182 REMARKS ON THE GENUS PERICROCOTUS. 



Then what about the tail ? I confess that I am not up in 

 Linnsean latin. The straightforward translation seems to be 

 " The rectrices are black, but the four intermediates are obli- 

 quely red on the side." 



By intermediates I understand (and no other interpreta- 

 tion can I believe be put upon the word) those that are in the 

 middle — the 2, 4, or 6 central feathers, as the case may be ; but 

 if so then the description is clearly utterly wrong. 



No previous authorities are referred to ; the description is ap- 

 parently founded on some specimen, received from Governor 

 Claud Loten of Ceylon, who was by no means particular ap- 

 parently as to the exact locality whence his specimens were 

 really derived. 



It appears to me that this description and name must be en- 

 tirely set aside. 



lndicus of Sparrman, though usually assumed to apply to this 

 species, probably according to Sundevall, applies to Parus bico- 

 lor, Lin, and under any circumstances is too doubtful a name 

 ever to be applied to either form. 



Coccineus, Gra., is founded on Pis. 48, 49, of Sparrm. Mus. 

 Carls., which refer to peregrinus. I have not Sparrmau's plates 

 to refer to but Gmelin's description. 



" Cinereus, pectore, maculo alarum, uropygio rectricibusque 

 later alibus posterius cocci?ieis" points clearly to a male of the 

 northern race, in which the throat is dark cinereous, not 

 black, and only the breast is scarlet. 



Malabaricus, Gm., founded on Sonnerats " Messange de la cote 

 de Malabar," and Latham's " Malabar Titmouse" is equally 

 clearly the male of the southern race. 



" Griseus, sitbt us ex rubro aureus, gula nigra, remigibus 

 rectricibusque nigris, lateralibus, et remigibus secundariis non- 

 nulUs a basi ad medium rubescentibus. ,} 



The black throat, black wings and tail, and entire lower 

 surface, u ex rubro aureus''' indicate at once the species. 



I, therefore, come to the conclusion, that if we are to be 

 logical and act in regard to this species as we do in regard to 

 Thamnobia, Coracias, fyc, we must separate the northern form 

 as peregrinus, L., and the southern as malabaricus, Gm. 



As regards the extent of red or orange on the wing I find 

 that in this species also it is not quite constant ; as in both 

 sexes sometimes the first four, and sometimes the first five, pri- 

 maries want the colored patch. 



I examined 90 specimens ; and then taking one-half at 

 random, measured the wings and noted how many primaries 

 wanted the patch — with the following results : — 



