BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 159 



unquestionably South Tenasserim specimens belong. For my 

 part, seeing that between the largest Eastern Bengal specimen 

 (wing of male, 47) and the smallest Singapore one (wing of 

 male 3'9), there is a perfect gradation in size, I doubt the 

 expediency of maintaining two species, and adopt CabamV 

 name as it has priority of Jerdon's. 



The following are dimensions, &c, of some few of our Tenas- 

 serim specimens recorded in the flesh : — 



Males. — Length, 7-35 to 9'0 ; expanse, 1175 to 13*0; tail 

 from vent, 3'4 to 5'0; wing, 4*0 to 4*4. 



Females. — Length, 8*8 to 9'5 ; expanse, 1275 to 135 ; tail 

 from vent, 4'5 to 5-12 ; wing, 4-25 to 4*62 ; tarsus, 0-6 to 075 ; 

 bill from gape, 0*9 to TO ; weight, 1-25 oz. 



Legs and feet chrome yellow, tinged red in some specimens ; 

 upper mandible and tip of lower mandible black ; rest of lower 

 mandible red brown ; hides varied, some were pale wood brown, 

 some huffy brown, and others crimson. 



210— Surniculus lugubris, Horsf. (13). 



(Tonghoo Rills, Karennee, Rams.) Moulmein ; Amlierst ; Yea ; Shymotee ; 

 Mergui ; Choulai Creek ; Bankasoon. 



Confined apparently to the southern half of Tenasserim pro- 

 vince, and common there only in the southernmost quarter, but 

 re-appearing in the northern recently incorporated tracts. 



[I shot quite a young bird of this species in some secondary 

 jungle at Mergui ; it was in company with two Dicrurus an- 

 nectans, by one of which it had just a few minutes before been 

 fed. So it is very probable that this species deposits its eggs 

 in the nests of the different species of Dicruri. 



In the north of the province I hardly ever met with this 

 bird, and only shot one specimen close to Yea, but at Mergui and 

 southward it was far from rare, and I obtained a number of 

 specimens. It frequents the forests, secondary scrub, and gardens, 

 but apparently gives the preference to the former. 



Although I have had many opportunities of observing the 

 bird, I never, that I am aware of, heard it utter any note. — 

 W. D.] 



I am quite unable to recognize any valid specific difference 

 between Malayan and Himalayan Drougo Cuckoos, although, 

 no doubt, the latter may average slightly larger. 



Cabanis says, _ Mus. Heine, IV., 18 n, that the Malayan 

 lugubris differs in its smaller size, and, not wholly constant, 

 feebler furcation of the tail; and he says that the wings in 

 Dicmroides measure 603 (5*5 French; against 5*2 (475 French) 

 in the Malayau. 



But the fact is that the Indian Continental species does not, as 

 a rule, measure six inches, nor have I ever met with one single 



