132 



vermiculations in some (less old) birds ; 

 below darker and more cinnamon brown ; 

 wing coverts darker and browner ; pri- 

 maries below with black areas much in- 

 creased and Httle white. 



*220h. Spilornis cheela malayensis^ Swann, Syn. Malay 



List. Accipitr., p. 83 (1920). [Raub, Pa- Peninsula ; 



hang, type in coll. H. Kirke Swann.] Sumatra ; 



[ =S. bacha, auct. plur.] Siam.a 

 Malayan Serpent-Eagle. 



SmaUer ; wing (Brit. Mus. ex.) 3 348-380 

 mm. (northern largest), ? 368-380 mm. ; 

 $ (type Pahang) 370 mm. ; above dark 

 brown ; head and crest black, wing-coverts 

 spjiringly marked with minute spots of 

 white ; secondaries not visibly tipped with 

 white ; tail with median brownish white 

 band about 50 mm. wide and irregular 

 narrow basal one [in oldest birds base only 

 brownish], the 2 black bands about 38 mm. 

 wide ; throat and cheeks and ear-coverts 

 slate brown ^ ; below darker, browner and 

 duUer than 5. c. ridherfordi ; fore neck and 

 chest nearly uniform with only sUght traces 

 of vermiculations ; white spots on breast 



>■ The name bacha cannot stand for Malayan birds It was described irom 

 Le Vaillant who claimed it as a S. African bird erroneously and it is now impossible 

 to say to what race it properly applies. Gurney thought Le Vaillant's plate more 

 like the Malaccan bird, but considered the name would be best discarded (Ibis, 

 1878, p. 100) ; W. Sclater (MS.) considers Sumatra the type locality based on Le 

 Vaiillant's plate. In any case bacha is predated by bassus Forster (1798), an equally 

 doubtful name. 



' Count Gyldenstolpe (Ibis, 1920, p. 745) says this form has been recorded 

 from peninsular and S.W. Siam, but is rare. 



« Malacca birds usually have the subterminal tail band whiter, throat and hind 

 cheeks greyer, and are lighter below ; chest fulvous to brown, either uniform or 

 slightly vermiculated (less old birds). Although examples from various parts of 

 the Malayan peninsula vary I think it best to make one race for the whole peninsula, 

 and I have united with it the Sumatran birds, which occur not only in the Ughter 

 plumage described, but in a much darker plumage, approaching the Javan form 

 (S. c. bido), although a trifle smaller and with the throat paler and greyer ; the tail, 

 under wing-coverts and under surface of primaries are similar to those of S. c. bido 

 however. Had it not been for the occiu'rence of this dark race in Perak and of the 

 Ughter Malay race in Sumatra it would be necessary to separate the Sumatran form. 



