Ephialtes Balli, Sp. Nov. 



Of the pennatus type ; but larger tliaii either pennatus, Hodg., or spilo- 

 ceplialus, iB%i7u Terminal one-fourth of tarsus, bare; wing, 5'78,- upper 

 surface, with a few small, pale, rufous huff spots, more or less surround- 

 ed with a narrow blackish line. 



This fine species^ which is certainly new to our Indian avi- 

 fauna^, is the one noticed^ doubtfully ^ by Mr. Ballj as jS. spilo- 

 cep/mlus ; (vide ante, p. 53y/ It is, however, quite distinct from 

 this species, of which I have now a large series, and which never 

 assumes the rufous phase ; moreover, the spottings on it are of 

 a totally different character, and it has a greater extent of the 

 tarsus bare. It is impossible to say whether this may, or may 

 not, be gymnopodus, Gray, as I can find no detailed description of 

 that specieSj nor does there appear to be any certainty as to 

 where the type specimen was procured. Such Malayan speci- 

 mens as I have seen, did not appear to me to differ from our 

 Indian j05/^;^(5!^!^^^, and though I suspend my opinion on this point, 

 I am inclined to doubt whether P. malayensis, Hay, is a good 

 species, and anyhow there is no doubt, I think, that it differs 

 quite as much from the present species as does pennatus. 



Mr. Ball has already described this bird ; but a fresh descrip- 

 tion may be useful. 



We have as yet, unfortunately, only a single specimen, and 

 this was not measured in the flesh, nor was the sex ascer- 

 tained and recorded. 



Bimemions, — Length, about. 8; wing, 5*78; tarsus, 1-15; 

 bare portion, 0"3. 



Description. — The whole upper surface is a rich deep, some- 

 what ferruginous, rufous brown, a tint altogether different, from 

 that ever assumed by pennatus ; it is faintly freckled, and ver- 

 micilated with black, and bears a few small pale rufous buff 

 spots, more or less surrounded by a narrow blackish line ; the 

 primaries are hair brown, tinged rufous on the outer webs, which, 

 exhibit four or five conspicuous white bars, with traces of dark 

 margins; the inner webs are unmarked, except quite at the base, 

 where towards the margin there are three or four conspicuous 

 yellowish white spots, or imperfect bars. 



The ground color of the lower surface is a rusty buff", but 

 little of this is seen, as the feathers are everywhere finely freckled 

 and vermicilated, and bear the usual black and white spots, or 

 dashes, though these are • less conspicuous than in the allied 

 species; the tarsal plumes are mingled rusty and blackish brown; 

 the tail is like the upper surface; but rather more strongly 



