BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 49 



The exterior tail feather has the entire outer weh white, and 

 rather more than the terminal half of the interior web white, 

 the remainder black, the white and black meeting in a slanting 

 line, so placed that there is most white towards the shaft, and most 

 black towards the margins. The next two feathers are very 

 similar, but have a portion of the outer webs also black. 



The abdomen is a fiery orange yellow, paling towards the vent, 

 which, with the lower tail coverts, are rather pale orange yellow. 

 The fourth and fifth quills are equal and longest ; the third, 015 ; 

 the second about - 6 ; and the first about 2 - 3 shorter. 



The sides are something like the breast — the feathers, grey at 

 their bases ; the visible portions, more or less bright, golden olive 

 green. 



The female differs in having the head olive brown, with only 

 a slight greenish tinge ; the interscapulary region, back and 

 rump, ruf escent brown ; the chin, throat, and breast, a grey 

 brown, with only a faint tinge on the two former of greenish 

 olive. The abdomen and the rest of the lower parts more of a 

 gamboge yellow, with only a faint orange tinge on the upper 

 abdomen. The barrings on the coverts, tertiari.es, &c, broader 

 than in the male, and buffy instead of white. 



117.— Merops viridis, Lin. 



Thayetmyo specimens do not appear to me to differ sufficient- 

 ly to warrant their separation from viridis; typical viridis has 

 only a moderate tinge of golden rusty on the head and nape. In 

 the far west, in Sindh, this tinge is almost entirely wanting ; in 

 the east, in Burmah, it is very strongly developed, and it is to 

 the eastern race Hodgson gave the name ferrugiceps. I could 

 easily break viridis into three races — a western, southern, and 

 eastern ; but they appear to me to be clearly all one bird, and I 

 have no doubt whatsoever that Linnseus's name ought to be 

 retained for them all. 



Mr. Oates remarks : " Extremely common everywhere in the 

 plains, except in thick forests ; not found in the Pegu Hills. The 

 young are hatched in the first week in May. The following is a 

 resume of the measurements of eight birds : — 



"Length, 8-95 to 9-35; expanse, 115 to 12; tail, from 

 vent, 4*4 to 5 ; wing, 3-6 to 3"81 ; tarsus, 0-39 to 043 ; bill, 

 from gape, 1*3 to 1*49. 



" The irides, bright red; bill, black, becoming brown at the 

 gape; eyelids, smoky brown ; legs and feet, fleshy grey ; claws, 

 horny." 



118.— Merops Daudini, Guv. 



Specimens from Thayetmyo differ in no respect from those 

 rom other parts of India. Mr. Oates remarks : "Occurs in large 



a 



