140 Letters, Announcements, i^c. 



pinky-white, in some entirely devoid of markings, in others with 

 a more or less conspicuous reddish-pink zone or cap of mottled 

 or clouded speckly markings, generally nearly confluent. They 

 have little or no gloss, and obviously belong to the same type 

 as those of Niltava. The want of distinctness in the markings 

 separates them from those of Tchitrea paradisi, Dicrurus macro- 

 cercus, and the like. The colouring is a clouded zone or cap, at 

 the best, never defined specks or spots. They vary in length 

 from '75 to '85 in., and in breadth from '57 to "62 in. ; but the 

 average of ten measured was '77 by '58 in. I have taken 

 these eggs myself near Simla, and have them from Darjeeling, 

 Almorah, Missourie, and Dhurumsala, so that there is no mistake 

 about the matter. 



I may mention that the eggs of Eumyias albicaudata do not 

 differ widely from those of the preceding species ; they average 

 perhaps somewhat smaller, and are darker and more uniform in 

 colour, being of a dingy buff, more or less mottled throughout 

 (but excessively faintly) with a dusky shade, and clouded with 

 a somewhat deeper shade of the ground-colour at the larger end. 

 They closely resemble the eggs of Niltava sundara, but are 

 smaller and paler. As usual in this family, they are dull and 

 glossless. 



3rd. Captain Bulger mentions that he procured Chelidorhynx 

 hypoxantha on Mount Tongloo. Dr. Jerdon seems to fancy 

 that this is a rare species ; in reality it is common in the Turai, 

 the forests of Gurhwab, the Dhoon, warm valleys in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Missourie, and near Simla, probably, in fact, 

 throughout the sub- Himalayan region, at least as far west as 

 Simla. 



4th. Lord Walden is undoubtedly correct in stating (Ibis, 

 1869, p. 211) that Dr. Stoliczka's Mania similaris is the young 

 of M. undulata. I pointed this out to Dr. Stoliczka directly 

 I received a copy of his paper. I have specimens of the young 

 with one or two new feathers at one or the other side of the 

 breast assuming the bars of the adult plumage. 



I also agree with Lord Walden [torn. cit. p. 212) that the 

 doubtful Hydrobata is one form of the young of H. asiatica. 

 I have a bird answering precisely to Dr. Stoliczka's descrip- 



