3G0 HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS IN SIND. 



lida. That it has affinities with Ampelis is probable, there being 

 some similarity in tbe colouration, while the form of the bill 

 agrees fairly. Gray in the Hand List actually makes it a sub- 

 genus of his Collyrio, close to Lanius erythronotus, L. vittatus 

 and L. hypoleucus. In this I cannot at all concur, the smooth 

 gape alone shews the difference, and the thick muscular gizzard 

 differs greatly from a shrike's. I think it very probable that 

 IJypocolius is allied to Ampelis, and it may have some affinities 

 with the Campephagince, though I feel doubtful of this, but I do 

 not think it allied to either Dicrurus or Lanius. 



The principal structural peculiarities of IJypocolius are the 

 following : — Head subcrested ; the bill is stout and distinctly 

 hooked, almost like that of a Shrike, but the gape is entirely 

 devoid of rectal bristles ; tail of 12 feathers long, rounded at 

 the end ; under tail-coverts long ; wings rather long and pointed ; 

 the first primary rudimentary, the third (or second long,) pri- 

 mary the longest, the second equal to the fifth ; tarsi rather short ; 

 middle toe long ; lateral toes nearly equal, but the outer slightly 

 the longer; claws long, moderately curved. The following is a 

 description of the species with the synonymy. 



IJypocolius ampelinus. 



Bonaparte, I., p. 334. Heuglin, Ibis 1868, p. 181. PI. V. 

 Salvadori, Ibis, 1870, p. 539. Heugl. Ornith. N. 0. Af. I., 

 p. 421, No. 364. Nachtrage, p. xci., No. 379. 



Ceblepyris isabellina, Heugl. Sitzungs her. K. Akad. "Wien, 

 xix, p. 284. 



Collyrio (IIypocoli?is) ampelinus, Gray, Hand List, I. p. 392. 



Upper parts generally ashy grey, with a slight rufous tinge 

 on the head, which is more marked on the frontal portion where 

 the feathers are rather lighter and more isabelline in tint ; 

 feathers above the nostrils, lower part of the lores, all round 

 the eye, and a band round the nape black, so that there is a black 

 ring all round the head, except in the centre of the forehead ; 

 ear coverts dark silver grey, looking black in some lights in 

 the preserved skin; primary quills black witJh rather long white 

 tips, the tip on the first long primary being wholly, and on the 

 second partially, dusky ; outer secondaries black with grey 

 edges, the black diminishing in amount until it disappears com- 

 pletely on the feathers near the body ; tail feathers all of the 

 same colour as the back with black tips about three quarters 

 of an inch long ; chin and throat isabelline ; breast grey, like 

 the back ; abdomen and lower tail-coverts pinkish isabelline ; 

 under wing-coverts light grey ; legs flesh coloured ; bill horn 

 coloured, dusky towards the tip. The bird was not fresh 

 enough when I saw it for the colour of the iris to be noted. 

 Length, before skinning, 1025 inches ; wing, 4-2 ; tail, (from in- 

 sertion of central feathers) 4-75; tarsus, 1 ; mid toe and claw, 



