410 Mr. A. Hume on Indian Ornithohf/i/. 



under the name of Sturnus purpurascens. Allow me to characterize 

 another as 



Sturnus nitens, sp. nov. 



Dimensions: length 7*75 inches; bill at front 0"95 ; wing 

 4-75; tail 2-6; tarsus 1-1. 



Description. — Bill yellow. Legs and feet reddish brown. 



Plumage : — Whole bird absolutely spotless. Face, head, and 

 throat deep purplish blue; ear-coverts with -a greenish gloss. 

 Neck all round, upper back, and breast a bright very ruddy 

 purple; lower portion of back and upper tail-coverts with a 

 coppery and green gloss. Abdomen black, with a green metallic 

 gloss. Wing-coverts dark green, with a golden gloss. Under 

 tail-coverts black, with a faint purple and green gloss. 



This species is allied to S. unicolor of Europe, but differs in 

 being much smaller, having a much less compressed and more 

 spatulate-shaped bill, much shorter breast-hackles, smaller feet, 

 feebler clawSj and in its brilliant plumage, so different from the 

 nearly uniform purplish black of the Sardinian Starling. 



Habitat. Cashmere, Peshawur Valley, and Afghanistan. 



Dr. Henderson and I propose to figure this and other new 

 species in our forthcoming notes on the ornithology of the Yar- 

 kand Expedition. 



Since writing my note on Otis tarda I have received, in a 

 second batch of birds from Murdan, what I believe is even a 

 greater novelty, viz. a magnificent specimen of the great Snowy 

 Owl [Nt/ctea nivea). 



I have repeatedly received information of the occurrence in 

 the cliffs overhanging the Cabul river and other localities at the 

 western extremity of the Peshawur Valley, of a huge white 

 Owl; but it never occurred to me that this could be the Snowy 

 Owl, considering the geographical position of the Peshawur 

 Valley, which hardly passes 34° north latitude. 



The acquisition of this specimen sets the matter at rest. The 

 bird measured in the flesh by Dr. Johnson was a male. Length 

 23"; wing 17-25"; expanse 60" ; tail from vent 9-25". Foot, 

 greatest length 4", greatest width 4-25". Wings when closed 

 reached to within 2" of end of tail. Weight 4 lbs. 12 oz. 



