IN THE GULF OF OMAN. 303 



Legs, greyish white, fths of the foot black ; bill, orange red, 

 edged dusky on both mandibles ; irides, blackish brown. 



In all of my specimens the feathers of the flanks and sides 

 of the abdomen in the region of the thigh coverts are finely 

 powdered with minute dusky specks. 



[ In June this year Davison came across four Phaetons in the 

 Bay of Bengal in Lat. 9° N. 



All were precisely similar to Captain Butler's and my numer- 

 ous specimens ; none had the tails more than 8 to 9 inches total 

 length. He did not see a single bird with any longer tail 

 than these. 



There seems to me scarcely a doubt left that our Indian spe- 

 cies, that I have called indicus, is distinct from cetherius. — 

 A. 0. H. ] 



999 6fo. — Sula cyanops, Sund. 



We saw a few White Boobies along the Mekran Coast, and I 

 was fortunate enough to secure two good specimens. At first 

 I took them to be piscatru, as they agree well with Jerdon's 

 description, excepting in the bill aud feet, which were not red 

 but lavender ; but after reading over Mr. Hume's remarks 

 S. F., Vol. IV, p. 483, I have no doubt that they belong to the 

 present species, having the tails, quills, and greater wing coverts 

 black. Dr. Jerdon's description of piscatrix is incorrect, and 

 consequently apt to mislead people* He says : "Descr; white 

 the rump and upper tail coverts slightly mottled with dusky 

 and the wings and tail dusky black." This description clearly 

 points to <S. cyanops, as Mr. Hume, in a letter now before me 

 in treating of piscatrix, remarks: "Only quills and oreater 

 coverts greyish black, rest of plumage white." Then ao-aiu 

 Dr. Jerdou says : " Legs and feet red." This is the case in 

 piscatrix ; but, as he has described cyanops, he should have said 

 u legs and feet lavender blue." However, as so little appears 

 to have been recorded about these birds, I trust that Mr. 

 Hume will kindly furnish accurate descriptions of the 

 White Boobies " pro bono publico." My specimens measured 

 as follows : — 



Sex- L. W. T. B.atf. B. fr. g. Exp. 



65 



<$ 33- 165 7-5 4- 412 



? 32- 165 1 



gs and feet laveuder blu 

 skin slate ; irides pale green. 



? 32- 165 725 406 5" 60 



Legs and feet laveuder blue; bill pale bluish horn; gular 



* See my " Remarks on the genus Sula." These birds of Captain Butler's may cer- 

 tainly at present be accepted as ei/nymps ; even if not true cyanops, they belong to one 

 of the species now generally iucluded under this name. — A. O. H. 



