A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PEQU. 177 
I have also omitted from the list, Poltoaétus humilis. Mr. 
Hume says (8S. F., V, 130) that this species oceurs as far 
north at any rate as Cape Negrais,* but I can nowhere find 
any notice of its occurrence within my limits, and I must 
consequently decline to admit it for the present. 
I have not made use of the serial numbers of Mr. Hume’s 
catalogue as I find numerous instances in Stray Fratrarrs 
of the same species being referred to under quite different 
numbers. One instance will suffice. In Volume VI, Anthreptes 
malaccensis is numbered 224 sextus, while in the general cata- 
logue in Volume VIII it appears as 233 guintus.t 
I have, however, followed the order of the catalogue, and, 
with few exceptions, Mr. tlume’s nomenclature.§ 
1.—Otogyps calvus, Scop. (2.) 
Occurs singly, or in couples, in all parts of the province. 
2.—Gyps indicus, Scop, (4.) 
Mr. Hume records this from Upper Pegu. I have not 
observed it. 
3.—Pseudogyps bengalensis, Gm. (5.) 
Very abundant. 
4.—Faico peregrinus, Gm.|| (8.) 
By no means rare during the dry weather from November 
to May. I have procured it at Prome, Pegu, and Shway- 
gheen. 
* Whence I received a specimen, but I have never seen a specimen from Pegu, 
and quite concur in its omission from this list.—Ep., 8. F. 
+ 1 however have added the serial numbers in brackets after each species, 
because these are most useful to ornithologists all over the world, compiling 
monographs or working out the distribution of groups. They turn up the species 
in the general list, find its number, and then run through the various local 
lists in S. F. Where my catalogue numbers are given, they can ascertain in 
one minute whether the species they are dealing with is or is not included in any 
particular list. If this number were not given it would take them ten minutes 
to make certain of this. This is not theory. The following is a translation of part 
of a letter from one of the most eminent of ornithological systematists:—‘‘ Your 
arrangement is, as you admit, antiquated—pardon me if I add barbarous—but your 
practice of invariably arranging the species in the same order, and under the same 
serial numbers, renders the StRAY FEATHERs easier to consult for facts than any 
other ornithological publication.””—Eb., 8. FE. ’ 
t Of course, because prior to the issue of the general catalogue, slight 
alterations in some few numbers were made, in order to rectify some of the most 
glaring misplacements, for which I was answerable. But until the new list of the 
birds of the British Asian Empire and its dependencies is published, ro further 
change will be made in the numbers.—Ep., 8S. F. 
§ Mr. Oates in this most excellent list includes altogether 454 species. I have 
added 16 species that certainly have occurred in Pegu, making a total of 470. 
It is probable that when the avitauna has been exhaustively worked out, it may prove, 
including chance stragglers, to include something like 650 species.—ED., 8. F. 
|| Zunst.—Ep., S. F, 
