26o Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol.. VIII, 



A very striking feature in this collection of birds is the very deep 

 tint observable in the colour of so many of the specimens, attribut- 

 able, doubtless, to the heavy rainfall and dense forests of this part 

 of India. This depth of colour is especially noticeable in all the 

 specimens of Sturnop aster , Megalaema, Harpactes and Rhopodytes, 

 whilst in the case of Rhipidura alhicollis I have considered it so 

 marked as to make it necessary to form the north-eastern bird 

 into a new subspecies. 



One other point calling for remark is the comparativel}' 

 low elevation at which certain birds, such as Chelidorhynx, have 

 been found. This feature is common to the whole of the extreme 

 north-east of Assam, where one meets with a fauna, and I believe 

 flora, which elsewhere obtains at some 1500 or 2000 feet higher 

 elevation. This may be due to the comparatively small area 

 covered by the foot-hills between the higher ranges, upon which 

 there is heavy snow-fall, and the plains. This naturally gives a 

 correspondingly low temperature and the avifauna elsewhere in- 

 habiting a much greater elevation here consequent!}^ works much 

 lower down and even well into the plains. 



In compiling the following catalogue I have generally given 

 references to only two works, the '^ Avifauna of British India " by 

 Oates and Blanford and the ''Catalogue of Birds in the British 

 Museum." The abbreviations I have used in referring to these are 

 *' O. & B." and " B.M. Cat." respectively. 



I have in one or two places also referred to Dr. Hartert's 

 recent work " The Birds of the Palaearctic Region" published in 

 German3^ This is the latest publication on the subject and is one 

 mass of information and research put in the simplest and most 

 direct manner, and I refer to it as the authority upon which the 

 sub-specific value of many of our Indian birds must be taken. The 

 abbreviation used for this book is '' D.V.P.' ' (Die Vogel der Palaark- 

 tischen Fauna). 



The following abbreviations are also used on one or two 

 occasions : — 



" B.N.H.S.J."=Journal of the Bombay Natural History 

 Society and '* N.Z."==Novitates Zoologicae. 



I have to thank the British Museum authorities for much 

 assistance In placing material at my disposal for the purpose of 

 comparison and for constant help in facilitating my work 

 generally. 



Order PASSERES. 



Family CORVIDAE. 



Sub-family CORVINAE. 



I. Cissa chinensis (Bodd.)- 



O. and B., vol. i, p. 28. 

 B. M. Cat., vol. iii, p. 85. 



