120 
and on the strength of which species are at times instituted 
from a single specimen. 
Even the colour of the iris is not invariable. Usually the 
irides of the adults are bright yellow, but both Mr. Brookes 
(who first pointed this out to me) and myself, have repeatedly 
shot specimens, in which the iris was the brightest ruby red, 
much the same colour as that of H/anus Melanopterus usually is. 
Bree, by the way, figures the iris of this latter as bright yellow, 
and having shot numbers, and always found the iris bright red, 
I conceived this to be a simple mistake ; but Mr. Brookes assures 
me, that he has met with specimens, in which the inides really 
were yellow, though this, in India at least, is most exceptional. 
I carefully compared a young bird, in Col. Tytler’s museum, 
sent by Layard from the Cape, ticketed: ‘A. Zachiro, young 
male; Damara Land,” with a series of young male Badius, 
and I was utterly unable to see how they could be separated ; 
compared with some specimens, the tarsus was a trifle slenderer 
and the wings longer, but with others again, the bird was 
absolutely identical. Perhaps the difference is clearer in the 
adult or possibly (a good number of the birds sent by him are 
clearly wrongly named) Layard may have sent one of his old 
Indian birds by mistake, but if no error has been committed, 
the resemblance between the young of these two species, is most 
remarkable ; so far as plumage and such dimensions as can be 
ascertained in the dry skin go, they seem positively identical. 
Accurate and detailed measurements and descriptions taken 
from the flesh are often useful for comparison, and I therefore 
subjoin such, of a nearly fully adult male, killed on the 10th 
of March, 
Dimensions. Length, 12°13. Expanse, 23. Weight, 4°75 oz. 
Wing, 6°88; the 4th primary the longest ; Ist, 2°38 ; 2nd, 0°88 ; 
3rd, 0:07; 5th, 0°13 shorter. Tail, from vent, 5°88 ; exterior tail 
feathers, 0°5 shorter than central ones. Tarsus, 1°88 ; feathered in 
front for 0°56. Foot, greatest length, 2°63 ; greatest width, 2°13 ; 
mid toe, 1:06; its claw, 0°47 ; hind toe, 0°59 ; its claw, 0°56. Bill, 
straight, 0°72; along curve, 0°81; from gape, 0°78; width at 
gape, 0°63; height at front at margin of cere, 0°31; length of 
cere, 0°25. Wings when closed reach to within 3 inches of end 
of tail. Lower tail coverts, 2°88 of ditto. 
Description. Legs and feet, rather dingy greenish yellow, 
scutellation on front of tarsus and toes transverse, rather feeble ; 
on sides and back of tarsus, obscure. Toes slender, 2nd 
joint-pad of mid and outer toes, well developed. Claws, slender, 
sharp-pointed, pretty well curved, black ; inner edge of mid toe, 
claw scarcely perceptibly dilated. 
