M. Sundevall 07i the Birds of Calcutta. 239 



107. There now remains only a species of bird which I saw in 

 the Bay of Bengal, but which I know not to what genus it be- 

 longs. It was full as large as the small tropic-bird, which it 

 most resembled ; it was ash-gray even on the whole under side ; 

 the wings below of the same colour, with a small transverse 

 white line (formed by the tips of the lower covers). The wings 

 and mode of flight are nearly like those of the small tropic-bird, 

 but it seemed not to belong to that species, and it showed less 

 curiosity. Two were first seen (Oct. 30) about 37° S. in the In- 

 dian Sea, one of which had the two middle tail-feathers rather 

 longer than the rest. This was not noticed in other individuals, 

 which on several occasions were met with in December and Janu- 

 ary, north of the equator. At the head of the bay, only ten or 

 twelve miles from the Bengal coast, two flocks of these birds were 

 seen, but on my return (from May to July) they were not met 



with. 



Postscript. 



In concluding this translation of M. SundevaU's memoir, it is 

 just to that distinguished Swedish zoologist to state, that this 

 paper was published as long ago as 1837, which will account for 

 occasional inaccuracies of synonymy and of classification which the 

 subsequent progress of science has rectified. T thought it better 

 however to republish the paper unaltered, so as to place on record 

 in an English periodical the priority of M. SundevalPs claim to 

 the names which he has given to certain new species, and also to 

 show the many accurate and original observations which he made 

 during his short stay in India. In regard to the translation, a 

 few errors have inadvertently crept in which I shall point out in 

 the following notes. It is to be regretted that so few facilities 

 exist in this country for the study of the Scandinavian languages, 

 which are beautifully simple in construction, while they abound 

 in scientific and literary treasures, and exhibit many interesting 

 points of affinity to our own. 



Vol. xviii. p. 104, line 23, /or ** I did not expect to find," read " I 

 did not find," &c. 



P. 108, line G^for " It sang," read " It was said to sing." 



P. 252. In a letter to me Prof. Sundevall remarks of his Acan- 

 thiza arrogans, " This bird is the same as Muscica/ a bilineata, Lesson, 

 Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 104, and Sylvia Burkii, Burton, Culicipeta Burkii, 

 Blyth." 



P. 253, line 30, for " Three of the males," read " Three of the 

 females." 



P. 253, line 38, /or " only on his second visit," read " died on his 

 second visit thither." 



P. 255, line 4, /or " the edges of the under mandible being rather 

 high, and tovvards the end very much bent in," 7rad " which have the 



