Contributions to the Ornithology of India, 8fc. 215 



sueli separation is either desirable or possible. Mr. Gray g-ives 

 a number of species chendoola, Franklin ; Boi/sii, Blytli ; abyssi- 

 nica, Bonap ; isabellina, Bonap ; macrorhyncha, Tristram ; rutiia, 

 Miiller ; brachyzcra, Tristram. I confess that I should g-reatly 

 like to see the type specimens of all these supposed species. 

 Seeing" as I do how extraordinarily this bird varies' in India, I 

 am strangely suspicious of all these supposed Nubian, Abyssinian, 

 Egyptian, Syrian^ and Arabian Galeridas, while as to the two 

 supposed Indian ones, I know from actual compai-ison of series 

 such as have never probably previously been got together, that 

 they are nothing but G. cristata of Europe. 



As a matter of fact this species is very variable alike in colour 

 and size both according to sex and individuals. The wing varies 

 from 3*5 in a small female to 4"33 in a very large male, and the 

 bill at front, in like manner, varies from 0*54 to 0*76. 



In the Ibis for 1867, p. 48, Mr. Blyth remarks, " Galeriia 

 Boysi, nobis, proves to be a good species. Examples from Lahore 

 have the wing 3 5, and the rest in proportion ; otherwise resem- 

 bling G. cristata. 



I am, however, compelled to suppress this supposed species as 

 well as chendoola, Frank. ; the examination of a large series 

 proves that it is impossible to draw a line anywhere between the 

 largest and the smallest examples. A perfect series of the wings 

 occurs, and as for the difference in tone of plumage, big and 

 little examples are alike met with amongst the brown, rufous, 

 sandy or desert color, and grey types. I have measured carefully 

 some fifty specimens and arranged them before me according to 

 the size of the wing, and the following will shew the localities 

 whence I received the birds, with each size of wing. 



3-5 Etawah, Sirsa, North-West Punjab^ Km-rachee. 



3*6 Etawah, Saharunpore. 



3-65 Mittenkote banks of Indus North Sindh. 



3" 7 Sirsa, Etawah, Raipore, Sirsa. 



3-78 Etawah, Sirsa. 



3*8 Sirsa, Etawah, Peshawur. 



3'85 Sirsa. 



3 "9 Etawah, Jerripanee Mussoorie, Loodiana, Etawah, Sirsa, 

 Murdan, Banks of Chenab near junction of Indus, ditto. 



3-92 Kurrachee. 



3*95 Saharunpore, Sirsa, Mittenkote. 



3-97 Sukkur Sindh. 



4-0 Sirsa, Sirsa, Etawah, Murdan, Sirsa, Sehwan Sindh. 



4-05 Sirsa. 



4-08 Gwader the Mekran Coast. 



4*1 Sirsa, Sukkur^ Chenab near junction of Indus. 



