of greyish white; on each side of the
neck, in front of the shoulder, a few dark brown feathers, bordered
with sandy buff, show somewhat conspicuously, but not so much
so as in Melanocorypha calandra ; throat and under surface very
pale brown or creamy white; bill, bluish flesh colour, passing
into pale buff on the basal portion of the lower mandible; legs
and feet, light brown, very stout and strong; nails black, that of
the hinder toe unusually stout, and straight.”

Mr. Hodgson has, I find, figured and described Pellorneum
Mandellii as Hemipteron nipatlensis. This latter name was discarded
by Mr. Gray, under the idea that the bird was identical with the
Southern Indian P. ruficeps. The distinctness of the two species
is undoubted and the Himalayan bird must stand as P. nipalensis,
Hodgson, with P, Mandeliii, Blandford, as a synonyme,

By careful comparison with Mr. Hodgson’s drawings, I have
ascertained that Mr. Brooks is correct, and that in pl. 20, Lahore’
to Yarkand, I have transposed the names of Adrormis albosupers’

4.94 Notes.

ciliaris and A. xanthoschistus, the lower figure with the bluer head

and back is the true wanthoscistus, the upper figure is albosuper-

ciliaris. 1 would also point out that on pl. 17, I have not figur-

ed the true Drymoipus inornatus which was described trom

Southern India and which is altogether a darker and redder bird.
The bird figured as D. inornatus, is really my D. terricolor.

Mr. Hodgson gives a very careful figure of a female Dumeticola
bruneipectus, Blyth, but he labels it 4. affinis. But, as we know,
he deseribed affinis as having spots on the breast, and he notes
that at the same place at which he obtained the female that
he figures, he obtained-a male with spots on the breast, and it

seems clear that he considered the bird he described as affinis |

to be the male, and the bird that Blyth later (Zdzs, 1867, p. 19)
described as druneipectus to be the female of the same species. I
_ cannot, after comparing specimens of each, believe that this view

is correct, but itis still well to note that the bird figured by Mr.
Hodgson, pl. 826, with nest and eggs ; is not, though he labels it
so, what he described and published as affinzs (unless both are dif-
ferent sexes of the same bird) but druneipectus of Blyth.

Hodgson’s fieure, No. 900, of two birds, a nest and egg, has
been identified by Gray as pertaining to Horornis assimilis of
Hodgson ; but it really represents Neornis flavolivacea. Assimilis
is not only a somewhat smaller bird, but is altogether more ru-
fous. .

Mr. Blyth and others have identified Adrornis chloronotus of
Hodgson with Reguloides proregulus of Pallas, but as a matter of
fact chloronotus of Hodgson is identical with maculipennis, Blyth,
described in [dis, 1867, p. 27. Mr. Hodgson gives a most beauti-
ful figure (No. 839) of both sexes of his chloronotus with nest and
ege, and with the very large series which I possess of both species,
no possible doubt can exist that maculipennis is merely asynonyme
of chloronctus, which name must therefore stand.

* I have carefully compared two specimens, from Mr. Swinhoe
of his Phyllopneuste Sylvicultrix with P. magnirostris, Blyth, from
Ceylon and numerous Indian localities. ‘hey appear to me _to
be absolutely identical. If this be so, then, the species will

stand (see also Swinhoe Birds of China, P. Z. 8., 1871, 357

et seq.)

>

Letters to the Editor. 4.95

P. magnirostris, Blyth, J. A. S., XIL, 966, 1843, with as
synonymes, dorealis, Blasius, 1858 ; sylvicultrix, Swinhoe, 1860 ;
Lwversmanni, Middendorff, nec Bonap.; javanica, Bonap. nec
Horsf. ; flavescens, Gray, 1860; Kennicotti, Baird, 1869.

This bird appears to be a wonderful wanderer. We have it
during the cold season everywhere from Ceylon to Peshawur on
the west, and Debroogurh on the east. We have it from Tenas-
serim and from the Andamans, the Malayan Peninsula and
Archipelago, from Japan and China. On the north it. extends
from Alaska, in N. America, and the Khurrile islands to Heligo-

land!

In the Jé7s for July, 1873, Mr. Harting gives further valuable
information as to my Ludromias (Atgiulitis) tenuirostris, (vide
ante, pp. 17 and 417). He tell us that this is certainly Zyialitis
Hartingt, Swinhoe, P. Z. 8., 1870, p. 136. That this is probably
charadrius longipes cf Pére David, (Nouv. Archiv. 1867, Bulletin,
p-. 38) obtained at Pekin. That it is certainly the species referred
to by Blyth, 47s, 1867, p. 1867, as follows:

“ ANGIALITIS HIATICULA (Li), charadrius placidus, G. R. Gray,
B. M. Cat. Hodgson’s Coll. 2nd Ed., p. 70.”

_ “Two examples of what I consider to be the common British
Ringed Plover are among the skins sent by Mr. Hodgson to
the British Museum.” |

Accepting as I do fully Mr. Harting’s verdict, it follows, firstly,
that this species must now stand as placidus, Gray, with Hartingi,
Swinhoe, and éenwirostris, Hume, as synonyms, and secondly,
that 4zatecula which was only included on Mr. Blyth’s authority .
in our Indian Avifauna, must now be erased from our list.

AO) STE

Wetters to the Editor.

Dear Sir,

Some few months ago, I sawa letter in the Meld news-
paper, by “ Smoothbore” about the swallows of Southern India,
in which’he mentions the Wire-tailed swallow as not occurring
west of Coimbatore; but on the 2nd February, 1871, I shot 3,
and saw several others about 5 miles from Cannanore, and about
200 yards from the Coast. On two occasions I shot the hair-
crested Drongo (Chibia hottentotta) not many miles from Can-
nanore, one in March, 1871, and the other 22nd Octcber, 1872.
In August, 1872, I saw several broad-billed rollers (Hurystomus
orientalis) in the Malabar jungles, near the foot of the Carcoor

4.96 Letters to the Editor.

Ghaut of the Neilgherries. I believe Lam about the first who
noticed this bird in Southern India.

’ Onthe Coonoor Ghaut cf the Neilgherries, I have shot the
brown necked spinetail, the blue necked bee-eater, and on 17th
February, 1872, near Burliah, I shot a painted spur fowl : it is the
only time I have ever seen or heard of them being in that part.—

J. W. Vipan.

SIR,

If you consider the occurrence, which I shall very
briefly describe, rather extraordinary, as it appears to me, per-
haps you may deem this note of sufficient interest to. Indian
Ornithologists as to merit a spare niche in Stray Feathers.

1872, January 22.—While journeying by boat on the river
Bhairab, off a place called Naupara, some 16 miles to the South-
East of the station of Jessore,in Lower Bengal, I observed a
Brahmani kite, (Hatrastur indus, Bodd.,) make a rather leisurely
swoop at a fish swimming on the surface of the stream, but
when almost within its grasp, a kingfisher, (Alcedo lengalensis,
Gm.,) which had darted down swiftly, carried off the prey. This
appeared to have infuriated the kite, and it immediately followed
in hot pursuit of the kinefisher, and after a long and stern chase,
if eventually succeeded in seizing its unresisting quarry ; holding
the screeching bird securely in its talons, it bore it to the
shore, and after complacently plucking the feathers of its, (then
still alive) victim, it set about devouring its quivering flesh with
evident satisfaction. On my approaching the spot, soon after the
kite had commenced its savage repast, it flew away, leaving little
else than a few bare bones of the kingfisher—H. J. Ratnny.

Sir,

In your July number Capt. Marshall has an article
on Gallinago stenura which contains some inaccuracies. The above
kind is larger and has more richly barred lower wing coverts; the
length of bill is no eriterion, for it is as long as that of the
common snipe in some specimens and shorter in others. Capt.
Marshall gives 6 as the number of feathers on each side of the
tail—they are 7, one, the outermost, being largest. What I have
noticed in this bird is that towards the end of the season, 7. ¢.,
from the last week in February, the pintailed snipe is very com-
mon, two out of every five shot being of this kind. This season —
I intend making a list of the different kinds shot and will let
you know the result.—J. R. Cripps. Bhyrub Bazaar. Dacca, ~

End of Vol. I.

J
Ne,
.
i!
M7
t

INDEX:

—_#>e——_

oc New GENERA.

i Blanfordius .:. 800

H Dissemuroides ... 408
« Heteroglaux ... 467
‘ Heterorhynchus son GELS
Molpastes .. 378

SPECIES DESCRIBED OR DISCRIMINATED.

