BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 97 



Birds vary in length from 6*4 to 6'6 ; expanse, 8 to 8 # 3; tail, 

 from vent, 3 to 3*5; wing, 2*5 to 2*6; bill, from gape, 0*53 to 

 0*55 ; tarsus, 0*55 to 065. 



" The irides are dark brown, hardly distinguishable from 

 the eyeballs; eyelids, grey; bill and legs, black; claws, dark 

 horny/'' 



278.— Dicrurus albirictus, Hodgs. 



Thayetmyo specimens are not to be separated from others from 

 various parts of the Indian empire. Birds differ inter se in 

 size, breadth, and carination of bill; in the size, presence or 

 absence of the white rictal spot, in the length of the tail and 

 the width of the tail feathers ; but here, as in the case of longi- 

 caudatus, I see no possibility of making more than one species. 

 Dr. Jerdon's longus, which is supposed to differ in wanting the 

 rictal spot, cannot, it seems to me, stand. There is no part of India, 

 I believe, in which specimens wanting the rictal spot may not be 

 found, and between the absolute absence of the spot, and the 

 presence of a large well-marked spot, every intermediate grada- 

 tion may be found, from the merest indication on one side of the 

 gape only. 



Mr. Oates remarks : " For many months of the year this 

 species is very abundant ; but from April to September or October 

 few, comparatively speaking, are to be seen, the bulk go away 

 to breed elsewhere; but where do they breed ? On the Pegu Hills 

 I saw none. In the cold-weather you may see a dozen together 

 in your compound ; now, in August, it would be difficult to find 

 two in a whole day." 



280.— Dicrurus longicaudatus, Hmj. 



Some of the specimens of this species sent from Thayetmyo 

 are probably identical with Blyth's D. intermedins, which he thus 

 described (Journal, Asiatic Society, 1846, Pt. XV, p. 298) — 

 " D. intermedins, nobis, nova species. Also closely allied to 

 D. ccerulescens, but having no white whatever on the under parts, 

 which are darker than the throat and breast of D. ccerulescens, 

 and have a faint steel blue gloss. The upper parts are also glossed 

 with steel blue instead of steel green. Length of wing, 5 ;. of 

 middle tail feathers, 3| ; and of outermost tail feathers, If inch 

 more. From Penang, in general aspect intermediate to B. 

 ccerulescens and D. longicaudatus." 



If these specimens really belong to this species, then I enter- 

 tain no doubt that this is nothing more than one of the numerous 

 forms of D. longicaudatus, — forms which I have satisfied myself 

 are only partially local, vaiying quite as much with the individual 

 as they do according to locality. 



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