﻿1G4 Godwin- Austen — FourtJi list of Birds from tlie [No. 3, 



This is a small form oi A. JEgertoni^ Gould, which occurs in the same 

 locality ; every character is repeated in the two forms, modified yet each 

 distinct ; no better example of gradual change in size and coloration could 

 well be found. 



4305. SiBiA PIJLCHELLA, Godwin-Austcn, PI. YII. 



I shot two specimens only of this new and beautiful subdued coloure4 

 ^ibia in April 1873, when making the ascent of the Peak of Khunho, 

 Eastern Burrail range, Naga Hills, at about 8000 feet. In companies of 

 about half a dozen, they haunted the tops of the Ehododendron trees, busily 

 searching for iusects in the flowers, and covering their foreheads and throats 

 with the pollen. 



I described it in the ' Annals and Mag. of Nat. History,' February, 

 1874, as follows. 



Descrip>tion. Above ashy grey, bluer on the head, the two centre tail 

 feathers umber-brown terminating (each colour f inch) in rich black, followed 

 sharply by dark grey. The outer tail feathers are tipped in like manner with 

 grey, but the black increases on each feather outwards, and on the last extends 

 to its base. Shoulders of wing blue grey, with a bar of pale chocolate-brown 

 coming in at the base of the black primary and secondary coverts. Quills 

 grey -black, the primaries edged pale hoary blue ; the secondaries blue grey 

 the last three are umber brown and the two last are edged narrowly on outer 

 web with black. A narrow frontal band and lores black extending both 

 over and below the eye to base of the ear-coverts. Beneath ashy blue with 

 a vinous brown tinge upon the lower breast and abdomen. Bill black ; 

 legs horny brown ; irides ? 



Length 9-5", W. 4-1", T. 4 85", t. 1-3'', Bf. 0-75". 



In the general distribution of the coloration and in form it resembles 

 >S'. gracilis^ which is extremely common in the same hills, but seldom met 

 with above 6000 feet. 



437«. Malacocircus (Lataedia) eobiginosus, Godwin-Austen, PI. V. 



I have described this in P. Z. S. for 1874 : " Above rich rusty brown, 

 darker on the head, with black shafts to the feathers ; wings and tail of 

 same colour, the latter distinctly barred ; lores white, beneath pale rufescent, 

 nearly white under chin, and pale on centre of abdomen. 



Bill black, well curved ; legs pale corneous or dull grey brown ; irides 

 nearly white. 



L. 9-5", W. 3-0", T.4-8", t. 1-6", Bf. 0.62". 



The first two specimens of this bird I shot in long grass near the Log- 

 tak Lake, Munipur, and again obtained specimens near Kaibi in the same 

 valley. It is essentially a grass-bird, with all the habits of M. terricolor, 

 Hodgson. It associates about a dozen together, flying through the grass, 