ADALBERTI, Brehm. Aquila ae 290 bicolor Scop. Carpophaga ... 79
Adamsi, Hume. Alaudula soe alls} bido, Horsf. Spilornis .. 806
zethereus, Lin. Phaeton Phe iinnap-te\0) brevirostris, WMeClell. Colloealia 295
affinis, Zytler. Dissemurus ... 67 Brucei, Hume. Ephialtes BS 8
affinis, Blyth. Pyrrhulauda ... 212 burmanica, Sharpe. Pelargopsis 57
alba, Zin. Motacilla itis 28 Burnesi, Blyth. Gallinula ... 200
albiventris, Blyth. Kittacincla... 73 Burnesi, Blyth. Waticilla ain) ee SOke
albogularis, Hume. Mareca ... 303 ‘
albogularis, Hume. Suya 408
alboniger, Hume. Saxicola ... 3,185 | Caniceps, Blyth. Paleornis ... 61
amabilis, Hume. Carcineutes ... 474: Canningi, Tytler. Huryzona ... 86
andamanensis, Tytler. Buchanga 66 cantiaca, Gmel. Sterna e285
andamanensis, Zytler. Centropus 64 cervinus, Pallas. Anthus A 7A

_ andamanensis, Zytler. Hirundo 59 chloroptera, Blyth. Osmotreron 78
andamanensis, Tytler. Oriolus... 73 concolor, Blyth. Demiegretta... 87
andamanensis, Blyth. Picus ... 62 coronatus, Licht. Pterocles ... 224
andamanensis, Tytler. Spizietus 52 crassirostris, Temm. Tringa ... 240
andamanensis, Zytler. ‘Temenu-

chus ... ne bay 75
andamanica, Hume. Arachnech- Damacensis, Horsf. Tringa 242, 49]
thra ... eld 404 Davisoni, Hume. Spilornis ... 306
andamanicus, Hume. Caprimul- delicatula, Hartlaub. Sylvia ... 199
gus... so Seo BAL dicruriformis, Hume. Dissemuroi-
angustirostris, Méné. Querque- des... aN we 408
dula ... Ae obo AGH Dobsoni, Ball. Graucalus we 66
aquaticus, Bechst. Anthus ... 204 dukhunensis, Sykes. Motacilla 29, 30
arenarius, Blyth. Lanius Gl gal
argentatus, Briin. Larus Beis PAO)
asiatica, Swans. Alcedo bs 59 | Kuwesi, Blanford. Otocoris ...37, 417
atricilla, Zin. Larus she aD) erythrogenys, Blyth. Paleornis 60
augusta, Bonap. Chalcophaps... 81 erythropus, Flemm. Anser ... 259
australis, Brooks. Alauda .. 486 erythropygia, Blyth. Temenuchus 76
australis, Swains. Hudynamys 63 Kugenei, Hwme. Myiophoneus 475.
eurycercus, Hay. Centrococcyx 453

Bauu, Hume. Ephialtes see
barbarus, Zin. Falco ade 19 | Fuuviartirs, Naum. Sterna ee 8
barbatus, Temm. Cypselus ... 165 Fraseri, Sharpe. Pelargopsis ... 57
Bayleyi, Tytler. Dendrocitta ... 75 frenata, Mill. Arachnechthra... 65
Bergii. Licht. Sterna 283 fuciphaga, Thun. Collocalia ... 294

Blewitti, Hume. Heteroglaux ... 468 | fuliginosa, Gmel. Onychoprion 4.40

ul

fuscocapillum, Blyth. Pellorneum 299 Mandellii, Hume. Procarduelis 14, 318
fuscoflavescens, Hume. Brachypo- Mandellii, Blanf. Pellorneum... 298
dius ... 297 maxima, Gould. Melanocorypha © 492
maximus, Hume. Centrococcyx AA,
melanocephalus, Watt. Larus... 278
GINGINIANUS, Daud. Neophron... 150 melanopogon, Temm. Iuusciniola 190
githagineus, Licht. Bucanetes 210 microptera, Hume. Mirafra 483
griseiceps, Hume. Criniger 478 mindanensis, Gmel. Copsychus 459
gularis, Bosc. Demiegretta 254 minimus, Hume. Spilornis 464
minor, Hwme. Pellorneum ... 298
minor, G. St. Hill. Phenicopterus 31, 401
Hemiptinopus, Blyth. Archibuteo 315 minor, Hwme. Sturnus be R207
Hemprichii, Bonap. Larus 279 minuta, Leisl. Tringa 242, 491
hippocrepis, Wagler. Oriolus 457 mogilnik, Gmel. Aquila 290
hirsutus, Temm. Ninox bes 54 monacha, Riipp. Dromolaea ... 186
hirundo, Zin. Sterna 282
Hodgii, Blyth. Muelleripicus .. 63
Hodgsoni, Gray. Motacilla ... 27 | Narconpami, Hume. Rhyticeros 411
Humei, Mandell. Peters neglectus, Hwme. Phyllopseuste 195
chus ... a ALS ’ newarense, Hodgs. Syrnium 430
hyperboreus, Len. ‘Lobipes 246 nicobarica, Hume. Aithopyga 412
nicobarica, Lin. Calenas 81
nicobariensis, Moore. Hypsipetes 70
IMMACULATA, Hume. Mirafra ... 12 nicobariensis, Blyth. Megapodius 82
indica, Hume. Cheetura 471 nigricollis, Swxd. Podiceps 266
indranee, Sykes. Syrnium 430
inframarginata, Blyth. Oreocincla 70
infumata, Hwme. lLeucocirea ... 454 it
innominata, Hume. Collocalia... 294 pee ele ae
innotata, Blyth. Geocichla aes 69 obscurus, Hume. Ninox Os 11
Teste Me) aah Ueewenans) uo obsoleta, Cabanis. Cotyle tae,
fasienis, seuyhig, Qeureoplietg) (9 occidentalis, Audubon. Larus... 273
inlermedins, Hume. Centrococeyx «. 404) occipitalis, Blyeh): Haleyon a aloe
Ee a nee pleetron ee ochrocephalus, Gimel. Trachycomus 4503
‘gjnellcearrey Beara. ISIE Taine 174, orientalis, Gmel. Lalage i, 66
Jurpont, Blyth. Drymoipus 437 | Pavurpa, Hwme. Ptyonoprogne... 1, 417
pallidus, Gmel. ‘Turdus Reeyeeying (GS)
palumboides. Hume. Carpophaga 302
Kirneri, De Sparre. Spizaetus... 310 palustre, Jerd. Pellorneum ... 4
Kingi, Hume. Saxicola 187 parasiticus, Zin. Stercorarius... 268
pectoralis, Horsf. Arachnechthra 64
persicus, Hume. Puftinus . 5,417
LAMBRUSCHINI, Bonap. Larus... 274 personata, Gould. Motacilla ... 29, 30
leucopygialis, Gould. Artamus 67 personata, Davison. Otocompsa 456
leucopygialis, Blyth. Buchanga 436 placedus, Gray. Agialitis 17, 417, 495
Lichtensteinii, Zemm. Pterocles 219 pulchra, Hume. Athene 469
linchi, Horsf. Colloealia fe 56 punctata, Cuv. Mareea iL ong 88
longirostris, Gould. Otocoris ... ° 87 purpureus, Mill, Palornis 343
Iucionensis, Scop. Lanius als 65
luzoniensis, Scop. Motacilla ... 27
RHODOPEPLUS, Vig. Propasser ... 15
rufa, Temm. Limosa 235
Macrourts, Blyth. Oriolus ... 71 rufifrons, Hume. Stachyris 479
magnirostris, Ball. Paleornis... 60 rufipennis, Blyth. Macropygia 80
maja, Lin. Munia 460 rufogularis, Mandel. Minla... 416
major, Hume. Milvus 160 rufulus, Drapiez. Turdus Bae 69

PE eae

124, 133, 137, 235, 396

egyptius, Forsk. Merops 465, 167, 371
eeyptins, Gmel. Milvus ag alaw
zenea, Lin. Cuarpophaga 302
zeruginosus, Lin. Circus

112. 121, 160, 369. 418
zsalon; Zin. Lithofalco 102, 157

zetherius, Zin. Phaeton 45, 147. 256, 441
affinis, Hay. Calornis 77, 460, 480
affinis, Horsf. Centrococcyx .. 454
affinis, Tytler. Collocalia ..00, 295
affinis, Gray. Cypselus 41, 137, 166, 370
affinis, Tytler. Diseemunne ts 67

affinis, Hodgs. Dumeticola .. 494
affinis, Gould. Milvus Sau) LGD
affinis, Jerd. Mirafra ..12, 483
affinis, Tytler. Ninox os 54
affinis, Tytler. Paleornis ee 60
affinis, Blyth. Pyrrhulauda 46, 212, 418
affinis, Riipp. Sterna -. 284
affinis, Blyth. } ee q 102, 197, 883
affinis, Blyth. Tephrodoonis 434
agile, Zick. Piprisoma . 484
agilis, Sykes. Pipastes 202, 384
agrestis, Brehm. Alauda 39
agricolensis, Hume. Jerdonia 382

agricolus, Jerd. Acrocephalus 125, 190
akool, Sykes. Porzana as 398

w
il
Sacra, Gimel. Demiegretta 454 | ''mnurROSTRIS, Hume. Hudromias
saker, Schlegel. Falco 152 17; 417, 475 |
salina, Pallas. ‘Tringa 242, 491 Tickelli, Blyth. Pellorneum 299
schisticeps, Hodgs. Paleornis... 341 tigrina, Zemm. Turtur 461
senegallus, Zin. Pterocles 221 torquatus, Bodd. Paleornis 338
sericea. Natt. Cettia 192 Tytleri, Hume. Calornis 480
sinensis, Gmel. Ardetta 308 Tytleri, Beavan. Myiagra 68
sivalensis, Hutton. Palseornis ... 339 5
sordida, Stoliceka. : Fringilauda 41, 43 VANIKORENSIS, Q. ef Gaim. Collo-
sphynx, Hume. Spizaetus 319
: ; : calia .. 296
spinoletta, Len. Anthus 204: cae CONT eRe 83
spodiopygia. Peale. Collocalia... 296 Naira is SLE
Be: : virescens, Hume, Diczeum 482
striatulus, Hume. Blanfordius... 300 Sinidien se an atine 461
striatus, Brooks. Melizophilus 200 Pp aR at titty Re)
subsignata, Hume. Locustella... 409
Sykesi, Lloyd. Megalaimna 419 | XAnrHonorus, Blyth. Indicator 313, 426
Sprcrrs Noreen.
Apyssinicus, Hemp $ Ehr. Cyp- alaudarius, Gm. Tinnunculus :
‘selus .. .- 166 \ 157, 349, 36
acrorhynchus, Vig. " Oriolus .. 408 é { Ardea fe
acuflavida, Cabot. Thalasseus..45, 285 lth, Han. Herodias pi aS
acuta, Lin. Dafila 136, 261 alba, Gmel. Carpophaga pep as t67/)
Adalberti, Brehm. Aquila ..290, 327 alba, Lin. Ciconia 136, 252
Adamsi, Hume. Alaudula alba, Zin. Motacilla .. 26. 201
45. 96, 103, 105, 213 albellus, Zin. Mergellus » 265
zedon, Pallas. Arundinax SS albescens, Zemm. Tringa 24.2, 492
egocephala, Lin. Limosa albicilla, Lin. Halizetus

