4G0 Letters, Announcements, 6;c. 



P. laaynirostris, Blyth, is tlic bird^ I believe, liitherto 

 procured from the Andamaus. Will Lord Walden kindly 

 inform us, with the points of difference I have noted before 

 him, whether he still considers the birds procured by Lieut. 

 Ramsay to be P. borealis ? 



Anthus CERViNUS (Pallas) , p. 14L 



I am surprised that the axillaries should be white. Our 

 Indian Anthus rosaceus, Hodgson, whicli I take to be Anthus 

 cervinus, Pallas, as a rule, has the axillaries strongly tinged 

 with sulphur-yellow. I must say I should much like to see 

 one of these Andamanese Pipits. I have failed to obtain the 

 loan of one from Mr. Hume, who informs me he has a distinct 

 Andamanese Pipit ; but until I see it myself I shall not be 

 convinced. 



CORYDALLA STRIOLATA (Blyth), p. 140. 



Lord Walden says he is " disposed to doubt the propriety 

 of separating this form from C. rufula." 1 have large series 

 of each, and know them well in life. A small C. striolata 

 much resembles a good-sized C. rufula; but 1 can, I think, 

 always distinguish them. 



1. C. rufula has, as a rule, a proportionally longer hind 

 claw and a larger bill. 



2. The two voices are utterly different. 



3. C striolata is a migrant, appearing very numerously in 

 the plains of India in September ; but C rufula is non-miyra- 

 tory, and breeds over India generally. 



Lord Walden may rest assured that there are no two 

 species more distinct than these two Pipits. Perhaps the 

 Andaman birds are C. rufula, and have been misnamed 

 "C. striolata;" I should much like to see one. Even if 

 there were absolutely no visible difference, the utterly differ- 

 ent notes and habits must not be lost sight of. C. richardi, 

 C. striolata, C. rufula, and Anthus camjjestris can all be recog- 

 nized with one^s eyes shut, merely by hearing them, and this 

 with the greatest certainty. 



We must not suppress a good species, if it can be avoided. 



