BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 181 



be identical with the Japanese one. Anyhow the Pegu birds, 

 like those from Tenasserim, differ in no respect from specimens 

 from Bengal. 



This species appears to be rare in Upper Pegu, and to be found 

 only in and about one or two of the very large swamps. 

 Mr. Oates says : ' ' I have met with only one specimen of this bird. 

 It was shot on the 11th November at Engmah, and I arrived there 

 just in time to rescue it from the cook. I dare say more will 

 turnup. It measured : Length, 14*8; expanse, 32*0; tail, 4*9; 

 wing, 9'8; bill, from gape, 1*68; tarsus, 3*3; legs and toes, 

 yellow ; the joints and portions of the toes with a greenish tint ; 

 claws, black ; edges of eyelid and lobes, with basal two-thirds of 

 bill, bright yellow ; terminal one-third of bill, deep black ; inside 

 of mouth, flesh color; iris, light crimson; eyelid, well-clothed, 

 plumbeous." 



855 bis,— Lobivanellus atronuchalis, Biyth. 



Mr. Biyth separated the Indo-Chinese race of Lobivanellus 

 indicus, Bodd, goensis, Gm., under the name of atronuchalis. The 

 birds are very similar, but differ, I think, sufficiently to warrant 

 specific separation. The following are the more important differ- 

 ences : — (1^) , the tarsi are longer and slenderer, measuring 3*3 to 

 3*5 against 2*9 to 3*1 in indicus ; the beak, too, in the present 

 species is somewhat smaller and slenderer ; {2nd), the white streak 

 behind the eye runs in indicus the whole way down the side of 

 the neck, becoming doubtless somewhat greyish towards the 

 base of the neck ; in the present species this white streak 

 is only about an inch long, ends abruptly, and below this 

 the neck all round is black; (3;v/), in atronuchalis the black 

 descends right down to the base of the back of the neck an 

 inch further nearly than it does in indicus, and it is there divided 

 from the olive of the back by a broad white band, which is 

 wanting in indicus ; (4>t/i), the black in front does not descend 

 so far down on the breast in atronuchalis as it does in indicus. 



Mr. Oates remarks of the present species that it is extremely 

 common all over the country. He gives the dimensions of a 

 male as — 



" Length, 13*4 ; expanse, 27*4 ; tail, from vent, 4*25; wing, 

 8 - 5 ; bill, from gape, 1*3 ; tarsus, 3"4." 



857.— Hoplopterus ventralis, Cm. 



The Thayetmyo specimens are precisely identical with those 

 from all parts of Northern India and the Central Provinces. In 

 designating them as above I merely follow Mr. Gray, who 

 identifies malabaricus, Bodd., the name which I fancied correctly 

 pertained to the present species, with b Hob us. Gm. 



