254 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



(English), and too large for Brown's description, where the figure 

 is stated to be somewhat more than two-thirds of the size of the 

 living bird, which accordinglj' should be under G in. in length, or 

 still smaller than the next species. The colouring (as described, 

 not as figured) agrees sufficientl}' with that of B. caniceps, even 

 to the whitish specks tipping the wing-coverts. 



Mr. Jerdon, in his original catalogue, confounding this species 

 with the next, describes it as " found throughout " (the peninsula 

 of) "India, only in the higher jungles, being therefore of course 

 most abundant on the west coast, where it is found from the level 

 of the sea to the top of the Nilgiris, where it is more abundant 

 than in any other locality I have visited. There is a very 

 remarkable variation in the size of this species, the largest 

 specimens " {B. caniceps) " being found on the Nilgiris, and 

 degenerating in size " (i.e., B. viriclis making its appearance) " as 

 you approach the coast. From Mr. Elliot's notes," he continues, 

 "I extract the following interesting observations: — 'Seldom seen 

 on the wing, but single birds heard on almost every tree, uttering 

 their peculiar note, which resembles the native (Canarese) name, 

 being a continued kooturr, koturr, or k'tuir. They continue to 

 call for some minutes at a time, and are heard throughout the 

 day. On each side of the throat is a naked spot with skin 

 wrinkled, which is probably contracted and expanded when the 

 bird is calling.' One was shot picking at the flowers of a small 

 tree." The length of wing of the large specimens Mr. Jerdon 

 gives as 4 j in. only ; and, as native names, he mentions 

 Kootoomra, Hind., of some shikaris, Kootoorga, Mahr., and 

 Kootur Kakee, Can., — all derived from the call.* 



More recently, in distinguishing the tw'o species, Mr. Jerdon 

 writes, "This large Bucco is found in all the jungles of" 

 (peninsular) " India, as well on the east as on the west coast. I 

 have specimens from .Malabar, and the eastern ghats, and have 

 seen others from Goomsoor, and Bengal " (Mednapur district). t 

 The wing he here describes as 5 in. long, perhaps from a northern 

 specimen. It measures so much in a Deyra Doon example before 

 us, but rarely (we suspect) exceeds 4| in. ; while in the Ceylon 

 bird (as we have said) it is generally but 4^ in. Capt. Hutton 

 gives 11 in. as the total length of a Doon specimen ; and of this 



* Madr. Jouru. xi. 217. + Ibid. xii. 140. 



