132 
vermiculations in some (less old) birds ; 
below darker and more cinnamon brown ; 
wing coverts darker and browner ; pri- 
maries below with black areas much in- 
creased and little white. 
*290h. Spilornis cheela malayensis' Swann, Syn. Malay 
List. Accipitr., p. 83 (1920). [Raub, Pa- Peninsula ; 
hang, type in coll. H. Kirke Swann.] Sumatra ; 
[ =S. bacha, auct. plur.] Siam.? 
Malayan Serpent-Eagle. 
Smaller ; wing (Brit. Mus. ex.) ¢ 348-380 
mm. (northern largest), 2 368-380 mm, ; 
Q (type Pahang) 370 mm.; above dark 
brown ; head and crest black, wing-coverts 
sparingly marked with minute spots of 
white ; secondaries not visibly tipped with 
white ; tail with median brownish white 
band about 50 mm. wide and irregular 
narrow basal one [in oldest birds base only 
brownish], the 2 black bands about 38 mm. 
wide ; throat and cheeks and ear-coverts 
slate brown*; below darker, browner and 
duller than S. c. rutherford: ; fore neck and 
chest nearly uniform with only slight traces 
of vermiculations ; white spots on breast 
1 The name bacha cannot stand for Malayan birds It was described from 
Le Vaillant who claimed it as a S. African bird erroneously and it is now impossible 
to say to what race it properly applies. Gurney thought Le Vaillant’s plate more 
like the Malaccan bird, but considered the name would be best discarded (Jbis, 
1878, p. 100); W. Sclater (MS.) considers Sumatra the type locality based on Le 
Vaillant’s plate. In any case bacha is predated by bassus Forster (1798), an equally 
doubtful name. 
2 Count Gyldenstolpe (Ibis, 1920, p. 745) says this form has been recorded 
from peninsular and S.W. Siam, but is rare. 
8 Malacca birds usually have the subterminal tail band whiter, throat and hind 
cheeks greyer, and are lighter below; chest fulvous to brown, either uniform or 
slightly vermiculated (less old birds). Although examples from various parts of 
the Malayan peninsula vary I think it best to make one race for the whole peninsula, 
and I have united with it the Sumatran birds, which occur not only in the lighter 
plumage described, but in a much darker plumage, approaching the Javan form 
(S. c. bido), although a trifle smaller and with the throat paler and greyer ; the tail, 
under wing-coverts and under surface of primaries are similar to those of S. c. bido 
however. Had it not been for the occurrence of this dark race in Perak and of the 
lighter Malay race in Sumatra it would be necessary to separate the Sumatran form. 
