of the Malayan Peninsula. 405 
inclining to white at the tip, and chipped at the edges ; the base 
half of the lower mandible ochraceous and transversely canicu- 
late ; remainder of the mandible dirty white. 
The second new species which I have ventured to nomenclate 
is the Buceros lugubris, or Melancholy Hornbill. This species is 
two feet long, having the bill very much hooked, destitute of 
a helmet, and reddish yellow. Head, neck, throat, belly and 
vent white, slightly sprinkled with black. Body, wings and tail 
black, the latter tipped with white. This bird is melancholy in 
its disposition, but withal voracious in its habits. I had one in 
confinement for some time, feeding it principally on plantains, 
which it devoured greedily, and never attempted to escape from 
its perch. I destroyed it on account of the filth and stench 
which it generated*. 
Amongst the Pheasant tribe, Malacca boasts of the Argus 
giganticus of Temm., or the Phasianus argus of Linn., the Argus 
pheasant, so justly celebrated for its superb plumage. Including 
the two long tail-feathers, the male measures five feet three 
inches in length. The secondary quill-feathers are brilliant with 
ocellate spots (whence the name of Argus is given to the bird), 
and are manufactured into fans by the Chinese. Like the rest 
of the pheasant tribe, it is a remarkably shy bird. 
There are also the Phasianus ignitus, or fire-backed pheasant, 
which is a very handsome bird, about the size of a barn-door 
fowl, and the Phasianus nycthemerus, or pencilled pheasant. 
This last is however a very rare bird. The Cryptonyx coronatus 
of Temm., or the Malacca partridge, is a very handsome bird, 
having a chestnut crest on the occiput, the body being generally 
of a dark violet colour, and the back-and rump of a dark shining 
green. Its flesh resembles that of the European partridge in 
flavour, and the bird can be kept in confinement. The Coturnix 
textilis, or common Indian quail ; the Chinese quail, the Chara- 
drius pluvialis, Linn., or golden plover ; the Charadrius hiaticula, 
Linn., or ringed plover; the Arenaria vulgaris, or common sand- 
lark ; Gallinago media, or common snipe ; the Gallinago media, 
or Scolopax gallinula, Linn., the jack snipe ; the Scolopax sinensis, 
or Chinese, or painted snipe; Anas boschas, the wild duck ; the 
common, and the whistling teal ; and a species of the Pheopus, 
or whimbrel, complete the game of the peninsula. 
There are two species of Bittern to be met with, viz. the Ardea 
stellaris, or Botaurus stellaris, the common bittern, and the Bo- 
taurus lentiginosus, or freckled bittern+ ; they are however both 
og I have not been able to identify this with any described specics.— 
. E.S. 
_t This must be anerror, B. lentiginosus being an American species, occa- 
sionally straying into Britain, but unknown in Asia.—-H. E. S, 
