22 A FIKST LIST OF THE BIHDS 



common in the Terai region of the East Himalaya ; but its 

 ran^e does not extend further into India." " Great numbers 

 of the very young- are brought every season to Calcutta from 

 Chittao-ono-, and it is remarkable that from the earliest age 

 the mules only have the upper mandible coral red. In a pre- 

 sumed female -which I possessed in captivity the upper man- 

 dible changed from black to coral red when the bird was about 

 18 months old, and I have seen numerous specimens which 

 had been killed when the change was in progress. I have also shot 

 red-billed and black-billed specimens out of the same flock, and 

 therefore cannot admit the P. nigrirostris, Hodgson, as a distinct 

 species differing only in the color of the upper mandible.''' 



Of the other supposed species which Mr. Blyth designates 

 P. melanorhynchis, Wagler, he saj^s u a most closely allied species 

 to the last from the Tenasserim. Provinces, if not also the 

 base of the Eastern Himalaya. As seen alive, together with 

 the examples of the preceding, the difference is more conspicu- 

 ous from its purely white irides, whereas the other has dark 

 irides. The cap has a slight tinge of verditer, but no trace of 

 ruddy coloring, and the red of the breast is continued past, 

 the black moustachal streak and the ear-coverts so as to form 

 a half collar bordering the sides of the cap ; it also does not 

 descend so far on the abdominal region, a larger portion of 

 which is green than in the other. These differences are con- 

 spicuous in the living birds when seen together; all hitherto 

 examined have the bill black, but in the male it is probable 

 that the upper mandible is coral red/' 



On this the Editor remarks : *' The facts here stated are quite 

 new, I am not aware that they have ever been previously 

 published. Dr. Jerdon was certainly unacquainted with them. 

 Further investigation is most desireable, more especially as 

 Mr. Blyth is completely at issue on many points with what has 

 been averred by Mr. Hume. My own experience does not accord 

 with Mr. Ely tli's opinion." 



With all deference to the learned Editor's opinion I do not 

 think that all these facts are quite new. Dr. Finsch, in his 

 diagnosis of melanorhynchus, lays especial stress on the narrow 

 line of vinaceous red bounding the posterior margin of the 

 grev cap and on the green hue suffusing the forehead and 

 cheeks ; and referring to this in Stray Feathers, Vol. II. I, on 

 the faith of a Sikhim specimen with a red upper mandible 

 sexed as a male, stated that these differences were characters 

 of the young male of one stage only of the plumage. 



I have now, however, a very fair series of this species of all 

 ages and sexes before me, eighty-eight in number, from Kumaon, 

 Sikhim, Cachar, Tipperah, Thayet Myo, Akyab, Kyouk-Phyou, 



