154 NOTES. 



from the Munipore Valley, with others of 



Pyctorhis longirostris, Hodgs. 



Moore, P. Z. S., 1854, 104. 



Moore and Horsf., Cat. Mus. E. I. C, 408, No. 666, 1854. 



Jerdt, B. of In., No. 386, II., 16, 1863. 



from Cachar, Gowhatti at foot of the Khasia Hills, the Bhotan 

 Doars, and the Sikhim Terai, has proved that the two are iden- 

 tical. Major Godwin- Austen's plate led me to suspect this from 

 the first, but his assignment of the species to Layardia stag- 

 gered me, and I thought it possible that the artist might have 

 misdrawn the bill, since it was impossible to believe that any 

 ornithologist would assign a bird with a bill, such as Pyctor- 

 his longirostris has, and such as the plate above referred to re- 

 presents, to the genus Layardia. 



Both Layardia subrufa and rufescens have true Malacocer- 

 cine bills, and the feathers of the head belonging to the same 

 type. Pyctorhis longirostris, beyond belonging to the same 

 huge family, has nothing in common with Layardia, except the 

 rufous tint, and even this is of a wholly different character. 



The two descriptions tally so marvellously that it is difficult to 

 understand how this should have been overlooked — the only 

 difference being that, (the colour of the under surface varying 

 a good deal, as such birds commonly do in depth of coloring) 

 Moore described one with the lower surface rather whiter, 

 Austen one with the lower parts rather more rufescent. 



The dimensions differ somewhat it is true, but not materially, 

 and it may be useful to contrast those of Moore and Austen 

 with those of specimens now before me. 



Length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill at front. 



Moore (Nepal Terai) ... 825f 275 3-25 1-0 062 



Austen (Munipur Valley) ... 9-5 30 4-8 1-16* 062 



Hume (Cachar) ... 8'2f 29 4o 1-03 07 



(Munipur Valley) ... 8.5f 302 4-6 108 075 



(Gowhatti) ... 785f 29 375 1-16 0'65 



(Sikhim Terai) ... 80f 31 4-3 T08 07 



( „ „ ) ... 8-6f 30 47 1-17 08 



(Bhootan Doars) ... 7-25f 2-8 40 12 071 



( » ,» ) - 7-9f 2 9 40 1-15 073 



Some specimens agree in plumage more exactly with Moore's, 

 others with Austen's description ; especially some do show 

 blackish shafts to the frontal feathers, while others do not. 



As to the true generic position of this species, I do not hesi- 

 tate to confirm its location in Pyctorhis. The wings, tail, feet, 

 and what I hold to be of considerable importance, the character 



* Misprinted 1*6, J. A. S. B„ loo. cit. 



f In the skin ; Major Austen's measurement of length is probably either in the 

 flesh, or allowing for the shortening of the neck in dry skins. 