45, 49, 93. 112, 120, 131, 169
ulbicollis, Vied/. Demiegretta.. 254
albicollis, Sains. Rhynchops
93, 102, 286
albirictus. Hodgs. Buchangal03, 178, 377
albifrons, Gmel. Anser Be ae)

albiventris, Blyth. Kittacinela.. 73
albiventris, Hume. ‘Turnix 310
albogularis, Gould. Garrulax .. 084
albogularis, Blyth. Geocichla .. 69
albogularis, Hume. Mareca 303, 305
albogularis, Hume. Suya Bien eS)

Saxicola 2, 44, 48,

alboniger, Hume. j Dromolea 133, 185

alboniger, Blyth. Spizaetus 310,321
albosaperciliaris, Blyth, Ab-
rornis oe §«=—6 494
albosuperciliaris, Hume. Suya.. 459
alchata, Zin. Pterocles 116,117,221
Alexandri, Tin. Paleornis 459, 61,92
alphanet, Schd. Falco seaniihy DA
altisonans, Riipp. Cettia che NOLO,
amabilis, Hume. Carconeutes .. 474
amandava, Zin. Kstrilda 78,113,209
amauroptera, Blyth. Porzana 440
amboinensis, Blyth. Macropygia. . 80
: Buchanga
andamanensis, Tytler. } Discos des

66,-310, 409

andamanensis, Tytler. Centro-

pus.. ais 37 64
andamanensis, Tytler. Corvus 74
andamanensis, Tytler. Demie-

gretta it aS 87
andamanensis, Tytler. Kulabes ne
andamanensis, Tytler. Hirun-

do - ate ae 58
andamanensis, Tytler. Orio-

lus ., 2° .. 72, 408
andamanensis, Tytler. Peri-

crocotus ues ie 66
andamanensis, Blyth. Picus 62
andamanensis, Tytler. Quer-

quedula : .. 88,303
andamanensis, Tytler. Spizae-

tus.. 52. 310, 320
andamanensis, Tytler. Teme-

nuchus a0 78

andamanica, Hume. iene)

thra 404
andamanicus, Hume. Capri-

mulgus ne ie 470
anglica, Mont. Gelochelidon 1, 21, 281
anglorum, Ray. Puffinus .. 5
angustirostris, Méné. Querque-

dula 45, 119, 121, 124, 186, 262
annulatus Kwh/. Psittacus 343
anosthetus, Scop. Onychoprion 90
antigone, Lin. Grus 1234, 395
antiquorum.: Zemm. Pheeni-

copterus a 35, 121, 257

apus, Zin. Cypselus 1, 45, 48, 139, 165

aquaticus, Bechst. Anthus ., 108, 204
arabica, Hhrenb. Sterna 284
arcuata, Cuv. Dendrocygna .. 260
arboreus, Bechst. Pipastes 202, 204
ardeola, Payk. Dromas .. 85, 234
arenaria, Lin. Calidris 45, 244

arenarius. Blyth. Lanius 45, 48, 174.376
arenarius. Pailas, Pterocles .. 219, 391
argala, Lath. Leptoptilus 106, 137, 252

argentatus, Briin. a-

rus . 45, 112, 126, 138, 270
arquata, Zin. Numenius 85. 238
arvensis, Zin. Alauda 39, 484, 487
asha, Sykes. Demiegretta 87, 254

asiatica, Swains. Alcedo 59, 307, 450

asiatica, 2m. Arachnechthra
; 274, 351, 374
asiatica, Lath. Perdicula 392

asiaticus, Lath. -Caprimul-
gus” AS 06, 371, 419, 432
asiaticus, Pall. Eudromias .. 17, 84
asiaticus, Hwme. Stercorarius 269
assamica, McClell. Mirafra., 12
assimilis, Hodgs. Horornis .. 494
atra, Lin. Fulica .. 249, 397
atrata, Blyth. Pratincola ., 183
atricupillus, Gmel. Haleyon 58

1V

atricilla. Zin. Larus A 279

atripennis, Jerd. Caprimulgus
432, 470

atrogularis, Tem. Cich-
loides . 48, 117, 126, 142, 179
atrogularis, Blyth. Saxicola 45, 188
atrogularis, Moore. Suya .. 459

augusta, Bonap. Chalco-
phaps o6 an 81
aurantia, Gray. ee 92, 102, 281

aurantius, Ziv. Brachypternus 92, 373
aureocapilla, Vieil/. Budytes.. 73
aureola, Viedll. Leucovirea ..
178, 352, 377, 436
Sypheotides ..
136, 228, 393
australis, Brooks. Alauda 484
australis, Gould. Arachnechthra 65
australis, Swains, Kudynamys 63
australis, Zath. Mycteria .. 252
avocetta, Zin. Recurvirostra
133, 248, 397
"lt MES t Agr

auritus, Lath.

azurea, Bodd. Myiagra

Bapytonicus, Selat. e¢ Irb. Falco 20

bacha, Daud. Spilornis
badius, Gmel.

. 52,308
Micronisus..
118, 157, 349, 368

badins, Horsf. Phodilus 429
bakhamuna, orst. Kphialtes 432
balicassius, Zim. Buchanga .. 67
Balii, Hume. Ephialtes ae 407
barbarus, Zin. Falco ae 19

barbatus, Zemm. Cypselus 1, 139, 165

barbatus, Zin, Gypaétus 133, 151
baya, Blyt». Ploceus a 887
Bayleyi, Zyt/er. Dendrocitta 15
bengalensis, Gel. Alcedo..

46, 48, 168, 307, 372, 450, 496

bengalensis, Frankl. Bubo ., 163
bengalensis, Gmel. Centroco-

ecyx 26 345
bengalensis, lira. Gyps .. 46, 367
bengalensis, Lin. Palzornis., 343
bengalensis, Lin. Ploceus ..122, 208

bengalensis, Lin. Rhynchzea..
136, 235, 396

bengalensis, Less. Thalas-

seus ., 90, 188, 275, 284
Bergii, Licht. Sterna — Ae 283
Bergti, Reich. Sterna Ks 285
bicalearatum, Jn. Polyplec-

tron Ac 36
bicolor, Scop. Carpophaga ie 79
bicolor, Sykes. Pratincola 183
bicincta, Jerd. Osmotreron .. 461
bido, Horsf. Spilornis . 52, 306

bifasciata, Gray. Aquila 290, 3265, 464

oo

bispecularis, ig. Garrulus .. 357
Blanfordi, Jerd. Ixos ; 478
Blewitti, "Bluine. Heteroglaux 468
boarula, Penn. Calobates .. 201, 383
Bonellt. TZemm. Pseudaé-
tus as 95, 124, 127, 158
Bonhami, Gray. Ammoper-
Gli © ... 48, 92, 129, 141, 226
borealis, Blaswis. Phyllopseu-
ste.. 50 ts 495
borealis, Brandt. T.arus 138, 273
boschas, Inn. Anas 94, 97, 100,
133, 136, 261

boulboul, Zath. Merula Ke 303
Boysu, Blyth. Galerida oc 215
Boysii, Lath. Sterna 285
brachydacty la, Leist. Calandr ella
48, 213, 389
brachyotus, Gmel. Otus te 369
brama, Zemm. Athene 119, 164,
369, 468, 469
brevirostris, Me Olell. Collocalia 295
brevirostus, Vig. Pericrocotus 376
Broderipus, Bonap. Oriolus .. 458
Brodiei, Buré Glaucidium .. 349
Brucei, Blanford. Alcippe .. 8
Brucei, Hume. Ephialtes ... 8, 432
brunneicephalus, Jerd. Larus
128, 278, 402
brunneipectus, Blyth. Dumetico-

Lays 50 ae 494
Acrocephalus,
brunnescens, Jerd. oo ae ss 90,

381, 488

Buchanani, Blyth. Franklinia
195, 200, 382

burmanica, Sharpe. Pela: gop-
sis oe .» 57, 449

Burnesi, Blyth. Gallinula .. 250
Burnesi, Blyth. ° Laticil-
la ..45, 107, 113, 122, 124, 180, 301

