BIRDS OF TENASSBRIM. 157 



205 bis. — Hierococcyx nanus, Hume. (4). Descr. 

 S. F., V., 490. 



Bankasoon. 



Confined, in Tenasserim, to the evergreen forests of the 

 extreme south of the province; probably a mere straggler 

 from Siam. 



206.— Hierococcyx nisicolor, Hodgs. (1). Descr. S.F., 

 V., 96, 347. 



Thatone. 



Only once met with in Tenasserim. 



I have already written at some length in regard to this species, 

 loc cit., but I wish here to notice further that we obtained an 

 adult of this species in the neighbourhood of Malacca agreeing 

 feather for feather with our Himalayan and Thatone specimens, 

 but whereas in no one of ten Himalayan and one Thatone speci- 

 men does the wing exceed 7 inches, and in seven out of the ten it 

 is less thau this; in our Malayan specimen the wing is 7*35. Of 

 course, this bird cannot be confounded with fugax, which has a 

 very much larger bill. 



207.— Hierococcyx sparveroid.es, Vig. (10). 



{Karennee, at 4,000 feet, Rams.) Pahpoon ; Thatone ; Moulmein; Amherst. 



Common in the plains country between the Sittang and Sal- 

 ween rivers ; rarer elsewhere. Confined to the northern and 

 central portions of the province. 



[Frequents gardens and thin tree jungle. Feeds chiefly on 

 insects. Has a fine loud call. Threads its way through the trees 

 of a clump and flies out suddenly from one chimp of trees to 

 another, creating a great commotion amongst all the small birds 

 of the neighbourhood, parties of whom continually follow and. 

 chase it, mistaking it, as indeed I myself have often done, for 

 a Hawk, which in its flight it exactly resembles. — W. D.] 



As I have shown elsewhere Gould's strenuus is only a laro-e 

 specimen of this species. The plumage he admits himself is 

 identical, and exceptionally fine Tenasserim and Himalayan 

 specimens quite come up to, and in several cases considerably 

 exceed his dimensions of strenuus. Southern Indian specimens 

 run considerably smaller. 



The following are dimensions and colors of soft parts recorded 

 of three males and two females :■- — 



Males. — Length, 163 to 16-5 ; expanse, 25'8 to 275 ; tail 

 from vent, 8'0 to 9'0 ; wing, 9-2 to 9'8 ; tarsus, 1-05 to 1-1 ; bill 

 from gape, 1*35 to 1*5 ; weight, 6 to 7 ozs. 



