1842.] Notes on various Indian and Malayan Birds. 173 



of this bird received from Assam agree with the specific character and 

 description given by Mr. Gould, in all points excepting the size, being 

 about one-third smaller ; but further observations are required to deter- 

 mine with precision the points by which the long-tailed Edolii are to be 

 discriminated." Horsfield. 



Together with the three allied species here noticed, Mr. Gould 

 described one without the racket- tail, by the appellation E. viridescens, 

 as follows : " E. intense' splendenti chalybeo-viridis, supra magis saturatus. 

 Long. tot. 11 unc ; rostri, 1£ ; aim, 5f ; caudce, 5 ; tarsi, 1. Habitat apud 

 Manillam :" the form of the bill (so variable in this genus), of the tail, 

 the structure of the plumage, and how to distinguish it from the allied 

 species, are left to be guessed at; but as the tail is not mentioned 

 to be forked, we may suppose that it is square, and if so, there is a speci- 

 men in the Asiatic Society's Museum, which may be presumed to repre- 

 sent this species. Length as described, or a trifle less ; of wing do., and 

 outermost tail-feather do., the medial 4f inches : bill to forehead 1~ inch, 



to gape 1- inch, in shape similar to that of E. cristatellus, but rather 

 more compressed, and very densely impended at base by short and un- 

 elevated reflected feathers, scarcely lengthened in front as in E. remifer. 

 Plumage nowhere distinctly hackled, but a tendency to this on the 

 sides of the neck ; and the clothing feathers are soft and somewhat 

 loose in texture, their glossed tips imparting a spotted appearance to the 

 neck, and a uniform shine on the back, the brilliancy increasing on the 

 wings : tarsi | inch. This species is nearly allied to the racket-tailed 

 group, though wanting that particular character. 



12. E. annectans : Dicrurus folim BuchangaJ annectans, Hodgson, 

 Ind. Rev. 1837> 326. There are two specimens of a Drongo in the 

 Darjeeling collection, the smaller of which agrees very well with Mr. 

 Hodgson's description above cited, but the larger (and they are very 

 obviously identical) measures 12^ inches to end of outermost tail-feather, 

 the wing 5f inches, bill to forehead nearly 1 inch, and above 1 \ inch to 

 gape, tarse f inch, and hind toe and claw li inch in a straight line. The 

 bill, as compared with that of the common E. balicassius (seu albirictus, 

 Hodgson), is longer, considerably less Shrike-like, not so compressed at 

 the terminal half, the ridge is much more angular, the point less 

 hooked, the feathers impending its base are shorter, and less distinct 

 from those of the forehead; the gloss of the plumage has less of a 



2 A 



