BIRDS OP UPPER PEGU. 121 



the flesh. The males as usual amongst these birds run, I find, 

 a good deal larger than the females. The following are the 

 dimensions of both sexes : — 



Males: Length, 6-65 to 6*8; expanse, 8*5 to9'25; tail, from 

 vent, 2-25 to 2*82; wing, 2-5 to2'75; tarsus, 0'95 to T05 ; 

 bill, from gape, 08 to 9 f 85; weight, 1 to 1*2 oz. 



Females: Length, 6 '12 to 6 -4; expanse, 8 to 8- 25 ; tail, 

 2-4 to 2-6; wing, 237 to 2*5 • tarsus, TO; bill, from gape, 0-79 

 to 0-83; weight, 075 to 0-85 oz. 



In both sexes, legs, feet, and claws are pinkish fleshy ; the 

 irides vary from red brown to reddish pink or light pinkish red. 

 The upper mandible is dark brown, paling to the tip. The lower 

 mandible yellow from base to the angle of the gonys, and thence 

 to tip, fleshy or fleshy white. 



There is no donbt that this is a perfectly good and distinct 

 species, but now that I find the bird common, I begin to suspect 

 that this is P. subociiraceum described by that indefatigable 

 ornithologist Mr. Swinhoe in the An. and Mag. of Natural 

 History, 1871, p. 257. 



He says : " Like P. rufieeps, Swainson, of India, but smaller, 

 with less deep bill and shorter tarse ; crown, richer rufous, with 

 a distinct pale buff eye streak extending to- the nape ; breast, 

 flanks, and vent, buff, leaving the belly nearly white; the 

 breast streaked with a few, long, olive brown, arrow-head marks ; 

 length, 5*8 j wing, 2 - 7; tail, 2-6. 



" My single specimen of this bird was collected in the Tenas- 

 serim Provinces, and sent to me some years ago by Mr. Blytk. 

 My P. nificeps is from Mr. Beavan's collection." 



Now, if Swinhoe had specimens of the real ruficeps from 

 Southern and Central India, of course the two birds could not be 

 identical; but it seems probable that he had specimens of the 

 thick-billed nipalensis, Hodgs. (re-described as Mandellii by 

 Mr. Blanford), in which case there would be no difficulty in 

 identifying minor and sulocliraceum 



402.— Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgs. 



Two specimens sent by Mr. Oates belong to this present species, 

 while specimens received from a little further east in Northern 

 Tenasserim are leucogaster, Gould — that is to say, smaller birds 

 with shorter bills, a much less cinereous tinge upon the forehead 

 and crown, and a marked, though irregular, ferruginous demi- 

 collar on the nape. 



Mr. Oates remarks : " This species is common throughout 

 our limits, and is the only bird of the genus I have met with 

 here. It goes about in parties of five or six ; its cry is ' oo-roo- 

 roo-roo-ta-rwai/, 3 repeated frequently from the middle of thick 

 jungle. 



