ad 
1921) 207 
X. NEW AND KNOWN ORIENTAL BIRDS. 
By C. BODEN KLOSS,. M.B.O.U., C.F:A.0.U. 
ON THE PROPER NAME OF THE BLACK DRONGO WITH 
DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SUBSPECIES. 
The name by which the Black Drongo has hitherto been 
known specifically, Dicrurus atra (Muscitcapa_ atra 
Hermann, Obs. Zool. 1804, p. 208 : Tranquebaria, S. India) 
is preoccupied by Muscicapa atra Gmelin (Syst. Nat. ed. 13, 
1, 1788, p. 946) and Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, must 
replace it. ; 
All the following are based on “Le Droagolon” of 
Levaillant (Ois. d’Afr., iii, 1802, pl. 174). so all belong to 
the same bird : but macrocercus has priority :— 
Dierurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 
Muscicapa biloba Lichtenstein, 1823 “Ind. Orient” 
Dicrurus indicus Stephens, 1826 “ India ” 
Dicrurus longus Bonaparte, 1852 prance 
Levaillant, however, recorded no locality tor “Le 
Drongolon,” nor did Vieillot for macrocercus ; and we have, 
therefore, to look for a “ terra typica”’ among the others. 
The “Ind. Orient” of Lichtenstein is too vague to 
supply the need as it merely means the East Indies of Asia 
as distinguished from the West Indies of America and there 
are several races of Black Drongo. 
But Stephens’ Dicrurus indicus, “India” is quite 
definite and must therefore be accepted as the typical 
locality for “Le Drongolon ’ and, therefore, for the first 
Linnean name, macrocercus. applied to it which, by the 
subsequent description of the northern Indian form as 
albirictus by Hodgson in 18387, becomes by elimination the 
name of the Peninsular Indian subspecies. 
Bonaparte’s citation of Bengal for macrocercus 
(Consp. Av. I, 1850, p. 351) confirms this selection and his 
attribution of Java to longus (t.c.p. 352) and Walden’s of 
the same place to macrocercus (Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 
1875, pt. 2, Extra No., p. 129), though he says quite rightly 
that both these are the same bird, come too late ; while 
the reference of biloba to Java by Cabanis (Mus. Hein I, 
1850-1, p. 111) cannot be accepted. 
Thus are ruled out for further use all names based on 
“Le Drongolon.” 
The races of the Black Drongo, Dicrurus macrocercus, 
therefore are :— 
1. Dierurus macrocereus macrocercus Vieill. (syn. biloba, indicus and longus), 
Nouv. Dict. IX, 1817, p. 588 : Peninsular India. 
2. Dierurus m. albirictus (Hodgs.), Ind. Rev. 1837, p. 326 : Nepal. 
3. Dicrurus m. minor Blyth, Layard. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (2), XIII, 1854. 
p. 129: Ceylon. 
{. Dicrurus m. calhoecus Swinh. (syn. siamensis Kloss), P.Z7.S. 1871, Demonte. 
Southeast China. 
5. Dicrurus m. harterti Baker, Noy. Zool. XXV, 1918, p. 299 : Formosa. 
6. Dicrurus m. thai Kloss : Siam (postea). 
7. Dicrurus m. javanus Kloss : Jaya (postea). 
