272 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. VIII, 



Natural History Society's Journal in reference to the impossibility 

 of distinguishing between speciosus and fraterculus. 



In this case we find that No. 25352 is a most typical speci- 

 men of the eastern form which was named fraterculus by Swinhoe 

 in the Ibis for 1870, and which Oates in the ' Avifauna ' accepted 

 as a good species. This specimen is quite typical fraterculus as 

 defined by Oates ; the colour is a very rich red, the whole of the 

 outer webs of the central tail feathers red and the wing of 3*85" 

 though the tail is exactly 4". 



The two birds sent to the Bombay Society by Dr. Falkiner 

 are on the other hand equally typical specimens of speciosus ; 

 No. 52 has but little red on the outer tail feathers whilst No. 55 

 has none, the wing measurement of both is 4* 15 and the two tails 

 measure respectively 4*4 and 4*2 . Nor does this mean that there 

 is a very wide area over which the two races are indefinite whilst 

 easily divided forms are found on either side of the area, for I 

 have seen specimens from southern Burma which are more 

 speciosus than fraterculus, and others again from Nepal which are 

 more fraterculus than speciosus. From the same flock of birds, I 

 have myself more than once obtained specimens referable to the 

 two species, whilst the majority of specimens are half way between 

 the two. I am of opinion that the name fraterculus must be 

 reduced to a synonym of speciosus, and that it cannot rank even 

 as a sub-species. 



48. Pericrocotus Solaris (Blyth). 



O. and B., vol. i, p. 485. 

 B. M. Cat., vol. iv, p. 82. 



(a) cf , between Kalek and Misshing, 15 — i8-iii-i2. 

 I.M. No. 25368. 



This specimen agrees with others in the British Museum in 

 having the under parts rather more richly coloured than is the 

 case with the skins from Sikkim and Nepal. The difference, how- 

 ever, is very slight and not altogether constant and is insufficient 

 ground for creating a new sub-species. 



49. Graucalus macii macii (Less.). 



O. and B., vol. i, p. 496. 

 B. M. Cat., vol. iv, p. 34. 



(a) cf , Sirpo, 2i-iii-i2. I.M. No. 25280. 



This is an extraordinarily large bird with a wing of yi. The 

 Ceylon bird of this species is very small with a wing averaging 

 very little over 6" and is worthy of being made a sub-species; it 

 would bear the name layardi of Blyth which, though given to a 

 young bird under the impression that the markings of immaturity 

 were those of a new species, is the first name given to a Ceylon 

 bird and will therefore stand. Birds from southern India are a 



