Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, i^c. 417 



sionally in flight to make a playful swoop at a passing Malaco- 

 circus. It sometimes slips a foot, as if about to make a false 

 start, and suddenly checks itself. Another insect passes, and 

 off it goes, returning to the same or another perch before swal- 

 lowing its capture. 



Ruticilla phoenicura, L. I feel pretty sure it was a male of 

 this species that I saw, and not of one of its numerous allies. 

 It has been procured from Northern India. 



Merops viridis, L. It is quite a pretty sight to watch a party 

 of these graceful creatures sporting in the sunlight. Small 

 parties of them sit about the tops of hedges, two or three spring- 

 ing into the air at a time, and sailing about in different direc- 

 tions, making usually several captures before returning to their 

 posts. They continue their pursuit very quietly, only occa- 

 sionally uttering a short, sharp chirp. 



Thamnobia fulicata, L. I watched a female searching for 

 food on the ground. It moved about in short runs, like a 

 Wheatear, throwing up its tail almost perpendicularly, more 

 like a Wren than a Robin. 



Lanius erythronotus, Vigors, has very similar notes to Lanius 

 schach of China, but perhaps a little feebler. It is the small 

 Indian representative of that species. 



Petrocincla cyanea, L. Seen solitary, seated on walls and 

 housetops, the same as in China. 



Ixos Juemorrhous, Gmel. In notes and general habits very 

 similar to the Chinese Ixos chrysorrholdes, Lafr. 



Acridotheres tristis. Very like the Chinese A. cristatellus in 

 notes and habits. 



lora typhia. Chatters on the sprigs of bushes, like a young 

 Sparrow. 



Oriolus kundoo. Springs into the air after flies. 



Ardea [Buphus] coromanda. In winter, in plain white plumage. 



Copsychus saularis, L. Common about houses. 



I observed many other birds, whose names I do not insert, as 

 I have nothing special to report of them. I would draw atten- 

 tion to the similarity of the notes of many species of a genus, 

 especially of the representative species, in Bombay, Ceylon, Sin- 

 gapore, and China, chiefly in such genera as Aaidotheres, Ixos, 



