120 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



natives assert that it carries off quite young pigs ; but no 

 instance of tliis has fallen under my own observation. The 

 adult bird would, however, be quite capable of doing so. 



In confinement the bird became quite tame, and would 

 utter cries of pleasure at recognizing the hand that fed it. It 

 was not confined to a cage, but allowed to roam about, and 

 during cold weather kept in a glass house. 



The bird under notice was, I think, a female ; and during 

 the period which might probably be its nesting-season, was in 

 the habit of uttering a peculiar and incessant cry. 



The bird died quite suddenly, though apparently in fine 



condition. 



W. R. Fitzgerald, 



Major, late Royal Artillery. 



Framiugliam Hall, near Norwich. 

 November 13, 1877. 



Simla, Sept. 29th, 18/7. 



Gentlemen, — I cannot presume to encumber your pages 

 with a long dissertation on the genus BatracJiostomus ; and I 

 can afibrd, I think, to overlook the personal attacks upon 

 myself contained in the Marquis of Tweeddale^s recent letter 

 (Ibis, 1877, p. 388), in which he refers to certain species of 

 this genus. 



A monographic notice of the Indian, Burmese, and Ma- 

 layan species of this genus will appear (as soon as space can 

 be found for it) in a future number of ' Stray Feathers ; ' but 

 in the mean time, I think, it is of some importance that orni- 

 thologists should not be misled by the Marquis of Tweed- 

 dale^s, in my opinion, erroneous identifications, and I desire 

 to place on record in your Journal, very briefly, my views in 

 regard to two points raised in his Lordship^s letter, viz. : — first, 

 the distinctness of Batrachostomus affinis and B. castaneus ; 

 and, second, the distinctness of B. punctatus and B. moniliger. 



First as to B. affinis, Blyth. 



There exists in the Malay peninsula, besides the magnificent 

 B. auritus, which cannot well be confounded with any other 

 Asiatic form, two distinct rufous forms of Batrachostomus : — 



