172 CoMridtttwiis to the Ofwvtliologf (f InMa,'^e>, 



the spots on the coverts slig-htly more developed- This is merely 

 taking them as a body, specimens of aurardius from the North- 

 Western Provinces may be selected absolutely identical with the 

 Sindh birds. , 



As for the other differences pointed out by Mr. Blyth they 

 absolutely fail when tested by a comparison of any 3ousiderable 

 number of birds. First he says dllutus is rather smaller, but in 

 reality if any thing" it is rather larger. The following are the 

 dimensions of wings of males and females of Sindh birds from 

 a great variety of localities: — Males, 5'5; 5*7; 5'7; 5*7j 

 5-5 ; 5-6 ; 5-7. Females, 5'75 ; 5-5 ; 5-5 ; 5'65 ; 5-8 ; 5-65. 



The following are the wings of atiranUus taken at random 

 from different localities in India — males, 5*3 ; 5*9; 5'35 ; 5"25 ; 

 5"6 ; 5'5 j female, 5'5. The Sindh bird therefore is certainly not 

 smaller. 



Secondly, he says, that the eye streak is less defined, but I can- 

 not confirm this assertion ; individuals may be found in which the 

 eye streak in dllutm is much better defined than in others of 

 mirantius and vice versa ; thirdly, he says, the quilfe are broadly 

 barred with white which is seen conspicuously in the closed wing, 

 while in anrantms and chrysonotus, the white bars are narrow and, 

 inconspicuous. No such distinction can be drawn in practice be- 

 tween birds from Sindh and other parts of India. With a dozen 

 specimens of each before one, it is quite clear that the breadth of 

 the bars on the wing, so far as it varies, varies according to the 

 individual ; and specimens from Sindh may be at once selected" 

 in which the wing bars are actually narrower than in other 

 specimens of aurantius. When not overhung by the second- 

 aries, as is so commonly the case in dry skins, the white bars on 

 the primaries are equally cons])icuous in the closed wings of 

 both aurantius and the Sindh birds. Lastly, Mr. Blyth says, 

 that there is a greater amount of white on the markings of the^ 

 lower surface. I however can discover no such difference. In 

 individuals both of aurantius and the Sindh birds, considerable 

 differences as to the amount of black on the lower surfaces, 

 especially on the throat is observable ; but it is a mere individual 

 peculiarity, possibly dependant on age, and birds in which the 

 black predominates may be as easily selected from the Sindh speci- 

 mens as fi'om those obtained from other portions of the empire. 



After having carefully compared a large series of the Sindh 

 birds with a similar series from other localities, I entertain no 

 doubt that the former differ from the latter solely in the slightly 

 paler tint of the golden back in which an orange shade is 

 scarcely ever traceable, and in the slightly more conspicuous 

 character of the spots on the wing coverts, even these differences 



