43 



scription of the grey-backed Shrike of Dr. Latham, (Gen. Hist. vol. ii. 

 p. 9. sp.S.) but to differ from it in the colours of the lesser wing- 

 coverts and tail ; the former being all black in the Himalayan spe- 

 cies, and blue grey, ending in pale rufous in Dr. Latham's, while the 

 tail in the former species had four black middle feathers and the 

 rest cinereous, but in the latter had the two middle ones only black, 

 the rest being white. In a group exhibiting so much similarity in 

 the disposition of the colours as the present, such differences are 

 material as distinguishing species. 



Collurio tephronotus. Coll. fascid frontali pergracili ad 

 medium colli per oculos latius extendente nigra ; capite, nucha", 

 scapularibus, dorsoque saturatius cinereis ; collo anteriori pecto~ 

 reque albescentibus, hocjiisco graciliter fasciato ; abdomine cris- 

 soque ferrugineis ; alis caudaque brunneofuscis, apicibus palli- 

 dioribus ; dorso imo iectricib usque caudce superioribus subrufes- 

 centibus. 

 Tectrices alarum inferiores ferrugineo fuscoque notatae. Statura 

 paullo minor quam in specie praecedenti. 



This bird also was observed to be closely allied to the last, and 

 to differ from it probably only in sex or age. Until such points 

 however could be ascertained, it was considered adviseable to regard 

 it as specifically distinct. 



Another interesting modification of form was exhibited among the 

 Shrikes, in which the forked tail, acuminated wing, and short and 

 feeble legs of the birds allied to Dicrurus appeared united to the 

 head and bill of some of the Stares, particularly the genus Pastor. 

 Mr.Vigors characterized the form under the generic name of 



Hypsipetes. 



Rostrum subelongatum, debile, parum curvatum, apice leviter 

 emarginatum ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, longitudinalibus, mem- 

 brana partim clausis; rictus setis paucis, parum rigidis. 



Alee subelongatae, subacuminatae ; remige prima brevi, secunda 

 longiori septimae aequali, tertia et sexta aequalibus, quarta et quinta 

 aequalibus longissimis. 



Pedes brevissimi, debiliores ; acrotarsiis scutellatis. 



Cauda subelongata, forficata, rectricibus extrorsum spectantibus. 



Hypsipetes Psaroides. Hyps, capite supra subcristato, remi- 



gum apicibus , rectricibus que nigris ; corpore alisque cineraceo- 



griseis ; abdomine imo crissoque pallidioribus . 



Rostrum pedesque fiavi. Tectricum alarum remigumque pogonia 



interna fusca. Tectrices alarum inferiores cineraceo griseae. Lon- 



gitudo corporis, 1H; alee a carpo ad apicem remigis 3tiae, 5 ; rostri 



1 ; tarsi, ■§■ ; caudce, 4^. 



The following species were also exhibited and described. 

 Muscipeta brevirostris. Mas. Muse, capite, collo, nucha, 

 dorso superiori, alis, rectricibusque mediis splendenti -nigris ; 

 corpore infra, dorso imo, pteromatum apicibus, fascia remigum, 

 rectricibusque lateralibus splendide coccineis ; rostro brevi, sub- 

 debili. 



