178 Descriptions of new species of Birds obtained near Calcutta. 



Ph. nitidus, nobis. Resembles Ph. sihilatrix, but is smaller in 

 all its proportions, and has the entire under parts, with the lower 

 tail-coverts, tinged with yellow. Bill carneous dusky, the lower 

 mandible pale ; and feet light brownish, tinged with yellow on 

 the toes. Length 4f in. by 7^ in. in alar expanse ; closed wing 

 2f in., and tail 2 in. : bill to gape f in. j tarsi f in. A male. 



Ph. tristis, nobis. Closely allied to Ph. rufus, but devoid of 

 any greenish or yellowish tinge on the plumage, except on the 

 fore part of the wing underneath, and very faintly margining the 

 quills and tail externally : general colour grayish brown, beneath 

 paler and albescent, with a faint rufous tinge on the breast, and 

 no trace of yellowish on the lower tail-coverts nor elsewhere than 

 as stated : the legs and claws dull black, much darker than in 

 Ph. rufus, except the under surface of the toes which is yellow ; 

 bill also blackish, tinged with yellow at base of lower mandible, 

 the gape yellow. Length 4^ in. by 6|^ in. across ; wing 2|^ in. ; 

 tail If in. : bill to gape ^ in., and tarsi If in. A female. 



The other species brought are Ph. fuscatus, nobis, being only 

 the second example of it which I have yet obtained ; Ph. lugu- 

 hris and Ph. affinis, nobis, both of which are very abundant ; and 

 Ph. modestus {Regulus modestus, Gould), which is also common, 

 and appears generally to have the central coronal streak incon- 

 spicuous. Two other species have been procured by me in this 

 vicinity — Ph. reguloides, nobis, which is not rare, and Ph. mag- 

 nirostris, nobis (" Ph. trochilus V of xii. 230 ante), of which I 

 have yet obtained but one specimen. Mr. Hodgson has several 

 additional Nepalese species of this well-marked group. 



Of other species worthy of mention, I may notice the occur- 

 rence of a second specimen of (Edicnemus crepitans, a second of 

 Larus ridibundus, and several of Sterna Anglica, to which species 

 Nos. 400 and 403 of Mr. Jerdon's list must be referred, his 404 

 being Viralva indica of Stephens, and both appertaining to Ge- 

 lochelidon of Brehm. I learned also a day or two ago, that a 

 subordinate of mine, recently deceased, secreted and disposed of 

 at least one fine specimen of the rare Eurhinorhynchus griseus, 

 apud Pearson, doubtless procured in the bazar, about three years 

 ago, which was previous to my arrival. I detected this party set- 

 ting aside other rare birds in the course of last cold season, upon 

 which occasion I first obtained the Turdus Whitei, which it was 

 not intended that I should have seen ; but I do not think that 

 since that time any business of the kind has been going on. I 

 greatly doubt whether this curious bird (a Spoon-billed Tringa), 

 described by Dr. Pearson in ' As. Res.^ xix. 69, be identical with 

 the Platalea pygmaa, Auct., ov Eurhinorhynchus griseus of Nilsson. 

 The latter is described by Shaw as " scarcely equalling a sparrow 

 in size," and to inhabit Surinam and Guiana; whereas the di- 



