170 M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta. 



Africa, and is there replaced by our common red-backed shrike 

 (L. collurio), which extends from Sweden to the Cape, but which 

 seems not to be met with in Asia. These two birds, which are 

 not remarkably unlike in anything except the colour of the male, 

 seem therefore to constitute an easterly and a westerly race of 

 the same genus, each of which in its district goes through nearly 

 all climates. As far as I could observe, the Asiatic species fol- 

 lows the same mode of living as ours ; has the same flight and 

 mode of perching on the top of bushes, the same syllable tshack ! 

 tshack ! as well as restless but bold and powerful actions ; and I 

 doubt not that some remains of insects which I once found spitted 

 on a thorny bush were a proof of its entomological habits. I 

 could not learn anything about their propagation, and regret the 

 shot which was fired at a male May 1st. Although the Benga- 

 lese recognise the common kinds of birds pretty well, and have 

 a certain name for most species, yet all of whom I inquired were 

 in doubt as to the name of this bird. Still they gave me the 

 same name as that given to Buchanan (according to Lath. f Gen. 

 Hist/ under Lan. rufus), viz. Curcutea ; but the same name is 

 used for several other species, and according to the above-men- 

 tioned authority is even used for little screaming children. Ed- 

 wards (/. c.) says that in Bengal it is called " Char ah" 



9. Edolius balicassius, Cuv. — Monedula philippensis, Briss. Cor- 

 vus balicassius, Linn, et auct. Drongup, Levaill. Ois. Afr. 173 (ex 

 India, plumis frontis nimis elevatis). Dicrurus lophorhinus, Vieill. 



D. balicassius ? Vig. et Horsf. Linn. Trans, v. 15. Rajah Shrike, 

 Lath. Gen. Hist, (junior)*. 



Niger totus, dorso caeruleo nitente, fronte laevi ; cauda valde diva- 

 ricata, corpore longiore ; rostro convexo, carina rotundata ; remige 

 4a reliquis longiore, 5a tertiam subexcedente. Long. 11 — 12 poll., 

 cauda 6 — 7 ; ala 140 — 150 millim., tarsus 21. 



$ nitidior, plumis frontis leviter curvatis. Iris obscure rubra. 

 Rectrices mediae 105 millim., laterales 170. (Calcutta, 15 Febr. 

 1 Mai.) 



$ paullo minor, fronte laevi. Iris paullo fuscior. Rectrices mediae 

 115 mill, extimae 160. 



Juv. opacus, fuliginoso tinctus in ala caudaque. (Calcutta Martio.) 

 (Juv. prima aetate forte = Lan. ccerulescens, Linn. ?) Rectrices late- 

 rales longissimae, valde arcuatae, apice latiusculae, rotundatae. Lingua 

 apice bifida lacera, similis Lanii collurionis. In aliis E doliis (e. g. 



E. malabarico) rostrum acute carinatum, lateribus planatis, proportio 

 remigum alia, &c. 



This is one of the most common birds in the neighbourhood 



* These synonyms are mostly erroneous. The bird in question is Edolius 

 macrocercus, Vieill., and not E. balicassius. The species E. ccerulescens, 

 Edw. 56, is quite distinct. — H. E. S. 



