234 F. Stoliczka — Mammals and Birds inhabiting KacTih. [No. 3, 



to observe that such a marked form of a wood-pecker, as P. Maharattensis 

 represents, deviates from the type on the two extreme limits of its geogra- 

 phical distribution in an exactly similar manner, namely, by decreasing in 

 size and adding more white to its plumage.* 



214. EUDY/NAMTS HONOKATA, Linn. 



E. orientalis apud Jerdon. Conip. Ibis for 1869, vol. v, p. 338 and for 1872, p. 15. 

 Rare during the cold and dry seasons, but said to be very common in 

 the rains, when it breeds. 



220. Taccoctta sirkee. 



Above dusky brownish grey with a slight greenish lustre, which is most 

 distinct on the tail, tertials, secondaries and tail feathers with close duller 

 crossbars, only perceptible in certain lights ; top of head with a slight rufescent- 

 tinge ; feathers on head and neck black-shafted, glistening, bristly in front, 

 the . remainder on the upper side brown shafted; lores and chin whitish, 

 sometimes with a faint reddish tinge, above and below the eye narrowly 

 white, bristles on eyelashes black, pure white at base ; upper breast ashy 

 very slightly tinged with ferruginous, lower breast, vent, sides, lower wing 

 coverts and tibial feathers pale ferruginous ; lower vent and lower tail coverts 

 dusky ashy brown ; outer tail feathers dark brown, broadly tipped with 

 white. Average measurement of 3 specimens : Wing 6 — 6*25 ; tail 9 to 

 9"5 ; tarsus 1*6 to 1/7 ; bill from gape 1'5 inch., cherry red, yellow towards 

 the tip and the upper mandible blackish at the side. 



I have seen this bird only on a few occasions ; it hides itself usually in 

 Euphorbia bushes, and is most difficult to flush. Often it manages to run 

 from one bush to' another at a tremendously rapid pace, pressing its body 

 to the ground like a rat. I have seen it feeding on insects on the ground. 



* I take this opportunity of drawing attention to what appears to me to he often 

 an a 'priori somewhat unnatural explanation of facts. When a naturalist has noticed 

 and described a form which combines the characters of two well marked races, or 

 species, and the geographical distribution of which falls within the limits of the two ; 

 other naturalists are, often without hesitation, ready with an explanation in stating, that 

 the intermediate form is ' evidently a hybrid between the two.' This in many instances 

 looks very plausible, but is it natural ? or even a priori probable ? These questions 

 seem to me to require thorough study and examination. Why should we a priori 

 presume that there exist two entirely distinct types ? Does it not look more natural 

 to assume a priori that the so called intermediate form within the geographical limit 

 of a certain type is the typical species, and that, as it extends, it deviates in a some- 

 what different manner in various directions ? and that the peculiarities acquired in 

 order to maintain subsistence at certain localities may even remain constant and be 

 inherited within those certain local limits ? — I think in many cases this latter explana- 

 tion will prove to be the more probable one, although I do not by any means wish to 

 abandon altogether the former. 



