150 



most probably correct by all who have examined the birds with us. But as to the changes of dress through 

 which we are about to prove that P. solitarius passes, we fear that for a little while some scepticism will exist, 

 though we ourselves have no doubt as to their correct determination, and we are sure that every one who 

 carefully examines an equally good series of Eastern birds as that now lying before us will come to the same 

 conclusions. The synonymy of P. solitarius we believe to be as follows : — 



PETROCOSSYPHUS SOLITARIUS. 



(EASTERN BLUE ROCK-THRUSH.) 



Merle solitaire unite ile Manille, Month. PI. Enl. iv. 636. 



Merle solitaire de Manille, Month. PI. Enl. iv. 564. fig. 2. 



Tardus solitarius, P. L. S. Miiller, Natursyst. Suppl. p. 142 (1776, ex Month.). 



Tardus manilla, Bodd. Tabl. PL Enl. p. 39 (1783, ex Montb.). 



Tardus manillensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 833 (1788, ex Month.). 



Petrocincla affinis, lilytb, J. A. S. B. xii. p. 177* (1813). 



Petrocincla manillensis, Cassin, in Perry's Exp. to Japan, p. 240 (1856). 



Petrocincla violacea, Swinhoe, Zoologist, 1858, p. 6228. 



Tardus {Monticola) erythropterus, Cray, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 350. 



Petrocossyphus manillensis, Swinhoe, Ibis, I860, p. 56. 



Petrocossyphus affinis, Jcrdon, B. of India, i. p. 512 (1862). 



Petrocincla manillensis, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1862, p. 307. 



Monticola erythropterus, Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 260 (1869). 



We hesitate to add to the above list of synonyms the name of Tardus eremita of Gmelin, which Mr. Blyth 

 suggests may belong to tbis species, inasmuch as Gmclin's title is primarily taken from Latham's "Hermit 

 Thrush" (Gen. Syn. ii. pt. 1, p. 54), which, again, is founded on the descriptions of Brissou's "Solitaire des 

 Philippines" (Orn. ii. p. 272). The latter author gives a plate of the species (pi. 28. fig. 2), from which we 

 should say that the figure in the 'Planches Enluminees ' is derived, as is apparently Montbeillard's description 

 Ois. iii. p. 36 1 from the same source. The figure to which Montbeillard refers represents the bird with a 

 yellow bead and underparts that can hardly with the utmost latitude be reconciled with those of the immature 

 P. solitarius. It must be admitted, however, that the description agrees better. 



Nestling. Above ashy grey, mottled all over with spots of pale fulvous; wing-coverts, quills, and tail- 

 feathers, as much as can be seen of them, blackish brown, with broad tips of pale fulvous white; under 

 surface of the body more inclining to fulvous, each feather tipped with blackish, giving a mottled 

 appearance ; bill yellowish, inclining to brown along the edge of the upper and lower mandible ; legs 

 yellowish brown, with brown claws. 



Obs. The nestling described above is in Mr. Swinhoc's collection, and was procured by him at Amoy. 

 Although we have never examined a similar example of the nestling plumage of P. cyanus, it is evident, 

 from the plate given by Bettoui, that both species must be remarkably similar at this early age. 



fully grown young male. Above dingy ash-colour, inclining to blue on the wing-coverts, lower scapulars, 

 and rump; the forehead slightly tinged with fulvous, and the head and neck obscurely crossed with 



