342 BIRDS Or TENASSKRIM. 



ences ; the bill in fasciolatus is deeper ; the first (short) primary 

 is longer and broader; the second (first long) primary is much 

 more nearly equal to the third, and markedly longer than the 

 fourth. In insularis, the first (short) primary is narrower, stiffer, 

 more typically Acrocephaline, and the second (first long) primary 

 is considerably shorter than the third, and exactly equal to the 

 fourth. These distinctions hold good in all my five specimens, 

 but whether they do so universally, I cannot say. 



Mr. Seebohm adds : — 



" At present I am trying to find out if Locustella macropus, 

 Swinhoe, which is said to be the same as Locustdla hendersoni, 

 of Cassin, is the same as, o.- in what respects it differs from, our 

 European bird, L. ncevia."" 



The bird sent me as macropus, Swinhoe, is the same as the 

 birds we in India identify as Ziendersoni, Cassin. But I do not 

 know whether our bird is the true hendersoni, and I have found 

 not a few of Swiuhoe's birds wrongly labelled, as for instance 

 two specimens of Phylloscopus magnirostris, labelled P. sylvicul- 

 trix, Swinhoe, whereas the real sylvicultrix was borealis. I 

 have, therefore, no certainty as to the identity of macropus and 

 hendersoni, but it seems probable. As to the differences between 

 our (supposed) hendersoni and ncevia, they are not great and not 

 easily definable, and with ten of the former and six of the latter 

 before me, I am doubtful whether to consider them distinct or 

 merely races of the same species. 



In the first place ncevia is a somewhat larger bird, as may 

 be seen from the following measurements : — 



L. HENDEESONI, CaSS. ? 



1. Delhi Wing 



2 - » }, 



3. Etawah „ 

 4 



5. Delhi „ 



6. Etawah „ 



7. Delhi „ 



8. >, „ 



9. Etawah „ 

 10. ,, 



The last hendersoni is the only one that makes any near 

 approach to the dimensions of the smallest ncevia, but I have 

 too few of either to be able to assert that this apparent differ- 

 ence in size is a sufficient and constant diagnosis. 



Like ncevia, the adults have the throat and breast entirely 

 spotless, while the young exhibit a few dark brown spots at 

 the base of the throat and on the upper breast. I can establish 

 no constant differences in the proportions of the primaries ; as 

 a rule in both, the second primary about equals the fourth, but in 

 both at times it is longer, and at times shorter. So too in the 



L. ncevia, Bodd. 



1. Hamptead, Wing ... 255 ? 



2. Shooter's Hill „ ... 25 ? 



3. „ ., „ ... 26 3 



4. Yorkshire „ ...2-5 P 



5. Sussex „ ... 2-48 ? 



6. „ „ ... 245 ? 



