1842.] Asiatic Society. 873 



and whence the dealers are supplied with them I cannot satisfactorily assert, as they 

 pass from hand to hand among them, and the statements of such people, concerning 

 what they do not in the least interest themselves about, are not trustworthy. It is even 

 a common practice with them to pass whatever they can off as Chinese, thereby, it 

 would seem, thinking to enhance its marketable value.* However, there are specimens 

 of the next species among those collected by the late Sir A. Burnes in the Western 

 country ; and Mr. Jerdon notices the present one, remarking, however, that he had 

 not himself met with it, " but finds it recorded in Mr. Elliot's notes, as found occasi- 

 onally in the Southern Mahratta country. That gentleman says that, ' the male has 

 the yellow crown only in the breeding season. At other times only eye-brow and 

 ear-spot are yellow. Their nests, though similar, are smaller than those of the com- 

 mon Baya, and have two chambers. Habits the same as those of the Baya.' " It will 

 be seen that I differ in opinion from Mr. Elliot regarding the phases of plumage of 

 these birds, which seem to depend on age and not on season. 



Eu. striatus, nobis, n. s ? Size of the last, or a trifle larger, having a black mesial 

 stripe on each feather of the breast and flanks ; the rump (and head and neck of the 

 female) uniformly striated with the back and scapularies ; neck, throat, and cheeks, of 

 the male, dusky-black ; and bill deep black, that of the female yellowish horn-colour. 

 Crown of the male brilliant golden-yellow, and black generally predominates on the 

 upper-parts, which are much more streaky than in the adults of the preceding species. 

 The female is very similar to the young of Eu. Bengalensis in newly acquired second 

 plumage, having the same yellow superorbital streak and neck-spot, more or less bright ; 

 and the under-parts are usually tinged with yellow, but are readily* distinguished 

 (like the crown and rump) by their streakiness. These birds have lately been sold 

 in great numbers by the dealers, mingled with the preceding species, and it is remark- 

 able that all of this kind have been in fully adult plumage, the males at least having 

 the crown very brilliant yellow, as indeed have some of the young males of Eu. 

 Phillipensis. It may be, therefore, that the mature plumage of this one is assumed at 

 the first moult, f 



I have the honor to be, 

 Sir, 



Yours obediently, 



Ed. Blyth. 



Report of the Curator Museum Economic Geology, for the month of July 1842. 



Museum Economic Geology. — We have to announce here the arrival of three boxes 

 of specimens from England, procured for us by Captain Tremenheere. The letter ac- 

 companying them, of which copy is transmitted by Government, is as follows : — 



* Great numbers of small birds are continually brought to Calcutta from Singapore, which taken 

 hence to Europe, are there regarded as natives of this country ; whereas, in truth, many of them do 

 not inhabit this region. 



•f I have recently been assured that this species breeds abundantly in the reeds, margining 

 some large tanks, a few miles to the southward of Calcutta; and that Eu. Phillipensis occasion- 

 ally resorts to the same situations, in lieu of suspending its beautiful nests to the fronds of 

 the fan-leaved palms, as is its usual habit. It is remarkable that the beak of Eu. striatus becomes 

 gradually white after breeding, commencing at the base, but never bluish-glaucous like that 

 of Eu. Bengalensis. 



