Notices, Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, S^c. 99 



Mr. Blyth writes to us (from Calcutta, October 8th) — 

 " Among recent gatherings I have received Palceoriiis erythro- 

 genys, nobis (P. nicobaricus, Gould), from Port Blair (Andamans). 

 My name, however, will stand, as erythrogenys of Lesson = lon- 

 gicauda and erythrogenys of Fraser, is subsequent, and, moreover, 

 in my opinion, refers to the genuine P. harbatus. Some time ago 

 a fellow sold me a wholly black Sturnopastor, which he falsely 

 stated was from Port Blair. The bird has now moulted into the 

 ordinary plumage of Sturnopastor contra. Varieties of this bird 

 are not very rare ; and upon one of them Major Tytler founded 

 his St. moorii. I am rather pleased to hear that I have a living 

 specimen of my new Kittacincla albiventris now doing well at 

 Port Blair. Our taxidermist employed there wishes to bring it 

 with him himself when he returns, fearing to trust it to anybody 

 else. I have offered him a good price for as many as he can 

 procui'e for me alive, and am curious to hear the voice of this 

 species, the Shama {K. macroura) being, as you know, the prince 

 of songsters in this part of the world. However, I have a Bhrim- 

 raj [Edolius paradiseus) which imitates the Shdmd's song to such 

 perfection that you cannot distinguish them apart. I formerly 

 had another of the same species that did the same ; but there is 

 nothing that a good Bhrim-raj will not imitate. I had one that 

 imitated the crow of a cock to perfection, and would set all the 

 cocks crowing within hearing, taking his turn with the rest most 

 laughably. Every sound a fowl, a cat, a goat, or sheep can 

 utter, the cry of a dog being whipped, the cawing of a crow, 

 the whistling of scraps of tunes, and the song of the best singing 

 birds, all these were repeated with marvellous accuracy by my 

 Bhrim-raj. In addition to all this, it is one of the most intelli- 

 gent of birds (crow-like in this respect), and capable of strong 

 attachment." 



Besides a collection of birds, and valuable notes in this Num- 

 ber, several letters have been received from Mr. Salvin since our 

 last issue, from which we give the following extracts : — 



"Duefias, August 30th. — I have now before me four very 

 pretty skins of a Phalaropc, which I shot upon the lake here a 

 few days ago. The Snipe has not yet arrived, nor have the 



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