176 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VII, 



It would seem to be a fact, however, that the majority of 

 southern birds are dull, therein conforming with the diagnosis 

 of M. a. olivaceum (Strickl.) while the majority of those from 

 the north are bright, agreeing with T. abbotti abbotti (Blyth). 

 This is not, however, universally true in the present series, as 

 the pair from Langkawi, one from Terutau and one from P. 

 Lontar,the most northerly locality visited, are as dull as any from 

 Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Selangor. The remainder, 

 and also specimens collected in 1915 in Langkawi are brighter 

 birds, having the undertail coverts rich buffy rufous, the rufous 

 buff of the flanks carried up high on the sides of the chest. 

 Birds from Trang vary and ones from Perlis are brighter than 

 Selangor and P.ihang skins. We have a topotype of M. a. 

 olivaceum from Malacca, but it is a native skin so old and 

 deteriorated that no reliable comparison can be made with it. 

 None of the specimens are quite so bright as those obtained 

 by Mr. Kloss on the coasts and islands of SE. Siam and listed 

 by me in the Ibis for 1915. 



Gyldenstolpe (he. cit.) is in error in stating that these 

 specimens were referred to T. a. olivaceum, though a reference is 

 given to Hartert's discussion of the question under that heading. 



Pending the collection of a large series from topotypical 

 localities I have nut placed these birds under any subspecific 

 name. I have little doubt however that if M. a olivaceum is 

 shown to have any real existence, which for the present must 

 remain an open question, we shall have to call in the aid of a 

 quadrinomial or even quinqenomial system, as is already 

 used in some cases by Hartert, Stresemann and Parrott. 

 If this comes into use at all extensively it becomes an open 

 question whether a return to a bald binomial system is not, 

 after all, the simplest and most convenient plan. 



go. MlXOKNIS RUBKICAPILLA RUBKICAPILLA, «/" subsp HOV. 



Mixornis gularis, Sharpe, torn. cit. p. 576; Robinson and 

 Kloss, p. 62 : Robinson antea, vol. v, p. 106 uo.15); Gyldenstolpe, 

 p. 60. 



.Mixornis gularis rubricapillus. Robinson antea. vol. v, 

 p. T4<i (1915). 



Mixornis gularis rubricapilla. Robinson. Ibis. 1015, p. 



a. v. Buiau. N.W. Langkawi. 14th December 



1916. No. 3643. 

 b-g- 5 3 3 ?■ Telok Wau, Terutau, i8th-26th 

 December. Nos. 3655, 3676, 3703, 3726, 

 3747-8- 

 h-i. <?. ? W. side Pulau Telibun, Trang. S.W. 

 Siam. ist-2nd January 1917. Nos. 3803, 

 3819. 

 " Iris whitish , whitish yellow or yellowish white, pale 

 vellow or pale orange, bill bluish slate, black on culmen, feet 

 sage green or yellowish green, orbits bluish slate." 



