BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 



125 



163 bis. — Yungipicus canicapillus, Blyth. (25) J. A. 

 S. B., XIV., 197, 1845. Descr. S. F., Ill, 60. 



? variegatus, Lath, apud Wagl., Syst. Av. Gen. Pic. sp. 26, 

 1827, nee. Lath. 



? bicolor, Gm., S.N. I., 438, 1788 apud Wagl. loc. cit , 1827 

 nee. Gm. 



? moluccensis, Tern, nee Gm. Tabl. Meth. 63,1838. 



?sondiacus, Wall, apud Gray. Hand List 8589, 1870; apud 

 Tiocedd., Ibis, 1877, 290; Wall, in Uccelli di Borneo, 

 43, n. 1874. 



? fuscoalbidus, Salvad. U. di B., 42, 1874. 



(TongJtoo, Karennee, at 4,000 feet, Rams.) K.youk-nyat; Pahpoon ; Tliatone ; 

 E-poo; Amherst: Yea; Zadee; MeetaMyo; Mergui ; Bankasoon ; Malewoon. 



Generally distributed throughout the province to an ele- 

 vation not exceeding 5,000 feet. 



[This speces chiefly frequents old clearings, moderately thin 

 jungle, groves of trees, &c, but avoids, as a rule, dense forest 

 or bamboo jungle. 



It extends quite to the south of the Malayan Peninsula. 

 I have shot it in Johore, and have seen it in Singapore. — W. D.] 



Sumatran and Malaccan specimens, and (the Marquis of 

 Tweeddale informs us, Ibis, 1877, 290,) Javan ones also, are 

 identical. Again Malaccan specimens and others from 

 different portions of the Malay Peninsula are inseparable from 

 others from all parts of the Tenasserim provinces, Upper 

 Burma, Tipperah and Cachar. From all localities the size is 

 somewhat variable. In all localities the extent of the brown- 

 ish grey of the crown, the width and depth of color of the 

 dark occipital patch and lateral crown stripes varies, as does 

 also the amount of spotting on the central tail feathers. 



Assuming that the Javan birds are identical with the Su- 

 matran and Malaccan, then, if we reject Wagler's name, all the 

 birds must stand under Blyth's name. 



I am not sure whether, strictly speaking, according to the 

 Code, Wagler's name can be rejected. It involves doubtless an 

 erroneous identification, but it was the first distinctive appel- 

 lation bestowed upon the species, and was accompanied by a 

 detailed description. 



Anyhow if we reject Wagler's name we must accept Blytlr's. 



It has been said that canicapillus is larger, has a greater ex- 

 tent of grey on the crown, a darker tone of coloration on the 

 upper surface, &c; but, as a matter of fact from Sumatra to 

 Cachar, the species is absolutely one and the same. Indivi- 

 duals vary, but there does not appear to be the smallest con- 

 stant local variation in either color or size. 



