Letters to the Editor. 427 



Judging from this brief auatomical account^ there can, I think, 

 be no doubt that our species has very little in common with 

 either the Cuculid^e, or the Picid^, but that its natural allies 

 are in the Capitonid^, an opinion which was some years ago 

 fairly and satisfactorily proved by Mr. Sclater (" Ibis/^ 1870, p. 

 176), supported by Mr. W. T. Blanford (in his work on 

 Abyssinia) and to which opinion also Mr. Hume lately (ante, 

 p. 315) inclined, when examining specimens of the present 

 species. I cannot say whether any of the foreign Indicatorina can 

 justify an intermediate position of this family between the PiciDiG, 

 and Capitonidje. Looking at /. xanthonotiu, we are only reminded 

 of a wood-pecker by the proiportionate length of the primaries, 

 and by the shortness of the outer tail feathers. With Megalama 

 vlrens for instance, even the external resemblance is much greater; 

 the yellow bill provided with stiff bristles at the base, the naked 

 space round the eye, and the greenish feet with the tarsi broadly 

 shielded in front. The flight and habits as already noticed, also 

 much resembles that of a Megalmna. 



Although the name ' honey guide' seems anything but appro- 

 priate for our Indian species, it is doubtful whether this last can 

 be generically separated from its African allies. 



I did not hear it uttering any call. 



F. Stoliczea, 



Naturalist to the Tarkaiid Mission. 

 Murree. 



