1842.] Notes on various Indian and Malayan Birds. 175 



13. Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgson, As. Res. XIX, 182 ; where also 

 are described P. schisticeps, H., which is clearly the same as, and takes 

 precedence of, P. leucogaster, Gould (P. Z. S. 1837, 137J ; and P. 

 erythrogenys, Vigors (P. Z. S. 1831, 173, and figured in Gould's 

 Century, Plate LV). A fourth Indian species is the P. Horsfieldi, Sykes 

 (P. Z. S. 1832, 89) ; and a fifth the P. montana, Horsf. (Lin. Trans. 

 XIII, 165, and figured in the 'Zoological Researches in Java'), which 

 * was obtained by Dr. M'Clelland in Assam (vide P. Z. S. 1839, 166). 

 Others inhabit Australia, as the P. turdinus and P. trivirgatus of Tem- 

 minck (the latter having been figured in Messrs. Jardine and Selby's 

 ' Illustrations of Ornithology,' Plate LXIX) ; and a third has been charac- 

 terized by Mr. Gould from the north-western coast of that country, 

 as P. rubecula (P. Z. S. 1839, 144). It is probable that still other 

 species have been added, with which I am unacquainted ; the genus 

 having been originally constituted upon one only, which encourages me 

 to distinguish and designate the following : — 



Xiphirhynchus, Nobis : allied to Pomatorhinus, but the bill much 

 longer and more slender, very thinly compressed throughout its length, 

 widening only at the extreme base, and describing a considerable incur- 

 vation. Plumage, wings, and tail, as in Pomatorhinus, but the toes 

 and claws rather more slender and elongated. 



The Dicrurus (olim Buchanga) albirictus, H., is clearly E. balicassius, which 

 would appear to be very common throughout India ; Mr. Hodgson has figured it in 

 the 18th volume of the Asiatic Researches. 



The D. ('olim B.J annectans, H.,does not appear to tally with any previous descrip- 

 tion with which I am acquainted. 



The Chaptia muscipetoides, H., is identified by Mr. Jerdon with E. ceneus, or Di- 

 crurus ceneus, Vieillot. 



Mr. Jerdon, in his list of birds inhabiting the Indian Peninsula (Madr. Jour., No. 

 XXXV., 238, etseq.J, includes five species of this genus, viz. balicassius, ccerules- 

 cens, Vieillot (v. Fingal, Shaw, v. leucogaster), doubtful macrocercus, Vieillot, 

 ceneus (v. muscipetoides, Hodgson), and supposed retifer. Major Franklin's list (i 3 , 

 Z. S., 1831, 117,) contains only coerulescens ; and that of Col. Sykes (P. Z. S., 1832, 

 86,) but ccsrulescens and balicassius. Dr. McClelland's collection from Assam com- 

 prised grandis, Rangoonensis, balicassius, and ceneus : and finally, I may notice 

 that three species are mentioned in Dr. Horsfield's catalogue of the birds of Java (Lin. 

 Trans., XIII, 145), viz. forficatus (? this is an African bird), cineraceus (there 

 described), and alleged Malabaricus. 



A monograph of this genus, with full and adequate descriptions of every species 

 known up to this time, would be highly acceptable to ornithologists. Various other 

 insufficient notices of oriental species exist, of which several may refer to some of the 

 foregoing. 



