34 Mr. A. Hume un Indian Ornithology. 



which these names have been assigned. JM. Verreaux and M. 

 Gerbe, after due comparison, have decided that our Indian birds 

 ^re undoubtedly identical ; and in a postscript M. Verreaux says, 

 " After a fresh and careful reexamination with my friend M. 

 Gerbe, we have come to the conclusion that B. viridis is only 

 the yonng of B. cinereocapillus and B. melanocephulus." This is 

 very nearly my own conclusion ; all I am as yet uncertain of is, 

 whether B. viridis is the young or only a seasonal stage of the 

 others : that B. viridis changes into B. cinereocapillus and B. 

 cinereocapillus into B. melanocephalus , the series in my museum 

 proves beyond the possibility of a doubt; but whether tbis change 

 takes place yearly, or only once in the bird's life, is a question 

 that I have not yet been able to solve. Further, I may add 

 that M. Gerbe seems disposed to consider B. flatus a form of 

 B. cinereocapillus ; none of the specimens, however, obtained by 

 me appear quite to correspond with this latter, while I possess 

 innumerable specimens of typical B. viridis, cinereocajjillus, and 

 melanocephalus, and all possible intermediate gradations; and 

 therefore, for the present, I am inclined to believe that B.flavus 

 is either a distinct species or, at any rate, a distinguishable race 

 which does not extend to India. 



594 BUDYTES CITREOLUS. 



Lord Walden is right, and I am wrong, in regard to this 

 species. I sent M. Verreaux specimens of the larger Cashmere and 

 northern Indian form, which I conceived to be B. aureocapillus. 

 These M. Verreaux pronounces to be unquestionably B. citreolus, 

 Pallas, and he remarks : — " Yours are excessively old birds, in 

 nuptial plumage, such as we often receive from India, and 

 more rarely from Siberia.'' The second species to which I 

 referred (Ibis, 1870, p. 142), and which is much smaller in 

 every way (and I have adults in full breeding-plumage of both 

 males and females), must either be B. calcaratus, Hodg., or else 

 new. Hodgson's description is noted as being found at 

 p. 190, vol. xix. of ' Asiatic Researches,' a volume which I 

 have as yet been unable to procure. Probably Lord Walden can, 

 from the dimensions which I gave, decide whether the smaller 

 bird is B. calcaratus or not ; it prol)ably is so, as all my specimens 



