240 NOTE ON TRIBURA MANDELLII. 



great detail ; then, where the bird is not peculiar to Ceylon, its 

 distribution in the rest of the British Asian Empire is dealt 

 with ; and, lastly, all other parts of the world to which it is known 

 to extend are noticed. As regards the distribution in the 

 British Asian Empire, this is no doubt, in many cases, imper- 

 fectly given, the necessary information not being at the author's 

 command, but it is nevertheless, in almost every case, as per- 

 fect as the published materials permitted Major Legge to make 

 it ; and the attention which he has bestowed on the compilation 

 of this section is deserving of much praise. 



No less can be said of the sections which deal with the 

 haunts, habits, and the nidification of each species, — where 

 Captain Legge has himself been able to observe the birds, 

 these sections leave nothing to be desired, and if in some 

 cases, in which he has had to rely mainly upon the statements 

 of others, the accounts are neither quite as full nor quite as 

 accurate as they might have been, he certainly cannot be held 

 responsible for any such shortcomings. 



Not the least useful or interesting part of the work is the 

 introduction, in which, in very brief compass, Captain Legge has 

 succeeded in conveying a most excellent idea of the physical 

 geography, climate and seasons of the island, of the affinities 

 of its ornis, and of the several great classes into which these 

 naturally divide themselves, to the local observer. 



Taken as a whole, this is undoubtedly by far the most com- 

 plete and satisfactory work that has yet appeared in regard to 

 any portion of the British Asian Empire. It has involved \ears 

 of persevering labour, and testifies not only to the industry but 

 to the literary skill and sound judgment of its author, and by it 

 Captain Legge has honourably earned the gratitude, not only of 

 all those specially interested in Ceylon, but of ornithologists 

 and naturalists generally. 



A. 0. H. 



State on ©rifotra mamtettn. 



By W. E. Brooks. 



The Editor has kindly sent me, for examination, seven very 

 perfect examples of this bird. On a close examination, all are 

 found more or less spotted on the throat and upper breast. In 

 some there are only a very few scattered small, rather cloudy, 

 spots, which, at a cursory glance, might escape notice, but of the 

 whole seven not one is spotless. 



I have also been able to compare them with eleven examples of 

 the closely-allied Tribura luteoventris, all from Mr. Hume's 



