1S72.] • F. Stoliezka — Hammed s and Birds inhabiting Kachli. 235 



234. AnACHisnECHTKA asiatica* = CTTRBTTCARIA, Linn. Common. 



On one occasion I shot a young male while sitting on the top of a tree, 

 about 40 feet high, and engaged in occasionally darting after passing insects, 

 which it appeared to catch, every time returning to its perch like a fly-catch- 

 er. In four males, wing 205 to 22 inches, tail 125 to 1'5 ; bill 065 to 

 0-7 ; tarsus 06. 



255. Upupa isnGRiPEjnsris, Gould, vel Geylonensis, Eeich. 



Comp. Jerdon, Ibis, 1872, p. 22. 



Wing 53, tail 3 - 8, bill at front l - 75, tarsus 08 inch. The posterior 

 feathers of the crest have distinctly white preceding the black tip, but the 

 first primary has no white and the succeeding have it on both webs. The 

 4th primary is barely longer than the 5th, the 1st is 2 - 5 inches shorter than 

 the 4th ; the 2nd is 0'7 inches shorter, and the 3rd 01 shorter than the 4th. 

 There is scarcely any ashy colour on the sides of the neck or breast. 



Jerdon says, that the ' white spot on the first primary is occasionally pre- 

 sent,' I may add, it is also the case as regards the white on the crest. What 

 is then to remain to be the distinctive character between the present form 

 and epops ? I have great doubts about the Indian hoopoe being separable 

 as a sufficiently distinct and definable species. There is no distinction in 

 plumage, and the only difference I can see, in comparing about half a dozen 

 specimens of each, is, that nigripennis, or Ceylonensis, is a smaller and 

 fighter bird, with the first primary shorter and narrower. Still I cannot 

 but doubt, that even these characters are no far constant, as to be of any 

 use in defining distinct species. I am sure the European, Indian and even 

 the Barmese hoopoe are merely local races of one species, not possessing a 

 single character constantly distinct in one from the other. 



I only saw few specimens at the end of October and in the beginning of 

 November, but towards the end of the latter month, they became more 

 numerous ; it is, however, not a very common bird in Kachh, and must be, 

 to a certain extent at least, migratory. 



256. Lanitjs (CoLLTEiof) lahtoba. Very common. 



Wing 4-1 to 4-4, tail 44 to 5 ; bill at front 0'6 to 07 ; tarsus 11 

 to 1*3 inch. 



Some specimens have a distinct white superciliary edge above the black 

 others no trace of it ; the inner plumage on breast and vent sometimes has 

 a very slight creamy wash, exactly as is often the case in the European 



* I do not see the benefit of changing the name asiaHca to that of curr-ucaria as 

 suggested by Jerdon, both being Liune's names The former is retained by G. E. Gray 

 in his Hand-list. 



f G. R. Gray adopts Collyrio, Mochr., 1752, for the group of Lamms excubitor, 

 reserving Linne's name La/rwus for the type of L. cristatus. 

 31 



