ORD. IJYSESSORES. 



FAM. MERULID^. 



SUB-FAM. ORIOLIN^. 



GEN. BIOL US. 



PLATE XV. 



ORIOLUS INDICUS. 



INDIAN BLACK NAPED ORIOLE. 



When I first compiled my Catalogue of Indian Birds I inserted Oriolus chinensis 

 of authors as a peninsular species on the Authority of Mr. Elliotj that Gentleman having 

 obtained specimens answering the description of that species in the Southern Mahratta 

 country. I have since procured specimens from Malabar and Travancore, and had a 

 drawing of one executed for the present work under the name of 0. sinensis. I have 

 however lately seen specimens from China and Manilla in the valuable collection of Lord 

 Arthur Hay, and have also compared the description of Vigors' 0. acrorhynchus , 

 and Swainson's O. coronatus, and I am now compelled to conclude that our peninsular 

 species is distinct from both these, and that moreover acrorhynchus refers to the true 

 chinensis, and coronatus to Wagler's, hippocrepis. I have therefore given it the appellation 

 of Indicus, partly because I consider that the 0. Indicus of Brisson and others may possibly 

 refer to this though faultily described. 



Specimens from ManUla now before me correspond exactly with Vigors' des- 

 cription of his acrorhymkus,^s well as with the original description of cW«e«*i* and that 

 by Buffon oV Le Conliat an; and the figure in the Planches Enlumine^s. I am therefore 

 led to believe that Mr. Vigors had compared his Manilla bird with specimens from 

 peninsular India, or from some of the isle«, which he had considered at the time as true 



