206 DR. O. FINSCH ON BIRDS FROM NORTH-EASTERN 
ce. dé. Am. August 17 (no. 52). 
d. §. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 1302). 
e. 9. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 668). 
f. d. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 828). 
g. &. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 1218). 
h.  Mohaber. July 8 (no, 468). 
i. 6. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 1443). 
k. 9. Mohaber. July 8 (no. 450). 
ig. Kokai. July 9 (no. 1908). 
m. 9. Gabena Weldt Gonfallon. August 7 (no. 1279.) 
The fine series in Mr. Jesse’s collection has convinced us more than ever that there is 
no difference between Riippell’s Wicronisus sphenurus and the Indian UM. badius. All 
the younger ones are spotted underneath, like Von Heuglin’s WM. guttatus, which was 
long before named Nisus hybris by Hemprich and Ehrenberg.—0. F. 
[The specimen no. 52, ¢, had the iris orange-yellow; cere orange-yellow; beak dark 
horn-colour, nearly black; legs and feet orange-yellow, talons black. 
Nos. 1218-19 had the iris pale lemon-yellow; cere pale lemon-yellow; beak dark 
horn-colour; legs and feet pale lemon-yellow, talons black. 
Of this species I obtained a fine series of twelve specimens, the examination of 
which leads me strongly to doubt the validity of IZ. guttatus of Heuglin as a separate 
species from M. sphenurus of Riippell. I have six specimens in both stages of plumage, 
among which the sexes are almost equally distributed. The principal difference in the 
plumage is, that in the adult birds the colour of the back is of a slaty blue, and on the 
breast minutely cross-barred with rufescent grey or pale cinnamon; these markings, be 
it noted, vary more or less in intensity in different specimens: in the young birds the 
back has a strong tinge of brown, and the breast shows much white, the feathers on the 
upper portion being blotched longitudinally, and those on the abdomen very broadly 
barred with pale cinnamon. I note also that each separate feather on the upper portion 
of the breast shows an incipient tendency to become barred near the root of the feather. 
Heuglin, I apprehend, bases his classification of MZ. guttatus as a distinct species from 
M. badius (M. sphenurus, Riipp.) probably upon the differences I have alluded to, and 
the fact of his having seen pairs breeding in both varieties of plumage. This at first 
sight appears reasonable; but when I mention that I shot eight specimens on one 
morning within three quarters of a mile of one another, one double shot producing 
one of each variety, the total being three of one and five of the other, I cannot help 
thinking that M. guttatus is merely the immature bird of M. badius. I may also 
mention that Mr. W. T. Blanford, on the afternoon of the same day, shot four or five 
specimens on the same ground, and with the same variations. That gentleman also 
holds the same opinion as myself as to the two varieties belonging to one species, viz. 
M. sphenurus (Riipp.). All ornithologists are aware of the different stages of plumage 
and also of the colouring of the iris, according to the age of the bird, to which many of 