Cacuinnans, Schrenk. larus .. 273
cerulecula, Pallas. Cyanecula
118, 190, 381, 40

cerulescens, Lath. Dicrurus 47
exruleus, Mudl. Dicrurus ., 47
cxruleus, Scop. Myiophoneus 476

ealandra, Zin. Melanocorypha 493
calidris, Zin. Totanus 85, 248, 397

calidus, Lath. Falco An 152
caligata, Zzcht. Iduna an 47
caligatus, Rafies. Spizaetus 319
calvus, Scop. Vultur .. 46, 367
cambaiensis, Lath. Thamno-

bia Ae 92, 182, 379

cambayensis, Gmel. ‘Turtur
48, 218, 390

campestris, Bechst. Ayrodroma
105, 202, 384
candidus, Bonn. Himantopus 248
candidus, Briss. Phaeton ., 90
canescens, Gmel. Totanus 80, 247, 397
caniceps, Frankl. Megalaima 419
Canningi, Tytler. Kuryzona.. 86
canorns, Zin. Cuculus ..d0l, 373

cantiacus, Gimel. Thalas-
seus 45, 138, 275, 138, 283, 284, 280

AMgialitis

cantianus, Lath. | AXgialophilus
17, 113, 230, 394
cantillans, Jerd. Miratra .. 12, 388

cantor, Gmel. Calornis ue ri
canutus, Zen. Tringa oc 241
capistrata, Gould. Saxicola 3, 184, 380
capistrata, Vig. Sibia ate 804

capitalis, MeClell. Hemipus 435
caprata, Zin. Pratincola 102, 182, 379
carbo, Ziv. Graculus 139, 289,403

casiotis, Bonap. Palumbus .. 398
casplus, Pall. Sylochelidon 124,137, 280
castanea, Gould. Merula .. . 304
castaneoventris, Mranki. Sitta 46
castor, Zon. Mergus 50 423
eect Viewl. Stercorari-
ae 268
Oraath Dum. Guatanieed 108, 180, 378
cayennensis, Gmel. Sterna ., 283
Cecilii, Audubon. Anthus .. 310
celebicum, Mili. Diceum .. 482
cephus, Brin. Stercorarius .. 268

certhiola, Paid. Locustella .. 410

cervinus, Pallas. Anthus .. 74, 310
Cetti, Marm. Cettia a 192
ceylonensis, Sclat. Copsychus 73

ceylonensis, Gme?. Ketupa.. 431
ceyloneasis, Bonap. Oriolus ..434, 439
ceylonica, Gmel. | re va } 440, 488
chalybeus, Horsf. Calornis .. 460
cheela, Daud. Spilornis 46, 306, 464

chendoola, Franki. Galerida 215
cherng, Hodgs. Falco ne 156
chinensis, Lin. Oriolus ee 458
chinensis, Scop. YTurtur ae 80
chinquis, Zemm. Polyplectron 36
chirurgus, Scop. Hydrophasia-

nus 124, 249, 397

chloris, Bodd. Haleyon .. 08, 451
chlorogaster, Blyth. Crocopus 390
chloronotus, Hodgs. Abrornis 494
chloroptera, Blyth. Osmotreron 78, 461

chloropus, Zin. ~ Gallinlula
121, 250, 398

chrysaetus, Zin. Aquila

49, 122, 157, 325

chrysochlora, Gould. Chalco-
phaps Se Hee 81

chrysorrhoides, Zafr. Molpastes 47, 378
chukar, Gray. Caccabis 129, 226, 358
cia, Lin Emberiza a 357
cinclorhynchus, Vig. Petro-
phila 803, 377
cinclus, Lin. Tringa 107, 138, 242, 396
cineraceus, Mont. Gikeus a "418
cinerea, Lin. Ardea
87, 104, 113, 253, 399

cinerea, Bechst. Grus 92, 285, 395

cinerea, Bonap. Sylvia sa 105

cinerea, Giuldenst. Terekia 139, 237

cinereocapilla, Vuedll, Cryptol- ;
spha 852, 377

cinereus, Meyer ‘Anser 97, 99, 111, 258

citnereus, Vie? Parus . 328, 384
cinnamomeus, Gould. Plngses 507
circia, Zin. Querquedula 262, 402
cirrhatus, Gel. Spizactus .. 319
citreola, Pallas. Budytes

73, 122, 202, 384

Budytes

citreoloides, Hodgs.
122, 202, 384

citrina, Lath. Geocichla ..303.377
clanga, Pall. Aquila +329, 827
clypeata, Lin. Spatula

102, 136, 260, 402

cochion, Swinh. Alauda 484
collaris, Scop. Todiramphus.. 58

comata, Phil § Landb. Sterna 283
communis Bonn. Coturnix ..227, 393
concolor, Blyth. Collocalia .. 290

concolor, Blyth. Demiegretta 87, 254
concolor, Jerd. Diceum : 482
concolor, Sykes. Ptyonoprogne 46, 370

concretus, Hart/. Graucalus.. 310
contra, Lim. Sturnopastor .. 47
cornuta, Gmel. Tadorna 260
coromanda, Lath. Bubo .. 164, 369
coromanda, Lath Halcyon .. 58
coromandelianus, Scop. Halcyon 58
coromandelica, Gmel. Cotur-
nix a ... 186, 227, 393
coromandelicus, Gmez. Cursor-
TS) gg - 398, 421
coromandus, Bodd. Bubuleus
256, 399, 462
coronatus, Swains. Oviolus ... 72
coronatus, Zin. Pterocles
45, 115, 116, 128, 224
crassipes, Hodgs. Aquila 290
crassirostris, Bee Bueane-
tes : wy 210
praseirostris! Licht. “Tarus .. 279

crassirostris, Schleg. Tringa 45, 139, 240

erecea, Lin. Guerquedula 262, 402
crepitans, Tem. (idicnemus 232, 395
crinigera. Hodgs. Suya 355

crispus, ieee Pelecanus 45,109, 110,
2,121; 187, 140, 142, 288

vi

cristata, Zin. Fuligula 136, 265 -
cristata, Zin. Galerida

45, 105, 214, 389
cristata, Lath. Gallicrex 397
cristata, Cuv. Pernis . 46, 103, 369
cristata, Swains. Sterna » 283
cristata, Stephen. Sterna 283
cristatus, Zin. Lanius

65, 175, 309, 434

cristatus, Lin. Pavo ae 392
cristatus, Zin. Podiceps 141, 268

Thalasseus. , 140

eristatus, Steph.
Vanellus 137, 231, 394

cristatus, Meyer.

eroccorhous, Strick? Molpastes 378
eruentatum, Zin. Diceeum 482
eryptogenys, Hodgs. Archi-
buteo 316
cubicularis, Hassel. Psittacus 338
cuculoides, Temm. Falco .. 52
culmenatus, Sykes. Corvus .. 47,74
curonicus, Besek. Aigialitis 17, 230
curruca, Lath. Sylvia 108
cyaneus, Lin. Circus . 99, 418
eyaneus, Horsf. Myiophoneus 476
cyanocephalus, Zin. Psittacus 343
cyanus, Zin. Petrocossyphus

48, 69, 133, 179, 353, 377

Damacensis, Horsf. Tringa .. 242
Davisoni, Hume. Spilornis 307, +22
delicatula, Hartlaub. Syl-

via .. 45, 117% 132, 137, 199
deserti, Riipp. Saxicola 45, 48, 103, 188,

380
desertorum, Stanley. Ale-
mon 45, 114, 116, 125, 216
deva, Sykes. Spizalanda Js 486
dicruriformis, Hume. Disse-
muroides 4 so 408
dilutus, “Blyth. Brachypter-

(115, 116, Wz za
Blagrus.. 53

nus..
dimidiatus, Raffies.

Dobsoni. Ball. Graucalus .. 66,310
docilis, Viel. Psittacus ave 338
dominicanus, Viedd?. Larus... 270

dubius, Gmel. Leptoptilus 106, 252 398

dukhunensis, Sykes. Mota-

cilla a 26, 201, 383
dulcivox, Hodgs. Alauda . 39, 484
dumetorum, Blyth. Acroce-

phalus a .. 190, 381

Dussumieri, Ponte. Turnix .. 227

Earwuet, Blyth. Chatarrhea .. 118, 420
Edwardsi, Verv. Carpodacus 418
Edwardsi, Gray. Kupodotis 136, 227,393
egrettoides, Zemm. Herodias -87, 253
elegans, UcClell. Pericrocotus 309

elegans, Gamb. Sterna few O83

Elgini, Tytler. Spilornis .. 52,306
Elwesi, Blanf. Otocoris .. 36,417
emeria, Shaw. Otocompsa 309
episcopus, Bodd. Melanopelar-
gus.. 398
epops, Lin. Upupa 48, 174, 351, 375
erythrinus, Padi. Carpodacus 16, 388
-erythrocephalus, Vig. Aigi-
thaliscus ae 356
erythrocephalus, Gmel. Psit-
tacus BC 343
erythrogenys, Bly yh Paleeor-
nis .. . ve 60
Collyrio 105,
erythronotus, Vigors 174, 351, 376
Lanius
erythroprocta, Gould. Ruticilla 189
erythroptera, Jerd. Mirafra 12,388

erythropterus, Vig. Pteruthius 349, 356
erythropus, Zim. Amnser 465, 99, 259
erythropygia, Sykes. Hirundo 350, 370

erythropygius, Jerd. Peri-

crocotus 4 114, 121, 376
erythropygius, Blyth. Temen-

uchus Bo, they a
esculenta, Zz. Collocalia AY 295
Kugenei, Hume. Myiophoneus 475
eupatria, Ziv. Paleornis 92, 170,433
eupogon, Cab. Aithopyga 412
eurycercus, Hay. Centrococeyx 453°
Eversmanni, Bonap. Palumb-

cena . 128, 217

Eversmauni, Midd. Phyllop-
seuste 495
exustus, Zemm. Pterocles 127, 225,392

Fascratus, Viezl/, Graucalus .. 310
fasciatus, Gmel. Harpactes .. 432
fasciatus, Mul/. Palzeornis .. 61, 345

fasciatus, Scop. Pterocles 219, 221 391
ferina, Zin. Aythya, 136, 263, 264, 402
ferrea, Hodgs. Pratineola ..351,355
festivus, Bodd. Chrysocolaptes 373
ferox, Gmel. Buteo 118, 123, 159, 315
filifera, Stephen. Hirundo 164, 370, 495
flammaxillaris, Blyth. Arach-

nechthra nie or 404
flammeus, Forst. FPericrocotus 809
flammiceps, Bart. Cephalo-

pyrus . 049, 356
flaveolus, Gozld. "Criniger abe 478
flavescens, Gray. Phyllopseuste 495
flavicollaris, Frankl. Palzornis 343,
flavicollis, Franki. Gym-

noris 6 eee §©6380/,388,420

flavipes, Savigni. Chettusia 137, 232,394
flavirostris, Horsf. Myiopho-

neus ie ne 476

Vil

flavirostris, Blyth. Urocissa.. 857
flavitorques, Shaw. Psittacus 343
flavohvacea, Hodgs. Neornis 494
fluviatilis, Bechst. Adgialitis 230, 394
fluviatilis, Naum. Sterna ,, 282
fluvicola, Jerd. Hirundo .,, 370
Fraseri, Sharpe. Pelargopsis 57,449

frenata, Mil’. Arachnechthra 65, 404
fuciphaga, Thunb. Collocalia 55, 294
fulicarius, Zin. Phaleropus 46, 144. 245

fulicata, ian: Thamnobia ., 182
fuliginosa, Gmel. Onychoprion 440
fuliginosus, Hume. Buteo 119

fulvescens, Gray. Aquila 95, 137, 158,

368, 463
Gyps 103, 148, 367
Charadrius » 298, 462
fulvus, Gmel. Gyps Ab 148
fusca, Blyth. Cercomela oe 47, 880
fuscatus, Blyth, Phyllopse-

uste

fuscicaudata, Gould, Otocompsa

fulvescens, Hume.
fulvus, Ged.

