1866.] ON BEACHTPUS GULAEIS. 37 



M. melanictera appears to me to belong to the natural genus Rahigula, founded by Mr. 

 Blytli in 1845 (J. A. S. B. p. 576) for the reception of B. ruhineiis, Jerd., and coequal with Ibis, I860, 

 Brachjjpus, Sw., of 1831, founded upon the T. dispar, Ilorsf. Swainson's genus, having been P-''''^- 

 previously employed, must fall ; and although Cabanis's term Sphagias, coined six years later, 

 may be more appropriate, the stern law of priority obliges us to discard it, as well as, for the 

 same reason, that of Meropixus, Bp., published in 1854, and formed for the reception of our 

 Ceylon bird, M. melanictera. 



The following species appear to me to come within the limits of Ruhigula : — 



1. Brachi/pus ruhineus, Jerd. 111. Ind. Orn. pi. 37 (1846). 



2. Turdus dispar, Horsf. Linn. Tr. xiii. p. 150 (1820). 



3. Vangaflaviventris, Tick. J. A. S. B. ii. 583 (1833). 



4. Muscicajia melanictera, Gm. /. c. (1788). 



Lanius melanoceplialus, Gm. {Turdus atriceps, Temm. PI. Col. 147, type of Brachypodius, 

 Blyth, 1845), is very closely allied, but differs in having the tail rounded instead of subquadrate ; 

 and near it must probably be placed Lvus chalcocephalus, Temm., PI. Col. 453. fig. 1, while Ixus 

 squamatus, Temm., fig. 2, may perhaps form a fifth additional species oi Ruhigula. 



Letter on Brachypus gularis, Gould, from Viscount Walden, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c.. Ibis, 1866, 



to the Editor of ' The Ibis.' p- ^^^■ 



Chislehurst, August 1866. 



Sir, — Since the publication of my remarks " On the 3Iuscicapa melanictera of Gmelin " 

 (Ibis, 1866, pp. 316-323) *, I have been favoured by Mr. Gould with a view of what he assures me is 

 the type-specimen of his Brachyjjus gularis. It is undoubtedly an example of the species described 

 under the name of B. ruhineus by Dr. Jerdon ; and as Mr. Gould's appellation possesses a priority 

 of several years, Dr Jerdon's designation must be superseded by it. B. gularis, Gould, must also 

 cease to be regarded as a synonym of JEgitliina atricapilla, Vieillot (Muscicapa melanictera, 

 Gmelin) ; and I regret that, being misled by the short diagnosis of B. gularis given by Mr. Gould 

 (P. Z. S. 1835, p. 186), accidentally omitting as it does one of the most essential characteristics 

 of the bird, I fell into the error of so regarding it — an error, however, I shared in common with Ibis, 1800, 



Professor Sundevall and other ornithologists. 



424. 



I have the honour, &c., 



Walden. 



* lAnied, pp. 33-37.— Ed.] 



