AVES. 25 



49. BUCHANGA ATRA. 



Muscicapa atra, Hermann, Obs. Zool. p. 208 (1804). 



Buchanga atra (Hermann) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iii. p. 246 (1877). 



Dicrurus ater, Gates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 312 (1889). 



No. 123. Chuttrebelas, Jhelum Valley, July 16, 1873. 

 No. 124. Rhara on the Jhelum, July 17, 1873. 

 No. 133. Tinali, July 19, 1873. 



Colonel Biddulph procured this species at Baramula. 



Eamily STURNIDiE. 

 Genus STURNUS. 



50. Stuhntjs menzbieei. 



Sturnus vulgaris (nee L.) ; Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 64 (1873) ; Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 238 ; Blanf. 



East. Persia, ii. p. 266 (1876, pt.) ; Prjev. in Rowley's Grn. Misc. ii. p. 287 (1877) ; Finsch, Verb. 



z.-b. Ges. Wien, xxix. p. 201 (1879) ; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 78; Scully, ibid> p. 573; C. Swinb. Ibis, 



1882, p. Ill; Homeyer & Tanere, MT. orn. Ver. Wien, 1883, p. 89; Scully, J. A. S. Beng. Ivi. 



p. 85(1887). 

 Sturnus menzbieri, Sbarpe, Ibis, 1888, p. 438 ; id. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. p. 33, pi. i. (1890) ; Gates, 



Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 522 (1889). 



No. 953. Bora, November 4, 1873. 



This specimen is in full winter plumage, and appears to be the only individual of the 

 species met with by the Expedition. The Starling referred to by Stoliczka (Str. E. ii. p. 464) 

 as S. vulgaris may have been this species, but about the same date he was also shooting 

 specimens of S. porpliyronotus. 



51. Sturnus indicus. 



Sturnus indicus, Hodgs. in Gray^s Zool. Misc. p. 84 (1844); Sbarpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. p. 35 



(1890). 

 Sturnus nitens, Hume & Henders. Lahore to Yarkand, p. 250, pi. xxiv. (1873). 

 Sturnus hwnii, Brooks; Gates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 520 (1889). 



No. 185. Srinagar, July 27, 1873. 



Nos. 224, 230. Srinagar, July 31, 1873. 



No. 250. Srinagar, August 3, 1873. — Length 8*3 inches, wing 4*5, tail 2*2, tarsus 1*0 ; 



expanse 13-6; bill from front 1*04, from gape 1*25. Iris yellow ; bill blackish, pale 



towards the tips ; feet reddish brown. 



All the specimens are in worn and much abraded plumage. According to the strict 

 letter of the law, Mr. Gates is no doubt right in calling this species Sturnus humii, as 

 Hodgson never published a description of his Sturnus indicus. The names of the latter 

 ornithologist, resting on his paper in Gray's ' Ornithological Miscellany,' and founded on his 

 collection of paintings in the British Museum, have in so many cases been recognized and 

 come into common use, that I think it is better to strain the law of nomeuclature a little 

 for their adoption. 



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