BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 61 



spotted, and the latter broadly margined with white. But 

 although this distinction holds good as a rule, I have two 

 specimens of pygmaus — one from Kalsi in the Dhoon, and the 

 other from Barsota in Gurhwal — in which the upper tail coverts 

 are conspicuously margined with white; and I have another 

 of canicapillus from Tipperah with only two tiny white spots 

 on the inner webs of the two central feathers, and no spottings 

 at all on the next feathers on either side; and another from 

 Thayetmyo, with the central tail feathers absolutely unspotted ; 

 and those next to them, with only two small spots on the outer 

 webs of each, while I have plenty of typical birds from both 

 localities. As regards size and shape of bill and color of under 

 parts these afford no criterion, so that, on the whole, all one can 

 say is that, though nine-tenths of the birds can be separated at 

 once by the character of the tails and upper tail coverts, here and 

 there a bird is met with which, unless informed of the locality 

 whence it was obtained, might be almost indifferently assigned 

 to either species. 



I should add that the synonomy of this little group much 

 requires investigation. The bird I have identified as nanus, 

 Vigors, is the one described as Harclwickii by Jerdon. My 

 rubricatns is the one of which the male is distinguished by the 

 broad crimson occipital crescent, but whether this should stand 

 under Blyth's name of rubricatus or Mitchelli, Malh., or semi- 

 coronatus, Malh., I am not in a position to decide ; all I can say is 

 that, though Mr. Gray makes out seven species within our limits, 

 I know of only five, and I scarcely believe that more exist. 



165 Us — Hemicircus canente, Less. 



Though neither Captain Feilden nor Mr. Oates have obtained 

 it within our limits, it has been sent thence in several collections. 

 I may add that Mr. Oates procured a single specimen, a male, 

 in the Arracan Hills in January, of which he notes the following 

 dimensions : — 



Length, 65; wing, 3*95 ; tail, from vent, T7; bill, at front, 

 0-98; tarsus, 0'7. 



Our Indian cordatus, Jerdon, is apparently little else than a 

 diminutive race of this species, with less white upon the wing, 

 and more marked white spotting on the forehead and crown of 

 the male. In our Indian bird a fine male has the wing 375 ; 

 bill, at front, 0*75; tarsus, about 0" 6. 



A similar canente has the wing, 3*9; bill at front, 09; tarsus, 

 0*75. And here it may be as well to draw attention to the fact 

 that in the Indian bird Dr. Jerdon says that the male has the fore- 

 head and top of the head light whitish yellow, and the female 

 differs from the male in having the forehead and head black 

 with minute whitish spots. Now, I cannot speak with certainty 



