1S76.] on the Expedition into the Dafla Hills, Assam. 77 



such forms as Trichastoma minor, Hume and Microperdix Blewitti, Hume 

 by calling them T. Abbotii, Blyth, var. minor ; M. erythrorhyncha, var. 

 Blewitti ; and the same might be done with several other closely allied 

 species. 



427 b. Actinttba Daflaen-sis, G.-Austen. Plate IV. 



Among the birds collected one of the most interesting forms is the 

 Actinura described in 'Annals & Mag. Nat. Hist.' for November 1875, and 

 of which the original description is repeated below. 



" As might be expected, its nearest ally is A. Nipalensis, Hodgs., 

 the colouration above being very similar on the back and tail, but with 

 less rufous barring. The crest, however, is quite different ; and in this 

 respect the species approaches A. Waldeni from the Naga hills, on the 

 south of the Brahmaputra valley, only that the crest is far fuller. The 

 general blotchy streakiness of the throat and breast is also a mark of con- 

 nexion with A. Waldeni. On comparison, it is seen that Actinura Daflaensis 

 bears the same relation to A. Nipalensis that A. Waldeni does to A. Egertoni. 



" The genus is a very well-marked one ; and we can now record from 

 the Indian region five species (including A. Ramsayi from Tonghoo, in 

 Burmah, described by Viscount Walden in ' Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist.' for 

 June 1875), viz. : — 1. A. Egertoni, Gould ; 2. A. Nipalensis, Hodgson ; 3. 

 A. Waldeni, Godwin-Austen ; 4. A. Daflaensis, Godwin- Austen ; 5. A. 

 Ramsayi, "Walden. The last is a very distinct and interesting bird, a depar- 

 ture from the East-Himalayan type, but yet in every point a true Actinura. 



" Male. Above ; head ash-brown ; feathers in front spatulate, behind 

 elongated into a full crest, narrowly pale-edged ; the ash tint pales on the back 

 of the neck, and merges into the strong rusty brown of the back and upper tail- 

 coverts ; base of tail-feathers of the same colour, followed by four or five black 

 bars, and the terminal half all black ; the three outer rectrices tipped white, 

 with a slight tendency to barring on the extreme outer web ; side of head ash- 

 grey ,the ear-coverts with light silky reflections ; shoulder of wing rusty brown ; 

 first primary coverts tipped with grey, forming a distinct narrow band, the 

 last (covering the first seven primaries) black, forming a patch ; the prima- 

 ries are sienna-brown, the outermost edged with hoary grey, black on the inner 

 webs and extremities, and narrowly barred with black on the terminal outer 

 web ; secondaries evenly and narrowly barred black and pale olivaceous umber. 

 Beneath ; the chin and throat pale dingy white, becoming a dirty ochrey 

 ash on the breast, with a blurry striation, particularly on the throat ; flanks 

 and under tail-coverts rusty brown ; tail beneath ashy black, the outermost 

 feathers distinctly barred. Bill dark horny ; legs the same ; irides — ? 



" L. 7-5, W. 3-5, T. 3-2, t. 1-3, Bf . 0-68 inches. 



" Blab. In high forest at 7000 feet, and first shot on Shengorh Peak 

 in February." 

 11 



