442 OX THE SPECIES OF BATEACHOSTOMUS [1877. 



But the feict will remain that the bright colouring belongs to the females. It is a coincidence, 

 thou"-h perhaps nothing more, that all seven were first made known from rufous examples. 



The genus Batrachostomus was formed by Mr. Gould (Icones Av. ii. p. 13) for the reception 

 of P. auritus, Vigors. Captain Hay three years later (J. A. S. B. 1841, p. 573) also proposed to 

 make the same species the type of a genus which he called Bomhycistomns. It is difficult to 

 detect any external characters sufficiently definite to warrant the removal of B. auritus, or any of 

 the other Asiatic Bat rachodomi, from the older genus Podargus. Mr. G. R. Gray (P. Z. S. 1859, 

 p. 101) created a separate genus under the title of Otothrix, mainly relying on tlie long hairy 

 auriculars, for the reception of the species obtained near Darjeeling by Mr. Hodgson. All the 

 P Z S 1877 external generic characters given by Mr. G. R. Gray for Otothrix belong to every other Asiatic 

 p. 425. species of Batrachostomus in a greater or lesser degree ; and it seems unnecessary to retain the 

 title. That of Batrachostomus I only hesitate to surrender because I have not had an opportunity 

 of sufficiently studying all the species of Podargus as restricted. B. crinitus, if any species, perhaps 

 deserves generic separation, on account of its long naked tarsus and weak bill. 



The following diagnostic table may perhaps assist the identification of the species known to 

 inhabit the Indian region. 



Females, adult uniform rufous, young rufous much striated with brown. Males with mottled, 

 freckled, spotted, striated, grey, brown, tawny, and rufous-brown plumage, or uniform brown 

 upper plumage. A white or else tawny-white nuchal collar in adults of both sexes. 



A. ? . Wing-coverts unspotted with white. Gular collar, pectoral and scapulary 



plumes white. 

 <3 . Wing-coverts with white or tawny white terminal spots or bands. 



1. 2. Major; white extending to centre of throat ; gape 1' 38 • ■ • \t} / 

 6 . Ditto ; ditto ; ditto ' 



Sumatra, Borneo. 



2. ?. Minor; white extending to centre of throat ; gape 1-12 ■ ■ ■ \n a„„^^^^ 

 d . Uudescribed ) 



Java. 



3. ? . White throat, plumes confined to the gular collar; gape 1-12 . K. ^ ._ 

 cj . White extending to centre of throat ; gape 1-12 j 



Malacca, Burma, Darjeeling. 



B. S . Wing-coverts with conspicuous terminal white spots. No white gular 



pectoral or abdominal plumes. 

 J . Ditto ; ditto. 



4. $. Ilufous; gape 1-31 ]b. stellatus 



d. Brown or dark rufous-brown above ; gape I'ol J 



Malacca, Borneo, Sumatra. 



C. ? . Wing-coverts with conspicuous terminal white spots. AVhite gular, pectoral, 



and abdominal plumes. Scapulars rufous. 

 d . Wing-coverts, gular, pectoral, and abdominal plumes as in female. 



