50 ON THE SPECIES OF HYPSIPETES 



2. Hypsipetes borbonicus. (Plate XLIL fig. 2.) 



Le Merle de VIsle de Bourbon, Brisson_, Orn. ii. p. 293^ pi. xxiv. fig. 3 (1760). (Fig. et descr. 



orig. e mus Realm, a De Lanux miss.) 

 Bourbon Thrush, Latham^ Synops. ii. p. 73 (1783). 

 Turdus borbonicus, J. F. Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 821 (1788). 



Hypsipetes olivacea, pt._, Hartlaub,, Journ. f. Orn. 1860^ p. 98 ; Orn. Beitr. p. 45 (1861). 

 Hypsipetes borbonica. Pollen & Van Dam^ Recli. Faun. Madag. &c. ii. p. 97. 



Biagn. — ^^ Supeme cinereus ad olivaceum inclinans^ inferne olivaceus ad flavum vergens ; vertice 

 nigro ; medio ventre candicante ; rectricibus fuscis^ taenia dnplici transversa^ fiisca^ altera 

 dilutiore, altera saturatiore_, in apice donatis.^^ 



This, again, is from Brisson, and is very correct ; but MM. Pollen and 

 Van Dam take some exception to the manner in which he describes the very 

 curious character of the indistinctly banded tail. With great deference to 

 those gentlemen I should say, judging from the specimens before me, that 

 his account is more complete than theirs ; for the bands seem to me to be 

 always visible, and not, as they imply, in one light only. The only additions 

 I can suggest to the formal diagnosis are : — 



Iridibus albidis. Long, tota 9*5^ alse 4*2_, caudse 3'6/acrotarsi '9^ dig. med. sine ungue '72, 

 hallucis sine ungue '48^ maxillae a f route '7, ejusdem a rictu '88^ mandibulse ab articulo 1*38^ 

 rostri altitudo ad frontem '25 poll. Angl. 



A shortening of the wing and bill in this species are very suggestive 

 characters when we consider how often these are observable in island-forms. 

 Perhaps, also, there is a slight thickening of the feet ; but of this I cannot 

 speak so positively. The peculiar colour of the iris is also to be noticed, as 

 well as the banded tail already mentioned — the shafts of which are whitish. 



I do not for a moment doubt that this and the next are perfectly 

 good species, though their homes are within sight of each other. 



