1S60.] Proceedings of tlie Asiatic Society of Bengal. 107 



The Dlidyal (Copstchtjs saulaeis) is common, and differs in no re- 

 spect from that of Bengal and of India generally, as distinguished from 

 the larger race of TV. Malasia ; hut the Shama (Kittaclncla albi- 

 yexteis, nohis,) has much the appearance of being a fertile hybrid 

 between K. iiACEOUEUS and Copsychus satjlabis ! In several spe- 

 cimens of it, however, I can detect no variation whatever, nor transi- 

 tional examples variously intermediate ; and the female more nearly 

 resembles the male than in K. maceoueus. I have a fine healthy 

 pair of the Andaman Shama alive, and the male is a fair songster, 

 with some very deep notes alternating with some shrill and very 

 Dhdyal-llke notes ; and, so far as I have heard as yet, the song is 

 more broken or delivered in snatches, like that of the Dhdyal, or less 

 continuous than in the common Shama. The bird is also rather 

 larger, with the bill somewhat larger in proportion ; but I doubt 

 if any practised ornithologist would hesitate about classing it in 

 Kittacincla rather than in Copsychus. There is a third Shama, with 

 a whitehead (as I am informed), in Borneo (K. Steicklastdi, Mottley 

 and Dillwyn) ; and a fourth species exists in K. luzokiensis, (Kit- 

 tlitz), of the Philippines. The female of the Andaman Shama is of 

 a duller colour than the male, especially on the wings and breast, 

 which latter is glossless black; tail also shorter; and the legs in 

 both sexes are carneous. 



Of reptiles, the marine Testudinata of the Bay occur of course 5 

 but we have only received a very large skull of the common ' Logger- 

 head' Turtle (Caouana oliyaoea), a species which is common towards 

 the mouths of the Gangetic streams, and is often eaten here for the 

 true edible Turtle (restricted Chelonia) ; and here I may remark 

 that I once received a young living ' Hawk's bill' or tortoise-shell 

 producing Turtle (Caeetta imbeicata) from the interior of the 

 Sundarbans, which I kept alive for many months in fresh water. 

 The ' Loggerhead' skull from the Andamans measures 8 \ in. long, 

 inclusive of occipital projection, and 4f in. in extreme breadth. 



Of the Loricata or Crocodiles, it does not appear that any have 

 yet been observed about the islands. 



Of Varanidce, a Hydbosauetjs quite similar to one before received 

 from the Nicobar group. I can perceive no difference from the 

 common H. saeyatoe, (Laurenti) v. Varanus hivittatus, (Kuhl), in, 



p 2 



