BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 101 



283.— Bringa tectirostris, Hodgs. 



Specimens from Thayetmyo are not separable, I think, from 

 Sikhim and other Himalayan birds, though they seem to be 

 rather smaller and to have a slightly broader and less compressed 

 bill. The whole of this family is extraordinarily variable ; and as 

 I have had no opportunity of examining- Javan and Sumatran 

 specimens, I do not know that these are really distinct, and only 

 follow Mr. Gray in assigning to our Indian bird Hodgson's name 

 above cited. 



Mr. Oates says : " I saw a few specimens in the Evergreen 

 Forests, where it appears to be tolerably common ; no bird that I 

 saw of this species had long tail feathers up to the end of April. 

 A female I shot, which had no elongated tail feathers, and which 

 was probably a young bird, measured : Length, 10*3; expanse, 

 15-8; tail, from vent, 5*2; wing, 5*1 ; bill, from gape, 1'13; 

 tarsus, 0-85. The bill, legs, feet, and claws were black; the 

 inside of the mouth, blackish grey ; eyelids, plumbeous ; iris, rich 

 reddish brown/'' 



284— Dissemurus malabaroides, Eodgs. 



I have already (Stray Feathers, 1874, p. 212) discussed the 

 different species of Dissemurus. I have only to say that the birds 

 from Pegu are identical with those from the Himalayas, except 

 that in the case of some of the specimens that I have seen from 

 the former locality both the crests and bills were slightly smaller 

 than those of Himalayan specimens. A bird, however, from the 

 Arracan Hills is absolutely identical with Nepalese specimens. 



Further south and east a different race, rangoonensis, Gould, 

 which is, I believe, considered identical with paradiseus, L., re- 

 places the Himalayan form. 



Mr. Oates says : " The Great Racket-tailed Drongo is common all 

 over the country ; near some of the springs of water in the Pegu 

 Hills, especially on the western side where water is scarce, I have 

 seen as many as ten or twelve together close to my camp, trying 

 to get a sip at a small pool of water which I and my followers 

 had monopolized. It has a magnificent voice, and its song is 

 very rich and powerful. It sings at all hours, but chiefly in the 

 evening about sunset. A specimen I shot (sex ?) measured : Length, 

 21-1 ; expanse, 19*7 ; tail, from vent, 153 ; wing, 65 ; bill, from 

 gape, 1*41 ; tarsus, TOo. The iris was pink; bill, legs, and feet, 

 black." 



286.— Chibia hottentotta, Lin. 



Mr. Oates says : " This is a rare bird. I procured one at Boulay, 

 and lately saw another at the same place. The bird I shot was a 

 male, and measured : Length, 12 - 8; expanse, 20*5; tail, from 



