386 Mr. E. Blyth's Remarks on M. SundevalPs Paper 



Mr. Strickland (p. 134 ante). The three seem to be equally 

 common at Malacca. ) _Moa\(I yhmi}\>yftau Jorr bm? Wo-™fcn»£ 



Merops viridis, L. (p. 50). Termed Bans-puttee (or ' Bamboo- 

 leaf ') from the look of the bird as it sits with its wings closed. 

 Very few remain in Lower Bengal after the hot season com- 

 mences. 



Halcyon gurialy Pearson, v. brunniceps, Jerdon (No. 51). This 

 and H. amauropterus, Pearson, are alike called Ghorel. H. smyr- 

 nensis is generally known as Sddd-book Mdtch-rdngd (i. e. ' White- 

 breasted Kingfisher ') . Ceryle varia, Strickland (No. 54) is the 

 Photkd Mdtch-rdngd (or ' Spotted Kingfisher ')« I have seen 

 this bird alight on the ground, but never walk ; though it might 

 creep a step or two. For some months past, I have had two in- 

 dividuals alive in a tolerably spacious aviary : they feed on shrimps 

 and small fishes, and will at once descend to pick up a cockroach 

 from the ground without alighting. In fact, I find that cock- 

 roaches, which are procurable here in profusion with the utmost 

 facility, are favourite morsels with a great variety of birds, in- 

 cluding especially all Gallinacece above the size of a quail. The 

 Collared Pratincole runs up to receive one, and catches it in his 

 mouth, sometimes springing up a few inches to do so ; and even 

 the Porphyrio, after disabling a cockroach with the beak, will 

 take it up with his awkward-looking foot, and pick and eat it at 

 his leisure. The Roller will live entirely upon them. 



Palaornis torquatus (No. 55). ( Teah' is the Hindoo name, 

 and ' Totah ■ the Musselman name. P. cyanocephalus (No. 56) is 

 the l Furreedee ? of the Musselmans : and of P. pondicerianus, the 

 red-billed male is called Mudnd, and the black-billed female 

 ' KujlaV The 'Heeraman' is Eclectics polychloros ; and E.grandis 

 is well known as the ( Lalman ' : both are common in the Calcutta 

 bird shops ; and they are grain-feeding birds, which have been 

 improperly classed with the Lories. Several species of the latter 

 are brought in some abundance, but nevertheless sell at a high 

 price. 



Falco tinnunculus (No. 58). The name Shikra is currently 

 bestowed on any small hawk, but seems to belong properly to 

 Nisastur badius (v. F. Dussumieri, Temm.) ; and larger hawks are 

 generally styled Bdz, which belongs properly to Astur palumba- 

 rius. Eagles with plumed tarsi are generally termed Shah-bdz : 

 and Cheel denotes ' Kite ' (this name being evidently imitative of 

 the squeal of the common Milvus ater*), but it is also applied to 

 other birds of smooth sailing flight, as the Harriers, and even 

 the Gulls, which latter are called Gang Cheel (i. e. Gunga- or 



sdJ of £&9Qi$tata .trmf/j') a pj -m/it In v 



* Which, again, resembles that of the British Kite. 