195
309
Pellorneum 299
Drymocataphus

Bra-

297, 305, 429
Leucocirea 359
Acridotheres 75, ae
Larus . 270,
Totanus 99, 100, 248, sa

fuscocapillum, Blyth. i

fuscoflavescens, Hume.
chypodius Bo
fuscoventris, Frankl.
fuscus, Wagler.
fuscus, Lin.
fuscus, L727.

GauBvxza, Lin. Oriolus -. 91, 182
galericulatus, Licht. Thalas-
seus on 283
galilzensis, Lia. Cypselus 166
gallicus, Gmel. Cursorius 45, 228, 393
gallinula, Lim. Gallinago 235, 395
ganeesa, Sykes. Hy psipetes . Au 438
garrula, Lim. Coracias te 168
garrula, Retz. Sylvia A

198

garzetta, Lin. Herodias 87, 253, 399, 462

gelastes, Licht. Larus O74

Aigialtiis } 17,82,

Geoffroyii, Wagter.| Cirripi- 138,

desmus. } 229,489

Acanthylis 05, 471

Cheetura,
Tockus

gigantea, v. Hass.

gingalensis Shaw. ;
ginginianus, Lath, Acrido-

theres 114, 207, 386
ginginianus, Daud. Neophroa 150
ginginianus, Latham. Palwornis 343
githagineus, Licht. Buca-

netes «. 44, 131, 133. 210
goensis, Gmel. Lobivanellus - 119, 232
f Actitis 85, 421, 462
Totanus
Totanus
Ardea

346

glareola, Gel. }

glottis, Lin.

2» 85, 247
goliat, Zem. ‘

ce 105

govinda, Sykes. Milvus 53, 160, 369

gracilis, Riipp. Burnesia

96, 195, 301, 382
gracilis, Licht. Saxicola ag 186
Grayii, Sykes. Ardeola ...256, 399
gregaria, Pall. Chettusia 123, 231, 394
Gregoriana Mevil. Oreocincla 437
Greyii, Gray Demiegretta .. 307
grisea, Scop. Pyrrhulauca

107, 212, 388

griseiceps, Hume, Criniger -. 478
griseo-rutescens, Hume. Agro-

droma, 203, 801, 356

griseus, Jerd. Ephialtes 8, 432
griseus, Lin. Nycticorax . 88, 256
grisola, Zin, Muscieapa « 877
grisola, Blyth. Tephrodornis 65
gularis, Horsf. Criniger 478

gularis, Bose. Demiegretta 45,87,138,254

gularis, Jerd. Micropternus... 434
gulgula, Frankl. Alauda

39, 389, 420, 484, 487
guttata, Brooks. Alauda 484
guttatus, Licht. Pterocles 221

gymnopodus, Gray. Ephialtes 349, 407
gymnopthalmos, Blyth. Yun-

gipicus be : 433
Hamacernata, Will. Xantho-

leema ... 46, 453

haliaetus, Zin. Pandion ...127, 159

Hardwickii, Gray. Collyrio,113,174,351

Hardwicku, Jerd. Yungipicus 433
Hartingi, Swinh. Aigialitis 417, 495
hastata, Less. Aquila ...298, 327,
464
heliaca, Savigni Aquila... 290
helvetica, Ziw. Squatarola ...138, 228
hemiptilopus, Blyth. Archibuteo 315
Hemprichii, Bonap. la-
rus... _ 45,139,140,145, 279
Hendersoni, Hume. Falco ... 152
Hendersonii, Cass. Locustella 410
hiaticula, Zin. Agialitis ... 17, 495
himachalana, Hume. Bubo .. 315
himalayana, Vig. Certhia .. 351
himalayanus, Vigne. Picus .. 300
himalayensis, Hwme.' Gyps .. 148
hippocrepis, Wagler. Oriolus 457
hirsutus, Temm. Ninox .. 54
hirundo, Zin. Sterna BA 282
Hodgii, Blyth. Muelleripicus 63
Hodgsoni, Gray. Motacilla... 26
Hodgsoni Blyth. Prinia 381
Hodgsonie, Hodgs. Perdix .. 349
holospilus, Vig. Spilornis .. 307

honorata, Zin. Eudynamys... 63, 173,
eS SOA 3793
Horsfieldi, Sykes. “Pomatorhinus 7

Vul

IcHTHY TUS,

Horsfieldii, Gray. Gallinago ...

Horsfieldii, Vigors. Myiophoneus 476

hottentotta, Zzn. Chibia 408
Humei, Mandelli. Heterorhynchus 415
humilis, Zemm. Turtur ... 80, 218,
391

Huttoni, Blyth. Citrinella’ .. 388
hybrida, Pall. Sterna . 281, 403
hyperboreus, Zin. Lobipes .. 246
hypoleuca, Gray. Collocalia 295
. { Actitis 85,123,247,
hypoleucos, Lin. | Meine olies 397
hypoxanthus, Dawd. Ploceus 460

Pail. Larus
97, 112, 136, 141, 144, 275, 276
ichthyaétus, Horsf. Polioaétus 52

icterioides, Vig. Hesperiphona 308
igneus, Gmel. Falcinellus ..120, 257
imbricata, Layard. Oreocincla 437
immaculata, Hume. Mirafra.. 12
imperialis, Bechst. Aqui-

la w. 124,181, 157, 290, 325

impudicus, Hodgs. Corvus 118, 206,380
indica, Hume. Ohbetura 471
indica, Zim. Coracias ..108, 167, 372
indica, Steph. Hydrochelidon 120, 281
indica, Lath. Mycteria .. 252, 398
indica, Gmel. Nemoricola .. 450
indica, Jerd Phyllopseuste.. 382
indica, Blyth. Pratincola 28, 102, 183

307, 385
Strix 123, 163, 369
indicus, Gmel. Ariser 92, 98, 260, 401
indicus, Zin. Chalecophaps .. 80, 81
indicus, Scop. Gyps ..46, 150, 367
indicus, Bodd. Lobivanellus 119, 232,

indica, Blyth.

394

indicus, Salvad COidicnemus 232

indicus, Jerd. Oriolus 4d 457
indicus, Jerd. and Selb. Pass-

er ee 48, 107, 209, 387

indicus, Zath. Xantholema .. 46

indranee, Sykes. Syrnium .. 429

indus, Bodd. Hatliastur 106, 119, 160,
496
296
Oreocinela 70

inexpectata, Hume. Colloealia
inframarginata, Blyth.

infumata, Hume. Leucocirea 455
infumatus, Selater. Cypselus 295
innominata, Hume. Collocalia 294

innotata; Biyth. Geocichla .. 69
inornatus, Sykes. Drymoipus 11, 47,

439, 494
insidiator, Rafies. Calornis 460, 481
insignis, Hume. Drymoipus .. 10, 382
insularis, Blyth. Carpophaga 79, 302
insularis, Gowld. Mviophoneus 476
intermedia, Hume. ‘Arachnechthra 65

367

intermedia, Hay. Enlabes ..
intermedia, ». Hasselg. Herodias 25:

intermedius, Hume. Centrococeyx 454
intermedius, Strick. Columba 114, 217

390
intermedius, Adams. Corvus 74
intermedius, Llyth. Himantopus 248,

397
intermedius, Hay. Molpastes 378
intermedius, Hume. Pelargopsis 449
intermedius, Hume. Polyplectron 35
interpres, Lin. Strepsi-

Nasey 9, .. 89, 1388, 2338, 245
Irwini, Hume. Calornis, 481
isabellina, Riipp. Saxico-

la .. 45, 47, 103, 187, 380
isabellinus, 7Z § #.. Lani-

us .» 45, 48, 107, 174

ispida, Zin. Alcedo 44, 117, 138, 168

vs Oxylophus 46
JAcoBINus, Bodd. Ghesrate: 173, 373
japonica, Sch. Motacilla 26
javanensis. Osbeck. Gracula.. Wel
javanica, Horsf. Butorides 88, 123, 256,
399, 450

Gracula aM q7
Phyllopseuste 495
javanica, Horsf. Sterna 93, 102, 282
javanicus, Horsf. Graculus .. 289
javanicus, Osb. Paleornis ..61, 345
javanicus, Horsf. Pelecanus. 128
Jerdoni, Finsch. ° Agrodroma 2038, 351,

javanica, Cu.
javanica, Bonap.

