132 Lieut. Wardlaw Ramsay's Synopsis 



3. PoiMtATORHlNUS MELANURUS. 



Pomatorhinus melanurus, Blyth, J. A. S. B, xvi. p. 451 

 (1847); Ibis, 1867, p. 301; Holdswortli, P.Z.S. 1872, p. 

 447. 



Upper surface, sides of breast, flanks, abdomen, and lower 

 tail-coverts rufescent olive-brown, the crown dark brown, 

 tinged with olivaceous ; lores black ; ear-coverts dark brown, 

 a white supercilium from the nares to the nape; throat, 

 breast, and centre of belly pure white. Spec, descr. ex 

 Ceylon {Nevill) : mus. Tweeddale. 



Bill pale yellow ; irides red brown ; feet lead -colour {Holds- 

 worth) . 



Hab. Ceylon. 



There is considerable variation both in plumage and size 

 between specimens from different parts of Ceylon ; indeed 

 Holdsworth (/. c.) hints at the possibility of there being two 

 species in the island ; but this I am not disposed to admit. 



The small race which is found at Newera Eliya has the 

 back olive-brown, without being in the least rufescent, whilst 

 the larger race, of which there are specimens in Lord Tweed- 

 dale's museum, obtained by Mr. Spencer Chapman at Avis- 

 havelle and Ruanwelle, near Colombo, has the above-mentioned 

 part of a very bright rufescent olive-brown, and a few of the 

 lateral breast- and flank-feathers partially white or centred 

 white as in P. schisticeps, between which species and P. mon- 

 tanus, of Java, the present species is intermediate. 



The dimensions of these two races, as they may be called, 

 are as follows : — 



Large. Wing 3*6 to 3"7 inches, bill from gape 1 to 1*5, 

 tarsus 1*3, tail 4-2. 



Small. Wing 3*2 to 3"5 inches, bill from gape 1 to 1*5, 

 tarsus 1-25, tail 3-75. 



4. Pomatorhinus schisticeps. (Plate III.) 

 Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgson, As, Res. xix. p. 181 



(1836) ; Jerdon, B. of Ind. ii. p. 29. 



Pomatorhinus leucogaster, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 137. 



Pomatorhinus montanus, Horsfield, McClelland, P. Z. S, 

 1839, p. 166. 



