Zoological Society. 129 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



November 11, 1846. — George Gulliver, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 

 A jDaper was read entitled " Notes on certain species of birds from 

 Malacca," by H. E. Strickland, F.G.S. 



Having lately examined a collection of Malacca birds belonging 

 to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, comparing them w^ith speci- 

 mens in my OM^n cabinet, and with the descriptions given by MM. 

 Temminck, Blyth, Eyton and other authors, I have thrown together 

 such remarks as appeared necessary for the elucidation of their cha- 

 racters and synonymy. For some of the identifications of species I 

 am indebted to Mr. Blyth's letters to myself*. 



Athene scutulata (RalF.), {Strix hirsuta, Temm., Ninoa^ nipalensis, 

 Hodgs.) — This is the Athene malaccensis of Mr. Eyton, Ann. Nat. 

 Hist., V. xvi. p. 228. 



Caprimulgus macrurus, Hors. — Differs from the C. albonotatus, 

 Tickell, of India, in its smaller size, being only about 11 inches in 

 total length, wing 7^, tail 5^, and in its darker colour. It appears 

 to be the same as the C macrurus from North Australia figured by 

 Mr. Gould, except in wanting the second white patch seen on the 

 breast in his figure. 



Cypselus affinis, Gray. — Rather larger and of a deeper black than 

 Indian specimens, but I do not venture to separate them. Wing 5 J 

 inches, tail 2^. 



Ceya^ tridactyla, (Pall.) — Much confusion has existed in the 

 synonyms of this and the next species. The present one is distin- 

 guished by the whole back and wing-covers being black, each feather 

 terminated with deep blue. It is well-figured by Mr. Jerdon in 

 plate 25 of his * Illustrations of Indian Ornithology.' It is found in' 

 South India and the Malay Peninsula. The following synonyms 

 refer to it: — Ceijx luzoniensis, Steph. ; Alcedo purpurea, Gm. ; A. 

 erithaca, /3. Lath. ; Ceyx microsoma. Burton ; Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin., 

 pi. 32 ; BufF. PI. EnL, 778. f. 2. ; Penn. Gen. Birds, pi. 5. 



. J Ceyx rufidorsa, Strickland. C. capite, dorso, tectricihus can- 



ddque totis Icete rufis, splendore lilacino variantibus ; corpore 



suhtus aurantio-fiavo, mento albo, loris et maculd aurium obscure 



cceruleo-nigrd. 



This species, which also occurs at Malacca, is very closely allied 



to the last, but difi'ers in having the beak larger in all its dimensions, 



and in having the whole back and wing-covers, as well as the crown, 



rump and tail, rufous, with a brilliant lilac tint. The dark blue spot 



on the front and ears is much less marked than in C. tridactyla. 



Lower parts orange-yellow ; chin white. This bird was supposed 



by Pallas, in his ' Spicilegia Zoologica,' part 6, p. 13, to be the female 



* Since this paper was written I have seen some rectifications of synonyms by 

 Dr. Hartlaub, Rev. Zool, 1846, p. 1, which nearly agree with those here arrived at. 



