from the vicinity of Manilla. 333 



Now if Mr. Sharpens figure (/. c.) accurately represents the 

 specimen from which it professes to be taken^ there is a wide 

 difference in jjlumage between it and the two sj)ecimens which 

 Mr. Sharpe now identifies with A. cyanopectus. These spe- 

 cimens are generally similar in plumage to the two examples 

 of C. philippinensis sent by Mr. Maitland-Heriot, which in 

 turn agree with Mr. Sharpe's plate, except that that plate 

 appears to have been taken from a much faded specimen. 

 They, however, differ in having the patches of blue meeting 

 across the breast, thus forming a broad pectoral band, within 

 which is a narrower transverse patch, stretching nearly across 

 the breast, of the same deep bright rufous as the rest of the 

 lower surface. The flanks also are deep lazuli blue and not 

 rufous, as in C. philippinensis, GM. The birds in this plu- 

 mage I take to be females ; but as the sexes have not been 

 determined by the collector, I am unable to speak with 

 certainty. 



4. HiEROCOCCYX rUGAX. 



Cuculus fugax, Horsf. T. L. S. xiii. p. 178. 



An immature specimen agreeing closely with Malaccan 

 specimens. It may be that it is a young bird of H. pecto- 

 ralis, Cab., which would rather be evidence in favour of the 

 identity of the two species. I have never seen a specimen of 

 true H. fugaw with the uniform rufous breast of H. pecto- 

 ralis, Cab. 



Count Salvadori unites H. pectoralis as well as H. hype- 

 rythrus, Gld., io H. fugax (Ucc. Born. p. 63), and Professor 

 Schlegel (Mus. P.-Bas, Cuculi, p. 14) goes further and unites 

 H. pectoralis and H. fugax to H. varius (Vahl). I should 

 have least hesitation in agreeing with the latter author in this 

 instance. It is diflScult to imagine how any of the birds known 

 under the various titles mentioned could ever attain to the 

 very marked plumage of the specimen of H. hijperythrus in 

 the British Museum. 



As I have requested Mr. Maitland-Heriot to send me all 

 the Cuckoos he can obtain, I hope soon to be la a position 

 to settle this question. 



