226 NOTES. 



I have so very often observed the black bill and the short 

 tail in eastern examples, that I cannot resist the conclusion 

 that it is a distinct species from terricolor. 



Further observation as to notes, nests, and eggs may throw 

 some light on the subject. 



Note by the Editor. — I cannot agree with Mr. Brooks as 

 to there being two species. As to size and shape of bill and 

 first primary, this is equally variable in both supposed forms. 

 As to the supposed difference in the length of the tails, I 

 cannot convince myself that it is real. I entirely agree that 

 two types may be selected — one altogether greyer, with black 

 legs and feet and black bill, and the terminal portion of the 

 lower mandible black {cinereo-alba) ; and the other altogether 

 browner, with brown legs and feet, and brown bill and very 

 little brown even at the tip of the lower mandible (terricolor). 



But I notice that every reliably typical cinereo-alba, in my 

 large series from the Malay Peninsula, Tenasserim, Burma, 

 all parts of India and Ceylon, (and I have both forms from 

 all these localities) was killed in November, December, January, 

 or February, and every typical terricolor in April to October, 

 and I myself have no doubt whatsoever that the former is the 

 winter, and the latter the summer plumage, though there are 

 no doubt several puzzling February, March, and April birds, 

 which might belong to either form, and which show that all the 

 birds do not change their tone of plumage synchroniously, and 

 that some remain grey long after others have turned brown. 



At the same time I have failed to meet with a single 

 " terricolor" killed in December or January, or a single 

 '• cinereo-alba" killed in May, June or July. 



A. 0. H. 



fj0t*S. 



I have, lying by me, four or five large cases containing 

 between 2,000 and 3,000 rejected skins. Probably at least 600 

 species are represented in this lot. 



Many are vile, all are indifferent specimens, too indifferent 

 to offer aB exchanges (though worse have often been sold to me) 

 or to retain in our museum. 



Although such poor specimens, they are quite good enough to 

 enable any one to learn the species from them, or for compari-' 

 son, or indeed for purposes of study. 



They are useless to me, but before throwing them away, I 

 want to make sure that no one else who is working at ornitho- 

 logy would like to have them. 



