16 ON BIEDS FEOM TEXASSERIM. [18G6. 



between birds, not migratory, inhabiting regions widely apart. And yet, on comparison being 

 made between actual specimens from distant localities, certain difterences are frequently, and 

 in many genera invariably, discovered, which, whether of specific value in the opinion of 

 some naturalists or not, still seem to go far in showing that absolute stability and immutability 

 of specific forms in birds does not exist. 



The numbers and sexes given at the head of each species in this paper are those attached to 

 the specimens by Captain Beavan. I commence with the Tenasscrim specimens. 



P.Z.S. 18G6, 1. IIaKPACTES ORESKIOS (Temm.) 1 



p. 533. 



Trogon oreskios, Temm. PI. Col. 181. 



Xo. 26. Salween Valley. 



" Bill blue, also skin of eyes and feet. Found this beautiful Trogon plentiful on Korkarit 

 Island, Salween River. It lives in thick forest jungle, where there is but little underwood; but 

 the trees above have their boughs matted together, and bound up by tangled creepers, creating 

 a deep shade below, to the great convenience of the observer. These Trogons go about in 

 parties of seven or eight, sometimes more, and are very silent and quiet in their movements. No 

 call-note is heard ; but a bird suddenly darts from a low bough, seizes an insect near the ground, 

 and, returning to its perch, leisurely devours it before you, without showing any signs of alarm 

 at the presence of an intruder on its domains. He will then sit there so quietly that, if once 

 lost sight of, it is difficult to find his whereabouts again, so similar is the colour of the plumage 

 to that of the leaves. The female is much like the mdle, but altogether duller in plumage, 

 especially about the under parts. In the same kind of forest may frequently be seen, on the 

 highest trees, the grand WorahiW [Buceros homrai,\ioAgs.); while on the damp ground below, 

 wherever, here and there, a passing shower has left a few small half-dried pools of water, the 

 Blue Ground-Thrush {Pitta ajanoptcra) marches about in all his glory, flying up to the nearest 

 bough on your too near approach." 



I have no Javan specimen wherewith to compare. Mr. Blyth (Ibis, I860, p. 32) considers 

 the Burmese race conspicuously dift'crent. Arakan is the furthest recorded northern limit of 

 this species. 



2. Mkrops viridis, Linn. S. N. ed. 12, p. 182. n. 2. 



No. o2, ? . Moulmein. 



" Common in neighboui-hood of Moulmein." The specimen sent belongs to the race named 

 ferrmjiceps by Hodgson (Gray, Zool. Misc. 1844, p. 82), and which. Dr. Jerdon observes, forms 

 the prevalent race in I'urmah. Mr. Blyth has also remarked that M. viridis in Burmah has a 

 redder head than in India (J. A. S. B 1863, p. 74). The entire head and nape of this specimen 

 is of a bright nisty, with a tinge of green ; the throat is green, edged with blue on the checks. 

 The upper plumage is darker green than in Candeish and Ceylon specimens ; and in them the 

 throat is bright turquoise-blue, with green predominating over the rufous of the head and nape. 

 But the validity of the specific distinctions cannot be satisfactory established from a single 

 specimen, and tlierefore for the present I prefer retaining the Tenasscrim form under J/, viridis. 

 It seems, however, to be a link of transition between the true M. viridis and 21. quintico/or. 



