THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 193 



into each other, so that when a large series is compared it would, 

 be difficult to know to which race some specimens should he, 

 referred. 



Malayana is supposed to be distinguished by its longer and 

 stouter bill, its longer wing, and by the coloring of the female, 

 in which most of the markings on the upper surface and the 

 tail, which are commonly white in the Indian bird, are rufescent 

 in the present species. 



As regards the size of the bill, the birds from the Andamans 

 and the Nicobars certainly have considerably larger bills than 

 Peninsular and Western Indian examples, and they agree in this 

 respect with Malaccan specimens, and those from Thyet Myo. 



As regards wings, it is not so easy to separate them ; the 

 wings of the males vary from 7'75 to 8; but I have small-billed 

 Continental Indian birds with wings as large as this. 



As regards the coloring of the female, this is typical in our 

 insular birds, and perfectly agrees with Malaccan birds ; but then 

 I have a Calcutta bird precisely similarly colored and with a 

 bill intermediate in size between Southern Indian and Nicobar 

 specimens. 



I am not, therefore, myself prepared to assert that the two races 

 can be separated. I have an enormous series from all parts of 

 the Indian Empire, and next year I hope shall have time to 

 compare them, and arrive at some definite conclusion. In the 

 meantime I follow Lord Walden (who has paid special attention 

 to this group, and who has examined Andaman specimens) in 

 referring these and the JSTicobar birds (which are identical) to 

 Cabanis' malayana. 



Davison tells us that : — " This koel occurs in the Andamans, 

 extending also to the Oocos, but is nowhere common in these 

 localities. It keeps a good deal to the skirts of the forest, 

 but frequents gardens as well. Its note, as far I know, is 

 identical with that of the Indian bird; it is shy, and eludes 

 observation as much as possible, dexterously making its way 

 to the opposite side of a tree, when watched, and then flying 

 off. I have always seen more males than females, in fact have 

 only obtained a few cursory views of these latter. It also 

 occurs in almost all the islands of the Nicobar group, where it 

 is much more numerous than in the Andamans, but is none 

 the less shy and wary. It would be interesting to know what nest 

 this bird selects to deposit its eggs in. At the Nicobars no crows 

 occur there beyond a few pairs of C. Levaillantii taken over from 

 the Andamans and turned loose on Camorta Island, and of which 

 at least two pairs have found their way to, and taken up their 