356

Jerdoni, Gray. Cyornis a 436
Jerdoni, Blyth. Drymoipus .. 437
Jerdoni, Blyth. Sylvia So eG Si8e3
‘jocosa, Lin. Otocompsa . 70, 309

jugger, Gray. Falco 108, 152,156, 368
jugularis, tin. Arachnechthra 404
jugularis, Foster. Demiegretta 87, 254,

5 308

Julie, Heine. Halcyon Se 451
Keraartt,: Blyth. Caprimulgus 470
Kennicotti, Baird.Phyllopseuste 495

Kieneri, De Sparre. Spizactus 311, 320
Kingi, Hume. Saxicola

. 45, 100, 125, 129, 187
kundoo; Sykes. Oriolus 20355, 378

..440, 490

‘Lacrea, Temm. Glareola
462

lacteus, Zemm. Tantalus ..
Lambruschini, Bonap. Larus
. 45, 138, 140

‘lanceolatus,’ Zemm. Spizactus © 320

-longipes, Temm.

lapponica, L2v. Limosa 235
Lathami, Jard. JEthopyga .. 412
Lathami, Zick, Spizaetus .. 321

lathora, Sykes. Collyrio 118, 174,375
latirostris, Rafies. Alseonax 436
lanceolatus, Vig. Garrulus .. 307
Lawrencei, Hume. Corvus .. 48, 1€6,

115, 205, 385
Graucalus ,. 65, 435

Jiayardi, slyth.
Alauda oe 09, 484

leiopus, Hodgs.

lempigi, Horsf. Ephialtes .. 432
lepidus, Horsf. _Centrococcyx
lettia, Hodgs. Ephialtes 30 432

Fivialitis 17
Pelargopsis 449

Leschenaulti, Zess.
leucocephala, Gmel.
leucocephalus, Gmel. Tantalus 399
leucogaster, @meZ. Cuncuma 326, 449
leucogenys, Gray. Otocompsa 354, 457
leucocephalus, Gould. Himantopus 248

leucocyanea, Brehm. Cyanecula

190
leucogaster, Valene. Artamus 67
leucogaster, Gmel. Halixétus 52
leucogeranus, Pall. Grus .. 235
leuconota, Zemm. Munia ... 78, 310
leucopareia, Watt. Sterna .. 281
leucopthalmos, Licht. Jarus 279
leucopygia, Wail. Colloealia.. 295
leucopygia, Brehm. Saxicola 3, 185

leucopygialis, Gould. Artamus 67
leucopygialis, Blyth. Buchanga
leucorhynchus, Zim. Artamus 67
leucorodia, Ln. Platelea 106, 256, 399
leucoryphus, Pall, Halixé-

tus ab ee 93, 102, 159
leucotis, Gould. Otocompsa
3 48, 92, 181, 378, 457
leueura, © Licht. Chettu-

sia .. Jo 128) 127 aemese
leucura, Blyth. Pratincola 124, 183
leucura, Gmel. Saxicola ae 182
Lichtenstcinii, Zemm. Ptero-

cles a ... 45,131, 219
linchi, Horsf. Collocalia 55, 295, 473
lineatum, Vig. ‘Trochalopte-

ron .. So vo 854
lineatus, Cuv. Numenius 97, 237, 396
liventer, Zemm. Poliornis 319
livia, Briss. Columba 44, 119, 129, 218

locustella, Penn. Locustella ., 410
longicauda, Walt. ~ Leuco-

cirea a O04 5)
longicaudatus, Hay. Dicrurus 352
longicaudatus, Zick. Drymoi-

pus ° ~ 11, 97, 194, 382, 437
longicaudatus, Gael. Orthoto-

mus ate -. 194, 381
longicaudatus, Bodd. » -Palzornis 69
longirostris, Gould. Otocoris 36,417

Charadrius 83,228

Dissemur=
lopnorinus, W7e7ll. < eu
eee | 346, 408, 436
| Dierurus.
lucionensis, Seog. lLanius 65, 309, 434
lugens, Sedi. Motacilla ae 27
lugubris, Pallas. Motacilla .. 26

lunulosus, Valence. Galloperdix 496
lusitania, Gmel. | Ammoma-
nes .. 45, 92, 115, 126, 211
Iuteola, Lath. Euspiza oP 388
luzonienses, Scop. Motacilla.. 26, 73
Macer, Cu. Halicétus -. 159, 368
Macei, Zin. Graucalus pis 65
Macei, Vier. Picus ale 350
Macqueeni, Gray. Houbara

126, 227, 393

macroura, Gmel. Kittacincla.. 73

macrourus, Horsf. Caprimulgus 470
macrourus, Blyth. Oviolus ..71, 468
maculatus, Blyth. Pipastes 202
waculipennis, Blyth. Reguloides 494
maculosa, Zemm. Turnix 310
madraspatana, Gmel. Motacilla ..26, 47
magnirostris, Bald. Paleornis.. 60
magnirostris, aes Phyllop-
seuste . 439,494
magnus, Gould. " Schesnicolus ae "240
mahrattensis, Sykes. Caprimulgus
167, 482
mahrattensis, Lath. Picus .. 373
maja, Lin. Munia_... sie 460
major, Jerd. Dendrocygna .. 421
major, Hime. Milvus ..124, 160
major, Schlegel. Numenius .. 237
malabarica, Scop. Alauda 39, 484,
486
malabarica, Zin. Munia 209, 387
malabarica, Jerd. Osmotreron 461

malabaricus, Lath. Dissemurus 67, 346

malabaricus, Jerd. Ephialtes 432
malabaricus, Bodd. Hoplopterus

| , 104
malacea, Zin. Munia oe 460
malaccensis, Gmel. Palzornis 60
malayensis, Blyth. Edolius .. 67
malayensis, Hay. Hphialtes ,. 407
Malcomi, Sykes. Malacocircus 378

Mandellii, Blanf. Fellorneum

4, 298, 493
Mandellii, Heme. Procarduelis 14, 318
manyar, Horsf. Ploceus 115, 122, 208

marinus, Zin. Iarus nis 270
marmorata, Zemm. Anas... 262
‘Marshallorum, Swinh. Mega-

jaima ae nA Lie 390
marnetta, Briss. Porzana 120, 251

mattius, Liz. Dryocopus 91, 129,171

maxima, Bodd. Sterna seh EOS
maxima, Gould. Melanocorypha
214, 492
maximus, Li. Bubo 20 815
maximus, Hume. Centrococeyx 454
maxuriensis, Hhrenb. Sterna 284
maya, Zin. Munia ins 460
media, Horsf. Sterna 284
melanauchen, Temm Onychoprion 88
melanauchen, Cab. Pyrrhulauda 418
melanictera, Gmel. Rubigula 346
melanicterus, Lath. Melophus
47, 857, 388
melanocephala, Licht. Budytes 384
melanocephala, Scop. Huspiza 420
melanocephala, Zemm. Sterna 284
melanocephalus, Gmel, Brachy-
podius - 71, 297, 305
melanocephalus, Géné. Garrulus
91, 206
melanocephalus, Natt. ‘Larus 278
melanocephalus, Zin. Oriolus 71, 439
melanocephalus, Lin. Threskior-

nis - as 56

106, 257, 400
melanoleucus, Gixel.

Cocecystes 46

melanogaster, Penn. Plotus

121, 133, 289, 403
melanogaster, Temm. Sterna 282
melanognathus, Brandt. Graculus

289, 403
melanoleucus, Gmel. Circus .. 418
melanonotus, Penn. Sarkidiornigs 401
melanope, Pall. Calobates 201
melanopogon, Temm. Lusci-

OEY 9 os 45, 125, 190

melanops, Vig. Eumyias .. 302
melanopterus, Daud. Elanus:

21, 119, 163, 369
melanopterus, Flem. Himantopus 248
melanorhynchus, Wagler. Paleornis 345
melanotis, Schlegel. Milvus .. 162
melanura, Ripp. Cercomela 101,188
melanurus, Blyth. Pomatorhinus 437

meningting, Horsf. Alcedo .. 59
mettalicus, Eyton. Ixos a 71
microptera, Hume. Mirafra .. 483

micropterus, Gould. Cuculus 63
miles, Hodgs, ithopyga .. A13-
milvipes, Hodgs. Falco BA 152
mindanensis, Gmel. Copsychus 73, 458
miniatus, Forst, Chrysophlegma 450
minimum, Tick. Diceum ,, 482

minimus, Hume. Spilornis . eer akes
minor, Schlegel. Larus ahs 277
minor, Hume. Pellorneum .. 298
minor, Lin. Podiceps . 268, 402
minor, G. St. Hill. Phcenicop-
terus .. a a5 31, 258
minor, Hume. Sturnus 207, 400
minuta, Nawn, Anser ee ee 239

minuta,. Zin. Ardetta., vel 256
minuta, Pallas. Porzana Siete AD,

124, 251
minuta, Zim. Sternula .. -« 102

minuta, Heune.
minuta, Zeisler.

