282 V. Ball — Notes on Andaman Birds. [No. 4, 



I have shot in Bengal and examined from other parts of India many- 

 specimens of P. speciosus, none approach in size Gould's figures which are 

 said to be life. 



25. Peeiceocottjs PEEEGErNTJS, Linn. 



Andaman specimens correspond with the darker plumaged variety of 

 this bird from Madras and Ceylon, from one of which Gould's figure is taken. 



I have not seen any description of P. fagrans, Boie apud Bonaparte, 

 from Borneo and Sumatra, possibly the southern form should be referred to 

 that species. 



26. Buchajtga (Diceueus) Andaman-ensis, Tytler. 



This is, I believe, a good species, somewhat resembKng D. halicassius,* 

 but distinguished from that species by its large sharply keeled bill and hair- 

 like feathers, which spring from the nostril. The bill is more like that of 

 a Dissemurus than a Dicrurus ; so much is this the case that in a former 

 paper J. A. S. B., XXXIX, pt. II, p. 241, I was inclined to refer a very 

 young bird of this species with the tail feathers only partly grown to the 

 former rather than to the latter genus. I have compared it with all the 

 specimens mentioned in Blyth's Catalogue including edolifbrmis, but it is 

 certainly distinct from any of them. 



Above and below black, with a greenish metallic gloss ; primaries brown, 

 fourth and fifth longest and equal, outer tail feathers with a slight curl up- 

 wards, under wing-coverts spotted with white lunules ; no rictal spot. 



3ngth. 



Wing. 



Tail. 



Bill to gape. 



Tarsus. 



116 



5-5 



6-75 



1-25 



•87 inch. 



105 



5-25 



6- 



1-25 



•87 „ 



11- 



52 



6-3 



125 



•8 „ 



27. Dissemtteus (Edolitjs) aeeinis, Tytler et Beavan. 



The late Capt. Beavan, (Ibis, N. S. Ill, p. 323) discussed the reasons 

 which led him to the conclusion that the Andaman bird is distinct ; since 

 that time much has been written on the subject, but the nomenclature of the 

 species is far from being in a satisfactory state. To start with, it is uncer- 

 tain whether the three following species should be regarded as really belong- 

 ing to three, two or one : J2. Rangoonensis, Gould, E. Malayensis, Blyth, 

 RJ. setifer, Temm. 



Dr. Jerdon (B. of I. Vol. I, p. 438,) and Mr. Gray (Hand list, p. 287), 

 maintain that Malayensis and setifer are identical ; but Lord Walden 

 (Ibis, 3rd Series, I. p. 174), states that the Javan JS. setifer is distinct from 

 Malayensis, and asks whether the latter is distinct from Rangoonensis ? 

 calling it the Barmese species. Mr. Blyth has stated (B. of I. Yol. I, p. 438), 

 that Rangoonensis is not from Barma but from the Philippines, and so far 



* B. boMcassius, Linn., was obtained at sea near the Nicobars, according to Blyth. 



