102 



Pericrocotus MODESTUS, Strickland. P. corpore supra cinereo 

 subtus albo, reinigibus atris, primariis 5 ad 9 et secundariis ovi- 

 nibus fascid subbasali albd ; rectricibus atris, albo large tertni- 

 natis. 



Above uniform cinereous ; front whitish ; lores black ; remiges 

 blacklsh, the medial portion of their inner webs •vvhite ; the fifth to 

 ninth primaries and all the secondaries with a sub-basal white bar 

 on the outer -vvebs ; rectrices blackish, largely tipped with white ; 

 chin and lovver parts white. Length, 8 inches ; beak to front, 5į lines ; 

 to gape, 9 lines ; breadth, 3 lines ; wing, 3|- inches ; medial rectrices, 

 3 A inches ; external ditto, 1^ iuch ; tarsus, 8 lines; middle toe and 

 claw, 8 lines ; hind ditto, 5 lines. 



This is a typical species, but is at once distinguished from all the 

 other known species of Pericrocotus by the absence of red or yellow 

 in the plumage. 



Dicrurus vialabaricus, Scop. (D. rangoonensis, Gould ; D. retifer, 

 Tem.) — Racąuet-tailed Dicrurus, with a very short erect frontai 

 crest. 



Dicrurus balicassius (D. affinis, Blyth). — This seems to be the true 

 balicassius of Linnacus, judging from Brisson's description, though I 

 have never seen a specimen from the Philippine Islands to compare 

 with the Malacca bird. 



Lanius lucionensis, Lin. — Having now examined many specimens 

 frora the Philippines, Malacca and British India, I find so many vari- 

 ations in the rufous tint of the upper parts, the amount of -vvhite on 

 the forehead, and the size of the beak. that I am compelled (con- 

 trary to my former opinion, Ann. Nat. Hist., v. xiv. p. 44) to regard 

 them as forming one widely-spread and variable species. The Ma- 

 lacca specimens exhibit a considerable amount of variation in the 

 size of the beak, and the Philippine ones are generally less rufous 

 than those from India. If this view of specific identity be correct, 

 Lanius cristatus, Lin. ; L. superciliosus, Lath. ; L. pkcenicurus, Palias; 

 L. magnirostris, B61anger; L. melanotis, Y alencienues; L.ferrugi- 

 ceps, Hodgson; and L. strigatus, Eyton, will all stand as synonyms 

 of Lanius lucionensis, Lin. 



Eupetes macrocercus, Tem. — This form appears to belong to the 

 subfamily TimaliincE, a group chiefly confined to the Malasian archi- 

 pelago and the peninsula of Malacca, and \vhich seems to me to in- 

 clude the following genera : Timalia proper, Brachypteryx, Malaco- 

 pteron, Macronus, and one or t\vo others. They are distinguished 

 by great density of plumage, especially on the rump, a more or less 

 shrike-like beak, well-developed legs, and a coloration in uhich 

 rufous and brown predominate. Little isknown of their habits, but 

 they probably form a subfamily of the Laniid(E, and may be placed 

 next to Formicariinas, in which most of the South American Thavt- 

 nophili and Antcatchers should be included. 



Malacopteron olivacedm, Strickland. M. supra olivaceo-brun- 

 neum, remigibus fuscis, ejctus rufo-brvnneo, intus albido margi- 