Sylvia ..
Tringa

so AGS

112, 242,
310, 396, 491
minutus, Fall. Aigialitis po Bell
mitratus, Licht... Felecanus 128
modestus, Hyton . burdus OO
mogilnik, Gmel.. Aquila ea
290, 325, 464

monacha, Rupp. Saxicola 44, 47,
48 ,132, 141, 186
monachus, Zin. Vultur 367

igialitis
Cirrepides-

17, $3, 139, 230, 309
Batrachostomus 432

mongolicus, Pall. \

mus ae
moniliger, Blyth.

montana, Gould. Saxicola 188
montanus, Koch. Anthus 204
monticola, Mc.Glell. Otoeompsa 309
‘monticolus, Frankl. Caprimulgus 371
monticolus, Vig. Parus .. 356
morinellus, Zin. Kudromias .. 17
myristicivora, Scop. Carpophaga 79
mysticalis, Zemm. Aithopyga 412

Navia, Gel. Aquila 119,124, 158, 292,

325, 463
neevioides, Cuv. Aquila 290, 326, 463
nanus, Wall. Spizaetus 321
mnarcondami, Hume. Rhyticeros 411
neelecta,.Gray. Collocalia we 294
neglecta, Hume. Columba 218
neglectus, Hume. Phyllopseuste
45, 103, 114, 120, 195
meglectus Schleg. Porphyrio

125, 136, 249
Fringilauda 41
Syrnium 429
nicobarica, Hume. Aithopyga.. 412
nicobarica, Liv. Calenas 81, 309,411
nicobaricus, Gowld. Paleornis.. 60
nicobariensis, Horsf. Hypsipetes 70
nicobariensis, Blyth, Megapodius
82, 313

nicobariensis, Blyth. Zosterops 74
nidifica, Gray. Collocalia .. 55, 295
Ciconia, .- 106, 252
Melanopelargus.
nigricollis, Swxd. Podiceps

; 45, 140, 141, 266
nigripennis, Gould. Upupa ..
nigripennis, Bonap. Sterna ..
nigrirostris, Hodgs. Paleeornis 61

nemoricola, Hodgs.
newarense, Hodgs.

nigra, Lin.

nigrocapitatus, Myton. Dry-
mocataphus .. | 36 299
nigropileus, Jerd. .Molpastes. 878

xi

nilghiriensis, Jerd. Hypsipe-

tes an - 438, 456
nilghiriensis, Blyth. Greocincla 437
niloticus, v. Hasslg. Gelocheli-

don 124, 281, 403
nipalensis, Hodgs, Huhua 431
nipalensis, Hodgs. .-Hydrornis 477
nipalensis, Hodgs. Palseornis 335
nipalensis, Hodgs. Pellorneum 493
nipalensis, Gray. Phodilus .. 429
nipalensis, Hodgs. Procarduelis 14
nipalensis, Hodgs. Spizaetus 319
nisus, Lin, Accipiter »157, 368
nitens, Hume. Sturnus : 207
nitida, Latham. Phyllopseuste

101, 197, 382

nuchalis, Jerd. Parus 2. «385
nugax, Solander. Puffinus .. 5)
nycticorax, Lin. Nyctiardea 256
nyroca, Guld. Aythya 121, 127, 186,
265, 402

Oarest, Hwne. Hydrornis 477

obscurus, Hume. Ninox 11, 55, 422
obscurus, Hume. Pomatorhinus i
obseurus, Gmel. Puffinus ... 5,417
obsoleta, Cab. Cotile 417
occidentalis, Audubon. Larus

45, 270, 273
occipitalis, Vig. Gecinus .. 350
oceipitalis, Blyth. Halcyon .. 58, 451
occipitalis, Jerd. Reguloides .. 197,305
ocellata, Lesson. Bulaca 46, 63,369
ochrocephalus, Gmes. Trachy-

comus D0 dis 455
ochrophus, Liz. Actitis 119, 247, 396
cenanthe, Zin. Saxicola a 187

olivaceus, Blyth. Arundinax 13
onocrotalus, Zin. Pelecanus
128, 145, 288. 402

opistholeuca, Strickl. Dromo-

laea ao 45 380
orientalis, Hodgs. Alauda .. 39,484
orientalis, Cab. Aquila Bi 325
orientalis, Tristram. Cettia .. 194

orientalis, Lin.
orientalis, Lz.

Kudynamys .. 63, 173
Hurystomus .. 57,495

orientalis, Leach. Glareola .. 83
ovientalis, Gmel. Lalage ae 66
orphea, Temm. Svlyvia - 100, 197
Osbeckii, Lath. Paleeornis 345

oscitans, Bodd. Anastomus ..107, 133
ostralegus, Lin. Hematopus 139, 234

PacopARuM, Zemm. Strix she 53
pagodarum, Gmel. Temenuchus — 386
palleseens, Hume. Gyps Ye 150
pallida, Hume. Ptyonoprogne 44,

129,132, 133, 137, 165, 417

Circus © ..160, 418
Poliornis ae 819
Turdus a 69

pallidus, Sykes.
paliidus, Less.
pallidus, Gmel.

palpebrosus, Zemm. Zosterops
74, 356, 384

palumboides, Hume, Carpo-
phaga 00 302, 305, 422

palustre, Jerd. Pellornenm .. 4, 299
pandoo, Sykes. Petrocossyphus 69,377
pannosa, Gould. Demiegretta 254

papillosus, Zemm. Geronticus

137, 257, 400
paradiseus, Zin. Dissemurus 67
paredisi, Lin. ‘Tchitrea ».002, 377
parasiticus, Ziv. Stercorarius
| 45, 141, 268

parva, Bechst. Krythrosterna 179, 377
payanensis, Scop. Calornis .. 17
pectoralis, Horsf. Arachnechthra

- 64,404, 413

pectoralis, Jerd. Huhua a 431
pectoralis, Jerd. Leucocirca..
pelecanoides, Atng. Sterna .. 283
pelegrinoides, Zemm. Falco .. 19
penelope, Lin. Mareeca . 183, 261
pennatus, Hodgs. Ephialtes 8, 407, 4382
‘pennatus, Gmel. Hieraétus .. 46
perenopterus, Zin. Neophron 150
‘perigrinator, Swnd. Falco 46, 52
perigrinus, Zin. Falco 48, 52, 122,151,
367, 368

Pericrocotus
66, 177, 376
perlata, Wii/?. Rhipidura .. 455
persicus, Heme. Puffinus
5,44, 144, 268,417
personata, Gould. Motacilla.. 26, 383
personata, Davison. Otocompsa 457
phaiocephalus, Hartb. Criniger 478
phasianelia, Temm. Macropy-

‘gia. ae 80
philippensis, Lin, “Merops 46, 57
philippensis, Gmel. Pelecanus
90, 109, 112, 288

perigrinus, Lin.

philippensis, Gurney. Spizaetus 321
phoenicopterus, Lath. Crocopus 390
pheenicura, Frankl. Ammomanes 388

pheenicura, Penn. Porzana 251, 424, 462
-pheenicuroides, Jfoore. Ruti-

cilla _. a ..114, 189
pheenicurus, Zz. Lanius .. 65

oh Saxicola 3, 47, 92,
Pion IBA de t Deena ve 2a0

picatus, Sykes. Hemipus .. 435
pileata, Horsf. Timalia bc 4
placidus,.Gray. Aigialites .. 495
platyrhyncha, Temm. Tringa

139, 141, 244
platyura, Jerd. Schcenicola .., 124
plumatus, W/aid/. Pipastes ,,,202, 384

‘plumipes, Hume.

Gur1ntIcoLoR, Viedll.

Uphialtes ..
pluvialis, Zin. Charadius .. 229
peekilorhyncha, Gme/ Anas 100, 261, 402

poiocephala, Jerd. Alcippe ..
poliocephalus, Lath. Porphyrio 249
poliogenys, Zemm. Poliornis 319
pomarinus, Gray. Stercorarius ze)
pondiceriana, Gme?. Tephro-

dornis te R22 Ee 376
pondicerianus, Awh?, Ginel:

Palzornis, ‘a 61
ponticeriana, Gmel. Ortygornis 227, 392
porzana, Zin. Rallus, ae 21
pratensis, Lin. Anthus a6 74
proregulus, Pail. Reguloides 494
psaroides, Vig. Hypsipetes DC 355
puella, Zath. Irena ‘ Q 71
pugnax, Lin. Philomachus — 239, 396
pulchellus, Horsf. Carcineutes 474
pulchra, Hume. Ardetta a6 422

pulchra, Hume. Athene ae 469
pulcherrimus, Hodys. Propasser 15, 418

punctata, Cuv. Mareca 88, 303, 305
punctatus, Heme. Batrachos-

tomus oe oo 432
punctulata, Zin. Lonchura .. 387
punicus, LeVaill, Jun. Falco 19
punjabi, Hutton. Paleornis 338
purpurea, Zi. Ardea 86, 203
purpureus, M7. Palzeornis

44, 343, 372,4 33
pusilla, Blyth. Arachnothera 266
pusilla, Gmel. Porzana ae 51

pusillus, Horsf. /Mgialitis .. 231
pusillus, Blyth. Molpastes .. 47, 378
pygmea, Mawm. Porzana .. 251
pygmeus, Blyth. Buteo .. Blo
( Ulchipeaies 47, 355,
pygmeeus, Hodgs. 378
. Pycnonotus

pyrrhocephalus, Forster. Phee- :
nicophaus ae «2 ~ 346
pyrrhonotus, Blyth. Passer 209
pytrhops, Hodgs. Stachyris .. 354
pyrrhothorax, Zemm. igialitis 83
pyrrhotis, Hodgs. Otocompsa 309

Merops .. 75

Rama, Sykes. Pkyllcpneuste 47, 196, 200

rangoonensis, Gould. . Dissem-

urus ee ve 67
Ransomi, Bonay. Eudynamys — 310
recurvirostris, Cuv. Hsacus 96,102, 232

regalis, Bonap. Milvus ae 162
regia, Gamb. Sterna fe 283
rhodocephalus, Shaw. Psitta-

bus) aa - nrc tiaeesh

348

432 -

lpi

rhodochrous, Vig. Propasser.. 14
rhodopeplus, Vig. Propasser.. 15
‘Richardi, Viezl/. Corydalla .. 358
Richardsoni, Audubon. Lestris’ 268
ridibundus, Zim. Larus

97, 275, 278, 403
riparia, Zin. Cotile Sigma’
‘risorius, Zix. Turtur ..113, 218, 390
rissa, Mull. Sterna SAN ae 283
‘rosa, Bodd. . Paleornis 323, 343
-rosaceus. Hodgs. Anthus .. 74,310
roseus,. Licht. Larus ae 274
roseus, Lin. Pastor oo 71, 208, 886

roseus, Pall. Phoenicopterus

2 Tae ae 32, 257, 400
‘roseus, Vierll.. Pericrocotus ..349, 351
rubescens, Blyth. Locustella 410
‘rubescens, Blunf. Procarduelis 318

