OTiDiD-a:. 621 



ence between the size of the male and female is much more marked 

 in this species than in the last. 



Franklin and Sykes having, in their respective Catalogues, pro- 

 nounced the common Florikin of Central and Southern India 

 distinct from the Black Florikin, I entered at some length in my 

 Catalogue, and also in my Illustrations, into this subject, and from 

 the latter work I extract the following observations : — 



" My reasons for believing the Black and the common Florikin 

 to be one and the same bird, may be here briefly recapitulated. 



Istly. "All Black Florikin hitherto examined have been male birds. 



2ndly. " The Black Florikin agrees exactly in size, and com- 

 parative dimensions, with the male of the common Florikin, as 

 described fully by Colonel Sykes, but more especially in the 

 length of wing, and acumination of the primary quills, the points 

 insisted on by him, and most correctly so, as the essential points 

 of difference from the female. 



Si'dli/. " Some black feathers are in general to be found on every 

 Cock-bu'd, not however always noticeable till the feathers of the 

 abdomen are pulled aside ; and this mottling with black varies 

 from a feather or two to so many that the bird would be consi- 

 dered by sportsmen a Black Florikin. 



Stilly. " I have watched the progressive change in birds at Jalnah, 

 where a few couple always remain and breed, from the garb of the 

 female to the perfect Black Florikin, and back again from this the 

 nuptial plumage, to the more sober livery of the rest of the year. 



oilily. "I have seen more than one specimen of the cock-bird 

 in the usual grey plumage, which, from some cause or other, had 

 not as usual dropped the long ear-feathers, but these had, in con- 

 formity with the change in the system causing this alteration of 

 plumage, become white. 



*' These reasons will, I trust, be considered sufficient to convince 

 the most sceptical sportsmen of the identity of the common and 

 Black Florikin. Other testimony might be brought forward in 

 support, but I shall only cite that of Lieut. Foljambes, in a brief 

 paper in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, who, from 

 observations in Guzerat, where they appear very numerous, states 

 it as his belief that they arc the same bird, but that the Black one 



