43 



scription of the grey-hacked Shrike of Dr. Latliam, {Gen. Hist. vol. V\. 

 p. 9. sp.3.) but to differ from it in the colours of the lesser wing- 

 coverts and tail ; the former being all black in the Himalayan spe- 

 cies, and blue grey, ending in pale rufous in Dr. Latham's, while the 

 tail in the former species had four black middle feathers and the 

 i"est cinereous, but in the latter had the two middle ones only black, 

 the rest being white. In a group exhibiting so much similarity in 

 the disposition of the colours as the present, such differences are 

 material as distinguishing species. 



CoLLuuio TEPHRONOTus. Coll. Jciscid Jrontali pergracili ad 

 medium colli per ocidos latius extendente nigra ; capite, nuchd, 

 scapularibus, dorsoque satiiratius cifiereis ; collo anteriori pecto- 

 reque albescent ibiis, hocfusco graciliter Jasciato ; abdomine cris' 

 soque Jerrugineis ; alis caudaque hruntieo-Juscis, apicibus palli- 

 dioribus ; dorso imo tectricibusque caudce siiperioribus subrujes- 

 centibus. 

 Tectrices alarum inferiores ferrugineo fuscoque notatae. Statura 

 paullo minor quam in specie praecedenti. 



This bird also was observed to be closely allied to the last, and 

 to differ from it probably only in sex or age. Until such points 

 however could be ascertained^ it was considered adviseable to regard 

 it as specifically distinct. 



Another interesting modification of form was exhibited among the 

 Shrikes, in which the forked tail, acuminated wing, and short and 

 feeble legs of the birds allied to Dicriirus appeared united to the 

 head and bill of some of the Stares, particularly the genus Pastor. 

 Mr. Vigors characterized the form under the generic name of 



Hypsipetes. 



Rostrum subelongatum, debile, parum curvatum, apice leviter 

 emarginatum ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, longitudinalibus, mem- 

 brana partim clausis ; rictus setis paucis, parum rigidis. 



Alee subelongatae, subacuminatse ; remige prima brevi, secunda 

 longiori septimae .nequali, tertia et sexta ffiqualibus, quarta et quinta 

 ajqualibus longissimis. 



Pedes brevissimi, debiliores ; acrotarsiis scutellatis. 



Cauda subelongata, forficata, rectricibus extrorsum spectantibus. 



Hypsipetes Psaroides. Hyps, capite supra siibcristato, remi' 

 gum apicibus, rectricibusque nigris ; corpore alisque cineraceo- 

 griseis ; abdomine imo crissoque pallidioribus. 

 Rostrum pedesque 1ia\i. Tectricum alarum roH/^wwque pogonia 

 interna fusca. Tectrices alarum inferiores cineraceo griseae. Lon- 

 gitude corporis, I H ; alee a carpo ad apicem remigis 3tiae, 5 ; rostri 

 1 ; tarsi, J ; caudcr, \\. 



The following species were also exhibited and described. 

 MusciPETA r.REViROSTRis. Mas. Muse, capite, collo, nucha, 

 dorso superiori, alis, rectricibusque mcdiis splendenti-nigris ; 

 corpore infra, dorso imo, pteromatum apicibus, fascia remiguviy 

 rectricibusque lateralibus sjilendide coccincis ; rostro brevi, sub- 

 debili. 



