Mr. E. Blytli on the Indian Phylloscopi. 1G3 



signed to Phyllopneuste. An older name tlian Hippolais, Erchm, 

 occurs, however, in Ficedula, Koch (181G), whicli is adopted by 

 Dr. RUppell for the Pouillots *, and by Dr. Schlegel for both 

 groups t; but it is faulty as im])lying tlicsc birds to be fig-eaters 

 (or Beccajicos), whereas all of the series are exclusively insecti- 

 vorous, and in no way to be confounded with the highly frugi- 

 vorous FauvettesJ. 



In former pa])ers we followed Mr. Gray's arrangement, but 

 with this error, that certain Indian species were assigned to 

 Phyllopneuste apud Gray (v. Hippolais, Brehm) ; whereas upon 

 referring to the characters of this genus, as specified by M. De- 

 gland, we find that we had misa])prehended it, and incline now to 

 suspect that with it should be united the divisions Culicipeta, 

 nobis, and Abrornis, Hodgson. 



In a series of twenty-two species actually before us, excluding 

 Regulus, we observe that one only, the European Phylloscopus 

 sibilatrix (type of Sibilatriv, Kaup), is remarkable for the com- 

 parative great length of its wings ; whereof the first primary is 

 minute and the second is nearly as long as the third. In all the 

 rest, the small first primary is considerablj^ less diminutive, and 

 the second is much shorter than the third : the proportions vary- 

 ing, however, to some extent, and the wing being more or less 

 rounded in different species ; affording a good differential cha- 

 racter in several instances. In general, the wings are shorter 

 and more rounded than in the European Ph. trocliilus; but 

 looking to the ensemble of characters, it seems doubtful whether 

 more than three divisions can be retained in the whole series 

 under review. These are : Phylloscopus, certain species of which 

 (constituting the Reguloides, nobis >^) offer a close approximation 

 to Regulus, and serve to indicate the true systematic position of 

 that genus, — Regulus (which M. Degland and others have ar- 

 ranged near Parus), — and Culicipeta (including Abrornis), which 

 should perhaps be merged in Phtjllopneuste (v. Hippolais) . Under 

 these three groups only, we now comprise the following Indian 

 species. 



* Systematische Uebersicht der Vogel Nord-ost Afrika's (1845), p. 57. 

 t Revue critique des Oiseaux d'Eiuope (1844), p]). 25, 26. 

 X The four European species described by M, Deglaud under Hipjmlais 

 are as follows : — 



1. H. polyglotta; Motacilla hippolais, L. ; Sylvia polyglotta, Vieilht ; 

 H. salicaria, Bonap. 



2. H. icterina ; Sylvia icteriua, Vieillot (nee Temminck) ; S. hippolais 

 apud Temminck, Manuel, 2nd edit. (1820). 



3. H. olivetorum ; Sylvia olivetoruni, Sfricklnnd. 



4. H. elaica ; Salicaria elaica, hinder may er; Ficedula arabigua, Schlegel. 

 § J. A. S. xvi. 442. 



11* 



