NOVELTIES. 485 
I have twenty-three before me now—at al! approach burmanica 
in the minute and speckly character of the spottings. 
I am not yet in a position to point out how the present 
species differs from amandava in the non-breeding plumage, 
or, how the females of the two may be discriminated. 
Alcippe Bourdilloni, Sp. Nov. 
Similar to A atriceps, Jerdon, but with much stouter bill and tarsi 
and with the black cap entirely replaced by brown. Similar also 
to poiocephala, but smaller (wing, 24 against 2-7 inches, in poiocephala) 
with more robust bill, wanting the grey head, ear coverts deep brown 
and chin, throat, and breast, white. Similar to A. nigrifrons, Blyth 
but larger (wing, 2°4 against 2°2/; bill more compressed at base, 
upper surface much less rufescent and no black on forehead. 
Tue above diagnosis will, I think, sufficiently explain the 
relation of this Travancore Quaker Thrush, first procured by 
Mr. Frank Bourdillon, after whom I have named it, with the 
Cingalese and other nearly-allied Southern Indian forms. I 
shall therefore only add dimensions and a description of a 
male shot at Mynall on the 9th February :— 
Length, 5°6; expanse, 6; wing, 2°4; tail, 2; tarsus, 0°95; 
bill at front, from base of skull, 0°65; from gape, 0°69. 
The upper mandible, deep blackish brown; lower mandible, 
pale whitish horny ; the legs and feet appear to have been 
brown. 
Lores, forehead, cheeks, entire crown, brown, becoming ting- 
ed at the base of the neck, with the rufescent olive brown 
of the back; ear coverts, blackish brown; back, upper tail 
coverts, and tail, almost precisely as in poiocephala, except that 
the tail is shorter than in this species; wings, a rufescent olive 
brown, not quite so rufescent as in poiocephala, with the inner 
webs of the quills hair brown; 5th, 6th, 7th quills almost 
exactly equal; 4th, a shade shorter; 3rd, 0°15; 2nd, 0°83; 1st, 
1:0 shorter than the longest. 
Tail very much rounded; exterior tail feathers, 0°8; next 
pair, 0-4; next pair, 0-2 shorter than the central ones; chin, 
throat, and upper breast, pure white; rest of lower parts, grey, 
tinged on sides, flanks, vent, and lower tail coverts with pale 
slightly ferruginous brown, but not nearly so strongly so as 
in atriceps. 
The bill is very considerably deeper and more compressed 
than in nigrifrons, and it is altogether a larger bird. 
Generally the upper surface more resembles poiocephala, 
the lower surface nigrifrons. 
