B51 
I very much doubt the distinctness of this and the last 
species. I give below in great detail, the measurements taken 
in the flesh of the old and the young males, above referred to. 
It will be seen that the dimensions very little exceed those 
given by Dr. Jerdon for Indranee, and fall far short of those 
which he gives for Newarensis. A. Burmese skin, differed in 
none of its dimensions, by more than a mere fraction, from the 
skin of the old male above referred to. 
Mr. Blyth holds a different opinion, and I reproduce his 
remarks further on; but I nevertheless still hold, that the 
distinction of size is, to say the least, neither so constant, nor 
so material as has been asserted, and has by no means been so 
established as to render (if Dr. Jerdon’s measurements of the 
southern race are reliable)* a specific separation of the northern 
and southern birds, certain/y requisite. Dr. Jerdon gives the 
wing of the southern species at from 13 to 14 inches. The 
Burmese bird has them 14°8. My two Simla specimens have 
them 15°2 in the young and 15°5 in the old male. A fine 
Bussahir specimen has them 16°2, a peculiarly large Kumaon 
bird 16-7, and this is the largest in my museum. Dr. Stoliczka 
says, ‘‘ An unusually large specimen of 21 inches in length, 
with the wing of a little over 18 inches, and the tail of 103 
inches, was shot at Kotegurh in February, 1866.” But Von 
Pelzeln, says of this same specimen, “ The wing in this specimen 
measures 16”. A specimen received from Baron Hiigel and also 
from the Himalayahs, is decidedly smaller (wing 15”) ; above 
it is much redder, and the wavy cross-markings underneath 
are narrower and paler.” 
I have no Sikhim or Nepal specimens. Can it be that a 
larger race inhabits those districts, while in Kumaon and west- 
wards, the race is identical with that of Southern and Central 
India? Certainly, the evidence before me, leads to the conclusion, 
that even if the Nepal and Neilgherry birds be distinct, the 
Burmese, Kumaon, Simlah and Kotegurh birds are intermedi- 
ate between these two. 
The following however are Mr. Blyth’s views in regard to 
B. Newarensis. 
* It is only just to Dr. Jerdon to say, that nothing can, as a rule, be 
more reliable and accurate, than his own descriptions and figures. But a 
vast number of his descriptions and dimensions, are taken almost if not 
quite verbatim from other writers in the Asiatic Society’s Journal, &c., 
who were by no means so careful as himself, and as (his work being a 
manual)“ he did’ not think it necessary to note quotations of this kind, he 
often gets credit for errors for which he is really not responsible. : 
