THE LACCADIVES AND THE WEST COAST. 471 
darker, and others lighter in shade, and the wings too vary 
somewhat in length. I have given on a former oceasion, “STRAY 
Fwatuers” loc. cit., the dimensions of numerous specimens from 
the Sind coast and the Gulf of Oman. To judge from four 
specimens, two of each sex which I measured in the flesh at the 
Laceadives, these latter are somewhat smaller, but the birds 
are really not separable, and the difference in the size of the 
wings in these latter is due to the fact, that none of those which 
I happened to measure had the two longest primaries fully 
developed. The following are the dimensions :—- 
Length, Expanse. Tail. Wing imperfect. Tarsus, B. from gape, B. from front. Weight. 
12"7 a7 2-8 
Me Qe Uo no 
Males Se Bue Se 11°25 lb 
195 4370 672 12-3 weg 37°55 2-65 14oz 
Hehe 2075 42/0 Ty 12-7 13 31°35 25 l4oz 
CERN 19°75 428 65 13-0 135 3°35 2” 6 llb 
A female that I did not measure in the flesh but which has 
the primaries fully developed, has the wing, 13:7; although 
the billis only 2°5 at front. In all, the legs, feet, and claws, 
were black ; the irides, brown ; and the bill, pale wax yellow with 
a greenish tinge. In all, the forehead was pure white; and the 
entire crown white streaked with black; only the occiput and 
occipital crest being dull black ; the feathers, in many specimens, 
being slightly edged with white. ; 
In the breeding season, the entire crown, occiput, and occipi- 
tal crest, become jet black, and the bill, a purer and_ brighter 
rellow. 
; I now subjoin a few leading dimensions of the series of speci- 
mens from various parts of the coasts of India :— 
S. Bergii, Wing. Billat F. Tarsus. Locality. 
os $ 14"6 2"-62 1" 44 Gwader Mekran Coast. 
i ce it ds ame ey anes Ieee ae A 
9 14°3 Ogg | Hq ot aie x 
Heyes badass 2-6 tin!) hes i 
Fs 3 14"55 te 1""4 Kurachee. 
i D LBG 2" 5 1”-29 Laccadives. 
” re SS 1 2"-5 1"2 ” 
- 2 imperfect 2-45 1"-23 AA 
2 do. 215 1"°3 ” 
eu Weare eG 2"62 "26 ‘ 
ae $ imperfect 2°85 29 ee 
me ep 7 = "99 fs 
< 9 13°8 O55 127 x 
% Q imperfect 2"'5 1"°3 ” 
e 9 13"7 Q"5 "99 ‘3 
a $ imperfect Daas: 1eS5iC4 9 
2 13"65 2"°65 1":33 Madras. 
i 9 138"6 247 1-26 <4 
Pe Sinker. OG 1°25 Saugor Island. 
is yar? 2”°66 1":°33. Megna, Comilla. 
MO 