.tubicola, Zim. Pratincola 28, 183, 380

rubidus, Fielden. Phoenicop-

terus ol
rubricapilla, Gmel. Xantholema 346
tubricauda, Bodd. Phaeton .. 99

Ceryle
93, 108, 118, 170, 372
ruta, Scop. Dendrocitta 118, 206, 386

rudis, Zin.

rufa, Briss. Limosa 45, 139, 285
rufescens, Hime. Drymoipus 10, 488
Tuficeps, Swains. Pellorneum
4, 298, 493
ruficeps, Blyth. Stachyris .. 479
ruficollis, Ved. Rhyticeros 411
rufitrons, Hume. Stachyris .. 479
tufigularis, Brehm. Anthus 310
rutina, Pallas. Fuligula
"101, 136, 264, 402
rufipectus, Gould. Spilornis 3 307, 466

Centropus 64, 178,

tufipennis, IZiger. 374, 4
Centrococey x.
rufipennis, Blyth. Macropygia 80

rufiventris, Vzevi/. Ruticilla
48, 114, 189, 381

rufogularis, Mandelli. Minla 416
rufosuperciliaris, Blyth. Anthus 74
vufula, Vell. Corydalla 47, 359, 384
rufulus, Drapiez. Turdus 69
rupestris, Scop. Ptyonoprogne 2
rupicola, Pall.. Turtur . ..358, 390
rustica, Ziz. Hirundo

56, 137, 164, 370, 473
Rutherfordi, Swink. Spilornis 306
rutila, Pali. Casarca, 92, 260 ,401

Sacer, Hutton. Paleornis .. 337
sacer, Gmel. 'Todiramphus a8
sacra, Gmel. Demiegretta 254, 308, 450
saker, Schlegel. Falco: ~ - ,.127, 102

xiii

scolopacina, Bonap.

sett abs
.. 209, 387
..242, 491

187
14, 418

salicarius, Vieil?. Passer
salicicola, Vzecd7. Passer
salina, Pall. Tringa.
saltatris, Méné. rae ve
T Toe
saturatus, Blanf. Pieaue
Copsyckus
47, 73, 355,379, 458
Demiegretta 254
Palzornis 341, 350
Cisticola
382, 420, 439
92,111,117,
127, LOL
Gallinago
85, 235,395, 423
scutellatus, Raffles. Ninox .. 46
seloputo, Horsf. Syrnium 53
senegallus, Lin. Pterocles
45, 47, 125, 128, 131, 134, 221
sericea, Natt. Cettia 44, 124, 192
similima, Hume. Spizalauda 389, 486
similis, Jerd. Agrodroma .. 203
sinaiticus, Licht. Bucanetes.. 210
sinensis, Gmel. Ardetta 308,422,450
sinensis, Lath. Bulaca ibe 163
sinensis, Gray. Cotile . 108, 164,370
sinensis, Gmel. Pyctoris 118, 179,378

saularis, Lin.
schistacea, Licht.

schisticeps, Hodgs.
scheenicola, Bonap,

scindeanus, Gould. Picus {

siparaja, Raffles. AKthopyga.. 413
sirkee, Gray. Taccocua ay 374
sivalensis, Hutton. Palzeornis 335
smyrnensis, Lin. Haleyon

58, 103, 115, 168,372.

socialis, Sykes. Frinia Ae 47
soloensis, Horsf. Micronisus 52
sordida, Blyth nec ee -Agro-

droma a6 203
sordida, Stoliczka. "Fringilauda 41
speciosus, Lath. Fericrocotus 66, 309
sphenurus, Vzg. Sphenocireus 358
sphynx, Hume. Spizaetus .. 32]
spilocephalus, Rigel Ephial-

tes “ - 58, 404, 436
spilocircus, Gray Y Caprimulgus 432

spilogaster, Blyth. Spilornis.. 52, 306

spilonota, Frank?, Salpornis.. 375
spiionotus, Kawup. Circus .. 418
spiloptera, Blyth. Oreocincla., 346
spilura, Gray. Collocalia .. 295
spinoletta, Zz. Anthus. 45, 108, 204
splendens, Viet. Corvus .. 75, 206
spodiopygia, Peale... Collocalia 296
squalida,-Eversm. Saxicola .. 187
squamatus, Vag. Gecinus ..- 350
stagnalis, Beehst. Totanus .. 240
stellaris, Zin. Botaurus . 119, 256
stenura, Awb/. Gallinago 307,423,496
Stewarti, Blyth. Emberiza .. 307
Stewarti, Blyth.. Prinia | .. 47
stelidus, Zin, Anous-+-; .. 90

streperus, Zin. - Chaulelasmus 261,402

striata, Zin. _Munia - -- 310,460
striatulus, Hwme. Blanfordius
piece 45, 195,300
striatus, Brooks. Melizophilus
45, 129, 200
striatus, Zin. Tallus aa 86
Stricklandi, Layard. Chrysoco-
laptes ae a: 346
striga, Horsf. Cebiephyris .. 66
striolata, Blyth. Corydalla .. 359

striolata, Zcht. Fringillaria.. 388,420
striolatus, Blyth, Gecinus © 488
subarquata, Gould. Tringa ..242, 396
subminuta, Midd. Tringa

242,92, 260, 491
subochraceum, Swenh. Pellorneum 298

subsignata, Hume. Locustella 409
suecica, Zim. Cyanecula .. 48, 118
sulaénsis, Schl. Spilornis .. 307:
‘sulphurea, Bechst. Calobates 201
superciliaris, Jerd. Muscicapula 353
superciliosus, Lath. lanius .. 434

Turtur
80, 218, 358, 390, 461
Swainsoni, Smith. Circus 160, 369, 418

suratensis, Gel.

Sykesi, Lloyd. Mcgalema .. 419
Sykesii, Strickl. Volvocivora 376
sylvatica, Tickell. Carpophaga 79
sylvatica, Jerd. Drymoipus .. 10

sylvicultrix, Swink. Phyllopneuste 494

TartaricA, Pall. Melanocory-
pha.. oe é 214
tectorum, Jerd. Cypselus 295
teesa, Frankl. Poliornis 115, 169, 319
368, 488
Temminckii. Leis/. Tringa 243,-44,491

Temmincku, Viy. Myiopho- —

neus .. seis 2. 303, 475
tenuiceps, Hodgs. Gyps .. 150
tenuirostris, Zemm. Anous .. 90

tenuirostris, Hume. _Kudro-
mias ae .. 17, 417, 495
tenuirostris, Zemm. Larus 274
tephronotus, Vig. Lanius .. 351
terat, Bodd. Lalage .. 66, 454
terricolor, Hodgs. Alseonax.. 436

terricolor, Hwme. Drymoipus
382, 439, 494

terricolor, Hodgs. Malacocir-
cus ‘ee ee OFS
testacea, Pallas. Anthus .. 204
thura, Bonap. Propasser .. 15

Tickelli, Blyth. Pellorneum .. 4, 299

Tickelliz, Blyth. Cyornis .. 436
tigrina, Temm. Turtur -- 80, 461
tigus, Muli. Otocompsa .. 456

tiphia, Zin, | Bastin See Hes

XIV

torquata; Blyth. Melanocorypha’ 389
torquatus, odd. _Paleornis
: 60, 114, 137, 170, 338, 372
torquilla, Zen. Yunx .. 115, 173,373
torresii, Gould. Sterna a: 284
triborhyncha, Hodgs. Alauda 39, 484
tristis, L2nn. Acridotheres 75, 105, 207,
te 357, 386, 440
tristis, Blyth. Phyllopseuste
; 105, 128, 195, 382

troglodytes, Gray. Collocalia 295
tunetanus, Briss. Falco ie 19
tympanistrigus, Mali. Otocompsa 456

typus, Bonap. Chiquera 104, 106, 157,368

Yytleri, Hume. Calornis .. 480
Tytleri, Beav. Myiagra 68
Unputata, Mill, Munia ae 387
unicolor, Jerd. Collocalia 295

unicolor, Zick. Geocichla 279, 303, 377

Unwini, Hume. Caprimulgus 300
urbica, Zin. Chelidon a 323
uropygialis, Gray. Collocalia 298
VANIKORENSIS, Quoi et Gaim.
Colloealia oe 296

variegatum, Viz. Trochalopteron 354

varius, Vahl. Heirococeyx 46, 373
velox, Kipp. Sterna 283
veredus, Gould, Kudromias 17, 83
vernalis, Sparrm. Lorieulus 62
vespertinus, Zin. Erythropus 487
Vigorsit, Sykes. /Mthopyga .. 413
vindhiana, Mrankl, Aquila 325, 463
vindhiana, Hutton. Paleornis 338
virescens, Hume. Diceum .. 482
virescens, Blyth. Hypsipetes 70
virgatus, Zemm. Accipiter .. 368
virginieus, Borkh. Charadrius 229
virgo, Lin. Anthropoides 235, 395
virida, Blyth. Abrornts oe 382
viridis, Scop. Budytes 202, 384
viridis, Bodd. Megalema .. 419
viridis, Ziz. Merops 167, 371
viridis, Scop. Osmotreron .. 461
vittatus, Dum. Collyrio 113, 174, 376
vulgaris, Stephen. Francoli-

nus aie -- 118, 226
vulgaris, Zin. Sturnus 206, 386

vulpanser, Fem. Tadorna 1383, 136, 260

Waropu, Jerdon. Turdulus 70
Xanrnonotus, Blyth. Indicator 313, 425
xanthoschistos, Hodgs. Abrornis 494
Yarrewui, Gould. Motacilla 26
yelkuan, Acedi. Puffinus - B)
Pe |} Iora 47, 378, 438
ZeyvLanica, Gel, Pasi y

zeylonica, Gel. Megalema 419

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