THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 199 



served only two were cristatus ; both these specimens were obtained 

 at Mount Harriet in the immediate neighbourhood of Port 

 Blair. Strange to say, ho we ver, it appears to be common in the 

 hot weather and rains, as no less than eight specimens were 

 sent us killed in June, July, August, and September. All of 

 these, however, were young birds. It is clearly, I think, merely 

 a seasonal visitant. We have had no reason to believe that it 

 occurs at the Nicobars. 



261 Ms.— Lanius lucionensis, Lin. (33.) 



Of this species, which was very abundant in the neighbour- 

 hood of Port Blair, we obtained a large series. Although these 

 birds differ very much inter se, as I shall explain more particu- 

 larly hereafter, they can at no age be confounded with cris- 

 tatus. In size and structure the two species agree so closely 

 that I have found it impossible to separate them on any other 

 ground than that of difference in color; but this difference 

 exists at all ages and in both sexes, and though it is much more 

 conspicuous in the oldest birds, it is always sufficiently manifest 

 to prevent the two being confounded. It has been asserted 

 that structural differences exist, and it may be that in lucionensis 

 the bill is really a shade longer and has the tooth slightly more 

 strongly developed ; but even of this I am not sure, and after 

 comparing about 30 specimens of each I can discover no con- 

 stant difference, except that of color, between the two species, 

 although individuals of each differ greatly the one from the other. 



The Andaman and Nicobar birds appear precisely similar to 

 those which I have from China. 



The following are dimensions recorded from fresh specimens 

 of both sexes, which do not differ, that I can discover, appreci- 

 ably in size : — 



Length, 7'5 to 8*25 ; expanse, 10*5 to 11*6; wing, 3 "4 to 

 3*75 ; tail, from vent, 375 to 4'12 ; tarsus, 09 to 1"0 ; bill, from 

 gape, - 85 to 0*95 ; bill, at front, 05 to 065; wings, when 

 closed, reach from within 2*3 to 2*6 of end of tall; weight, from 

 1 to 125 ozs. 



The legs and feet are dull leaden blue, or dull bluish, or 

 sometimes even greenish horny. The upper mandible is horny 

 brown, edged whitish near the gape ; the terminal third of the 

 lower mandible horny brown ; the basal two-thirds bluish or 

 fleshy white ; the irides are brown. 



In the old adult, the lores, a narrow stripe under, and a 

 broad stripe behind the eye including the ear coverts, black or 

 blackish brown. A narrow white line runs along the base of the 



