Mr. A. R. Wallace on the Ornithology of Malacca. 97 



plumage and of nearly the same size, which can only be distin- 

 guished by minute differences in the bill, in the colour of the 

 eyes, or obscure markings in various parts of the plumage. 

 They appear to belong to the genus Trichostoma, Blyth {Ma- 

 lacopteron, Gray). They are mostly fruit-eating birds, though 

 they also feed freely on insects. Allied to them is the beau- 

 tiful Ixidia cyanoventriSf Blyth, which is not uncommon ; also 

 the Trichophorus gularisy Temm., the Pycnonotus ochrocephalus, 

 Gm., which has a powerful and melodious voice, and may be 

 considered the singing thrush of Malacca; it is often seen in 

 cages. 



The Copsychus Mindanensis, Gm., has also a very beautiful 

 and varied note; it is the commonest bird in Singapore and 

 Malacca; it feeds much on the ground, and its rich black and 

 white plumage makes it a pleasing object. It is called the 

 Magpie by the European inhabitants here, from its colours and 

 long tail, which latter it throws up vertically when alarmed, at 

 the same time uttering a loud creaking note. Then we have the 

 pretty Brachypus melanocephalus, Gm., B. vidua, Temm., and 

 Ixos analisj Horsf., all common and pretty birds. Of Ixodina 

 and Timaliince I have procured forty species, some of which I 

 have little doubt will prove undescribed. 



The Pittida and Cinclida are among the rarest and most 

 beautiful of the Malacca birds ; of each I obtained but one spe- 

 cies, the lovely Brachyurus granatina, Temm., and the elegant 

 Enicurus frontalis, Blyth. The Pittce inhabit the dense jungles, 

 where their powerful legs enable them to leap and run so quickly 

 that it is very difficult to shoot them. Flycatchers are rather 

 plentiful in the more open jungles. The Muscipeta paradisi, L., 

 is not uncommon, but I could not obtain specimens in full plu- 

 mage. The beautiful little Myiagra Mindanensis, Quoy and 

 Gaim., is also common. 



The curious little Prionichilus percussus, Strickl., is very 

 abundant along the road-sides, the red spot on its breast making 

 it a conspicuous object. Many species of Edoliidce are abundant ; 

 besides the lovely Irena puella, Horsf., there is the Edolius re- 

 mifer, Temm., and some allied species ; and the brilliantly- 

 coloured Pericrocotus miniatus, Temm., and P. flammeus, Blyth, 

 are more rarely found. Two fine species of GarrulidcB are occa- 

 sionally met with, the Crypsirhina leucopter-a, Temm., and a spe- 

 cies of Lophocitta. Three pretty, green birds, of the genus Phyl- 

 lornis, are very common, frequenting the vicinity of houses, feed- 

 ing on both fruit and insects from low trees and shrubs ; they 

 appear to be P. Cochinchinemis, Gm., P. Sonnej-ati, Jard., and 

 P. icterocephala, Temm. 



Of the beautiful little Sun-birds, many species are to be 

 Ann. ^ Mag, N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. xv. 7 



