BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 309 



In life this bird has a particularly knowing look, and is one of 

 the prettiest birds of the open lands. It is usually found singly or 

 in pairs, though often half a dozen or more may be seen seated 

 about the bushes near each other, looking as if they all belonged 

 to one flock or party, but I do not think they act in concert or 

 ever go in flocks ; they are not shy. — W. D.J 



I re-described this well-known species as Olocompsa pe'rsonata 

 some years ago from Acheen, not then knowing the bird and 

 not thinking of closely scrutinizing the described species of 

 the genus locos, to which, though usually so classed, it does not, 

 in my opinion, in the least belong. 



Alike structurally, in its habits, and in the localities it affects, 

 it is an Otocompsa, and its note is barely to be distinguished from 

 that of 0. fuscicaudata and emeria, as any one (for it is a 

 common cage bird) can easily satisfy themselves. 



The following are dimensions, &c, recorded in the flesh : — 



Males. —Length, 7*75 to 8-1 ; expanse, 11-0 to 11-45; tail 

 from vent, 3-1 to 3'25 ; wing, 3-37 to 3*62 ; tarsus, 079 to 

 0*82; weight, 1*2 to l*5oz. 



Females.— Length, 7-4.5 to 7*82; expanse, 10-5 to 10-9; tail 

 from vent, 3-0 to 3-45 ; wing, 3-25 to 3"27 ; bill from gape, OS 

 to 0-85; weight, 1-0 to l-25oz. 



Legs, feet, claws and bill, black ; irides wood brown. 



452 sept.—Ixus plumosus, Blyth. (14), 



Pabyin ; Mergui ; Patoe Island ; Bopyin ; Malewoon. 



Confined to the southernmost district of the province. 



[Not a common bird within our limits, and keeping chiefly 

 to the forests, though occasionally occurring in more open 

 ground. ; usually seen in pairs or singly. It is not a very noisy 

 bird ; its note is not that of the Otocompsas, but a sort of chirp- 

 ing chattering more like that of the Crimpers. It does not 

 descend to the ground, and feeds chiefly on berries. — W. D.] 



Count Salvadori (Uccelli di Borneo, 199) wrongly unites this 

 species with the next brunneus, Blyth, and remarks : " The 

 female is distinguished from the male precisely by those characters 

 by which Blyth distinguished brunneus from plumosus, and 

 specially by wanting the greenish tint on the margins of the 

 quills and tail feathers ; besides this she is somewhat smaller, and 

 has the bill light horn colored " 



The Marquis of Tweeddale with less excuse (for I had already, 

 S. F., III., 323 n., explained the difference between the two 

 species) reiterates the same error by uniting the two species. 

 Nothing but ignorance of the birds in life can explain this ground- 

 less union of two perfectly distinct species. Setting aside 



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