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SUTHORA MUNIPURENSIS, a-JusUn $ fFahkn. 



Munipur Suthora. 



Suthora munipur ensis, Godwin- Austen & Walden, Ibis, 1875, p. 250. 

 daflaensis, Godwin-Austen, Ann. Nat. Hist. 4th series, xvii. p. 32. 



The species of the genus Suthora divide themselves naturally into two groups — those whose plumage is 

 parti-coloured, and those whose plumage is more or less uniform. To the latter belong several species, such 

 as Suthora brunnea, S. webbiana, and others already figured hy me in the present work ; while to the parti- 

 coloured group, which, moreover, invariably have a black throat, belong the present bird and its allies. 

 The Suthora munipurensis is very closely allied to S. nipaknsis, but is distinguished by the ear-coverts being 

 grey instead of tawny-coloured, by the white eyebrow and narrow line of black along the sides of the crown. 

 The typical specimen was obtained by Mr. William Robert near Karakhul, Munipur hills. 



Major Godwin-Austen is generally so correct in his discrimination of species that I regret to have to differ 

 from him in any way; but I cannot allow that his recently described Suthora daflaensis from the Dana hills 

 is really specifically distinct from S. munipurensis. He writes: — "The difference between them is most 

 marked on the undersides, the chin being grey in the Dana bird, paling on the upper breast and belly to dull 

 yellowish white, while in the Munipur and Naga species the chin and throat are deep black, fading to grey 

 on the breast, into the white of the lower tail-coverts. There is also a marked difference in size, this new 

 form being the smallest of the genus now known. It was met with in the bamboo underwood of the forests 

 at 5000 to 7000 feet, Dana hills, and first obtained on the slopes of Toriiputu Peak in January." As Major 

 Godwin-Austen was so kind as to submit his typical specimen of S. daflaensis to me, I can only say that I 

 regard the slight differences above noted as due to age or seasonal plumage. 



The following is the original description of the species, published (7. c.) by the authors quoted :— " Crown 

 of head cinnamon-brown, becoming more olivaceous or fulvous green on back ; shoulder of wing greenish 

 umber; primaries black, the first four edged white, the rest crossed with a bright fulvous baron the outer 

 webs ; the secondaries edged broadly with fulvous, and a few of the last tipped white on inner web ; tail 

 ruddy fulvous at base, paling towards the end, which is dusky and indistinctly barred ; a broad supercilium 

 black; lores and a narrow circle round the eye pure white; ear-coverts and side of neck grey; chin and 

 throat black, merging into pearly grey and white on the breast ; under tail-coverts pure white. Length 

 4-5 inches, wing 1-8, tail 24, tarsus 77, bill at front -28. 



On the eve of going to press, and before his starting for India, I received Major Godwin-Austen's sanction 

 to place his S. daflaensis as a synonym to the prior-named species S. munipurensis, which I have accordingly 

 done. 



The birds in the Plate are drawn from Major Godwin-Austen's typical specimens, and of the natural 



size, for the loan of which I am much indebted. 



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