1874.] BIRDS FKOM TIIE AND^\JMAN ISLANDS. 261 



73. Cetx teidactyla (Pallas), Spic. Zool. fasc. vi. p. 10, pi. 11. f. 1 (1769). 

 "S. Andaman, April 21 : bill and legs bright coral-red." 



74. Chrtsococcyx XANTnoRHYNCHUs (Horsf.), Tr. L. S. xiii. p. 179, "Java" (1821); Zool. 

 Ees. in Java, pi. 59 (1824). 



" S. Andaman : May 5, ? , iris dark red, bill horn-colour, tip yellowish, legs brownish olive." 

 "Port Blair, S. Andaman: July 14, $ , 23, <s , bill orange, feet sienna." {Wimberley.) 

 A single immature example of this genus was obtained by Mr. Eamsay, which I provisionally 

 identify as above. Wing 4 inches, tail 3, tarsus '55, bill •75. Above brown washed with 

 cupreous green, parts appearing deep emerald-green, according to the play of the light. Middle 

 pair of rectrices deep green, with a terminal broad bar or rounded spot of rich blue-green. 

 Outer pair of rectrices deep ferruginous on inner webs, white on outer, and barred through with 

 black. Remaining rectrices ferruginous on both webs and with black bars running through. 

 Entire under surface clothed with white feathers, each being traversed by two broad brown bars; 

 the abdominal feathers displaying most white. With this the female example obtained by 

 Captain Wimberley is almost identical ; but the male is passing over into the amethystine 

 plumage of the adult. It has the chin, throat, head, nape, interscapular region, some of the 

 wing-coverts and scapulars, the upper tail-coverts and the middle pair of rectrices and two laterals 

 of a lovely amethystine colour. Two of the primaries on one side, one on the other, and one of 

 the secondaries are partially grown and of the same beautiful hue. The dark transverse bars of 

 the lower plumage, and notably of the under tail-coverts, are deep amethystine. The remainder 

 of the wing- and tail-feathers and some of the dorsal plumage are cupreous green, edged or 

 indented with bright rufous. 



Some of the feathers in this interesting specimen appear to have changed from green to 

 amethystine without having been moulted. Thus the basal part of one of the median rectrices ibis, 1874, 

 is more or less green, while the remainder is of a mixed amethystine and greenish hue. Its ?• ■'^'^^" 

 fellow rectrix, a new feather not fully grown, is coming in of a pure amethystine colour. Several 

 of the upper tail-coverts are green at their base. It would therefore appear that the old feathers 

 have the power of changing their colour from green to amethystine. 



75. IOriolus melajv[OCEPHAlus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 160. no. 3 (1766). 



"S. Andaman: March 23, c? , 29, <s 2 , ii"is carmine, legs greenish plumbeous, bill carneousj 

 April 24, 6 ; May 10, ? ." 



The five examples in the collection differ from true 0. melanocephalus by being smaller 

 and by wanting the characteristic broad yellow outer margins of the two innermost tertiaries 

 and feathers. The remaining tertiaries, as well as all the secondaries, exhibit much less yellow 

 on their edges and at their tips. The Andaman black-headed Oriole in this respect resembles 

 true 0. ceylonensis ; but in the latter species the secondaries possess very bold terminal yellow 

 spots. Only one specimen is of a bird in perfect plumage. If it represents the normal characters 

 of the race, the Andaman bird may have to be specifically separated. In their dimensions the 

 Andaman, Burmese, Ceylonese, and Malabar birds are about equal, the average length of the 



