IN SAMBALPUR AND ORISSA. Day 
Though shot in May, the plumage of this specimen shews no 
approach to the described summer plumage. 
939.—Platalea leucorodia, Linn. 
I saw asmall party of Spoonbills in the Mahanadi close to 
Cuttack. One of these which I shot has the outer webs of the 
first two primaries mottled with greyish-black, and all the pri- 
maries tipped with the same color. 
983.—Gelochelidon anglicus, Wont. 
At Chandballi I shot a specimen of the Gull-billed Tern in 
May. It has a peculiarly lazy flight. Dr. Jerdon speaks of 
the species as being exceedingly abundant over all India. Such 
is not my experience, as I have never met it in any of the 
inland districts with which I am familiar.* 
995.—Rhyncops albicollis, Swains. 
I came across a large flock consisting of Skimmers and Terns 
(Seena aurantia) in the Mahanadi near Cuttack. I managed to 
obtain half a dozen specimens of the former, but was struck 
with the difference in the actions of the two species. While the 
Terns attracted rather than frightened by my shots, flew in 
swarms over and close to my head, the Skimmers, for the most 
part, kept out of range. Howeyer, by waiting patiently for 
chances, and leaving the Terns to their diversions, I got the 
number I wanted. I previously met this species in the Ganges 
near Rajmehal. 
dote on the Synonymy of Spipalandy. 
By W. T. Buanrorp. 
Ow1ne to the length of time during which the types of 
the species of birds described in 1832 by Colonel Sykes have 
remained inaccessible, doubts have arisen as to which of the 
two kinds of Lark referred by different naturalists to Alauda 
deva was correctly identified. As was indicated by Dr. 
Jerdon, but first, so far as I know, clearly pointed out by Mr. | 
Hume, these two forms, which have long been referred to 
different genera, are in reality closely allied: they resemble 
each other in plumage, in the form of the wing and of the 
crest, and in having the hind claw only moderately lengthened, 
whilst they are distinguished by difference in size, and slightly 
in coloration, The larger of these is the bird ultimately 
identified by Jerdon and Blyth with Alauda malabarica of 
* It is certainly common about all large jheels wherever I have been in the 
plains country, It is of course rare in dry upland hilly tracts —Ep., 8S. F 
