Letters, Esctracts from Correspondence, Notices, S^'c. 211 



collection, which Mr. Stevens has kindly allowed us to inspect, 

 contains specimens oiLorius superbus, Eraser (P. Z. S. 1845, p. 16), 

 from the islands of Mysor or Jobie ; and^os cyanogenia,^\)., from 

 the Mafors Islands ; thus giving precise habitats to these two 

 little-known species. The more information we obtain about the 

 birds of these and similar island-groups, the more examples we 

 find of the occupancy of distinct geographic areas by repre- 

 sentative species — one of the fundamental truths of the still im- 

 perfectly developed theory of the distribution of animal life upon 

 the surface of our globe. 



A communication from Mr. Blyth, dated Calcutta, February 8, 

 1859, informs us that one of the remarkable Pheasants [Diai'di- 

 gullus fasciolatus), mentioned above, was then still living in a 

 private menagerie in Calcutta, and " in first-rate plumage — the 

 tail very remarkable — a most gracile, elegant, and game-looking 

 bird." 



Mr. Blyth also mentions the arrival of some more birds from 

 the Andaman Islands — Hcematornis cheela, Irena puella (the 

 Indian race), Pericrocotus peregrinus, and an Oriolus, probably of 

 a new species. It is much smaller than 0. macrourus of the 

 Nicobars, with a very narrow nape-mark, only half as broad as 

 in the Burmese 0. tenuirostris, one-third as broad as in 0. in- 

 dicus and O. macrourus, and one-fourth as broad as in O. chi- 

 nensis. A new typical Sturnopasfor, also said to be from these 

 islands, he proposes to call S. niger. It is " one-third smaller 

 than S. contra, and all black, except a small whitish-grey patch 

 on the centre of the belly, some white lunules on the rump, 

 and some brightish yellow under the wing and orange naked 

 skin round the eye." Mr. Blyth goes on to say, " The Burmese 

 Kestrel is a very distinct new species, Tinnunculus atratus, nobis. 

 I have long had one, but hesitated to describe it on one speci- 

 men only. I still want the adult male." 



Prof. Baird, of Washington, is intending to reissue his 

 General Report on N. American Birds, as a separate publication. 



