BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 193 



They have a sharp note, or rather series of notes (which might 

 be most nearly imitated by drawing the point of a nail or hard- 

 pointed substance in a series of jerks over a pane of glass) which 

 they utter at short intervals. They are particularly fond of 

 frequenting the dense clumps of parasitical plants growing on 

 other trees, and feeding on the fruit, especially of the Loranthus. 

 They also feed on minute insects and on the nectar of flowers, 

 as is shown by the forehead and crown being often coated with 

 pollen.— W. D.] 



Count Salvadori (U. de B.) seems disposed to accept ignitwn 

 of Begbie from Malacca as distinct on the strength of Lord 

 Walden's remark, P. Z. S., 1866, 544, that the specimens he had 

 seen from the Peninsular differed in being smaller and having a 

 shorter bill, and by the black portion of the plumage being a 

 deep blue rather than a deep green black ; the red plumage also 

 being of a richer tone. 



We have an enormous series of these from all parts of Tenasse- 

 rim, from Malacca, from Akyab and Rangoon, Calcutta, Commilla, 

 Dacca, aud Assam, and I must confess my inability to discover 

 the slightest difference in coloration between the birds as a body 

 from these different localities. 



Individual 'specimens in each locality differ a little in the 

 points noticed by Lord Walden, and this is due apparently to the 

 season at which they are killed. 



As regards size of bill again I cannot detect the smallest 

 constant difference, but it seems to me that in Malayan speci- 

 mens the wings do perhaps average from 3 to 5-hundreths of an 

 inch shorter than Indian ones. There is no such thing, however, 

 as discriminating Straits specimens from Indian ones by mea- 

 surement ; some Indian specimens have the wing only 1*8, and 

 none of the Straits specimens that I possess have smaller wings 

 than this. I speak of course of males, and the wings of these 

 in the Straits run up to 1'95 against 2*0 as a maximum of 

 Indian specimens. Most certainly the Malaccan birds are not 

 distinct. I do not think that they are ' even a distinguishable 

 race. 



The following are dimensions, &c v recorded in the flesh of 

 Tenasserim specimens : — 



Males.— Length, 35 to 3*82 ; expanse, 6-25 to 6'5 ; tail from 

 vent, I/O to 1-6 ; wing, 1'85 to 2*0 ; tarsus, 0'45 toO'55 ; bill 

 from gape, 0"4 to0'5 ; weight 0'25oz. 



Females. — Length, 3*5 to 4*82 ; expanse, 6'0 to 6*25 ; tail 

 from vent, 0-82 to 1"12 ; wing, 1-75 to 2*0 ; tarsus, 0'45 to 05; 

 bill from gape, 0*42 toO'5 ; weight, about 0*2 oz. 



Legs, feet aud claws black or blackish brown ; bill black; irides 

 dark brown. 



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