292 ON PAL^OENIS MELAJVOEHTNCHUS. [1875. 



pure white or fulvous-white centres. Under tail-coverts bright ferruginous yellow. Plumage on 

 the rump loose, soft, and dense, completely concealing the short tail, and being of an almost 

 uniform ferruo-inous-brown colour. Wings, when closed, dark chocolate-brown, most intense on 

 the secondaries. Most of the wing-coverts distinctly tipped with almost pure white, so also the 

 inner tertiary quills. Eectrices chocolate-brown. Mandibles dark brown. Legs pale hom- 

 brown. 



Bill from nostril -37 inch, wing 2-15, tarsus -75, tail 1-15. 



Described from specimens obtained at Chakha, in the Munipur hills, and also at Asalu. 



In general appearance this bird closely resembles Turdinus bfevicaudcdus. The upper 

 plumage of the two is almost identical. By its much smaller dimensions and diminutive tail, 

 however, it can be readily distinguished. It is the Pnoefyga caudata, Blyth, apud Godwin- 

 Austen (J. A. S. B. 1870, p. 101. no. 331). 



Pnoeptga chocolatina, n. sp. 



Above olive-brown, each feather fringed with a somewhat fainter tint, thus imparting a 

 subdued scaly aspect to the back. Wings and tail chocolate-brown. Upper and under tail- 

 coverts ferruginous brown, brightest on the under coverts. Lower surface generally 

 ferruginous brown, many of the abdominal feathers being largely centred with white or 

 Ibis, 1875, fulvous white. Pectoral feathers with minute terminal white drops, or some with narrow white 

 p. 253. Qj. fulvous white centres. A few almost pure white feathers on the middle of the breast. Chin 

 white ; gular feathers white, Avith pale fulvous or ferruginous edges. Bill dark brown. Legs 

 pale flesh-colour. 



Bill from nostrils -25 inch, wing 1-87, tarsus -75, tail 1'75. 



Described from a specimen obtained at Kedimai, in the Munipur hills. 



This species and P. longicaudatus constitute a section of the genus Pnoepjfja, in which the 

 tail is fully developed. 



Ibis, 1875, Letter on an ahnormal Spedmen o/Palteornis melanorhynchus, Wagler, from 



V- 270. ' Viscount Walden, P.Z.S., to the Editor of ' The Ibis ' (April 1875). 



Sir, — Among a number of very interesting species of birds recently collected in Munipur, and 

 intrusted to my charge by Major Godwin- Austen, is a specimen of Palceornis melanorlnjnclms, 

 Wao-ler, in luteous plumage. With the exception of the breast, which is tinted with the rosy 

 plum-colour found in the normal plumage, the whole bird is bright canary-yellow. The rosy 

 breast-feathers, however, are normally coloured only at their termination ; far underneath they 

 too are bright yellow, an indication of that colour being only observable in the breast-plumage 

 of the normal dress. Yours, 



Walden. 



Chislehurst, March 1875. 



