NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVI. 1919. 293 



and 126 mm. ; tail very square and short, between 105 and 115 mm. The under- 

 surface is distinctly blacker than in jS. I. lugubris. \Mng formula as in that 

 bird. 



Habitat. Palawan. 



(c) Surniculus lugubris brachyurus. 



Svmiculns lugubris brachyurus Stresemann, Nov. Zool. xx. p. 340 (1913), Pahang. 



Similar to S. I. lugubris but rather larger, wing varying between 1 1 7 and 1 43 

 mm. and averaging 126-1 mm. Tail from 103 to 132 mm. The two smallest 

 birds of the British Museum series and one in the Tring Museum seem to belong 

 to the Javan form, with which they agree both in their short, square tails and 

 the wing formula. 



In this race the third primary is generally much longer than the fourth, 

 the first primary is proportionately larger. 



Habitat. Malay Peninsula, Salanga, and peninsular Burma and Siam. 



(c) Surniculus lugubris dicruroides. 



Pseudomis dicruroides Hodgson, Journal As. Soc. Beng. viii. p. 136 (1S39). 



This is the largest of all the races, having a wing varying between 129 and 

 147 mm. and with an average of 137-4 mm. 



The wing formula is the same as in S. I. lugubris. 



Habitat. I include under this name birds from the same area as that accepted 

 by Stresemann, viz. Upper India, Assam, all Burma, and Siam north of the 

 Peninsula, Hainan, and China. 



(d) Surniculus lugubris stewarti subsp. nov. 



Type. cJ Legge Coll. British Mus. No. 98. 12.2.297. 



Type Locality. Ceylon. 



Intermediate in size between C. I. lugubris and C. I. minima ; that is 

 to say, about the same as C. I. brachyurus, with a wing average of 126-5 mm. 

 and with a range from 123 to 131 mm. The tail is, however, longer both actually 

 and comparatively. Bill from nostril to tip 13-5 to 14-1 mm., as against 15-5 

 to 17-0 mm. in S. I. dicrxiroides. 



Wing formula : fourth primary longest, rarely equal to third. 



Habitat. Ceylon, Travancore, and as far north as Karwar in the Bombay 

 Presidency, where it is common. 



2. Surniculus musschenbrocki Jleyer. 



(e) Surniculus musschenbrocki rnusschenbrocki Meyer, in Eouley's Orn. Mi.^c. iii 

 p. 164 (1878) 

 Type Locality. ? Batjan. 



From the description of this cuckoo it appears to belong to the velutinus 

 gi-oup rather than to lugubris. It is described as " S. lugubris (Horsf.) similis sed 

 major. Underparts black, but velvety not glossy," " wing 140, tail 155, bill 19, 

 tarsus 16," etc., etc. 



Two female specimens in the Museum, both from Mt. Musarong, N. Celebes, 

 agree with this description, but are smaller ; wings 126 and 127 mm. and talis 



