1867.] ON THE RUFOUS-TAILED SHEIKES. 41 



vations (/. c), passing the winter in tliat island. Mr. Swinhoe says that it has a sweet song, and 

 he mentions that it is a common spring and autumn visitant at Amoy. He also observed it 

 passing over at Hong Kong in the spring, and found it at Talien Bay, North China, during the 

 end of June, where it, however, became much scarcer towards the middle of July. Between 

 Takoo and Pekin it was not observed during the months commencing with August and ending 

 with December, which Mr. Swinhoe accoimts for by the early period of its southern migration. 



On the authority of Mr. Blyth (Mouat, ' Andamans,' App. Zool. pp. .352, 360. no. 31, 

 1863), I, with some doubt, refer the species which inhabits the Andaman and Nicobar Ibis, 1867, 

 islands to the Philippine bird. But from not being acquainted with specimens from these P' 

 localities, I am unable to confirm the accui'acy of an identification which, if correct, is of consi- 

 derable interest. 



Under the head of L. phoenicurus. Pall., it will be seen that there is some reason for 

 believing that Pallas's bird belongs to this species. 



Ex China 



3. Lanius PHffiNicuRUS, Pall., It. 1776, iii. p. 693. no. 6 (ex Dauria) ; Voy. (Paris) 1793, iv. 

 p. 322, App. p. 665. no. 6 ; Zoogr. Eoss.-As. 1831, i. p. 405. no. 59. Lath., Syn. i. p. 116. no. 14 ; 

 Ind. Orn. i. 71. no. 14. Gm., S. N. ed. xiii. i. p. 309. no. 15. Schrenck, Am. Eeise, 1860, i. 

 p. 384. no. 109 (ex Amur, N. China). Middend., Sib. Eeise, ii. Th. ii. p. 188. no. 107 (ex 

 Udskoi Ostrog). Eadde, Eeise, S. v. O. Sib. 1863, ii. p. 277. no. 150. Sundev., Physio. Sails. 

 Tidsk. 1837-38, p. 64 (A. N. H. 1846, xviii. p. 169) S "perfecte coloratus" (ex Mus. Stockh. 

 patriae incertse]); K. S. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1840, p. 30. Blasius, Naumannia, 1858, p. 310. no. 8 

 (ex Heligoland); Ibis, 1862, p. 66. no. 8. Gatke, Naumannia, 1858, p. 425 (ex Heligoland). 



Enneoctonus j^hoenicurus (Pall.), G. E. Gray, Gen. Bds. i. p. 291. no. 4. Bp., Consp. i. 

 p. 362. no. 4. Cab., Mus. Ilein. i. Th. p. 72. no. 414 (]) (ex Asia). 



Otomela phoenicura (Gm. ex Pall.), Bp., Eev. de Zool. 1853, p. 436. sp. 25. 



(Plate V. fig. 2, in orig.) 



Pallas, who only obtained one specimen, and only observed the species on that occasion, 

 procured his type early in the month of June, amongst the rocks of the mountain of Adon-Scholo, 

 near to the river Onon in Dauria. Befoi'e he had accurately noted its characters the specimen 

 decayed. We may infer from his account that the following characters given by him [I. c.) were 

 drawn up from memory : — The body above rufescent-grey ; a black band through the eyes ; 

 underneath yellowish-white ; a long tail rounded at the end, the whole of which, with the rump, p.' 217. ' 

 intensely rufous. Schrenck [I. c.) has given under Pallas's name an elaborate description of a 

 Eufous-tailed Shrike, many specimens of which, male and female, he obtained at Udskoi-Ostrog, 

 along the course of the Amoor river and in Northern China. These difier from the description 

 given by Pallas by having the entire upper plumage of a rust-brown colour, and the forehead and 



G 



