150 A FIRST LIST OF THE 



Mr. Blyth remarked (Journal, Asiatic Society, 1862, p. 34-2) : 

 " A fine species approaching to Acridoth&res in size, the markings of 

 its wings and tail, and also in having the skin bare under and behind 

 the eye. Length about 9 - 5, of closed wing, 4*5 ; and tail, 3 ; bill 

 to gape, 1'25; and tarsi T25. Culmen of bill compressed and 

 elevated above the nostrils. Head, cheek, and throat, white. The 

 back and scapularies, pure ashy, and the lower parts, vinaeeous, 

 passing to white on the lower tail coverts ; wing primaries, white 

 at base ; the remainder, black ; secondaries and tertiaries with 

 their coverts bronzed, and having a narrow black margin to each 

 feather ; underneath, the wing is white on the anterior half, and 

 dusky for the remainder ; middle tail feathers brown and black 

 margined, like the tertiaries ; the rest, black ; each feather more 

 largely white-tipped to the exterior. Bill, coral-colored, with the 

 basal half of the lower mandible and below the nostrils, black ; 

 legs and claws, bright yellow. Procured by Colonel Phayre at 

 Tonghoo, also by Dr. Jerdon at Thayetmyo, and at Arracan by 

 Mr. W. T. Blanford. It is also evidently the species to which 

 Major Tickell directed my attention, as a White-headed Mynah, 

 common about Rangoon, and which he had only observed in that 

 vicinity ; but I did not chance to meet with it." 



Mr. Oates remarks : " This species is common throughout the 

 year ; it is more of a Tree Mynah than the others. It is very 

 fond of searching the flowers of the Cotton tree (Salmalia mala- 

 barlca) for insects. I have seen fully a hundred of these birds 

 on one of these magnificent trees at one time. It also feeds on 

 the ground in large flocks. The dimensions of several that I 

 measured were as follows : — 



" Length, '9 to 925; expanse, 14 to 14'8; tail, from vent, 2*85 

 to 8-1; wing, 4*4 to 4'75; bill, from gape, ri to 124; tarsus, 

 1-2 to 1*36. Irides, dark brown; about one eighth of an inch of 

 the lower part of the iris, yellow, — this has been constant in all the 

 specimens I have examined; eyelids and naked skin of face, slaty 

 brown ; the gape, the basal hah of the lower mandible, and the base 

 of the upper mandible, black ; the remainder of the bill, dull red ; 

 inside of mouth, dark blue ; legs, feet, and claws, dusky orange." 



A fine specimen has the entire head, chin, throat, and upper 

 breast, white. The whole of the feathers on the top and back 

 of the head, elongated, very narrow, and pointed ; the white not 

 pure, except at the bases of the feathers, but with a very faint 

 brown tinge ; the whole of the back, scapulars, rump, and upper 

 tail coverts, brownish grey, paling on the rump and upper tail 

 coverts; the lesser coverts about the shoulder of the wing, darker 

 o-rey ; winglet and primaries, black, the latter paling to brown at 

 their tips, and with a white band at their bases, narrow on the first 

 two or three primaries and gradually widening ; primary greater 

 coverts, white ; the first and second have some blackish brown 



