396 NOVELTIES. 



I liave not the slightest doubt that this is a perfectly distinct 

 species, and I cannot make out how Mr. Saunders, who doubtless 

 examined all the specimens in the Museum des Pays Bas, did 

 not notice it. 



Sturnia incognita, Sp. Nov. 



Most •resemlUng S. burmanica, lut naked eye space much more prolonged 

 posteriorly. Head and crest earthy brown, more or less dushy; man- 

 tle nearly hlacJe. Upper tail-coverts and a broad nuchal collar, 

 pinlcy btiffy white. 



Mr. Mandelli sends me three specimens of a Myna collected 

 between our Frontier and Bangkok in Siam, which I am unable 

 to refer to any known species. It is very likely that it has 

 already been described, as it was collected more than a year ago, 

 and many specimens were, 1 believe, sent to Europe, but it seems 

 just as well, as it not improbably may occur also within the 

 Tenasserim border, to give a full description and thus draw 

 attention to it. 



The following are the dimensions taken from dried skins ;— 



Length, 9*0 to 10"0 ; wing, 4*75 to 5"1; tail from insertion, 

 S'O to 3'4 ; tarsus, 1*28 to 1-4; bill from forehead, I'O to I'l. 



The bill appears to have been orange, redder at the base, yel- 

 lower at the tip, no black at base of lower mandible as in bur- 

 manica ; the legs and feet yellow, dusky on the feet ; the cheeks 

 below the eye, and a band extending for more than half an inch 

 behind the eye bare, black in the dry skin, perhaps deep blue in 

 the fresb bird. 



In this respect, as also in the shape of the bill, the bird resem- 

 bles Sturnia buj^manica, but has a greater development of the 

 bare patch. 



The lores dusky ; the forehead, crown and occiput, including 

 the filamentous crest and the sides of the occiput, a sort of dull 

 earthy brown, in some specimens becoming dusky towards the 

 occiput ; chin, throat and sides of the head below the bare patch 

 dirty white and in specimens which are dusky on the crest, with 

 more or less of a blackish dusky patch at the base of the throat, 

 extending in one specimen well on to the breast. I cannot be 

 certain whether this ie the natural color of the feathers, or whe- 

 ther this black color is due to some stain. 



A broad nuchal collar of a dirty pale pinkish buff or yellowish 

 vinous ; breast, upper abdomen, sides and flanks vinous, much the 

 same color as in burmanica, but dingier; middle of lower abdo- 

 men, vent, tibial plumes, lower tail-coverts, sullied white, with^ 



