AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUB. 395 



In confirmation of Dr. Jerdon^s statement, made on the 

 authority of a Shikari, that it pilfers egg's, I may mention that 

 the stomach of one, which I shot in Manbhum in 1867, con- 

 tained, in addition to grasshoppers, the shell of a white egg — 

 apparently a dove's. 



The following are measurements in inches of various specimens 

 in my collection : — 



Gangpur sex? Wing 77 ; Tail 108 ; Tarsus 19 ; Bill from gape 18 

 Rajmehal hills <? „ 72 „ 105 „ 1-9 „ „ „ 16 

 Satpuras $ „ 78 „ 10*5 „ 1'9 „ „ „ 1'6 



Calcutta <?yg. „ 755 „ 95 „ 19 „ „ „ 16 



76.— Centrococcyx Tbengalensis, Gm. (218.) 



I insert the lesser Indian Coucal as it is included in 

 Mr. Blyth's list of Colonel Tickell's birds, but the bird has not 

 been recorded since. 



Mr. Blyth's description appears to have been of a young 

 bird. 



77.— Taccocua sirkee, Gray. (220.) 



The Bengal Sirkeer. Captain Beavan remarks that " Dr. 

 Jerdon's descriptions of all the members of the genus are short 

 and unsatisfactory ;" with this I agree. At the same time the 

 differences are so slight that I believe it almost impossible for 

 any description to be so complete as to enable one to distinguish 

 the species readily. The following six specimens, with the excep- 

 tion of the second, have no white tips on the central tail feathers, 

 unfortunately three of these only are sexed, and they are females ; 

 while the only sexed male in my collection appears to answer to 

 the description of T. ajjinis. 



Dimensions in inches : — 



Satpuras ? Wing 6 ; Tail 9'3 ; Tarsus 17 ; Bill from gape 1 -5 



¥ 

 ? 

 Palamow sex ? 

 Sirguja „ 

 Kajmehal hills,, 



6 275 „ 9 2 „ 1 65 



5 7 „ 65 „ 15 



5-9 „ 8-5 „ 1-6 



59 „ 8 8 „ 1-6 



5o „ 87 „ 1.5 



15 

 1-4 

 1-3 

 1-4 

 1-5 



78.— Taccocua affinis, Blyth. (222.) 



One of my specimens, a male from Palamow, corresponds with 

 Dr. Jerdon's description of the Central Indian Sirkeer. Compar- 

 ing it with the preceding, it has the plumage above darker and a 

 less amount of rufous below, together with the brown tibial 

 plumes, all of which are characteristic of T. affinis. 



