Colour change without a moult.



303



throughout the region of the plains. It was a brown bird that

perched on dead twigs and flicked its tail like a Phoebe, being about

the size of that bird, but the shape of its head was shrike-like, as

were its motions when it darted to the ground for insects, therefore

it was with genuine satisfaction I found that afternoon m the Indian

Museum a mounted specimen of the species labelled Indian Brown

Shrike (Lanius cristatus) ; and near it another specimen of a female

Indian Koel ( Eudynamys honorata), which settled for me the

identity of a large speckled bird that was watched for a long time

that morning. It belongs to the Cuckoo family, and arouses interest,

because, true to the traits of its tribe, it lays its eggs in the nests of

other birds.


Besides many interesting glimpses of the industrial life and

customs of the natives, a visit to the banks of the Hooghly River

afforded an introduction to the Brahminy Kite (. Haliaster inches).

Several of these handsome birds were flying over the river; others

perched in the rigging of ships were preening themselves. This is

another species that shows great beauty of colouring when on the

wing, the bright, clear, chestnut-rufous or maroon colour of its upper

plumage contrasting finely with the under parts, which are white,

narrowly streaked with brown ; its head and neck are white also.

This scavenger of the surface of the river was frequently seen to the

westward as far as Benares, gracing now and then the top of a

fence-post by the wayside, from which it watched for frogs and

crabs and other favoured tidbit.



COLOUR CHANGE WITHOUT A MOULT.


By Arthur G. Butler, Ph.D.


(Concluded from p. 286.)


With regard to the Indigo-Finch referred to in the above

paper, it is convincing enough, but by no means so absolutely inter¬

mediate as a beautiful example which I left some years ago with the

late Sir William Flower; hoping that, after he had studied it, he

would hand it over to my colleague, Dr. Sharpe, for the Museum

series ; unfortunately it appears never to have found its "way into the

collection.



