114 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



the characters which seem to point to evidently natural genera 

 are so slight, that we are not in a position to reject arbitrarily 

 any, whether based on colour or structure, that may serve our 

 purpose. If the Ti'ochilidae are to be divided into any thing 

 approaching the number of genera that have been proposed 

 for them, we cannot afford to set aside any characters which, 

 even if slight, have the merit of being definite. 



IX. — Letters, Announcements, S^c. 



Mr. A. O. Hume sends us the following letter, and with it 

 four skins of Indian birds for examination : — 



■^ Gentlemen, — The Marquis of Tweeddale recently addressed 

 you a letter about Pellorneum tickelli. 



I do not see that any advantage would result to ornithology 

 from entering into any controversy with his Lordship ; but 

 it is desirable that the distinctness or otherwise of the species 

 referred to should be established. 



I send you separately, for inspection, a specimen of what 

 I identify as P. tickelli — a bird that occurs equally in Burmah 

 and Assam. I trust you will kindly state, at the same time 

 as you publish this letter, your views as to this supposed 

 species. 



There are a good many supposed species the validity or 

 otherwise of which it would be satisfactory to determine. I 

 venture to forward, for your inspection, specimens of three 

 of these besides the Pellorneum ; and should you approve my 

 proposals in this matter, I shall be glad to forward, from time 

 to time, other specimens of similarly doubtful species! 



A second species of which I send a specimen is Trichastoma 

 minor, Hume, S. F. ii. 535, Oct. 1874. Is this identical with 

 Drymocataphus fulvus, Wald. Ann. & Mag. N. H. June 1875, 

 401, or with Turdinus garoensis, Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xliii. 

 160, pi. viii. 1874 (read May 6th, pubhshed — ?) ? or is it 

 possible that all three are the same? I may mention that 

 this species is very variable in the extent of pale shafting to 

 the feathers of the head, and in the colour of the lower parts. 



