254 Mr. H.J. Elwes on the Genus Henicurus. 



fleshy white. Length 8|- to 9 inches ; tail 4| to 5 ; wing 3| ; 

 tarsus 1 ; bill, from gape, |. 



This species seems to have the widest range of any of the genus ; 

 for unless we recognize the Chinese H. leucoschistus as distinct, 

 it is found from Nepal through Szechuen to near Amoy, and 

 southwards as far as the mountain-ranges of Tenasserim. 



After having, through Mr. Whitely's permission, carefully 

 examined the specimens of this species in Mr. Swiuhoe's col- 

 lection, I cannot see that there is any good or constant difference 

 between Chinese and Indian specimens of this bird; and Mr. 

 Swinhoe has twice expressed himself to the same effect (Ibis, 

 1867, p. 404, and P.Z.S. 1863, p. 276), though he has since dis- 

 covered that the Chinese bird differs in having the bill straighter 

 along the culmen, and the gonys more ascending. This, to my 

 eye, is quite imperceptible; and as in his list of Chinese birds Mr. 

 Swinhoe ignores this point, and mentions as the only difference 

 the variable amount of white on the primaries and under wing, I 

 cannot but think that it would have been better to have waited 

 till he had made his case a little clearer. The specimens col- 

 lected by the Abbe David at Moupin, on the borders of Thibet 

 and China, are quite similar to the Indian bird. 



H. schistaceus is not common in Sikim, and keeps to the 

 lower elevations, so far as I have observed. Its habits are 

 similar to those of its congeners ; but nothing is recorded of its 

 nidification. M. de Grijs told Mr. Swinhoe that he saw these 

 birds on the margins of pools in the hills about 130 miles inland 

 from Amoy, and that they frequently uttered twittering notes 

 not unlike those of the Sandpiper, but louder. 



3. Henicurus immaculatus. 



Enicurus immaculatus, Hodgs. As. Res. xix. p. 190; Gray's 

 Zool. Misc. p. 83, 1844; Cat. Hodgs. Coll. in B.M. p. 76; Blyth, 

 J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 157; Cat. Birds Mus. As. Soc. B. p. 159; 

 Horsf. & Moore, Cat. Birds in Mus. E. I. Comp. i. p. 346 ; 

 Godwin-Austen, J. A. S. B. 187.0, p. 107; Jerdon, Birds of 

 India ii. p. 213. 



Hab. Nepal {Hodgs.); Sikim {Elwes) ; Khasia Hills {Godwin- 

 Austen); Aracan {Blyth); Assam? {Griffith) (en-ore Afghanistan). 



