214 CONTKIBTJTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. 



The following" are the dimensions of fine adults. The birds 

 from the Andamans and Nicobars not differing- constantly in 

 regard to these, some of the largest and some of the smallest 

 adults being from both localities : — 



Length, 2025 to 24-4, of which the exterior tail feathers pro- 

 ject in the former, 7'25, and in the latter, 109, beyond the 

 penultimate pair; expanse, 19 to 19 - 75 ; wing, 5*9 to 6*5 ; tail, 

 from vent to end of penultimate tail feathers, 5 • 75 to 6*5 ; to end 

 of exterior tail feathers, 1 3 "8 to 16*9 ; tarsus, 1 to 1*05 ; bill, from 

 gape, 1*3 to 1*55. The legs, feet, and bill are black ; the irides 

 vary from reddish brown to deep hair brown. 



This species is probably a permanent resident of both groups ; 

 it certainly is so of the Andamans, whence we have specimens 

 killed in every month from December to September, both 

 months included. 



287 Us.— Artamus leucorhynclms, Lin. (31.) 



I follow Lord Walden in the nomenclature of this species. I 

 have not been able to compare specimens of the Andaman bird 

 with others from different parts of the Archipela'g-o from Acheen 

 to New Guinea. With Australian specimens (? A. leucopggialis) I 

 have compared them, and it appears to me that in the Andaman 

 birds the head and back, but especially the former, are far more 

 slatey, while in the Australian they are more sooty; and again, 

 that the bill in the former is slightly more compressed and nar- 

 rower, especially towards the base, than in the latter. The wings 

 too in the Australian birds all exceeded 5*5, being fully a quarter 

 of an inch longer than the longest wing- in my large series of 

 Andaman specimens. However I had only three Australian 

 specimens before me, and in the case of such nearly allied forms 

 a large series of both is absolutely essential to any safe con- 

 clusion. 



We did not meet with this species anywhere in the Nicobar 

 group, and the bird certainly breeds in the Andamans, so that 

 it is not impossible that the Andaman bird may prove to differ 

 from all the other Archipelagian races, though possibly not suf- 

 ficiently so to warrant specific separation. 



The following are the dimensions of the Andaman birds 

 recorded in the flesh : — 



Length, 6'6 to 7-5 ; expanse, 14-25 to 14*82 ; wing, 5 to 5'25 ; 

 tail, from vent, 2*4 to2'6; tarsus, 0'6 to 0*7; bill, at front, 

 0-69 to 0-75. 



The legs and feet are, in some dusky plumbeous, in some dull 

 black. The bill is pale blue; I might say almost pale smalt blue, 



