1. DICRURUS. . 229 



not, however, elongated into an 



erect tuft 5. Buchanoa, p. 245. 



6'. Frontal plumes elongated into an 



erect tuft 6, Edolius, p. 254. 



d'". Outer tail-featlier produced and re- 

 curved at tip, always exceeding the 

 penultimate reetrix by more than the 

 length of the tarsus. 

 e\ Outer tail-feather produced, but not 

 extraordinarily, and not exceeding 

 the body in length by as much as 



the length of the wing 7. Dissemuroides, 



f\ Outer tail-feather extravagantly p. 254. 



produced, being nearly double the 

 length of the bird's body, exceed- 

 ing it by more than the length of 



the wing 8. Dicranostreptus, 



h'. Tail forked, the outer feather ending in a p. 256. 



racket or spatule. 

 ('". Nostrils densely covered with bristles, 

 leaving only about a third of the cul- 



men exposed ; plumage spangled .... 0. Bhrinua, p. 257. 

 d". Nostrils hidden by feathers, but not so 

 densely clothed as in the preceding, 



more than half the bill being exposed . 10. Dissemurus, p. 268. 

 b. Tail square ; plumage of upper sm'face ena- 

 melled 11. Irena, p. 265. 



]. DICRURUS. .j.^^ 



Dicrurus, Jleill. N. Diet. ix. p. 585 (1817) D. balicassius. 



Balicassius, Bp. C. R. xxxviii. p. 539 (1854) D. balicassius. 



Hange. Indian region. From Nepal to Malacca. Philippine Islands. 

 Africa : west coast, from Senegambia to Angola; Natal. 



Kfi/ to the Species. 



a. Size large : wing not less than 4'5 inches. 

 «'. Head and back uniform metallic colour. 



a". Silky feathers on the sides of the lower back 

 white ; colour brilliant green with purple 

 shades. 

 «'". Eelly metallic purplish green, like the 



breast balicassius, p. 2.30. 



b"'. Belly white mirabilis, p. 231. 



b". Silky feathers on the sides of the lower back 



blackish grey ; colour dull metallic greenish. 



c". Size large : wing 5'45 inches ; tail very much 



forked annecteiis, p. 231. 



d'". Size small : wing 4*5 inches ; tail less forked, 



nearly square atripennis, p. 232. 



v. Back deep purplish black of a velvety appearance, 



conti-asting with the glossy crown and wings . . modestits, p. 232. 



b. Size small : wing 3-9 inches ; throat greyish black . ludmffii, p. 233. 



The species contained in the present genus are by no means strictly 



