470 Letters, Announcements, Sfc. 



species. None of Mr. Hodgson's birds of this genus is so 

 rufous. 



4. HoREiTES BRUNNESCENS. — I remember tbis bird, and 

 most decidedly differ from ]\Ir. Hume. The bill is much more 

 pointed than that of Horeites ; and I think the bird should be 

 the type of a new genus. It is a good species, 1 think. 



5. SiPHiA MiNUTA is SipMa tricolor, Hodgson. My speci- 

 mens, miscalled " Siphia tricolor,^' to which Mr. Hume refers, 

 were immature males of S. leucomelanura. The latter bird and 

 also lanthia riijilata breed in immature dress precisely resem- 

 bling that of the female. I did not know this when I labelled 

 young male specimens of -S. leucomelanura as S. tricolor. As 

 soon as I saw Mr. Hodgson's drawing, I perceived my mistake, 

 and that j\ir. Hume's new species agreed very well with 

 -S. tricolor. 



Some of Mr. Hume's " total lengths " are taken from the 

 skins only, and are thus apt to mislead. I could not imagine a 

 Siphia as small as a Reffiihis, and having a wing 2'2 inches long. 

 In Siphi(P a wing of this length belongs to a bird 4f or 5 inches 

 long. I examined Mr. Hume's bird ; and it was quite as large 

 as my specimens of <S. leucomelanura. 



Very httle is known of Mr. Hodgson's Siphia tricolor; and it 

 is probable that the mature male will prove to be ablue-plumaged 

 bird. 



6. Drymoipus rufescens is a good species. It breeds 

 sparingly at the old Fort at Etawah. In Bundelcund it is 

 much more common. Jt varies excessively in size. 



I remain 



Yours faithfully, 



W. E. Brooks. 



Lisuiullen, Navan, Aug. 12, 1872. 

 Sir, — As Elanus melanopterus (or, as it should rather be 

 called, E. cceruleus) is not, I think, included in the list of 

 British birds, and I have a British specimen in my possession, 

 I think the occurrence is worth noticing. I received the skin in 

 a very rough state, tilled out with hay, from Dr. P. Nicolls, of 

 Navan, who thought it was a Pied Hawk. This you will see from 



