Mr. T. C. Jerdon on Birds from Upper Burmah. 19 



V. — Notice of some New Species of Birds from Upper Burmah. 

 By Surgeon-Major T. C. Jerdox. 



The follovviug birds were obtained by me near Thayetmyo, our 

 frontier station in Burmah. The climate and productions, both 

 vegetable and animal, are quite distinct from those of Lower 

 Burmah. The climate is comparatively dry ; and the vegetation 

 partakes of the character of the dry countries of India, mixed 

 with some of the forms peculiar to Burmah. Ferns and orchids 

 are few and rare. 



I was only in this locality for two or three months, but 

 managed to obtain a few novelties and some interesting birds 

 that have lately been described. Among these is Chatarrhoea 

 gularis, Blyth. This bird is abundant and familiar, entering 

 compounds and building in the hedges. It is a typical Chata- 

 chee, and when hopping with great bounds gives you the idea of 

 a rat rather than of a bird. It has the usual whistling call of its 

 congener in India. C. earlei, Blyth, is also not rare, but is con- 

 fined entirely to the long grass and reeds on the islands and 

 churrs of the Burrampootra. 



I obtained both sexes of the little-known Pratincola leucura, 

 Blyth^ which has only hitherto been sent from the banks of the 

 Indus, and is figured among the drawings of the late Sir A. 

 Burnes. It appears not to be rare here, but is only found in the 

 bed of the river in the long grass. I never saw it once in the 

 jungle that lines the banks. 



Lanius hijpoleucus, Blyth, is common, and the only true Shrike 

 I saw. I believe the Parrakeet will turn out to be a new species. 

 I shot several on my arrival, but being in imperfect plumage 

 (nearly unmixed green), I rashly concluded them to be young birds 

 of PalcEornis barbatus, which I had not myself had opportunities 

 of observing in India. The call is peculiar, gentle, and distinct 

 from that of P. torquatus, which species it appears to resemble 

 most closely, but it has no ring. I found it in the month of 

 May in large flocks, feeding in the bed of the river on cow-dung. 

 A plain-coloured Bulbul {Pycnonotus) is common at Thayetmyo, 

 but I have very little doubt that Mr. Blyth has already described 

 it. It is of a dingy greenish-brown ochre, paler and albescent 



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