191 8,] recently collected in Sia7n. 95 



with itj while those from Singapore together with Sumatra 

 differ. 



The type-locality of bimaculatus, however^ is not Malacca 

 in a restricted sense, but Singapore. Peale based this name 

 on a bird "obtained at Singapore" [l. c. s.), and, later, 

 stated that the species occurred in Malacca (t. c. s. p. 208). 

 As every zoologist who deals with eastern material should 

 know, the name Malacca was almost universally used by 

 writers of English in the first half of the last century — 

 especially by those who did not reside in the East — in the 

 same way as the Dutch and other continental authors use 

 it to-day, i. e., the greater portion of the Malay Peninsula ; 

 and this is obviously what Peale meant when he stated, first, 

 that bimaculatus was " obtained at Singapore," and, after- 

 wards, that it came from " Malacca " : not that it came from 

 " Malacca, Malay Peninsula," as Oberholser would have us 

 believe — a very diff'erent thing. Furthermore, a reference 

 to the narrative of the U.S. Exploring Expedition shows 

 that Malacca was not visited, Singapore being the only 

 place of this region at which a call was made. 



Oberholser is of opinion that two Malayan forms of 

 macrurus are recognizable : one occurring in the Malay 

 Peninsula, and also in Indo-China, which he argues is 

 C. m. bimaculatus Peale (C. m. ambiguus Hartert being 

 synonymous), and a second, found in Singapore and ako 

 Sumatra, to which he has given the name anamesus, 

 Singapore being the typical locality (/. c. s. p. 593). 



These two forms are said to differ in size alone, the 

 smaller with a wing of 189 mm. and less (average 185*8 *) 

 occurring in the south, and the larger with a wing of 

 190 mm. and more (average 193*5 *) being found in the 

 north. This difference in dimensions is scarcely to be 

 realised by an inspection of tlie series I have examined — 

 a series considerably larger than that at Mr. Oberholser^s 

 disposal ; but, admitting for the moment the correctness 

 of his perceptions, Singapore and Sumatran birds will have 

 to bear the name bimaculatus (anamesus ranking as a pure 

 * J'ide measurements, Oberholser, t. c. s. pp. 594, 596. 



