1833] of the second part Phys. Trans, As. Soc. * 419 
The first bird Mr. Hopason describes under the name of Aquila 
Nipalensis ; and he has noticed the deviation from the type of the 
genus Aguila, in the lunated form of the nostrils. There is also an- 
other point of deviation in the length of the wings, which he describes 
as wanting three inches, or nearly one fourth of the length of the tail. 
In the true eagles the wings are equal in length to the tail, “leurs 
ailes sont aussi longues que la queue,” says Cuvier; and it is therefore 
not improbable that this may be one of those species which form the 
inosculating links between differing genera. Whether or not the species 
be a new one, can only be decided on the authority of Mr. Hopeson ; 
for he has omitted to state the changes which take place in its plumage, 
during its passage from the ‘young to the adult state; or the probable 
age of his specimen. And without these points being ascertained, the 
most experienced ornithologist may be mistaken in birds of this tribe. 
The Circetus Nipalensis is rightly referred to that genus. It is not 
probable that Saw has erred in placing the Falco Bacha in the genus 
Cymindis ; distinguished as that genus is from all others of the eagle 
kind, by the remarkable characters of its bill. However the Falco 
Bacha is said to have been found in India and Java, and Mr. 
Hopeson’s description of his bird agrees with it in several respects : 
nor is it unlikely that an African species should also extend to India. 
But then the difficulty still remains as to its being placed by SHaw 
in the genus Cymindis ; with the generic characters of which, Mr. 
Honeson justly says, it does not at all agree. 
Our author, like all others who have gone before him, seems to be a 
good deal puzzled with the family of Laniade or Laniide, as it is termed 
in his paper. The genus Dicrurus was instituted by M. VigerLLot on 
account of the forked tail of the species known to him. But the dan- 
ger of giving a generic name on so trivial a distinction, soon became 
manifested, by the discovery of other species whose tail is not forked, 
This, among other things, has contributed its portion to throw the 
family into confusion. And Mr. Hopason, or any other naturalist, 
would do a signal service to the cause of natural history by making a 
complete monograph of the whole Laniade: and (the measure isa 
strong but necessary one) fixing the old names or new-naming every 
species. 
The other bird mentioned, ‘‘ which bears a strong general but not 
particular resemblance” to the former, appears to be the same species 
as one sent to the Asiatic Society from Midnaptir by Assistant Sur- 
geon J. T. Pearson, in February 1830, and which he also referred to 
the genus Dicrurus. ‘‘ I am of opinion,” says Mr. Pearson in a note 
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