1866.] VISCOUNT WALDEN ON BIRDS FROM TENASSERIM. 547 



and not so decidedly cinereous on the upper surface ; the bill is 

 more compressed. All these points evince an approach to D. longi- 

 caudatus, and excite a suspicion of hybridism. But they are pro- 

 bably nothing but the characteristics of an intermediate species — a 

 link of transition, many of which are to be found in the unstable 

 family of the Dicruridce. The type of Vieillot's genus Dicrurus 

 being Corvus balicassius, Linn. (—Edolius viridescens, Gould, = Ba- 

 licassius pkilippensis, Bp., ex Manilla), a totally distinct generic 

 form, the long Fork-tailed Drongos must be referred to the next 

 generic synonym, Buchanga, Hodgs., the type of which is Edolius 

 albirictus, Hodgs., ex Nipaul. The following are the principal 

 measurements of the Tenasserim race : — 



Wing 5j inches ; bill from nostril f ; bill from forehead 1 ; uro- 

 pygials 3^ ; outer rectrices 5-f-. 



Somewhat larger than the Javan bird, it is considerably smaller 

 than the Himalayan B. pyrrhops, Hodgs. The Himalayan race of 

 B. longicaudata has yet to be described and named. It is a well- 

 marked form, and very distinct from the Malabar type. 



19. Mixornis rubicapilla, (Tickell). 



Motacilla rubicapilla, Tickell, J. A. S. B. 1833, p. 5/6. no. 27. 



No. 40. Salween Valley. 



The type of this species was procured by Colonel Tickell in Burru- 

 bhoom, a district of Central India. When compared with specimens 

 from Maunbhoom, a neighbouring district of Central India, this Te- 

 nasserim specimen exhibits no difference beyond that of the bill being 

 perceptibly longer ; and when compared with Himalayan specimens 

 no difference whatever can be detected ; and Mr. Hodgson's specific 

 titles of chloris and ruficeps given to the Himalayan race have there- 

 fore been correctly superseded by Dr. Jerdon. In the « Catalogue 

 of the Calcutta Museum ' Tenasserim is given as the habitat, not 

 only of this species, but also of M. gularis, (Horsf.) . This last species 

 is very distinct, and was founded on the Motacilla gularis, Raffles, 

 Tr. Linn. Soc. xiii., his type being from Sumatra, and not from Java 

 — a fact which has been overlooked by almost every writer, the mis- 

 take probably arising out of Raffles' s bird having 'been figured and 

 described by Horsfield in his ' Zoological Researches in Java.' Sir 

 Stamford Raffles' s type specimen still exists in the India Museum. 

 It belongs to a species readily distinguishable from Tickell's bird, by 

 being above almost uniform rufous brown, with a tinge only of olive 

 on the nape and rump. The head, wings, and tail are alike, and of 

 a still darker brown. Underneath it closely resembles the conti- 

 nental species, but is brighter yellow, and has the throat more boldly 

 streaked. A second and fresh specimen from Sumatra is in my col- 

 lection, and is identical with the type. Malacca possesses a species 

 which is very nearly allied to, if not identical with, the Sumatran 

 form. The Javan race, hitherto by all authors referred to Timalia 

 gularis, Horsf., is figured in the ' Planches Coloriees,' and is there 

 described, as also by Prince Bonaparte in the ' Conspectus,' as having 

 the throat white. From both these descriptions it also appears to 



