102 NOVELTIES. 



Now this specimen came from Ramree. Take the following 

 measurements recorded in the flesh from a specimen of Hylo- 

 terpe grisola, (<$) obtained in Ramree : — 



Length, 612; wing, 34 ; tail, 2'4 ; tarsus, 0*75 ; bill from 

 gape, 0"8. Legs and feet plumbeous ; bill brown. 



Then take a good specimen of the species aud compare it with 

 each generic character, each specific trait, and observe that each 

 and all fit in the most perfect manner. 



I venture to say that no practised ornithologist can read 

 carefully the passages above quoted, with a good specimen of 

 Hyloterpe grisola {Tephrodornis apud Bly. ; Hylocharis apud 

 Gray) in his hand, comparing the two as he goes on, without 

 admitting that the thing is a certainty, and that Muscitrea, Bly. 

 is founded on the same type as Hyloterpe, Cab. 



True, it does seem odd that Blyth who, ia 1843, had already 

 received a specimen of this species and designated it Tephrodor- 

 nis grisola, should set to work to re-define and re-name it ; he 

 ought one would have thought to have recognized it again ; but 

 it was a dull grey bird, one that varies very much in shade and 

 tint ; he had clearly never examined it very carefully, or he would 

 not have put it in Tephrodornis, with which the bill will not at all 

 accord. When turning his thoughts specially to fly-catchers, 

 he got hold of a specimen, probably differing much in tint from 

 the specimens he had before dealt with, and examined it criti- 

 cally. He at once saw that it was a distinct type and defined 

 and described it. We all kuow how pressed he was with work ; 

 how he was expected to do the whole work in every branch of 

 the museum Avhich contained many groups of which he had 

 little knowledge. Next time he wanted the specimen it had 

 been destroyed, or had disappeared, and amidst the multitude of 

 specimens in all branches that he was daily examining he could 

 not recall exactly what his type was. 



There is nothing surprising in this, but even if there were 

 the fact remaius that here we have an absolutely accurate de- 

 finition of all the generic characters, an absolutely accurate 

 description of all specific peculiarities, with exact dimensions, 

 every one of which fits Hyloterpe grisola to the T. 



If I am correct, Blyth' s name appeared some months earlier 

 in the year than Cabanis', and Blyth's name therefore must 

 stand. But this point, as also whether the other species now 

 included under Hyloterpe, are really congeneric with grisola I 

 must leave to ornithologists at home. 



And now for the new species. I must premise that though 

 very differently colored, and considerably larger, it is to my 

 mind identical in structure, alike of bill, legs, feet, wing, aud 

 tail with grisola. 



